Zero Punctuation: Little Big Planet
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
The process of a designer making a level is very much the same; sketch ideas, block out the level to get its basic functional form, then work on the real content of it. Mistakes in LBP can also be agonising to correct, trust me on this as I have done a lot of work in LBP.Amoreyna said:
Gameplay mechanics are crafted by the designer, with the exception of things like race start points and ends, score bubbles, and the controls of the player. All the platform layouts, moving objects, choices of visual style, gameplay styles, are done by the designer. In its most basic form, LBP is a physics simulator, and it is up to players to decide how to use it - this is why community levels range from simple platform levels to game tributes (such as Dead Space, Silent Hill, and of course Mario), to abstract artistic endeavours (such as the sillouhette levels), music boxes, and contraptions such as tanks, rollercoasters, and even a functional calculator.
Granted, there is a set selection of materials and stickers to use, though with a PS3 camera you can put in your own images and there will probably be an option to import your own images from the PS3 harddrive in the future, allowing creators to draw their own stickers in an art program and put them in their level. In this manner, one could even argue that LBP is an *evolution* of traditional art, as it can incoroporate user generated images into interactive environments.
Here is the main point. In a nutshell, LBP is a story medium. Users can create their own stories through the use of the game mechanics and artwork, and imported artwork. Using text, visual symbols, and interactivity, a creator can guide a player through a crafted world that may or may not adhere to the game's included mechanics such as scoring, dying, level completion, etc. Yes there are limits, but those limits are surprisingly less limiting as you may think; the only real limitation is the way that a level can be experienced, which is through the avatar of Sackboy. People are more likely to be limited by their imagination before really being limited by the game engine, as evidenced by a huge amount of tribute levels.
If I had a PS3, this wouldn't be my first game to get, not saying its bad, most likely very very good but I'm not sure why its as popular as it is critically per say... maybe I'd have to play it beyond the demo off a borrowed console.
Great review BTW.
Great review BTW.
Please note that if something is not dull that does not mean it's good. Also, if something is not soulless, it does not mean it has a "good" soul. What I meant by 'dull and soulless' was that these games are MEH. Completely MEH. They're the creation of an elaborate and expensive paint-by-numbers design philosophy and feature neither stupid nor innovative design decisions. There is nothing redeemable about them, nor is there anything to really criticize apart from being the definition of average. They are mediocre with a capital M. He might as well review an EA Sports title.merkaba48 said:
Anyways, I couldn't really give a ton of examples without making this seem like a wishlist, which would, of course, be contradictory to what I'd like to see (in case you forgot, it's Yahtzee reviewing things he wants to review, and not succumbing to wishlists). And by review I mean satire... which is another problem. The videos seem to be turning more and more into reviews a la IGN and GameSpot.
While the other internet nerd critics have evolved (AVGN, Nostalgia Critic, the ScrewAttack cast), Yahtzee seems to be devolving. I hope his best days aren't behind him.
So, is Yahtzee playing online at all now, or is he still a "single-player only" type guy?
I mean, I assume he can afford a decent internet connection.
Great review, by the way.
The notion of Stephen Fry getting all up in my cochlea is so very appealing...as are young filipino boys.
What, what was I saying again?
I mean, I assume he can afford a decent internet connection.
Great review, by the way.
The notion of Stephen Fry getting all up in my cochlea is so very appealing...as are young filipino boys.
What, what was I saying again?
FUCK I forgot user generated content!
That one actually made me laugh out loud.
I was waiting for this to happen, and it gaves me the lolz that I needed.
That one actually made me laugh out loud.
I was waiting for this to happen, and it gaves me the lolz that I needed.
...My eyes took several seconds to realize what exactly it was that I was seeing there...
The entire Critisism-review was killed by the utter retardation in the middle...
I mean...not that it was bad, I quite frankly fell over laughing when the music and image combo collided to create somthing truly appaulling dancing on my screen. But here...have some snow, UK's got lots've it right now. Because now I'm quite frightened.
LBP was okay, It filled a weekend for me, and I had fun. But again, nothing that caused an ephiphany and compelled me to draw obsessive fanart over it.
The entire Critisism-review was killed by the utter retardation in the middle...
I mean...not that it was bad, I quite frankly fell over laughing when the music and image combo collided to create somthing truly appaulling dancing on my screen. But here...have some snow, UK's got lots've it right now. Because now I'm quite frightened.
LBP was okay, It filled a weekend for me, and I had fun. But again, nothing that caused an ephiphany and compelled me to draw obsessive fanart over it.
I think I figured out a simple irc-script-like equation for how people respond to Zero Punctuation.
$game == topic of this episode's Zero Punctuation
$obligatoryuniqueevent == Whatever Yahtzee does this episode that hasn't been done before. (See boxers with googly eyes)
$feelings == 0 for hate the game, 1 for love the game)
$historicalreference == Name of an old 'legendary game'
if($feelings==1){
post "Yahtzee has finally lost it. He used to be funny but this nonsensical bullshit obviously proves his ship has sailed. There has not been a game as good as "+$game+" since "+$historicalreference+". I hope Yahtzee has another job that'll tide him over because this shit won't get him anywhere anymore.
}else if{$feelings==0){
post "Oh man! That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I can't believe everyone is so gungho about how utterly amazing "+$game+" is?! I mean it's ok but you pretty much hit all the weak points of the stupid thing. Likewise your "+$obligatoryuniqueevent+" was hilarious, man I couldn't stop laughing I'm serious.
Keep it up man. You are amazing.
}
If you look back it appears 8 out of the 10+ pages on here are using this simple script.
$game == topic of this episode's Zero Punctuation
$obligatoryuniqueevent == Whatever Yahtzee does this episode that hasn't been done before. (See boxers with googly eyes)
$feelings == 0 for hate the game, 1 for love the game)
$historicalreference == Name of an old 'legendary game'
if($feelings==1){
post "Yahtzee has finally lost it. He used to be funny but this nonsensical bullshit obviously proves his ship has sailed. There has not been a game as good as "+$game+" since "+$historicalreference+". I hope Yahtzee has another job that'll tide him over because this shit won't get him anywhere anymore.
}else if{$feelings==0){
post "Oh man! That was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I can't believe everyone is so gungho about how utterly amazing "+$game+" is?! I mean it's ok but you pretty much hit all the weak points of the stupid thing. Likewise your "+$obligatoryuniqueevent+" was hilarious, man I couldn't stop laughing I'm serious.
Keep it up man. You are amazing.
}
If you look back it appears 8 out of the 10+ pages on here are using this simple script.
Yahtzee hated the game? Your opinion is more valid then educated professionals? You're calling Yahtzee a 'real' critic?Treblaine said:
This is so wrong on so many levels.
Well his review was hardly glowing, I'm sorry he doesn't give a score for people who are too thick to understand sentences containing more than 5 syllables but you are a real idiot to say he gave this his seal of approval.Cinder Block of Oppression said:
OK, now don't interpret this the wrong way - but - you can go f**k yourself if you think I am going to value MY OWN opinion less than that of a bunch of journalists who follow public opinion like a freaking flock of sheep. I don't need other people to tell me what I like, that is what I have my own individuality for.
These same "educated professionals" as you call mainstream critics gave Halo 2 as high a score as LBP?
Yahtzee has always been on the money as he is not afraid to say what he thinks no matter how offensive or out of lock step it is with everyone else.
Without the media blitz from Sony then no one would have given a flying crap about LPB and it would have come in at about 70-80 something. I mean if you have to depend on a committee of people to defend your game rather than any gameplay features then you have a serious problem with your game. Only a fool follows the crowd.
Huzzah! This is exactly the type of reply I was hoping for. Ah, the comfort of predictability. Thank you, you've made my day.Treblaine said:
err, touché?Cinder Block of Oppression said:
LPB is still mediocre at best. The critics jumped the gun in showering it with praise when hardly anyone bought it even out of the millions of PS3 owners and the hype, while far less have anything noteworthy to say about it.
Go play a proper modern 2D game like Super Paper Mario or World of Goo that were made to be a good game not as some game that was crudely manufactured for marketing hype.
I would hardly call the stylistic choices made in LBP "crudely manufactured". It may not have the same sort of controls that classic side-scrollers have, (Super Mario World, being a clean example) but take the game for what it is - Loads more creative than most things in the market right now, fresh, stylized, and remarkably charming.Treblaine said:
I know I'm kinda jumping in the middle of a flame war, but it seems silly to try and slam a game simply for the reason that it's trying to do something different.
This critique (not going to call it a review) lost all meaning to me as soon it cut to the googley-eyed arse bit.
Anyone else think Mr. Croshaw is losing his touch a little?
Anyone else think Mr. Croshaw is losing his touch a little?