How To Properly Use Three Link Types: Antlines, Symbols, and Hiding

I have played a lot of in-game editor maps and I see a lot of misuse of links represented by antlines, symbols, or hiding. This guide will aim to fix that so that way your chamber comes out a lot cleaner. Applies to Portal 2 and Aperture Tag (as of July 27, 2014).

Automatic Antlines: The Problem

Do you ever end up hiding or symboling your links when you think you shouldn't need to, making the chamber look worse just in a different way? Do you ever wonder why your chambers don't look as good as Valve's single player and coop campaign maps in terms of antlining of test elements? Do your chambers end up looking like Aperture Science is having a bad hair day but with antlines? Do your chambers end up looking like this?
If you said yes to any of those questions, I have news for you! You are not alone! There is a reason for this! Antline placements are automatic and antlined every time you connect an activator (button, laser catcher, etc.) to something that you want to be activated by the player (cube droppers, lasers, etc.). Valve decided to make this system automatic instead of manual. This system may seem intuitive at first but time and time again, this has proven to cause more harm than good. This guide will help you conquer your antline troubles to the best of my experiences with the in-game editor.

Antline's Usefulness

Antlines are probably the most useful tool for science when it comes to understanding how your chamber works and interacts with other objects. Not only does it give the player a clear indication what an activator activates, it also gives the player a direction to look so they don't end up wandering around guessing where things are. Portal 2 is no guessing game. It is a game of logical reasoning and problem solving. You want your test subjects focused on figuring out how to solve the test.

With that said, I have played over 3000 maps and almost all maps, I see a lot of improper usage of the in-game editor. I have seen people hide and symbol links because they don't know how to tame their mess. I have also seen people hide antlines, claiming it as a difficulty tweak. WRONG! Really wrong! That is a false sense of difficulty as it turns puzzle solving into a mindless guessing game. Changing the way the link appears is for changing aesthetics only!

You might be asking "how do I improve the appearance?" It's all a matter of clever usage of the in-game editor.

When To Use Antlines

98% of the time, your chambers should be using antlines. The other 2% is split between symbols or hiding. Under very specific circumstances, they will be better to use than antlines.

When To Use Symbols

Symbols should be used when there are so many activators activating one object and would otherwise cause an antline web mess. Most commonly, laser relays within close proximity of each other are better symboled if there are a large quantity of them in a single room of a map.

Here is an example map I created, when I first started with the in-game editor, of improper symbol usage:

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=73610111

When you first play, you will notice symbols and you are already unsure where the activator is, causing you to wander around aimlessly. You may even forget what you were looking for in the first place because I use so many symbols.

Here is an example map I created, when I started getting better with the in-game editor, of more suited symbol usage:

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=103674306

If the symboled links were antlined for the piston platform, there would have been an antline web mess. Symbols improved the appearance.

Here's an example of someone else's test chamber I played that used symbols as a way prioritize what links need "upfront direct visual" feedback (antline) vs. "background but ultimately important" feedback (symbol). It's hard to explain. You just have to play it to see what I mean that symbol usage benefited the following chamber:

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=127300816

Just be sure the symbols are within close proximity of the single thing you want to activate and not too far away and not in another room.

Here is an example map I created very recently where either antlines or symbols for the laser relay system would be acceptable:

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=283819299

I prefer antlines because I hate to use symbols where antlines would work just as well.

BEWARE! There are ten symbols that the in-game editor can use, in this order:

If you used your 10 symbols already and go for an 11th and beyond, the symbols will recycle! This can cause confusion because, for example, you now see four x's; two buttons with an x, and each item with an x will be activated by one of those two button x's, while you keep track of all the other symbols you put into the puzzle, like this example:
Overuse of symbols can make things worse! Don't abuse them!

When To Hide Links

Hiding links should only be used if:

• Antlines or symbols will continue to make the chamber look ugly no matter what you try.
  
• Something is to activate right in front of the player, facing the player's likely direction of sight when they activate the activator.
  
• Keep each hidden link activating one thing and one thing only. More activations per hidden link will likely confuse the player, which is not a substitute for difficulty.

All three bullet points should be obeyed if you decide to hide links! Also do not have too many of these in your tests! If you do, take the time to rethink your test layout.

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Hiding links can also be used for similar items being activated by a single activator.

Here is an example of hiding a link while the activation happens right in front of the player:

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=110643064

The ball dropper has its link hidden but still activates in front of the player's face.

Here is an example of angled panels being activated by a pedestal button were only one link is visible of the four:

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=132540505

I chose the top-right most angled panel to have the visible link because it would not interfere with other antlines.

As I said before, NEVER use hiding as a difficulty tweak!

OK, How Do I Start Manipulating The Antlines Better?

OK, let's look at the default antline path as determined by the level editor:
I don't like how that antline path is setup. Something as basic as light strips affect antline paths! Here we go:
See how the path adapted? Now let's affect it some more by reorienting it:
The path just went to the right of the exit door instead of the left!

Even test objects can affect the antline's path:
Sometimes repositioning and/or reorienting existing elements can improve antlines:
This is the most basic way to get your antlines to behave. Sometimes it is not enough. Sometimes knowing your test elements will help you further.

Side note:
I have been informed that a more discrete method of manipulating antlines exists and that is using an angled panel (not the blue see-through kind) and not a light strip:
There are drawbacks to this method. You can't place any more physical items that needs to be anchored to a floor, wall, or ceiling on that particular spot and the entity count goes from 3 (light strip) to 13 (angled panel). I don't recommend it so use wisely if you do (thanks cyhborg).

Fizzlers And Laser Fields

Fizzlers and laser fields have the unique advantage of being stretched. Ever notice when you connect an activator to a fizzler or laser field where the antlines go? This can be useful because it can save you from messy antlines if oriented properly! What do I mean? Let me show you:
Here we have a button connected to a fizzler. Notice where the antline leads to. It leads to a darker-shaded emitter out of the rest of the emitters that make up the fizzler. There is no official term for that part of the fizzler so I am just going to call it the "source". The next thing I am going to do is reposition, restretch, keep the current connection, and keep the same relative location:
Now look where the antline leads to! Same as before, just different antline placement. Let me reconfigure again:
Now the source is on the other side of the room! The antline is now going to the right instead of the left!

Antlines Through Fizzler Emitters Bug

There is a bug, or at least I think it is a bug, where the in-game editor allows antlines to go through the fizzler emitter or laser field emitter, like the following screenshot demonstrates:
There are two solutions to this problem. You can reposition the source of the fizzler. For whatever reason, the antlines don't want to go through it yet go through the others:
You could also use light strips as well:

Cleaning Messy Antlines While Still Keeping The Connection Clear

Has this ever happened to you?
Wouldn't you want to clean it up by not symboling or hiding, like these two do?
or
You don't have to! Here's what we are going to do. Right-click on a single object that will be activated by the activator, select connection visibility, and then select none:
Do this each object (angled panels in this example) except for one of your choosing. You should get:
The direct blue lines will not show in-game but the single antline will. I will say this again, DO NOT hide all the links for a difficulty tweak! Antlines will clearly communicate to the player what activates what.

Reposition Symbol Trick

Here's a cool trick I came across to improve symbol appearance. I'll setup a laser relay to have a symboled link to the exit:
Now I will attempt to reposition the symbol attached to the laser relay in three steps:
Awesome! The symbol is facing a different way! It works in the other direction as well.

Automatically Symboled You Say?

Uh oh! You have come across a situation where the game automatically symboled your link, even if you selected antline:
What do you do? You should create a window or pathway:
Just be sure to test for alternate solutions because lasers can go through glass! Even more can go through grates, such as grabbing objects through grates close enough, turrets' bullets, portals, excursion funnel beams, light bridge beams, and gel.

You can also use this trick to stop "wrap-around" antlines to make chambers cleaner:
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There comes a time when you decide to tuck in a dropper for cubes or gels and something activates them. There is no matching symbol to be found so you have to guess that the button activates the dropper. Trust me, this pedestal button is connected to the cube dropper:
There are two ways to correct it.

Raise the ceiling (or take the dropper out of the tucked away area):
If you still want it to be tucked in, do this:
I don't recommend tucking in your droppers anyway because it causes visual obstruction, which you don't want your test subjects to experience. Remember what I said about hiding? It turns into a mindless guessing game.

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As a side note, DON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS:
It's ugly. I have no fix for uglyness of this magnetude.

I Still Can't Tame The Antlines The Way I Want To! What Do I Do Now?

It may just be possible your chamber is just way too complicated or too involved in its current configuration. You have four options:

• Have a buddy look for things you may have overlooked.
  
• Reconfigure the entire test, potentially starting from scratch.
  
• Use Yuuubi's guide
  
• Use | \_/ ()'s guide.
  
• Export to Hammer.

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=395550329

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=312901555

Hammer offers many benefits, including direct manipulation of antlines! Since Hammer is such a complicated tool that I know little about, I will link you to a separate guide for a beginner's tutorial:

http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=251265571
http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=645236003
http://www.steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails?id=402740732

I didn't recommend Hammer forthright because of the tool's complexity and unintuitiveness towards beginners. If you are willing to try anyways, go for it.

Conclusion

With these examples I provided, expect a little to a lot of trial-and-error experimentation getting your antlines just right. Your chambers should be a lot cleaner and your test subjects will thank you for it!

Odd things I have no pictures for:

• Sometimes if you have links to multiple objects, like one button activates five different things or five different buttons activate one thing, the order in which they are linked can affect whether or not antline paths will criss-cross or not! If you have unintended criss-crossing, redo the links in a different order! It may just work!
  
• Saving, closing the map, and reloading the map for further editing can have the antline's route be changed and you did nothing to alter the path after the save! Very rare, but has happened to me! No joke!

Happy map making! If you have further suggestions, don't be afraid to send a comment my way! If I find the antline tip useful, I will put it in the guide!

Further Reads

• How To Make Great Maps
  
• Rector's Guide to Making Better Maps (Hammer included)
  
• Designing Chambers
  
• PeTI Plus
  
• Portal Glitch Prevention
  
• How not to trap the player
  
• The dreaded "too many items" error: what it means and how to fix it (Talks about antlines)
  
• (Credit goes to Catsy from the previous link about "too many items" error)

[portaldash]

Nice! i learned from the 'Cleaning Messy Antlines While Still Keeping The Connection Clear' part, I mentioned it in my latest level. The rest of the guide is really great too.

[viola]

Bee2 fixes alot off problems in this topic

[picklas]

thanks for the helpful guide. im using a link to it in my guide

[Instantiation]

Considered making something like this myself, but thought I'd see if someone else already had. The pictures to accompany your explanations are crucial, and done well.

Especially useful: your section "Cleaning Messy Antlines While Still Keeping The Connection Clear" when one logical connection goes with multiple panels. I see that often, even in otherwise skillfully created maps.

The fizzler 'source' trick is also excellent advice, but I get the impression from experience that more people have picked up on that one.

Using the inactive panel just to move the antline is almost too clever. I love it. I have hit the entity limit in the PTI editor with one of my maps, but its antlines turned out alright.

Re: "Automatically Symboled You Say?" I have made a window thing the connection was between elements of non-adjacent rooms. +1

[Turrets Turret]

four stars, congrats!

[TG]

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=645236003

[wildgoosespeeder]

Further Reads:
New link added.

[TS_Mind_Swept]

Yeah, still infinitely better then PTI, once you understand hammer, you don't want to go back, regardless of the time. (Other then for rough sketches that is)

[TG]

@TS_Mind_Swept

Even more, Hammer is not that complex after you get it. It's time consuming though...

[TS_Mind_Swept]

More problems solved!