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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]
Reggie Fils-Aime thinks LittleBigPlanet is on the wrong console
Reggie Fils-Aime, one of the heads of the hydra at Nintendo (figuratively speaking ... or are we?), was recently asked which titles he was jealous weren't on the Wii. Without hesitation, Fils-Aime barked out: "I've been very intrigued with Little Big Planet (from Sony). I don't know that it belongs on their platform." He then said Nintendo would like the first person shooters from Microsoft like Halo and Bioshock. But he never said those didn't belong on the 360.Now, color us crazy, but is Fils-Aime implying that LittleBigPlanet would serve audiences better on the Wii? He does realize the graphics would get a pretty noticeable downgrade and that there needs to be a very open, accessible, and powerful online platform behind the game, right? No? Oh well. Sure, it may seem like it fits in with the casual crowd more, but the casual crowd also wouldn't build a level and upload it for their friends to play. What do you guys think? Is the PS3 the right platform for LittleBigPlanet or not?
Hands-on: LittleBigPlanet
Don't be surprised to see LittleBigPlanet score big time when we make our "Game of the Show" awards later this week. Best described as a social game creation experience, LittleBigPlanet left us pleasantly surprised with its charming personality and incredibly intuitive design mechanics.At GDC, the team at Media Molecule wanted to showcase the "play" element of the game. The cooperative physics-based platforming had everyone talking at the show. For E3, the team has prepared a "creation" demo for us to partake in.Up to four players (either online or off) can join in on a creation session. Making a level and its elements happens within the game's regular environment, allowing all participants to play whilst designing the level. For example, while one developer was creating a staircase, I decided to drag Chris Grant's stunned avatar, as it flailed around helplessly. Adorable? Yes. Afterwards, we saw a few blocks being created, and we were able to play with them from the moment they appeared in the game world. The instant gratification, we're reminded, allows level designers to fully understand what works and what doesn't from the moment it's made.%Gallery-3199%
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!]
Reggie lost out to Phil on LittleBigPlanet
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Reggie_lost_out_to_Phil_on_LittleBigPlanet'; If you've been eyeing shots of LittleBigPlanet and wondering why it isn't ours, you're not alone. Even Reggie Fils-Aime thought that Media Molecule, the company behind the intriguing platformer, would be a perfect match with Nintendo. Unfortunately, Sony's Phil Harrison beat him to the punch. Reggie couldn't resist getting in a little jab, though. "That product, I think, is quite intriguing. I'm not sure how well it will do on the Sony platform, quite frankly, but I think that the product they showed was outstanding." Frankly, we're not sure how it'll do, either. After all, people need to actually own a PS3 to be able to play it, eh?Reggie's other comments might shed a little light on what's in store for Nintendo. Though he loves LittleBigPlanet, he wasn't too impressed with Playstation Home, the PS3 community. So when our Miis hit the road on some distant future day, it's probably a safe bet to assume they won't be heading for their house or trophy room.
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!
Rag Doll team enlisted for PS3 exclusive
Mark Healey's Media Molecule has inked a deal with SCEE to develop an exclusive title for PlayStation 3. Having yet to release a game since cutting ties with Lionhead, the small, 20-plus-sized team is hungry to prove themselves.While neither Sony or Media Molecule is yet prepared to speak publicly about the concept behind this new title, Mark Healy was quick to tout his small team's abilities, boasting, "[we] can deliver a world class, triple A, next generation product." If successful, Media Molecule could blaze the trail for a new generation of small development teams that provide innovative "next-gen" content on a cost effective scale ... while multimillion-dollar uber-studios blow loads of dough on those spiffy sequels and genre clones.
Media Molecule: Rag Doll Kung Fu creator's new studio
Here's the newest installment in the ongoing adventures of Mark Healey, the ex-Lionhead programmer who created Rag Doll Kung Fu. After cutting loose from Lionhead -- which, let's not forget, has since been acquired by Microsoft -- Mark reportedly started to pursue "other projects".He's now founded a new studio, Media Molecule, which includes other ex-Lionhead staff. For the next part of this ongoing soap opera, stay tuned -- the team are "mega busy" at the moment, and we're looking forward to what comes out of this new indie developer.
