The developers from Media Molecule have always tried to awaken the creative nature of gamers. In 2008 the team
After 12 years, Media Molecule has received more thanperfect hardware that freed up the developers' hands and allowed them to increase the scale of the concept inherent in LBP. The result of all this is Dreams, a true dream game that proves that anyone can create.
What is a "Dreams"
Even before you click the “Buy” button, you shouldunderstand what Dreams is, since this project can only technically be called a game. Colleagues in the workshop managed to nickname Dreams “LEGO of the new generation”, which is only partly true, since it does not give a complete picture of all the possibilities.
In my opinion, Dream is the friendliestto the user a game engine that allows you to create without thinking about the technical part of development. It’s not limited to games, but the “Dreams” toolkit is aimed at creating interactive entertainment.
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Moreover, these are not simple platformers in the spirit of “Mario”, but full-fledged games with mechanics, their own visual style, cut scenes, role-playing systems, and so on.
The other side of the project is a social network forlovers of creativity, where you can share your work, get inspired, and also help the entire community with your creativity. Players can create not only full-fledged scenes, but also individual elements, such as environmental details, characters, music and animations, and upload their creations to the Network for public access.
On paper, we get the best space for a creative person, but after the launch of Dreams, we will realize that the barrier to entry into this place is extremely high.
Patience and work, but mostly patience...
Since the PlayStation 4 has not acquired an officialkeyboard and mouse support, then manipulations with local tools will have to be done using a DualShock 4 gamepad or Move controller. The principle of operation is approximately the same - the player controls the built-in gyroscope with a cursor in the form of an Imp, and the interface itself is subject to action buttons.
Hats off to the developers for the calibrationgyroscope, but the scheme itself is far from ideal. The controls can hardly be called intuitive and simple, since many actions are performed by pressing several keys at the same time and the result of the actions is sometimes unpredictable. In fact, control will be the first threshold that a new user will have to cross.
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Media Molecule and they themselves understand that without a bottleand sleepless nights won’t help you figure it out, so we recorded a series of training videos that will explain the basics of Dreams. Among them there are mandatory ones, without which you will not be allowed into the game itself, as well as additional ones, where they tell you more about the tools. They even provided a separate course for interface management.
I'm one of those typical guys who firstThey assemble a shelf from IKEA, and only then look at the instructions when they reach a dead end. Therefore, my acquaintance with Dreams instruments followed the same path. Inspired by videos on YouTube, I ran to collect my own games, but when it came to working with the tools, I returned to the main menu and went to the training tab.
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Ideally to start creating your ownmasterpieces in Dreams, you need to spend a couple of hours learning. Fortunately, most of the videos are translated and voiced, and they also run in a separate window, allowing you to watch and immediately repeat after the instructor. Here the developers have thought through everything down to the smallest detail and explained it clearly, and the player can only patiently study.
Creator Tools
As part of the training, the player will learn to createelements of the environment, characters, animate, customize game logic and even write music. Moreover, all this is available at a distance of one desktop and several tabs.
Initially, the player receives a blank scene, whichand will subsequently turn it into a “dream”. At the top of the screen there are tabs in which the necessary tools are hidden. Moreover, all elements are created, as they say, without leaving the cash register. In Unity or Unreal, you would first have to create a 3D model, and then bring it into the game. In Dreams, you simply open the desired tab, create a sculpture and place it on the stage.
If you invest a little more into your sculpturepatience, then you can create a more detailed object. For example, you can add texture to a stone, make chips, and so on. The only hurdle is the controls, as they don't allow you to make perfect shapes yourself. Yes, and placing objects on the stage requires some skill, since it can be difficult to install the fence exactly on the ground. Luckily, there is a button that aligns the position of the object.
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This is where the game mode comes in handy whenBy pressing two buttons, the user can inhabit a character and run around the created level. From this angle, inaccuracies in the placement of objects, proportions, etc. will be visible.
Here you can also create a character manually.To simplify the task, the developers left a doll that received basic movement animations, such as jumping and running. The player still has to customize the appearance, proportions, appearance, and so on. The camera position is also attached to the character, which allows you to create an adventure like the Legend of Zelda, a platformer or a first-person shooter.
There is also a more complex way - to create a characterfrom a group of objects and animate it all manually. I won’t go into details, but I will say that you can make Rambo Bread, which will shoot from a machine gun at moldy buns.
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To turn the scene into a full-fledged onegame, you will have to start setting up game mechanics. In the mentioned Unity and Unreal Engine, here comes the scripting phase, but in Dreams the player builds behavior algorithms using modules.
You don't have to write code, but insteadbuild logical chains so that interaction with the environment produces the desired result. For example, so that when interacting with a button, the mechanism for rotating the platform is launched, or for killing an enemy, the character receives experience points.
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In addition to game logic, the user cancreate cut scenes using the engine. The developers have added the ability to record a character’s behavior, voice him through a microphone, or accompany his speech with a text window. In addition, there are camera position settings and so on.
The final chords of your game will be music.Here, “dreamers” are also not constrained. The developers left samples with beats and simple compositions, as well as individual sound effects. If you don’t like the proposed samples, then you can go and create your own track from different instruments or change an existing one by cutting out unnecessary sounds from it or adjusting the tonality.
For example, for my demo I chose a soundtrack with forest sounds and keyboards. I ended up removing all the instruments, leaving only an atmospheric sound with wind and birdsong.
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The only thing that can frustrate a musician is the controls. There are only eight buttons on the controller, so you will constantly have to switch between octaves.
In fact, there are so many tools in Dreamsand the possibility that you can’t tell about everyone. It is also worth noting that all the listed features do not oblige you to create a game. Many players make sculptures of their favorite characters, short films, write music, or draw a realistic breakfast.
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However, the developers left the possibilityand don’t touch the tools at all. Media Molecule prepared music, objects, animations, characters, etc. in advance so that the player could quickly assemble the level. This is also where community support—the second important part of Dreams—comes into play.
Creativity loves society
Each community member can not onlycreate your own games, music or sculptures, but also share them with the public. Other “dreamers” can use these developments. For example, if your forest lacks moths, then most likely someone has already solved this problem, and as a form of gratitude they will ask you for a “like”.
If you like to play more than create,then in Dreams there is a separate tab with the creations of the community, as well as Media Molecule themselves. These are often small games, but they are truly inspiring and surprising.
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For example, from the developers of Dreams themselves it is worthplay in "Art's Dream", which tells about a musician who is going through a difficult period in his life. The project combines platforming and point-and-click adventure with hidden object and puzzle solving. “Art’s Dream” fully shows what Dreams is capable of, so at the very least, watch the walkthrough on YouTube.
Still, the creations of users are more surprising.Firstly, it was made by amateurs, not professionals. Secondly, Fallout 4 inside Dreams. Yes, with “pip-boy”, shooting and wastelands. Gamers have even taken to porting old games like Crash Bandicoot, Spongebob, and creating Japanese role-playing games in the spirit of Final Fantasy. Among the community's creations you can also find weird music videos, cartoons, sculptures of Marvel heroes, and so on. Most likely, no matter what comes into your head, it’s already in Dreams, you just need to dig around.
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The bottom line
I haven’t said this for a long time, but Dreams is uniqueproject. Media Molecule has created a platform that pushes people to be creative. Yes, the tools are extensive and difficult to master, but very simple compared to other engines and modeling programs. In addition, the developers themselves explain everything in great detail and in an accessible way, helping to cross that very high entry threshold.
Dreams will be loved by those who are patient and creative.Art, in principle, cannot be rushed, and the Media Molecule project clearly shows this. This is probably why it is difficult to recommend the game to children, since perseverance comes with age. I dare to recommend the game to adults who want to express themselves creatively, get inspired and acquire a new hobby to color their gray everyday life.
3 reasons to buy:
- creative natures recommended
- as well as for beginning game designers
- unusual and original games
3 reasons not to buy:
- perseverance is not your strong point
- you love to play more than to create
- lack of playstation 4