Bunny Towers

One of Bunnylands more eccentric creators, Coasterfreak1235,  is set to launch his new level “Illogical Tales: Spoiled Tea-Time”. We decided to up carrots and head on over and take a look prior to launch. We discuss some of the finer matters that faces a typical creator, styles of levels that should be banned, taking over MM for the day and the dreaded subject of H4H’ers. Coaster pulls no punches, so read on.

Firstly, your alias – ‘Coasterfreak’, should we read anything into your choice of alias. It implies some degree of love (or fear perhaps) of all things roller-coaster related, that simple?

“Oh my God, how did you know? No, really, actually I like them pretty much. And I ‘kinda’ didn´t come up with any other name.”

You have a reputation as one of the more eccentric creators amongst some your friends and fellow creators; not necessarily for thinking outside of the box, but expecting others to jump out and play there for the duration! One example might be that a typical Coaster level is often immensely difficult by comparison to the more generic levels one might find, maddeningly so it has to be said. Is this well founded, or is your personal difficulty threshold simply out of kilter with most players. Roller-coasters, extreme difficulty.. a pattern forming?

“Oh goodie, I have a reputation? Actually I don´t think that my levels are THAT difficult (though I´ve been told so very numerous times), but just challenging. But also it maybe be because my obstacles interrupting the walkway to the scoreboard may have certain patterns what are not so easy to be noted for a first-time player. And for the pattern… now it seems to be like extreme difficulty, extreme difficulty, extreme difficulty… I´ve found out that LBP seems to dislike a realistic coaster. Shame on you.”

Talk us through the typical process of design->create->publish; such as where your inspiration comes from, moving towards creation and then your thoughts on publishing.

“I get inspired from many things. LBP levels, other games, bizarre ideas thought just before sleeping… then I leave it in my head for few days (or overnight if it seems really promising) and start to create and just see what it becomes. Or I just start creating something, decide that it´s something and just keep on creating. Probably half of my ideas get discarded. The create part takes usually a MONTH, depending how fun the project is and do I get ideas for the obstacles. Also i seem to have a habit of inviting friends more frequently that it would be reasonable to get feedback. The publish phase can take a week or two, depending of the need for polishing and trouble-blasting.”

There seems to have been quite a backlash building recently towards ”H4H’rs” – seemingly turning some of the once placid LBP community into a modern day baying mob, demanding a public stoning. What side of the fence are you on, because some might argue that getting a level noticed is more stressful than the actual creation process – and H4H’ing is merely fanning the flames of a level that might otherwise fall beside the wayside.

” I guess I´d go with the angry mob in this one. I DO hate those empty levels consisting of nothing but an entrance gate and a scoreboard, those people don´t even TRY to make anything! (See ‘level rage’ further on.) Yes, I´ll join the angry mob at the barricades. See ya thear! That is, if I´m not creating.”

Have you always been a creative person and if so, in what respect?

“I´m a horrible drawer, but I´ve been gadding with Legos as long as I can remember. I hear that I have an excellent talent of understandind 3D objects drawn into 2D.”

Getting back to level design – what would you say makes a good level?

“I like uniqueness. Good visuals are a bonus, but it doesn´t necessary mean a splattered rainbow. Also it should have a degree of difficulty, not a cake walk. Although exceptions do exist.”

Has LBP affected the way you view and play other games in terms of changing your tastes? Put another way, out of your entire gaming collection - would LBP be the game you could least live without – or is there some title that you consider to be personally more rewarding?

“No. I liked games like LBP before, puzzle/platformers. An excelling example would be Braid, a game with outstanding graphics and music. And the gameplay toys with time, C likes! Though I´ve found myself playing also games like WipEout HD… I have a wide taste.”

Out of your previously published levels – which are you most proud of and for what reason?

“Let´s see. Plain Platformer, for inducing a MASSIVE amount of frustration and rewardingness after getting past that devious point. Then there´s The Pendulum Room, my one and only survival challenge so far, though a new one may be in the making… TPR has, I think, an interesting hazard – the room topples. I like. Then there´s The (Unusual) Tower to Heaven, one of my longest levels. I also like that the ‘rooms’ are hung from´above in a chain. You (the reader) make the final order.”

We all have a memory of our earliest time playing LBP – the one ’stand out moment’ that we recall, usually, with fondness – for you, this would be?

“I suppose it would be the first time ever I played LBP. The level was The Wedding Reception, I smiled all day. Or then it was when I aced The Bunker.”

What makes you cringe and irritates you the most about LBP?

“Ah, ‘Level Rage’ as a Bun named it. I can´t stand when obviously bad levels get to Page One and even hearted 1000 times when my levels are stuck in page 10(upper index)1000. Or the miscompatiblity between LBP and realistic roller coasters.”

What was the last thing that made you laugh in LBP?

” Can´t remember, but it was a quality level. I hope.”

If you could ban a particular style of level, which would it be?

” Now that the bomb survivals seem to be dead, I think it would be ‘Shark Survival.’ Or every over-apperciated and over–rated level there is.”

Regarding the first level you ever published – in retrospect, is this something you remain proud of, or must its name never be spoken again?

“I think there´s nothing special in it. Not ashamed, but not so proud. My levels are thankfully evolved from that…”

What is your favourite tool in creation?

“All kinds of bolts, pistons, switches and the others in the page. If they don´t count, the corner editing tool.”

Imagine your head of MM for the day and can make sweeping changes to the LBP universe from both a developer and player perspective; what would be the three changes you would enforce?

“Aw, only three? Now…

1. The Gravity Changing tool. Choose between universal gravity or just the player´s or defined objects.

2. The World Manipulating Zone. A predefined zone, what gives the player the same might as in My Moon while creating levels. A must have!

3. Better sticker making. If I wanted a, let´s say, red-and-white circle, i would have to take a quadrangle picture including the colour of the background. Stupid. Or then the ability to import pictures.”

You have been rather vocal at times about your feelings that levels that attain high ratings not necessarily live up to your own expectations. If you had the ability to overhaul the rating system what changes would you enforce?

“Ah, ‘Level Rage’: The Cure. (half an hour later) I have no idea. Match the community´s likes suiting to mine? Maybe I´ll just go to the corner of my pod and be quiet about it.”

Where have you take inspiration from during your time as a creator?

“Everywhere. Other levels, other games, other TV shows, the time between the decision to sleep to the actual sleeping. An bizarrre example is Illogical Tales: The Spoiled Tea Time – I got the spark while hanging from a tentacle in the level Sacky Potter and the Philosopher´s Sponge. That´ll also give you the idea how long making a level takes from me… (I´ve heard rumours that there´s a level being made at Sub-Coaster speeds… it twists your brain.)”

Tell us a little bit about your latest level “Illogical Tales: The Spoiled Tea Time” and what players can expect.

“The level gameplay itself is a hang ‘n’ grab styled building site with lots of side secrets. And lots of score bubbles to find. And an intro I´ve heard some feedback. And a stump of a mysterious story. That may be inspired by a certain book that has the numbers ‘42′.”

You have included a “Skip” feature to allow players to pass checkpoints to combat difficulty issues and still enjoy the level. Do you think it has mass market appeal that will stand the test of time and prove your design decisions right?

“I hope so. The SKIP sign has proven to be a mystery for most of the mass I´ve played with. Although I´ve received a number of positive feedback and one 6 star rating. YaY!”

How much time do you generally devote to creating your levels and what the typical length from beginning to publishing?

As mentioned before, about a month depending of the level and how fun it is to create. This time period is a variable and (soon) known as ‘The C Length’. Sub-C Length is on the edge of making no physical sense. For example, The TTPC has been in production for over 4/5 of a year and project dead..

“Illogical Tales: The Spoiled Tea Time” – Can you explain the relation between the choice of name and the level?

In the level, the name connects only that in the beginning, the main character mentions that the time he had to leave the hotel was 5 p.m. You figure it out.

What do you think about water?

“I think it´s a fun think to toy with. But soon, it won´t be a constant in the new levels but turn into an addition. Also I think that it´s good with faking reverse gravity.”

It was time to wrap up and spend a little more quality time with Illogical Tales: Spoiled Tea-Time and form an opinion .

The “construction site” theme that coaster has set for the backdrop to the mayhem suits the level well. We recommend you pay particular attention to any arrows that may appear and look out for any hidden areas that deviate off track.

It is true to say that Coasterfreak makes demands on players, expecting they challenge themselves instead of mindlessly running through a level without any true sense of reward for reaching it’s ending.

This is not to say that many will not find the level “difficult” – a word that has often been associated with many of his levels, but with the inclusion of the “Skip” feature this should allow everyone to enjoy the level. We here at Bunny Towers enjoyed the level, although remain adamant that Coaster deliberately peppers his levels with moments of maddening frustration that is music to his ears!