Levels won't "build" in level editor.

[MC Platypus]

I'm playing on Mac 10.7 and am completely blocked in editing levels. Regardless of how simple the change i've made was, It loads the "building geometry" bar to about 90% and it stops there. I still have the cycling wheel around the logo, so it's still "thinking," though I'm not sure what about.

It has never crashed or gotten frozen at this screen. I've never gotten an error message either. It just spins around and pretends to build my level forever until I cancel the build.

Cursory research suggests that not many people have experienced this bug, so there aren't any solutions or suggestions available. I've only found one person who has the same issue I do, and it was in a comment on youtube.

Previous to this point, I wasn't able to load ANY Portal 2 content. It would crash as soon as I attempted to load any gameplay. I fixed this by copying my portal 2 game files from my steamapps folder into my username folder. Now everything runs fine, except for this bug.

I've tried closing and restarting both Portal 2 and Steam, tried verifying my files. Any other suggestions and/or people with a similar issue?

Thanks for your help!

[Calamity Clambake]

Okay, guys & gals ... here's the latest reply I received from a Valve support professional:

Hello ~T~,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.

If you are having issues with the Portal 2 Puzzle Maker please visit the following link:

http://www.thinkwithportals.com/puzzlemaker/compile_error.php

Any errors that cannot be solved by the above link should be e-mailed to:
[e-mail]

If you have any further questions, please let us know - we will be happy to assist you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Additional Forum Participant Commentary NOT Originally In This Communication:

I'd be willing to bet that we've ALL been to the link they supplied (when we try to build big maps ... I usually take out a few light strips & it'll build.) But what I think EVERYBODY should notice here is the NEW email address: "[e-mail]". EVERYBODY SHOULD RESUBMIT THIER TICKETS (WITH SCREEN SHOTS) TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS. Carefully word your issue / situation / complaint the way we have been, & try not to get to irate or "pushy." We're getting somewhere. Where … exactly … I don't know. But it's SOMETHING.

In the mean time, I must say that if Half Life 3 came out today, I wouldn't buy it.

~T~

[Light]

that's what we get when we feed the Gaben

[Mitch McWiggins]

Thanks for the email address, tthopf. I agree with your suggestion on how we deliver the information.

Here's what I just sent, did I leave out anything?

(Ugh... Looking at it now, the worst thing about what I typed is that it's SO long, what a freaking nerd. Will someone else do Valve and everyone else a favor and be more a LOT more concise than me in your own email? Thanks.)

---

Hello,

I discovered your email address in a forum thread I am subscribed to, listed as a resource for submitting information about this. Here is the problem I am experiencing:

While creating maps in Portal 2 (in the "community test chambers" section of the game with the in-game map maker; not with something like Hammer), when I go to Rebuild or Publish a map I have made, the Building Geometry progress bar halts somewhere around 90% or 95%.

No matter the map size, this is what happens. I first noticed the issue in early February. Before that, everything was fine.

I have found other people online having the same problem. It appears to happen on all Mac computers, regardless of the operating system. If you haven't already, I would bet that you will be able to replicate this problem fairly quickly and easily--just boot up Portal 2 on any Mac with the latest Steam and go to Create Test Chambers to try to build a map, even the default one.

Below is a link to a screenshot I took of what I see. As an example, I created a tiny 1x4 test chamber, tried to build it, and the problem still occurs. This leads me to assume that it has nothing to do with map size or element count. Beyond that, I have no idea.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=128883302

I tried rebooting, resetting modem/router, verifying the integrity of my game cache files, deleting preview.bsp/vmf/prt/log files, deleting clientregistry.blob; nothing I have tried so far has fixed the problem.

Again, this with the puzzle maker that comes with the game, accessible within the game through MAIN MENU > COMMUNITY TEST CHAMBERS > CREATE TEST CHAMBERS. I am not using Source SDK or any other 3rd-Party software.

Finally, most of all, thanks a ton for your help looking into this. If you have a job like mine, you're probably busy with lots of other priority projects, so I appreciate your time and attention to this issue. Until then I have plenty of community test chambers in my queue to play, so, not a huge deal.

Thanks!

[end of message]

(Ugh #2, maybe that "not a huge deal" at the end doesn't help convey a sense of urgency. At the time it felt like a good idea; "hey, I'm being all cool and calm for the support guy, maybe it'll help things somehow." Oh well, whatever.)

[Calamity Clambake]

Hi Mitch (& all,)

I don't think you left anything out. At this point, we're so frustrated that I think they'd expect us to be a little wordy or redundant; I think you'll agree that I certainly was. I forgot to attach a screen shot, but I'm being so specific (& you sent one, so I think we''re covered) I can't imagine they'll need it. Below is a copy of what I sent to "[e-mail]". It's more verbose than your email - lol! I feel that you write very well, so you'll notice that I used some of your wording here & there. I certainly repeat myself a bit … for emphasis. I think you'll like the way I addressed the "educational" aspect towards the end. The important thing is that we're both calm; we're not flaming or hating anyone, we're just trying to get an issue escalated & resolved. I'd be very surprised if we don't get SOME sort of satisfaction from our efforts. Good work.

~T~

On Mar 6, 2013, at 4:07 AM, tthopf wrote:

Dear Support Professional,

Thank you for this response. There have been times in the past when, after the "build" progress bars pauses for a while, I DO get routed to one of the error screens depicted on the page you provided (http://www.thinkwithportals.com/puzzlemaker/compile_error.php.) &, in the past, when the error screen depicted on this page has appeared, I've located & visited this page (http://www.thinkwithportals.com/puzzlemaker/compile_error.php.) & found the information in it to be very helpful.

However, this does not address the issue I am having. As such, I will be forwarding additional concerns to the email address you provided "[e-mail]"; also thank you for this email address as well. I've recently posted this email address in a Steam forum room (topic titled 'Levels won't "build" in level editor'), so I suspect that this inbox at this address will soon be flooded by emails of frustrated customers there who have been unable to play the game (i.e.: "create their own test chambers) because they are all experiencing the same malfunction.

The issue that I am having now (& that I originally reported to you) is:

While creating maps in Portal 2 (in the "Community Test Chambers" section of the game with the in-game map maker; not with something like Hammer), when I attempt to "Rebuild" or "Publish" ANY map I have made (or even the default starting map that the program provides), the "Building Geometry" progress bar stops somewhere around 90% or 95% & will not continue. I AM NEVER PROVIDED WITH AN ERROR SCREEN; again, the level editor "sticks" FOREVER while it is "Building Geometry"; the progress bar gets about 90% to 95% complete, then it stops & will not continue, at which point I am required to "force quit" the game.

This happens regardless of map size: for example, I created a very small test chamber with only the required minimum elements (entrance & exit doors & one observation room,) tried to build it, and the problem still occurs. This leads me to assume that it has nothing to do with map size or element count. I first noticed the issue in early February. I've had no prior difficulties.

There are other people online in active Steam forums having the same problem, & they all seem to have Apple iMac computers with various builds of OS X (Leopard, Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion; it does not appear that the "bug" is OS X build specific.) I am running Portal 2 on a new model iMac running Mountain Lion. As mentioned above, a forum topic has been created titled 'Levels won't "build" in level editor'; this forum is populated by several frustrated customers there who have been unable to play the game (i.e.: "create their own test chambers) because they are all experiencing the same malfunction. I would think that you will be able to replicate this problem easily by running Portal 2 (with all the latest updates installed) on any Mac with the latest Steam and go to "Create Test Chambers" to try to "Build" a map, even the default map that initially loads when entering the level editor to create a test chamber.

Again, this with the puzzle maker that comes with the game, accessible within the game through MAIN MENU > COMMUNITY TEST CHAMBERS > CREATE TEST CHAMBERS. I am not using Source SDK or any other 3rd-Party software. I am not using a "development tool" (like Hammer), I am simply using the in-game feature that I purchased the license to use from Steam & I'm using equipment the game was designed to work with.

Finally, I would suspect that, since this in-game feature has been specifically targeted to school science & math programs, there are very likely several educational institutions (Apple has tended to be the dominant player in elementary schools) who are experiencing this issue & have not yet reported it to you. I myself am a music teacher. Teachers tend to be busy people without much patience for technical support quagmires; if something in their curriculums are no longer effective, it's quickly replaced by something else without much forethought. If this is the case (& I suspect it is) then I can certainly see why it might be in Valve's best interest to investigate (& hopefully remedy) this issue; if saving casual "gamers" from their frustrations isn't enough motivation, then certainly making sure that the young inquisitive minds of our beloved children have access to the "Perpetual Testing Initiative" in their classrooms, since this was once a major corporate directive of Valve's.

Again, I think you for your time & support. I especially thank you for the email address "[e-mail]"; hopefully the urgency of this issue will be escalated so that a solution will be forthcoming.

Kindly,
tthopf

[Fitznoodle]

Just got my reply! Does anybody where I can find this "Start Menu" thing?

Literally NO mention of the problem (or even the relevant OS). Yeah, guessing we won't be getting much help, guys.

[Robeth]

If any windows user happens to be reading this, can you tell me if you are having a problem also? Thanks
-Robeth

[johnnylan13]

Just joining in guys, been having the same problem, actually I've been having nothing but problems with Steam/Portal 2/Mac. Hopefully a solution will come soon *sigh*

[Robotguy]

I just got a reply to my ticket:

"Thank you for taking the time to report this issue. We are aware of the problem and are investigating the issue further."

Sounds like it could be progress from "We don't support dev tools"?

[Light]

Also got a reply!

"Thank you for contacting Steam Support.

Thank you for taking the time to report this issue.

We are aware of the problem and are investigating the issue further."

I see the light at the end of the tunnel :)

[Calamity Clambake]

Hallelujah! I didn't get a reply (well, at least not a positive one … yet), but I sure like what I'm hearing here in this forum! Thanks everyone for submitting their individual tickets, for paying close attention to their "wording" when sending in your inquiries, for not giving up … keeping the pressure on … & all that hoo-hah!

[Bonk Nickeltoon]

I'm having the same problem two with my mac. I wish Steam would fixed this problem like *snap*

[Rbnoliv]

Hola,

Un miembro del equipo ha contestado a tu pregunta:

We are aware of the problem and are investigating the issue further.

For news regarding the latest updates and patches, please check the SteamPowered News page:
http://store.steampowered.com/news/

More information can be found in the following forum thread:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1847654

Some users have claimed using the "joy_axis_deadzone 10" command has resolved the issue.

Title: Console
Link: http://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3041-SHZN-9384

We hope to have a permanent solution in the future.

[Calamity Clambake]

I have every reason to belive that the "free givaway" post by egor.omi above is a phishing scam. Enter details at your own risk.

[Calamity Clambake]

I also have every reason to belive that rbnoliv is not experiencing the same issue that everyone else who joined this thread is having. An earlier post by him seemed to reference a different issue. Again, follow his links & attempt his solutions at your own peril.

[Bamfer23]

Got the "We're looking into the issue" reply the other day as well!

As for someone asking about Windows version of the game: No, it does not have that problem. I made a map the other day when the Mac start acting up, and had no problem building or publishing it. It seems to be a Mac only problem