Again, I don't accept the view as put in the OP here.
Let's be clear:
1) As with You Tube there is no way to avoid the fact that sometimes certain levels are going to overstep a mark.
2) That mark isn't Sony's or MM's making as such. It's copyright laws and the fact that the second something with a copyright image, etc. is uploaded someone could in theory contact Sony and/or MM with a 'cease and desist' order.
3) As with You Tube this is nothing new. Happens anytime you have an open community. No one here is the bad guy, but 100% open content in a monetary society with ownership and copyright laws is impossible. It just is. I wish it wasn't. The OP clearly does too. But it simply is impossible.
Therefore, I'd rather have YouTube and LittleBigPlanet with the challenges than not have them at all - which is the only alternative.
Sure, it's easy (and even from a point of view right) to just ask copyright holders, etc. to take a chill pill and realize a 'homage' level is actually got for their property. But they don't have to, many won't, and therefore there will be moderation.
As expected moderation, when it has an entity like Sony behind it, will seem heavy handed at first. This is simply because they will err on the side of caution initially.
I also get the impression from what I read that MM have actively been working to get Sony to relax moderation, and as things settle I expect this to continue.
It's tempting to think of video games as short lifecycle products with big initial spikes, but LBP is different (not in terms of sales) but the fact it has this persistent online community with the ability to post content.
LBP has only been out 7 weeks - from this point of view its very early days with regard to the create/share element of the game.
Remember the first seven weeks of YouTube? Remember the mayhem about people posting entire movies online (cut up into 10 minute segments)?
LBP is not this years big shooter, like RFOM2 or Gears 2, to be repeat played online (with maybe a few new maps, etc. but essentially identical to the game that launched day 1) online until the next version - if LBP really does work and take off it will be because instead the community keeps going and swelling the content base, as will the developers (and they may sometimes choose to charge for that content) - and I know already there will be bumps along the way. Some we've already had - no doubt some others are still to come.
But to make out Sony/MM are wrong, evil or lying is to ignore the realities of our society from a business/legal perspective.
I guess you're mad, maybe you've been moderated and it doesn't seem fair. But the truth is the moderated levels are in the minority, the truth is as things mature we've already seen levels return, seen moderation start to relax.
LBP is a wonderful game. Plain and simple. Filled with more perfect little touches than I've seen in a long time.
But with the tools it provides, the sharing, the ability to import content, the create/share side of the game was bound to have teething problems - and to demand this should never have happened is to simply be unrealistic and dare I say it somewhat naive.
I don't want to insult the OP, but this was bound to happen - and it shouldn't be seen as a deliberate negative.
If MM took down every level that remotely hinted at MGS, then launched DLC for $10 I'd be pretty disappointed. But I see no evidence of this whatsoever. I've nor searched for and played multiple MGS levels with no issues.
The DLC is optional and if you want what it has you can pay - if not you can pass.
Try to be reasonable... its easier than you think...
