[PS3] LittleBigPlanet 2

[patsu]

And now for something different:
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/17/pac-man-micro-machines-air-hockey-created-in-littlebigplanet-2/

We have no earthly way of knowing who YouTube user TheFinalBurst is, but we're pretty sure the mystery creator's series of videos from the LittleBigPlanet 2 beta could serve as more effective marketing for the game than any ad campaign Sony could put together. Over the past week, TheFinalBurst's managed to create some mind-bogglingly intricate games using LBP 2's tool set -- games like Pac-Man, Micro Machines, an air hockey mini-game and even a first-person shooter, which we're still trying to wrap our heads around.

LBP Pac Man:

More YouTube videos in the link, or check here:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=TheFinalBurst&annotation_id=annotation_130210&feature=iv

 

[RenegadeRocks]

http://n4g.com/news/607848/littlebigplanet-2-first-person-shooter-is-kind-of-ridiculous
Is this true or a Hoax video? An FPS in LBP 2 !!

 

[patsu]

It feels all wrong to shoot at SackBoys.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

http://n4g.com/news/607848/littlebigplanet-2-first-person-shooter-is-kind-of-ridiculous
Is this true or a Hoax video? An FPS in LBP 2 !!

I wouldn't call it an FPS shooter as that suggests 3D movement! But yeah, it's a side-scrolling, arcade style shooter. I would say more, but I can't!

 

[jlippo]

I wouldn't call it an FPS shooter as that suggests 3D movement! But yeah, it's a side-scrolling, arcade style shooter. I would say more, but I can't!

Yeah, it's more like a Operation Wolf clone..

 

[L. Scofield]

Gotta love the smoke/fire effects.

 

[Scott_Arm]

http://n4g.com/news/607848/littlebigplanet-2-first-person-shooter-is-kind-of-ridiculous
Is this true or a Hoax video? An FPS in LBP 2 !!

I don't get it. Why would I play that when I can play shooters that are actually good? It's neat that you can make it, but I think that's using the LBP2 tools in the wrong way. Why listen to a Ramones clone when you can listen to the Ramones, who are surely better?

 

[patsu]

Because they can. -_-

The users gain satisfaction by realizing their own ideas. And there is an audience who would go oohs and aahs

 

[RenegadeRocks]

I don't get it. Why would I play that when I can play shooters that are actually good? It's neat that you can make it, but I think that's using the LBP2 tools in the wrong way. Why listen to a Ramones clone when you can listen to the Ramones, who are surely better?

Well, somebody will do it better once the game is out.

People will play them cos they won't have to pay $60 everytime they want to play something different from yesterday. They pay $60 once and can play Basketball one day and shoot planes outta the sky next day , thats why !

 

[Arwin]

I'm also of the 'because they can' variety. With tools like these it is interesting to see how far you can take them, and it has a definite 'wow-factor' for both other creators and people who like to see what kind of creations have been possible in general. Call it artistic merit or craftmanship ...

 

[Phil]

I wouldn't call it an FPS shooter as that suggests 3D movement! But yeah, it's a side-scrolling, arcade style shooter. I would say more, but I can't!

With content like this being realized, I wonder what Sonys thoughts are on this. Surely, LBP stands as being a family friendly game - and having shooters (side-scrolling or not) is probably not the best way to promote that image.

This makes me wonder if there'll be any set of rules of what you can create or if they'll have some sort of adult-theme-warning flag. In LBP1, the god of war levels were already quite heavy and sparked a few discussions on the topic.



It is very impressive though how much freedom you have with the new tools...

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I don't get it. Why would I play that when I can play shooters that are actually good? It's neat that you can make it, but I think that's using the LBP2 tools in the wrong way.

I concur. LBP1 had a lot of tributes, and honestly, they were good only because they were unexpected from a platformer. However, they didn't play like real shooters or whatnot, and you wouldn't pick "LittleBigRType" over "R-Type" if you really wanted to play a shooter. Of the videos shown of LBP2, you can see it's novel and impressive what's being made, but it's hardly the same as custom built games. eg. Alex Evans spoke of a 3D level having been recreated, and there's a video clip out there. It's amazing, but also not very good versus a 3D game - it's no StarFox or Elite. And taking that RPG interface as an example, it is amazing, but it's also not a very good RPG interface. It's a good LBP simulacrum, but it's not going to scare SE into fearing free LBP RPGs.

Arwin and Patsu have it - people can create these things and want to, and users are impressed are the ingenuity and artistry. But at this point one can't really look at the videos of the Beta and think this one title will displace all the DD titles with free games, because nothing being shown is that sophsiticated. Although of course, we're talking about a Beta and limited time. What can be created in game for real is anyone's guess.

What creators need to do is learn the platform and create for it. Certainly I went into the Beta wanting to try this and that, much as I did LBP1, and you find what you can do and what you can't. You see that if you drop preconceptions and let the game lead you, there are some novel experiences that will impress and be something uniquely LBP2.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

With content like this being realized, I wonder what Sonys thoughts are on this. Surely, LBP stands as being a family friendly game - and having shooters (side-scrolling or not) is probably not the best way to promote that image.

This makes me wonder if there'll be any set of rules of what you can create or if they'll have some sort of adult-theme-warning flag. In LBP1, the god of war levels were already quite heavy and sparked a few discussions on the topic.

I think the visual world is all cardboard cutouts and comic explosions and goop. LBP1 had levels full of 'blood', but it wasn't at all realistic. Given the current state of TV, something like that shooter is very tame compared to what kids are subjected to, and I see no reason to manage level ratings. If there's anything particularly rough, it'll get reported.

 

[goonergaz]

Wow, simply wow at those levels posted.

Why would people play these 'homage' levels? Because they can.

What you are effectively asking is something along the lines of "why watch a spin-off of a TV show?", "why watch a homage youtube video" (etc) - people do because they can. Here's a thought, I have 20mins to kill, I want to play a game - what better way to spend that 20mins than checking out some LBP levels?

Anyway, homages aside - the big deal here is what's could be possible...

 

[Scott_Arm]

The only vid I looked at is the shooter, so I'm not commenting on other levels that may have been shown. Is LBP2 a tech demo, or is it a game? If it's just a tech demo, then making terrible shooters is as good as anything, just to show it can be done. If it's a serious game, then a terrible shooter is something I wouldn't even bother trying. When this game is out, I fully expect there to be some amazing downloadable games, but shoehorning that type of shooter into the game is not going to be one of them.

 

[patsu]

It is both and more ! Why limit it. Use it as you deem fit. The discovery is very much part of the fun. Some may start as a tech demo but end up being a game. Some may start out as a game but become a tech demo for others to learn and improve.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Is LBP2 a tech demo, or is it a game?

Undisputably a game. Ignoring the wider create aspects, it's platform puzzler with some unique mechanics. You can create materials - MM have shown a level where you spray icing blobs from your Creatinator hat, which stick together, meaning you can use it to fill gaps, clog clockwork gears, create steps, create cover. You have a rope-swing grabber for full 360 degree swinging, grabbing, climbing action. You also have vehicles like the fly that has been shown.

In addition to MM's platform puzzler levels, there's a 'level editor' where you can play other people's levels, extending the life of the game considerably.

And in addition to the platform puzzler levels creatable, the tools are open ended so all sorts of other creations are possible. These will inevitably represent the whole scope of human creativity. There will be minigames, good and bad. There will be variations on the LBP game; I played one LBP2 level from Geosaurus (or whatever his name is) who was exceptional on LBP1, and it showcased a new platforming mechanic not in the LBP2 levels seen thus far. You'll get some users playing with the tech for tech's sake, creating contraptions for the fun of it, like Quazi did with his calculator in LBP1. You'll have some user-generated movies, nothing but free-rolling cutscenes to tell a story, and you'll have some sequenced music to boot.

LBP2 is too vast to be comfortably categorised by existing conventions, moreso than LBP1 which could be argued to be little more than a platform game with a level editor. LBP2 can be considered a platform game with it own visual scripting language, straddling the boundaries of final product and content creation tool. You have to sample a LOT of content and movies to really appreciate that. Watching only one disappointing movie is not doing LBP2 justice!

 

[patsu]

If Scott_Arm is referring to the title itself, then Evans mentioned that the first attractions of LBP are the original levels. That's what most people go for first.

Then they reuse the assets to realize their own ideas.

 

[Scott_Arm]

Undisputably a game

That's the answer I was expecting, and the question was meant to be somewhat rhetorical, which is hard to get through in writing.

I just don't think that shooter is anything that's remotely interesting. People will make some awesome stuff, and that isn't it. It actually looks pretty terrible.

 

[Cornsnake]

And now we do get to talk about the LBP2 beta without breaking NDA.

LBP2 is freaking amazing. The tools are far more versatile than before. Some excellent stuff is already being made in the beta.

It still isn't as easy to use some of the tools as I'd like though. I've spend more time creating workarounds then I have actually designing my level. Only getting things to do want I want them to do by piling on logic. The good thing is that once I have the workaround it often works well. But it takes a lot of time getting to that point.