THE BORE

General => Video Game Bored => Topic started by: Shaka Khan on December 11, 2010, 01:29:54 AM

Title: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 11, 2010, 01:29:54 AM

Apparently, when they said they'd expand the Beta they really meant it. I just got an invite and I usually never get invited to these things (then again I recently became a Plus subscriber). So for those who really care about the game, check your emails.

Has any of you been part of it since it began? Is it shareable? Does anyone want it and is willing to share impressions?

Let the hyperbole and promises of great potential begin... Again!

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Himu on December 11, 2010, 01:31:27 AM

How much of a platformer is this? The first game was a great platformer with friends. First time I enjoyed a multiplayer platformer so much since Sonic 2.

But all reports suggest it's not a pure platformer.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Bebpo on December 11, 2010, 01:33:31 AM

I got a code for that prehistoric moves game.  Since I don't have move and since it's multiplayer only I'm never gonna touch it so pm me if anyone wants the code.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 11, 2010, 01:40:27 AM

I don't know for sure Himu, people seem more interested in all the new possible gamestyles than the platforming aspects this time around, which btw I've yet see a video of. I heard you can tweak your sackboy's physics to make him heavier, not sure how much of that is true or currently available in the beta.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Smooth Groove on December 11, 2010, 01:41:05 AM

Someone hooked me up with the beta for the first game but I only played it for about 20 mins.  While I loved the visual style, the floaty physics and loose controls just aren't for me.  I'm more of a Jak & Dexter/Mario kinda guy when it comes to platforming.  

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Himu on December 11, 2010, 01:42:17 AM

Controls take time getting used to. It's not the best on sp but it's a fucking blast in mp. Great with women and kids too.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Himu on December 11, 2010, 01:42:50 AM

Quote from: Shah Rukh Khan on December 11, 2010, 01:40:27 AM

I don't know for sure Himu, people seem more interested in all the new possible gamestyles than platforming aspects, which I've yet see a video of.

Pass.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 11, 2010, 01:48:57 AM

If I end up redeeming the code, I'll post impressions tomorrow. I'll see how the platforming and new sackboy physics fare. If someone needs the code more than I do, PM me.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: cool breeze on December 11, 2010, 02:40:54 AM

I was in the original's beta, bought the game, have a move, and I got nothing.  Do you have to be a plus member or something?

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Smooth Groove on December 11, 2010, 02:47:38 AM

You have to sell your non-Sony systems.  Beta is for sfags only.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Bebpo on December 11, 2010, 09:25:48 AM

Quote from: Linkzg on December 11, 2010, 02:40:54 AM

I was in the original's beta, bought the game, have a move, and I got nothing.  Do you have to be a plus member or something?

You have move? 


Do you want prehistoric moves?

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 11, 2010, 09:33:50 AM

lulz, all PS+ members got the same placeholder code. We pay extra to get screwed harder! My impressions will be delayed, to 2011, year of the PS3.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: demi on December 11, 2010, 09:50:38 AM

I'll wait for my own LBP2 Beta

spoiler (click to show/hide)

(http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/444/lbp21.jpg)

[close]

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 11, 2010, 10:06:38 AM

:|

/wrists

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: cool breeze on December 11, 2010, 12:34:06 PM

Quote from: Bebpo on December 11, 2010, 09:25:48 AM

Quote from: Linkzg on December 11, 2010, 02:40:54 AM

I was in the original's beta, bought the game, have a move, and I got nothing.  Do you have to be a plus member or something?

You have move? 


Do you want prehistoric moves?

no, but thanks.  it's a local co-op game which means it would be wasted on me.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Third on December 11, 2010, 12:36:30 PM

You don't own a Ps3, demi. Give the game to me.  8)

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: demi on December 11, 2010, 12:42:30 PM

But I just bought 3 PS3 games yesterday. Whats one more...

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Smooth Groove on December 11, 2010, 12:44:24 PM

Demi, got anything to trade for Heavy Rain?

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: demi on December 11, 2010, 12:47:49 PM

Dunno what are you looking for. I have some trade fodder here and some DLC codes for 360.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 12, 2010, 02:58:24 AM

Quote

I got this info from another board and it works for those who received the generic code...

If you view the source content of the email (not as a web page, tell your mail client to "View Source"), PRESTO! There is your code!

I can confirm that this method works. The code appears to have been correctly sent to us, but not in a readable method by default.
For hotmail users, while looking at all your emails as lists, right click on the email for the beta invite voucher and choose the option to view the message source. Scroll down through the text and find the following:


Add PlayStation_Network@playstation.sony.com to your address book



===================================



PlayStation(R)Rewards



===================================



Play, Create, Share and Beta!



LittleBigPlanet(TM) 2

http://playstation.innovyx.net/r?xPW...qEHWHqJJJJnJPn



Join the Beta



===================================



Use your voucher to enlist in the fun:

xxxx-xxxx-xxxx

Downloading the beta right now. Looks like the impressions won't be delayed after all.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 12, 2010, 06:35:37 PM

I'm still scratching the surface of this, and so far everything is mighty impressive (compared to the first at least), the improvements really justifies it as a sequel rather than an expansion.

First, I'll get the things out of the way: in the couple of platforming levels I tried, the sackboy's physics felt almost the same, as in there's still that floating feeling. The only consolation I can offer, is that they've added so many tools for the creators to use, in order to mask this, like the the grappler segments, the jumping pads, some small vehicles that I'm guessing were custom made, and if I'm not mistaken parts where the gravity can be tweaked so sackboy can either be either heavier or moving is almost 0-gravity.

The second annoying thing was the TEARING, omg some beautiful levels were totally ruined by it! fortunately, from what I understand, the tearing was even MUCH WORSE before the 1+ giger update released a few days ago, and many levels that experienced it are now tearing free. So here's hoping that by the time of release, that issue would be dealt with.

Now for the positives:

The new UI, seriously hats off to MM. They improved it in every way imaginable, especially in the community part of the game. They have finally broke free of the small profile bubble displaying level info and utilized the entire page:
- There's the basic info like level description.
- Publish date, and last time it was updated)
- Ratings (this time it's thumbs up or down), hearts, times played.
- The tags are back, but instead of only adjectives, they try to explain the level, stuff like: platformer, 1 player, shooter, etc.
- There's also the leaderboards, photos, comment section and this time a new Reviews section (going by the "create your game" theme I guess), all nicely organized in one page.

When you press the square on any any level, you get taken to the creator's profile, or his "planet." Every planet looks different since they can be decorated, a nice touch I guess. Every player has a list of badges displayed at the side of the screen when his or her planet is being viewed. They generally give you an idea about the creator and his levels, like: "MM picked", "Attention to detail", "highly rated", "1000 unique players."

So far the most impressive thing about the community component of the game is how easy it is to find levels, good levels that is. right off the bat you get to choose between
- Playing your queued levels, either from the game or by visiting lbp.me which is fully functional at the time of writing.
- Cool levels makes a come back from 1, only this time they're basically a long list. Highlight any level and the creator's level gets displayed at the side of the screen. You can either jump in or visit his planet.
- MM picks, it's a great idea to give this section this much exposure.
- Or search, where you can filter the content at any time between single player and multiplayer levels, genre, adjectives (same as LBP1), creations from LBP1 and/or 2.

Finally, the last thing I'm gonna comment on are the much welcomed new additions to level creation:
- Sackbots. It's nice to see them populate the levels as either NPCs, following you around, or I guess attack you. Having them populate the levels is a cool addition; you can choose how they animate, add speech than mere info bubbles (voice recording has been released with the recent update).
- Mappable buttons to different actions in races, platforming, even point and click levels. I guess the creators can now even limit what actions you can or cannot do in parts of some levels (eg: no jumping).
- Cut scenes and the music generator tools. Basically you can make make anything you want with either of them. I played a level that was dubbed a "short film" that was entirely made out of a long cutscene. How very fitting for sfags.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Smooth Groove on December 12, 2010, 06:40:35 PM

Did the first game have tearing?

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 12, 2010, 06:44:54 PM

None, iirc. A few levels in this beta makes you wonder if the V-sync has been disabled. It was that bad. It got much better after the update, but I think it's still present in the more hectic levels. No idea if they intend to something about it in the final product. It would be a shame if they don't, because everything else is coming along nicely.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 12, 2010, 08:34:10 PM

One of the advertised features when the title was announced was exactly that; the ability to tweak the physics of the Sackboy, but I'm now I'm not sure whether that feature is in the hand of the player or the level creator. As I previously stated, there are levels where the sackboy felt heavier, and others with 0-gravity.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 13, 2010, 04:44:03 PM

Quote from: Antony Carmichael on December 12, 2010, 08:41:19 PM

yeah, i'd assume it would be set by the level creator rather than players. Cool :)

It turns out that the "heavier feel of sackboys" I was telling you about can be attained by the new feature "direct control", which is basically the ability to control almost anything in the game (from vehicles to sackbots). From what I gathered what the creator did was create a new sackbot (which explains why his look nothing like my original) > add direct control (which enables mapping actions to different buttons) > movers and tweakers to tweak the behavior of the sackbot, including his physics. All whilst your original sackboy is hidden somewhere behind the scenes.

Some of the platformers I played included controlling things from a sackbot with wings (can jump and glide by pressing then holding X) to An 8-bit mario (pixilated, jump properties totally different form sackboys). With the addition of these new tools the possibilities are many, I assume. But tt still seems like an awfully complex way of overcoming a very simple property.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: duckman2000 on December 13, 2010, 05:00:08 PM

I'd like to play a real platformer from this developer. The levels in LBP are some of the most imaginative and fun levels in any platformer, but it just feels like a collection of random levels.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 13, 2010, 07:17:25 PM

I have an extra Beta key, any takers?

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Bebpo on December 13, 2010, 07:49:23 PM

Quote from: Shah Rukh Khan on December 13, 2010, 07:17:25 PM

I have an extra Beta key, any takers?

Tempting, but I think I can wait a month and play it when it's polished.

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: naff on December 13, 2010, 08:02:50 PM

Quote from: Shah Rukh Khan on December 13, 2010, 07:17:25 PM

I have an extra Beta key, any takers?

Would love it if you still got it

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 13, 2010, 08:08:24 PM

Quote from: quietID on December 13, 2010, 08:02:50 PM

Quote from: Shah Rukh Khan on December 13, 2010, 07:17:25 PM

I have an extra Beta key, any takers?

Would love it if you still got it

Enjoy the 2.7 giga download, and 1.2 giga patch that follows!

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: naff on December 14, 2010, 12:30:09 AM

All good. My gf loves LBP

spoiler (click to show/hide)

For the 'cute' graphics and 'cute' levels people make  :'(

[close]

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: cool breeze on December 14, 2010, 01:04:05 AM

what's sad/funny is that all the levels in the beta will be deleted

[youtube=560,345]34S7h0k5oIY[/youtube]

I wonder how much time went into that

Title: Re: Little Big Planet 2 Beta
Post by: Shaka Khan on December 14, 2010, 09:35:32 AM

Really? They won't get carried over like what happened with the first?

Yeah, there are many levels, especially the MM picked, that must've taken the creators many  hours to complete. Shame.

No wonder a lot of them were tagged with "Demo", "Concept", and "won't expand any further just yet" in the description.