One of the best features about Sony's Echocrome is that it embraces user-generated content. Thing is, it only embraces it temporarily. Like a female praying mantis, coupling with a mate in a fit of passion before turning on it and devouring it whole. See, each new round of user-generated levels, when thrown up, replaces the last lot. So if you want to play the best homemade designs available, you've only got a limited time before they're gone. Gone forever. Not sure I really like this idea, since Echocrome isn't a game that really makes me want to rush through it.
echochrome: no end in sight [PlayStation.Blog]
Bonus Echocrome Levels Up For A Limited Time Only
7:00 AM on Tue May 6 2008
By Luke Plunkett
1,631 views
36 comments









Comments
I love your analogy there.
See, the concept is good in concept, but the execution I think is playing out rather horrible. Must just be me then I guess?
Wow, that really sucks, they should find a way to have them all available at all times. I just want to download the good ones... not all of them
Kinda stupid. I was planning on buying this later as I already have enough stuff to play for now.
Kind of like the SSBB stage of the week, only people might actually care about this.
I'm currently putting a few minutes each night into echochrome, it's a nice way to relax before bed. Until I get frustrated over not understanding that damn perspective jump.
This doesn't preclude echochrome users from trading and creating their own levels. You will be able to store those forever if you wish.
Seems kind of silly restrict content availability in this way. How much server space could these files take up? It's a black and white game, with pretty simple geometry.
I wonder what the threshold is on the time a level is stored. Time? Number of files?
Well... they managed to screw up a great game somehow.
Let's set up a paypal donation link so we can help Sony buy a new hd to store the content.
Could just be a marketing ploy to keep people interested more often for longer. More people will likely rush to get the new batch release before it goes away. Or not.
@Kaizuden: well the game is great. its just sony needs to meet the demands of the public and make a dan server to keep all the puzzles. at least keep the puzzles up for 30 days or something. i think that would be feasible.
@Replica23: Except this 'new batch' isn't like an extra block you can download and then use anytime. They're mixed in randomly with the normal set, and will be replaced eventually. There's no retention; it's a one-shot deal.
What they need to do is keep the "top 100" and let the weakest ones get deleted. The more votes and downloads a level gets, the longer it will stay up. The best ones would stay up forever.
A $10 game with hours of built in puzzling and the ability to create and share new levels. Add to this that the developer will push new refreshed content to you on an ongoing basis.
Stop complaining.
if you can trade custom levels, whats to stop someone just downloading them all and hosting the packs on the net?
There's nothing to stop you from just re-uploading your level.
That's what I plan to do if mine gets taken off.
Sound the feasting horn!
The feast is ruined!
People complain these days about anything, it is like we all have turned into little kids and whinners.
I say we just sue sony into making the content stay up for good. By my calculations I alone can buy sony out 47.2 times over. Which means my team of 347 lawyers > their team of lawyers.
@neoraul20:
You ever spend any time on the Official Sony Blog? You haven't seen anything until you've been there.
@kspray-dad:
i totally agree. it's a great $10 game. of course things could be improved and maybe they'll update the game, but it's the best $10 i've spent in a long time.
@Jcnet: erm...what?
@nolifedopestar (PSN: noliferuin):
(shh I think it's supposed to be funny,don't tell anyone)
@enewtabie: (ahh sorry) LOL yea good one
@Replica23: true. knowing Sony they'll probably wait a few months and if it's still popular or if sales start declining, they'll put them all up for everyone to get.
@nolifedopestar (PSN: noliferuin): good point
Hmm... Will the content be free?
And if you dont want to lose the levels why not just back them up on your Computer. seems logical no?
Hardest user generated level so far I've played was titled "Book" by a Japanese User. 2 squares joined to form a L, mirrored side by side.... Anybody played this one? How the hell are you supposed to pass this?
This is why I wish they come out with a patch where we can save these levels. Next time I'm gonna jot down their ID and just mail them to ask for the levels, if I run into a good one.
@GUNDAM-RX-78-2:
All DLC will be free.
@Norellicus: If the content appears in gallery then all you have to do is press the Triangle button and it will copy it over to portfolio. So this means you can play them whenever.
For some reason in my copy of echochrome the "upload" and "send" options are greyed out and can't be selected.
Really want to upload my level and see if it's worthy enough to be chosen.
I got this game...the examples were good...but there's a crap load more that's way too "big", making the puzzle look mighty small on my 47 inch TV. They don't have a zoom option...I guess it wouldn't make sense to have zoom, it would block the solution. So unless you have at least 47 inch...or maybe 42 inch...I don't recommend this game. Hard to see on "big" puzzle.
@Gloibin: Ha! I totally agree. I love this game, I play it on the subway on the way to work and it definitely gets my mind moving. However for Echochrome 2 they definitely need to perfect the perspective jump. I've given up on trying to line things up right and just swing the camera around until I land on...*something*
Not a deal breaker, I love everything including the orchestral soundtrack, but that one technique makes almost no sense.
I uploaded my first homemade level to the network last night. Then I downloaded some, then played freeform. I had about six maps (all from Japan, I'm in the US) before my own creation came up. Maybe the game mixes any available map- original, download, and custom- but it was a cool feeling to see my map and title appear on screen. Having the downloads replaced every so often is a blessing and a curse. Keeps the levels fresh, but you can't keep your favs, or share them.
@noamjamski: I never understood how that was supposed to work from the trailer either. I can't even remember it clearly now; something looks as though it's below you and you jump UP to it, or vice versa.
@noamjamski: It might help to think of the jump as the regular sink hole. Except, you don't start falling until you reach the top of your jump. Just take into account the small forward momentum of walking.
spent my $9.99 on this game, went through the tutorial and the first two levels and lost interest, the game really doesn't keep you wanting to come back for more. i found exit and exit 2 more interesting.
guess i'll have to see how it plays on psp since i can play that anytime and anywhere.
Every PS3 has a hard disk drive. Why don't they just let people download them and keep them?
I cant imagine its much data. They don't have to pay for the development costs. So what's the harm?
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