Were the Panic Katamari Tees really that great? I took a look through their gallery and saw the license shine through while the quality did... uh, not. This just looks better to me, in general.
This is so sad... the World of Goo designer Ron Carmel was quoted in an interview in November that "We're doing ok, though. We're getting good sales through WiiWare, Steam, and our website. Not going bankrupt just yet!"
Apparently it was only a matter of time.
The only difference I see is that they have different text at the bottom of each picture.
I can't imagine anyone considering solely the graphics when choosing a platform to buy this for. But the article linked to does mention something a little more relevant - the PS3 version favours frame-rate drops, and the XBox version favours screen tearing.
Just for comparison, we should have a Wii shot. Maybe Cruisin'?
The Gamecube sold less than 22 million units, worldwide, in it's entire lifespan. The PS3 is already at 18 million and change - and don't forget it's the second spot in Japan behind the Wii.
Doom and gloom is great for an article, but really, as long as it sells better than a console made by Sega, there's nothing to fear.
Easily my favourite was pen15. Yet not on the list are variants of that, like say pen1s.
Hmm.
Gonna go corrupt some youth now, thanks!
...sigh...
I wish this game weren't on the Wii. On the Wii, this is going to 'underperform', sales wise. Which sucks, because it looks fantastic and fun, and more games could stand to be like this.
But without a substantial reward for the risk, we'll keep having to wait a full year for the next one of these. Killer 7, No More Heroes, Odin Sphere, Mad World... would that I could list a hundred more.
Rock Band in the break room is no different than a Foosball table or a deck of cards. All provide a break, a reward, and a team building environment.
Of course, that's responding to the PC World article, and not the Kotaku brand ridiculous examples. CEOs playing Doom? Hardly. But office drones kicking out with some Wii Sports or Guitar Hero? I see no harm, only benefits.
Tonx doesn't buy things on Buy Nothing Day.
Super Mario 3 HD? The resolution is amazing.
I really hope that Reggie's ultra-Nintendo fanboy comment doesn't come true. Reggie was interested in LBP, but expressed concerns over how it would fare on "Sony's console" (refusing to use the 'Playstation' name... Nintendo keeps 'em reigned in over there...) For Sony's sake - and gamers' sakes - I hope he isn't right.
The best level I've played thus far (besides my own, obviously) is the ICO level. Maybe I'll fire up LBP before it gets moderated out of existence. Because that level is absolutely beautiful.
@Zorantor: You cannot access the level while connected to the servers, either the version on your hard drive or online. Disconnect, and you can do whatever you want - including copying and tweaking your level for republishing once you go back onto the servers. I've had to do it once already. The only downside is you lose all of your comments and stats, as well as (in the case of Azure Palace), your place on the 'Cool Levels' board.
Sadly though, by uploading your level, (or any content), you give Sony the IP rights to it - it's in the user agreement. So the creator of the Azure Palace isn't in much of a position to ask anything of Sony. It's their level now, and they can do with it what they want.
So pathetic.
@trunkenmath: Claiming 'fair-use' applies in a legal context.
Too bad this isn't a legal issue. It's a EULA issue.
Even if it were a legal issue, it's a game that is available in some thirty countries so far. USA copyright law is the tiniest part of the equation.
Why would this get deleted? I didn't see any copyright infringement with the possible exception of the title of the level. (Did they even get a trademark on that?) You can't copyright an art style, no names or characters get references, and no copyrighted images are used. This will stay up.
That being said, this is a fun level, but a little on the touchy side. The jumping mechanics in LBP are a little unforgiving at times, and this level didn't really do anything to compensate for that.
@DaveKap: Was it mature / obscene / violent / violated the terms of agreement? Or did you offer any prize bubbles, or use any stickers, that were community created (and therefore possibly license-breaking)? Any PSeye photos that might have had a print or action figure in the background?
Here we are: Section 10 of the Playstation Network terms of Service and User Agreement, pulled from here:
[www.scei.co.jp]
I've taken the liberty of bolding the relevant info...
[www.scei.co.jp]
I've taken the liberty of bolding the relevant info...
10. USER MATERIAL
You may have the opportunity to post, stream or transmit pictures, photographs, game-related materials, music, home video content or other information through PSN to share with the PSN community ("User Material"). We may provide you with content to use in the creation of User Material. User Material created by you will belong to you, although any content provided by us will still belong to us and/or our licensors as explained in Section 7 above.
You authorise us, our affiliated companies and other PSN users, to use, distribute, copy, modify, display, and publish your User Material throughout PSN and other associated services. You also authorise us and our affiliated companies, without payment to you, to license, sell and otherwise commercially exploit your User Material (for example, selling subscriptions to access User Material and/or receiving advertising revenue related to User Material), and to use your User Material in the promotion of PlayStation products and services. You must not commercially exploit User Material without our consent. You waive any moral rights you may have in your User Material. By posting, streaming or transmitting User Material you represent and warrant that you have all rights necessary to use, post, stream and transmit such User Material and to grant the rights set out in this paragraph.
You agree to cooperate with us and our affiliates and subsidiaries in resolving any dispute that may arise from your User Material through PSN. We reserve the right to refuse to upload and/or to remove any User Material at our discretion.
That last bit is where the 'you can't play your own levels locally' comes from. Note they don't mention where they are removing the materials from - in this case, both the LBP servers and home PS3s.
You agreed to the terms of agreement, and this is what you get. Yes - it's in their rights, ethical or not.
@Accordion: Re-creation can be inventive and original, no doubt about that. But I look forward to seeing levels in the style of these famous works, rather than their design, (which would surely be banned).
@MrPerson: I don't know if I'm capital "W" wrong. It could be debated in a court of law for likely months. But from my understanding of their online user agreement, which we're forced to consent to for online play, they reserve a metric fuckton of rights, including those so far imposed on it's users thus far. Should those rights hold up under legal scrutiny is far too complex of an issue to state any fact, so I will retain my opinion.
I haven't commented on Kotaku for months now, but this one brings me back in.
Good for Media Molecule.
I am one of the many who has had their level moderated out of existence. My crime? Using a user-created version of the Megaman sprite as a background element. Now it's gone - uneditable, unplayable, essentially useless. Was I upset? Naturally - two quick edits and my level would have conformed to their standards, I'd republish it, and all would be fine.
However, as a person who has had their own intellectual property pirated at one point, I applaud Media Molecule for taking such a strong approach. Everyone has learned their lesson in the hardest way imaginable. I know I will never make another level based on or including another person's or corporation's IP. The threat of irreversible deletion is far too strong. The same goes for any pornographic, offensive, or exceedingly violent material.
Of course, the 'fair use' and 'parody' clauses of copyright are good defenses, but like Youtube, Media Molecule has no obligation to host your creations. They are, like Youtube, liable. And the deletion of your offline copy of the level? Harsh - incredibly harsh, bordering on Big Brother levels of censorship. But fair. They provide the tools, the software, the servers, the code, and it's well within their rights to do what they please.
Of course, for many, this isn't a rights issue. It's an issue about the promise of user-generated content. Many feel like it's been shackled down, stifling creativity, tributes, and expression. And the community is obviously clamoring to play levels based on their favourite video games, characters, music videos, movies, what have you.
This is going to make people upset, no matter of whose rights are infringing on whose. But within just a few weeks, I expect that the Little Big Planet community to be extremely well defined with creativity and wonder abounding. I expect a completely different type of Litte Big Planet level to become the 'norm'. There will be no copyright issues in the coming months, as everyone learns that the banhammer is swift and deadly. And the community can only grow from there.
To be honest, I'm sick of seeing the front page of 'Cool Levels' covered in Batman logos and references to video games. I'm sick of playing levels that are only entertaining because the creator didn't have to create a context, because we know the backstory. I'm sick of levels that express work and not creativity. Yes, your Mario level 1-1 is great. But your toolsets and creativity go far, far beyond that. Media Molecule is creating a community which punishes you for being unoriginal. Imagine the rewards, for creators and players, for showing sparks of actual originality and creativity.
Is it tough? Yes. Is it fair? No. Will it create a better online community, a better game, for all of us? Absolutely.
"Most of our products come with a five year warranty".
Great, does MadCatz make XBox 360s? DS Lites? Wavebirds? Rock Band guita...oh they do? Sweet, I'll buy 'em!
