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24 Hours With LittleBigPlanet

Posted by Soulskill on from the playing-in-the-sand dept.

We recently mentioned an event at the Parsons New School for Design and Technology in which students were divided into teams, given copies of LittleBigPlanet, and had 24 hours to develop levels for the game. GameSetWatch has the story of how the design contest went, what the winners and other notable finishers designed, and how the judges were surprised that "what they played could be completed in 24 hours." Further coverage is available at GameSpot, including a videos of several different levels. "Team Good Sportsmanship's level consisted of a single massive moving monster. SackBoy had to find his way up the monster, go through its digestive track while dodging stomach acid and eventually get on top of its head. The level featured an anatomical tour of the beast, complete with rib cage, beating heart even a dangling uvula. Once the player made it up to the brain, there was a hand-drawn animation of what the beast was thinking: eating SackBoy. Once the player got past the teeth and used the tongue to lob themselves on top of the monster's snout, the level was over."

17 of 30 comments (clear)

  1. Not mind blowing, but not bad by KoD7085 · · Score: 1

    For 24hrs. I'd say not to bad. What would impress me more is to give them like a week to create something and see what can be really done. But it does show there can be quite a lot done with the game.

  2. Re:What? by MozeeToby · · Score: 1

    Apparently yes, you did miss something. It was a level design competition. A big part of the game is the fact that it allows massive and complex user created levels. They were given 24 hours to see what they could do.

  3. Looks... frustrating by Fross · · Score: 3, Insightful

    From the two videos I saw, seemed a lot of the time was people wrestling with the controls, trying to execute a jump or hold onto something. A LOT of the time. Gives the impression the controls are fiddly and inaccurate, if you assume that the people operating the characters in the videos are at least familiar with PS3 controls.

    1. Re:Looks... frustrating by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      I was lucky enough to get into the European online beta the other day, and I must say, the controls are anything but. The video gives the impression because Sackboy flits about as you would expect any ragdoll to, but the platforming and controls are as tight and refined as any other I've played. Very impressive, considering it's an old build.

    2. Re:Looks... frustrating by Chuck+Chunder · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Indeed, it looked very pretty but from the videos executing a simple jump, particularly from a standing start, seemed rather difficult to pull off.

      For a game that fits largely in the 'platform' genre that seems like a cardinal sin.

      --
      Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
    3. Re:Looks... frustrating by somersault · · Score: 1

      I'm not much of a platformer myself (I only completed my first Mario game a couple of years ago when I found an old SNES in the holiday house we were staying in), but even I could see that the guy running around the level just wasn't very well co-ordinated or experienced. He ended up cheating just to show off the level. That game does look like good fun though, especially if level editors are going to be provided with it and there's the multiplayer element :) I was pretty underwhelmed at first there because I wasn't expecting it to be a 2D affair, I was expecting them to be wandering around inside a moving 3D body. That would have been pretty impressive for 24 hours work..!

      I've not done much modelling and level editing in the past, but designing levels for a 2D platformer is pretty easy (yes I made a platform game as a teenager, though the levels weren't dynamic, and I've also spent time making Half-Life levels and mods etc).. in this case it was the ideas that were important rather than the implementation since I expect all the funky stuff like the kinematics for the bouncing platforms, swings and such is built into the game engine. Still, good stuff to get it all built from scratch in under 24 hours..

      --
      which is totally what she said
    4. Re:Looks... frustrating by elrous0 · · Score: 1

      Bad platform design make'a Mario cry.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    5. Re:Looks... frustrating by Beezlebub33 · · Score: 1

      Agreed.

      One of the great things about Portal was that when you got the idea right, it worked, even if you are a klutz when it comes to the controls. If I had to absolutely hit the portal correctly, then it would have taken forever and been much less fun. Adding in a 'funnel' capability means that if you're close, then you make it. It also means that my 7 year old can play (well, the non-death levels anyway)

      This should be added to LittleBigPlanet as an option I think. it doesn't need to be heavy handed, just a auto-align or magnetic area. If you have to jump and grab onto a swinging rope, then if you get 'close' (for some definition of close), then you grab it.

      --
      The more people I meet, the better I like my dog.
    6. Re:Looks... frustrating by ivan256 · · Score: 1

      I don't see how you can get that from these videos. Some of the more fiddly bits seemed like they were related to the level design, and these were custom levels, not official levels. I have a hard time believing you could draw any (valid) conclusions whatsoever from a gameplay video that doesn't include a video of the player.

    7. Re:Looks... frustrating by mstahl · · Score: 1

      Don't be so hard. A lot of the problems I was seeing were level design problems, and as they only had 24 hours to work out the kinks I think it's pretty impressive.

  4. Re:What? by Kenoli · · Score: 1

    Looks like you missed something actually. Probably the incredibly uninteresting videos that show someone struggling to get past simple obstacles in a rather strange looking platformer.

  5. LOLWUT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Speaking of 'uninteresting', you're clearly an expert.

    1. Re:LOLWUT by spire3661 · · Score: 1

      ZING!

      --
      Good-bye
  6. Then you fail to understand the game by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    From the two videos I saw, seemed a lot of the time was people wrestling with the controls, trying to execute a jump or hold onto something. A LOT of the time.

    If elements of the level are too hard for you, make 'em a bit easier. Or slap a big 'ol danger label on them. The controls are only part of the game, a large element is that you can change anything...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Then you fail to understand the game by Fross · · Score: 1

      I fully understand the game, when playing it it's a simple platformer. My gripe is that performing basic moves seemed difficult to the users. A poor interface can make even a very simple game frustrating.

  7. Amazing what you can do in 24 hours by elrous0 · · Score: 1

    In just two days, I can have a fully functioning videogame from this event *and* an awesome outfit from one of those gay dudes on Project Runway. God bless America!

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  8. Re:SackBoy the new Gerbil King? by spire3661 · · Score: 1

    JESUS CHRIST!

    --
    Good-bye