Level Creation Guide/Tools Bag


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The Tools Bag has a variety of tools that are needed for any good level.

Page 1
The first window of the Tools Bag has several unique tools. It also brings together many of the Function tools from other Popit windows in one place. This menu's unique tools include the danger tools you've collected as well as the Corner Editor. Be aware that all the lethalized objects will glow so as such, they are visible in the dark all except gas!

Corner Editor
All objects which are made from the basic materials have corners. Yes, even the circles are made from several corners with subtle angles. You can use the Corner Editor to make fine adjustments to your shapes, or to clean them up if they have become over complicated.

To use the Corner Editor, select the tool and select the object that you wish to modify. As you move the cursor around the object you will hear a distinct "Tink" and the cursor will glow as you pass over each corner. You may modify the shape in the following ways:


 * Move a Corner: Select the corner with the button. Move the corner with the left stick. Press the button to release the corner in its new location.


 * Delete a Corner: While hovering over a corner, press the button to instantly delete it. The object will connect the corners to either side with a straight line.


 * Add a Corner: While against the side of the object, but not over a corner, press the button to add a new corner to the shape. The new corner will be selected and positionable until you press the button again.

Some notes to keep in mind:


 * Corners cannot intersect other shapes: While adding and/or moving corners, you cannot intrude on objects adjacent to the one you are modifying.
 * Compound shapes cannot be modified: If you have an object which has another object embedded within it, you cannot move any of the corners. In order to change it, you will need to remove the embedded object and/or unglue it prior to selecting the Corner Tool.
 * Shapes must have a minimum of three corners: If you remove a corner on a three sided object, the entire object will disappear.
 * Corners cannot touch: If, while moving a corner, you move on top of an adjacent corner, your selected corner will be deleted.
 * 'Unnecessary corners are removed': Similarly, if you move a corner to be in a direct line with two other corners (in other words, not needed to change the shape) it will be removed.http://littlebigplanet.wikia.com/wiki/Level_Creation_Guide/Tools_Bag?action=edit

Flame tool
Lethalize your material objects with fire. Fire is cool and brightens the scene a little. Although it may not be evident, materials hold their properties after lethalizing them with fire. You may use fire for different things:


 * Dangerous: Use it to kill a SackPerson. You may lethalize the entire floor, or do avalanches of fire rocks. You may also project fiery objects with help of emitters. Use your imagination.


 * Warnings: Fire is lethal, but can be used as a warning too, based on the fact that Sackboy needs two consecutive contacts with fire to die. ( quickly ) So use it in a wall or in some place a Sackboy in a hurry will frequently make contact with, or simply to avoid them to be near.

Creative uses: Whenever a Sackboy touches fire he will jump away from it. You may take advantage of that in your level to make Sackboys reach certain places necessary by touching the fire, but this will almost always require a certain Sackboy velocity to reach the wanted place. Also with the new Pirates Of The Caribbean pack, if fire comes into contact with water, the fire will be extinguished and the material that you set on fire will be revealed.
 * Obstacles: Sometimes you will want dangerous but not so lethal obstacles. Fire is perfect for that as it doesn't represent an instant kill.
 * Decoration: Although Flame is a lethalizing tool, you may use it simply for decorating torches, walls, or a variety of other objects. It will give your level a nice effect.

Electric Tool
Lethalize your materials with electricity, which is an instant kill. Unlike fire, electricity doesn't give you a second chance to survive, so that makes your electrified objects pretty dangerous. That leaves electric tool with only two main uses:


 * Kill: Useful for instant kills such as lethal traps and monsters. Similar to fire, you may also spawn hazards with emitters.


 * Decorate: You may decorate the same way as with fire, but Electric Tool has the unique property that it lets you lethalize thin layers, so with it you can decorate in the planes that you may use either as background or foreground.

Lethal Gas Tool
Lethalize your materials with Lethal Gas; or better said, convert them into Lethal Gas. As its name suggests, the material will be truly lethal. Lethal Gas is pretty unique so there are some things you should know:

Whenever you apply this tool to your materials they will lose all their other properties. Other objects can be placed in or moved through gas. Gas stays where you place it, so to make it move or fall you have to attach it to another object. You can configure gas colors. To do so, select the Lethal Gas Tool, then press to open the Tweak Menu, and select the desired color. If gas is underwater, it stays underwater, however, on the surface, sack people cannot see it. It is only viewable from under the water.

Gadgets
Moving to the next window in your Tools Bag brings you to the Gadgets section. These are the elements that hold objects together and add action to objects. Gadgets are maybe the second most used section when creating your level. Gadgets divide into several subsections depending on their use:

Basic Connectors
Connectors are the first Gadget subsection; it contains all the object tools to connect two objects together in a variety of ways, with different properties, and with automated or manual movement.

There are two main classes of connectors: one-point and two-point based. One-point refers to bolts that can only connect objects that are on the same point and on different layers. With two-point connectors you can select both ends and connect virtually any two objects together, or the same in strange cases.

At the end of this section we will mention some examples of things you can do with connectors.

Bolts
If you want to make something with moving parts, then you'll want to use Bolts. Bolts allow you to join one item to another and can help you do anything from make a teeter-totter (see-saw) to attach a branch to a tree.

You can use a bolt to connect objects instead of glue.

The tweak feature that becomes more important with bolts is the strength, because it establishes the easiness of the movement between the connection; in other words, at high strength the objects will be almost glued, with medium strength it will require some hits or weight to move, and with low or none strength the object will oppose no resistance to movement. Remember that all these features can be configured using analogue settings rather than fixed scales.

Wobble Bolt

Hence the name, Wobble Bolts make your objects wobble. Sometimes you can use it on platforms to throw SackBoys off if they dilly-dally. You can also use it to make lethalized objects ( your choice ) to move up and down, killing your SackBoy. This can also be tweaked.

Motor Bolt
Just like bolts, but motors provide automated or triggered movement in a continuous circle. As you may suppose, motors are frequently used to make connections between a wheel or rounded material and something else.

As with bolts, strength is important, but you will surely pay more attention to Speed! Try not to use motors just for wheels and vehicles but for obstacles, traps, bands, and other creative things.

Motor Bolts can also be tweaked so that they are invisible in Play Mode.

String
String is the basic two-point connector. It allows you to tie two objects together. To attach String, first select it from the Popit Menu and attach it with to one of the objects you want to connect (preferably a support beam); you will be able to select from which point specifically on the shape's face you want the connection. Then, pull the other end of the String to the second object and tap once more.

String results as a rope, so its length is the maximum and the minimum length, and the attached objects can move all around as far as the String permits.

A good use is to have some sponges hanging from the ceiling to make swings.

Rods
Rods work much like String and are good for connecting objects together. However, unlike String, once you set a Rod's length, it cannot bunch or stretch; think of Rod as a tube or stick. However the two ends will still be movable, good for hanging swinging platforms.

In this connector you will find the tweak feature "Is It Stiff?". When switched on, the selected Rod is set to its anchor without any pivot in its hinges; in other words, the connection will be solid and no movement will exist in it.

Swing
To create a swing, select Basic Wood to form the stand for a sponge. Construct a small base, column, and support bar. All can be achieved with the square shape. First, construct a small base, and then narrow the size of your square and drag the wood upward from the center of the base to create your column. Lastly, when the column is of a sufficient height, increase the wood’s depth and stamp it down to create the support beam. Return to the Materials window and select Basic Sponge. Choose the circle shape and place it midway up the column on the layer beneath your support beam. Exit out to the main Popit menu and scroll down to your Tools Bag, select String, and attach one end to the sponge and the other to the support beam.

There's a lot more to connectors than just basic Bolts, Strings, and Rods.

Sprung Bolt
A Sprung Bolt works like a normal Bolt, but adds a little bounce. Create a basic teeter-totter (see-saw), but this time use a Sprung Bolt. Open the Tweak menu and adjust the resting angle. The orange marker in the center of the Bolt represents the new resting angle. The strength setting determines just how much spring is in your Sprung Bolt.

Elastic
Elastic works just like String, though like its name suggests, it's elastic. This connector can be bunched up shorter than its length setting and also stretched out further. How stretchy it is depends on its strength setting. The stronger you make your Elastic, the less it can be stretched.

Spring
Similar to Elastic, Spring behaves just like Rod but obviously, springy. As with the Rod, you may also make a Spring stiff. If for any reason you switch is it stiff? to the off settings, it will have no more properties than elastic.

Piston
The Piston is a cross between Winches and Rods. Its Tweak Menu has all the same features as the Winch, with the additional stiffness setting. This connector is ideal for controlled up/down or side-to-side motion.

Winch
The Winch is another example of String like connectors, but the difference here is this tool has been mechanized. Use a Winch to replace the Spring connector on your swing and pull up its Tweak Menu. Winches have two length options under basic settings: Maximum Length and Minimum Length. The three green marks on your Winch represent its movement based on these length settings. The first green marker, paired with the orange marker, identifies the Winch’s base. The center green marker shows its Minimum Length and the last marker displays Maximum Length. As always, your strength setting determines the integrity and power of your connector.

Strength
It is important to understand the effect of a strength setting for your stretching connectors. When set to 0.0, your connector has no elasticity and provides no resistance. If set to 10.0, your connector behaves almost identically to its non-stretchy counterparts such as String or Rod.

Length
When adjusting stretchy connectors, their length is displayed with a white and orange line. White identifies the actual length of the connector, whereas orange shows how much it is being stretched. These start at the end that was placed first and extend away from that point.

Adjustment Type
Adjustment Name Effect Basic Settings
 * Set Angle (Bolt) Set Bolt's resting position angle. Adjust between 0° and 360°.
 * Set Speed (Bolt) Controls the speed of a Bolt's action. Adjust between 0.0 and 12.0.
 * Set Number of Turns (Bolt) Controls the number of Revolutions a Bolt turns before resetting.
 * Set Maximum Length (Winch and Piston) Set connector's maximum length.
 * Set Minimum Length (Winch and Piston) Set connector's minimum length.
 * Timing Set Time Taken Set the amount of time it takes a connector to complete its action.
 * Set Pause Interval Set the amount of time before a connector repeats action.
 * Set Movement Phase Set to synchronize the movement of all the mechanized, motorized, and winchized objects in your level.
 * Direction (Bolt) Clockwise/Counter-Clockwise Set direction of a Bolt’s movement.
 * Is it Stiff? Yes/No Determines whether connecting angle is solid or loose.
 * Flipper Motion (Winch and Piston) Off/In/Out Establishes direction of motor force.

Flipper Motion
The way activating Flipper Motion affects the motion of your connectors is essential to understand. The In and Out options are in relation to the connector’s base, identified by the orange marker. If used incorrectly, your connection breaks.

Switches
Switches give you the ability to decide how, when, and why adjustable objects function. Once you stamp one into the world, simply grab the Connector Tab with the Popit Cursor and attach it to the adjustable objects (such as Wobble Bolts or Pistons) you wish the Switch to control. Scroll down to the Switches section of your Gadgets window to start exploring your activation abilities.

Sticker Switch

There are a lot of sticker switches around in LittleBigPlanet. You put it on an object and tweak to pick a sticker. The most common use is netting Prize Bubbles. You can be really creative with these. Just remember to set the sticker to use for it.

NOTE: If you put a sticker switch somewhere, don't forget to tweak it for the desired sticker or any sticker can activate it (leading to easy to finish levels).

2-way and 3-way switches

You can use these to move stuff up and down, side to side,etc, etc. The 3-ways have a spring attached that can be used for cars - Tweak it to Directional-. Grab it and pull it to one side. On 2-way, you have two ways to pull it. On 3-way, you can pull in two ways but the switch will return to the center. Attach to any object that it can be attached to. This can be tweaked.

Button

This is the second-easiest switch to operate. Just make your SackBoy jump on it and you can get Item Bubbles ( aka Prize Bubbles ), make a lethal object fall on you, etc. A unknown fact is that you can put Color Stickers on it to change the color. ( if you know that, pardon me. ) Also can be tweaked.

Sensor Switch

The Sensor Switch is the most basic proximity-based Switch. Whenever a you get close to it, the Switch activates. You can adjust how close they need to be.

Grab Switch
Attach a Grab Switch to any grabbable material and activate it by grabbing that material. Grab Switches have all the adjustments you have come to know and love in a Switch.

Paint Switch
The Paint Switch is activated by being shot at with the Paintinator. In the tweak menu there is an option to set how many times it must be shot.

Tag and Tag Switch
To activate the tag switch, the tag has to be near it, similar to the sensor switch. The range at which this operates can be modified. You can also change the color in the tweak menu. (mentioned lower down) Be sure to match the colors! (In LittleBigPlanet, they were called magnetic key switches)

Switch Adjustments

 * Adjustment Type Adjustment Name Effect.
 * Behavior On / Off Triggering the Switch causes affected objects to activate.
 * Direction Alters the direction of affected objects when activated.
 * One-Shot Affected objects perform action once. Also destroys brains when activated.
 * Speed Controls speed of affected objects (when trigger is fully activated, affected objects reach speed set in their Tweak Menu). NOTE: Only available in the sensor and magnet key switches.
 * Item Selection Field Select activation item from either your Stickers or Decorations window. - for Sticker Switch -
 * Trigger Radius Set Trigger Radius Controls certain Switches’ activation area.
 * Magnetic Key Color Toggle between color options for Magnetic Keys Sets color of Switch.
 * Inverted? (Yes / No) When activated, Switch inverts action of affected objects.
 * Visible? (Yes / No) Determines whether the Switch is visible in Play Mode.

Dangerous Kit
Tucked away in the darkest corner of the Tools Bag lurks the Dangerous Gameplay Kit. Dangerous Gameplay Kit items don’t need any help from the hazard tools to have a lethal impact. Even though this kit is a nightmare for Sackboys, us creators find it one of the funnest kits in LittleBigPlanet.

Spikes
Spikes come in two convenient sizes, small and large. Touching them will result in a Sackperson being killed. Sometimes, you can use Sensor Switches to use these as a lethal object. You can use an emitter, tweak it to emit spikes, then they fall on a Sackboy.

Impact explosives
When pressure is added to impact explosives, they will explode. Impact explosives can be grabbed, though they must be handled gently. If they are dropped or handled too hard, they will explode.

Trigger explosives
Trigger explosives comes in the form of Switches. Simply attach any Switch’s connector tab to a trigger explosive and as soon as the Switch is activated, the bomb will explode. Try using this for traps so the player must use their thinking skills to pass.

Explosions and materials
Weaker materials like Cardboard, Polystyrene, Sponge, Pink Floaty, Peach Floaty, and Dissolve are destructible. If an explosive goes off near one, they can be partially or even fully destroyed in the blast.

Plasma Balls
(Only available in the Metal Gear Solid Pack in LBP1, available immediately in LBP2) Plasma Balls are usually used with an emitter and can be tweaked to multiple colors(The preset color is lime green). Touching these will result in a Sackperson being vaporized and the loss of the Plasma Ball.

Safety blocks
The best way to test your constructions is to switch to Play Mode. If, however, you would like to quickly check a level element in Create Mode, you should start out by dropping a safety block. Safety blocks can be any material or item that is non-essential to your level. Once the safety block is stamped down, you can try out your construction and easily reset it by tapping rewind. This is useful because actions and movements performed by Switches and connectors are not undoable steps.

Springboard
To create a springboard, place two squares of Dark Matter at the same height. Separate the squares by the width of the springboard you would like to create. Run a plank of cardboard across their base at your desired height. Finally, attach one end of a Spring to a piece of Dark Matter and the other end to the edges of your plank. Adjust the strength of the springs to give more or less bounce to your board. Place Springboards at the base of tall platforms to get the most bounce out of your board.

Moving connectors and Switches
Use moving connectors and Switches to create moving parts like elevators and catapults.

Winches
To make a simple rising winch, place a square of Dark Matter well above your sack person’s head. Place a sponge circle below it within reach of an athletic jump and connect the two with a Winch. Open the Winch’s Tweak Menu to determine its Minimum and Maximum Length as well as its speed and pause interval. Once everything is set to your liking, pull a Grab Switch from your Tools Bag and apply it to the sponge. Attach its Connector Tab to the Winch. Now all you have to do is jump and grab it.

Launch pads
You can also use Pistons to create launch pads. Utilize cardboard to create a base for your launch pad. Use the octagon shape, embedding the cardboard in the floor so only the top three sides are above floor level. Next, use the square shape to delete a space for your launch pad. Fill the space you have made with a cardboard plank. Place one end of a Piston on the center of your base and the other on the bottom of the plank. Open the Piston’s Tweak Menu and set its Minimum Length to 2.5 and its Maximum Length 5.0. Your Piston’s speed setting affects just how far you will be launched. Set between 10.0s and 20.0s for a controlled boost, and 20.0 to 30.0 for a major blast off. Turn Stiffness on and set Flipper Motion to Out. Now, attach a Button to the plank and fix its Connector Tab to the Piston. Finally, adjust the Button’s Behavior to One-Shot. Leave the Button’s Tweak Menu and have your Sackperson jump onto the Button to test its boosting ability.

Elevators and moving walkways
To create a basic elevator and moving walkway, build a large platform, then place a small cardboard plank next to the structure so that it runs parallel to the top of the platform. Next, get a Piston from your Tools Bag and connect one end to the floor and the other to the center of your cardboard plank. Open the Piston’s Tweak menu and reduce its Minimum Length to 2.5. Adjust the speed of the Piston relative to its maximum height. For a comfortable ride, try to give between 0.5s and 1.0s for every 10.0 of space traveled between Maximum and Minimum Height. Next, add a small Pause if you would like to give your sack person a larger window to board and exit the elevator. Lastly, choose to make your Piston stiff. You can now travel to the top of the platform with ease.

You can use the same technique on the other side of the platform to make a moving walkway. Create a second cardboard plank and place it off the non-elevator side of your platform. Connect it to the platform with a Piston and perform the same adjustments as before.

Next, try adding Sensor Switches to the center of each plank and attach their Connector Tabs to the relevant Piston. Adjust their Trigger Radius to the border of the plank. Each moving component now only functions while a sack person is riding it.

You can find some great tutorials on how to build elevators and other moving parts at Little Big Planet Builder (a tutorial and blog website). These tutorials were designed using Google Sketchup.

3-way Switches
3-way Switches start standing straight up. Pull it in either direction to activate the Switch. Release the lever to reset it and deactivate the Switch.

Simple crushers
Use the same techniques employed in elevator construction to create crushers. Start by making a simple crusher. Run a strip of Dark Matter above your sack person then build a wooden block and rest it on the floor below the Dark Matter Strip. Attach the block to your strip with a Piston. Open the Piston’s Tweak Menu, leave the Maximum Length set to its current height and adjust the Minimum Length to its shortest possible setting. Now, activate Stiffness and set Flipper Motion to Out. Any Sackperson caught underneath is going to be crushed. You can also use the Flame Tool to set it ablaze or add a row of spikes to its base. Also you can possibly put a strip of Dissolve and on top put a block of Heavy Metal/Stone then attach a sensor switch to the dissolve so when the poor Sackperson runs through the switch. BLAM. Bye bye Sackperson!

Advanced crushers
If you want to go really advanced, try turning your crusher on its side to create a squishing obstacle. Build a crusher as before, but attach it to a wall rather than a ceiling structure, causing the crusher to shoot out at a 90° angle rather than downward. Highlight your creation with your Popit Cursor and copy it, then press R3 to invert the crusher. Place the copied construction so the two crushers meet when fully extended. To ensure your timing is right, open each Piston’s Tweak Menu and set their Movement Phase to 1.0. When you exit the Popit, your two crushers should now be moving in and out in tandem, transforming the two crushers into a squasher.

Explosives
To create an explosive, place a trigger explosive near the base of a large cardboard structure. Embed several impact explosives into the cardboard, ensuring that each is close enough to another to cause a chain reaction. Place a Button on the floor nearby and attach its Connector Tab to the trigger explosive. Then, have your Sackperson activate the Button to see what will happen.