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ESCAPE to the SPACE-PIRANHA's LAIR

Archive: 32 posts

PSN: Grethiwha
Level name: Escape to the Space-Piranha's Lair!
Location: Just to the right of North America

2-PLAYERS ONLY

I came up with this level a long time ago, but had difficulties getting it to work from the beginning. After a several-month period of not making levels, and the release of the very helpful creator pack recently, I tried to make this level again, and I just finished earlier today.

The concept: You can't dual wield the jetpack and the paintenator, but I noticed that what was possible was that with 2 players, one person could use the jetpack and carry a person using the paintenator, and since it worked fairly well, I thought that the possibility for a cooperative level using this was quite interesting.

I sort of got carried away making it and so the enemies ended up being space-fish... and I ended up naming it "Escape to the Space-Piranha's Lair".... so there you have it.

I realize my audience for this level is automatically a lot smaller since it's 2-players only, but perhaps this picture will get you excited:
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5917/spacepiranha.jpg

Probably the best part of the level is the space-shark at the end (if you can figure out how to defeat him). I don't really wanna show it, but I'll put a doesn't-do-it-justice-poor-quality-picture in spoiler tags if that's what it takes to sell my level.
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5462/dsc07158.jpg

So, um, yes. Any feedback is appreciated.

Also check out my other levels; Aww Pee Gee, A Pirate Adventure, Portal: GlaDOS Boss Fight, The Ultimate Test, and more.		2009-04-27 03:22:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Hey Grethiwha, nice to see a new a new level from you! Will give it a try later tonight. 2009-04-27 20:03:00

Author:
Jaeyden
Posts: 564

The top of this thread is the best promo EVER.2009-04-27 20:13:00

Author:
CCubbage
Posts: 4430

Thank yous! err... there's a magic thank you button I'll use that.

Holy crap, Jaeyden, you're one of the people working on the Contra levels? ****n. I haven't played LittleBigPlanet in a long time, but I keep seeing that Contra level in places and it looks awesome and I've been meaning to play it. I'll definitely play it soon.

Also, unrelated to the level of this thread's namesake, I feel like I should be promoting my The Ultimate Test. I made it forever ago, but it's the best level ever. And by best I mean the worst. All you do is stand on a button that---wait, I need this:
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6637/ultimatetest.jpg
I've had random people spend over an hour on that level, it's ridiculous. If I can get this level to catch on, I will laugh. I wanna see somebody max out the score, because that would involve leaving your PS3 running on this level and playing farting noises for something like 4 and a half straight days.

...I'm sorry.
back on topic: anybody play my Space-Piranha level yet?		2009-04-27 23:29:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Okay, you got me hooked with your advertisements (very 50's b-movie, wich I love)....on both levels

Edit: will play it tomorrow, its multiplayer and all my friends are offline or creating. 		2009-04-28 00:02:00

Author:
Zwollie
Posts: 2173

You've been thank'd!

I may have just discovered the greatest level promotion technique around.

Feel free to add it to the thread (https://lbpcentral.lbp-hub.com/index.php?t=t=10692), administrators.		2009-04-28 03:59:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Just had a go at this with Zwollie.

Dunno how long it is because we couldn`t finish.

- There are a couple of problems. The first being that the gas is often too close to manouvre through properly.
- At the second 'ammo station', the person getting the jetpack would often touch the paintgun on the way past and pick that up by accident.
- The part immediately after that was where the trouble started. It seemed impossible. There is a camera angle here that does nobody any favours and makes it so difficult to tell where you are in relation to the gas.

I like your idea, but it needs a bit of refinement before it becomes a great level.		2009-05-02 05:37:00

Author:
Matt 82
Posts: 1096

Okay, I'm going to be very honest here....
I have played your level multiple times but I have not yet been able to finish it!!
I just had to give you some feedback didn't I? Here are my thoughts so far:


+ The Multiplayer feature is actually quite cool and works suprisingly well!!
I think more levels should use something like this.

+ The graphics are ok but perhaps a little bland before you reach the space-section.

- Now comes the reason why I haven't finished this level yet:
It's too dark in some places and its really hard to navigate both players between the gas at the same time.
You should really think about adding some infinite lives checkpoint here and there.
After you defeated the space squid there is this really narrow hallway you have to navigate through with a really bad camera angle wich makes it almost impossible to succeed!! So....I haven't been able to get beyond this part so far.



I like the idea, I like the multiplayer aspect but you really should change some little things so people can actually finish it without being annoyed!!


Edit: I see my co-player has also left you some comments. 		2009-05-02 05:43:00

Author:
Zwollie
Posts: 2173

heh, thanks guys, you never really know how difficult something is when you're making it.

I'll work on making it more user-friendly (or some better word). The idea was you can't get past the tunnels with the Space Piranha's shooting you so you have to kill the one you see in the camera angle from afar, and then carefully maneuver the gas. Again, I'll work on it some more. And I'll see what I can do about your other issues too. In fact, I'm not really doing anything now so I'll do so now.

Again, thanks for the feedback guys, it's very helpful. Especially with a coop level like this, where I have to recruit my brother every time I want to properly test it. 		2009-05-02 16:37:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Okay UPDATE:

I played again today and we managed to get past the narrow hallway!!
If you can get past that, its a real fun level!! Thank god Fjonan is a skilled driver

The insides of the shark were really cool!!
Didn't manage to drag the remains all the way down though so I didn't get the bonus.

So, It's a fun level.
Perhaps a little short and I still think it's a little too dark but fun anyways!!

I'm going to give it 4 stars and a heart (I wasn't hosting this game)		2009-05-02 17:11:00

Author:
Zwollie
Posts: 2173

haha, thanks!

I actually just updated it for some of the issues you and Matt82 were having.
-I made the hallway thing less narrow and easier to pass.
-I updated the ammo station thing to be more like the one near the shark with the open top.
-At the checkpoint before the space-octopus I changed the gas right near the jetpack to be just two layers in case there was frustration with that part (the problem is I have to keep the player in the front plane)
-I changed the design of the asteroid thing at the end where you lose your jetpack in an attempt to counter the issue I noticed where losing your jetpack makes you drop what you're holding (the remains).

If you do get the remains to the end, the guy explains how the aliens weren't just ordinary space-fish...they were robot-space-fish!

I'm glad to hear you liked it, and judging from Fjonan's comments in the game itself, he thought it was a lot of fun as well.

And thank you very much for all the feedback, it's much appreciated. I'll be sure to check out your level as well, it looks awesome. 		2009-05-02 18:52:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Man I like your humor a lot and had a lot of fun in the level, too. I did not find it too hard, but then again I am known to like very tough levels. The idea is great, the visuals could be better but since the level itself is so much fun it is no problem. I want to see more and longer levels like this!

Maybe you could build in some 4 player ideas, so that you in fact need 2 teams with each one "driver" and one shooter.

5 Stars and a heart.		2009-05-02 20:16:00

Author:
Fjonan
Posts: 359

Thanks a lot, Fjonan! The 4 player idea is actually quite interesting, but jeez I don't think I even have enough friends to test that. I actually don't have the trophy for completing a 4-player level with 3 people on my friends list...

Also, all my levels thus far have been unique from one another, pretty much, so for my next level I would probably try to continue my "Ice Mountain" level I started and then gave up on. Realistically, I don't know if I'm up for doing another co-op level like this one. And other people are free to use the jetpack-paintenator idea I suppose. :		2009-05-03 05:30:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Well ... the jetpack paintinator Idea has also been used in another level .... Seminal Gemini I think it is called. Maybe you should take a look at it.2009-05-03 15:07:00

Author:
Fjonan
Posts: 359

@ Grethiwha: I liked the idea behind your level so me and a friend played it last night and we both had a good laugh (although he did get a bit annoyed when I dropped him into the space squid for the 3rd time). Only cons are that as it is so dark it is a little hard to see sometimes and also a little lacking visually (but the fish monsters help). We both enjoyed it so we gave it 4 stars and hearted it.2009-05-03 19:58:00

Author:
Sweetums66
Posts: 10

Well ... the jetpack paintinator Idea has also been used in another level .... Seminal Gemini I think it is called. Maybe you should take a look at it.

haha, I was gonna add that I had no idea whether that was used before; for all I know there have been dozens of levels like it that came out before mine.

@Sweetums: Thanks! As for the darkness, a couple people have mentioned that now, so I'll consider tweaking it. Maybe it's just my TV that's clouding my judgement.		2009-05-03 20:24:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Yeah, "Seminal Gemini" was created by NinjaMicWZ and Neverynnal - 2 AWESOME creators who teamed up to make it (both are totally inactive right now for different reasons). NinjaMicWZ was one of the Contra creators. Give it a shot, it might get the juices flowing.2009-05-06 21:05:00

Author:
CCubbage
Posts: 4430

Wowy, that was an awesome level.

Quote from thread (Ock): "I really have to begin with the whole jetpack/paintinator mechanic. YOU GUYS ARE GENIUSES! Seriously man, this was one of the most incredible, innovative and enjoyable gameplay elements that I have ever experienced in LBP. Everyone who plays this should be saying "****, I wish I had thought of that" and if they aren't saying that then the only person they are fooling is themselves."

Duuudde, I did think of that! Just not first... Hey, if I had been first, would that have been the kind of feedback I would've gotten for my level?

Anyhow, that level seems more like what I originally had in mind when I started creating mine; something more arcadey I guess, and if I did do another level with the mechanic, I probably would try something more like that.		2009-05-06 23:22:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

You should also try the "Kikaiwa: Tom H. and S. Fin" level by Vanemiera... it's a great flying paintinator level, and came out just a little after SEMINAL GEMINI.2009-05-08 02:03:00

Author:
Unknown User

Grethiwha: I think your approach is a totally different one than NinjaMicWZ, where the paintinator part is more important than in your level, where precision flying is needed. I liked this a lot so nobody says you should make an action packed level like Seminal Gemini. I just wanted to see you what others did with this awsome little technique which is more an idea then a technique.

I like both levels a lot because of the idea but also because of the differnt things they did with it. The next step in MY opinion would be a 4-player only thing using those, with timed shooting on different positions in the level, good teamplay etc.		2009-05-08 10:25:00

Author:
Fjonan
Posts: 359

I'm playing this with my son when he gets home from school today.

I agree with Fjonan - this is a mechanic that could be used in a lot of innovative ways in original levels.		2009-05-08 12:20:00

Author:
CCubbage
Posts: 4430

Okay, I just got done playing this with my son. Great stuff! He's only 7 and not the best at the paintinator, so we actually had a better time with this one than the other flying paintinator levels we've played (where we were constantly getting creamed).

I loved the creatures and everything was well designed.

The only issue I had was some of the camera angles, although it wasn't a "huge" deal. It seemed in some of the areas that the camera was zoomed in pretty far and there was electric things flying at us. I was able to avoid the obstacles, but felt like it would have been better if these areas were zoomed out a bit more.

From an aesthetics standpoint, the stars embedded in dark matter were kind of weird looking. You can take a thin block of dark matter, shrink it down until it is invisible, and glue it to the small LED to have just a small more realistic star instead (unless you like it the way it is, of course).		2009-05-09 00:09:00

Author:
CCubbage
Posts: 4430

Oh no, more than 20 posts. Now I lose my credit with the cool alternative crowd who don't play levels once they become popular.

@Fjonan: Yeah, I didn't mean I was gonna do seminal gemini, I just.. when I started ESCAPE (back in January actually, before abandoning it and coming back to it), I intended to do a space shooter more like, well, similar to say the Gradius level, my point being I intended it to be a bunch of smaller enemies with a boss at the end. So if I did another it'd probably be like that.
I can't really see myself making a 4-player only level. And if I did... it'd probably be, like... air hockey or something... with two teams... and the jetpack guy has to defend his end by blocking his opponents paintenator shots with his body... while the paintenator guy shoots the other end. ...hmm that's not a bad idea.

@NinjaMicWZ: Cool, I'll check it out... sometime... maybe not this weekend I have a summative project I really should be working on.

@CCubbage: Thanks! For the camera angle are you just referring to the part right before the shark? Cause that might conflict with the sharks camera angle, but I'll give it a look (sometimeprobablynotthisweekendbutlater). As for the stars, I didn't like them at first, but they kinda grew on me. I admit they probably look weird but ehhhhh.. I might be at the point of no return on that one. There's a lot of stars to replace there, and they're the reason my thermometer is full. If I make another space level, I'll keep that in mind though. 		2009-05-09 03:11:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Tip: you can toggle cameras on and off (I think) with switches, that should help conflicts of angles.2009-05-09 12:26:00

Author:
Fjonan
Posts: 359

Hey there, another Canadian! Who would have guessed, and from my home town to boot!. Anyways I'll try your level soon. I did notice already though that you spelled Pirahna incorrectly all over the place. I don't know if spelling is a big thing for you but it is for me when I'm checking out levels. But I'll give you some proper feedback in the next couple of days. Go Canucks Go! 2009-05-10 01:01:00

Author:
mindphaser74
Posts: 349

Crap, did I? I wasn't sure so I googled it first before publishing.

...Google says it is piranha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piranha		2009-05-10 19:45:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

Crap, did I? I wasn't sure so I googled it first before publishing.

...Google says it is piranha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piranha

Sorry! You are right, I just double checked but searched a little deeper this time. :blush:		2009-05-10 21:49:00

Author:
mindphaser74
Posts: 349

Actually, in Canada I think it's "Piraneh?"

Sorry, TERRIBLE thing to say. I'm gonna go and have my wife smack me in the head for a punishment. Don't worry, I will be dealt with.		2009-05-10 22:36:00

Author:
CCubbage
Posts: 4430

Actually, in Canada I think it's "Piraneh?"

Sorry, TERRIBLE thing to say. I'm gonna go and have my wife smack me in the head for a punishment. Don't worry, I will be dealt with.

lol, you know us only too well 		2009-05-11 02:44:00

Author:
mindphaser74
Posts: 349

Finally snagged someone to play through this last night with, and I really enjoyed it, man. The setting was so dreamlike, and it took me by surprise. It had a totally different feel from mine and Neverynall's level, and from Vanemiera's... I loved the dark clouds and feeling of desperation it seemed to have, the enemy designs were great with the kind of storm attacks they had, and the giant air shark was the stuff of legend. It had a real cinematic, adventure feel to it, and was really unique. I kind of wish it was a little longer though.2009-05-12 01:35:00

Author:
Unknown User

Thanks, NinjaMic, that means a lot.

lol, you know us only too well
ahaha		2009-05-13 03:21:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61

bahh last time I checked I was supposed to delete my previous post if I wanted to bump something, but I don't see the delete button...

Well anyways, I finally tweaked the camera before the shark and I made the level less dark. It's still pretty dark, but it's slightly less so now... Was there anything else I was supposed to do?

I'm also working on my Ice Mountain level right now and not another jet-paint level. <_<
Although I still like my air hockey idea.

In unrelated and slightly harder to read news, I totally aced all the story levels recently and am about 18 creator hearts away from my very first platinum trophy, wink wink nudge nudge.

edit: Oh, and I forgot to mention, that Tom/Fin level was fantastic. I assumed it was over when I got to the first boss, but that was just the half-way point. Very long, well-done level.		2009-05-21 00:32:00

Author:
Grethiwha
Posts: 61


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