Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device

"Thanks to the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, the impossible - is easy."

- GLaDOS

The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device, often referred to simply as the Portal Gun, is an experimental tool used to create two portals through which objects can pass.

Overview

 * The Portal Gun has the ability to fire two portals at once. The blue portal is fired by hitting the primary fire key, while the orange one is fired by hitting the alternate fire key.


 * The ability to fire orange portals is an upgrade the player obtains a few levels after the basic Portal Gun is obtained.


 * The player can grab objects with the Portal Gun by walking up to the object and hitting the “use” key.


 * The Portal Gun itself is derived from a three-tier program created by Cave Johnson on his deathbed in 1979. It was tier three; tier one being the Aperture_Science#History and the Take-A-Wish Foundation. The Portal Gun and the Heimlich Counter-Maneuver were the only successful tiers.

Tactics

 * Portals can be opened in mid-air, which can be very useful for later levels.


 * Objects held by the Portal Gun can also be brought through portals.

Behind the scenes



 * The earliest known ASHPD model appeared like a modified Gravity Gun. The prongs directly based on that of the latter are still in the final model.
 * The ASHPD model seen in the Portal trailer features "F-22" written in black on its top.
 * Typing "impulse 101" in Portal gives all the Half-Life 2 weapons and shows the HUD, where a standing man glyph is used for the Portal gun.

Trivia

 * The ASHPD cannot be used in Garry's Mod. Although its prop can be imported with the Portal content, it cannot be spawned as the working Device. Although a working version was made by fans for GMod 9, the latest GMod does not have the necessary code (although Valve gave the base Source engine code to Garry Newman, it didn't contain the HPD code as it wasn't incorporated into any Source engine game aside from Portal).
 * The ASHPD can be used in Half-Life 2, its episodes, and Half-Life: Source by simply copying all Half-Life game data into the Portal data folder, then using the console to submit the Half-Life 2 map codes. The Half-Life 2 maps will work seamlessly with the ASHPD and vice versa, partly because of development and system similarity.
 * Fans speculated that "ASHPD" was a nod to Adrian Shephard, the protagonist for Half-Life: Opposing Force. According to Valve, this is a simple coincidence.
 * The firing sound of the ASHPD when it is acquired is the unused charging sound of the cut Combine Guard Gun from Half-Life 2.
 * The ASHPD has the number "04" written on the side, this suggests it was Aperture Science's 4th Invention or that there may be other portal guns. The three guns preceding it may have been used and destroyed or lost in previous tests - likely incinerated by energy balls.

List of appearances

 * Portal
 * Portal ARG