Surfaces for portals – do they HAVE TO contain moon particles?

[Lord Of War]

Greetings! Please help out:
Me and my friend are having an argument – what surfaces are suitable for portals.

My opponent states “ONLY surfaces having moon particles” such as white panels in test chambers and the white gel itself.

My point of view is – surfaces, good for the portals, DO NOT have to contain moon bits, as long as they are a) static (not moving), b) big enough for the portals, c) flat or even.

I fail to remember exact dialogues explaining where a player can /cannot place portals, however, I remember well that we could put them outside of the testing chambers – e.g. either concrete wall, paper or plastic coating in the offices' wall, floor, ceiling, etc.

This means, that the Aperture Science either wasted valuable moon rocks into literally everything around its complex, OR, that surfaces DO NOT have to contain moon particles after all.

Yes, there were moving walls where you could shoot portals; yeah, most applicable places were meant for a successful play-through, yet still.

Please provide evidences for either my friend's or mine POVs.
Kind regards.

[PopolaUNK]

The surface can move, remeber cutting the nerotoxican?

[PopolaUNK]

The game clearly states that the conversion gel is made of moon rocks (ground), do you REALLY THINK that cave johnson and his scientists would spend millions on moon rocks IF THEY COULD USE PAINT PRIMER! I want to call you a idiot but hey, you don't deserve that

[Fregi]

Originally posted by BaconLord Son of Mr. Bean:

The game clearly states that the conversion gel is made of moon rocks (ground), do you REALLY THINK that cave johnson and his scientists would spend millions on moon rocks IF THEY COULD USE PAINT PRIMER! I want to call you a idiot but hey, you don't deserve that

Apeture science has a wierd and twisted system of logic. When one solution seems the most cost efficient, they choose a very expensive solution.

Sure, Cave could have used paint primer, but he decided to buy all those moon rocks because "science isn't about why, its about" WHY NOT

[ƒlechette]

"WHY NOT", because we're bankrupt now.

[_Soj_]

Tell him don't forget there are instances where you can shoot portals into orange and blue gel, not to mention 'bulls-eye' panels, too...

[Lord Of War]

BaconLord Son of Mr. Bean,
1) Please re-read my topic again - I did mention the moving surface and underlined that it merely served for players' successful game completion and those cutting boards were the only exceptions occurred in the game.
After all when you place a portal on the wall which later will move back/forward, the portal disappears. This supports the point that the surface must be static.
2) I well remember what the conversion gel is made of, and yes – Cave would certainly spend its budget because of “why not” factor.
3) keep insults to yourself, mate, if you're not able to discuss politely.

Fox Main Fregi, I've seen a lot of conclusions made by other players, that neither paint, nor wood nor metal surfaces fit for portals.

Concrete – was stated as the working alternative to the moon-rock-based panel due to:
“silicon oxide compounds (particularly aluminium-silicon-oxide, which is the primary form found on the moon's surface). Concrete certainly falls into this category, as it is essentially manufactured from terrestrial rock which, like most rock, is composed of silicon oxide compounds. Other materials such as wood and metal contain almost no silicon and cannot conduct portals. Metal seems to be often employed when a strictly non-portal surface is required, perhaps suggesting that electrically-conductive metal is able to earth / short out portal energy to ensure that a portal cannot form.” - says one player.

Another one adds that “... they used portals with Olympians and homeless people before obtaining moon rocks”. - I fail to remember this bit in the game.
Anyone has time to check these dialogues or posters confirming that Aperture DID use other stuff before they got to the moon ground?

Ѕσjδμгиеŗ, I remember about gels...

Okay, I ask from a different way - WERE Apertures making portals BEFORE they started making conversion gels?

[HavocTheMushroom]

Originally posted by Lord Of War:

BaconLord Son of Mr. Bean,
1) Please re-read my topic again - I did mention the moving surface and underlined that it merely served for players' successful game completion and those cutting boards were the only exceptions occurred in the game.
After all when you place a portal on the wall which later will move back/forward, the portal disappears. This supports the point that the surface must be static.
2) I well remember what the conversion gel is made of, and yes – Cave would certainly spend its budget because of “why not” factor.
3) keep insults to yourself, mate, if you're not able to discuss politely.

Fox Main Fregi, I've seen a lot of conclusions made by other players, that neither paint, nor wood nor metal surfaces fit for portals.

Concrete – was stated as the working alternative to the moon-rock-based panel due to:
“silicon oxide compounds (particularly aluminium-silicon-oxide, which is the primary form found on the moon's surface). Concrete certainly falls into this category, as it is essentially manufactured from terrestrial rock which, like most rock, is composed of silicon oxide compounds. Other materials such as wood and metal contain almost no silicon and cannot conduct portals. Metal seems to be often employed when a strictly non-portal surface is required, perhaps suggesting that electrically-conductive metal is able to earth / short out portal energy to ensure that a portal cannot form.” - says one player.

Another one adds that “... they used portals with Olympians and homeless people before obtaining moon rocks”. - I fail to remember this bit in the game.
Anyone has time to check these dialogues or posters confirming that Aperture DID use other stuff before they got to the moon ground?

Ѕσjδμгиеŗ, I remember about gels...

Okay, I ask from a different way - WERE Apertures making portals BEFORE they started making conversion gels?

here is my theory:
most of the panels in aperture use a special chemical that allows portals to be placed on it. however, they cannot be maintained in liquid form, thus the test participent could not put the liquid where they please. moon gel fixes that. moon gel is basically a test chamber panel in liquid form.

[Lord Of War]

I went through all characters' line (thanks to Internet) and found satisfying answers.

1) the Aperture was built somewhere in 1940s, when they first developed Portal technology.

2) around 1980s they bought moon rocks and realized it was perfect material for portals.

3) the foundation, base, walls\ceiling\floors of the very frist Aperture were built as I said in 1940s or even earlier and those surfaces were suitable for portals in our Portal 2 playthrough.

This means - the moon rocks, the cornerstone of the argument, is not the only necessary factor making surfaces good for portals!

Above I cited a message with chemical explanation which together with these three chronologically listed events now pleases me.

[PopolaUNK]

Thanks for not taking my insult to seriously, but yes there the presummubly best known Portal conduction material, you are correct, congrats!

[Dodyssey]

in a portal 1 beta map you could shoot portals on wood, specifically the escape_01 beta version of the map