What's going on with MMPicks?

[Behonkiss]

It's been almost two weeks since they added anything to their LBP2 picks. I never kept track of how often they updated it with the first game, so maybe this is normal, but they seemed to be adding stuff daily for a while after the new game came out.

[Moonface]

It's not been that long, Frozen Flame was added within at least the last week unless time is going uber fast. I'll agree there doesn't seem to be many lately, but there has been the odd one or two picks here and there.

[alexgangsta4]

It's been almost two weeks since they added anything to their LBP2 picks. I never kept track of how often they updated it with the first game, so maybe this is normal, but they seemed to be adding stuff daily for a while after the new game came out.

Maybe nothing much Classic has been published since last time...

[CYMBOL]

I've seen a few levels that could be added - and some really great platformers, but I don't think they're interested in platformers anymore.

Personally, they could probably just get rid of it. Or it's just going to end up like the news section in the old game.

[Shadowriver]

They most be busy...

http://lbp.me/u/Spaff_Molecule - he started to play after mouth long brake, i heard he had vecation
http://lbp.me/u/Tom_Molecule - Tom didnt touch LBP2 since 20 days

BTW notice that LBP.me got updated and now it now it marks MM employees ;]

[rtm223]

I heard everyone was *****ing about MM Picks and that made Spaff go sad

True Story.


Or he was on holiday. As others have said, the picks have been sort of coming in slowly.. Frozen Flame was added about a week ago - I was meaning to play it last weekend but never got around to it. Hopefully we'll see a vague trickle of levels from MM Picks and it won't just shrivel up and die now we're a little way past release...

While it's not that active, you could always check out the level showcase, I hear quality feedback is hard to come by these days

[Alic]

Oh man, I hope they don't let them shrivel up and die

3 days on cool levels really shouldn't be the most visibility a truly inspiring creation can achieve. If they could just be consistent about picking one or two every week, it would be so much more motivating and exciting to me as a creator, knowing that there's always that chance, and that it doesn't just come down to whether or not you published your level when they were in crunch time on DLC.

Of course, as RTM points out, if they can't continue to make the MM picks an important part of the game, the community will have to pick up the slack, and I'm sure we'll manage.

You know, looking at how often they get to play, it seems like the community managers are busy enough as it is, and picking one or two levels a week means you need to play many more, to find the good ones... Maybe they need to hire an MM pick specialist! Where do I submit my resume


Alex

[PPp_Killer]

Of course you didn't track Mm picks because it was on the blog.

I disagree, Mm picks shouldn't be a 1 or 2 levels a week afare, it should be whatever the developers find cool. If it's a slow week it wouldn't be fair on previous Mm pick levels which had a lot more effort put into it. Pretty much everything on Mm picks is special and pretty much won't be outdone anytime soon.

[Shadowriver]

Well different with the blog is fact that now they can easily add them without much effort, back then they did that rarely and in packs and besides not all people knew about them

[poms]

The MM picks menu it's under the cool pages section, wich is why it is played nearly as much as cool pages. Hundreds of good levels are published every week, and I understand they probably have no time to play them all. But if this is the case, they should hire some "MM picker", or if not, MM picks shouldn't have so much relevance.
Also it's true that NO platform level has been picked! Oh well, the "panda" level, but we all know why it was picked. This is a shame. Very discouraging.

[Alic]

Of course you didn't track Mm picks because it was on the blog.

I disagree, Mm picks shouldn't be a 1 or 2 levels a week afare, it should be whatever the developers find cool. If it's a slow week it wouldn't be fair on previous Mm pick levels which had a lot more effort put into it. Pretty much everything on Mm picks is special and pretty much won't be outdone anytime soon.

You seem to have read what I said as "they should always pick the same number of levels every week, no matter how many good ones are published." That's not what I was saying at all, really -- I'd be against such a system as well, because like you said, it could lead to unfairness in a different way.

I'm saying they should try to hold to a minimum of at least one pick a week, even when they don't have much time to play levels. That way, creators who publish during a two or three week drought don't end up feeling cheated of even the chance of being picked. They could still pick more levels during weeks where more amazing levels are published, of course!

I honestly don't remember a single week in the past month where I haven't seen several levels that could comfortably be added to the MM list. Can anyone here? If so, maybe you're not... playing enough levels? (I've heard creating a lot can have that effect.)

Alex

[OmegaSlayer]

I heard everyone was *****ing about MM Picks and that made Spaff go sad

True Story.


Or he was on holiday. As others have said, the picks have been sort of coming in slowly.. Frozen Flame was added about a week ago - I was meaning to play it last weekend but never got around to it. Hopefully we'll see a vague trickle of levels from MM Picks and it won't just shrivel up and die now we're a little way past release...

While it's not that active, you could always check out the level showcase, I hear quality feedback is hard to come by these days

Well, I seriously hope it's not true.
First, when a MAN does something he must back his decision...maybe just come here, put his face on the forum and explain the reason behind some choices.
Second...I was one of the complainers, but complains are NOT meant to be dull, void things, often they're made just to let people open their eyes and adjust the aim.

MM picks are not perfect and never will be, but going in a corner crying because people, or better, customers, didn't appreciate your job it's not the reaction I expect from an adult.
MM pickers' behaviour has put down a LOT of amazing creators around, and that's a friggin' shame.
So, hope he's not sad, since he has only to be sad with his choices, that DELIBERATELY kept the platform genre out of the picks.

People, everywhere in the World, should start to acquaint with the idea that being criticized can give a hint to perfection yourself and what you're doing, and not start to frown, being sad, etc...

[rtm223]

'twas a jokes :/

[OmegaSlayer]

'twas a jokes :/

I'm sorry, I'm really slow on jokes lately... but the main point is still there, MM picks are a bit of a problem for a significant part of the community, and a little clarity would only do good.

[Rustbukkit]

In answer to your question - Nothing is going on with Mm Picks... aaaaabssssoluuuuuutely noooooothing....

No one at Mm cares about Mm Picks anymore... and now we don't either. It's like getting a new puppy. At first it's all cute and cuddly, but then it starts pooping on your floor and eating your underwear and is just a general nuisance I guess. Yeah, that'd be my guess. Mmpicks are Mm's older stinky dog now.

Seriously though, I was noticing a drop on Mm Picks a while back and began to make a mental note to start tracking it, and to see if they'd ever pick something that wasn't a retro game or one that was made by someone who isn't on their favourite creators list (or perhaps even pick a platformer... which this game STILL IS as far as I know).

I can tell you this for certain. The two pinball games in Mm Picks were added to that list about a week after Sehven published his Jedi Arts level, maybe more. I know this because I was sure that Sehv's level would make it to the Picks and was interested to see how long the process takes of Mm updating their Picks once a level that is pick-worthy starts gaining major attention. So if memory serves, since that level got pub'd they added two pinball levels and now we have Frozen Flame added. I just checked lbp.me and according to the level info for Jedi Arts it was

First published 19/02/2011
Last published 09/03/2011


I think if you do the math you'll clearly see that Mm aren't doing much picking other than their noses at this point. What's that... 3 levels added in a month? Pfftt... pathetic is what Mm Picks have become. I find it hard to believe there's only two people who work there that are capable of discerning what makes a level great vs. most of the other chaff people are putting out still. Let's face it folks... Mm picks is dying (if not already dead). If Mm decide to get off their rumps and dedicate a half an hour a day to go through Most Played or Highest Rated and find something to share with the community, then they might have a hope of adding some sort of Voodoo Zombie Brew to the mix and pull the Picks out of the grave. Given their track record lately though, and the News section everyone laughingly references... don't hold your breath. I'm not.

Meh... I find tons of great levels to play all the time. I don't need Mm favouritism to show me a good time. Just stay connected to the community and check out what your friends are playing. Let's leave Mm alone to finish fixing all those bugs we tried to squash in the beta that are still getting in the way of this "pushed back release date" unfinished game gettin' finished. Heck... maybe they'll even find time to send out some bug blaster codes to all of us who busted our ***es trying to help out in the first place.


EDIT:

MM picks are a bit of a problem for a significant part of the community, and a little clarity would only do good.

Unfortunately, clarity and communication isn't one of their strong points. Ever watched their tutorials? Fact is, it's up to the community to keep the community going. Mm Picks should have never been put into effect, as it will one day wither and die like so many other flowers.