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The LBP tool is simply amazing. I think it should be mouse aware to make it second nature for non-gamers to create levels. The controller, no matter how easy to use, poses a psychological barrier to them.
After the game is released, I hope they can reuse the tools for other purposes (like creating eCards to send to friends on Internet and PSN, making website authoring fun again,...).
I am also intrigued by the possibility of user-created trophies/PSN avatar icon using the tool (instead of only developer-created trophies or imported PSN avatars, allow everyone to make 1 trophy = their avatar). These can be used for interesting community building programs to break the ice amongst players, and also encourage MP games.
After the game is released, I hope they can reuse the tools for other purposes (like creating eCards to send to friends on Internet and PSN, making website authoring fun again,...).
I am also intrigued by the possibility of user-created trophies/PSN avatar icon using the tool (instead of only developer-created trophies or imported PSN avatars, allow everyone to make 1 trophy = their avatar). These can be used for interesting community building programs to break the ice amongst players, and also encourage MP games.
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inappropriate content is a big issue with that...
I thought we can already import images to become our avatar (I have not tried it). If so, there's not much difference and also too small to make a big negative impact. If we associate their profiles with well-known sites (like their FaceBook or MySpace profiles, there is less chance of doing something to destroy their street creds). In general, I agree that it's a concern. However there are ways to minimize it without tying up developers' time.
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Gradthrawn
Veteran
In that respect, the tools wouldn't be extended to other applications, but you could use LBP levels in some cases such as eCards. Create someone a Happy Birthday level. If there were ways to privately distribute levels, you could embed Voucher codes as a present prize too.
As for improving tools elsewhere, fingers crossed LBP becomes a catalyst for reconsidering software design overall. Although existing right-click context sensitive menus are pretty much there, it's just the overall design and structure or implementation that falls apart in many app's.
Edit : A GT interview, the game footage is mostly old stuff.
[gt]34204.html[/gt]
Perhaps the major new points -
The game-kit components are objects and can be treated as such. One guy placed the start flag for a race, then added wheels to the finish-flag so it rolled away!
The game was shown early in development, 8 months or so. It's been 2 years in development, which perhaps explains why some people were seeing something more limited than the final game, because a lot of it was just potential back then.
'Awesome VCR control system' - undo and redo has a VR effect. I love these little touches! There's just so much polish to this title.
Yap, for PS3 gamers the force is strong in this one.
I was thinking, for a start, the love can spread to other people if the results can be enjoyed by anyone on the net (e.g., capture playthrough to youtube to tell a story, export individually treated assets or scenes for embedding in websites).
Yes, God bless them.
I like the run-away "Finish" line concept and the crab level (I love good food !).
I think they should follow the Toy Story movie. Because of the look, I think they MUST include popular/classical toys in the game. People will be able to relate to their childhood fun right away.
I'd love a capture and export option. Fingers crossed the 'Awesome VCR' idea extends to recording footage too. I'm sure lots of people would like to produce parodies of famous media!
Its nice to see this game getting beter every time they show it. I wonder what they will do after its released. This seems like the kind of game that they could keep improving with DLC without the need for a sequel. Just add more tools and let the community make the content.
The mechanics seem rather simple,so I don't see the fuss over this game from a gameplay standpoint. It's really going to depend on the creativity and quality of the community to elevate this game beyond being just a really cool looking platformer from what I can see. Maybe I'm the one who's missing something(wouldn't be the first time)but I wonder if this game would be getting the same hype and love if it didn't look so damm cool.
The idea of of having an almost limitless amount of community content..on a console for a change and for a platformer (my second favourite genre) is really exciting though. But maybe that's the entire point of this game.
The idea of of having an almost limitless amount of community content..on a console for a change and for a platformer (my second favourite genre) is really exciting though. But maybe that's the entire point of this game.
To be frank up until now there hasn't been! Everything has been 'content creation' and no-one making any fuss over the gameplay. And in you overarching view the same sort of thing can be levied at a multitude of games. They don't tend to do much different, and a 50,000 foot view of gameplay comes down to single line elements - run and shoot; pass ball and shoot; run and jump on platforms. If you watch all the vids, you'll see snippets of all sorts of variations of gameplay. There's straight block jumping, there's platforming on moving objects, there are vehicle rides, there are rotating puzzles. There's far more depth here than the traditional Mario take on platforming. It may not be going a whole new direction like Mario Galaxies or PSP's Crush, but within the 2D scope, it's got a heck of a lot, way beyond any other similar title. And as this genre is under-represented these days, that has to be good thing.
Well then, you should be enthused! Your second favourite genre is going to get a top-grade injection with loads of diverse content to play. There'll be races, collectathons, puzzles, coop (how many platformers can boast cooperative, competitive play, let alone four player?!), the chance to create your own content, with all sorts of different play mechanics, in some of the best visuals ever to be used in a game, with as much spit-and-polish as any game ever had.
I can understand someone who doesn't care for platformers not being interested in this game, or people who saw the creation and didn't understand there being much more than that (though shame on them for not checking out how it's improved), but for a self-confessed platform game lover, what is there not to like?!
yes, gameplay is very basic + not very taxing. though because of that theyve been able to do some very nice lighting.
the user generated content though is the major thing its got going, well done on the makers for spotting a niche in the market. they should get this out for the olympics ie have all olympic style races.
also ppl will be making US election' themed courses at the end of the year + prolly getting on the tv. ie tv newsreader 'on a lighter note ....'
They could do that but they probably want to make money.
May make more sense for them economically to collect a whole bunch of new tools and capabilities and package them for sequels.
They will probably get ideas from the community, as they come up against limits on the kind of levels they can create and clamor for such and such capabilities.
Define taxing? You could create almost exactly Mario Brothers levels. We've seen jumps under moving columns with deadly materials between and deathly drops below. You can create some fiendish puzzles, carefully timed moving-platform levels, or twitchy, fast-paced reaction gaming. Maybe it's because I find and watch every bit of media on this game that I can appreciate the diversity of what's possible and happening, but I'm getting very confused by all these limits people are seeing that I'm not!
I have watched s many vids as I think are available and seen that varierty of obstacles and such but as far as depth of gameplay I don't know if it goes deeper than your traditional Mario 2d style platformer. I'm basing this off the belief that the only three gameplay mechanics are run,jump and push/pull,no more than most 2d platformers. Correct me if I'm wrong. That simplicity is great though,just nothing special for a 2d platformer.
I guess if I think more about it,the thing that excites me the most is the thing that also causes me that most trepidation. That it users created levels.
With such simple mechanics,it's all about level design. And with amateurs(not meant to be derogatory) creating levels it will be a mixed bag.
I hope that clarifies why,while I'm excited for this games potential I'm not ready to
go into full on fan status yet.
I think he/she might mean from a system resources standpoint judging by the comment about lighting.
I think the simplicity in LBP refers to the elegance of its content creation tools.
It's hard to call it "simple" because the game is open ended. If it's easy, someone can always change it to increase the difficulty or complexity. In other words, the game morphs. That's where it departs from Mario.
If not designed well, I think a LBP level may be confusing to a lay person (Okay, what do I really need to do here ?). I showed one of the trailers to my wife, and she didn't get the game ("How would I know those are jetpacks ?"). I feel that MM may have to go all the way to support a creators' website (or an in-game community guild) for feedback to improve level designs.
It's hard to call it "simple" because the game is open ended. If it's easy, someone can always change it to increase the difficulty or complexity. In other words, the game morphs. That's where it departs from Mario.
If not designed well, I think a LBP level may be confusing to a lay person (Okay, what do I really need to do here ?). I showed one of the trailers to my wife, and she didn't get the game ("How would I know those are jetpacks ?"). I feel that MM may have to go all the way to support a creators' website (or an in-game community guild) for feedback to improve level designs.
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