Sony promises better LBP moderation

By Robert Purchese Published 3 December, 2008

Drops hints about DLC as well.

Sony has assured disgruntled LittleBigPlanet fans that level-moderation changes are in the pipeline.

"The level moderation process is something we're continually improving," Sony insisted on the US PlayStation blog.

"The small percentage of levels moderated have been done so after the community has reported them using the Good Grief tool. We never moderate levels that have not been reported in this way.

"The vast majority of moderated levels were due to offensive material, however we are evolving the way moderation happens to ensure that creators are made aware of why their level was blocked. More to come shortly," added the post.

Servers, on the other hand, should have noticeably improved over the last few weeks, both in terms of connection speeds and updated scoreboards.

Sony has also said that 177,657 user-created levels have been uploaded, and that these have been played a whopping 22 million times.

But the community is still up in arms because time-consuming creations are expelled without so much as an explanation, prompting many angry outbursts on the official LBP forums. Often these are the only copies of the work, too.

Overseeing those forums is Media Molecule community lead "Sam_Protagonist", who had a few tips to avoid level confiscation in a recent post.

"Ensure that the content you share with other users is suitable for all ages - everybody has access to your level if you publish it," he said on the LBP forum.

"Please respect other people's intellectual property rights. For example, don't use images, brands or logos that you're not entitled to use. If you come across any content that you feel the need to report, then please do it responsibly. Hoax reports will be considered inappropriate behaviour."

The community man added that there are "no plans" for the Disney DLC talked about pre-launch; you may remember Sony explaining that many third-parties were interested in sponsored theme-packs, and that Disney was just an example.

"Sam_Protagonist" also suggested Media Molecule has much more downloadable support planned.

"Meanwhile with my random hints hat on, don't expect costumes to be the only downloadable content you'll see, we've got some exciting stuff we're working on," he said.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (75) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Gurgeh #1 3 years ago

    Too late methinks the LBP boat has sailed

    [link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=eXPu0OaMe6Q
    ]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=eXPu0OaMe6Q
    [/link]

  • Apostle #2 3 years ago

    Flop.

  • Triggerhappytel #3 3 years ago

    I don't think I'd buy DLC for LBP as the game is so vast already I've barely even scratched the surface (not even started making my own levels yet). I'm more than happy to download the free Sackboy costumes though :)

    I think the only desirable DLC they could make would be items which aren't already in levels, although I couldn't say what. It'd need to be good - and sensibly priced - to encourage a download from me, though.

  • Vistrix #4 3 years ago

    I would happily buy background music, sound effects or background image packs for the level creators.

    I want some variety instead of the costumes...

  • tonynibbles #5 3 years ago

    One of the main problems is the fact that levels just disappear without even a message to say its been moderated.

    One of mine just vanished with a 'Failed to load level' message as the only clue there was a problem.

    There are ways of getting your moderated levels back, however:
    http://ww w.littlebigplanetoid.com/articl...

  • tonynibbles #6 3 years ago

    The community can provide their own DLC and have been since launch.

  • Bealsy #7 3 years ago

    I think a warning system would be much better. Message sent to the user saying that the level has been removed from the community for "X" reason, with a patch allowing the level to stay on the users moon when they upload the level to the community. Problem solved, then they can make the changes required to make the level suitable for re-release.

  • Negotiator #8 3 years ago

    A system seller,LOL, come on this game has sold jack shit. Sony need to give up on this one, it was all hype mostly generated by the media, and the Sony fanboy.

  • dog2_99 #9 3 years ago

    it is a shame this game has been somewhat of a flop...i bought it but Gears of War is getting the attention (probably saying more about me)...but not really a system seller

  • Skywise #10 3 years ago

    It sold worse than I expected and still they appear too understaffed to properly treat their users :S
    An advance warning that a level will be taken down along with the reasons and an option for appeal is the decent option that would show they respect their users.

    This would be no system seller for me, but when I get a PS3 I will pick up this game for sure :-)

  • DrDamn #11 3 years ago

    @Negotiator
    Define "Jack Shit". Worldwide it's just passed a million units. Not the best out there sure, but for new IP in the platform genre released into the crowded Christmas market it's certainly not "Jack Shit".
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/08 @ 12:02

  • Dizzy #12 3 years ago

    "Frankly I would have given the core creation utility away free, bundled a couple of example levels, and let people run wild -and release a disk with the 50 levels later alongside some paid for DLC later. "

    Interesting idea... could have worked.

    I think Sony believed their own hype a bit too much and saw $$ everywhere. In the end it has done pretty ok and I am sure it will continue to sell in small quantities for a very long time. Not a bad return on investment since it was a small team that made it. I can't help but smile at all the people who predicted this would outsell Gears 2 for Xmas.

  • linksdad #13 3 years ago

    The console would be a system seller if it were under 200 quid.

  • PanStre #14 3 years ago

    You'd think they'd have more sense vis a vis jackasses making iffy use of the 'Good Grief' tool, you know, since their game was delayed because of a jackass 'Good Griefing' Sony over INoffensive content on the original disc.

  • Dizzy #15 3 years ago

    "You'd think they'd have more sense vis a vis jackasses making iffy use of the 'Good Grief' tool"

    Well the alternative is hiring people to test ALL levels (and variations) to the end and give a rating. That is also rather expensive.

  • Bealsy #16 3 years ago

    Negotiator - cock of the day?

  • ebony69 #17 3 years ago

    I'd like to nominate myself also for c*** of the day given the real issue with LBP is that its just not that good a platformer. Old argument I know - but the reason I put it on the collecting dust shelf after one week is that in going through roughly half the shipped levels I found the gameplay tedious and the controls erratic - with jumps and movements (especially between the 3 planes) - a lottery.

    I couldn't give a donkey's about playing little Freddie's concoction or the other 2,000,000 user created levels out there if the core controls and gameplay I would use to enjoy it are broken.

  • juck88 #18 3 years ago

    all you who criticise it obviously dont play the game with any friends, thats when it comes alive

  • DrDamn #19 3 years ago

    @ebony69
    I found the controls ok and some of the level design superb. To be a bit controversial the controls suffer from similar problems of any of the 3D Marios, which I find floaty and imprecise but are held up as some sort of beacon of playability.

  • Vanmunt #20 3 years ago

    Sadly I'd have to echo those sentiments. I found the art direction and the lighting/texture engine impeccible, and Healey & co. must be praised for the technical achievement, but the vague and floaty controls made it no fun at all to play for me.

    From the biggest xbot fanboy on this site...

  • penhalion #21 3 years ago

    @farticusmaximus

    Sadly I'd have to echo those sentiments. I found the art direction and the lighting/texture engine impeccible, and Healey & co. must be praised for the technical achievement, but the vague and floaty controls made it no fun at all to play for me.

    Wait a second here! Aren't you the sod who shot me down for saying just that a while back! I believe I kept saying that the core platformer gameplay wasn't a patch on even the earliest mario games and that made the game pretty pointless in the end. I have to laugh when the people who were defending the gameplay are now suddenly realising it's not very good at all. Kind of makes me wonder if you guys even had the game at the time you were busy shooting down my comments. At least I played it and gave my honest feelings about it.

  • Cronan #22 3 years ago

    What is this game? I haven't heard of it.

  • Dizzy #23 3 years ago

    >Wait a second here! Aren't you the sod who shot me down for saying just that a while back!

    I think it is unlikely it was farticusmaximus :)

  • miiiguel #24 3 years ago

    Who's Jack Shit ?

  • DrDamn #25 3 years ago

    @Penhalion
    "Kind of makes me wonder if you guys even had the game at the time you were busy shooting down my comments."

    Oh the irony ...

  • miiiguel #26 3 years ago

    "From the biggest xbot fanboy on this site..."

    oh man..., I had that badge... FFS! Give it back farticus!

  • Zelos #27 3 years ago

    I wish they'd spent more time on the actual platformer bits of the game instead of all the online creator stuff. I've yet to play a user-created level online that can compare with a retail game, and I don't subscribe to the idea that we're meant to say "wow, this is so cool" just because it was created by an amateur.

  • VandelayIndustries #28 3 years ago

    I think LBP has suffered from a poor release, terrible marketing and the misfortune of being released during a bumper crop of games. Once I'm done with some these other games I'll give LBP some time.

  • Vanmunt #29 3 years ago

    @Mig

    You two can share it then..... Farty can have it mon, weds, friday & Sunday... then alternate everyweek!

  • DrDamn #30 3 years ago

    @Zelos
    Decent levels take a bit of time to come through but there are a number of decent creators out there. Try some of the stuff by Geosautus for example. When you find stuff you do like use the links to check what that creator has hearted and follow the chain. Actually works a lot better than just what is most popular.

    The other point is that I've had as much fun creating stuff as I have with the rest of the game. It doesn't necessarily have to be things which other people would want to play, just things which I want to make. I like the problem solving aspect of creation.

  • FTM #31 3 years ago

    so the burning question is...has anyone managed to get a level published with an enormous but disguised knob and testicles in it?

  • makeamazing #32 3 years ago

    Yes i dont think the launch was that smooth really. But considering the time of year and lots of other games, I think for it to have surpassed 1 million (if thats what it has done), is not bad, certainly not a failure by any means, but not a huge success either.

  • Vanmunt #33 3 years ago

    @Farty

    Well... I guess trolls have to go somewhere, they seen a little out of fashion in nursery rhymes these days and Shrek was the straw that broke the perverbial back.

  • Widge #34 3 years ago

    They hinted ages ago that extra dev tools were going to be released as DLC, which would be nice.

    I need a good amount of time to sit down and create something good, I've played some great levels from users out there. I jumped into a game with a mate to find him on a level called Escape From Alcatraz. Actually had to double take for a while, was really well put together and could easily pass for a dev level. A bit of story, some challenge, well pieced together design. Good stuff!

  • Widge #35 3 years ago

    oh amusing
    Negotiator has desperately been spouting around the PS3 threads again....

  • Dizzy #36 3 years ago

    Not amusing Widge.. rather anal to go look up other peoples posting history. Maybe you should try NeoGAF, seems to be quite popular there.

  • moggsy #37 3 years ago

    I can categorically state that LBP is a system seller.

    That is because I bought the system to play it.

    Haven't regretted it one bit either.

  • Widge #38 3 years ago

    Its just nice context. If someone bleats out the same thing like a big pink robot, its nice to know that you don't have to bother rating the comment as valid.

  • Zelos #39 3 years ago

    @DrDamn

    I have played a few Geosautus levels - nice, but in a retail game they'd be filler, not the best that's available. I don't mean to be rude or anything, it's just that a hell of a lot of playtesting, balancing and polish goes into levels in games like Mario Galaxy and I haven't seen much that even approaches that online.

  • Widge #40 3 years ago

    oh and note I like Farty and Mig... as they converse outside of the "cliche generator". Might not agree all the time, but worth the read and chat.

  • Doctor_What #41 3 years ago

    While I agree that the controls can be a bit floaty at times, for the majority I've loved playing this. I also spent four happy hours last week making my first level... Which turned out to be fairly limited, but my girlfriend and flatmate enjoyed playing it when they got home.

    I'm with DrDamn: the feeling of the controls reminds me a lot of the Mario games, although a bit less slippy-slidey. The Mario games have never really grabbed me (yep, apparently that's a heretical thing to say) but I think the weirdness and the physics of LBP is keeping my attention a lot more.

    As for system seller: I know three people who have been pushed over the edge into buying a PS3 by LBP. They were all thinking about it anyway, but LBP swung it for them. So, it's not technically a system seller, but it has made at least a few more people buy the system, if you see what I mean.

  • Dizzy #42 3 years ago

    >"cliche generator"

    :)

    Hmmm maybe I should program one of those to post on Gamefaqs ;)

    Ok ok... very OT now. I am outa here.

  • DrDamn #43 3 years ago

    @Zelos
    I agree proper playtesting is something a lot of the levels miss. Part of the problem is that it is trickier to use the tools to make small adjustments then create the level in the first place. Initially what we'll get is a lot of interesting ideas but lack of polish - it will get better over time as people get a better understanding and the tools improve. When you find a level with good ideas but a few design issues it's always good to leave feedback comments for the creator too - sometimes you are too close to the design to spot these things. It works too as a couple of people have altered levels based on what I've said and even come and played my levels and left constructive comments.

  • Cadence #44 3 years ago

    Is this a stupid question - why can't you re-upload your level if it gets "moderated", doesn't it get saved locally?

  • Negotiator #45 3 years ago

    Widge, nice to see your keeping up to date on all my posts, you might learn something.

  • crickson #46 3 years ago

    I'm having trouble actually accessing the costumes I've downloaded. They don't appear in my pop-it menu... Am I missing something obvious?

  • Rash' #47 3 years ago

    I think it's easy to be critical of a game that doesn't lay weight to your own biased views. LBP for me is one of the gaming highlights of this gen. It's most tremendous achievement for me is its fine balance between competitive and collaborative dynamic, which very few games tackle let alone achieve. Yes other games have elements of this in them, but not enough imo, have this as an integral part of their design. Far too many concentrate on the competitive. To play the level of friend that they are proud of that shows tremendous promise and to be able to offer them support in helping them achieve their creative potential is a feeling very special to the game. Too many here have missed the point completely.

    That is all.
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/08 @ 14:08

  • Rash' #48 3 years ago

    BTW, can't wait till they patch it so creation can be done online.
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/08 @ 14:07

  • moggsy #49 3 years ago

    Think you're right Rash'.

    The 'amateur' levels may not have the same polish as the official ones but you can appreciate the time that has been spent on them and enjoy them for what they are.

    It's a great game which everyone should own.

  • mcwildcard #50 3 years ago

    I love the game, I think the level creation is really exciting, but you HAVE to plan things out first.
    Try my level, see if you can beat my time, it's called 'Ode to Imogen'. :oD

  • Rash' #51 3 years ago

    Dizzy, Maybe Sony believed in the hype of their game because it's deserving of the hype.

  • Rash' #52 3 years ago

    moggsy, exactly. And the beauty is if they really wanted that polish, all the tools are there to make it happen. It's a cliche, but an an appropriate one: the only limit is in the creativity of the maker.
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/08 @ 14:23

  • Rash' #53 3 years ago

    I wish I had the balls to make my own level. If I had more time, then maybe I'd bite the bullet.

  • Zelos #54 3 years ago

    The 'amateur' levels may not have the same polish as the official ones but you can appreciate the time that has been spent on them and enjoy them for what they are.

    See, that was kind of my point. I'm not really interested in how long it took some random internet person to create a level when I'm stuck having to press "Restart Level" for the nth time because they forgot to make a cart respawn or something.

    Hopefully MM will release some new decent levels as DLC, otherwise I might just trade LBP back in while I'll still get a decent return.

  • Rash' #55 3 years ago

    Zelos, Sounds to me like you are creating frustration for yourself. I don't bother with the levels that are poorly considered. I think what's most shocking about your statement is that you'd seriously consider getting rid because of this. Your call at the end of the day, but the experience of the game isn't limited by today and how you chose to experience it.

  • Arwin #56 3 years ago

    Did anyone see this? Looks interesting:
    http://www.sac kbook.com/coollevels.php

  • DrDamn #57 3 years ago

    @Rash'
    "And the beauty is if they really wanted that polish, all the tools are there to make it happen."

    Kind of - as mentioned it takes a lot of planning and to go back and alter stuff is tricky and can easily break stuff.

    @Cadence
    "Is this a stupid question - why can't you re-upload your level if it gets "moderated", doesn't it get saved locally? "

    The article is a bit misleading. The vast majority of the people who have a level moderated will have a local copy - so "Often these are the only copies of the work, too." is a big load of tosh. If moderated then you can't just re-upload it, but see earlier in this thread for a link to a way round it.

  • Zelos #58 3 years ago

    @Rash'

    The rating system doesn't seem to work that well in my experience, I've mostly been playing the higher rated levels or recommended levels.

    I was suspicious of LBP when I first heard about it, but I read enough glowing reviews and articles that I went into it really wanting to love it, but it just hasn't clicked for me. Should have bought Valkyria Chronicles instead, I think. Oh well.

  • Rash' #59 3 years ago

    Zelos, Yeah, the method of finding content is very limited and requires alot from the player. Definately needs a rethink. But as you'll have noticed from the comments on this very thread there are solutions to this that gamers have found to get at some of the really gems online.

  • Rash' #60 3 years ago

    DrDamn, Yeah, this is the aspect of that game I haven't tried. Me thinks it can be made better then so the online community can be used as a testing ground for creations.

  • breedob #61 3 years ago

    @ crackson

    If u download the costumes they should appear as individual items in the pop it menu.

  • wingzerosys #62 3 years ago

    It`s a decent platformer/creation game, but I think sony did overhype it, it has not done too bad sales wise but it could`ve done better.

    Over on the gfaqs message board, people were complaining about sony modding levels for no aparent reason and I even think some of them were thinking of giving up on the game.

    Who else is expecting cones of this next year? I have a feeling that both Nintendo and MS are going to release their own version, along with third party devs getting into the action, jus like they did with all the wii minigames.

    Also, I`m still waiting for sony/mm to fix the controls for the sackboy, I`d like them to change the jump button so instead of holding down X to jump you press it twice to double jump, I`ve made mistakes a lot due to the jump button, I`m expecting people to say I suck but why do I? For your information I`ve finished quite a lot of games, from adventure, RPG`s, fps`s etc, so I`m pretty good at gaming.

    They could also do with fixing another thing, where the sackboy keeps moving in and out of the background, it`s annoying when you have to keep reposioning (sp) him due to moving in and out of the background and likely getting yourself killed and having to replay leves due to these problems.
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/08 @ 15:57

  • wingzerosys #63 3 years ago

    I`m begining to wonder why Sony/Mm released a Beta for this, surely a lot of the things wrong with this game would`ve been adressed due to Beta testers giving their feedback.

    They release all this info about the game before it was released and they have done nothing about it, they said they would fix the controls, online etc and they still haven`t.

    Now they say were not gettin the Disney DLC , what other lies are they going to come out with?

    Are they going to release the Kratos and Nariko costumes to those who were unlucky to get them? I bet they don`t, instead they charge us for other costumes.
    Edited by 1 at 03/12/08 @ 16:05

  • DrDamn #64 3 years ago

    @wingzerosys
    The main Beta for this was more marketing and server testing - it was far too late to make any game changes based on feedback.

    "Are they going to release the Kratos and Nariko costumes to those who were unlucky to get them? I bet they don`t, instead they charge us for other costumes."

    Yes they did - I got a spare Nariko costume from a friend and a Kratos costume from the OPSM which I have cunningly put in a "safe" place - (read I've lost the bloody thing).

    @seamonsterneil
    Not had any trouble with the search engine. If I type in a level name then it comes up, I've used it to find levels and creators a number of times.

    Getting people to play your stuff is difficult, but so is getting people to watch your vid on YouTube. Make sure it's tagged and described properly for starters. Then publish at a peak time when there are lots of people playing. Leaving constructive comments on other people's levels is also a good idea as they and others are likely to check out what you have done.

  • DrDamn #65 3 years ago

    @seamonsterneil
    Maybe your stuff is a bit boring then? ;). Is it seamonsterking as your Live tag? link - that's not a bad return.

    None of the tools are locked in the game, they are all available in the creation tutorials. What you'll miss out on by not playing the game are some music, some stickers, pre-made objects, character costumes and *variations* on base materials. So you can create anything you want functionally without playing the main game all the way through.

  • wingzerosys #66 3 years ago

    @DrDamn.

    Well lucky you, I only managed to get a Kratos code from OPM and would like the Nariko costume aswell.

    That is the problem, you have to play every single player level to unlock the stuff for the creation tool, that means you have to ace them aswell as play with other people, who could sometimes ruin it for you by dying all the time.

    The search tool kinda works, sometimes I`ve found the levels with no trouble and other times it hasn`t found them, the categories (sp) on the other hand, needs fixing, I suggest no one should use it, in the cool section you`ve got all the trophy whore levels and shit levels, so I usually have to search or look on Gfaqs to find out which levels are worth playing.

  • DrDamn #67 3 years ago

    Acing Levels only gives out costumes. As I said above there is nothing functionally locked by just doing the first 4 levels to unlock creation and then the tutorials. You get everything you need.

  • kungfubob #68 3 years ago

    i made and posted a level (which took me ages to create) and it was removed overnight. i wasnt given any explanation why it was removed which left me puzzled as there was no adult content or anything that would be called offensive in it. i tried contacting MM but that was a waste of time.
    I loved LBP but i sold it because what is the point of spending days creating your own level to have it removed forever even though no adult content was included? LBP is a success,a great idea but with moderation so severe i think anymore time spent making family oriented levels to have them removed is a waste of my time.

  • elephant_stone #69 3 years ago

    Eurogamer....where is my prize for being one of the first 100 people to enter your level designing comp?

  • Doctor_What #70 3 years ago

    @ wingzerosys: The Disney DLC isn't lies - they said 'for example' when talking about it the first time. It was never promised to be coming, they never said that it would definitely arrive. I might say 'I could, for example, shave all my hair into the shape of Mickey Mouse tomorrow', that doesn't mean that I will, or even that it's likely, it just gives an example of what sort of thing I could do.

    Stop over-reacting and trying to blow something that you've misremembered into base treachery!

  • DrDamn #71 3 years ago

    @seamonsterneil
    I used the search function twice tonight - once to find the Sackbook level to register that and once to look for your levels. I typed in seamonkeyking but still managed to find your levels. Left some comment in the Tree one. One other comment I would say is to sort out your descriptions so they represent what you have in the level - puzzles for the Tree one for example - you don't have any description in there at all, but obviously it's MM's fault that no one plays it ...

  • Fab4 #72 3 years ago

    What's it like to be a "trv3 game warrior" potata_fan? More pertinently, what's it like to be a fucking idiot?

  • canIdoyabombsforya #73 3 years ago

    What do you mean Sony did no marketing? most of the fan sites are probably owned by Sony. Sony are their own biggest fanboys after all.

  • wingzerosys #74 3 years ago

    Well if were not getting the Disney dlc why mention it? Sony/Mm said we coud be getting all this dlc based on tv/film/whatever and then they say were not actually getting it, they talk bollocks in just about every interview they release.

    They say they`re fixing the controls, they`re releasing dlc, gonna add things like disney, use the psp, play tv etc and we still haven`t got shit, well we got costumes but that`s about it.

    I`m just sick of all the news articles we get from them, with them promising this and that and only releasing costumes to tie us over, instead of giving us updates on what they`re doing/gonna do, why not just get on with it and release it already.

    Azure Palace is the level everyone was moaning about on gfaqs, people complaining and saying they`re going to trade the game in and that, yes it was kinda blown out of proportion.

  • dave.k #75 3 years ago

    Geez, I didn't think the controls for LBP were that bad. They were quite decent in fact. About the only issue that I have is that the character will occasionally jump onto objects placed for decoration in the background. That red candle is one of the bigger offenders. It would have been easily solved had MM included a flag with every object that denotes whether you can jump on it or not.

    Otherwise, the controls are great. Floaty? Yeah, but that's not a bad thing. It's just part of the gameplay. You have to understand how your character moves. Hard to jump sometimes? Yep, but only because the shape of the platform you're standing on can influence how well you jump. Also, the height you can jump depends on the momentum of the platform you're on. If the platform is moving up, you get an extra push up, if it's moving down, you can't jump as well. It all makes sense, and it's all pretty realistic physically.
    Edited by 1 at 08/12/08 @ 07:51