LBP Levels Deleted?

Masses of user created levels are being wiped, customers starting to feel peeved

Published 10/11/2008 at 0:01.
By Chris C [cc_star].

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If you’re currently putting hours and hours into creating an LBP masterpiece be careful, because the internet is reportedly alive with reports of masses of levels being permanently deleted or ‘moderated’

The story has come to light on Kotaku

Traffic on the LittleBigWorkshop discussion board seems to back him up. “This just happened to tons of levels in what seems like a matter of minutes, including my own level ‘Failure To Launch.’ ” Says one user. “By the trend I see from the levels I can no longer play from my recent levels on my planet, its all about copyright. Some levels I’ve seen now unplayable due to moderation: Pacman, Batman, and Scrubs related level.”

But your freedom to create absolutely isn’t as open-ended as they’ve implied. And this creates a huge chilling effect on user-created content for the game that was supposed to set a new standard for it.

My level was “moderated” [LittleBigWorkshop Forum, via Destructoid]
My Level has Been Moderated and I Don’t Know Why [LittleBigWorkshop Forum, thanks Robbie]
Getting Moderated? READ THIS! [LittleBigWorkshop Forum]

I though something was odd when my (extremely rubbish) beta created level had disappeared and I had received a notification that my level was being moderated, my level contained a few rudimentary electrified pieces of glass and a couple of sponge swings, if anyone played it they would confirm it was rubbish but it didn’t contain anyone else’s IP or copyright material. Puzzling!

Kotaku extremely worryingly also report

…But Robbie says there are instances of unpublished levels getting “moderated” too. “I’ve never been so infuriated over a game,” he says…

Can they even access your HDD?

My experience of the hugely anticipated LBP is turning very sour, since I purchased my copy I have rarely been able to get online to play others levels as the game has been beset by server problems and upgrades, the controls are less than accurate and often cause death through their ‘sponginess’ and the rather dodgy 3D implementation, Sony/MM seem intent on ripping off loyal early adopters with overpriced crap, and now hundreds potentially genius levels are reportedly being wiped with no warning or appeal process, when they openly used user-created IP infringing content to promote the game before launch.

The majority of levels I’ve seen involve at least a hint at someone else’s IP, and the rest of them seem to be there to give Trophys away, obviously IP infringement and Copyright law is serious stuff, but Sony/MM didn’t seem to mind when it was being used to hype and market the game before launch. Over promise & under deliver is the wrong way to do business, of course the removal of these levels may be nothing to do with IP etc, but as there is no communication process yet no one knows

Sony & MM have created a truly genius unmissable game but they are walking a PR tightrope and the early user experience is looking far from that pictured in hype and marketing.

Comments

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YOURMUMANDME | 10/11/2008 00:11
Member
3051 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008

Wow , I dread to expect what I am about to find left ….
Not even on my own, on anyone elses !
Most of the levels I’ve been playing are themed ,how many are going to left ?? I don’t get the copyright 100% , if a level is themed on something else it’s not giving any storylines away , it’s probably going to be a good marketing device ! :(
RocketSOL | 10/11/2008 00:22
Member
557 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008

you would expect them to at least let you know whats going on. perhaps warn you to change a particular part of your level within a specific time limit or it will be removed. but then again, thats still no good is it when most people bought this game to let their imagination run wild.

i dont have the game myself, how many user created levels were themed?
- cc_star | 10/11/2008 00:24
  Team TSA: Writer
  12628 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
  
  “how many user created levels were themed?”
  
  The majority
  - RocketSOL | 10/11/2008 00:28
    Member
    557 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
    
    sorry, i see it now (i re-read it)
    
    i sensed a “who’s this idiot” in your response. ha
  - cc_star | 10/11/2008 00:33
    Team TSA: Writer
    12628 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
    
    eh?
    Not at all, sorry
  - RocketSOL | 10/11/2008 00:42
    Member
    557 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
    
    no worries. no need for an apology. if i read the article properly in the first place it wud be orite haha
SteveTheSkorie | 10/11/2008 00:26
Team TSA: Writer
1521 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008

Im guessing that this is some sort of bug or something wrong with the servers.
Yes copyright says that you can’t use other peoples stuff and all that, but nothing in LBP is actually a direct rip off.
A company could sue if they wanted, but I extremely doubt that they would over a user created level in a game.
And seeing as it’s also happening to the non copyright ones too, I think that its safe to say that this isnt to do with copyright but to do with a malfunction.
As for them directly taking the levels from your harddrive. I’m not entirely sure that levels are stored on the hard drive. I’m sure that they probably are, but a lot of it has to do with being connected to the servers.
Whenever you rewind to undo a mistake, it connects to the server to do so. I got a message today when trying to rewind telling me that the server wasn’t responding and so I couldn’t undo the mistake. So maybe that’s why some levels are being plucked from the HDDs.
Oh well.
Hopefully we’ll hear something soon and the problems will be fixed.
- Metalgsean | 10/11/2008 05:20
  Member
  1 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
  
  That cant be right, ive just been creating for the last 5hrs without being signed in to even the PSN and i could rewind and everything as normal, besides if it was saved only to servers what about all the people who arent online lol But i agree about the copyright stuff, its gotta be some kinda glitch, or maybe the amount of published levels is what keeps messing up their servers and they keep just deleting loads instead of fixing the problems?
  - SteveTheSkorie | 10/11/2008 07:50
    Team TSA: Writer
    1521 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
    
    I doubt they’d delete levels to make room for more.
    And I was thinking about people who don’t have online and about how they’d do it. But when you are connected, the game definitely relies on the server. Look the little network icon is always spinning in the bottom of the screen.
    But yeah. Until this is resolved, I’m gonna follow you and play offline :)
YOURMUMANDME | 10/11/2008 00:52
Member
3051 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008

People have been killed for less !!!!
( Actual truth )
fredrikpedersen | 10/11/2008 01:02
Member
92 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008

They won’t dare to take down my Mega Man level, I would go berserk in the streets.
ghag07 | 10/11/2008 02:49
Member
7 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008

Its probably not a bad thing if they take my level down (not a level really just some rubbish to get the trophy at this point!) as it really is ordinary…..although I did have fun doing mid-air spins on the rocket!!!
3shirts | 10/11/2008 06:45
Member
4387 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008

I disagree about the controls, I find them pretty responsive and predictable
- online4ntagonist | 10/11/2008 07:43
  Member
  553 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
  
  I agree with that, pretty intuitive and easy going
- SteveTheSkorie | 10/11/2008 07:51
  Team TSA: Writer
  1521 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
  
  yeah. I’d agree with that. The only thing I ever have trouble with is when the game chooses which of the 3 layers you have to stand in.
- TheDeathAvenger | 10/11/2008 10:29
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  1843 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
  
  I don’t have a problem with the controls either. Once you get used to them, they’re fine.
GamerRiley | 10/11/2008 07:50
Member
888 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008

Sony need to change the slogan at the end of their LBP adverts from “play with everything” to “play with everything as long as it doesn’t offend, it’s accessible to all age groups and not made from copyright material”.
- fredrikpedersen | 10/11/2008 09:40
  Member
  92 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
  
  That’d be a crappy punchline. The storylevels are pretty awazing standalone, and I understand MM must take stuff down if the original producers of the IP/series warns them. Your supposed to watch the storylevels and be inspired, not watch Scrubs and be so.
Michael | 10/11/2008 08:50
Team TSA: Development
2453 TSA Points | Member since: Forever

Bum.
The LittleBigHope is a LittleBitFlaky at the moment.
- Pixl1983 | 10/11/2008 09:13
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  Bum indeed.
  - fredrikpedersen | 10/11/2008 14:15
    Member
    92 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
    
    The LittleBigGame is LittleBigAwesome and needs no LittleBigHope.
Pixl1983 | 10/11/2008 10:35
Member
525 TSA Points | Member since: Forever

Mm’s response from their forums:

“We’re reviewing the moderating system currently to provide better feedback on why levels are moderated. Primarily, any level that is reported using the grief tool will be checked over by a moderator, at which point they’ll examine it in line with the EULA. If a level is found to be in violation of the EULA it will be moderated and you’ll receive a message to that effect.

We’re moving towards a system where additional information is given, however for the time being if you don’t want your level moderating avoid anything unsuitable for users of all ages and copyright content.”

Also, if you have copyrighted assets as prizes it looks like you’ll get modded too.
- hannes_truce | 10/11/2008 11:24
  Member
  3465 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
  
  to be honest this kinda makes sense. It would be nice though if, as mentioned earlier they gave you an explanation of exactly what has caused your level to be moderated and gave you maybe 24 hours to remove the offending object/part of your level to avoid it getting wiped altogether.
  
  Something like LBP’s level creating/sharing is always gonna have teething problems at first especially with copyright issues, we just have to hope that it starts getting handled a little better than it has been up until now.
- cc_star | 10/11/2008 15:57
  Team TSA: Writer
  12628 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
  
  My level never contained a single shred of anyone else’s IP or copyright, there wasn’t anything offensive in slightest (apart from the fact it was so bad)
  
  I would be more than happy for my 5 year old daughter to play it.
  
  But still its been moderated out of existence
  
  The whole teething problems thing doesn’t wash with me, the game has been in production long enough, there was a large open(ish) beta, then there was further fortnights delay (which I personally believe was nothing to do with the track but the fact the product was even more of a mes than it is now)
  
  My experience is pretty far from the the vision of the game I brought into.
  So far my personal LBP experience sucks, and the thousands and thousands of comments appearing online around the internet suggest I am not alone in this view.
  
  PLAY.CREATE.SHARE my arse!
  - Pixl1983 | 10/11/2008 16:30
    Member
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    I have a feeling the levels getting deleted are all the ones people are flagging. I even wonder if there is any human involvement in the censorship at all. If, like you say, your level had no copyright infringement or obscenity the Mm will have loads of people refusing to upload their work until this is sorted or at least clarified.
    
    Damn the legal system!!!