Aperture Science Pneumatic Diversity Vent

The Pneumatic Diversity Vent is used to deliver objects transported through the Aperture Laboratories' Pipe Network, featured in Portal 2.

Overview



 * Created from at least 1998, the Pneumatic Diversity Vent is some sort of upgraded and open Vital Apparatus Vent, also connected to the Pipe Network, and distributing objects to Test Chambers.


 * The pneumatic vent produces strong suction at its end. This is to be used by Chell to her advantage in Portal 2: for instance, by placing a portal under the tube and another under an unsuspecting Sentry Turret, the threat is immediately sucked upwards into the Vent and redirected elsewhere or eliminated. This concept can also be applied to a Test Chamber littered with objects: when Chell places the portal in the center of the mass, it creates a swirling vortex of debris, while they are all sent through the Vent. When used for such purposes, its end will be named "Non-Discriminatory Entrance Port".


 * The Passive Monitoring system ensures objects in the vent are identified, but never judged.


 * Any object sucked by a Pneumatic Diversity Vent can be sent to the so-called "Diversity Furnace", the possible nature of the orange glow seen in the Pipe Network in the original game.


 * "Diversity" is a registered trademark of Aperture Science.

Behind the scenes


The Pneumatic Diversity Vent was first introduced during the Portal ARG, in one of the ASCII art images given by the BBS, that later appeared to be a diagram depicting its functioning, as revealed by the April, 2010 issue of Game Informer. An updated and moving diagram was revealed during E3 2010. It was however not featured in the final game as a testing element.

Trivia

 * The Pneumatic Diversity Vent was cut from Portal 2 after playtesters had issues with its use in gameplay, as well as Valve deciding that it didn't have much use other than eliminating turrets.

List of appearances

 * Portal ARG
 * Portal 2