littlebigplanet
Latest
LittleBigPlanet coming to Japan Oct. 30
Big news: The Japanese part of the Planet is going to get a little Littler this October, as Sony's Japanese press site brings word that LittleBigPlanet is coming to the country on Oct. 30 for 5980 yen ($56). Still no word on when the game will come to other parts of the planet, but this official Japanese date seems to line up with the rumored 10/21 U.S. release date hinted at by a Target reservation card.[Via MCV]
LittleBigPlanet dated on official Japanese site
On the official Japanese PlayStation site, "PlayStation 3's New Superstar!", as LittleBigPlanet is dubbed above, was given a release date of October 30th and a price of 5980 yen ($57 USD). No word yet on a US or PAL release date. Let's hope it's before the Japanese date, considering the game is developed by the UK based Media Molecule.[Via videogaming247]%Gallery-3199%
LittleBigPlanet takes multiple Best of E3 awards
Looks like we're not the only ones that thought LittleBigPlanet was the best PS3 exclusive at E3 this year. In fact, many other outlets are proclaiming it the Game of the Show. 1UP declared Media Molecule's upcoming platformer "Game of the Show," while Resistance 2 earned "Best Shooter" and inFAMOUS earned "best trailer." "Best New Game"? MAG.G4 gave its award for Best PS3 Game to inFAMOUS ... while it gave away top accolades to LittleBigPlanet as the best game of E3. However, Gametrailers chose to disagree with the rest of the bunch though, calling Resident Evil 5 their Best of E3.If it wasn't apparant already, these repeated nods from critics should make one thing very clear: LBP is awesome -- we can't wait for all of you to get your hands on it too![Via Joystiq, Image source]
LittleBigPlanet tutorial level video and information
ConfusedCartman over at LittleBigPlanet Central got some decent game time in (1.5 hours split up into five 15-20 minute intervals) with the upcoming PS3 exclusive over at Comic Con. There's a whole heap of information on LittleBigPlanet: character customization (Tron suits, Killzone helmets, stickers and magic wands!), the level editor (menu setup, vehicles, event triggers and how to set things on fire!), emoting (SIXAXIS controls your head and hips, leading to hula dancing!) and a level called the Construction Yard ("I stood on the sponge with a friend while another guy dragged it across, and right before we got there I slapped my friend off so I could have the stuff to myself."). ConfusedCartman even filmed a part of the tutorial level for us, after the jump. Or check out the entire article here.
Check out this Solid Snake sackboy papercraft, make one too
Remember that sackboy papercraft thing from awhile back? How did you do? Did you make an awesome creation? Did you make sure to send a picture of your creative work to the Media Molecule guys? Because, if you did, they may have featured your work on their blog.It seems the internets has lots of creative people as many have sent in their final designs. Our favorite is this Solid Snake sackboy by Nessen (pictured); it even comes with matching Mk.II. Just have a look at the different designs posted on the Media Molecule blog to see what other things people came up with. Even better yet, some of these designs have PDFs for you to download, cut out, and make your own! Yes, even Snake. So get-a-stepping and make a Solid Snake sackboy papercraft.
Sackboy knight rescues his princess in LittleBigPlanet trailer
Sackboy wants to be a hero. In this infuriatingly cute trailer (yes, we're so bombarded by cuteness we're angry) you see the regular sackboy dreaming about becoming a knight rescuing his princess. It's another trailer showing how free you are to create your worlds and this is another success in our eyes, even if sackboy doesn't get his kiss. It's also got a great musical number going on in the background. October cannot arrive soon enough!
SCEE: LittleBigPlanet user-generated content 'free at launch'
Those of you who are thinking of using LittleBigPlanet as your ticket to champagne wishes and caviar dreams after reading our last post might want to rethink your plans. "SCEE and Media Molecule can guarantee that all consumer-generated content will be free at launch. We know how important this is to the LBP community and what we want most is for people to enjoy playing, creating and sharing their content," SCEE told Eurogamer after being notified of David Reeves' statements. They emphasized that Reeves "was talking about how user-generated content could potentially evolve in the long term" and that any future direction of LBP "will include the community and focus purely on enhancing the user experience." Adding to the confusion, last month at GDC Paris during a keynote presentation, Media Molecule co-founder Mark Healey said "that's a fantastic idea" in response to a question of whether LBP user-generated content can be sold. We think having the option of selling user-generated content, if implemented correctly, can be positive for the community. So did Reeves reveal something he wasn't suppose to yet? Can we kiss charging for LBP content good-bye? [Thanks, raj!]
Target cards reveal possible LittleBigPlanet release date
Target is offering up pre-sale cards for LittleBigPlanet that claim an October 21st release date for this eagerly awaited game. We've known it would be coming (hopefully, keep your cute little fingers crossed) in October of this year, and hopefully this date won't be changing. Plus we're still itching to get our hands on a demo before then so we can practice our sponge-collecting skills.There's still no definitive word if Sony will be offering this up for download as well as the retail Blu-ray version. In this Gamespot video at about three minutes in, they say "We're hoping to have it on the Playstation Network Store as well." Maybe Sony's planning on releasing a trimmed-down version of the game for download, and opening up the full game to retail customers, similar to what EA has done by putting out the Spore Creature Creator as a free download in advance of the full Spore game coming later? Either way, October can't get here fast enough. Free candy and LittleBigPlanet? Sold.[Thanks, Eric!]
LittleBigPlanet allows users to charge for created content
What's a better incentive to create a level in LittleBigPlanet than good, hard cold cash? According to recent comments by David Reeves, president of SCEE, that's what's planned for the upcoming community-driven platformer. "What we're trying to do with LittleBigPlanet is almost iTunes meets eBay in the sense that once an individual or a developer has qualified by producing certain levels or certain add-ons, they will then be able in the future to exchange these and make money out of them," Reeves notes. "Eventually, it's feasible that you might well see the first LittleBigPlanet millionaire!" It appears that how much creators can charge for content is also user-determined. "Even if you charge less than one euro, it doesn't take many downloads if you've got a really strong LittleBigPlanet level for people to be able to make money. It's a great way for people to show others what they can do." This may give aspiring level designers a chance to not only show off their creativity, but turn their skills into profit. [Thanks, Alex H.!]
Get your first look at a LittleBigPlanet boss
When it was first announced that LittleBigPlanet's Sackboy would be going fisticuffs with all manner of textile-based baddies, we were perplexed as to how these throwdowns would be executed. After all, Sackboy doesn't exactly look like a fearsome opponent -- though we suppose the same could be said for overweight plumbers, oddly-hued rodents, and most other 2D platforming superstars.However, this recent gameplay clip from Media Molecule shows off how everyone's favorite ambulatory sack will tussle with one of the game's bosses -- by using a moving platform to bounce his own exploding barrels back at him. It looks pretty fun, though not incredibly deep. Perhaps that's a good thing -- if bosses can be this simple, will we perhaps be able to create our own? We'll have to wait until October to find out.[Via PS3F]
Watch LittleBigPlanet's Sackboy battle a boss
There hasn't been too many continuous gameplay videos of LittleBigPlanet, but here's one that's getting us even more excited for this upcoming PS3 exclusive. The video starts with Sackboy jumping over some obstacles and platforms, but soon encounters a small boss battle. Machines attempt to attack Sackboy with what appears to be bombs. In addtion to avoiding the explosives, Sackboy uses a contraption that bounces the bomb back at the machine when timed correctly. We get the vibe of an awesome Genesis-era Sonic boss battle from the video, but how about you guys watch it and tell us your thoughts. [Thanks, GhostViper!]
Official LittleBigPlanet website comes online
The LittleBigPlanet website just went live! And it's adorable too! You have Sackboy asking you to choose what country you are located to start. That brings us to our planet and the moon, where you can choose between Game Info and Downloads. The music sounds a bit like an old-school dot-matrix printer though ... Under Downloads you can check out wallpapers and trailers for your PC or PSP. Under Info there's some good information on the game, but nothing new if you've been following the game closely like we have. There's also trailers you can watch directly online. Not much yet, but more is sure to come as the game inches closer to its release date later this year. [Thanks, Danny and Jay!] %Gallery-3199%
Stephen Fry makes LittleBigPlanet sound even better
Media Molecule's Alex Evans announced at an E3 press briefing that British comedian/actor Stephen Fry has been chosen as the narrator for LittleBigPlanet. Fry is most famous in the United States as a reader for audio books such as the Harry Potter series and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, though he appeared in movies such as V for Vendetta and MirrorMask. We really didn't think anything could make game sound any better, but we think this news just did!
Don't Panic! Stephen Fry provides LittleBigPlanet narration
Don't panic, but famed British comedian and noted Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy voice (he's done the audio books and narrated the movie) Stephen Fry will provide narration for LittleBigPlanet. Media Molecule's Alex Evans made the announcement during a press briefing for the game, although he had the TV muted at the time. Seems fitting for when we make our whole sort of general mishmash.
LittleBigPlanet dev made Sony presentation in 2 days for SCEA
Following a LittleBigPlanet press briefing, we had a chance to ask Media Molecule's Alex Evans about their participation in Sony's E3 2008 press conference. (In case you missed it, a LBP level was made for the company's power point slides. We've embedded video of the level above.) According to Evans, SCEA approached the dev two days before their press conference. They spent the first day making the level and the second day tweaking. We're hoping this sets a precedent for all future press conferences. Rare, we're looking at you to show how Banjo can make Xbox sales data fun.
Long lines form for LittleBigPlanet at World Hobby Fair
It looks like Sony may have a hit on its hands with the upcoming LittleBigPlanet for PS3. The Media Molecule-developed platformer was showcased at World Hobby Fair in Japan, and it had an impressive showing. The Japanese clamored for more of the oh-so-cute game, and endured waits as long as half an hour to play the game. To see such excitement over a non-Japanese developed game is rather rare. We're sure this early playtest bodes well for the global success of the title.[Via PSPHyper]
Make Sackboy papercraft, Media Molecule shows how
Media Molecule is giving you something to do while you wait for the company's LittleBigPlanet to come out. They've suggested on their blog that you should try a hand at making some Sackboy papercraft. Yep, papercraft is one step closer to having those adorable plushies. Just one piece of advice: you can't squeeze papercraft with some TLC like you can a plushie; so be careful with your papercraft creation. Download the high-res image here and get started!
Little Big Planet beta growing, Trophies teased
We admit that we have an obsession with Little Big Planet, bordering on addiction. It's something with which we're trying our best to cope, a therapy helped somewhat by Media Molecule co-founder and technical guru David Smith. We like to think of his recent interview with Eurogamer as a kind of patch, letting information seep into our bloodstreams, taking the edge off as we pine for the game's October release. Among the number of topics discussed, Smith spoke out in support of the game's beta testing, something he noted as being "in progress," and -- contrary to earlier reports -- that "it should gradually grow to include more people." In addition, with the recent addition of Trophies, he stated that the team is "having a lot of fun working out what trophies most fit" Little Big Planet, teasing that one will involve "making your sackperson be thrown at some huge velocity." Check out the full interview for more words strung together about Little Big Planet. We'll be quietly twitching in the corner.
LittleBigPlanet director talks about trophies, mandatory install, SIXAXIS
Eurogamer moderated an interview with David Smith, Media Molecule co-founder and technical director of LittleBigPlanet, and lucky fans had the chance to send him some questions. Smith revealed some new elements of the game and confirmed some old ones; the release date is still October, with a beta trial that has already begun but Smith hopes "to have as many people as possible." Trophies were slightly elaborated upon, with creation being a big focus: an example brought up involved creating a new tool/machine that will launch a sackperson at a high speed. You can create inventions, then use a camera tool make copies of them, and give them away. A simple system of "hitting a button at any time and following a simple series of operations." will allow users to report objectionable content, including copyrighted content. Water is currently not in the game, but "it's something that would be very high on our list of priorities." Gravity change is also said be added later on. Whether install will be mandatory is unknown, but Smith simply said: "The HD install is perhaps around a gig. Perhaps more or less." LBP will run at "30fps at 720. The game uses a lot of filmic techniques like depth of field and motion blur, so this fits the game pretty well." There will be "VOIP and PS Eye support" but no further details are revealed. Finally, SIXAXIS will "let you look around, point at things and change your facial expression." For more details, read a transcript of the interview here.
Don't Panic! LittleBigPlanet Character Creation Competition officially open
Don't Panic is an indie magazine based in the United Kingdom with branches in Europe, Asia, Australia and even South America. Why do we suddenly care? They are in collaboration with SCEE in a Character Creation Competition for LittleBigPlanet, that's why. Those of you who enjoyed the previous sackboy we posted but thinks they've got a cooler idea can now contribute their own, and if chosen, will appear in the final game. We can't believe how awesome this is. Anyone from amateurs to artists and everyone in between can participate in this by downloading a template in PDF, EPS or JPG. Let those creative juices flow. Then head over to their website, read all the rules, cross your fingers and submit your work. If you lack talent like this blogger, head over anyway to take a look some of the already submitted entries. Voting begins on July 14th so make you sure you submit your design before that. A little piece of advice: be original. We already saw 2 different Superman sackboys submitted -- call it a hunch, but we don't think either of them are going to be chosen. [Via Maxconsole]
