GDC 07: Sony orbiting LittleBigPlanet

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
Posted Mar 7, 2007 12:22 pm PT

Rag Doll Kung Fu crew to release a quirky side-scrolling PS3 game that will let users create and share own quirky levels.

More Images (6) » Screenshot Index »

SAN FRANCISCO--The centerpiece of Sony's pre-Game Developers Conference press event last night was its PlayStation Home service, which marries Xbox Live-esque matchmaking with Second Life-like 3D avatars. However, for many in the audience, the highlight was the unveiling of LittleBigPlanet, a new PlayStation 3-exclusive title from independent shop Media Molecule.

Media Molecule was founded last year by several former members of Lionhead Studios (Fable 2) who gained notoriety for their indie PC cult hit Rag Doll Kung Fu. Two of the shop's leading lights, Mark Healey and Alex Evans, were on hand to demo the game, which looked like Viva Piñata's side-scrolling cousin, with a dash of Wallace and Gromit.

Saying LittleBigPlanet is "all about creativity," Healey and Evans took Sony Worldwide Studios president Harrison and a colleague through a level they made "earlier in the day" using in-game creation tools. Featuring textures based on real-life materials (fabric, wood) and an adorable protagonist dubbed "Sack Boy," the game lets players redecorate their levels on the fly with graffiti and objects.

LittleBigPlanet

Media Molecule's new game made waves at GDC.

Also, in line with Harrison's Game 3.0 message, LittleBigPlanet users will be able to upload the custom levels they create to the PlayStation Store. There, other visitors can download, play, and rate these levels, the top 10 of which will be listed on a daily leaderboard.

According to Harrison, a LittleBigPlanet demo will be released on the PlayStation Network later this year, with the full version coming early 2008. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's first look from GDC '07.

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magnumpeeaye
Posted Mar 21, 2007 7:33 am PT

I want this game right now!!!!!!
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magnumpeeaye
Posted Mar 19, 2007 5:25 am PT

@genobaby It will be awsome, its gr8 to have some original ideas at last!!!
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GenoBaby
Posted Mar 17, 2007 3:54 pm PT

@magnumpeeaye thanx... i would love a story mode. I would hate if that game was just a bunch of obstacle courses and no enemies or bosses. Also i do hope that you can't really cheat... for example you can edit a stage that someone else has made during runtime... so let's say you created a course that has a clever obstacle and I just pull out the level editor and add an object that makes me get through the course a lot easier... that would suck... but I'm am excited to see how the games will actually be.
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magnumpeeaye
Posted Mar 15, 2007 6:49 am PT

@ genobaby, there will indeed be a story mode with a huge amount of levels across different styles of games. It will also teach u how to create ur own stuff just through playing them!! Hope thats cleared that up for u!
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magnumpeeaye
Posted Mar 15, 2007 6:41 am PT

Doubters beware little big planet wont be only about platforming. In this months issue of edge magazine mark healy states "there will be many game styles we'll be using and giving them to players to use too" He also states "think of little big planet as a physical web site with gameplay elements"
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Mechacow
Posted Mar 12, 2007 2:31 pm PT

As much as I like PS3 I don't see the big deal. A platformer with a level editor? Hasn't that been done before? And how am I going to hype a game about "sack boy" to my friends?
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GenoBaby
Posted Mar 12, 2007 1:03 pm PT

This looks amazing but i still have a lot of concern about it. Right now it looks like it's just a side scrolling obstacle course. I really do hope that the final game in 2008 will have bosses or even a story. And the demo that we'll be able to download this year (2007)... since you can pull in any asset during gameplay... can't i just pull out the jetpack and the fly through any of the user created levels at any time?
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Crimson-_-Tears
Posted Mar 10, 2007 2:17 am PT

cool
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Sushisogood
Posted Mar 8, 2007 9:14 pm PT

This game is going to be awesome.
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DOOM_SONYMAN
Posted Mar 8, 2007 4:47 pm PT

sony is back
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theKSMM
Posted Mar 8, 2007 4:03 pm PT

Sounds good, and the PS3 can certainly use the content.
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susuamazin
Posted Mar 8, 2007 4:01 pm PT

@discguru101...
which one of those games were they?
was it heavenly sword?
mgs4?
gran turismo 5?
final fantasy 13?
killzone?
littlebigplanet?

dont tell me it was ape escape.... ...was it?
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DiscGuru101
Posted Mar 8, 2007 3:29 pm PT

This is the most original looking Heat-Station 3 game so far... Susuamazin-Your list only has 1 or 2 games that MIGHT be must have.
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susuamazin
Posted Mar 8, 2007 2:27 pm PT

i really love how this game is BUT... i do agree with the guy/girl that said it maight get a bit too repettitive.... however that is spelled... but the locoroco demo for the psp never ceases to amaze me...

AND STOP SAYING THE PS3 HAS NO MORE EXCLUSIVES...
gran turismo 5, afrika, ape escape, coded arms assault, devil may cry 4, heavenly sword, jak & daxter the lost frontier, metal gear solid 4, ninja gaiden sigma, ratchet and clank, tekken 6, wipeout, monster kingdom, lair, final fantasy 13 and all extentions, motorstorm, resistance, killzone 2, singstar, warhawk, littlebigplanet, f1
there are also the games that used to be exclusives... such as GTA... but guess what. That doesn't mean they're not there...
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webdoom
Posted Mar 8, 2007 2:19 pm PT

"Game of the year. It's about time someone figured out how to do something original. Between this and home, I feel the tide turning for the PS3." ----------------- u being serious??? this is only a small ripple LOL!!!!
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Sir_Crocidile
Posted Mar 8, 2007 2:11 pm PT

I know I have harped on Sony for a while for lack of really interesting looking exclusives; all I can say about this however is WOW. This game looks REALLY fun. If I owned a ps3 I would definitely be getting this game.
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gigabrowser12
Posted Mar 8, 2007 2:09 pm PT

I have a feeling that this will get repetitive afterawhile, run run run. Awsome game otherwise though.
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coolasj19
Posted Mar 8, 2007 1:21 pm PT

i like it if its free ill get it
"pretty" cool
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Game-o_O
Posted Mar 8, 2007 12:48 pm PT

Lol, no matter how it's determined though, just let the people have their fun. This game does look quite interesting, you haven't seen many games like this come to the PS3 at all have you?

Is this the only 'below 13' can play game on the PS3? heh. Anyways, I definitly need this game x_x; I love games I can spend hours with others doing senseless stuff & still having fun lol. Like when I played my friends Halo, I would play Fusion Frenzy x_x.
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flex49
Posted Mar 8, 2007 12:47 pm PT

has anyone noticed this is another game that comes out in 2008? we need great games NOW!!
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bihboy69
Posted Mar 8, 2007 12:41 pm PT

GoddBless "UrbanMessiah

How funny...All of the PS3 loyal are so excited for this game, but we all know if this game came out for the Wii, they would be going on and on about how Wii owners get yet another kiddy game. Man, starving for some type of good news really does change the way one looks at the world, doesn't it? -=x"

Very True! If this was even on the 360 it would be overlooked. For example Viva Pinata was a great game but Sony fans scoffed at it. They get this game and it's suddenly the greatest game ever. Even if this was multiplat they wouldn't feel it was as great.

this game is too much for the wii or 360 to handle.

and for all the people who have been bashing sony coz the ps3 is ony for mature gamers, you were wrong
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cyroos195
Posted Mar 8, 2007 12:39 pm PT

First Home this...... Sonys on a Roll
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GoddBless
Posted Mar 8, 2007 10:50 am PT

"UrbanMessiah

How funny...All of the PS3 loyal are so excited for this game, but we all know if this game came out for the Wii, they would be going on and on about how Wii owners get yet another kiddy game. Man, starving for some type of good news really does change the way one looks at the world, doesn't it? -=x"

Very True! If this was even on the 360 it would be overlooked. For example Viva Pinata was a great game but Sony fans scoffed at it. They get this game and it's suddenly the greatest game ever. Even if this was multiplat they wouldn't feel it was as great.
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CT-Link
Posted Mar 8, 2007 8:49 am PT

If only this and Home would've been released on launch date...nobody would be talkin about Halo 3, BioShock, Mass Effect, Too Human, etc etc etc.
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trininuyawka
Posted Mar 8, 2007 8:42 am PT

bossjimbob,

Redfingers hit the point I was about to make. The PS3 uses a typical laptop hard drive so once a person starts to run out of space, they can upgrade later down the road or right out of the box. Nevertheless, it's the same 20GB as an XBOX360 (which also uses software emulation). And with free online gaming, that further reduces the cost of ownership. So in the end, the cost argument really is a non-factor.

With regards to Blu-Ray, you may not need it now if you don't have an HDTV, but in the same way that games moved from CD to DVD, is it such a strecth to see games requiring more and more space to fully use a Blu-Ray disc's full storage capacity? And when HDTV's fall below $500 bucks and further replace existing CRT's, PS3 owners will already have a Blu-Ray player for the extra $100 more than an XBOX 360. Dirt cheap if you ask me.

It's not like you're paying extra for a PS3 and not getting your money's worth. For the sake of price, it would have been shortsighted (and bad business) for Sony to create a PS3 that was little more than a juiced up PS2... especially considering how well that unit is still selling today. They took a leap in technology and priced it a little below market value in reality. I think they will only reduce prices once PS2 sales start to slip dramatically.
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8aihu
Posted Mar 8, 2007 7:28 am PT

"How funny...All of the PS3 loyal are so excited for this game, but we all know if this game came out for the Wii, they would be going on and on about how Wii owners get yet another kiddy game."

so it's not a great idea???? how much of the physic's and graphics would be compromised? How much loading would happen when creating stages with custom stickers? Assuming this is a PSN only download, is the Wii's storage space big enough?

home is getting far too much attention...wheres all the love for LittleBigPlanet?

INCREDIBLE!
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trenken
Posted Mar 8, 2007 6:55 am PT

Game of the year. It's about time someone figured out how to do something original. Between this and home, I feel the tide turning for the PS3.
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MATERAZZI_23
Posted Mar 8, 2007 2:50 am PT

First class!!!
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UrbanMessiah
Posted Mar 8, 2007 1:50 am PT

How funny...All of the PS3 loyal are so excited for this game, but we all know if this game came out for the Wii, they would be going on and on about how Wii owners get yet another kiddy game. Man, starving for some type of good news really does change the way one looks at the world, doesn't it? -=x
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Darkiewonder
Posted Mar 8, 2007 1:24 am PT

*Cough* Super Rub A Dub *Cough*

please.

LOL fine. the game LBP looks promising and I want to get some of my friends [Real life friend] to be able to make levels and Rank as #1 BEST Level designer in the game lol [ So Competitive]
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KaptainKernal
Posted Mar 7, 2007 9:51 pm PT

neat
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HXCDEW
Posted Mar 7, 2007 9:45 pm PT

This game looks absolutely awesome. So cute, fun and innovative. I'm really looking forward to this!
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langrisser2005
Posted Mar 7, 2007 9:33 pm PT

This looks freakin sweet, the demo they showed looked awesome and very fun.
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Progn0sticator
Posted Mar 7, 2007 9:23 pm PT

Hopefully this is the first of many good ideas to come from Sony for the PS3...
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makaid
Posted Mar 7, 2007 8:16 pm PT

I am definitely looking forward to this. Awesome idea!
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Gmacrusher
Posted Mar 7, 2007 7:49 pm PT

Cool...i'll get this..
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Fallout_red
Posted Mar 7, 2007 7:41 pm PT

Well after what seemed a decade, Sony is finally doing something right. If only this, home and all other features were available at launch...
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RaiKageRyu
Posted Mar 7, 2007 6:57 pm PT

Wow
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Zam_basic
Posted Mar 7, 2007 6:50 pm PT

the PS3 is picking up speed
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TheJoker003
Posted Mar 7, 2007 6:24 pm PT

This game look great =, can't wait.
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hammer_of_thor_
Posted Mar 7, 2007 6:14 pm PT

Game looks fun, and it looks pretty too.
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Elyoshi
Posted Mar 7, 2007 5:53 pm PT

DO WANT!

Graphics look hot... So Delicious. Catchy music to.

Things like this and Home make me want a PS3... If only I had $600 dollars to drop on whats still just potential...
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Xanog1
Posted Mar 7, 2007 5:52 pm PT

It looks like an amazingly fun game.
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Redfingers
Posted Mar 7, 2007 5:41 pm PT

I don't want to spend the extra dough on the XBL service which encounters and even surpasses the cost difference on the PS3 cumulatively.

Therefore, the $500 version is a steal. Additionally, you can pop the 20 gig harddrive out at any point in time and replace any PC hard drive you have laying around. 20 gig to 120 gig...easy as a snap.

So Blu-Ray ends up being more of a consolation prize than anything. This added functionality on the online service basically makes the price difference nil. The complaints of reduced online on the PS3 are now wistful worries. I've got everything I need, not only at a competitive rate, but at an impressive rate.

I understand exactly what you mean about the PC though. I took a little dive in upgrading my videocard and decided the transition between mid-end PC to 360 wasn't worth the extra dough and sprung for a Playstation 3. If I had bought a whole new PC, though, I wouldn't be buying any console any time soon!

At least you've got some awesome games to look into...C&C, Supreme Commander, Bioshock. Forget consoles for now. Counterstrike...

: )
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mlfresh
Posted Mar 7, 2007 5:18 pm PT

sweet gameplay and awesome music
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Pete5506
Posted Mar 7, 2007 5:16 pm PT

cool???? I gess
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bossjimbob
Posted Mar 7, 2007 5:16 pm PT

Quote: trininuyawka

"I can understand people complaining about the lack of good games right now, but I still don't understand why so many people are complaining about the price. It's only $100 more than a 360 w/HDD. The majority of people waste that much in one month on fast food, starbuck's, 2 movies and lotto tickets. I think the PS3's price is about right for what you get in hardware."

It's true you get a lot of bang for your buck with the PS3 (I'm a 360 owner myself) but it's also true that you are paying a lot of money for it. I can honestly say that 20GB is not big enough for a hard drive (and since Sony is taking the backward compatibility approach, at least in Europe, with software emulation and patching you'll need more space than that). So really the only PS3 worth getting is the $599 one. I don't want Blu-ray but I'm forced to buy it. The 360 is a cheaper alternative for folks that are really just interested in playing games and maybe watching the occasional DVD or downloaded film. I couldn't care less about the high-def DVD wars and I won't be buying the HD-DVD add on for the 360, either.

I just shelled out quite a bit of money for a new PC (it's been six years since my last upgrade so it was the right time) so I can't justify buying another console right now, be it the Wii or the PS3. Would I like to own them? Of course...but my household is on a fixed budget for awhile so we'll have to wait until a price drop or two.

I *am* excited for games like LittleBigPlanet and this Home thingy Sony is touting. I'm glad to hear some good news from the Sony camp and hope that their game catalog will continue to evolve. Competition is good. Today's announcements are just what PS3 owners have been hoping for since launch day. Even though I'm not in that camp I have to give credit where it's due. Enjoy!
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blackIceJoe
Posted Mar 7, 2007 5:13 pm PT

This looks good it is nice to see Sony finally doing some thing right.
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Runningflame570
Posted Mar 7, 2007 4:39 pm PT

With Playstation HOME and this especially, Sony and Media Molecule have essentially given the traditional console online model a bloody lip.

Your move indeed Microsoft.
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Lub1
Posted Mar 7, 2007 4:33 pm PT

the gameplay video is soo funny. The fourth little guy, sort of an astronaut or something is always too late or misses the jump and the other one waits for him:p great stuff
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