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Portal Stories: Mel > Guides > quat's Guides
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Advanced Mode Official Video Solutions (Get yourself un-stuck!)
By quat
Stuck on a puzzle in PS:M Advanced, or worried your solution was not the intended way? Check here for links to the official video solutions.

(Note: This guide was created before Story Mode was a thing, so it makes no references to that. If you're playing Story Mode and you're still stuck, sorry! )
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Created by
quat
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Category: Achievements, Gameplay Basics, Maps or Levels, Walkthroughs
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
26 Jun, 2015 @ 7:08pm
9 Apr, 2022 @ 9:47pm
28,016 Unique Visitors
445 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
How to use this guide 
Underbounce 
Once Upon 
Past Power 
Ramp 
Firestorm 
Junkyard 
Concepts 
Paint Fling 
Faith Plate 
Transition 
Overgrown 
Funnel Over Goo 
Two Of A Kind 
Destroyed 
Factory 
Core Access 
Finale 
Comments
How to use this guide
First off, I'd like to say sleep on it!. Most of the time, if you're stuck on a puzzle and come back the next day, you'll figure out the solution in 5 minutes. It's weird how often this works, try it!

That said, if you're still stuck that's perfectly normal too. Scroll down until you find a screenshot of the test chamber you're stuck on. Then, click the "Video Solution" link under the image to go directly to the official solution on the Portal Stories youtube channel. (Thanks to them for actually recording their official solutions !)

Click on the images themselves to open a larger version of it for closer inspection, if you want.

It helps when you have the map name known - press the key above Tab on your keyboard (with the ~ and ` symbols on most US keyboards), and look in the upper-right corner of the screen. Then hit Ctrl-F and search this page for the map name.

Oh, and this is important!
Make sure to pause the videos after the chamber's solution finishes!!!!!!!! (there's often 2 or 3 puzzles in one video). Also, don't scroll down farther than you need to! We don't want anybody getting spoiled here, I'm just here to get you unstuck from puzzles.
Underbounce
This map is sp_a2_underbounce. It contains two puzzles. A lot of people get stuck on the very first puzzle, so if that's you, don't worry - you're not alone !

Video solution to Underbounce part 1

Video solution to Underbounce part 2
Once Upon
sp_a2_once_upon is another puzzle many, many people get stuck on. Both puzzles use really cool blue gel flinging and bouncing tricks, and the first one uses a bit of orange gel too.
Video solution to Once Upon part 1

Video solution to Once Upon part 2
Past Power
sp_a2_past_power is a large map with many varied BTS-theme puzzles, and some funny easter eggs too. Also, it contains 2 of the funniest doors in gaming history. The first one's encountered in normal gameplay... I'll leave you to find the second one. ;)
Video solution to Past Power part 1

Video solution to Past Power part 2

Video solution to Past Power part 3
Ramp
sp_a2_ramp is another "underground testing sphere" revolving around orange gel tricks, ramps (duh), and flinging mechanics. It's fun !
Video solution to Ramp part 1

Video solution to Ramp part 2
Junkyard
sp_a3_junkyard is the first map in chapter 3. It's short but sweet. In this map, you get to see Virgil for the first time ! exciting stuff.

WiFi!

Video solution to Junkyard
Concepts
sp_a3_concepts contains two puzzle chambers from Virgil's very own testing track. The second chamber is really, REALLY hard for the majority of players, so don't feel ashamed to look at the solution video !

Video solution to Concepts part 1

Video solution to Concepts part 2
Paint Fling
sp_a3_paint_fling contains two more puzzles from Virgil's track. Oddly enough, only one of them involves what could be called a "paint fling". The other one, though, is a cool "laser and fizzler" puzzle map.

Video solution to Paint Fling part 1

Video Solution to Paint Fling part 2
Faith Plate
sp_a3_faith_plate consists of two more faith-plate-and-funnel puzzles from Virgil's track - or, it would, anyway, if our old friend AEGIS didn't have a say in the matter...

Video solution to Faith Plate part 1

Video solution to Faith Plate part 2
Transition
...And sp_a3_transition is where everything starts to fall apart. It's a long map, with 4 puzzles in it. ...I'm sure nobody's going to need help solving the very, very first chamber (and if you do need help with it, how in the world did you manage to get to this point in the game?!), so it is not linked. But the "real" chambers are very challenging.

The first link (Intro), by the way, explains how to open the door to these "real" test chambers.

Video solution to Transition Intro

Video solution to Transition part 1

Video solution to Transition part 2
Overgrown
sp_a4_overgrown marks the start of chapter 4 - and also marks the point where the training wheels are off, and the chambers quickly get very, very hard. Good luck on this chapter - you'll need it!

In this map, Virgil redirects the elevator to a series of plant-filled tests, in an attempt to cause AEGIS to lose your position. Who knows, maybe that crazy plan will even work...

Video solution to Overgrown part 1

Video solution to Overgrown part 2
Funnel Over Goo
sp_a4_tbeam_over_goo (the "tbeam" means "tractor beam") is a series of two tricky tests that use reversible excursion funnels and large pits of deadly goop. Be careful!

Video solution to Funnel Over Goo part 1

Video solution to Funnel Over Goo part 2
Two Of A Kind
In sp_a4_two_of_a_kind, you'll play through two puzzles-of-a-kind that use two "transporter" elements of a kind and two cubes of a kind. (Don't lose track of which cube comes from which dropper!)

Video solution to Two Of A Kind part 1

Video solution to Two Of A Kind part 2
Destroyed
In sp_a4_destroyed you'll need to find your way through two test chambers that are so broken-looking, it's a miracle that everything still works in them.

Video solution to Destroyed part 1

Video solution to Destroyed part 2
Factory
sp_a4_factory is another welcome break from the standard test chambers.

P.S. It opens with a map that's so destroyed and broken down it doesn't even work properly anymore. (Don't tell anyone I told you this, but if you do manage to solve it despite the destruction, you get a free achievement!!! So that's nice. Actually there's a buuuunch of possible achievements in this map. More like sp_a4_achievement_factory, amirite?)

Oh, and while you're here, take a moment to stop and smell the roses. The detailwork and backstory put in to this area is sublime. There might even be a secret in it for you...

Video solution to Factory part 1

Video solution to Factory part 2
Core Access
It's sp_a4_core_access - this is it, there's no going back now. You're playing for keeps, winner-take-all. Good luck.

Oh, a fun fact - if you look out of the windows of the central hub area, you can see numbers on the wall. These numbers correspond to the author of that wing of the map - LoneWolf2056, Tmast98, and LPFreaky90. I thought that was a pretty interesting fact.

Oh, and if you like turrets, you'll really like this map. It's fanservice central ;)

Video solution to LoneWolf's wing

Video solution to TMast's wing

Video solution to LP's wing

And now for... Dun dun... Dun dun... Dun dun dunnnnnnnn
Finale
SP_A4_FINALE !!! The very last map.

Meet AEGIS. He's brought your old friend, deadly neu... I've said too much :0

Video solution to the right half

Video solution to the left wing

Oh, and as a bonus for making it this far, here's a super-secret link to the ending cutscene and credits. Obvious spoilers in there. Shhh don't tell anybody!
58 Comments
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perkins4 31 Oct, 2023 @ 10:22am 
Faith plat 1 is broken, it dosent load in the laser
ЗАЛГО 28 Aug, 2022 @ 12:34pm 
Just a hint : you dont need to replay the whole game just for this achi, you can load the last chapter and do the rest there and the achi is yours
mjp_archivist 9 Apr, 2022 @ 8:55pm 
COOI
Gaming 21 Jul, 2019 @ 11:47am 
i replayed the game and saw advanced mode and thought it was a compleaton reward. :steamsad:
Sharcc 7 Jul, 2018 @ 12:32pm 
Huh. I beat Concepts I without using the funnel (if you dont count the bit where you jump over the goo)
Its also faster.

Heres how:

Drop the normal cube.
Go to the reflection cube
Put the reflection cube on the button
Portal out
Bring normal cube in
Put normal cube on button
Bring reflection cube out
Fizzle and respawn normal cube.

This may sound slower but its alot quicker.
shark irl 7 Dec, 2017 @ 6:51am 
Kinda sad to hear that people call the advanced mode "harder" even tho it was the normal campaign ;-;
Cooldog 18 Jul, 2017 @ 9:53am 
(If this has been already found out by someone else, please ignore this so I won't feel like an idiot)
Cooldog 18 Jul, 2017 @ 9:26am 
Okay, I am back and say that I HAVE FOUND OUT HOW TO DO CONCEPTS I ON EASY MODE (or Story Mode or whatever.)! Basically you put the cube on the blue target near wher the cube drops. then you go back into the button area, don't worry 'bout portals. Now, stand on the button that deactivates the grid. Put one of your portals straight below the cube. Now go to the button that deactivates another emancipation grids (basically for the funnel). Next you put your other portal and the other cube falls to you. Then put your cube on the funnel button, put the portal you used below the cube at the funnel, then ride it to victory! NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!
Cooldog 20 Apr, 2017 @ 7:56am 
Well Overgrown I was easy because there was a wall with alot of holes, so I shot a portal through those holes,got the redirectment cube and got to the second chamber. (If you're wondering where that wall is,the laser should guide you)
Desperalaw 18 Feb, 2017 @ 1:44pm 
Thanks a lot ! It helped me in some testing chambers.