Update about the state of the level (Part 2/2):
Because of this, I decided to leave the map as it is now. Most of the things I wanted to change were small bug fixes, but nothing major, and the map overall works as I had intended when I set out to create it.

Again, thank you all so much for playing my map and supporting me!!

It really means a lot!

Update about the state of the level (Part 1/2):
I was finally able to put some time aside in my summer holidays to push the last update for this map. In order to do this, I cataloged all the remaining community feedback into a document and I was ready to get cracking.

Unfortunately, my laptop with which I originally posted this map died on me. Usually, this means that the map files are lost forever, but I had them backed up in case something like this would happen. In the end, this did sadly not matter, as I cannot link up my local map file with the online Steam workshop file of the level.

This means that I cannot push updates to this workshop level anymore.
The only thing I could do is fully delete this workshop file and reupload a new version, but this would delete all comments, ratings, etc.

@wildgoosespeeder
I really appreciate your detailed and well informed feedback!!
It's really helpful for a beginner Portal 2 level designer like myself to get tips from the experienced community!
I added your feedback to my changelist sheet.
It's been some time since I created this map, but I still intend on updating it at some point to address all of the improvement points that were brought forward. Currently my academic projects and side-projects take priority, but as soon as I get a bit of free time the Portal 2 level will be one of my highest priorities.

Thanks, so much for playing my level!!

I did manage to not need to reverse the funnel. Floor portal surfaces need to be removed under the light bridge. Add light strips parallel to the light bridge, but one square over, to further isolate portal placement to not intersect that area. Also, fix bullfrog's solution. Making the exit further back and making the goo pit longer will fix this shortcut.

For antline manipulation:
Use a light strip to intersect antlines to manipulate their path finding, especially for the exit opening button. For the symbol usage, you could change the piston platforms under the goo to be a second light bridge instead. That way, antlines will be used. You could ultimately rework the puzzle configuration to use the original light bridge to cross the gap.

Not a bad way to start off puzzle building.

@bullfrog
WOW!
You are the first one of all the commenters and playtesters to find this unintended solution!
I'm impressed to say the least!

I'm planning to bring out a revision of this map to address feedback like this, that the commenters brought up.
It'll still take some time, since I am working on other projects at the moment, but I'll probably get around to it eventually. ;)

THANKS, for playing the map and making the recording for me!
Through commenters like you I learned a lot about balancing levels for players of a high skill level.
I REALLY appreciate it!!

...oh, and also meant to say: not bad at all for a first puzzle - thumbs up and I'll be looking out to see your puzzle and map design skills evolve from here.

Well done for getting so much attention, but for future maps, or a revision to this one, you might want to note this: unintended solution.

@banazirgalbasi2980
What an absolute lad!!!

SUPER EASY BEAT IN 40S

Ah, that makes sense. I'd hate to make my way up to the top and have the cube end up where I can't make a portal :-)

@Sammer56
The level can be solved without the button, but using it will revert the tractor beam.

Its main function is to get the cube back into white portal spaces, if it fell into an unfavorable position, so that the player doesn't need to jump down and do the entire first part again.
It also helps to bring the cube quicker into the position you want.
Glad you had no need for it! :)

Thank you so much for your feedback and playing the level!!

Thanks for the puzzle. It was interesting but I'm not sure why there was a button on the higher level? I don't even know what is does because I didn't use it to solve the puzzle. Thanks though!

@GLaDOS
Thank you, for the feedback!
Difficulty is a very subjective thing. What is easy for some, seems near impossible to others.
Some playtesters ran through the puzzle in 5 minutes, while others took about 15-20 minutes. Some were not even able to finish it at all.

This is why I decided to give it this difficulty rating.
That the level is easy in your perspective just shows how well versed you are in puzzle solving.

i think Difficulty in discription should be changed to easy in my opinion
awesome level! nicely done

@banazirgalbasi2980
;)

EZ

@Hoxton
Thanks, so much!!
Really awesome that you took the time to not only play and rate the level, but also leaving a comment in addition to reading the comment section!
Wow, it never occurred to me that people could use the cube to jump over!
Thanks, for pointing out the problems.
I'll try to address them when I get around to updating the level.

Just finished your map and clicking the thumbs up button. Awesome work! I was reading through the comments and a player mentioned avoiding the pistons through an angled jump. Not sure if this has been patched completely as I can still do it by jumping off a cube. The light bridge can also be used to jump over the goo pit, removing the need for the laser and pistons (failed to notice they were there the first time ) Hope to see more of your maps in the future!

@Shaidon
No problem, I'm happy, that I could help you with that. If you will need anything, be sure to add me as friend, or write another comment.

@DEADLOCKING
Thanks a bunch, for uploading the video!!
That's a really interesting way to solve the puzzle! Nobody of my playtesters did that. 'v'
If you would have wanted to keep the door open longer then you could have used the tractor beam to make the cube hover over the button, then place your orange portal in front of the button to make the cube fall into tractor beam and thus be pushed into the button, which will keep the door open.

This is super cool to know!
Thanks, again for taking the time to play the map, comment and post the video.
Really appreciate it.

@everyone @Shaidon I have made a video about me completing it by my way. All of you guys (and mostly Shaidon) I hope you will watch it, and will give me some nice feedback..
Video Link: CLICK HERE TO WATCH

@(Edgy) Asriel Dreemur
Thanks, for completing my map!
That's an extremely creative way to solve the map, did not expect that! xD
You are actually the first one to do that.
It is cool though! I LOVE IT when people play the levels in weird unexpected ways, so good job! :)

If you want to know how the map was "intended" then you can just go through it again and see if you can move the cube without funneling it in small steps, but I think that your solution is just as good!

Good to know that stuff like that is possible in Portal.
Thanks, a lot for letting me know!!

@Robo SK.
Thank you so much, for taking the time to play the map and leaving a comment!

Easy but

I completed the map, but I'm unsure if I did it in a way that wasn't intended.

I started by placing the cube in the path of the laser then crossed the platforms, and went up to the polarity switching button. After that, I portaled the funnel directly under the cube, then portaled forward in small steps so it pulled the cube with it until it was able to enter the funnel, and be pulled through the floor. Finally, I just used the polarity button and some wall and floor portal placement to funnel the cube onto the exit button.

Is that what you're meant to do?

@DEADLOCKING
Feel free to post it in the comments, so that anyone who follows this conversation can see it as well, if they want.

Okay, i will try to download some program to record, and then i will send you link on the video. Can I add you directly on Steam, or should I send it here in the comments?

@DEADLOCKING
Sure thing!
I love to see users do creative things with what I built! :)

@Shaidon
Could I ask you if you want some video of it how I've done it using my way?

@DEADLOCKING
Success is success, am I right? x3

@Galactic Jack
Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it. :)

@Mr Vapour Waterhandle
Thanks, a lot for the high amount of concise feedback! ;D
It's easy to tell how experienced you are.

That the indications do not show what they do is the biggest thorn in my eye. I was not sure how to fix it, without investing a lot of time to test out different mechanics, since I was in a rush when creating this map I never did it. That I could have used a lightbridge is ingenious!! I should totally have done that!!

I agree that the staircase could have used more light. Thanks, for the tip! :)

Your perspective on the puzzle is really interesting to read and I think that you unraveled the intention that I had when creating this puzzle as well. I like your idea of workshop maps being: "[...] a way to communicate an idea for mechanics[...]". For my next map I will definitely keep this sentence in mind! That and of course re-using elements.

I REALLY learn a lot from people like you who are commenting their criticism and tips. So thanks a lot, really!!

@Fragmentation123
Indeed

This was nice; I like the mechanic. Fairly easy of course.

I think, that I have completed it differently how it should be XD last portal was placed down, and when cube touched that circle, door opened on 0.5 second, and i have ran through them. 8)

As for the puzzle:
It's alright. For a first map fairly decent. The fizzler is a good sign of puzzle design in that it gives a 'but what now?' moment that is crucial to a puzzle, even if it is fairly obvious to get around it. I would say difficulty is generally not a goal. I'd say often these community maps are a way to communicate an idea for mechanics as well, and you're not going to do that with such an open ended map. Just food for thought. A quick idea I just got: what if there was mostly no portalable floor, but more on the walls, and you had to place the cube to block the laser so that when it drops, you can suck it in with the funnel, if you placed it correctly. A few 3-wide portalable walls so this isn't too specific to execute on. Element re-use is more important than even 'a single idea', for a satisfying map, though. Like others have mentioned. there's some good references to read on puzzle design.

Some notes on how the design could be improved:
- No indication as to what those signals actually do before you try it out. You generally want to avoid signage in favour of antlines, but even moreso no invisible connections. You could simply put another lightbridge down over the goo for instance, this would give you a visible connection to work with. This'll probably give you a tangle of antlines (you want to avoid this), but it can be dealt with antline router strips in beemod.
- The staircase to the funnel button is a little dark. Maybe put a light there so I can spot it before crossing to the exit side.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

@six
Thanks, for playing the map and for your comment!
I hope that I can live up to your expectations. :)

@EDU4RD
YEAH, THE SONG ROCKS, RIGHT?! (ﾉ･д･)ﾉ
It's called "Placid" from Ben Bryant. It's music from the Portal pro mod. :)

@Sophronius
Thanks! Glad that the difficulty of the puzzle was right for you!

@diesucherin
Thank you! It speaks for you skill that you didn't need the orange light! :)

@kwinten
Thank you, for pointing that out!!
Didn't know that you could make the leap with an angle jump.

Like I said to another person in the comments that broke my level in an expected way:
I LOVE IT! This unexpected behaviour is always super cool to watch as a level designer!
I think that a very own enjoyment comes from finding such exploids, just like speedrunning normal games. :)

In that regard I think that the level fulfills it's purpose of being fun to people by having such flaws, so I don't intend to fix them, since most people won't notice these things and it can be cool for super experienced Portal players! ;)
I will try to avoid such glitches in future levels though, so you input was really helpful! ;D

The OST of this map is from another world!!!
Good map!!!

Great, we will be expecting more. This is a great comunity, and sadly some realy good designs get very little atention. Congrats, and keep going.

This is way too easy to cheat on this map, i used only the funnel to put the cube on the button, then angled-jump to the exit.. Thx for your effort though!

Very tricky! Good job! Need to walk twice. Did not need the orange light

i was stumped for awhile on this one, nice map, good job! :o)

@Raziel
Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed the level and found the stairs eventually. ^-^

Très bien conçu!! J'ai mis un moment avant de voir l'escalier xd

@GrottoLova
Thank you!
I really appreciate it. :)

Expat said it all. Thanks to both him and you!

@KillCrazy
I agree with you! Making the maps as tight as possible is not always the ultimate solution, if you want to cater to a broad audience. :)
On the other hand they make it even more enjoyable for hardcore players. ^-^

@hub
WOW!!
I did not know that this was possible!
I seriously love it when skilled players do stuff that I didn't expect at all.

Even though this solution was unintended I think that I'll leave it in the level. For top-tier players searching for such exploids can become just as much fun as solving the actual puzzle (if not even more fun)!
And that the player has fun is in the end what I what to achieve with my map, not that you solve it in a specific intended way for my own enjoyment. ^-^
It is basically like the joy of speedrunning. :)

Stuff like this is super helpful for future levels though, so THANK YOU a ton for not only taking the time to play my level, but even make a video about it. Really nice of you! ;)

@Expat
Thank you!
Both for playing my level and for writing such a lovely comment!
It was my intention to have several paths to solve the puzzle, since multiple paths mean an easier difficulty. For my first map I wanted to go for something small and easy. ^-^ So in that regard I completely agree with you!
Yeah, Leomievs and DoMess have been awesome!! Really happy with how welcoming the Portal 2 workshop community is.

@DoMess
Thanks a lot!!
For the feedback, the kind words and the resources!

I skimmed quickly over Fumbly Bumbly's guide and it looks awesome! Before I create another map I'll definitely read the whole thing!
I do know about the Hammer Editor and its versatility, but the thing with versatility is that more versatility always means a steeper learning curve. The thing that I like about the portal level editor is that it is just pick up and create, so for me the Bee2 editor is the perfect middleground between the standard workshop editor and the Hammer Editor. At least for now. :)