Scribblenauts (DS) Infinite Imagination? [Archive]

GameNinja

12-21-2008, 01:36 PM

So I recently saw some info on the upcoming game Scribblenauts for the DS.

Link: http://au.ds.ign.com/articles/936/936157p1.html

The basic premise: You help your on-screen character solve puzzles to get a an item by writing any noun and it appears. So the first puzzles involves a tree. To get the item on top of it, the demo video shows a player writing "ladder" and then a ladder appears and you use it to climb the tree...or you could make a football to knock it down with...or a beaver to cut the tree down with. In the interview in the link, they say that your imagination is the only limit, and they are going to try to make a really exhaustive list of items you can input into the game.

Sounds promising, but the questions everybody is wondering is how will it really work? How many items can they really include, and how well will those items work?

Thoughts?

CartCollector

12-21-2008, 03:50 PM

Sounds sort of like a text adventure mixed with a platformer. Could be fun.

joedick

12-21-2008, 04:43 PM

This post gives an idea of the amount of items in the game:

http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/12/19/scribblenauts-ds-developer-skepticism/

j_factor

12-21-2008, 05:06 PM

If they really include every item under the sun, won't it be an incredibly easy game? Getting something down from a tree isn't a puzzle if the whole world is at your disposal.

aboblyndsae

12-21-2008, 05:49 PM

If the interview is indicative of the game's complexity, you could probably just summon "God" to solve every puzzle for you or something. I imagine most of the fun will be in replaying the game and trying to come up with the most absurd solutions possible.

I really do hope this is good, even if it's just as a strange toy rather than a puzzler. It's such a clever idea that I really don't want it to fail.

...and how many of you aren't going to write "dildo" or something similar as your first object?

scooterb23

12-21-2008, 06:13 PM

Dildo will be the second object...right after the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch

neist

12-21-2008, 09:57 PM

I don't really have much to say on it, but I probably consider it one of the most ambitious games ever, if they can actualize the entire thing.

Now, I don't think they will, but even if they don't, it'll still be pretty nifty. ;)

Nesmaster

12-22-2008, 11:13 AM

I can't see it happening the way they want it to. I can, however, see something like including a list in the manual of words that will work. But EVERYTHING? Wishful thinking at best.

Snapple

06-08-2009, 12:50 AM

THREAD BUMP

Scribblenauts will be 2009 GOTY. Proof:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTEUbtgpIgo

Maybe it doesn't have ever single noun, but it seems to come damn close. Nintendorks wrote about how they used a time machine to go back to Camelot. Then they used a moon to change a bad guy into a werewolf. Then they summoned a sword to fight the werewolf.

Anyway, God vs. Kraken vs. Jackalope. I don't need to say anything else. This is the best game ever made.

scooterb23

06-08-2009, 12:57 AM

Yeah, this looks like a winner.

G-Boobie

06-08-2009, 02:35 AM

On one of the various gaming podcasts of E3, it was mentioned that someone summoned a Chupacabra, and a goat for him to suck on. Emoticons cannot express my delight.

I can't wait for this game. I don't actually care how good the 'game' part is: i just want to mess around with the engine and test the limits of what you can do.

sirhansirhan

06-08-2009, 03:35 AM

I am going to buy the shit out of that game.

exit

06-08-2009, 11:40 AM

Wow very interesting stuff here, like a lot of others, I'm going to buy this to see what I can come up with.

Dr. Dib

06-08-2009, 04:38 PM

The game definitely looks promising. The Nintendorks video turned me on to the game. A bit strange Obama isn't in the game though...

Tupin

06-08-2009, 04:53 PM

No proper nouns or vulgarities, that's what I've heard...

Still, the game looks awesome.

EDIT: Okay, I saw someone summon Einstein, so I guess there are famous historical figures, but nothing recent.

jb143

06-08-2009, 05:18 PM

Sounds a bit like Crayon Physics only you need to know how to spell instead of draw. Pretty interesting stuff. If those 20Q games can have a huge library of nouns then I don't see why this couldn't either...and those have some really really obscure words. The only difference is that there'd have to be an image and a small database of what each item does.

lazyhoboguy

06-09-2009, 12:59 AM

I just recently heard of this game and watched some video clips of it. It looks really really awesome. I do not even have a ds yet and am really excited for this game.

Famidrive-16

06-09-2009, 01:19 AM

Goty 2009

chicnstu

06-11-2009, 09:48 PM

Here's a great video:

http://ds.ign.com/dor/objects/14304256/scribblenauts/videos/scribble_demo_e3_061009.html

lazyhoboguy

06-11-2009, 11:15 PM

Heh cool, I hadnt seen that video of it yet.

sirhansirhan

06-12-2009, 12:00 AM

There's also a pretty good article and interview about this game in the current issue of Nintendo Power.

studvicious

06-12-2009, 09:33 PM

any game that lets you write "zombie" and then have a zombie come out of nowhere and turn your enemies into zombies is a day one purchase for me.

jcalder8

06-13-2009, 12:54 AM

I think this thing looks amazing but what's the point?

Is it actually a game or do you just type random things in and let them fight?

scooterb23

06-13-2009, 01:02 AM

It's a puzzle game it seems, at least at some level. There's a video where you have to get a star out of a tree, so you can write "axe" and chop down the tree. I believe that's chicnstu's video above.

Of course, the fun is trying to figure out the most screwed up way of getting the star.

G-Boobie

06-13-2009, 01:07 AM

I think this thing looks amazing but what's the point?

Is it actually a game or do you just type random things in and let them fight?

Both. There's a sandbox mode where you just screw around and summon random crap. The single player mode has "hundreds of levels" in which you're tasked with collecting an object from somewhere in the level using whatever you can summon to do so.

An example I heard (on either the Bombcast or Listen UP) was a level in which a kitten was stuck in a tree. You could summon a ladder and get it down that way, or a chainsaw to cut the tree down, or a flamethrower to burn it down, or a litter box to entice the cat out, or a bulldozer to plow it down, or.... You get the gist.

scooterb23

06-13-2009, 01:12 AM

Both. There's a sandbox mode where you just screw around and summon random crap. The single player mode has "hundreds of levels" in which you're tasked with collecting an object from somewhere in the level using whatever you can summon to do so.

An example I heard (on either the Bombcast or Listen UP) was a level in which a kitten was stuck in a tree. You could summon a ladder and get it down that way, or a chainsaw to cut the tree down, or a flamethrower to burn it down, or a litter box to entice the cat out, or a bulldozer to plow it down, or.... You get the gist.

My goal: to see if I can beat every level using dynamite :D

Famidrive-16

06-13-2009, 04:03 AM

I was wondering if it was possible to shoot the star from the tree using a slingshot or something.

I'll have to wait and see for that one.

G-Boobie

06-13-2009, 07:16 AM

My goal: to see if I can beat every level using dynamite :D

An admirable goal, for which I salute you sir. :D

studvicious

06-13-2009, 09:03 AM

This game will have infinite replayability

scooterb23

06-13-2009, 11:15 AM

An admirable goal, for which I salute you sir. :D

To be honest, I'd prefer to use Dyn-o-MITE! But doubt that Jimmy J.J. Walker will pop on screen if I write that :)

G-Boobie

06-13-2009, 03:22 PM

To be honest, I'd prefer to use Dyn-o-MITE! But doubt that Jimmy J.J. Walker will pop on screen if I write that :)

Yet another little Kitten who'll be feelin' alright....

jcalder8

06-13-2009, 10:11 PM

I wonder what happens if you type in rick roll'd

G-Boobie

06-14-2009, 05:26 PM

I wonder what happens if you type in rick roll'd

Your DS shuts itself off while armed men come to your house and burn it down.

Famidrive-16

09-13-2009, 05:30 AM

two more days

this and Mario and Luigi 3 are gonna give my DS a workout

Snapple

09-13-2009, 11:33 AM

I plopped down a preorder so I can get my rooster hat. I asked if it was adult-sized, and they assured me that it was.

IceDrake

09-14-2009, 01:33 PM

There was a launch party at the Nintendo World Store yesterday which I went to. They gave out Rooster Hats to some of the first 20 or so people there. Got a poster signed by 3 of the devs. They had cupcakes and a Maxwell cake but I didn't stay long enough to see him cut up. The game is fun. Some puzzles are hard and it can be a bit tricky to move the items on the screen. But I am using my old DS phat (which is a bit beat up) and I lost my stylus walking back to the train so I've been using an index card covered with duct tape.

Snapple

09-15-2009, 09:51 PM

Got the game today (and my rooster hat).

It's pretty amusing, although I'm not a huge fan of clicking the screen to move Maxwell around. He can't even jump on command. He just automatically makes small jumps.

Still, I am using my imagination. The most recent level I beat I used a pickaxe, a scuba suit, and a tyrannosaurus. I need to try and not rely on the jetpack so much. I've used it in at least six levels so far, and it's pretty cheap tbqh. Goes against the spirit of the game which is using your imagination.

The great thing is that I'm legitimately thinking about the puzzles. One level, I had to get to the starite without falling in a pit, but there was no way to bridge the pit since the elevations were off. If I tried to jump down, I'd die. A plane wouldn't fit. The escalator wouldn't fit. Then aha, I gave myself a parachute. And that worked.

badinsults

09-16-2009, 12:15 AM

I've played it for several hours already, and it is really neat! I do agree that the game has some control issues.

Ryaan1234

09-16-2009, 12:21 AM

I've played it for several hours already, and it is really neat! I do agree that the game has some control issues.

Big ditto on the control issues thing. I got my copy today and I've been playing it for a while. I'm playing and yelling at the DS "NO, DON'T PUT THAT DOWN! MOVE OVER THERE!"

For the first time in many, many years I feel like I'm playing Hey You Pikachu! :D

Snapple

09-16-2009, 02:33 AM

Vectorman0

09-16-2009, 04:45 PM

The game was pleasantly more difficult than I expected (although unfortunately in part due to the control issues discussed above). That said, I think it's a great game executed quite well considering how "open" it is.

I finished two of the worlds and have put 2-3 hours into it, I think. I lose track of time when playing it. The game is plenty of fun to aimlessly toy around with.

I'm tempted to discuss some of the finer points of the game, basically just the items you can spawn, but I'm afraid to spoil things for some. Maybe we should start a new thread for gameplay discussion?

IceDrake

09-18-2009, 01:14 AM

I don't see why instead of having two sets of buttons for the same camera, they could've use the control pad at least to move around. The controls are only a minor gripe for me though. The game is still great and playable.

They need to have the D-Pad and ABXY buttons (as well as the L and R buttons) do the same to accommodate lefties and righties.

scooterb23

09-18-2009, 01:19 AM

I was playing a level where you had to push two large rocks down a couple pits to activate switches. Unfortunately, due to the wonky controls, I pushed 1 rock the wrong way. But no fear... I just summoned a "FAT GUY" and placed him on the switch, and finished the level that way...it was pretty funny.

Blitzwing256

09-18-2009, 08:12 AM

scooterb23

09-18-2009, 09:23 AM

That would have worked as well! Funny what each person will come up with to solve certain situations.

There's another level where you have to get a dog off the roof of a house. Fun fact, setting the house on fire will work :)

Dangerboy

09-18-2009, 11:45 PM

Figured Now would be a good time as any to start listing fun things, sand box or in level.

Sandbox

My girlfriend, ever the imaginative Internets person, got the following trends to work:
a. Ceiling Cat
b. L O L Cat
c. Long Cat
d. Monorail Cat
e. L O L WUT (Gives Maxwell a huge head)
f. Piano Cat
g. Rick Roll (known)

1. Drew Cowboy, than Native American. Fought, cowboy won.
2. Constantly writing "Portal" and tapping it will call out different things.
3. Write Atheist, then God. If close enough, the Atheist freaks out and runs away.
4. Shark issue? Dropped a toaster on it.
5. Drawing a Dalmatian, it will auto run to a fireman.
6. Drawing God, then Satan causes a fight.
7. Cthulu is amazing.
8. There is a way to get a giant crab of Sony E3. Can't recall the word choices
9. If you pour salt on a snail, it dies.
10. All Chinese Gods present - Suzaku, Genbu, Byakko, Seiruu
11. Random monsters that work - Yeti, Sasquatch, etc
12. Write Time Machine, Coal. Put coal into Max's hands, ride time machine. He'll have a diamond in his hand when you reappear.
13. Doing the above takes you back to the 'beginning of time' - aka the tutorial. : )
14. LHC Gives you the Hydro (sp?) Collider - If you interact with it, it breaks and creates a Black Hole. ^o^
15. If you draw a dragon and it's pissy, drawing a Maiden calms him down.
16. Write Slaughterhouse. A Meat place and a Chef appear - writing pig, cow, and calf, etc causes the chef to chase it and kill it, with a ham, ground beef, veal, etc showing.
17. Writing UFO allows you to levitate drawn cows / people with said vehicle. :)

Random Levels
a. Dog on roof? Set house on fire (ScooterB)
b. Rat Problems? Grab'em, toss'em in the oven and turn oven on.
c. Tranq'ing someone puts them to sleep for a bit, but doesn't count as 'harm'
d. Turning a Magnet around mid-air above a metal item will cause the metal item to go shooting up towards it, usually taking it and the magnet off screen.
e. Need to give the cop something he loves? Doughnut works. XD

portnoyd

09-19-2009, 09:38 AM

I have joined the fold and can say fun, fun game but my god, the controls suck a big dick.

Has anyone summoned a crane or excavator? I have and I can't get them to work.

SamuraiSmurfette

09-19-2009, 10:13 PM

Keyboard Cat
Rickroll
Giant Enemy Crab

Dangerboy

09-19-2009, 11:09 PM

Heh - if you type "Game of the Year", a little DS cart of the game shows up ;D

Ryaan1234

09-19-2009, 11:49 PM

Let's see.....

Writing...
"stuff" gives you an invisibility cape/cloak.
"tractor beam" gives you a working, albeit gigantic tractor beam.
"philosoraptor" gives you a friendly raptor that wears a monocle.
"burning man" gives you the actual wooden statue burning man thing. (Can't get him to light on fire for some reason)
"zombie repellant". It's exactly as it says.
"wings" gives you the cheapest thing in the game. Seriously, I use it on practically every level. It's better than jet pack because it doesn't break in the water.

random stuff:
Got an electrical object wet? Try attaching a wire to it and then a battery to the wire.
Lost in the dark? Try writing "sun". It lights up a decent area and it follows you in the background.
I tried "bull" then "matador" but they didn't fight. (huh? do you need to give the matador a cape or something?)
An engineer will pull switches for you.
Angels are afraid of demons lol.
"Ghost hunter" sucks against ghosts.
Summon a criminal. Put him far away from you. Give him a shrink ray. Bring him up close to you and voila! He shoots you and now you're tiny Maxwell.

(Maybe I'm just a bit slow but I can't figure out the level where you're supposed to hatch the egg and there's a T-Rex. I've tried interacting with the egg, shooting it, and putting a chicken on it, which resulted in dino baby attacking me, dino baby attacking the T-Rex, and me being beaten up by a chicken respectively. Can I get some sort of explanation of the proper way to "hatch" the egg?)

Also, you gotta love the last action level lol.

SEGA_Queen

09-20-2009, 04:00 PM

(Maybe I'm just a bit slow but I can't figure out the level where you're supposed to hatch the egg and there's a T-Rex. I've tried interacting with the egg, shooting it, and putting a chicken on it, which resulted in dino baby attacking me, dino baby attacking the T-Rex, and me being beaten up by a chicken respectively. Can I get some sort of explanation of the proper way to "hatch" the egg?)

Also, you gotta love the last action level lol.

You're referring to level where you have to hatch the dino egg before the mother comes back, right?

What I did is type "fire", which generated a campfire. Then I put it beside the egg (to heat it up), and after a few seconds it hatched. Then I just grabbed the starite. The interesting thing is that the baby dino tried to attack Maxwell, but since he already had the starite he didn't die.

Ryaan1234

09-20-2009, 05:00 PM

You're referring to level where you have to hatch the dino egg before the mother comes back, right?

What I did is type "fire", which generated a campfire. Then I put it beside the egg (to heat it up), and after a few seconds it hatched. Then I just grabbed the starite. The interesting thing is that the baby dino tried to attack Maxwell, but since he already had the starite he didn't die.
Thank you so much. It's kinda embarassing since I've completed all of the levels except that another 1 or 2. I didn't think of using a fire or some sort of heat source.

11killer11

09-20-2009, 05:19 PM

SamuraiSmurfette

09-20-2009, 06:30 PM

Also, inputting "Maxwell" gives you an evil twin

SEGA_Queen

09-20-2009, 07:02 PM

Thank you so much. It's kinda embarassing since I've completed all of the levels except that another 1 or 2. I didn't think of using a fire or some sort of heat source.

Your welcome! And don't be embarrassed about being stumped on some the levels. I'm having just as much trouble with some of them!

PapaStu

09-20-2009, 08:31 PM

I knew this topic would come up sometime. I made up a few videos of the game including a Shocking Revelations video about it. Check It Out:

http://www.youtube.com/user/WestRoadSal

First Vid right up top.

And one more thing why do you really need Maxwell? You're the one who's writing the words and doing the work. Other than actually grabbing the starrite, I don't see a need for him.

The Freemasons are not a cult. Nor were the Knights Templar.

You need Maxwell because YOU are Maxwell. In all videogames you play as that character (Halo? You're Master Chief, Gears? You're Marcus or Dom, ect) and its your character completing the tasks (be it getting the high score or saving the universe).

11killer11

09-21-2009, 08:22 AM

The Freemasons are not a cult. Nor were the Knights Templar.

You need Maxwell because YOU are Maxwell. In all videogames you play as that character (Halo? You're Master Chief, Gears? You're Marcus or Dom, ect) and its your character completing the tasks (be it getting the high score or saving the universe).

Well I guess that's the wrong word, let's try "secret society" then. Better?

I beg to differ, maybe in those other games you are right but in this certain game it doesn't feel as though I am Maxwell. I feels as though I am leading Maxwell to the Starrite. For example, I give him a shovel and I tell him to dig. And with a ladder I tap it it and I select the option for him to climb it. It's just my opinion but it feel's like i'm guiding him.

If that doesn't help you compare this game to classic Sonic.

Frankie_Says_Relax

09-21-2009, 10:03 AM

Interesting debate as to whether or not the developers of Scribblenauts intended the user to feel as if they are controlling/guiding Maxwell ...

... even in the action levels, I feel that Scribblenauts, while very fun is not an "action" game in the traditional sense.

I suppose I fall into the camp of people who don't feel as if I'm controlling Maxwell in the strictest sense, which could be in part due to the lackluster point & click control scheme.

To me the game feels more akin to a SIMS game, a Lucasarts Point & Click Adventure (with action elements) and/or a Lemmings type game.

Not that that's a bad thing at all. At the end of the day it's a fun game and a super time waster!

boatofcar

09-21-2009, 11:28 AM

I boght the game, but the control scheme definitely ruins some of the fun. It's too bad they can go in and patch in better controls.

11killer11

09-21-2009, 11:57 AM

I boght the game, but the control scheme definitely ruins some of the fun. It's too bad they can go in and patch in better controls.

You got a point there. Most of the time when i summon a black hole for instance and move it, Maxwell moves instead and gets himself into danger most of the time.

-dustburn-

09-22-2009, 12:10 AM

When I get a star, it reminds me of getting one on Mario 64. Even the sound is similar.

Cryomancer

09-22-2009, 01:25 AM

The art shows maxwell holding a pen and the notebook right? Although you feel detacted due to the interface, I believe you are still supposed to be playing as him.

badinsults

09-22-2009, 01:55 AM

The quickest way to die if you screwed up? Type "tsunami". Instant death.

PapaStu

09-22-2009, 02:14 AM

The quickest way to die if you screwed up? Type "tsunami". Instant death.

Bah, putting in 'nuke' works just as well.

Cryomancer

09-22-2009, 02:33 AM

Flood does the same as tsunami for less typing. Nuke is one less, although you have to fiddle with it to set it off.

ALAKA

09-22-2009, 02:38 AM

Typing in Wave can cause a fast death too.

SegaAges

09-26-2009, 02:00 PM

I bought this game, and I just enjoy the amount of stuff you can do. I was looking online, and apparently, you can also type in rickroll to get a rick astley.

The game is super addicting because of how open ended it is.

At least with the dinosaur level, I now know that it is alright for the dinosaur to hatch. I thought I had to do something to turn it different. I kept killing the t-rex and then trying to find wierd ways to make the other stuff happen.

The Cthulu and shark seem to come in handy for land and sea tasks.

There was 1 level where you had to get passed a bear depending on the way you went, so for fun, this is what I did:

Spoiler:
i typed in fighter jet, hopped in it, obliterated the black bear, and then used a parachute to get to the star

It is awesome that I have the freedom to do stuff like that