Subterranean Setbacks ** Sackies 2009 Nominee - Best Level! **

[rtm223]

Subterranean Setbacks by rtm223
[Puzzler / Platformer - 1 Player Only] Sackboy's stuck in a run-down sewer and it looks like things are only going to get worse! Guide him through the perils and pitfalls that lie beneath LittleBigPlanet and get him home in time for tea!




Update - 2009/20/10 - Video!!!!
Stumbled upon this on youtube. Alright I say "stumbled", I was googling myself and it cam up Anyway, thanks muchly to chimpanzee for awesome video footage

[Watch YouTube Video]

[Watch YouTube Video]


So this has taken me around 4 months total to create and it's my first level. It's a toughy, but I've tried to make it as rounded an experience as possible (not just a series of illogical obstacles) and a fully immersive experience. You should also find it hard but fair, with a bit of eye candy and unique gameplay here and there to distract you from your constant respawning

Update - 2009/08/30 - Added Prizes
That's right folks, I finally got around to adding prizes to the level. So far, the following is available:

1. Randomised Light Controllers
2. Crushers
3. Sneak Sensor
4. Collapsing Vent Scene
5. Collapsing Stairway Scene
6. Lift Door Logic
7. Wheeley Good Thresholder

If you can think of anything else I should add, please say. I curently can't add anything to do with the tenticle. I'm not even sure if I want to. But something has gone wrong and I realyl can't edit or change or do anything with it without it breaking...

There are also quite a few points combos to be had - carefully placed around hazards for maximum death and to reward only the most fleet footed (pawwed? IDK - Purple ninja's got hooves) of gadders. And over 30, yes 30, secret points stashes to be found by the explorers amongst you.

I'll take feedback on any aspect of the level, and look to improve anything I can. Things in particular I'm interested in:

• Anything that feels unfair
• Awkward plane****ing / layers
• Awkward camera angles
• Grammatical / spelling errors - there's been a few flagged up, they really bug me but I suck at proofreading my own work.
• I also really need some help with the ending. Visually it's the weakest point of the level and that just won't do

Known issues
There is one serious issue that I know about: Near the "bridge", there is a section that should respawn. It may not if you are very very unlucky. If this happens, run to the checkpoint and back again. This will fix the issue and you can continue. Otherwise it's level breaking



A even newer note on F4F
Now the level is pretty much stable, I'll go back to my normal stance of doing Feedback for Free (whereby I comment and criticise and generally pick faults in other people's levels, and don't expect anything in return). So if I've commented on your level, then there is no obligation to play or comment on this. If you do play and feel like giving feedback then please go ahead, I'm still looking to improve the level so any input is welcome, and if you are do F4F I'll certainly be willing to feedback on your level


Scores
Roanoake has top score with ~24K I just tried to beat that and got ~32K (didn't post it, I don't wanna be top). I think max score is ~35-40K now I've looked at it properly. You people need to try harder with your scores. Do it, play my level over and over and over until you get over 30K


Well, I've had my release week now and had a bloody good time of it. I don't really understand how things went as well as they did, but thank you to everyone who played and gave their advice

[CCubbage]

Nice! I'll check it out tonight. Sounds like my kind of content.

Once the level is open you may want to do some warning so the correct people get into it. With Destiny (which can get pretty frustrating to a noob) I put the title "Destiny! [Hard]" and a description that pretty much tells the player what they're in for. On cool pages it didn't get as many plays (only has made it to page 2), but as of this morning it kept the 4 star rating - the "Frustrating" tag was becoming the main tag until I changed the description, and then it subsided.

[OmegaSlayer]

Cheers, one bottle of the best champagne for each forum user and make a party.
Send the bill to ConfusedCartman, Leemore, California.
Thanks, and enjoy the level.

[Newbie312]

WOW! That was a long level it took me awhile to beat it but i did and overall it was a great level. There isnt much I can say because everything worked perfect and the visuals were great. So yea amazing job I hearted it and gave it 5 stars.

[Killian]

Fantastic stuff! It was long, yes, but I enjoyed every bit of it. The 4 months of work really paid off!

I loved the original challenges. I'm really hoping this one doesn't annoy the masses causing them to rate it low. The little section with the falling vents was brilliant. Instead of moving the checkpoint to the other side, like many would have done, you reset the entire thing.

The scenery was great too. Nice how the vegetation grew as you got closer to the surface. The destroyed environment also worked really well.

and a heart from me! Good luck with the launch!

[rtm223]

@ CCubbage: yeah at the moment it says hard in the description but I'll probably add it to the name as well. I think you are exactly the kind of person I was aiming for when I made this so hopefully you'll enjoy it.

@Newbie and Killian: Thank you very much, it's great to see I'm already finding my audience with this one. Out of curiousity, roughly how long did it take you?

[Killian]

@ CCubbage: yeah at the moment it says hard in the description but I'll probably add it to the name as well. I think you are exactly the kind of person I was aiming for when I made this so hopefully you'll enjoy it.

@Newbie and Killian: Thank you very much, it's great to see I'm already finding my audience with this one. Out of curiousity, roughly how long did it take you?

Hmm, it's hard to tell. I would say 15-20 minutes.

[OmegaSlayer]

Great man, and the part that you added is really cool with quite an innovative gameplay.
I wonder how you did it...there was supposed to be gas...but other creators made choice like that...so you took the rabbit out of your Ninja scarf.
I took some time to figure that out, but after all it was regarding.

Wonderful original setting, perfect visuals, great idea for the caves and wonderful contraptions.
I knew the level quite well and you manage to solve even the littlest problem in the better way possible.

3 cons for ya...
No LBPC sticker in the level...remember you're a den mother here...
No icon...that is a real con
No background...but that's just my taste, since I don't like when you're outside and there's that plain blue sky of the empty level...

5 stars, heart and an appropriate tag...the one about timing (don't know the English tag, since they differ quite a lot from Italian ones)

Good luck with the level and with your dreams of cool pages domination.

Oh...I nearly forgot...
here

what does happen if the barrell goes out of jump reach?

[rtm223]

Great man, and the part that you added is really cool with quite an innovative gameplay.
I wonder how you did it...there was supposed to be gas...but other creators made choice like that...so you took the rabbit out of your Ninja scarf.
I took some time to figure that out, but after all it was regarding.

Do you mean the part in the picture? Which bit could you not work out how I did?

3 cons for ya...
No LBPC sticker in the level...remember you're a den mother here...
No icon...that is a real con
No background...but that's just my taste, since I don't like when you're outside and there's that plain blue sky of the empty level...

1. There is nowhere to put a sticker, except by the scoreboard, and I'm not winning the votes for den grandmother yet
2. Edit - made and icon, came out of my workbench level to try it and it looks naff. But it's staying that way for now. It's better than graph paper
3. Most of the backgrounds mess with the GLT and I could only get the lighting how I wanted it in all of the environments by using the plain background. Bear in mind I only made the proper ending last night, so you never actually saw daylight until then, and there was no way I was going back and tweaking 40-odd GLTs

5 stars, heart and an appropriate tag...the one about timing (don't know the English tag, since they differ quite a lot from Italian ones)

I think the tag translates to "timing" over here Thanks for your hearts and all your help in the Beta.

what does happen if the barrell goes out of jump reach?

It can't - it slots in perfectly next the pump and then doesn't budge That's how I intended for the puzzle to be solved, but anyway that works for you is fine

[FlameAtNight]

Wow! with all the rave reviews I think I'd like to have a crack at this! Now all I need to do is remember that colour combination. >.<

[OmegaSlayer]

Wow! with all the rave reviews I think I'd like to have a crack at this! Now all I need to do is remember that colour combination. >.<

If you don't remember it will be fine as well.

Do you mean the part in the picture? Which bit could you not work out how I did?

The part with the sewer rat

[rtm223]

@flame, well you could just bash in random combos and hope... who knows you might get one of the keys out of it eventually . Do us a favour and find me some problems in the level to fix, these people are being too nice to me.

@omega. The sneak sensor is a beaut. In essense it's just a sackboy tracker that moves slowly with a couple of extra sensors. A simple concept but getting it to work so you can walk onto it and and have it reset and not keep on firing at random once triggered etc all gets a little complex. It's just layers of logic and I'll be making that public at some point soon with a little tutorial.

[CCubbage]

Well, I gotta wait until my son goes to be (soon), but I have the key combination, a pen and a notepad and I'm all set!

[rtm223]

Did anyone else come across a rendering issue with the emitted gas from the vents? In particular the one after you fall down the lift shaft. Invisible gas just killed me 4 times in a row

I've made an tuned it up so the margin for error should be wider, and published it with some other minor tweaks. I may have to look into it further tomorrow if anyone else hits that problem. Invisible gas indeed

Anyhoo, I just saw my rating is back to 5 after a brief drop to 4, so I'll unlock before work and see how it goes. It's all rather exciting this level publishing business, isn't it?

[mistervista]

Invisible gas ? How dya make Invisible gas ?

Anyway it looks and sounds great. I'll have to wait until it's unlocked though because as you know I've tried about 8 or 9 times but the key just won't work because of that stupid bug again ( Are you listening Mm ? )