Guacamelee es magnífico!
Review
It looks as if the Indie game movement is saving us again from what could be an anemic spring/summer release schedule. Drinkbox Studios comes to the rescue with its wonderfully done Luchador-themed brawler, Guacamelee. The game exhibits lots of flair while being extremely accessible — it provides MetroidVania veterans a challenge, while giving newbies an opportunity to embrace the genre.
The main character of the story is a lowly farmer named Juan, who finds himself confronted by a demon in skeleton form. This mysterious creature grabs your would-be love interest, kills you, then skitters away to complete his plan of world-ending domination. While in the afterlife, you are met by a female luchador who bestows upon you a magical mask that both brings you back to life and imbues you with the strength and speed of ten Koko B. Ware‘s.
You can tell by the cadence and snark-laden story that the folks at Drinkbox have really hit their stride when spinning a comedic yarn. The jokes are funny, the memes timely, and gaming callbacks just numerous enough to not be overdone. You can tell that they love games and love having a good time; that they appreciate traditions without taking themselves too seriously. This light and airy feel is evident within the art style as well. Guacamelee taps into Mexican folk art themes and Day of the Dead lore, jumping easily between the worlds of the living and the dead. A cartoonish Mexican town is your playground, laced with beautiful earthy tones with huge splashes of neon pastels around every corner. I played the game mostly on my Vita, but when I transitioned to the PS3 via my cross-save (more on this later) the colors jumped off the screen. Along with the gorgeous graphics comes a fun soundtrack that blares mariachi and electronic music that really fits the aesthetic and ties the package together nicely. The game feels like a lighthearted homage to old-school Mexico, with a layer of modern self-effacing humor on top.
Guacamelee’s combat is mostly of the combo/brawler style. Later in the game you meet a recurring character that gives you more wrestling moves to add to your arsenal. The interactions with him are some of the best in the game and provide a small shout out to Metroid along the way. The controls are easy to pick up and provide all the tools you’ll need to dispatch of the enemies once they get bigger and stronger.
The game wraps in about six hours but felt just right. It will take you longer depending on how completion-ist you are or how long it may take to get through some of the trickier platforming levels. Boss encounters are really well done and challenging. Interactions with the town’s people provide fun and silly side quests that don’t feel tedious, and if you wish you can even play with two people on the PS3
For a $15 price tag ($12 if you are a Playstation Plus member) you get a wonderful experience chock full of dopeness. I honestly think if you’ve been looking for a game that is great for pick-up-and-play purposes, you can’t really beat this one.
Kudos to Sony
Besides the awesome game and reasonable price tag, there are a couple of other things of note with this package. Some months ago Sony started rolling out some games under their “Cross-Buy” banner. So if you owned a PS3 and a Vita you could basically get the game on both systems at one price. Guacamelee is one of those games. Usually with a feature like this, the cross-save feature is implemented sloppily or in a convoluted way within the game. But Drinkbox does this simply and eloquently. Navigate through a couple of screens, upload your save, head to your home console, download and you are playing where you left off.
If this is a glimpse of what Sony was taking about with the connectivity between the PS4 and Vita, then I’m sold. It works extremely well and made me love the game as a commuter. One other added bonus is “Cross-Control”: you can also use the Vita as a second controller via Remote Play! The Vita’s screen becomes the games mini-map while you control the game you see on the television.
I love stuff like this and thought it was an awesome addition to the game. If you’d like some instructions on how to get this up and running check out the blog post on the Guacamelee site
The Champ is Here
After finishing the game I totally understand why there were long lines and lots of smiles to be seen coming from the Guacamelee station at IndieCadeEast this year. I wondered what all the commotion was about and now I get it. Beautiful games that provide nothing but fun should give people that kind of reaction. If you are tired of trudging through another shooter or sequel, you need to play and share Guacamelee with everyone you can.
The Sound Shapers – Earl_LeeGrave
The “SoundShapers” is a series of articles and interviews that spotlight a different member of the Sound Shapes community weekly. Check out other posts here.
This week’s Shaper has shown a special ability to make a variety of levels that show off the versatility and nimbleness of both the editor and the creator. From intergalactic vistas to symmetrical playgrounds, he has an eye to make all of these ideas come to fruition.
This week’s Shaper is Earl_LeeGrave, and my favorites of his levels are:
“Fail_Jail…Bail? $1” – Reminds me of what working on a car assembly line must be like, in a good way. Every part of the level feels “made” for it. When I use the word “made,” I mean that the parts that make up each section don’t feel like they are made of separate pieces or come from the editor. They each feel whole and complete. Every small tunnel and elevator was concealed in such a way that it made everything feel very organic. I think this is a testament to how good a Shaper Earl is, and he should be applauded.
“Tank_Trust” – Is a pretty quick level but is very well done. Again, Earl’s attention to detail helps to paint a weird otherworldly picture. From the beginning, the level starts with ominous visuals and tones. Cryptic messages fill the screen and propel you toward your first platforming stages. It makes you really wonder what is at the bottom of the rabbit hole. Having played so many Sound Shapes levels, Earl’s usage of some of the editor parts that I don’t see often implemented by other players is really appreciated and shows an “out of the box” mindset on how to make a level.
“Lennut_Repus #ASYM” – I know that in the interview below Earl has given his opinion on which of his creations is his favorite, but I have to say this level is mine. What makes this level top notch is the great use of pacing. You are eased into the board by going through multiple desolate scenes with only haunting vocal chips in the background. It adds so much to the atmosphere in the level and really brings about a sense of anxiousness to get to the meat of the level. Once it kicks in, the melodies fit so perfectly with the visuals that it’s uncanny. The way it progresses shows there was lots of intent on making it this way. I really consider this one of the coolest levels in the community.
Earl took some time out of his schedule to share some info about his background and how he makes his creations.
TSP: Give a little background on yourself and why you decided to play Sound Shapes.
Earl_LeeGrave: Earl_LeeGrave’s real name is Mike… 34 years old, I live and have lived in Maine my whole life. Outdoor enthusiast (mountain biking, snowboarding, etc), have DJed house, tech house, drum & bass, and trip hop for many years now. I have a Bachelors in Graphic Design & Media Arts from Maine College of Art aka MECA. I currently own a bicycle/backcountry ski shop in Portland, Maine which has continually grown in the 3 years I have co-owned it with my friend. So far so good! If you want to check the website and logo I designed it’s: www.allspeed.com, also on Facebook under Allspeed Cyclery & Snow.
TSP: How do you plan out your levels? (Music first or art)
Earl: Sometimes I dictate the style of music to the visual flow I’ve created. Sometimes it’s vice versa and sometimes I’ll make adjustments as I go. “2_POINT…OH?!” was all about the music when I started. I then based the design and story around sticky ball escaping a futuristic fortress of sorts into nature and then fighting a war between aliens and humans. “BRAINSPLOSION!” was more of a collaborative effort between the music and the design for me. After the new DLC came out, I made a point to utilize all the new elements. I intentionally left enough dead space within the level to be able to place the notes where I wanted to, so I could build the music as well as the design of the level. I had the most fun making “BRAINSPLOSION!”; however, being my first curve-dedicated level, “BRAINSPLOSION!” was an appropriate title; the new curves are not the easiest elements to work with, but are fun!
TSP: Do you make your levels on the PS3 or Vita? What are your favorite levels that you’ve made and why?
Earl: PS3… I’m so used to the controls of PS3 and the zoomed in bigger screen for MAD detail YO, plus I’m plugged into a few decent speakers that I can crank! To be completely honest, I don’t have one of those little fancy gizmos… I think the rest of my life would be gone and dedicated to SS if I had a Vita! Queasy… should I sell my business and head to Canada? haha
“BEEJOOLED! #GRAV” was one of my favorite levels to make. It started out as a shout out to some of the friends I’ve been making in the SS community (TheBeejAbides & jool2306) and also to incorporate the “Gravity” theme of the week. It allowed me to be extra creative rather than stick to my usual style. The engagement box was falling through the world, while egg man chased it to the altar. Another level that I’d say is a favorite of mine is the HCL inspired by Daftbomb, called “COFFIN_HOPPER – HCL”. It seemed like he wanted other HCL’s to come out and nobody was doing it. I almost considered it as a sort of theme of the week. It’s super hard to play and it was super hard to make, there are no resets, but I had a blast making it.
TSP: What is the favorite level you’ve played and why?
Earl: I’m assuming this question is loaded. There are too many, so I’ll try and pick levels that I’ve played most recently. “Center of the Earth” by TetraGenesis. It seems similar to my style (underground, tunnels) but done very well, with textures, shadows and composition. Really great. Music was clean and sharp and it was super fun to play. I also really liked “Face it and listen” by Gezouten. Great beats, awesome graphic design, precise detail, very modern/minimal delightfulness! “Space Monster” by sukakika: nuts! reminds me of the insanity of me, and so well designed, real organic but not flawless. It was a lot of fun to play. Beautiful title page that wasn’t involved in the game, weird good stuff.
TSP: Any tips or tricks that you’ve learned?
Earl: Many times when I’m designing something very detailed after I’ve already laid out a lot of the level, I’ll step out into the white to work on it (such as text, or an egg man! 
then I’ll just copy and paste and drag it in. That way, while I’m designing it, I can see the image/text without all of the chaos of the level and since I’ve made a copy, I mess it up from alterations after I moved it into the level, I can always go back and make another copy and I won’t have to start from scratch with all that detail.
Also, when you’re designing a level and you make a screen or two, you have to play it over and over before you continue. It will help you figure out where you’re going, be it design, music, whatever. The flow of those two screens usually tells me if I want to keep designing to the left or to the right, up into the sky, or underground, how hard it is to play, etc.
TSP: What would you like see added to the game in future updates that would make your creations even better.
Earl: More unique, low-memory shapes and red evil goons, more bass line packages and wacky sounds!
BOOM… if you could, Spawn Point, a “few” other quick shouts out for those creators with sick design and sound that stick out in my brainsplosion at the moment! old_poptarts, redespair, tonytough, gasssst, sleeester, guycohen2, outtooman, mercuryant, gemuvan, threepwoodsin, sephiroth_brazil, bluebebleu, indoor_squid, dustinisgood, iwillforget, reinokid, oh-yeah ps, retrosteveuk, cloudtheknight, pikathon, flashquickster… and many more believe it or not!
Before I sign off, I want to thank each and every Shaper for being a part of this amazing series. I have been extremely fortunate to have made new friends and gaming buddies through this. I’ve spoken with people from all over the world from so many different walks of life. It’s been so fun to get a peek into the lives of so many wonderful gamers. A very special thank you to one of the most innovative and special gaming devs in gaming today Queasy Games. Your ability to create such a great game and bolster the community by giving them both the tools and a true voice for feedback is what makes this game and your company very special. I really appreciate everything you’ve done to help my share my blog and it’s meant the world to a budding blogger like me.
I am extremely sad that the #SoundShapers series ending but excited for what comes next and hope that all of you fine folks that have come back every week continue to check in on us and share the love. Without all of you we wouldn’t be here and are eternally grateful.
The Sound Shapers – Old_PopTarts
The “SoundShapers” is a series of articles and interviews that spotlight a different member of the Sound Shapes community weekly. Check out other posts here.
This week’s shaper is a mainstay of the community and has made some pretty cool levels. I was attracted to some of his creations because I really like symmetrical levels. Many of this shaper’s levels are great because they are, in the words of Tart himself: short, sweet and to the point. They offer a challenge to both novice and veteran players and show that he has firm grasp of the platforming genre.
This week’s Shaper is Old_PopTarts
My two favorite levels from Tarts were “Escape from Guantanamo Bay” and “Say CHEESE!!”(1sl).
“Escape from Guantanamo Bay” – was really fun to play because of how the red elements are placed in the level. The “kick box” enemies were placed in such a way that it reminded me of the game “Plinko” from “The Price is Right” TV show. You have to time out both your jump to avoid the boxes and where you land on the safe areas. It was a small part of the level but stuck with me after playing it.
“Say CHEESE!!” – is a level that resembles what you would see through a camera’s viewfinder. You can see this from the level’s community screenshot but it looks even cooler when you play it. The level is pretty straightforward: dodge all the red dotted lines on the periphery while trying to gauge your jumps on and off the circular treadmill. It’s simplistic in its design, but challenging to finish. It took me more time than I thought it would to complete, but I felt like I accomplished something once I was done.
After playing Tart’s levels I reached out to him for a quick interview:
TSP: Give a little background on yourself and why you decided to play Sound Shapes.
TART: State-side born in a town called Peoria in Illinois. You may have heard ”If it plays in Peoria, it’ll play anywhere.” I’ve been a gamer since the first Nintendo system all the way to the Vita. I’ve always been into platformers and who doesn’t love music? A game that mashes them both intrigued me. I’m familiar with Jonathon Mak from the game Everyday Shooter so this game definitely caught my eye. It’s a very interesting concept and works very well in action. It’s a gem that I hope everyone has a chance to play!!
TSP: How do you plan out your levels? (Music first or art?)
TART: I like plan out my music first and get the basic layout of each screen before I start to shape my level. I find it’s much easier to start with symmetrical shapes for the whole screen and tweak from there. If you rush and just place notes randomly, there’s a chance your level won’t be as polished. You can have a whole song done but as you progress you replace certain sounds with entities from the game to compliment or replace without compromising the integrity of your song.
TSP: Do you make your levels on the PS3 or Vita?
TART: I had an unwanted visitor in my home back in May, so unfortunately I don’t have access to a PS3 at this moment. Soo I do all my Shaping on the PS Vita, which is extremely intuitive and very well thought out. I favor the touchscreen/pad in tandem. It really makes shaping and positioning a breeze.
TSP: What are your favorite levels that you’ve made and why?
TART: I would say my favorite level I’ve made is “Escape from Guantanamo Bay”. It was my first fully fledged level, albeit short, sweet and to the point, I believe it’s a well rounded level. I’m currently working on my next Sound Shapes level and it’s a bit more ambitious than “Escape from Guantanamo Bay” and I am having a blast making it. I really can’t wait to release it and see what others think of it!!
TSP: What is your favorite level you’ve played and why?
TART: Picking a favorite level I’ve played is an extremely tough choice. There are many works I am fond of by creators such as: Daftbomb, TheBeejAbides and TonyTough among countless others. Favorite levels from each would be “Cheer-up Buttercup” by Daftbomb, and “A Nightmare on Church Street” by TonyTough each respectively and in no particular order. If I missed you I am terribly sorry!!
TSP: Any tips or tricks that you’ve learned?
TART: Save and save often! I’ve heard of hours lost on projects due to nasty bug that is to be resolved soon. I have fortunately not had this issue (knock on wood.) I am still learning as I go, so I may not be that helpful. I gladly pass that on to Daftbomb and his instructional levels for just this! I will point out that you must take your time and try not to rush if you want your level to be polished and fun.
TSP: What would you like see added to the game in future updates that would make your creations even better?
TART: It has been mentioned before, but I would love an option to set the tempo for screens individually to set the right tone and send the right message. I would also love to see new Sound Shapes entities and new color palettes. An option to cue strings of levels and play them back to back would also be welcome. I would have loved to have a “ghost” mode as well but have been told Queasy Games would need a fully deterministic engine to do so :/
I would like to first thank Queasy Games and John Mak for this lovely gem. Everyone who even remotely likes platformers and music should give this game a go. I would also like to thank Kahlief for this opportunity to share my thoughts. Lastly I would like to thank the all the creators for giving me tons of content to obsess over! A special shout-out to Redespair, MilkManiac, DUSTINISGOOD and BeejAbides for setting such high bars on speed-runs and look forward to meeting you all on the Sticky Ball courts. ^_^
Big thanks goes out to Tarts for being a part of the series and sharing his thoughts on his work. A huge congrats also goes out to the SoundShapes crew for winning “Best handheld and Song in a Game” at this year’s VGA’s. Two really dope DLC launches this month wrap up a pretty amazing year for us as Shapers and there is more to come. I can’t wait to see what new levels come about from all these goodies. As for us at the Spawnpoint, we are wrapping up our #SoundShapers series next week and we hope to see you there.
The Sound Shapers-D_Mise
Speed runs have been a part of gaming for as long as I can remember. Playing through a speedrun to challenge yourself to get the best time tests both your motor skills and patience. This week’s Sound Shaper has figured a way to make his levels some of the most played and enjoyed ones in the community by applying a deft touch when creating his soundscapes. Many of his levels have the flow and feel of some of our favorite platformers but with, in my opinion, better music.
This week’s shaper is D_Mise.
“When We Were Stars” – With over 1000+ plays this level is an easy level to complete. I really liked the way the super chill music comes together in the level. Some well-placed catapults, tractor beams, and a diverse art style make up most of this level. I can see why it would be so popular because it lends to speed runs and is pretty straightforward. It’s a great palette cleansing level.
“Prepare to Launch” – D_Mise created a very cool aesthetic, in this level with all of its intricate ornate details. I don’t know why I love the “Space Invader” catapults so much but they are really awesome in this particular level. I would say though the star in this space-themed level is the music. With each note it opens up into this really dope almost R&B track. I loved the music in this one and appreciate the level of detail D_Mise put into it. I can tell that he really cherishes the experiences he wants his players to have in his levels. I appreciate that greatly.
“Hurricane Refugee” – Again, attention to detail is the key in this level, not only in the platforming but the care D takes with the music and art – it’s beautiful to behold. The level sounds like something from the climatic end scenes of a Tron movie. Little flourishes here and there that mash up multiple types of games and a heroic soundtrack make this a delight to play. I like the fact that D_Mise makes pretty short concise levels. The fact that they are so full of character is a testament to him and his creativity.
After playing through some of his levels I asked D_Mise to hangout and speak with us.
TSP: Give a little background on yourself and why you decided to play Sound Shapes.
D_Mise: I’m a 25 year old college student from New York City, and I grew up in the 8-bit era, full of bloops and bleeps. I create a lot of abstract art in my spare time, usually while listening to music, so Sound Shapes is a natural fit for me. I’ve never tried my hand at making music (unless you count the 3-ish years of trumpet/drum lessons when I was younger), and music has been my main focus in this game.
I bought Sound Shapes with the intent of playing it on a flight over the summer. I tried it the night before, and by the time I hit the airport, I was up to Beat School and Death Mode challenges. The flight took 3 hours, but it seemed like 15 minutes!
TSP: How do you plan out your levels? (Music first or art?)
D_Mise: Like most have said, music first. When I make a level, I tend to wrap it onto itself, joining two separate music sequences that fit together. I often start a new level and create audio, save it, and forget about it until week later (I have published 6 actual levels, and I have audio for 6 others). When I finally get around to starting, I try to imagine what the music reminds me of, and jump off from there. I sometimes sketch out design possibilities during my classes, since it’s usually on my mind all day.
Because audio is the primary focus of my levels, I tend to make them less challenging, with emphasis on flow of movement. I try to make them speed-run friendly, with lenient checkpoints and ample opportunity to hold the run button!
The art comes last, and I try to make nice looking stuff, especially in the rooms that are more challenging. The way I see it, if you’re gonna die 10 times, you might as well do it to some nice tunes and with some visual encouragement. Sometimes, my stuff turns abstract, and makes sense only to me. I’ll explain one of them later.
TSP: Do you make your levels on the PS3 or Vita?
D_Mise: Vita, for a lot of reasons. When I made my first level (“It’s Not Godzilla”), I made it on the PS3. Then, I uploaded it and later played it on the Vita, only to find that there were inconsistencies with audio and framerate. It’s almost unplayable toward the end! I never went back to try and fix it for the Vita, but it was a lesson nonetheless. Also, I’m rarely home (full time student, full time job), and I commute a lot, so the Vita is far more convenient, and Sound Shapes is my bread and butter.
TSP: What are your favorite levels that you’ve made and why?
D_Mise: “When We Were Stars” – This was my first “real” level. I wanted to tell an abstract story of a fallen star finding its way back. It starts out in the wreckage of collapsed stars, and then goes on to five dudes trying to recreate a star, then to a colder environment, and eventually ends on a collapsing frozen throne, before joining the stars. It ended up with a lot of plays in a short time, and I was flattered that the community liked it so much. So then I got cracking on a new level, and I released “Permission to Launch”. Both managed to break 1000 plays each, which I didn’t expect at all!
“Hurricane Refugee” – Was first called Hurricane Refuge (one letter makes a big difference to me). I had a lot of time on my hands during Hurricane Sandy, so I figured what better way to commemorate the occasion than to release a new level. I decided that the best way to make it through the actual storm was sleep (and Sound Shapes), and so, I mirrored that. You start in the clouds, enter a pipe into the night, and then enter another pipe into a dream. I used the deadmau5 orbit creatures to give it a hurricaney/cycloney feel, and there are 3 instances where you get hurled through the air. I like it because it’s a bit personal to me; it marks a natural disaster that kept me indoors for way too long, during a time where I felt I needed a break from the whole work and school grind. Creating became my outlet.
“Buggin’” – Man, this level was my first attempt to participate in the Theme-A-Week, and I chose #CRES, but I was nowhere near done by the next Theme-A-Week’s reveal. I suck! I decided to release it anyway, two weeks later without a fancy hashtag. While creating the track, I felt it reminded me of skittering sounds, so I chose some insects as a theme. Then, I made a spider, and called the level “Insectinoids.” Then, I realized that spiders aren’t insects, so after a grueling renaming process, I called it “Buggin.” The music ramps up toward the end, since the theme was #CRES. There’s no plot, no real continuity between segments; just some bees and earthworms and fire ants. I thought the music buildup was cool, especially the honeycomb room.
“Save The Princess! #ASYM (Symmetrical)” – I wanted to participate in a Theme-A-Week before the end of the world, and so I finally did with this level! My plan was to make a boss battle of some sort, along with a retro homage on the final screen. Once these ideas fell into place, the level and music created itself. I added a layer of urgency and tension through chat bubbles and sphincter moments. I’m strongly considering making a princess saga.
TSP: What is the favorite level you’ve played and why?
D_Mise: The very first level that floored me was the notorious “And I To Fire” by Jordanbuster. There’s a lot of depth to it, and I remember thinking to myself, “How much time did this take to make?” The more levels I create, the more I appreciate it. If there were a Sound Shapes vinyl, this would be track 1.
Also, there’s this way cool Metroidvania stage I remember playing that felt less like Sound Shapes and more like a Super Metroid 2 demo.
There are lots of others that I’ve played (I try to keep up with the Greatest Hits and levels on recent activity board), but I mainly watch my girlfriend play through the community levels. I help here and there, but there’s still a lot of rage quitting!
TSP: Any tips or tricks that you’ve learned?
D_Mise: A basic level making tip: make a blueprint. Lay out your sounds, and then put up giant sticky shapes to see how your level could progress. Toy with the BPM and scale, and if something interesting just isn’t working for your level, don’t be too proud to remove it! You can reuse ideas for future work, where it might just fall into place. A piece of advice I was given: if something is good, you can use it more than once. If something isn’t good, don’t use it ever again. Do what you want to do, and have fun!
After you have your blueprint, save and quit. Play your level and figure out if the audio/framerate dips and why. The answer is usually a clashing of two audio tracks that might play smoothly while editing, but for a freshly loaded playthrough causes lag. Another cause is the timing of getting certain notes, and the triggering of memory-heavy creatures and stuff.
Also, play test as often as possible! Force your friends, co-workers or whomever to play through it. Lure them with candy, beer, whatever it takes. I would get feedback like “I liked the other one better” from one person, with another saying the complete opposite. Take criticism well and often!
One trick: If you place a note and then place a duplicate note on top of it, it sounds louder for that slot (note: it can effectively stack ~4 times). You can use this for added emphasis on desired sounds within a loop or sequence. It’s very situational, but can bring something soft to the forefront in a major way.
TSP: What would you like see added to the game in future updates that would make your creations even better?
D_Mise: I’d love for more artists to lend more audio to play with. Maybe some Flying Lotus, Grimes (go Canada!), Anamanaguchi, or even Ronald Jenkees (awesome YouTube pianist) and Module (the guy who did the Shatter OST). Make it happen!
In addition to what a few others suggested (collaborative options, group rotating, screen by screen BPM editing, etc.), one update I’d like is a sort of chain trigger, which would hold off on playing a note/sequence until the entire chain is complete. I’m a fan of games that have some sort of huge payload, like getting a bajillion points at once, or massive critical hits. Perhaps this can lead to a scoring mechanic?
I’m just nitpicking though. I appreciate the simplicity (complexity?) of the creation engine, and the limitations encourage more original work.
Thank you for this way cool opportunity to talk about all this!
Big thanks to D_Mise and the Sound Shapes community for taking part in the series. The support has been really awesome especially from so many places around the world. Sound Shapes is truly an international phenomena and is bringing people together to create beautiful art. I’m happy to be a part of it and you should be, too.
The Sound Shapers – Anoy337
The “SoundShapers” is a series of articles and interviews that spotlight a different member of the Sound Shapes community weekly. Check out other posts here.
The outstanding thing about the Sound Shapes community is that levels will bubble up through various means. Between chatter amongst the heavy hitters on PSN or the different filters on the Sound Shapes community website there are dozens of ways for players to find great content. While digging through my “following” list I saw that many of folk’s favorite levels were from this week’s shaper Anoy337.
Some of his stand-out levels that I have played include:
“Fatal Progress” – Levels like this are special because they take the usual platforming conventions and flip them on their heads. Usually you try to avoid things that can kill you, but in FP you embrace death by jumping into the red hearts on every screen. It also makes the save points (usually a good thing) into a total annoyance to run into. Hitting some of them will have you re-spawn in a part of the level that takes you away from your goal. It makes this level really challenging and almost Vita-chucking. The payoff is well worth it if you can keep pushing.
“Breakdown” – Breakdown sets you up to believe that it won’t be a pain in the arse, but you soon see that it’s devious, treacherous and beautiful. You can see that going into making this level Anoy had a plan, and it was to push players to think before you leap. Besides the actual plaforming, there are a couple of screens that are really gorgeous to look at.
“Bonus Round_01” – So far this is my favorite Anoy level. It plays like a side-scrolling version of the classic game “Mousetrap”. I really appreciate craftsmanship and this one-screen level is chock full of it. What makes it cool is that you have to open gates all around the screen through quick movement, precision jumping, and sequencing. It’s extremely well thought out and is challenging and fun to play.
After playing his levels I had to ask him some questions about his method.
TSP: Give a little background on yourself and why you decided to play Sound Shapes.
Anoy337: Hi all, my name is Lee and I’m a tattoo artist by profession. I’m mostly drawing on people but pretty much whatever spare time I have usually gets donated to video games. Among the many I enjoy is the gem that is Sound Shapes. The ability to use such an amazing platform to freely create your own “songs” is what won my heart.
TSP: How do you plan out your levels? (Music first or art?)
Anoy: To be honest I try not to have a standard approach to making the song but rather choosing my underlying concept first and then approaching it in whichever way is more practical for concept of song. Sometimes however I take a more loose approach and sort of try to let the song just make itself, if that makes any sense.
TSP: Do you make your levels on the PS3 or Vita?
Anoy: I use my lovely little lady, the PS Vita. Sometimes I play on my PS3 but I have made all my levels on my PS Vita thus far. I prefer the touch screen over cursor.
TSP: What are your favorite levels that you’ve made and why?
Anoy: Well this is a tricky one because I have lost many a level before doing online backups and some of them are amongst my favourites. My top published level would have to be “FATAL PROGRESS”. I could maybe have done more with the music but I love how it can make you fear save points if you play it too long, which is usually evident when you play a normal level afterwards. Also I felt making the only thing that could kill you in the level a heart seems to help you embrace death easier.
TSP: What is the favorite level you’ve played and why?
Anoy: There are so many amazing songs and creators out there it would be unfair to choose only one. A stage I enjoyed very much recently though was the “Shape Invaders Song” by Gasssst. It had some innovative game play ideas and a really nice style also. But with guys like Daftbomb, Beejabides, TT, Jool, Gezouten, Earlee and all the many other amazing Sound Shapers working hard, it’s guaranteed another winner song will be uploaded probably while you are reading this interview. Thanks again for making this possible Queasy Games and Sony.
TSP: Any tips or tricks that you’ve learned?
Anoy: Mmmmmmmmm…don’t use elevators the other way around, no matter how tempted. I recently learned that shapes isn’t enough for a good level; sound is also very important. Think about the player objectively when making your song and know who you’re trying to make the song for, even if it’s just for yourself. Most importantly don’t over complicate panels and try to spread out the songs; I struggle a lot with this one.
TSP: What would you like see added to the game in future updates that would make your creations even better?
Anoy: I heard something about a curve pack
Anoy also gave us some shout outs:
I would like to thank Kahlief ‘kahjah’ and The Spawn Point Blog for this opportunity. You guys are doing an awesome job. Thanks also to all Sound Shapers for working hard at making dope levels and a very special thanks to all the queasies @Queasygames for making this amazing medium its truly the canvas of our time. You guys rule.
Thanks again to Anoy337 for sharing his great work with the community and taking time to chat with us at The Spawn Point Blog. We hope that you all are enjoying the #SoundShapers series and Sound Shapes. Check back here next week to see our interview with DUSTINISGOOD.
Related articles
- The Sound Shapers – Jool2306 (thespawnpointblog.com)
- The Sound Shapers – Gasssst (thespawnpointblog.com)
- The Sound Shapers-TheBeejAbides (thespawnpointblog.com)
The Sound Shapers – Gasssst
The “SoundShapers” is a series of articles and interviews that spotlight a different member of the Sound Shapes community weekly. Check out other posts here.
I’ve asked all the Shapers the question, “How do you plan out your levels? (Music or art first?).” In my other life, I dabble in the art of beat-making and always try to make a good soundtrack for each of my levels. This week I introduce you to a member of the community that I believe to be not only one of the coolest level designers but one of the most musically-talented Shapers we have.
This week’s shaper is Gasssst.
I picked three of his levels to talk about this week that I feel really stood out from his collection and the first one I’ll discuss today is “Alien.”
“Alien” is a short but visually striking level that is an homage to the classic movie. You start out by falling to the ground and dodging shapes that eventually spell out the level’s title. It’s subtle but really works well to bring about the feeling of emptiness and the void of space. The soundtrack adds to this really well and Gasssst used some interesting tricks to add notes in some fun ways. There are also some cool movie callbacks that I won’t spoil, but it must have taken a long time to create those surprises.
“Deja-Vu” is a fun little level that plays on its title by placing you in a continuous travel through the same scene over and over, cutting off sections each time to funnel you toward your goal. It’s a quick play and smartly done level.
Although the above levels are excellent I will say by far my favorite level is “Let’s Go”. If you were to strip away all of the geometry and gameplay, it would easily be one of the best-sounding levels in the community. The really cool thing about it is that although it’s very short, it’s pretty challenging, and trying to manage very intricate jumps through a cavern is made better by its lively soundtrack. Again, I can’t stress the music enough in this level and it’s a must-play.
I want to give a quick note: Gasssst is probably best known for his “Jam” levels. I played them but couldn’t get to the end of them. It’s a testament to his level-building skills and my ineptitude in finding the hidden tunnels, but from what I played I loved the music and visual style.
Gasssst was awesome enough to sit down and answer some of our questions:
TSP: Give a little background on yourself and why you decided to play Sound Shapes.
Gasssst: 34 Years Old, Swiss made, I love music, movies, art and games. I used to play bass guitar and drums in a few local bands when I was younger. Now I am mostly doing Hip-Hop beats and experimental sounds on Reason. When I first saw Sound Shapes in the PSN Store it jumped right at me because of the word Sound. So I watched the trailer and really loved the style of the game. I actually buy a lot of PSN games but this one was one of the best experiences I’ve had. Playing the story mode and Death Mode were very hard. But it’s one of the platinum trophies I’m most proud of. I wasn’t really excited about the editor at first, but then I played a few community levels and when I saw what is possible it kind of got me addicted. So thanks, Queasy, for saving me some money because there’s no need for other PSN games anymore.
TSP: How do you plan out your levels? (Music first or art?)
Gasssst: In most of my levels I started with the music first. Usually with a simple bassline in the beginning. But for some of my levels, like “Deja-Vu” for example, I had to make the design first. My levels are all kind of short and I rarely get over three minutes of playtime. I just like short little levels. Most of my levels are very easy to play. This might be a little selfish, but I just want to have a good time playing my own stuff. When I play community levels I often quit if I have to try more than ten times on one spot.
TSP: Do you make your levels on the PS3 or Vita?
Gasssst: I created all of my levels on PS3. I have a Vita and I created two levels on it, but I didn’t like the design so I didn’t upload them. To me it seems very hard to design a level with the touchpad and screen. I guess I am just too used to the PS3 controller. But one good thing about the Vita is you get a second Platinum.
TSP: What are your favorite levels that you’ve made and why?
Gasssst: My favorite levels I made are the Jam levels because of the Optical Illusions, which took some time to create. I played the levels “Another Problem” from gezouten and “Triptych” from Daftbomb. I love geometric forms and so I said if they can do something like that, I have to give it a try and see if I can do it, too. I already had some beats prepared in the editor so I just had to make them playable. It was great fun to design them and I took my time when making some nice thumbnails for the level. “Kir 1SL” is one of my favorites. I said I love short levels and it was the only level in which I created the thumbnail first. I just found out how to stretch objects and I tried to do something graffiti-like. When I was finished I loved it so much that I just needed to upload it, but you can’t just upload a thumbnail right? So I quickly created a 1SL for it, and it was not bad for a level I created in around 15 to 20 minutes. “Heat 1SL” was the first level that I put some details in and tried to make it look less chaotic than my earlier levels. At the time, it was the only 1SL where you could not die. And since I’m a huge fan of the movie it’s become one of my favorites too.
TSP: What is your favorite level you’ve played and why?
Gasssst: This is a really hard choice, because there are so many cool levels out there, so I will just name the ones that changed my way of creating levels. “Problem?” by Daftbomb – First it was just a trollface and then he added more and more notes to it, which I thought was a really cool way to make fun of those creators that add notes to get their “pole position” back in the leaderboards. It also was the level that showed me the possibility of hiding tubes, which was essential for my Jam Levels. “Another Problem” by gezouten – A really nice level with a lot of details and amazing Optical Illusions with a really hard way to find the exit. Thanks to getouzen for that great inspiration. “Cowboy Bebop” by DUSTINISGOOD – I’m a fan of the Anime. In fact I believe it’s the best Anime series ever, especially because of Yoko Kanno’s Soundtrack. She’s a genius and this level is a great tribute to it. The way Dustin drew those characters is unlike anything else in Sound Shapes. I really hope he finishes it one day and adds Jet Black and Einstein to it. “RED” by Tony Tough, “I had that Bus Dream” by BeejAbides, and “Life is Too Short” by jool2306 are also three of my most favorite levels because these three great creators tell stories in their levels. I haven’t seen anything like it in the SS Community Levels. There are a lot more levels that come to mind right but these are just some of the gems you find in the SS Community.
TSP: Any tips or tricks that you’ve learned?
Gasssst: The best trick is to play a lot of community levels because it shows you what is possible and gives you some input, which makes your own creations better. In my own levels I always try not to mix up too many different objects and to not end up with a totally chaotic looking level. It helps to make a thumbnail if you want your level to be played, or at least a name because no one likes to play the unnamed levels right?
TSP: What would you like see added to the game in future updates that would make your creations even better.
Gasssst: I think the best thing for me would be if you could choose to place notes over two screens, which would give you the possibility of making longer melodies. Ones that run on 32 steps instead of just 16, and maybe a few more Instruments to play with, like for example a Violin or a funky slap bass guitar or more snare and bass drums. In fact just more of everything that sounds cool.
Huge shout out to Gasssst for all of his help with the #SoundShapers project, you should check out his other levels here
Next week: come back to check out our interview with SoundShaper Annoy337
The Sound Shapers – Gezouten
After Sound Shapes was released there were many creators who put their creative stamp on the community. Some did this by utilizing the objects and sounds given in new and interesting ways. Some of them attached themselves to particular themes and ran wild. In the first initial months the “ESC” (escape) level theme devised from community favorite Daftbomb bubbled up to the surface. The ESC theme is one where the user has to find a way out of the level via some hidden exit. This week’s shaper was one of the first to really make his name by using the ESC theme to create awesome levels.
This week’s shaper is Gezouten or as I like to call him GEZOOOOTEN!
One of my favorite Gez levels has to be his Halloween themed “Unhappy Trees”. I’m always amazed at how quickly the shapers come up with levels and really good ones at that. I believe the HLWN theme was announced on a Wednesday and this level was up before the weekend. The brown and orange color palette mixed in with the spooky soundtrack really plays into the theme and carries you along the story of all the abused trees you find in the forest. It was great to see Gez get in touch with his storyteller side and pull off such a memorable level in such a short amount of time.
“Revenge of the Mad Faces” is a cool level to look at but even better to listen to. Once the drum loop hits it really gets excited to get to the next screen. I have a real affection for tight drum loops and funky kicks and “Mad Faces” totally has them. The reconstructed faces look really cool and the level can be surprisingly difficult in spots. It’s a great mix of art, music and platforming.
Lastly “Gezawesome” Vol1 takes you to this trancy kind of techno place. Its music feels like a Deus Ex level with its pulsating synth notes. Imagery of being miniaturized and placed within a music lovers dream is what makes this level so cool. The attention to detail with things so symmetrically placed must have taken him a long time to create and the payoff at the end is totally worth it.
We spoke with Gez about some of his favorite levels and how he makes them.
TSP: Give a little background on yourself and why you decided to play Sound Shapes.
GEZ: Playing Sound Shapes was a coincidence, I finished some games on the PS Vita and was searching In the PS store for something different. I remembered that I saw some games with music Involved. When I saw the description of Sound Shapes In the PSN-store I knew this could be THE game for me. Why? Because I create music and logos for fun since I was a kid.
TSP: How do you plan out your levels? (Music first or art?)
GEZ: Most of the time when I start creating a level, I have a basic idea of what I would like to create, but mostly the finished level is something totally different. For example: “UFO – ESC,” I wanted to make a level where you entered a UFO and saved the world from the aliens. I got stuck in designing it and had some other idea’s for some levels so first I worked on the “Another Problem”- level. When I returned to “UFO – ESC”, the “ESC (escape)” idea was launched and suddenly I saw it in a totally different way. Other times I just create the sound and then the ideas for the graphics come “Revenge of the Mad Faces” was one of those levels.
TSP: Do you make your levels on the PS3 or Vita?
GEZ: I played the PS3 version a few times, but never created anything on it. And the feeling on the PSVita is really great. The only problem is that I get so addicted, when I get some spare time the Vita is in my hands.
TSP: What are your favorite levels that you’ve made and why?
GEZ: “Another Problem” and all the other ESC-levels. Daftbomb came up with his brilliant “Problem” level theme and it inspired me so much! When I played his level I couldn’t keep the smile from my face. I needed a lot of time to finish his level and after all it wasn’t that hard. So I contacted Daftbomb to ask what he would think of making a series of ESC-levels, it would be a successor to the 1SL series. I used to play a lot of escape games some years ago and loved to make some of my own. I must say, most of my ESC levels, I start designing it as a normal level, but in the process I always get ESC ideas and in the end I created another ESC.
“Another Problem” was designed with the intention to make a level including optical illusions. The original level was bigger, but I deleted a part to keep the level small, to make sure the ESC part wasn’t too hard. After publishing the level, I added some hints in the level because in the first publication it was too hard to find the exit. Now when I make an ESC level I always try to give away the solution in hints or in the thumbnail. The thumbnail of “Another Problem” almost tells exactly what to do and in the level there are a few other hints. When you put those together, the answer is easy to find!
“AMIGA PP Hammer Tribute” was a level I made because I was wondering for years why no one republishes those fantastic AMIGA classics. Even after 20 years they are still great. (PP hammer, Push Over, Gods: perfect games for a handheld: c’mon SONY!) It’s a pretty hard level to get trough, but hey, it’s a game!!
“Revenge of the Mad Faces”. I made a soundtrack, the “Mad Faces” and “Revenge” came later. As the creators of Sound Shapes said, “You’d be angry, too, if someone was jumping all over your face.” It’s not an easy level, but not impossible. It starts off as an easy level, but when you are half way through the level, the mad faces are getting really mad!
“Unhappy Trees-HLWN” was my first story-based level. The Halloween theme-a-week was launched and I totally had no Idea what to do with it. I first made a Halloween soundtrack and wanted a forest as setting. While I was making the forest I got an Idea of what the story could be. So I made a sentence that told the basic story and worked on one screen without knowing what the next would be. It has a lot of humor in it, when you look at the details.
TSP: What are your favorite levels you’ve played and why?
GEZ: There are so many fantastic levels. I love all the levels from Daftbomb, TT, TheBeejAbides, Anoy337, jool2306, gassst and Earl-leegraves.
“Escape Suburbia” – ESC (TheBeejAbIdes) – When you first play this level, you get confused more than once. This is what an ESC level should be. It has great challenges and nice graphics. Beej knows how to make great graphical, musical, story-based levels.
“Fatal progress” (Anoy337) – Damn that was hard. My top time was 49 minutes, but it was worth my time. There was one screen almost at the end of the level that I had to replay so many times, but it was too good to stop. It’s sad that people give up so easy on harder levels, because there are many great levels not finished because of that.
TSP: Any tips or tricks that you’ve learned?
-Look what others do, you learn a lot from them and don’t be afraid to ask for advice.
-Make a nice thumbnail for your level. If you are looking for a random level, you will always pick the ones with a nice thumbnail.
-Make sure that your level is “boxed in.” It’s never nice to play someone’s level and fall into empty unedited places.
-Play Daftbomb’s tutorial levels; they are the way to success!
TSP: What would you like see added to the game in future updates that would make your creations even better?
-Layers: put objects In front or background.
-Suicide button: When you get stuck, return to previous checkpoint. It’s frustrating when you are almost at the end of a level you get stuck and have to restart the level.
-Probably very expensive: Why not make an app for android/iPhone, where you can play (some) community levels? It could be good advertising.
-Multiplayer levels, it would be nice to play together, and could create a new wave of levels. And why not be able to pass levels to another user, so you can work together on one level, or make your own version of somebody’s creation.
I again want to thank Gez and EVERYONE who had decided to be a part of this project. People have been really excited to hear the stories and inspirations that have birthed all this great content.
If you have any thoughts, questions or comments, leave them below and if you have the game get out there and start creating.
Gamer’s Wife Sees the Light
by Jill Adams
I am from the elitist camp of bookworms that might have avidly played Super Mario 3 from start to finish in 1988, but then happily went a decade without owning a television, right up to my late 20s. Post-Mario, my understanding of video games evolved via media stereotypes: Guns!! Rape!! Sedentary, mind-poisoned, racist tv zombie bros!!
Then I was swept off my feet by a gamer. This charming, adorable, hilarious man with a devotion to making me happy pranced in, and we now live happily ever after. With a very big television. And two gaming consoles. A PlayStation Vita (handheld gaming system, for the uninitiated), Trittons (advanced headphones with a built-in mic, meant for gaming in groups), at least 7 controllers of various shapes and sizes… you get the picture. Never in my life would I have imagined emotions other than disdain for this sort of thing, but much to my gamer’s credit, I enjoy a nuanced appreciation for what I now understand is an emerging art form. Or, an emerged art form, little did I know.
So this post is to explain my conversion experience: how I went from hearing “gaming” as “slobbering nerds or douchey guys shooting stuff,” to being genuinely impressed.
Amazing Technology
L.A. Noire came out in 2011, and was very highly anticipated in my house. Set in 1940s L.A., you play as a detective working his way up through the ranks by solving cases around the city — stolen trinkets, jewelry heists, missing starlets. The art style is solidly film noir, and does a lovely job of putting you in full Sam Spade mode. The art style alone was enough to impress me, but L.A. Noire’s biggest accomplishment was that it brought humanity into the game in a way that completely surprised me.
The developers employed a new technology called MotionScan, which turned the game’s characters from plastic Ken dolls into people — people who could lie to you. Convince you. Evoke a sympathetic response. The game is all about solving cases by reading the clues, including reading the witnesses and suspects. You are asked to assess people’s truthfulness, in order to make progress. Seeing someone squinch their eyebrows at the wrong moment, or shift weight in an untrustworthy manner — these added a real twist of intrigue that I didn’t expect to ever get from a video game.
Not to mention that the MotionScan technology is completely amazing.
Snark Factor
It always seemed to me that there was no place for irony or cleverness in gaming. I only ever heard about machismo and a kind of sardonic cruelty, or alternately, puffy silly games for kids. It didn’t seem like there was any place for my inner snark — a world that would correlate to “The Royal Tenenbaums” or “Napoleon Dynamite.”
When my gamer got his Vita a few months ago, Escape Plan was the first game he had me play to understand why this $300 toy was worthwhile. In a black-and-white factory universe, this game features Lil and Laarg, two herpaderp characters that bumble along, doop-a-doo.
Your job is to help them through the gauntlet of factory dangers to escape from level to level without being sliced, squashed, imploded, or brained by any number of blades, traps, or other dangers. (Remember Happy Tree Friends?) I am convinced Escape Plan was developed by a dry, evil wit of British origin, down to watching Lil’s drunken, bubble-induced hiccups float the character over a lethal threat.
Another mention in the strange humor category goes to Frobisher Says. Frobisher is akin to a Monty Python skit gone even more mad.
Frobisher says: Scratch my back!
Frobisher barks absurd commands in a British accent, faster and faster, demanding that you “Deliver my pudding!” “Fight this bear!” “Poke the otter with a stick!” The Vita has both front and back touch screens, joysticks, arrow controls, trigger controls, and each task uses different means of accomplishing the command. Meaning that you begin to look like a crazy person, waving, whacking, and wielding the Vita in whatever way necessary to keep Frobisher from mocking you when you’re too slow, in order to receive the coveted, “Splendid!”
Community Investment and the Artistic Process
There are lots of anti-gaming arguments to be made in favor of moving your ass off the couch and having a real conversation with other humanoids, in an effort to be a viable member of society. That said, it’s very easy to discount the real bonds that are formed in the gaming community.
For me, the most impressive example of this to date is Sound Shapes. TheSpawnPoint has done some extensive coverage on this game recently, for good reason. The basic principles are about levels and music. A player moves through a screens of a level, collecting little coin-like symbols. The faster you complete a level, and the higher the percentage of coin-things you collect, the higher you’re ranked. The muscial element comes in from the creators — each coin-thing represents a musical element, perhaps a percussion sound, a synth riff, or a melodic hook. So, as you go along playing the level and collecting coins, you build a song.
But Sound Shapes has a dual purpose: both to play levels, and to make levels. Players are provided with some pre-programmed sound bits and graphic elements, which with my creative juices would stay pretty basic. But the community has gone wild, using these elements to create elaborate soundscapes and story lines, and even stop-motion animations that the Sound Shapes developers didn’t realize were possible.
A little sample of what’s possible starting with geometric shapes and small sound elements, from maker Daftbomb.
Watching my gamer interact with the developers and level makers has brought on a wholeheartedly positive vibe. All these guys genuinely appreciate the labor and focus that go into the creative process, and spend a lot of time commending each other and talking about method and process. It’s akin to watching friends in design discuss typography or collage, and deeply centered in the art of the experience.
The Art of Place
This one was a real conversion point for me. It’s one thing to have a generic battlefield, or an outerspace outpost with an alien war underway. It’s another thing to show beautiful crumbling mosaic tile murals in Istanbul (Uncharted 2), or climb some historically-accurate buildings in 15th century Florence (Assassin’s Creed II).
Nighttime parkour in 15th century Medici-controlled Florence
The attention to detail is astonishing, both as a consumer, and from the perspective of art direction. Not to mention historical accuracy, as the makers of Assassin’s 3 are about to demonstrate.
Existentialism
And then there’s the idea that gaming can be an existential contemplation. Journey is hard to describe — imagine being a faceless, robed, monk-like being, traveling the desert alone. Your destination: a mountain in the distance. Your means of travel: floating along on a mystical drift, or the occasional flying carpet or draft of magic sparkledust. Along the way, you pass through ancient stone cities… Perils appear, mirages and oases shimmer in and out of reality, and occasionally you bump into another lonely traveler. With only a speech of singing bells to help you, you can help each other gather more energy, in the form of a rune-covered magical scarf that grows. And in the end, you arrive at the mountaintop nirvana (*spoiler alert*), to be transfigured by a ray of cosmic shooting light into a sparkling comet.
It was so beautiful, so uplifting and magical, that both my gamer and I nearly wept at points.
A classic Journey-scape
Which is all to say: given the choice between watching reality tv and playing a game like Journey or Sound Shapes, my husband chooses gaming. And I’m glad.
The Sound Shapers-TheBeejAbides
The “SoundShapers” are a series of articles and interviews that spotlight a different member of the Sound Shapes community weekly. Check out our entries here.
This week in our SoundShapers series we spotlight community member, TheBeejAbides.
Beej was generous enough to share some of his time and grant us an interview. Here is how it all went down:
The Spawn Point (TSP): Give us a little background on yourself and why you decided to play Sound Shapes.
TheBeejAbides: I guess you could say that I’ve been platforming ever since they made platforms, so SoundShapes was a natural path to take. From Pitfall (ColecoVision) to WonderBoy (Sega Master System) and Mario Bros. (Nintendo) to Sonic (Sega Genesis), and beyond, I have been trying to avoid the inevitable video game platforming death for over two decades. I’m old school, son! When I found out I was able to create my own platforming levels, I jumped at the chance. I downloaded SS on day 1 and have basically been profoundly hooked ever since. The fact that the game combines three of my loves (Gaming, Art and Music) has made it so I really haven’t had to play anything else since I bought it. Damn you Queasy! It’s so good!
TSP: How do you plan out your levels? (Music first or art)
Beej: I always create the musical composition first (unless it’s a 1SL, and then music is secondary). I have found that a good song really adds a lot to your level. The emotion or panic that it can evoke works with the color scheme and art to set a tone, and those tones dictate the experience that someone will have while playing the game. You obviously want them to have a memorable experience when playing, so after the music, I start placing platforms in places that require the player to collect the notes in an order that makes sense for the music. Sometimes I like to require the player to stay on a screen for a moment after all the notes are collected so they might hear the music for a couple of loops. After the rough platform ideas are in place, then come the dangerous red obstacles and moving parts (lasers, creatures, etc). I basically play the level from start to finish after every screen I create, to see what the experience is like and how well it flows. This sometimes inspires vast overhauls or idea changes while I am creating, so I’ve learned to not rush a level to completion. I guess that’s where the artist in me takes over and I can obsess about the angle of a box or the placement of a vertical wall or sometimes even the tone of the music. It’s rare my levels end up looking like what I had originally envisioned. I love the fact that you can go back and update your levels, too, because ideas never stop coming and sometimes you notice a third elbow on a screen that needs to be amputated. The surgery is relatively painless.
TSP: Do you make your levels on the PS3 or Vita?
Beej: I am one of the few that create and play on the PS3. Most of the other shapers that I communicate with via the PSN are rocking the Vita. Shaper “Daftbomb” has tried persuading me to get a Vita, and he’s lobbied quite well, but I have yet to pull the trigger. I’m guessing that creating on the Vita is a bit easier, but I’ve come to feel quite comfortable with the PS3 controller as my ’paint brush’. Oh, and I can’t receive picture attachments that are sent from a Vita. Yo Sony, what’s up with that?
TSP: What is your favorite level that you’ve made and why?
Beej: This is a difficult choice, but I’d say “Plug Me In” is my favorite so far. The concept is sort-of-kind-of like you are rolling around inside a microphone or an amp (or something musically electronic) and all the while you are experiencing a very tame Def-Poetry type of arrangement. I worked with the idea of revisiting sounds by having the player enter parallel screens to the ones that they had already collected notes from. Each screen has a word or words that are intended to be part of a long statement or ‘groove manifesto’ that is really, in essence, the way I feel about the game of SoundShapes. It’s long and difficult in certain spots, but it is definitely emotive for being kind of simple in appearance. In short, it’s saying: “Plug Me In to this game so I can get funky!”
TSP: What is your favorite level you’ve played and why?
Beej: This is also a difficult choice because I just logged my 1,000 level played, so there are a lot to choose from. I’m not super discriminate with the “like” button when assessing someone else’s level because if there is even one single aspect that I like about it, be it the music, the art, the play-ability… heck sometimes I just like the title… I will give it a ”like”. But when it comes to levels that are just plain awesome or memorable, these stand out:
1. “Triptych” by Daftbomb – This level is super tough; it looks great, and has no checkpoints. It’s pretty typical of what you can expect from a Daftbomb level: It’s a sharp as a knife but you want to take a bite out of it because it looks like a birthday cake. It combines all the skills of movement, and the sounds create an environment that puts the pressure on you to make no mistakes. Daft has been a driving force behind a lot of stuff going on in the SoundShapes online community. He put together a discussion group of some of the most active creators and we’ve all been communicating and bouncing ideas off of each other such as the 1SLs (Daftbomb), the ESCs (Escape Levels) (gezouten), and maybe a new project yet to come (TheBeejAbides)? I guess we’ll have to wait and see… but with over 500 fans following him, it’s no surprise that Daftbomb continuously cranks out awesomely challenging and aesthetically beautiful levels. He’s even created playable levels to explain some of these niche ideas, which are also pretty great. He’s a true master of Shaping. {I also suggest “Deathcom” by Daftbomb…. it’s long and difficult and oh so rewarding to finish!}
2. “A Nightmare on Church Street” by TonyTough – It’s another great narrative from an original artistic mind. He creates depth very well and uses background objects to create landscapes unlike anyone else in the SoundShapes community. The slow and low music places you in a setting that is creepy and dangerous, and you aren’t sure what perils will come next. He’s really good at using objects in a non-literal way to create his scenes, like an ice sheet for a fireplace mantle and other such cool twists on platforming. There’s also a kind of puzzle aspect to the level with clues to finding the ending, which are not immediately evident. All of TonyTough’s levels are awesome and take a nice chunk of time to play. They all have a replay value because the art and stories are pretty awesome. I’m super excited for his new saga called “The Ninja”, because I have an affinity towards ninjas and he is experimenting with a new way to tell the story. It’s pretty fricken sweet.
3. “Life is Too Short” by jool2306 - You don’t really “play” this one as much as you ”watch it”, but it delivers in all the right ways. jool2306 has an aesthetic that I love, which is kind of a child-like “cartoonishness” that goes along great with his storytelling ability. He goes a little further in “The 8th Wonder of the World”, where he recreates iconic world landmarks that you tour while unlocking the portal to the final world wonder… I wonder what it is? Hehehe. He is fast becoming my favorite creator and it’s worth paying attention to his “Egg” series, which is very creative and, so far, boundless in its aim. I like when I am wowed by a level, and jool2306 certainly does that.
4. “FATAL PROGRESS” by ANOY337 – Death is good? In this level, it is. You have to die in a certain sequence in order to make forward progress in this level, and it is fricken’ awesome! Very fun, frustrating, rewarding, and time consuming, but all the while you are totally engaged and determined. The platforming is creative, varied and challenging; just don’t accidentally trigger an unwanted checkpoint, because you will have to start all over again. ANOY337′s other levels are great too; he will sometimes use giant-sized forms to create a miniature perspective in a macro world.
5. “Escape From Guantanamo Bay” by Old_PopTarts - This level isn’t overly difficult or even super artistic, but it just works very well as an environment and is fun to navigate as a platformer. It’s arranged well and you certainly feel the coldness of the prison before you make your way out. Unfortunately, Old_PopTarts has had some internet trouble as of late, but hopefully he gets it sorted out because I’d like to see a new level from him. He’s one of the fiercest players (along with Milkmaniac) and his times are always some of the best on almost every level. Tenacious is an apt description of both PopTarts and the Milkster, they can just flat-out get it done.
Honorable mention: Check out these users for more totally awesome levels- Gannon767, gezouten, DUSTINISGOOD, TheFrostE, reinokid, VengefulTorture, pikathon, and yodalex.
TSP: Any tips or tricks that you’ve learned?
Beej: The more time that you take with your creation, the better it will be. The more you play your levels while creating them, the better the platforming movement will be. And remember people, it’s: “SOUNDshapes”. Make it sound good! (Also, try to limit the amount of objects on a screen [especially creatures or moving parts] and try not to move around the start and finish markers while creating… this will help you avoid the dreaded “Script Error” for overmaxing… this is the primary problem with the game and I hope they can fix it with a patch or with DLC or with a SoundShapes2… I’m already salivating at the thought of it.)
TSP: What would you like see added to the game in future updates that would make your creations even better.
Beej: I’d like to see the kinks and bugs ironed out of the game (as mentioned above) and I’d like to see a more diverse instrument set. I’m not crazy about using the loops so I’d rather have more tones and single-note noises that I can play with. I’d like the ability to overlay colors or shapes in whatever manner I’d like to, instead of the fact that my sticky substance always has to be on top of the red or on top of the non-sticky platforms. Also, I’d eliminate the vocal tracks. I’ve only used it one time on one screen, but some people just abuse the use of them. I think even Beck would say that.
Before we wrap this article up, I wanted to take a quick stroll through some of my favorite Beej levels and have the artist himself share some of the inspiration behind them.
MY TAKE:
“Diamond Elephunk Factory” – This is the first level I ever played from TheBeejAbides. Its screenshot gave off the notion of airiness and light, an awesome level of asymmetrical detail, and great use of the embedded color themes SS has to offer. I had to play it, and once I did, I soon became a fan of his work. Although one of his earliest levels, Elephunk had a really cool style and a beautiful musical arrangement. There is a really distinct balance in this level that seems to always be at play. The platforming, which–although not super hard–is difficult enough to keep you on your toes, and the lovely Oriental zen garden-esque soundtrack is fun to listen to. Towards the end Beej drops perfectly placed drums to push you towards your goal. I appreciate this level and think it’s a must-play for folks.
“LazerDogAccident-1SL” – This level is a part of Beej’s “LazerDog” series in which LD is put in harrowing circumstances and has to make a way through. The first thing that has to be said is that this level is HARD, and as you will see from our interview, Beej made it that way for a reason. The pulsating lasers and bounce targets are one thing but the screw missiles and breakaway floor are another. Your dexterity and patience will be tested, but as a survivor of the level I can say there is a method to the madness. If you don’t go mad first, that is. I really think Beej should start giving out “I survived the LazerDog level” t-shirts upon completion. It’s only right.
“Clusterfunk Spelunking” – The Clusterfunk level pays homage to classic horror movie tropes as signage foreshadowing your doom. Along with suspenseful imagery, ominous musical tones provide a great background for a really well-thought-out level. Lots of jumps that seem just out of your reach, smart uses of the geometry and nice flourishes of style all around make the level great to play. I loved his “Beej Presents” text towards the beginning of his level, it brings that feeling like something cool is about to happen.
BEEJ’S TAKE:
“Clusterfunk Spelunking” – I kept the song very simple with one loop (until the end where I bring a new loop in) and add one guitar tone at a very low tempo. It felt dark and dank and a perfect way to emote the underground feeling. The part above ground part was added at the end of the creation to really help create that feeling of going somewhere nasty and scary. The colors darken as you move from screen to screen, then it gets dark and scary and lots of stuff tries to kill you. I got more into the manipulating of the rhythms of lasers and stuff on this one which was super fun and makes for a really tough level. You really have to pay attention to the rhythm to advance without harm. There’s a killer ice sheet platform screen that will test anyone’s skill and patience, and of course, rabbit flowers grow down in that dank hole. Heh.
”Diamond Elephunk Factory” – This was the first level I created, but not the first one I published. After I published a couple “test” type levels I went back and reworked the whole factory, but the song is awesome so it stayed exactly the same. The platforms were essentially in place, but I didn’t really know how to work the editor that well at first, so the rework was key. I added all the red and cleaned up the platforms so that a gifted player could move fast through the whole level. No enemies or lasers on this one, just plenty of red design waiting for you to slip, fall, or jump a little too far. I think it’s the level that got most of the attention for me early on, so it is very close to my heart. I was shocked when people were finishing with better times than mine… I was like, “But I created it! How could they beat me?”…. heh. Needless to say it inspired me to make harder and harder levels. If you go to the soundshapesgame.com you will see that most of my levels are up at the top of the ”Deadliest Levels” list. I couldn’t be more proud of that.
”LazerDogAccident – 1SL” – This is the fourth 1SL out of five in the LazerDog Series, and we can thank Daftbomb for this monster. He had been poking me to make a single screen level for a while, but at the time I was working on “Ninja Seizure Fun Times Commotion”, so I finally finished that level and made my first 1SL. I basically wanted to break people’s spirit with my 1SLs, or basically make them so hard that people might throw their controller or turn off their Vita, but do it in a way that was kind of endearing. Enter: the LazerDog. She (that’s right ya’ll, LazerDog is a ’she’) is a feisty pup that won’t take no for an answer. In “Accident”, the idea is that LazerDog is playing in traffic and the ensuing madness causes a bus accident, which you then must weave through to get back home. Close calls occur and quick reactions are required, as in all of the LazerDogs. It’s no surprise that these levels are seldom finished, people just give up I suppose. And that’s fricken hilarious to me. I give respect to anyone who can finish all five, but so far no one has. I’m looking in your direction, Milkmaniac, CrunchKupo, redespair, Old_PopTarts, and DUSTINISGOOD. I know you guys can do it! Tame the LazerDog!
-TheBeejAbides says: “SOUND SHAPES LIFE”. So start making music! Thanks to everyone who plays and likes my levels…. and hey, Queasy, “HIRE ME!”
I want to thank TheBeejAbides so much for all of his help with this article. The response to this series has been AMAZING, not only from our readers but also from the Sound Shapes community. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below and also follow us at @spawnpointblog on Twitter or TheSpawnPointBlog on Facebook or Google+.
We also have great news! After seeing our initial article, the fine folks over at Queasy Games asked if we could do some collaborative work on this front. We will be working together to showcase even more community members until the end of the year. If you aren’t doing so already, follow @soundshapes and the hashtag #SoundShapers. Look out for these stories to drop on our site and the Sound Shapes blog every Wednesday.
The Sound Shapers-DaftBomb
There are very few games that come out during a generation that give its users the flexibility and tools to not only create fun gameplay spaces, but also spaces that look and sound beautiful. MediaMolecule’s LittleBigPlanet 1 & 2 and Minecraft are just two great examples of these great games. The communities that have embraced these games and used their artistic talents and ingenuity to create gobs of additional content and have gone far above and beyond even what the developers thought was possible in making awesome levels.
Sound Shapes by Queasy Games has quickly become one of these creation platforms for budding level and game designers. People are using its tools to create everything from re-creations of classic narratives to one-screen death puzzles. They have exemplified the idea that “If your mind can conceive it, you can build it.”
I’ve played Sound Shapes (SS) and tinkered with making levels, published them, and thought, “I just made something pretty damn awesome.” And then one day I checked out the community’s “Best of the Best” levels and wanted to burn my Vita. Some users made levels that were gorgeous, using the same tools I had in hand, and turned the standard use on its head, building visually interesting landscapes with intricately built platforming elements, all synced with evocative music. They in essence have made games within a game and not only done it extremely well but also quickly. So after playing many of their levels I reached out to some of them to get an insight into what they see when they create and why they have taken to such a quirky and fun game.
I have unofficially deemed these creative geniuses “The Sound Shapers”. (Yes, it’s a little dramatic and corny but I think it fits.) Over the next few weeks I will introduce you not only to their levels and why I believe they’re so good, but also to the artists themselves.
Our first Sound Shaper is:
I came across his work when one of his levels came up in the “Community Spotlight” section of the game. Although he has put together a bunch of levels recently, these are a couple that caught my eye.
“3”-Three is amazing for many reasons. Most SS levels have replay value because a player tries to beat them with a faster time or beat them with collecting the most notes. The beauty of this particular level is that it has “real” replay value due to its multiple path design. Each path has its own twists and difficulty. Take the level one route and it’s challenging but not super difficult. Take one of the other routes and things get much more difficult. The level is both challenging and super smart in its design and made me really want more levels like it.
“Shruiken” – Daft and some other Shapers came up with a sub-genre of levels called “1SL” (One Screen Levels). They are intricate, usually pretty difficult, and make use of the enemy creatures and death zones to great effect. This level smartly uses double-sided pipes as its main movement vehicle. The player is put into a symmetrical one-screen level where you have to grab notes by circling to them via the pipe system. Once you get a handle of how the pipes connect and where they end up, it’s pretty quick, but what stands out for me is how collecting these notes formed a really cool hip-hop kind of break beat. Usually it’s hard to get a semi-complex beat to come together but he got all of it to work within that one screen.
“Satellite”- Satellite made me want to pull out my hair (what little I have left), but in a good way. You collect notes around a sphere that emits snare-drummed lasers of death. Revolving around like a clock you have to spatially determine where you can safely “hide” from the lasers while navigating around the level. It’s difficult, but once you see the spaces where you can jump from open space to space you get the hang of it. While playing it you sometimes get into a groove in which you can anticipate where the next laser beam will hit. The bobbing and weaving definitely makes for a complicated but fulfilling dance. It’s musically interesting and designed really well. You can tell that Daftbomb took meticulous care with how it was mapped and created.
After playing and telling my friends about some of Daftbomb’s levels, I decided to get his perspective on the game and his process.
TheSpawnPoint: Give a little background on yourself and why you decided to play Sound Shapes.
Daftbomb: I love games, I love aesthetics & design and I love creating. So it’s almost like this game was made explicitly for me.
TSP: How do you plan out your levels? (Music first or art)
DB: Usually neither. I tend to focus on an idea or the gameplay first rather than the sound or visual aspect. However, I do find it’s much harder to make a good soundtrack if I focus on the artwork beforehand (hence some of my levels sounding like a clown fart). I try to make the focus on gameplay and platforming enjoyment first priority.
You can probably see my OCD in my levels. I strive for tidy, cohesive level screens with good visual composition. Had the developers omitted the Snap-To-Grid feature from the editor, my designs may well have looked as handsome as a stool sample.
TSP: Do you make your levels on the PS3 or Vita and why?
DB: Vita most definitely. Five years ago if you’d asked me what I’d love to see being made, it’d be a portable PS3, so you can imagine my shamefully geeky excitement when I heard it announced. Having the ability to take my games with me and play them anywhere is great, even if it’s in the front room while my girlfriend is using the TV. I haven’t made one level using my PS3. There’s just something so right about being able to fire up SoundShapes where ever I want and playing around with some ideas.
TSP: What are some of the favorite levels that you’ve made and why?
DB: “Arcade Fireworks” – This level far surpassed my initial concept (just a basic Pac-Man themed level) and even though it looks great on mute, I’m very pleased with how it looks and plays. I had a lot of fun discovering new ideas as I made it. I believe I’ve made better levels since, but I’m most fond of that one.
“3″ – For this I wanted to make a level with multiple routes with varying difficulties, I had initially intended that the player was restricted to choosing just one path and the higher difficulties had more notes than the easier paths, but in the end figured it was more fun to let the player choose how many notes to go for. I still like the initial idea and it’s this kind of “breaking tradition” I like to attempt when thinking up a level. Finding new ways to make a level is great fun and I love it when I see someone put a new concept or variation on a theme out there, TonyTough just messaged me about his latest level which has an animation/flick-book theme, awesome. I also really liked the first time I saw one of those “levels that play themselves”.
“+” – I’d just finished “Triptych” which was a 3 screen level with a strong geometric and artistic theme and felt it was the first time I’d seen a level (at least in my opinion) that sounded respectable, looked aesthetically pleasing and was playable with consistency and accuracy despite having no checkpoints. There’s a real old-school hardcore gaming feel of risk vs. reward when all that you’ve achieved up until that point is on the line. “+” Is the spiritual sequel, and in my eyes an example of my best work, it seems unfair to have no checkpoints for five quite intricate screens, but it certainly has that feeling of achievement when you get through it.
“Lockout”- I had the idea that it would be cool if notes on each screen had a time limit and once the time limit had passed that note was locked. Again, it’s an example of a level doing something a bit different or unexpected. It took a hell of a lot of fiddling to make it work, but I think it paid off. For once I had produced a level exactly the way I envisioned it before starting and I like the way each screen is throwing a specific challenge that differs considerably from the last one.
TSP: What is the favorite level you’ve played and why?
DB: Too hard to choose, there are so many talented designers and great levels out there. There are three levels that have stuck firmly in my memory as “benchmarks” or pioneers of a particular style:
“Cheer Up, Buttercup!” By TheBeejAbides – For me it was the first level that offered everything and emanated a distinctive “fingerprint” of a designers’ unique style, and Beej has a very strong style and sound. It offers great music, good gameplay and variety, an adorable storyline and exceptional quality. Given the consistent quality and variety throughout his levels, I consider Beej my favourite designer.
“RED” By TonyTough – No soundshaper (that I’m aware of) even comes close to replicating the narrative style of some of TT’s work, his story levels are complex, there is an extra depth to them that goes beyond the scopes of sound and visuals. The artwork has a raw, organic feel and with this particular level I feel he came one step closer to mastering his talent. The ending is brilliant.
“Life is too short” by Jool2306 – although there is little in the way of platforming, my mind was still blown when I played it. Truly incredible artwork, poignant storytelling, and on occasion, damn funny. If we all put in as much effort into our designs as Jool has into this level, I reckon we would have a mind blowing wealth of quality content.
TSP: Any tips or tricks that you’ve learned?
DB: Plenty, and the scope for finding new ways to do things seems quite broad. That’s the beauty of this game: sharing a creative genius and exploring ideas that perhaps even the developers hadn’t considered. Quite often, I’ll see something in someone else’s level that triggers a thought of how I could expand that idea, or inspires me to try it for myself. So, looking at other player’s levels is essential to grow as a designer and help others do the same. As for some graphical ideas I did make a level, “Advanced Techniques”, which hopefully explains a few ideas clearly.
I guess my main tip would be to just chuck a few different enemy/scenery items onto the page and muck about finding ways to make them “interact” in ways that either look aesthetic or act in a fun way. Most of my one screen levels were created this way.
Other than that, I would say I find it more important to focus my effort on creating a small number of really complex and higher quality level screens, rather than a huge level with the love spread thin. I think putting everything you’ve got into a design and going the extra mile to make a thumbnail that stands out brings both personal satisfaction and the likelihood that others will take a look.
TSP: What would you like see added to the game in future updates that would make your creations even better?
DB: I would love to see the option to set when notes or loops are played in the same way the lasers and some enemy items can be. This would allow for much more complex and varied compositions.
I like the idea of having several criteria for leaderboards as well, such as how many notes the player got with just three lives or how quickly the player got a set number of the available notes.
And, most obviously, more shapes, enemies, colour schemes and weird character thingies that hurt your ears with nonsense sounds
What I hope not to see is text, I love seeing how everyone creates interesting fonts or words, I feel text options would take away some of its charm.
Daftbomb’s levels combine great level design, attention to detail and best of all challenge. It’s amazing to understand that these kinds of things not only can be done in this particular game, but to hear that his platform of choice is the Vita is also a great thing to hear. He is already pumping out levels at a blistering pace and I for one can’t wait to see what new tricks and tips he learns.
I want to thank Daftbomb for taking time out to help with this article and you should check out his SoundShapes profile and work HERE.
The next Sound Shaper we spotlight will be the awesome TheBeejAbides, so come back here for and check him out.
Mi Vita Loca
Walking the line
This past Tuesday Sony held a event in lower Manhattan to let some lucky gamers get their grubby little hands on the newest piece of Playstation hardware. After seeing the blast on the PS Blog I rushed out of work and trekked into the cold, rainy night down to the lower east side. Upon my arrival, I saw an eager line of folks, lined up almost around the block, ready and waiting to play with the PS Vita. People were pretty excited and from the conversations I overheard the buzz was strong. A couple of guys and I were chatting it up when Sid Shuman comes out with a Vita tethered to his waist, pulls out the device and all conversation stops. I consider myself a person that isn’t easily awed but seeing the brightly lit OLED screen under the backdrop of streetlights made me a believer. The 5-inch screen is gorgeous to look at, colors are super vivid and jump off the screen. All the coverage that I read prior to the event talked about how nice the details pop, and they were all totally telling the truth. Pixels seem really small and almost unnoticeable when up close. I know that once people get their hands on the system they won’t be disappointed.
It Feels Good
We all entered the store and ran through the gauntlet of people to sit at a station, to finally pick one up and play. The first thing you notice is just how light the Vita is. It feels considerably lighter than a PSP and I would say maybe a little bit lighter than an iPhone 4 sans case. I caught myself rotating the system just to see how they get all that techie goodness in there without the weight, and to be honest I’m still astounded at how they’ve done it. The analog sticks (YES! a second stick) feel great, the concave surface is smooth and doesn’t have that thumb grating mesh that the nub of the old PSP had. They are raised just enough to give you the movement you need but don’t interfere with the system’s profile. They feel like scaled down versions of Dualshock sticks which is definitely a good thing. Two slightly convex handholds are placed on the back of the device and provide a comfortable place to rest your hands. It did take a little bit of getting used to, to figure out the exact way to orient your hands when playing with both sticks–especially because I didn’t want to drop–it but after a minute or two it felt like playing any other PSP. Interacting with the front and back touch screens showed just how responsive the system was and how nice they both feel. Although very smudge-prone, they had just enough tactile feel to make you know that they serve a purpose.
Launching Pad
Vita launching well is going to be very dependent on the titles that come out when it drops on Valentine’s Day. I would say that the Vita might have one of the strongest launch lineups a handheld has ever had. Some of those games were playable at the Social Club that night and from what one of the reps said they will rotate games in and out for the six week period the club will be open. Some of the games there that night were: Hot Shots Golf, Reality Fighters, Modnation Racers, LittleBigPlanet2, Sound Shapes and Uncharted.
I believe Sony’s platform is amazing for indie developers, so I ran over to Sound Shapes by Jonathan Mak (maker of Everyday Shooter) and tried it out for a bit. Due to time constraints I jumped on a game already in progress and unfortunately didn’t get a chance to go through the tutorial, but I can say that what I did play was cute, fun, and really interesting. It seemed like they mixed a platformer with a music game. Going from screen to screen, rolling or jumping on objects and characters added new sounds and beats to the delightful soundtrack. I’m not sure what your “mission” is but I really would love some more time with that game.
Next up was Reality Fighters. After seeing the AR games that came with the 3DS, I wanted to see what Sony had up its sleeve. I picked up a copy and let it run for a bit. Again I didn’t have a chance to run through the controls but the Augmented Reality was awesome. You tell the Vita to pick a ground point and it uses the camera to project the background under your fighters. You can move the camera around the gamespace in real time to change things up as well. The game felt really responsive, it looked great and the ability to import your face into the game worked quickly and seamlessly. I was very impressed with Reality Fighters and would pick this up day one.
Modnation Racers was a great console game, but due to massive loading times didn’t live up to the hype. The Vita version seemed to have some of those same issues. I don’t know if the game was running from the HD or from the cart but the load times were way to long to be viable on a handheld. My 20-minute commute is a short one and if it takes almost a minute to get into a race then I doubt I would really be able to enjoy the game to full capacity. The game did look and sound great, the controls were spot on, but the loading times were hard to overlook.
The game that I believe most people wanted to play was Uncharted: Golden Abyss. It has been touted as the best example so far of what the Vita is capable of, and after playing it I have to say that it is one of the most visually impressive games I’ve ever seen on a handheld machine. Graphically it’s a little bit under PS3 quality, which is a remarkable statement and a testament to how far gaming development has come. Nathan looks as great on a Vita as he does on your big screen, and movement and controls are excellent and have all the small flourishes that you expect from the series. Interacting with the touch screen to initiate traversal sequences feels intuitive and worthwhile and the analog controls feel just right and make it feel like a console experience.
The Vita is a powerful machine with a lot of great software already announced. If they can back that great software with infrastructure that can handle the load, then they will have a winner on their hands. What gamers need is a way to enjoy their content in a no-muss, no-fuss way, easy secure access to the PSN store, and hopefully a consistent way to integrate some features back and forth between the portable and home systems. Again if they can make that happen, they may have the game-changing device we are all hoping for.
Sony did a great job of putting this event together and we all had an awesome time playing with the new kid on the block. I will head back down and update this post with any new games and findings that come up. The Vita seems to be heading in the right direction on all fronts and hopefully will get the attention that it deserves. I can’t wait for launch day to experience all the goodness that this little powerful machine has to offer. A quick shout out goes to Sid and my line-mates Dan and Marlon for braving the cold and being my gameplay muses. Thanks again guys, hope to see you all soon.
These guys were great!!
On The 2012 Horizon
Christmas is less than a week away, people have stuck their gaming gifts under the tree, and we are still playing through the glut of games that came out during 2011. The only logical question to ask is “So, what are you going to play next?” The crazy amount of awesome games we all got to experience this year was pretty mind-blowing. There was so much to choose from and play that there are still things that I haven’t had the chance to tinker with, but we as gamers are always looking for the next best new thing. So I thought now is a great time to look at what the industry has in store for us for 2012 by giving you our “What, do you think money grows on trees? Ok here is my money most anticipated 2012 games list”.
First up is a game that intrigued lots of people back when it was announced in 2010 and really got a lot of buzz going after its trailer at the 2011 VGA’s. This game is Bioshock Infinite, set in the dystopian floating city of Columbia where raging factions are fighting for control. The protagonist Booker Dewitt and his newly found sidekick Elizabeth are stuck in the middle and need each other to survive. The game has a number of good things going for it, beautiful graphics, engaging fast-paced gameplay and lots of new interesting systems going on at the same time. The best thing it has is Ken Levine, he has been making thought provoking games since System Shock and with him again behind the helm of the Bioshock universe, it can mean nothing but good things for Infinite.
Next up is Ghost Recon:Future Soldier. Now I’m sure someone just looked at their screen and gave this article the side-eye. I can understand why, they had a pre-alpha showing and a Kinect demo that left a lot to be desired; BUT I can say with the latest couple of videos Ubisoft has shown they might have a really awesome tactical team-based, third-person shooter on their hands. The game seems to have all the cover-to-cover, flank your opponent gameplay plus all the tech you would want from a game based in the not-too-distant future. There was an awesome article on Popular Mechanics about some of the tech in the game. Check it out here.
A game that I think will be on people’s radars is pretty awesome because it’s both a re-imagining and a reboot of a popular decade long franchise. Tomb Raider with a totally new and updated lifelike graphic style, new gameplay elements like broken bones affecting movement and using scavenger survival tactics will hopefully take the game in a totally new direction. The one glaring issue for most after watching the trailer was all the QTE’s. Trust me, although I love Heavy Rain I hope this game is not super QTE heavy.
Grand Theft Auto V is hopefully coming out this year as well. Little is known about it besides the fact that you are goin’ back to Cali. It looks like they have made big strides using bits and pieces of the GTA IV and L.A. Noire engines. For open world gamers this might be all you need in 2012.
Last but not least is my most anticipated/wanted game. It’s something that for me and many others seemed to have come out of nowhere and has captured my imagination; this game is called Journey. From ThatGameCompany creators of Flow and Flower, this game is just honestly one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever seen. I usually don’t heap praise like that upon games unless it deserves it and this totally does. The amazing use of scale, desolateness, subtle nuanced music and minimalist gameplay elements combine to make what I hope is a huge success for those developers. I hope it’s a success because it would prove that games that don’t require you to be a guns-blazing meathead can prosper in today’s gaming market. The game drops you into a world with no direction but shows you a huge beacon in the far off distance. It uses human intuition as a gameplay mechanic to a certain extent–you see things and you go and explore them. By exploring you gain fabric to extend your scarf, the longer you’ve been playing, the longer your scarf will grow and obtaining fabric also lets you open up new areas to explore.
The scarf mechanic really becomes interesting in terms of how multiplayer works. The trick is that you can’t pick who you play with; you will always play with strangers and that is the best part. You will have to use “body language” and audible chirps to coordinate how to progress during the game. Also you can’t start a game with someone, there are no lobbies so if you come across another person you can decide to follow or go it alone. This provides the player the chance to have a totally different experience every time you play. After playing the beta earlier in the year and seeing the gorgeous vistas, this has to be at the top of my list for next year.
There are also some honorable mentions that I won’t go into detail about now but will later when more information is released. Some of them are The Last of Us, The PSVITA games Sound Scapes and The Escape Plan. These are just a taste of the games that will be or should be released this year and should provide massive amounts of gaming goodness for all of us. If there are any games that you think I might have missed or want us to cover for your list, please drop us a line or shout it out in the comments below.
