LittleBigPlanet Beta

[y2kev]

I want all Xbots not to buy it so I don't have to hear any more of their proclamations on high about how they were right. I wish all Xbots would sell their PS3s and never mention the budget GPU'd plagued system ever again.

[Smooth Groove]

WTF am I going to do with my 90 Blu-rays and 1 game if I sell my PS3? 

[patrickula]

I played this for a couple hours last night...  The presentation is really charming and the game is beautiful.  I'm not sold on all of the mechanics though.  I can forgive a lack of wall jumping, but being able to grab a ledge but not jump off it or climb up it is extremely frustrating.  The three levels of depth are confusing and don't seem fun as much as a way to make the player able to go up and down without actually passing through objects like in many traditional 2d platformers.  I'm also not crazy about the super floaty jump, but it seems to be predictable enough.  The jetpack is pretty fun though shaking it off is shit.

The premade levels seemed pretty promising, but the user made levels seemed like good time wasters that there wasn't much point playing.  Of the levels I played I had the most fun with World of Colour, and the Ninja Warrior one was promising (though I would've liked some different challenges in there).  The Collossus level was pretty but the actual Colossus part was pretty lame.
Maybe when users start using it more for art and puzzles the game will be more worth playing, but when I was done playing a number of users levels I felt like I'd wasted time that could have been used playing better "real" games.  It was like I spent time on youtube and I just watched random peoples video logs and whatever else came up.  People are spending a lot of energy making the game do crazy stuff like have a boss where you shoot a cannon into its stomach... and it's cool that they did it, but it also just kinda sucks and it's janky as all hell.  Playing Green Hill Zone LBP is nifty, but it's also dumb.
I'm sure that a month into the retail game there will be some really great stuff (paying for potential again), but the platforming foundation itself is not as solid as I hoped.  Also, is there a way to show only the most hearted levels, or the one with best ratio of plays to hearts?  I couldn't find one and this seemed pretty messed up.

I'll probably still buy the game (I'll have to get a second controller for it), so there's not much point in playing the beta anymore.  I may try it again to have a go at making a level, as I haven't done that yet.  Not much point in taking time to do it well though.

[y2kev]

You could buy a better Blu-Ray player. I read on OA that the prices on those are going to plummet because no one cares and DD is the immediate future starting tomorrow.

[Smooth Groove]

Come on, KEV, you know better than to trust Deadmeat fud.   

My PS3 library is close to 10 games, btw.  It was just more consistent with being a Xbot to say 1 game. 

[Eel O'Brian]

it has problems, but i spent half the day yesterday making a level and it never felt like a chore

can't look at it as a straight platformer, it doesn't work very well as that type of game because of the three depth levels and the sticky jump

tell little stories, make some cool art, concoct some neat physics puzzles

my biggest wish is an art tool to go along with the "stickers," and some other way to import images, because the PSEye flat out sucks as a still camera - i only paid $24 for it and i feel a little ripped-off

[y2kev]

Why does it need walljump or wallhang though? The most loved platformers of all time have only one function (jump, and some have run) and there's some pretty compelling stuff that's done with them in terms of level design.

I think the sackboy jump just has to be accounted for when designing your level. Precision jumps can work but not across multiple layers.

[y2kev]

wall jumping, this is the second or third time i've heard this in the past few days, what are you guys smoking?

WALL... JUMPING?!

Like in Super Metroid. Bouncing off one wall and bouncing off the other, etc.

[Eel O'Brian]

i think anyone would get their $60 worth out of this game with all the updates and additions (some of which will surely be free), and to check out the eyepopping creations like that gaf dude's patapon level

i mean, i liked Brothers in Arms, but 8 hours later and there went my $60 - i've already put that much time into the lbp beta

[Smooth Groove]

SFAGS, hurry up and get me a key so that I can pretend to agree with y'all.  LBP can sell a lot more copies with the endorsement of Captain Xbot. 

[cool breeze]

I can't find that univeral monster stage. 

[Smooth Groove]

i know dude, but to ask for it is kinda ridiculous, it makes no sense at all... i mean i never played super metroid (i know i should shoot myself) but even the 2D Mario series didn't adopt it till NSMB.

i know it was just an opinion, but it makes no sense at all! why would a sack boy wall jump in a game that plays by the rules of physics?!

Because Cell is a budget CPU and can't do physics right. 

[Eel O'Brian]

I can't find that univeral monster stage. 

add me to your psn  - EelOBrian

[patrickula]

Why does it need walljump or wallhang though? The most loved platformers of all time have only one function (jump, and some have run) and there's some pretty compelling stuff that's done with them in terms of level design.

It's mostly frustrating because you CAN grab everything.  You just can't climb or jump around (as in recent PoP or SotC or even Uncharted) after doing so.  Those aren't 2d games but LBP suffers from a lot of the vaguery of a 3d game anyway.
Wall jumping is not as desired, but I'd like to have at least one option.  This is 2008 after all and it's a very modern game.

I gotta find that Patapon level.

[Smooth Groove]

Because Cell is a budget CPU and can't do physics right. 

ok again i need someone to fill me in on this "budget CPU" thing oh and SFAGS. (i'm a junior for a reason beside post count)

NUB

SMH

[cool breeze]

The Universal Monster level was enjoyable and I liked that it was focused around boss battles.  I think I skipped the wolfman boss because I only fought Frankenstein and Dracula, but at the end I got the them plus the wolfman as a prize.

[patrickula]

Oh yeah, also, the lack of 1080i support blows 
I just saw a vid of a No Surprises level.  Pretty cool.  There is a lot of promise!

[Eel O'Brian]

The Universal Monster level was enjoyable and I liked that it was focused around boss battles.  I think I skipped the wolfman boss because I only fought Frankenstein and Dracula, but at the end I got the them plus the wolfman as a prize.

yeah, i probably should have made it a little more clear where he was

[Eel O'Brian]

i just did several searches for my level, and can't find it, not even using the exact title

that's kind of bullshit

[Mr. Gundam]

Playstation Underground is sending out beta codes. According to the email I just got:

4) If you have previously redeemed a LBP voucher code, you must delete
any old LBP data (along with saved data and game data) and download
this version (go to Download History and redownload the new code).

5) This version does not require a DNS redirect and levels created
here will be available for consumers at launch of the full title.

[trippingmartian]

Yep. Just got mine now.

[drohne]

ps underground has never sent me shit besides an invite to sony's awful e3 conference. i mean, i'm already in the beta, but goddamn

[TVC15]

How do you search for levels?

[demi]

Because Cell is a budget CPU and can't do physics right. 

ok again i need someone to fill me in on this "budget CPU" thing oh and SFAGS. (i'm a junior for a reason beside post count)

What's to explain? Cell is a budget CPU and outputs worse quality for majority all of its titles. SFAGS are just that, guess what the S means

[Eel O'Brian]

How do you search for levels?

beside the "cool levels" selection - push to the right and hit X, then when the keyword search pops up hit the square button to type in the words you're searching for

although i think their search is broken, i can't ever find anything

[drohne]

just logged on for some quick post-blu-ray platforming -- haven't been on in a while, been distracted by armored core and life -- and played a phenomenal level called 'world of colour.' in terms of its scoring and platforming gimmicks and its subtle responsiveness to player actions, it's a real step up over the stuff i was playing last week. there is so fucking much you can do with this game -- though personally i can never get much farther than, say, a vague gingerbread man with a giant rotating felt penis. and the crazy dedicated people out there are learning. this is going to be phenomenal

if our local xfags are working towards a total loss of credibility -- and i can only assume that they are -- bashing this game and the stuff people are doing with it should be very productive

[Eel O'Brian]

i hope i get a psn underground beta key, i want to keep the monsters i made and use them in a proper level

[Eel O'Brian]

Woodland Alien's Drum Kit is pretty awesome, i love the ending

i wish you could switch to the d-pad for controls, at least on some levels

[tiesto]

Do any of you niccas have an extra beta key? Seems like I'm the only one here not playing this. 

[y2kev]

Yes, I recommended World of Colour on the last page. A lot of levels are sort of the "we're gonna tell a story" with this level type levels that are fun to experience-- I played the Metal Gear Solid: Return to Shadow Moses level last night that was a stunningly accurate portrayal of MGS1, including the "crawl under the furnace" thing that happens right at the start of MGS-- and then I played some really solid platforming levels, like Heist, LittleBigColossus, and one I really enjoyed called LittleBigNinjaWarrior.

If you look at GAF and see what some of the artists there are doing, I'm just really impressed. I can't wait till someone figures out how to merge the music creation aspects of the game (To Zanarkand is dead-on, Sweet Child o' Mine is clever but the instruments are all off) with actual levels. Put a trigger on sackboy maybe and have the path you take play music?

[cool breeze]

The most striking thing about Wolf of Color for me was how good it was aesthetically compared to most levels.

And did anyone see the calculator? that was seriously crazy.

[demi]

You guys trying to make levels will give up soon around release, and those playing them will get bored soon after release. This game is a bomb of the most epic. We're talking Heavenly Sword -and- Lair. Forget about it, and buy an Xbox and be happy.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

I think I'm going to hold off on buying LBP.  It seems like I'd be better of picking it up around 6 months after it releases so some real content will be available.  The stuff I've been seeing so far honestly looks to be pretty boring.

[Eel O'Brian]

You guys trying to make levels will give up soon around release, and those playing them will get bored soon after release. This game is a bomb of the most epic. We're talking Heavenly Sword -and- Lair. Forget about it, and buy an Xbox and be happy.

I dunno, I play a lot of 8-10 hour games.  I've already put about that much time into the beta alone, which from what I've read only has around 5% of the level-building materials and items available.  If I can get 10 solid hours of enjoyment out of it, then I guess it's worth $60 in comparison to other games like Dead Space, which I would probably only play through once, and which will probably be about that long.

[demi]

I was just hoping to elicit a reply from drohne

[drohne]

 

[Eel O'Brian]

Will we be able to share levels with friends offline in the full game?  Like, transferrring them to a memory card and such? 

[Mr. Gundam]

Will we be able to share levels with friends offline in the full game?  Like, transferrring them to a memory card and such? 

I've been wondering about this. I hope the levels aren't stored online.

[fistfulofmetal]

[youtube=425,350]jiweBvnoVbo[/youtube]
[youtube=425,350]snbxjnDI7I0[/youtube]

Amazing God of War level. It's just so good.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Holy crap that's awesome.

[TVC15]

Also, can you do coop in creating a level, or is it only when playing a level?

I think I'm going to hold off on buying LBP.  It seems like I'd be better of picking it up around 6 months after it releases so some real content will be available.  The stuff I've been seeing so far honestly looks to be pretty boring.

I dunno.  It's only taken a few days for interesting things to show up.  It's not going to take months for a lot of good content to be there.

[y2kev]

They said coop creation is coming in a patch.

[TVC15]

They said coop creation is coming in a patch.

That's pretty impressive.  I figure that would be something of a bitch to implement.

[cool breeze]

I think I'm going to hold off on buying LBP.  It seems like I'd be better of picking it up around 6 months after it releases so some real content will be available.  The stuff I've been seeing so far honestly looks to be pretty boring.

The game still does come with a full single player game of about 60+ (apparently) well designed levels. 

[duckman2000]

Hitler has doubts about a PS3 game, how unexpected. 

[Eel O'Brian]

They said coop creation is coming in a patch.

That's pretty impressive.  I figure that would be something of a bitch to implement.

you can do offline coop creation at launch

i predict no more than 2 player online coop creation when it is finalized

[Mr. Gundam]

I just saw a commercial for LBP on TV. Apparently along with the Kratos skin, you get two monsters to use in your levels, along with some exclusive levels when you preorder at Gamestop.

[Eel O'Brian]

I just saw a commercial for LBP on TV. Apparently along with the Kratos skin, you get two monsters to use in your levels, along with some exclusive levels when you preorder at Gamestop.

i hope that code card i got works for all of that, it just has the kratos costum pictured

[cool breeze]

I had my Kratos code for a while now.  I'm a bit worried that the Nariko one will also come with levels since that would mean I need to convince someone at Best Buy to get me a code.

[Eel O'Brian]

most likely the gamestop code card will work for all of it, but i'm calling just in case they have new cards for all that stuff

they never volunteer anything, you have to hound them about this stuff

i never did get my Hell's Highway code card

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

Hitler has doubts about a PS3 game, how unexpected. 

Go log your complaint about me in your Home appartment or in the Haze Lounge.  I'm sure someone there will care about what you have to say.

[Eel O'Brian]

hitler i am reporting you to the LittleBigPolitburo

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

Sounds rough.

I'm sure "sackman" there has an entirely different definition.

[Mr. Gundam]

http://kotaku.com/5059790/see-the-god-of-warlittlebigplanet-level-costumes

[Cormacaroni]

The GoW level vid looks awesome, but frankly, i have better things to do than crank the wheel to move a little cart along for screen after screen etc GoW without the fighting doesn't look like much fun, in other words. It's a fairly creative take but not in service of the gameplay. Compare that level vid to any decent platformer and it's just dull in terms of what you actually do.

edit: the XFE would appear to have been reading my mind

[Draft]

[youtube=425,350]snbxjnDI7I0[/youtube]

the fuck did I just watch? Dude rode a slow ass cart for like 2 minutes, then pushed some dolls into a fire. This is some serious emperor has no clothes shit.

[duckman2000]

I think it's a pretty hot. I haven't gotten very deep in the world building stuff (no eyetoy), but it's pretty clear that the foundation is there for some pretty cool stuff. I guess I do miss wall jumps, though.

[cool breeze]

I haven't built anything serious because a lot of tools and objects are not in the Beta.  I have a really cool idea or a Rocketeer level based on the movie, but I am going to hold off on making it until the final game is out. 

[Eel O'Brian]

i enjoyed your levels in the beta, swaggaz

[cool breeze]

i enjoyed your levels in the beta, swaggaz

Thanks, but I thought most of my levels weren't very good.  All of them were really based around a gimmick idea I had without considering the level as a whole.  The last few levels I made weren't actually levels and just various tests to see what I can do in the engine, except none of them turned out quite right.  I made a Pong game, a Rock em sock em robots one, trying to have animated gifs in the game, and working mech, but they all had issues.

btw, did you ever play that level with the dragon at the end? that one was really impressive and just looking at all the ways the creator got it to move amazed me.