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The Joystiq weekend: March 9 - 11, 2007
Normally relegated to a strict schedule, the Joystiq recap missed its Friday appointment due to flights and / or jet lag by our usually hard working and insomnia-suffering staff. Enjoy this screenshot of LittleBigPlanet, one of the most pleasant surprises from GDC this year, and check out the highlights for this very long weekend:GDC CoverageAlienware shows off developer PCsA numerical history, and future, of flOw dev That Game CompanyCliffy B reveals the secrets of the universe LittleBigPlanet developer on dealing with publishersMaking LocoRoco players smilePajitnov, with needle and thread, wins Game Design ChallengePoking around with Virtually Jenna JamesonThe difficulty of contact in game sexWhat's broken with MMOs and their combat?Writers and blocks in the industrySXSW CoverageSXSW: Joystiq is here!SXSW: ARG! The Attack of the Alternate Reality GamesSXSW: The Inside Scoop - how to get a job in the game industryJoystiqueryOff the Grid: The Metagame at GDCPoll results: Wii, PS3, 360 playing habitsToday's most therapeutic video: Simpsons 'GTA Parody'Today's queueiest game video: Miyamoto keynote lineWeekly Webcomic Wrapup: now in Cockney!NewsMicrosoft on the hunt for originality with Xbox Live ArcadeWant a free copy of TMNT for the Wii? Hecker: Sorry, the Wii isn't crap'Whirled' casual MMOG from Puzzle Pirates studioCastle Crashers likely due 2008, receiving more contentPenumbra indie horror adventure makes its 'Overture'Behold: CryENGINE2 GDC demosLocoRoco spotted in PS Home trophy casePandemic working on Wii game for wee onesFlOw almost was a Wii titleTHQ, EA, others recruiting at GDCid Software CEO: piracy pushed us multiplatformNo PSP redesign planned, but more colors proposedDJ Max Portable 2 spotted at GDCDisney's High School Musical for Wii, PS2 and DSShivering Isles on March 27, $30 (2400 Microsoft Points)Mario + Disney = Mushroom Kingdom HeartsNew Mii commercialsJack Thompson suing Take-Two -- 2007 EditionDrip, drip, drip Nintendo Q2 releasesMark Rein apologizes for Epic's lawyers attacking artistAutoFire 2007 shooter competition results announcedFancy Pants Adventures creator Brad Borne interviewedRumors & SpeculationRumor: The Wii-mic ... and Harry Potter will use itCommunity & CultureReuters and the misleading PS3 chip-drop headlineFor game addicts, bad games are more addictiveE3 invites, what's the logic?
LittleBigPlanet developer on dealing with publishers
When gaming journalists violently collided in the hallways of San Francisco's Moscone center, a common topic of conversation, besides their universally poor navigational skills, was the PlayStation 3's physics-driven platformer, LittleBigPlanet. The game quickly became somewhat of a critical darling after its unveiling, prompting us to attend a presentation by Media Molecule, the company behind it and Rag Doll Kung Fu. A GDC session held on Wednesday was presented by Mark Healey and Alex Evans who both spoke very candidly about their company's origins and their approach to dealing with publishers (the "bad guy" as far as many developers at GDC are concerned)."We're jumping into the abyss with rockets strapped on our back," said Evans in reference to Media Molecule's enthusiastic approach to game development. Part of this attitude reflects in their relationship with publishers, who Healy insisted are best dealt with by being as upfront and communicative as possible. "Everybody has good ideas," added Evans, but the trick is communicating these ideas. Giving the publisher as much information as you can is key in gaining publisher backing, with visual and playable examples being particularly effective -- Evans called it "the power of prototyping."A video of a LittleBigPlanet prototype was shown during the session, depicting a brightly colored and two-dimensional character waving his arms about, grabbing onto objects and striding up stairs in a decidedly awkward manner. Despite its early state, the physics technology and the control method immediately shone through, a fact which ultimately played a large role in Sony's eagerness to pluck the game up. It seems a similar approach would be just as effective on gamers -- forget the feature bullet-points and dry press releases. Just show us why your game is fun!
