It's pretty impressive how far ahead the creators thought about what actions the player might take, as part of The Stanley Parable's Deconstruction of player impulses.
- The "baby game" requires the player to simply hit a button frequently to keep the crude image of a baby out of a fire. The Narrator suggests that the player enjoy the game for four hours to understand how the game is art. At this point, the player may be tempted to set up some type of automatic key presser tool to keep hitting the button, allowing them to walk away for the four hours implied. However, if you get to the two hour mark, the Narrator considers the possibility that you have actually done this, and modifies the game to introduce a second button that is several steps away to prevent an image of a puppy from being lowered into a pool of piranha, chastising the player for using automated tools to get this far. Of course, the dev team also thought of someone actually playing the game for four hours (or using a more complicated automation tool to push both buttons alternatingly), in which case, a hidden ending is triggered where you meet the self-proclaimed essence of divine art.
- Climbing out of the window
near Stanley's office will make the Narrator lampshade that they thought of everything.Narrator: At first, Stanley assumed he'd broken the map, until he'd heard this narration, and realized it was part of the game's design all along.- In (most) of the other endings that include scenarios where you seemingly reset to the beginning first, the chair you climb to jump out of the window is rendered with no collision to prevent players from getting stuck down there.
- In addition for Ultra Deluxe, in the Confusion Ending loops after the player has unlocked the bucket, the bucket is Adapted Out until the ending's conclusion, mainly due to it having its own separate ending.
- Should the player repeat the Countdown ending, possibly in hopes of finding a way to deactivate the timer despite the Narrator revealing that there's no way to stop it, the Narrator will replace the final bit of his normal "The Reason You Suck" Speech with a different set of lines.Narrator: But you really believe there's an answer? How many times will you replay this bit looking desperately for a solution? Ten? A hundred? A thousand? I look forward to finding out and to watching the bomb go off each time you fail. Just you and me in the wrenching explosion of fire and metal over and over and over for all of eternity. And Stanley died again. And Stanley died again. And Stanley died again.
- This trope is parodied with "The Raphael trailer". After a player named Raphael complained that the game had too few choices for his liking, the Narrator proposed a parody version of the game where players could do literally anything, including infusing a bicycle with the soul of their great-grandfather to search for mineral deposits.
- When the player tries to cheat using the cheat command 'sv_cheats 1', the Narrator sends you what he calls "the serious room" and scolds you for attempting to cheat and sentences you to stay there for 100 billion trillion years so you can learn your lesson.
- If you try cheating using 'sv_cheats 1' again, the Narrator will complain, asking you if the room isn't serious enough. He will sentence you to stay in the serious room for all eternity, or until you quit the game.
- And if you try using 'sv_cheats1' a third time, the narrator comes to the conclusion that the room isn't serious enough and leaves to find his notes so he can brainstorm on how to improve the seriousness. Quitting the game is the only thing left to do this time.
- During the Games Ending in the Portal room, if the player manages to lose the cube they are provided with, the narrator will comment how impressed he is that Stanley managed to break such a simple puzzle. However, he won't open the door, telling Stanley to get really comfortable with the giant button he is now stuck with. While trapping yourself in the original Portal usually results in GLaDOS commenting on it and freeing you, Valve missed this way to trap yourself.Narrator: Now, how did you manage that? Are you really trapped in here? I'm actually quite impressed! I don't think there's a simpler puzzle out there, and you've still broken it! Well, since I don't intend to open that door, I guess you and this giant button just need to get cozy together. A dream for you, I'm sure. Enjoy.
- The narrator's lines describing the employee lounge are specifically recorded so that you won't hear the narrator cut off mid-speech if you make your way directly to the next door rather than taking in the scenery.
- When you first boot up Ultra Deluxe, the game asks if you've played the original Stanley Parable. Selecting no means the "New Content" door will take longer to show up, so new players can experience more of the original game first. Selecting yes means the door will show up sooner so veteran players won't have to wait too long to access the new content.
- In Ultra Deluxe, you can get your hands on the Stanley Parable Reassurance Bucket after meeting certain requirements. It'll appear in the office section just after the area with Stanley's office, and if you pick it up and carry it with you, the narrator will have different dialogue to account for the bucket's presence. Oh, and just about every ending in the game is either mildly adjusted or radically different, effectively doubling the number of endings.
- In the Skip Button and Sequel endings, the Narrator will show awareness of what the game is being played on and tweak his dialogue as needed.Narrator: You see Stanley, doesn't the Memory Zone remind you of how wonderful Stanley Parable was before it was sullied with a cheap re-release / (console name) port?Narrator: All they had to do was transport it in pristine condition along to the (console name). Boom! Done. And they couldn't even do that! Couldn't resist the urge to go meddling with a beloved franchise.
- This also applies to the Museum ending, where the Female Narrator actually begs the player, not to close the game, but to ''turn off their entire console'' before Stanley is killed.
Female Narrator: Turn off your (console name). There's no other way to beat this game. - It's possible to randomly get a shorter path to the two doors, with the area immediately outside of Stanley's office being replaced either with a short corridor or a blue office, both of which have an exit straight to the two doors. Both of these also have a spot for the bucket.
- The Narrator has different dialogue for the "Click on Door 430 Five Times" achievement depending on if Stanley is bucket-less or if Stanley has the bucket. And if Stanley starts out bucket-less and grabs the bucket mid-sequence, the Narrator has a special line for that as well.
- Also in Ultra Deluxe, when you're brought back to the Memory Zone in the Figley/Stanlurine ending, the game fully adapts to the order in which you collected the Stanley figurines, always quizzing you on the third (with the fourth as the other option), replacing the room after the quiz with some pink room you never visited, and playing a shoddy Windows Movie Maker video of the fifth.
- During this sequence, there is a bug where if you deviate from a straight path while in the dark area between figurines, it's possible to accidentally fall through the world. If this happens, the player will restart at the beginning of the sequence... and in the "waiting area" for the Memory Zone, a sign will appear saying "Sorry You Got Stuck", and explaining the situation.
- During this sequence, there is a bug where if you deviate from a straight path while in the dark area between figurines, it's possible to accidentally fall through the world
- In Ultra Deluxe, if you do the Confusion Ending while the game is considering itself a sequel, the Stanley Parable Adventure Line™ will be labeled with the correct sequel number on its first appearance (on its second appearance it has no sequel number.)
- There is a bug in Ultra Deluxe where the player CAN jump anywhere if they restart the game while in any jump circle. However, this is equally treated as a feature, as an Easter Egg can be found in the Vent Ending that only jumping can reach.
- In addition, most areas the player can't access without jumping have full collision with them, such as the Mind Control Facility's main floor in the Confusion Ending and the other catwalks in the Bucket Destroyer Ending.
- In Ultra Deluxe, after getting enough in the game when you can go back to the expo hall with all the features the narrator proposed for the sequel, you can take the bucket with you. If you decide to head to the room where you first got the bucket, the Narrator will freak out, saying that the power of two buckets is too much, before destroying the both of them with an explosion. He will then apologize to Stanley for doing that and ask him to forgive him.
- If you complete the Escape Pod Ending with the bucket in Ultra Deluxe before playing through the Epilogue, Stanley can discover the crashed escape pod in the desert, and take the bucket with him as he progresses.
