Archive: 12 posts

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my PSN ID: uzuEYE there are 4 installments 1. Through the Cellar Floor 2. Attack of the SackChildren 3. In Darkness Blue 4. Castle Fortress Finale hope i'm not too wordy, there's much to say.. i decided to toss this all in one post... ...rather than cluttering the forum with 4 posts on individual installments This series was based on an idea i had of finding a doorway in your basement that leads to a vast fantasy world of mystery.. The levels incorporate a few ideas from a story i wrote over ten years ago (when i was in my late teens / early 20s). Part 1 Begins in a storm.. with something mysterious in the air.. you run home.. and receive a few clues or nods that direct you to the cellar... There, hidden in the wall, is a hole that leads to a cave-like sub-basement where the real meat of the adventure exists.. I originally envisioned this level as an entire world ...with a functional home to spend time in and a distant spooky castle that exists beyond a long desert. (The only way into the castle is through the cellar floor). I quickly realized the limitations of space in my over-ambitious first level... hence parts 2, 3, and 4... Well... actually, Part 1 is the first half, Part 4 is the second.... Parts 2 and 3 just have fun playing around with the ideas There are 3 different endings in Through the Cellar Floor... each one uncovers key to another. (later, i decided to unlock all the levels for fear of no one playing) Despite there being much more i wanted to include in this first part.. ..i am pleased with the results my only real regrets: -not putting a bunch of boxes and clutter in the cellar ..and -not getting to do more with the desert area http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/TtCF_01.jpg http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/TtCF_04.jpg http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/TtCF_05.jpg Part 2 Attack of the SackChildren This plays off of the one of the more memorable scenes from Through the Cellar Floor... It is sort of like a dream sequence or side-quest. http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/AotSC_02.jpg http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/AotSC_04.jpg Part 3 In Darkness Blue Also a side-quest.. plays around with the blue poison liquid pools (in Through the Cellar Floor) and touches on more of the creepy elements i wanted to include. It also was a way to side-step my inability to make parts of my levels as dark as i wanted. http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/IDB_01.jpg http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/IDB_03.jpg Part 4 Castle Fortress Finale The best part... the end... the most fun.. the most to do ..incorporates elements from all the previous entries... and picks up in the castle ending from Through the Cellar Floor. This one is very-multipath... at the start, you can go left or right... both meet up in the end ..though left is the longer path. It also incorporates optional sticker switches that you win in the first 3 levels.. you don't need them, but its more fun if you have them.. (however, i've included a hidden area where you can find second copies of these stickers.. To find them, go left at the beginning of the level and head underground rather than up the side of the castle) http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/CFF_01.jpg http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/CFF_03.jpg http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/CFF_04.jpg http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/CFF_06.jpg http://www.jonathandressman.com/LBP/CFF_10.jpg Please try them out and tell me what you think. I would greatly appreciate any feedback that anyone has to offer. In game tags like "long" are a bit under-whelming ..and seemingly no one comments. I hope you enjoy them PS ... there are a bunch of interactive objects and hidden secrets in these levels... especially in Part 1... ..mostly just for fun... for example: in the bathroom from level 1, you can go in the shower and close the door to turn it on. hopefully, this can give you a sense of where i would have taken things if i had more storage space to work with

2009-02-22 23:31:00 Author: Unknown User

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Ok... I played all 4 levels... I noticed that all the levels are unlocked from the beginning. Less motivation to play them all. As for Level 1: I liked the concept, but I felt it lacked a bit of direction. I know it tells you to go to the cellar, and I was certainly able to figure that out. But I noticed that I could knock over the balcony door. Which seems to go to nothing. And I noticed that I could go all the way out the right (in a very long path) to nothing but a note and some point bubbles. The area here was your only area of ambiance (as far as sound) As for the cellar, I thought you might want to add a little light in the cellar, so that a small amount leaks out the left hole opening. I thought the almost complete lack of sound bothersome. You play the level, and other than outside at the bridge, there really isn't any. And at the bridge, you get sounds before you cross, and then when you are crossing, it is silent. And you hear lightning, but no flashing lights. I did think level one was a bit too well lit - it would have been nice to have it moodier. Level two was cool. Though it had the same ambiance problems as far as sound as level 1. I liked Level 3. I thought the little tendrils you fall through a nice touch. And I really liked the monster. As for Level 4, when I went right, i noticed that in the hallway the last light isn't attached to anything, and falls to the ground. I thought the wavy floor was really cool (the one that makes you go back and forward). I thought the pink section was a little irritating a bit. I liked things about it, but for the ease (of travel) for the rest of the level, it seemed a bit too ramped up. Either make the rest a little more challenging, or slow them down a little. Overall, I liked and hearted them all. But I think they need some attention to detail as far as sounds and maybe music, and maybe make the long hallways you have to run through a little more varied. They seem a lot longer in silence too.

2009-02-23 19:16:00 Author: dobi6 Posts: 359

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Hey uzuEye, I just played all four episodes. First, although the visuals were extremely minimalist, I liked them. I liked the materials you picked and certain parts like the house and the sackboy children look extremely creepy and cool. Unfortunately, there are some other areas that the plain backgrounds just don't work to well. Some of the space is just so big with nothing really going on, the desert for example. I really liked the concept as well, but I would've liked to hear more of your story and more about what was really going on in this crazy world... or was it all a dream? I wanted more of that. You did manage to create some really creepy moments though. As I mentioned above, the sackboy children rooms looked great and were very creepy. Like Dobi, I did fine the lack of sound a little strange at times, but appropriate at others. Maybe if you had just a bit of creepy music at a low volume, that might help a bit. In terms of gameplay elements, I felt like the first couple levels are basically running from point A to point B, although Part 2 did have the Sackboy boss, which was pretty cool. It didn't feel like there was really much going on until the 3rd and 4th levels. I really enjoyed the bosses in both of these levels and found them to be really cool looking as well. I loved the tentacles that you made, they looked fantastic. I must also say that I had a lot of fun exploring the various paths that you created. There are a lot of secrets to be found and it was fun to explore. The lack of detail in some parts, i.e. the desert, did hamper it a bit, but for the most part I appreciated all the little nooks and crannies that you hid points in. I think these levels are pretty good, but that they could be a bit tighter in terms of gameplay and story. I know that you said you were limited by thermo space, but I can't help but think that you might be able to fit a lot of this within the same level or two levels with a bit of careful planning. I think it would make the entire thing a more cohesive and engaging experience. Overall, I really did enjoy playing each one and you did creep me out a bit, so well done!

2009-02-23 23:47:00 Author: mrsupercomputer Posts: 1335

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dobi6.. about the unlocked levels... yeah.. originally i had them locked, but with so little exposure and so little interest in new levels it was very unsatisfying to see days go by with maaaaybe 1 play on one of my locked levels... so i unlocked them... i decided i made them to be played, so... in a less imperfect world i would have left them locked.... i agree something is lost with them all available from the start i have contemplated trying to go back and insert more direction and character interaction to strengthen a narrative you are right as a level intended for a general audience, it needs that i originally had lightning light flashes and such, but they deleted on their own as the level filled up and when i came down to the last minute in terms of available space.. they became casualty i think you may be right about level 1 being too bright level 4.. when you run right.. the lights flicker and the last one is intended to fall.. (note the small explosion sound).. perhaps it wasnt as effective or funny as it was in my head.. lol and i think you are right about the pink area.. the challenge may be a little disconnected from the rest of the level... i have an idea or two that could ease it up some and as for music.... i can understand that.. my only problem is finding a good sound track that doesnt distract from the mood im aiming for ..or one that doesn't seem too over-played in every LBP level i will go back and look through the track list... i might be able to work something out... or at least make the soundscape and ambiant sound fx a little more attentive. . . . mrsupercomputer... i very agree that some parts are too plain.. especially in level 1... after my level started running out of space, i made the impatient mistake of trying to patch things and minimize damage, rather than deleting and reworking as i should have and yeah.. the levels need more direct and engaging narrative ...more motivation ..and purpose beyond just exploration the desert definitely needs my attention i dont know if it's obvious.... but i made these levels in order.... Part one was the first level i ever made.... and part 4 the last... although i've gone back to make small improvements in the earlier levels, i need to more aggressively recreate certain parts with the experience i've attained through the later levels . . . some quality constructive criticism.. thank you very much ..exactly what i hoped for and thank you for the compliments my mind has taken off with ways to re-approach and re-work my levels a lot of good advice.. you both seemed to zero in on a significant portion of what i would need to do to fix things and bring the levels to the quality i strive for i'm excited.. best of all, motivated . . . any other thoughts or feedback, i'd love to hear it

2009-02-24 00:51:00 Author: Unknown User

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As for the music... I have found a lot of flexibility with the second set of music?the interactive ones... even though they play the full songs when you sample them, when you choose them, you can strip out as much, or as little of the songs as you want. You can have just the drum beat, btw. One thing i did love (I think it was in level 4) when you were walking down the hall, and you just heard a regular beat when you were running down the hall... It created an ominous feeling. What caused your thermometer to go up so high? You didn't have a lot of complex machines. One thing that helps, is if you make an item you are going to repeat, capture it as an object, and then just choose it as an object, rather than remake it. Like your room filled with sack children. I don't know if you individually made all of those, or if you you made them as objects... But things like that might help. In my first level up - the King O side one. I found myself having that thermometer fill up alarmingly quickly... Because of all the materials and lack of item capture... In my second level, the Lost Under Glass one, I captured and repeated a lot of items in creative ways, and it kept my thermometer down to less than half... And That included some crazy switches that took me days to make. And some people say mag switches use up a lot of the bar. If you keep your materials palette down, you will also notice having more room. I think in the help section there is a good article about it: https://lbpcentral.lbp-hub.com/index.php?t=t=6638 Anyway... Your levels gave me the coolest idea for a level... So thank you!!! You got my juices pouring out. I grabbed my pad and have been working on a level on paper already.

2009-02-24 04:06:00 Author: dobi6 Posts: 359

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One question, shouldn't your later levels be locked first until you complete the previous ones? They appear to all be unlocked.

2009-02-24 06:18:00 Author: DarkDedede Posts: 672

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dobi6.. i think the thermo went up because of too many different materials and too many detailed curves ..too many angles and cuts in the irregular shapes i made ... and the sackchildren did take a lot... no i didnt make them an object.. though i did copy and paste them.... ill try your suggestions and thanks for the link... i think i've come up with some really cool ideas to change the first level... im making a new version of it.. keeping parts, deleting parts, and re-arranging.. and the narrative will be clearly in the fore-front... .. i wont have much time in the near future to work on it.. but i look forward to finishing it and sharing my results.. its funny you mentioned your pad.. i was doing the same... sketched a bunch out on my lunch break at work today.. im happy to inspire.. its an excellent compliment.. i live for those moments that spark the imagination DarkDedede... i originally had them locked... but after days of literally no one playing them, i caved.. and unlocked them... i was more proud of the later levels anyway and no one was seeing them... however i kept the keys, for continuity (and in case i re-lock them)..... and with the way that i am potentially re-doing the first level... i might go back to locking them.. especially if i change them or perhaps ill just add completely new locked levels i think ive got more of a hook now with what im planning. .. also, ive gotten most of the "impatient" bug to just "show everyone" out of my system... ..if that makes sense

2009-02-25 00:03:00 Author: Unknown User

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Your levels and your ideas have tons of potential for future ideas. They are extremely clever. Reminds me of Kafka and Lovecraft a little. And I appreciate the spark you planted in my imagination right now. I have tons of ideas rolling around... I am going to go very atmosphere heavy on my next one.

2009-02-25 04:03:00 Author: dobi6 Posts: 359

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awesome!! ..and thank you... (and im a huge lovecraft fan) i look forward to seeing what you produce.. and i've been meaning to check out your other levels... but im about to leave for a short vacation.. ill have to check them out when i return.. in the meantime ..good luck

2009-02-26 05:40:00 Author: Unknown User

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Thanks... The new level might take several weeks. I tweek and tweek... But my other two are up for your enjoyment/abuse/constructive criticism.

2009-02-26 05:56:00 Author: dobi6 Posts: 359

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I just played through them all, and I cannot believe what little attention these had gotten. For me, atmosphere is the most important thing in a level, and you've captured that dead-on. The scenery and story was amazing, as were the different paths here and there. Level 2 was my favorite, although I felt bad for killing the sack-children... I hearted them all and you as a creator, plus five stars each. Incredible levels.

2009-02-27 03:05:00 Author: iiiijujube Posts: 594

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iiiijujube ..wow. thank you very much.. i highly appreciate the kind words... sorry for a late reply.. i just got back from a vacation... im planning an updated/altered/re-imagined version of "Through the Cellar Floor" i plan to leave up the original.. and then upload the new version, possibly with a variation on the title, in a separate slot also.. i came up with a really cool idea for a brand new level while i was on my trip... ill let you all know when both are ready to go... in the meantime your words mean a lot to me... much thanks..

2009-03-03 07:10:00 Author: Unknown User

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