I've been trying to build a level in the last few days, but I haven't been able to thing of anything original or good. When I actually have time to create, I'd start out with a blank canvas and just create on impulse, without any objective. The beginning of the level will actually turn out pretty decent, then I'll eventually get bored and quit on the level. I'm pretty good with logic and everything, but it doesn't help much if you're trying to start or create a level. I feel like almost every idea possible has already been covered by a level online, and that recycling it will be copying. How do you creators make up ideas for levels? Do you brainstorm? Do you sometimes recycle old concepts?

I think most of us know this feeling

I think it takes the will to not give up on it once it starts feeling like a chore. I have the same issue with making everything. but I just end up forcing myself to finish things. that's just my experiemce

Yep. I actually used to enjoy making levels, but I guess that was because I didn't have as much stuff to do and I had more time to think. School's (or rather the game) really a distraction. I should experiment with a few methods. Many people actually make blueprints of their levels which I find crazy.

I come with levels just out of the blue sometimes. Sometimes I might be playing another game and part of a gameplay moment might give me an idea. One time I looked across the street and saw this cool air conditioning unit and based a whole level from that. Once I get an idea, I usually write it down. I might write down a brief summary of the level or sometimes (several times actually) have drawn the whole level out as a sort of basic design. I've got one where I've already written all the dialog and everything but it just sits in my notepad. Probably will never see the light of day.

A easy way to think of something involves you thinking of a mechanic in a video game or something, and then making something similar to that in your level.

Yeah. That's the problem, basically. Creators like Biorogue can conjure up a nice, fresh concept. My levels, however, are just simply generic plat-formers. They're nothing cool like air conditioners or anything like that. Something I've noticed is if I abandon a level I was creating and come back to it a few months later, I'll have some new ideas and I'd incorporate them into the level, then I'll get bored again and the cycle repeats. I'd probably be better if I assisted people rather than starting on my own levels from scratch, because it's not that I can't built or program logic-I just lack creativity. It's not your problem, though, so you have no obligation to help me. I guess I'll figure out something on my own.

Hmm i got tons of ideas of level design and gameplay but i can't seem to get them into my blank canvas, i can, very much alike biorogue just get tons of awesome ideas out of the blue, from watching across the street, listening to music and whatnot. Then i come into the blank canvas and i create gameplay, but they're a bit rough around the edges if i'll put it nicely, and with that i mean it never turns out as doe i've pictured it in my head, not to say it turns out bad, but not great either. That's why i've been reaching out to people to create with me, because two minds are better then one, and we can incorporate our ideas and turn it into something much greater and better. I've really enjoyed getting in contact with creators out there and creating with some of ya'

My e-mail is: max100@live.se if you ever feel like getting in touch by the way, i always got some cool pre-made level ideas saved/captured in my goodies bag which makes for an quick and easy start!

Exactly what Hamburger said! That's me too! I've created a couple of things I'm proud of in LBP2 and on the Vita but the really cool ideas I have, I just can't seem to implement them.
One thing you can do too is make up a little story or something you want to tell. Like, Earl's Missing Toenail and his quest to reclaim his lost toenail. Hmmm, actually, I might keep that one. Nah, you can have it.

On the aspect of design.

I usually have a crude theme in mind i.e. "gothic" oder "fifties Rock'n'roll" or something like that. I then start creating what we at university called a "mood-board". That is, I google for certain keywords and collect images of architecture, interiors or just objects I find fitting. Back in the early days I then printed them and arranged them on a piece of paper. Nowadays I leave open tabs on my tablet. After that I actually do some crude sketches on a piece of paper for general designs.

For my Hot-Rod-Levels I came across pics like these:
http://blog.modeljunkyard.com/wp-content...Diorama_002.jpg
http://www.theatreworldbackdrops.com/blo...-Blog-Image.jpg
http://cdn.vectorstock.com/i/composite/3...tor-1473993.jpg
http://images49.fotki.com/v109/photos/1/.../overall-vi.jpg

That turned into stuff like this:
http://i4.lbp.me/img/ft/e741cf1454eabe04...d58c69b40e0.jpg
http://i0.lbp.me/img/ft/5b06693622779f6c...e58f1ba345f.jpg

Next step is going into LBP-editor and starting to select a limited collection of materials, objects and decoration that fits, and arrange it into a ingame-mood-board. So see what I got and what I can work with, and apart from that it is a good start to avoid some of them thermoeter problems later in creating process.

Game mechanics are either a vital part of the idea, then I plan them in advance. Or I just build some basic platform-levels, in which case I add the mechanics later in the creating process.

I usually draw the ideas out on paper or sometimes I will go with the flow.

if you want to make a factory then then just search "factory scenery"

Space, then search space scenery.

Forest, search forest scenery

ETC

I have about 5 halfway done projects that I don't really care to finish. So don't feel alone on that one. The toughest part about making a level is probably starting one. I have a good list of starter ideas and small lists of blueprints if you'd like some good ideas.

I am pretty much like you except that I my head is flooding with original ideas. The problem is to make them into something playable... That's where I get lazy, and I am not ashamed to say that. I think that it's all about finding what you like to create. I love to create simple mini-games and levels that mostly focus on logic as I lack in the artistic part. But before you begin on a project, always plan it out before instead of just improvising. It pays off, and I don't just mean in LBP, but in real life as well. When you have a certain goal to achieve it becomes easier to finish something, but never set that bar too high or you will never finish anything...

I love how so many are apparently experts on creativity

I've been creating since the days of Lbp1. Ahhh the good old days...

Nerd Dog i don't think anyone in here claims themselves as experts, we're just sharing the techniques and thoughtprocess that we use to create a level, so far i feel this forum has been of great help, do keep it up

Now, do I detect a note of sacrasm here?

sarcasm from me?? never!

I sort of mean it like that. but sort of not at the same time. there are some good and interesting tips here. but I detect a bit of that smugness that you get from people that are really full of themselves everyone can be guilty of a little of that . i'm just not afraid to call it out when I see it

I don't think anyone here is "full of themselves". I just read all posts and all I see is useful tips and helpful guidance. I don't know much about you but after seeing your LBP.me page I noticed that you had no real levels, only some giveaways. Now I don't judge you for that but why come here and judge people when you don't even know how much experience they have. And who knows, they are maybe even better then you.

It doesn't matter if you blame it on sarcasm or a joke, it's still so unnecessary to even leave a comment like that.

Just saying, Nerd is definitely not a dude who makes crappy giveaways. He'se a musician, safe to say he'se an expert at making music. And musicians give their music away, y'know? I do it too except mine is in a gallery level (which you should play NOW!!!!!!!!11)

Speak for yourself, mortal!

Woutery there is no need to justify nerd-dog's quick-witted comment. I was just pointing out that we should help the OP instead of judging people's knowledge in creativity.

And who said that he makes crappy music? I have played some of them a while ago and they were awesome.

I just turn to my own imagination for inspiration. If something is a cool concept, I try and make it.. That's one of the things I love about this game. But in re-guards to creating levels and finishing them.. I have alot of concepts for levels.. A few of those concepts I actually start. and Even fewer have been finished. I find now my moon is filling up with halfed baked creations. So now I try not to start anything I don't plan on finishing.. Just find a concept that you think is cool and run with it. It doesn't have to be super original, just practical . I like to start off by telling a story, then building the game-play and mechanics around that.. Hope that helps..

I'm not sure. Normally I just set myself a limited goal. You have to like what you're making to stick with it, so make something you think is really cool.

@Blacksackman well... my levels may be giveaways. but anyone that has seen my second gallery " Parapraxis " would know that I have some skill with logic and design. And I've only been playing lbp for about a year and a half now. But trying to judge my creativity/skill is a bit off topic. I would say that that is unnecessary

as for my comment, maybe i'm wrong, or maybe i'm right. Either way, I don't care to ramble on and on about it. I've learned to trust my spidy senses.

anywho, another helpful thing for me when i'm creating is simply having a few friends with me. They can keep me company or, if they're the critical types, I like to bounce ideas off of them and get their opinions. I'm definitely more motivated to create when I have people to talk to.

Aah, LBP1. I actually enjoyed creating those platformers, but look at the levels they have online now in LBP2 or 3. Platformers...aren't enough, anymore.

Usually I go for things that are different than just platformers. I tend to get inspiration from other games. The key is just to pretend it's a real game and think, what do I want to see for it to be an exciting game? It's all about imagination and inspiration for me. I just come up with a concept/genre and keep going with it. Sometimes I get so many ideas that I always swap from one level to another

Great tips...I'm actually going to fire up the old PS3 today and try out some of these suggestions.

Who says mine are original? Of my Team Picked levels, NOT ONE is fully original.


Neon Blaster: Because we've all seen a retro-themed shoot em' up.

Gravity Crash: There is a REAL game under the same name.

Dragonfly: Based off of Sparx levels from Spyro Year of the Dragon

Starshine: Based off a Miniclip game. This exists already.

Boomshine: Rip off the the actual game from Addictinggames with the SAME name.

Dreamscape: Based off of one the Zelda games where you go into an alternate realm or some sort. (only time I played Zelda)

Original ideas come from the people's needs. You think about something you would like to play, but you can't do it because such thing doesn't exist. So just imagine your perfect level no one has ever made and start with a basic concept. Think of a simple story and the gameplay you want to have in your level. Then imagine your first scene and start creating. Add more details as you progress and you will get something really cool.

That's how I made my pirates series on the PSP. There were no good levels about pirates, so I made my own. Simply.

The problem with original ideas, is that they are hard to make popular because they take more work and thought.
I'm really lazy about it, but my levels and ideas come from weeks of planning. The problem is once I have a great idea, and I try to make it, stupid lag or level limits get in my way and ruin the experience. You know my level Tactix Reborn hit wall to wall across the whole map, and was only 1/8 the entire planned level? I was mad. That really sucked. How am I to make a fast paced platformer when the map size limits are so small? It takes like a minute to speed run. As for Glarg Glorg's Day Off, I wanted to make a funny survival run with power ups, but I maxed out the level too, and it freezes people from lag. The thermometer sucks, it's not even full. I don't even want to make levels anymore because of this garbage. We are very limited on expressing our creativity.

i feel like this sometimes but it helps if you can find yourself a development team, i currently work with 5 diffrent people and we are all working on our own projects but talk to each other in a party when we are making things this helps as we cn throw ideas at each other whilst building or ask someone to drop in when we need help on something, we also have our group projects such as steam city nd the eye of judgement remake which we have some people working on the story side of the game, some working on the level side of the game and a few people on the logic setup/level testing, my advice to you would be to find some friends to play with and form a dev team as it seems to be a good way to brainstorm ideas in no time and because you work in a group people can motervate you to finish your work when you might think about giving up, if you want you can join me as im always looking for more people to join in with the big projects i have planned that would otherwise take me months to create.