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Sack Processing Facility

Archive: 20 posts

Sack Processing Facility is the first level in a going-to-be story. The story is about some kind of alien race which wants to conquer Earth somehow.

In part 1 you see sackpersons processed, and they're changed into cyborgs somehow.

Here's some screenshots:
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/3606/eenfoto6.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2970/eenfoto7.jpg
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/5570/eenfoto8.jpg
http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6069/eenfoto9.jpg

I don't know what else to put here, I'm kinda new to this 'advertise your level on lbpc' thing. I do think it's kinda detailed here and there though. But I hope you enjoy it!:hero: My PSNid is Recurracy.		2009-06-01 09:21:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

alrighty then, well first off- you're doing a good job of "advertising your level" ;p The pictures are gorgeous. If you want to get more people in, i'd reccomend making this a F4F level. If you eventually do, no F4F needed here, i just like leaving feedback (or playing levels)

Okay, so the level starts off, looks great. i like the flicker effect. ooh, processing sackpeople... shouldve seen that coming ;p
Your wheel puzzle isn't entirely clear as to what needs to be done at first. Maybe a magic mouth about starting a generator or something? When you open the door, you can still leave the area with the jetpack- definitely needs a fix D:

I really like your soldiers and turrets... but the one on the truck is attatched to the truck as well. The truck dissolves, but part of the turret doesn't... thats a little odd.

Hey a boss fight... wait a minute! Is that my brains i see! hahaha glad someone else can use em! you do need to change the material of the boss though- right now he's grabbable and you can float on up with him ;p

Totally didn't see that ending coming, didnt expect it to end like that.

Overall, great looking level, and some intriguing storyline. A few bugs need to be fixed, but those shouldnt be too bad. i'm impressed with some of your design there, particularly on teh sack processing processes. 4* from me, very good job on the level.		2009-06-01 10:20:00

Author:
Burnvictim42
Posts: 3322

Thanks alot for the comment!
Your brains are SO useful, they're really awesome.
Wait, you can fly around with the jetpack? Dang... Anyway, I got that fixed. And why I didn't put a magic mouth on the generator is because I want little to no speech in the beginning.
I don't know how to fix the 'dissolving truck' thing, (maybe I do) because the guy with the machinegun is glued to the truck. I know about the boss, but I had to do that because of some permanent switches (the boss is in fact one) and stuff like that.

I might aswell make alot more details in it, I have some thermo left.


I'm gonna start working on a part 2 soon, in this part you start in the cargo bay of a spaceship (where the level ends). I'm not gonna say more, of course!

Sad that even the LBPC community doesn't take the time to play this or review this.

I can't improve it if nobody replies on this.		2009-06-01 10:29:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

I love this level. Will post my full feedback soon!2009-06-03 13:19:00

Author:
Jibblejab
Posts: 13

Thanks! Cool to see that somebody else than me loves this level. Take your time on the feedback. 2009-06-03 15:51:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

Where's that review then?

I'm sorry to sound like this but it's simply kinda annoying that only 2 people have replied on this level, while I've definately put lots of work in it...

Also, I know that I'm being kind of a whinebag because I've seen levels which hadn't had a reply in 6 days.		2009-06-05 14:53:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

I couldn't finish the level

on the 3rd playthrough I was able to finish the level

but what I did play was very good. loved the overall look of it, thought it looked and sounded fantastic.

a few constructive comments though.

there is a random gas filled hole at the start that you can't really see and I fell down it which I found a but odd.

I found the wheel puzzle very confusing, it really does need some kind of explaination to go along with it and maybe making the grabbable bit more obvious. I spent ages rotating it round so it pointed at the two lights hoping it would turn them on.

once I knew how to do this I actually realised how genious the wheel actually is, the blur is amazing, and I assume it must be pretty smart how it works, becuase I have no idea.

there is a part after the wheel puzzle where you have to jump on/over some electrified blocks, I died on my second go on this bit becuase I had no clue what I was supposed to be jumping on and avoiding, perhaps this could be made less cluttered.

there is a part where you need to drop down a hole in order to turn on a button to make some stairs appear, I had no idea you needed to go down the hole, perhaps make that more obvious.

the block puzzle was great once i stumbled into the jetpack. I didn't see the jetpack at all so spend ages trying to drag the blocks out of their holes, maybe add a light next to the jetpack to make it more visable.

I found those turrents reeeeaaaaly hard and the last turret at the top when you kill it causes the platform to dissappear which meant I couldn't get back onto the big stone block and finish whatever happens at the end.

2nd time around I ran down the middle of them and didn't get hit once, I think I was just lucky, I didn't kill any of them and went staight onto the boss.

wasn't sure if I was doing it right until he eventually died, pretty cool boss. overall good level

lots of little things really but otherwise a very enjoyable level, and I can't wait for part 2 and 3.

the part where you go down the hole and see the "stasis chambers" and one was broken was a personal fav.

there is so much going on in the background that you don't realise on the first play through, definately a winner in my book		2009-06-05 17:32:00

Author:
groble
Posts: 223

Let me start this by saying that I love the look and feel of this level. I haven't completed it. In fact I barely got anywhere, but at the moment it is way too glitchy. Here is what happend:

1. I get to the generator. Grab the grabbable bit. Try moving it and it breaks (I was holding x but still). Level over

2. I start again, get to the generator. Grab the grabbable bit bring it round to the top. Nothing happens. I have a look around the room. I let go of the jetpack. Grabbable still at top. Level over

3. I get to the generator. Grab the grabbable bit. Try moving it and it breaks (I was holding x but still). Level over

4. I come in, eventually realise I have to spin it round over and over. Door opens a little bit but not enough for me to get through. Go back to spin some more.... Level over

5. I come in, turn the wheel enough to get the door open fully. I go through, die on the bit of electric that is behind something else, respawn at the benning of the level. Go back to the generator. The door is only opening a little way again. Cannot get to the grabbable bit to recharge the generator.

I'm not playing a 6th time today. I will probably play again. THe background detail and everything is beautiful. I hope you don't mind but I took some photographs for reference Don't worry I won't copy anything, I just like to keep photos of inspirational material for when I hit a block.

In the meantime you need to think about failure modes and failure safety. What might a player do that could break your level? No action they take should block off the res of the level (except dying too many times ) For the generator, I would loosen the bolt on it and maybe glue the grabbable bit on (I thought it was connected by elastic or something, might have been wrong) - just make sure you can't break it. And allow the jetpack access to the entire room, without grabbing the grabbable bit.

If you need help discovering where things could break, I'm rather good at breaking systems by accident. People at work hate me for it because I get my hands on supposedly stable systems and trip over a load of bugs. Then I don't like it because it's me that has to fix it...		2009-06-05 20:35:00

Author:
rtm223
Posts: 6497

Thanks for the incredible reply! Dang, I knew it was glitchy but THAT glitchy...

I'm gonna fix it ASAP (That is, when my little annoying brother gets off the ps3) and try to get all the bugs out. But actually, I had to make the generator like that. It needs a fixing point. I'll also make the pillar there out of something that you can see (you know, where the block of electricity was), and I'll make the checkpoint past the generator a little lower. Yes, there is a checkpoint between those two parts. When the lights suddenly go on, on that point, you have to jump. I know it's a little vague.

I'll also give it a lot more detail when I have the time.		2009-06-06 08:30:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

As I said I have a nack for breaking computer systems by accident, and LBP levels seem to be no exception to that! That fact that I got nowhere into the level, had to retry 4 times but will still probably try it again should be a testament to what I think of the level

As for the anchor point on the generator, Could you perhaps have it hang from the ceiling - 2 diagonal struts wouldn't look too bad. Alternatively have the inverted U anchor on the back plane, but this is a fair amount of work I guess.

Actually, just make it so there are 4 grabbable points, so that at least 1 will always be reachable from below.		2009-06-06 10:06:00

Author:
rtm223
Posts: 6497

I fixed several things, and added some tips of what to do at some points. Would you check it out and review it based on that version? I think I've published it too. 2009-06-06 16:37:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

okay more feedback:

+the wheel is now much easier to spin so thats great
+the jetpack near the peg puzzle is now visable which is handy, but you still need to jump to get it, maybe worth looking into?

-the clues you've added are really out of context, maybe make them better related, so explain why they need to spin the wheel i.e. power the generator.
- the jumping bit behind that electric pillar is still too messy, I found it frustrating and died there many times, some times the small electrified pillars kill you sometimes they don't, I also found it to use the springy ledge, don't know if that was just me.
-I think your boss might be a bit too hard, in that he has too many "lives"
- your gun turrets don't shoot down the middle plane so you can just walk straight down the middle, maybe have them emmitting shots on the middle plane, if you do this though you might need to slow the shots down. I had a similiar problem on my level and when I added the middle plane it became impossible until I shrunk the projectiles and slowed them down.

other than that still looking good and works better with the improvements. still looks awesome.		2009-06-06 16:58:00

Author:
groble
Posts: 223

-the clues you've added are really out of context, maybe make them better related, so explain why they need to spin the wheel i.e. power the generator.

I wouldn't say out of context, more bizarre. They style of them would work in a kooky, cartoony level, but they are out of place in a dark level like this.

I got nailed by the guards. Full review when I complete it....		2009-06-06 21:05:00

Author:
rtm223
Posts: 6497

Hm... What should I let the mouths say then as a good tip? Not something obvious like 'spin dat thing around to power dat buildign and opn dat door so dat u can go on' but something where you have to think about.2009-06-07 11:34:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

Well no. But think about context: With no NPC in the room, as a player I assume it is "me" talking or thinking. I watch my sack running into a room and while running he just says something like "round and round goes the wheel". This seems bizarre, imagine it in a film and think what your reaction to that scene would be. I don't know what the wheel is, I don't even know that there is a door blocking the way.

In the generator room, the more logical sequence of events is for the sack to reach the door, without any attention being drawn to the generator. Now you know there is a problem to be solved. Magic mouth here says "looks like the power to the door is out, there must be some way fo getting it working." The jetpack is at this position. The magic mouth probably has a cutscene So you know there is a puzzle, what the goal of the puzzle is and you have the first step of the puzzle (put on the jetpack) given in that order. Jetpack puzzles mean you need to find something grabbable. Bit of searching and you find and grab it. At this point you may need another hint as it takes a few turns to get the generator going.

I'm not saying this is how you should do it. This is, off the top of my head, an example of how to make a puzzle room include hints, in such a way that it flows.

I still haven't played through this level again, will try to before I go away. Is there a particular technique for getting past those guards or is it just difficult?		2009-06-08 13:29:00

Author:
rtm223
Posts: 6497

I didn't think of a magic mouth that gives the player the imagination of their sackboy talking... Cool idea! I'll change that when I get back to LBP. What I had in mind, was that... I don't know.

I'll change it as soon as I get to the ps3 (and not playing Killzone 2 )		2009-06-08 15:56:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

I gave up when the boss started gaining health when I hit it2009-06-08 19:02:00

Author:
Sackmundo
Posts: 60

I know. I still have to fix that. Stupid piston suddenly broke.2009-06-08 20:00:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166

I played your level tonight but I didn't finish it yet. I died at the boss.

I think it's nice looking (maybe a bit dark) and like how you play with lights to create a unique look. I was intrigued by the level and felt like playing it through it all. I think some parts might be nebulous for inexperienced gamers but at the same time, trying to figure it out can be part of the fun (in short, it's up to you!)

My only gripe is that I felt the boss is cheap. Not all that fun. I mean, my problem is that there's nothing to tell me where the stuff will fall. I most of time die from cheap hits. The concept of the health gauge is nice though. I like that.

.		2009-06-09 05:05:00

Author:
RangerZero
Posts: 3901

Wow, thanks! I didn't expect a review like that because I thought it was kinda ugly and all that... Seems I was totally wrong.

Sorry but what do you mean with nebulous?
I couldn't make it clear where the bombs are going to fall, because I accidently deleted the plane where the bombs emit from from my inventory. I can't get it back because it's emitted.
What about the gunshots? I didn't place that light there for no reason. Is that too hard too (I mean that you can't know where the plasma falls)?

Seriously, thanks for all the great replies and help everyone. You've really been a great help with everything.


I've recently spammed the publish button, and it was on page 1 on cool levels...! For 5 minutes. Too bad it didn't get stuck there. How can I make it cemented?
I've also added a sort of title cutscene thing in the beginning. Please tell me if you like it so far, because I couldnt finish it. My little brother wanted on the ps3 asap. 		2009-06-10 18:25:00

Author:
Recurracy
Posts: 166


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