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Sony shying away from dating the LittleBigPlanet beta
If you were expecting the LittleBigPlanet beta to hit your PS3 this summer, you might have to substitute that joy with something else. Sony is growing quite hesitant to pin a date down for the game's beta and has opted instead to focus on the September release date. It isn't that there won't be a beta, but a Sony spokesperson at SCEE said "we haven't yet made any announcements as to the dates of the LittleBigPlanet beta trials, and are not yet able to confirm a specific month." If it's not so much a beta but more of a trial, then we wouldn't expect it to hit until August. That's just a shot in the dark, though.
SingStar PS3 screams into North America May 20, playable at Coachella festival
Sony announced today that SingStar for PS3 will finally cross the Atlantic on May 20. That little bit of information was buried deep inside a press release about Sony America's presence at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.Coachella revellers will have the opportunity to try out SingStar and upload their embarrassing renditions of songs to the intertubes, that is, if they're not too busy viewing demos of Little Big Planet and playing some Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Sony America will also host the "TMO Tone Def Party and SingStar Lounge" on Saturday night.
LittleBigPlanet will "evolve over time"
The sack people are back! It's been a while since we saw our cute, unofficial Sony mascots playing around in their sandbox of a world, so here we are with a new video of just that. There's some new stuff in here, but it's predominantly footage we've seen. The level design at the one-minute mark is especially awesome. We do get a nice bit of narrative from the developers behind the game, but it only further enhances our desire to get this game in our hands. Hopefully they'll stick to their September release date!
Rumor: LittleBigPlanet in development for PSP
It seems that CVG has been informed by an insider that the upcoming PS3 cute-em-up LittleBigPlanet is also in development for the PSP. Apparently Studio Liverpool, of WipEout fame, are managing the creation of the PSP version. That's all the information that's available, unfortunately -- and we don't have any idea how true it is, at that.A PSP version of LittleBigPlanet could only be a good thing, in our opinion. Whether it's a shrunken down version of its PS3 cousin or simply a portable version of some of the content creation features, being able to interact with the LBP universe away from your PS3 would be awesome. If it's true. Hopefully we'll hear more about both the PS3 and PSP versions at some point soon. Nothing's been said about the game for a little while and the suspense is killing us.
Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2, gets UK release window
According to VideoGamer.com, who've apparently gotten hold of a Sony UK release schedule, three big PS3 exclusives will be releasing this coming Fall in the British Isles. Killzone 2 and LittleBigPlanet should show up on our beloved console sometime in September, while Resistance 2 caps the trifecta for an expected November release. Sony confirmed that these dates are correct.Great. Now, we just need to wait for SCEA to give us the heads up on these games and their release dates over here across the Atlantic. Hopefully, North American dates won't be any different. If these games do continue on schedule and actually get released by Fall, then it's safe to say that PS3 owners will be very happy gamers indeed.[Via Joystiq]
LittleBigPlanet hitting Alpha stage soon
Media Molecule came out of their hiding place to assure anxious gamers that LittleBigPlanet is, in fact, coming along quite nicely and is about to enter the Alpha stage of development. What does this mean? They say that "basically this means all the cool stuff we said will be in there should be playable, even if it isn't pretty enough to release." Well, the last known release date for the game is September. Making the game look pretty shouldn't take all that long, right? Perhaps this is one release date that will stick. We'll find out![via Eurogamer]
LittleBigPlanet video details content and death
For those hungry for a new LittleBigPlanet video, we've got a nice sandwich this morning. It has some delicious meat and cheeses in it ... have we carried the metaphor too far? This video interview shows off some new features being implemented, such as evil Sackboys, more deaths outside of being smooshed or burned, a beta version coming as soon as they can -- but still prior to release, there is a storyline, and each level should take from 5-15 minutes to complete. That length may or may not apply to user-generated content. Anyway, enjoy the video.[via PS3Forums]
LittleBigPlanet updates with new tentative release date
From Crackle: LittleBigPlanet at CES We all know homebrew gaming is coming to the PS3, most notably through Media Molecule's own LittleBigPlanet. We've come to learn the game is slated for a September release for now, but what else is new with the game? We've got some cute information for you to digest. Unless, of course, you don't like fluff.The emotions for your characters, called Sackboys (Sackpeople if you want to be PC about it), are controlled with the D-pad and seem to have a wider array than previously noted. Facial contortions indicate the style of body gestures your character will do. Kind of neat. You can move into and out of the background now -- no more left-to-right only limitations. You can leave little items in the levels, too, like a leaf texture or something, to add to your personal inventory. The currency in the game was once Sponge, but now called Fluff -- it looks like marshmallows in a variety of colors.How about creating your own levels? It's pretty tough to imagine something when you're greeted by a giant white screen. No worries -- the game will come with several pre-rendered levels like a desert scene that will give you a better place to start. Parental controls and a user-created level rating system to control R-rated content is in the works. When we hear more, we'll let you know, but it's shaping up to be something special.
LittleBigPlanet coming in September
We were promised a LittleBigPlanet demo in late 2007, but a sample of the user-generated-content-fueled platformer never materialized. It should come as no surprise then that (as rumored) the game will be missing its originally announced launch window of early 2008. Eurogamer's reporting that inside sources indicate a September release for the game.Though we're saddened to have to wait, can we at least look forward to a LBP demo sometime in the spring? Or maybe Home? Anything? Hello? All we can say on behalf of all the PS3 owner out there is that Metal Gear Solid 4 had better be awesome.
Confirmed: no LittleBigPlanet demo this year
And with a simple headline, all happiness disappears from our faces. Color seems to melt away from our vision -- could it be true? LittleBigPlanet's demo is not coming out this year. Unsurprising, considering the relative silence around the game. However, didn't Papa Sony promise that we'd get our grubby hands on the game? (The question was rhethorical. The answer is yes. From a Sony press release: "A demo of LittleBigPlanet for PS3 is slated for the PLAYSTATION Network this fall. The full version will follow in early 2008.")Beggars can't be choosers, so we probably can't complain about the release date of a free demo. Playable demo or not, we're still keeping LittleBigPlanet on our list of most-wanted games for 2008.
Watch the VGA's Little Big Planet trailer
We gave this new trailer for Little Big Planet a hard time during last night's VGA liveblog, only because it seems like a really bad way to introduce the game to mainstream audiences. The game's premise (what little we know of it) is pretty complicated, so it might have been smarter to feature a trailer that included a little more explanation, just so Johnny Halofan could get the concept.That said, if you're already familiar with the game, the new trailer is a confirmed magical treat. Not only is it full of whimsy (a plus) but we're also finally given some idea of the extent to which LBP can be used to generate pirate-related scenarios, the true watermark for all entertainment software. The answer seems to be a resounding "Win ho!"[Via PS3F]
New Little Big Planet trailer shown at the Spike VGA
While the Spike Video Game awards weren't too successful for the PS3 (only one PS3 exclusive, Ratchet & Clank, got an award - and that was for "Best PS3 Game"), the show did feature an all new video for one of the system's most anticipated games, Little Big Planet. We've embedded it above so that you can see it in all its YouTubey glory. Nothing new here, really - just more Sackboys dressing up and having fun. In a pirate ship.We have a feeling we're going to lose our voices asking for the beta of Little Big Planet before it happens, so we're just going to sit tight and watch this video over and over again. At least then we can pretend we're playing it. [Thanks, DolphGB!]
Get a job: work on LittleBigPlanet
Media Molecule is hiring! If you have the skills to be a Network Engineer, a Gameplay Programmer, or a Senior Artist, you'll be able to work on the upcoming LittleBigPlanet. Yes!If the game (and corresponding website) are of any indication, this might be the happiest place to work. Honestly, Media Molecule ... you don't have a "Blogger" position open by any chance? Please?[Via ThreeSpeech]
See PlayStation Eye used to customize games
Long ago, cynicism hardened the hearts of the Joystiq staff to lumps of coal (or in Ludwig's case, a conflict diamond), so it's hard for us to get too excited about anything. That said, we're almost certain we feel a few cracks in our ticker when we watch these videos of Sony R&D using the PlayStation Eye to customize games. In one video, a staffer draws a spaceship and a planet surface on a sheet of paper then the PS3 generates an impromptu game of Lunar Lander with them on the fly. In another, a Combat-esque game is interrupted when another player wants to scan his own hand-drawn tank into the game. This is all just research at this point rather than an actual product, but it's hard not to be excited about the possibilities. (Little Big Planet object creation? Dare we dream?)
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: Little Big Parody edition
Some sketchwork from LittleBigPlanet released this week revealed some of the more oddball and potentially copyright-infringing characters you might be able to create. Will our LBP buddy designs become as much of a craze as posting our Mii characters online?Congratulations to Fanboys Online, celebrating their anniversary this week. Here are our picks for the week's best webcomics; be sure to vote for your favorite! Indisputable proof Foiled again Audible Wii and my shadow Do you believe in magic? Suggestion box Inherent bias? Spoons Virtual versus Reality Aptitude [Thanks, elmer]
LBP taunts us with Mario Sack Boy concept art
We're more than just a tad bit envious over LittleBigPlanet, Media Molecule's ultra-cute, ultra-customizable platformer for the PS3; ever since the title was announced at GDC, we've been downright jealous. Videos of the game's cooperative possibilities have turned us into internet stalkers, following every online preview and press release in secret, constantly reloading LBP's MySpace page every five minutes to make sure that other guys aren't moving into our territory with flirtatious comments. So seeing that players will not only be able to create landscapes that mimic scenes from classic games (e.g. Super Mario Bros., World 1-2), but likely also dress up their characters to look like Nintendo's mustachioed mascot has inflamed within us the sort of covetous lust that Moses warned against after coming down from the mount. The Virtual Console has been a great way for us to play old classics, but seeing Sony's plans for its PlayStation Network and comparing it to what we've heard so far about original, downloadable games coming to the Wii has us feeling like chumps. [Thanks Elmer!]
SGD '07: LittleBigPlanet gallery shows off creative talents
Who couldn't fall in love with the cutesy antics of stitched-up ragdolls running around a strange, side-scrolling 3-D world of their own design? We know we have and there's good reason and more proof -- just check out the gallery we've scored for LittleBigPlanet. While we aren't exactly allowed to have any shots of Home go up, let us say that LBP is a fantastic addition to an online experience that is most certainly going to change how people view consoles forever. Are we exaggerating? Let's hope not. We'll see all of you on this game once Home hits in October. We might have some level design contests, too ... Until then, check out a video after the cut.%Gallery-3199%
LittleBigPlanet -- some information and new screenshots
There is a huge entry about LittleBigPlanet over at Edge-Online, originally sourced from the Edge magazine's April edition. While we'd love to go into everything they talk about, we'd bore you to tears and force you into a nap you never expected to take. However, we're going to give you the more interesting tidbits and leave it to you to read the rest, should you deem it necessary. The SIXAXIS controls are amazingly intuitive: the D-pad selects a variety of facial features, the analog sticks act as ways to wave your arms (L2 and R2, when pressed, allow independent arm movement with the two sticks), then tilting the controller actually moves the character's head. Combining these all in a variety of ways will cause the character to move differently (dejected shuffle, happy jaunt, etc). Your character is the game's star and designer, from the article: "A button press brings up a thought-bubble menu system, and a cursor that's tethered to your character by a luminous colour-coded kite string. With this you can place objects in the world, decide their physical properties, move them, reshape them, create new ones from scratch, apply stickers, paint pictures, add sound, import photos, design costumes ..." No word on a submission process for getting these levels out there for others to play, but the possibilities are huge and there's nothing like watching some friends come over and try to play your impossible level designs. A worry is cost -- copyrighted material (like a Mario Bros. stage remade), porno plastered everywhere, etc., will really add up the cost of red tape and moderating the program. There's plenty more to read, don't get us wrong. Talk about the game's physics, implementation and more await you. We felt the above three points were pretty cool sounding and important pieces of information to consider. There are also some cool screenshots over at Edge-Online. Who else is excited for this game?
Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: little big edition
There's somewhat of a correlation between using the descriptive little and the premise of big, enormous landscapes of creativity. Of course, LittleBigPlanet is one prime example. Recall even Little Nemo, an old children's book which spawned a decent licensed video game, The Dream Master. (We wouldn't mind seeing that on the Virtual Console, Capcom.) And we find Mario Galaxy so strangely familiar because the concept of jumping between a vast array of mini-planets is a concept we remember from Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince).This has nothing to do with webcomics; here are our picks for the best gaming comics. Be sure to vote for your favorite, and let us know of any gems we missed this week! Juice, that was a good one Hey! Listen! Devil May Cry, but Fanboys Cry Louder Really more just guidelines Old rivalries Your consoles are off (for context) While supplies last Gaming Scientific log (10,000) = 4 Q4 FTW
Readers pick best webcomic, how ironic
It takes guts to admit something good about a company who you've lost faith in so long ago. That's just what the Penny Arcade crew tackled in their strip relating to the recent PlayStation 3 announcements, winning best game-related webcomic of the week. Special thanks to Jerry "Tycho" Holkins, who was kind enough to stop for a quick chat at GDC last week. Second place goes to the comic we were most tipped off to, the Perry Bible Fellowship, and third place was claimed by Extra Life. A note about Tip of the Sword. While we thought the MMO joke was funny, we really loved the Halo gag more. Unfortunately, we were of the mindset that we picked that strip last week -- blame it on the jet lag from GDC. Apologies to Auker for not using the comic he submitted. Still, we thought the MMO one was funny.Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any gaming comics you stumble upon this week!
