The Little Ghost Blog: June 2013

To celebrate the impending release of Evil_Fishy's new level , Stepping Stones , why not catch up again on his Ghost Creator interview

Creator Name: Tristan
Creator Age: 17
Region: United States
PSN: Evil_Fishy
LBP.me - http://lbp.me/u/Evil_Fishy
Published Levels:
-LBP1 (6, but some of them are private)
-LBP2 (10)
-LBPV (0... for now)
-LBPK(0)
Hearts: 138

Lets start with your first LBP Memory?
A friend of mine brought the game over and claiming it was the best game ever. then he showed me a bomb survival level that I thought was pretty cool (at the time, mind you) and I soon began to think it was the best game ever. Unfortunately my friend no longer plays little big planet

What was it that first hooked you about LBP?
The feel of it, that's what I first liked, but then, when I started creating, my hands were glued to the controller. I was so obsessed with the game that once, I worked on a level all night and had to pretend I fell asleep in the process to not get in trouble with my parents.

Can you tell us about the first level you ever made?
It was my just messing around. For the most part I was dipping my toes in the water with the contraptions and challenges, but when it came to the lighting, I had the global lighting all the way down lights hanging from pieces of the level that were awkwardly bolted on to a robber piece that stretched all across the level that acted as the background. It was also extremely short.

How have you improved as a creator since then?
I experimented, tried what I saw other creators doing like lockstitch, and now I'm making some crazy contraptions. I discovered the grid, and now my levels are much, much cleaner.

What is your best moment in LBP?
Each new discovery and creation feels like a best moment, so it's hard to single one out as the greatest.

If you Could change one thing about LBP what would it be?
Something I'm sure a lot of people have wanted, but I would reverse around the whole role of bad levels with lots of plays and good levels with lots of plays. but that wouldn't be possible in lbp without really tainting the game.

Your strengths and weaknesses as a creator?
-Strengths - Quite a few. things like logic, scenery, contraptions, and design are pretty easy for me
-Weaknesses - I haven't really experimented with sackbots yet, I tend to procrastinate, and I have a hard time deciding on themes.

If you could improve one aspect of your creating what would it be?
I seem to always run into a problem where if i get a great idea for scenery and decorations, I have a hard time making gameplay for it, and vice versa. You can see this in a lot of my levels, especially firelight.

Your influences and inspirations?
If I see something cool in everyday life, I enjoy trying to base something I make in lbp off of it. Other times, when I see things in movies and games, I am usually inspired.

you are a member of the Ghost Creators, what does the group mean to you?
It's a group of friends that I can trust to be great at creating. I even take inspiration from some of them. One of my favourite parts though is showing these already experienced creators cool tricks that I've already discovered.

Okay, now we're getting to the good part, lets talk about some of your levels.

Box of Insanity - http://lbp.me/v/vc0cge (LBP1)
my first level where I really went to town on the 3D. I wanted to make a minigame, and in the end, the gameplay was relatively mediocre, but the background is still stunning.

Star Station - http://lbp.me/v/5f7nj7
my second level in lbp2. by the time I had started making this level I had gotten the hang of lbp2, and the majority of the contraptions were me experimenting with the crazy ideas I was getting. In the end, I published a level that is very polished and has a cool atmosphere. If I ever got the determination to go and remake it, I would be able to make it much longer and it would be more spacious.

Missi_Cat - what an absolutely wonderful surprise this level turned out to be! i really loved your design! really awesome level! i only wish it had 1,000 more plays because it really is so deserving! =)

IXI-satch-IXI - One of the best levels i've played. A much deserved heart for you : )

IZZak2 - Well, this is beautiful. I like the little finishing touches you added (like the stars). Overall it is fun to play, good job.

Enigmatic Innovation - http://lbp.me/v/-hzv4z
my most recent level in all of lbp. It's got crazy contraptions, and very early on in the level I have a giant inverted cog that you fall into one side and it spins to bring you up to the other side. I really got to throw so many of my coolest ideas into this one. the lighting is very polished and is actually the only thing adding colour into the level as the materials are all black and white. Though, this is something you wouldn't have noticed if you weren't actually looking for it.

Quartacin - My new favourite level by far. The way you stayed true to the theme was visually prevalent throughout and your use of holograms was exquisite. Even the little details like the hologram flowing behind the door as it moved kept me at the edge of my seat. Also the intricate designs that were so perfectly placed added a nice a touch. The originality of each contraption was just a bonus for me. This is why I still play Little Big Planet. If I had to give it a rating I would say 10 toes out of five fingers

Just_Tom__ - Incredible! Very fun platformer

SonofaSack96 - I absolutely adore the original gameplay. You are one of my very few closest friends on LBP, as well as a talented creator. I look forward to working with you in the future as you unveil a new level as great or even better than this.

Are there any creators that you particularly admire?

lockstich - http://lbp.me/u/Lockstitch
his levels are very polished and all of them feel like they are good enough to be in the game itself. Even the stuff he does in lbp1 feels like something I'd finally find out how to do in lbp2, only, his contraptions still run smoother than any replica I've ever attempted. His name has become something I can throw around with my friend and they'd know exactly what Id be talking about.

Luos_83 - http://lbp.me/u/Luos_83
He has fantastic atmospheres in all his levels and the gameplay doesn't suffer in any way. Hes made a few series of levels and that shows that he has more determination than I can muster. with him it's kind of a jealous admiration.

And are there any levels that really stand out to you?
well, they are both by lockstitch, and for the most part I admire them because I still can't figure out how in the world he made them. His level Pacific Folly has a a lot of cool stuff with the paintinator, particularly the contraptions that involve shooting a wheel to make other parts of the level move.

Pacific Folly - http://lbp.me/v/2dmcf5
Then there's Granite Gardens. That's the level that I play with all my friends who are new to lbp because it shows off some of the coolest stuff in the game. There is a contraption that is made up of emitted pieces of fabric that move in a circle and then disappear so the player can walk through after riding up with them... I've made something similar after trying to figure out how he did it, but it's no where near as smooth and fast as the one lockstitch has managed to create... well, in lbp1 that is the case, but in lbp2 I have a lot more tools at my dispersal.

Granite Gardens - http://lbp.me/v/s1z367

Do you own a copy of LBPV?
Yes!

How does creating differ from LBP2 to LBPV?
In terms of creating, I've just scratched the surface. I've seen in videos that LBPV has a lot more tools that LBP2, and a lot of the old tools have been improved. The main thing that is holding me back is my current awkwardness with the touch screen. One thing to be noted, however, is that the whole game has a feel that I missed in LBP2. LBP1 had a kind of magic to it, and I have often gone back to it to get inspiration, but that magic was partially lost in LBP2. Fortunately, LBPV seems to have that magic back while still maintaining the crazy amount of creation options.

Out of all the new tools that LBPV has to offer, what is it that most excites you?
Touch. From what I've seen, It takes things that packs like the move pack introduced, and makes them better.

Do you plan on getting LBPK?
I was originally, but I heard a few bad things about it. I may change my mind though, provided that I am shown sufficient evidence that it is actually pretty cool.

Any future plans and projects?
too many to be counted...

Finally, give us 3 tags which describe you as a creator?
Curious, inventive, and picky

(Interview by SpaceMonkey187)