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Valve is famous for crafting games that are polished and intuitive. But that's no accident: the developer has a nearreligious obsession with playtesting. Learn more, in this video.

=== Before you watch ===

Content warning: Blood, Combat

=== Sources ===

[1] Valve reflects on The Orange Box, ten years later | PC Gamer
https://www.pcgamer.com/valvereflect...

[2] Developer Commentary | Portal
https://store.steampowered.com/app/40...

[3] Portal Beta 2005 & More 2006 Content | Logan on YouTube
   • Portal Beta 2005 & More 2006 Content  

[4] Beyond the Box | 1UP
Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/201105240...

[5] Kim Swift 'Our Journey From Narbacular Drop To Portal' | IGS 2007
   • IGS 2007: Kim Swift  'Our Journey Fr...  

[6] Narbacular Drop | Digipen Institute of Technology
https://www.digipen.edu/showcase/stud...

[7] Valve's Design Process for Creating HalfLife 2 | GDC 2006
https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1013237...

YouTube mirror:    • Valve's Design Process for Creating H...  

[8] Valve’s philosophy with User Research... | Steve Bromley
https://www.stevebromley.com/blog/201...

[9] The Science of Playtesting | GameSpot
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the...

[10] Opening the Valve | Eurogamer
https://www.eurogamer.net/ivalve060606

[11] Valve Is Finally Ready to Talk About Its Games Again... | The Escapist
https://www.escapistmagazine.com/valv...

[12] Thinking With Portals | Game Developer Magazine
[PDF] https://ubmtwvideo01.s3.amazonaws.co...

[13] 126 Josh Weier Interview | Kiwi Talkz
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/...

[14] The Cabal: Valve's Design Process For Creating HalfLife | Game Developer Magazine
Mirror: https://www.hlinside.ru/magazines/gd...

[15] Handbook For New Employees | Valve
[PDF] https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/ap...

[16] The 100 greatest video games of all time... | GQ
https://www.gqmagazine.co.uk/article...

[17] The Final Hours Of HalfLife 2 | Gamespot
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the...

[18] Why Are Valve's Games So Polished? | IGN
https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/03/...

[19] HalfLife 2: Episode One Update Released | Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/oldnew...

[20] How fidgeting playtesters convinced Valve... | PC Gamer
https://www.pcgamer.com/howfidgeting...

[21] Christine Phelan Creating a Nightmare... | Konsoll 2021
   • Konsoll 2021: Christine Phelan  Crea...  

[22] Integrating Narrative into Game Design... | GDC 2008
   • Integrating Narrative into Game Desig...  

[23] RPS Interview: Portal's Kim Swift... | Rock Paper Shotgun
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/rps...

[24] Meet the minds behind HalfLife 2 | PC Gamer
https://www.pcgamer.com/meetthemind...

[25] The Final Hours of Portal 2 | Steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/10...

=== Chapters ===

00:00 Intro
01:25 Playtesting Portal
05:47 Valve's History
08:38 Playtesting Tips
15:43 Conclusion

=== Games Shown ===

Portal (2017)
Super Mario Odyssey (2017)
Far Cry 3 (2012)
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021)
Portal 2 (2011)
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (2023)
Narbacular Drop (2005)
HalfLife 2 (2004)
skate. (Unreleased)
Left 4 Dead (2008)
HalfLife 2: Episode One (2006)
HalfLife Alyx (2020)
God of War Ragnarök (2022)
Untitled Magnet Game (Unreleased)
Superliminal (2019)
Viewfinder (2023)

=== Credits ===

Music provided by Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com/referra... (Referral Link)

Narbacular Drop Full Walkthrough | COG in the Game
   • Narbacular Drop  Full Walkthroiugh ...  

Konsoll 2021: Christine Phelan Creating a Nightmare in HalfLife: Alyx | Konsoll
   • Konsoll 2021: Christine Phelan  Crea...  

FStop (AfterImage) "lab_intro_scripted2" | fstop
   • FStop (AfterImage)  "lab_intro_scr...  

Portal 2: FSTOP PROJECT CAPTURE Full Walkthrough | Bolloxed
   • Portal 2: FSTOP PROJECT CAPTURE  Fu...  

Exposure by LunchHouse Software | LunchHouse Software
   • Video  

Mirror: https://www.playground.ru/portal/news...

=== Subtitles ===

Contribute translated subtitles https://amara.org/videos/MyGYKu72hcPs/