The technic behind LBP (2)

Hullo,
if anyone is really interested in the technic behind LBP give this interview a read. But be warned it may contain traces of technical language. Example:

Quote:

---

We discovered that SVN ['Apache Subversion', a development revision management system] has lots of O(N^2) algorithms in it, where N is the number of files in a given directory – so that our check in/out times have been ballooning.

---

(via Littlebigland)

Even for those who aren't interested, this lighting comparison shows vast improvements:

http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/a...ery1_1.jpg.jpg http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/a...ery1_2.jpg.jpg

I wanna play! :(

Quote:

---

one of the QA guys here has actually rebuilt a working Pop-It using the direct control devices in LBP2. In other words, he managed to make a create-in-gameplay mode, from scratch, using direct control and emitters. The possibilities of meta-game creation like that are quite mind-boggling...

---

Haha, that's such a brilliant waste of time, I love it :)

Also note confirmation of actually editing LBP1 levels in LBP2 - I know a few people were concerned that it would just be a straight port, without the ability to edit (there was as thread somewhere I think).

I haven't understood everything :rolleyes: but this is really interesting!

I'm really looking for all those improvements, and I can't wait to see how our actual levels will look like in LBP2! :p

Warp drive potatoes!?:confused:

I didnt understand a lot of that except the lightning explanations...

Thanks! I'll add this to the list!

My favorite quote: "If you use LBP2 content, then you get even more good stuff - hairy materials, new transparent materials, animating textures, animating backgrounds, new lighting, and so on. So it's good for all!"

Woohoo for confirmed hairy and transparent textures!

Quote:

---

Digital Foundry: So players will be able to import their old levels into LBP2 and improve them with all the new features you've added to the editor?

Alex Evans: yes.

---

Yesssssssssssssss.

Wow, that interview goes on for FIVE four* PAGES and is brimmed with stuff I have never read before, not just technical info, concerning both LBP 1 & 2. Very good link, thx for sharing.

<--- amazed, wants LBP2 NOW! :love:
* not as good in counting as I thought I was...

Awwwww awsome!
Hairy material!

That's a cool interview. Confusing, yet good! Haha

Cool you dont have to go back to the pod when u play a series of levels! (but u knew that already didnt you)

And LBP2 even will have some new stickers, woahooh!



Sorry.

Still, I haven't read the interview, but Italian version of PS3mania says that the major updates in the graphic engine will be directed into Anti-Aliasing.

One thing of interest is on the third page, regarding emitters:

"Another example is that emitters used to have to take the 'worst case' view, since the analysis was static - but now we actually re-compute the thermometer cost as the level evolves."

Awesome... as rtm would say, get out your big smashy rocks. It would now appear that you can enable/disable emitters on the fly, whilst destroying previous bits of the level when done with them. This is going to change the way we handle resources and thermometer management.

:)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by comphermc

One thing of interest is on the third page, regarding emitters:

"Another example is that emitters used to have to take the 'worst case' view, since the analysis was static - but now we actually re-compute the thermometer cost as the level evolves."

Awesome... as rtm would say, get out your big smashy rocks. It would now appear that you can enable/disable emitters on the fly, whilst destroying previous bits of the level when done with them. This is going to change the way we handle resources and thermometer management.

:)

---

Are you kidding? This fact coupled with (if true) the ability to make any material dissolve at will* we could build two- no, three levels in one! My pop-it, think of the possibilities!

*As speculated earlier by LBPCentral

Im curious how that will apply to existing levels with emitters....like when we open a level close to overheating on mymoon for the first time in LBP2's "mymoon", thermo goes only half the way up? That would be sooo cool...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alex Evans

I'd set myself a goal of just trying to do things differently, for the sake of it, preferably in the spirit of minimal code, maximally simple algorithm, even if it becomes 'uniformly slow' as opposed to 'lots of weird corner cases where it will suddenly slow down in this odd configuration'.

---

<---sighs, wishing other software designer would think and act that way, say like...microsoft ?!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alex Evans

but one of the QA guys here has actually rebuilt a working Pop-It using the direct control devices in LBP2. In other words, he managed to make a create-in-gameplay mode, from scratch, using direct control and emitters. The possibilities of meta-game creation like that are quite mind-boggling...

---

Indeed, mind blowing actually.:frightened:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by comphermc

One thing of interest is on the third page, regarding emitters:

"Another example is that emitters used to have to take the 'worst case' view, since the analysis was static - but now we actually re-compute the thermometer cost as the level evolves."

Awesome... as rtm would say, get out your big smashy rocks. It would now appear that you can enable/disable emitters on the fly, whilst destroying previous bits of the level when done with them. This is going to change the way we handle resources and thermometer management.

:)

---

It's cool, but I wouldn't get my hope as much high.
That could mean that a good creator could make levels that can technically be endless, and I don't think it's the case.
I don't think we would be able to spawn more than 1/4-1/3 more of stuff.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OmegaSlayer

That could mean that a good creator could make levels that can technically be endless, and I don't think it's the case.

---

Why not acutally? I mean, generally, of course, there must be some precalculation of memory space or something and that probably must be finite, on the other side, stuff, that hasn't been emitted yet, won't influence lighting, physics or rendering, so.... much more freedom, right?

Question I never thought: Does time actually run out in a LBP1 level? How long can you stay inside a level?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alex Evans

The sign of a good tool is always when it is used in ways you didn't believe possible. The stuff more recently, like the use of the 50-layer 'bug' to create backgrounds, is just wonderful.

---

Quite cool how they put thought into what we use.

weeeeeeeee