But let’s take a look at something (warning: large images):

First we have the name “The Sphinx” showing up on a Hi-Score screen.  So we can assume [...]]]> By now you’ve all seen the Media Molecule blog entry with the patchwork of screenshots showing off the lighting effects.  If not, go look, it’s wonderful.

But let’s take a look at something (warning: large images):

First we have the name “The Sphinx” showing up on a Hi-Score screen.  So we can assume that that’s a player’s name.

Then here we have, around the bottom of the bubblemeter, a picture and a number and a player name.  And the number is much higher than the current player’s score.

It looks to me like Media Molecule have implemented a score-chasing system similar to that in the new Geometry Wars 2.  While running through a level, will we see the next higher score among our friends, taunting us to go the extra mile to find more bubbles or earn bigger multipliers?

So it’s good to see that SCEA [...]]]> With a game like LittleBigPlanet, educating people is a major hurdle.  Most of the games press seem to understand now, with notable exceptions, so it seems we’re on to the retailers.  Unfortunately, this is more of an uphill battle, as my attempts to pre-order successfully have shown me.

So it’s good to see that SCEA has at least made one step in sending a sort of LBP primer to Best Buy stores in the form of 16 info cards.  There’s not much new here for enthusiasts, except perhaps the “Popit” top-level description (card 11),  but it may feed the interest of salespeople and gamers (and parents of gamers looking for something other than shoot-the-alien/zombie/mutant this Christmas).

The question is: Does this mean Best Buy gets one of the pre-order bonuses?

[Pics stolen from PS3Fanboy]

First of all, the LittleBigPlanet News Site is showing off the official boxart for the USA [thanks Brian!].  I can’t decide whether I like the UK packaging better or not.  I like the USA crowd better than just showing two Sackboys, but the use [...]]]> Lots to report, before anything starts coming in from PAX:

First of all, the LittleBigPlanet News Site is showing off the official boxart for the USA [thanks Brian!].  I can’t decide whether I like the UK packaging better or not.  I like the USA crowd better than just showing two Sackboys, but the use of the sticker art on the UK box is very appealing (and I love Sackboy holding the craft Earth).  One thing about the USA box, though:  It looks like it’d be easy to convert to a three-layer cardboard stand-up store display:  Just make the craft Earth with patches the back layer, the Sackboy crowd the middle layer, and naked peace Sackboy the front layer.  Frankly I’d be surprised not to see just that in my local GameStop in a few weeks.

System Seller and Emblematic Character

Mark Valledor, a “marketeer for LBP”, has told Advertising Age magazine that he wants Sackboy to become “the next emblematic character for the PS3″.  I’m sure this’ll depend on whether LBP is seen to really be a system seller or not.  (Link is to Eurogamer article in case you don’t have a subscription to Advertising Age)

Associate producer Eric Fong thinks LBP will sell PS3s as well, or at least that’s what he told Gamesindustry.biz.

Qore

Episode 4 should be dropping sometime at the beginning of September, and we’re eager to see if Veronica Belmont has retained her right big toe.

Japan

GameXtract has posted some scans of the latest LittleBigPlanet coverage in Japan’s Famitsu magazine.  Worth a look, even if you don’t 日本語を話す.  I notice they continue to call Sackboy “リビッツ”, is that the official name?

Australia

GameSpot Australia posted a new hands-on early this month.  There’s a pretty good description of the controls, as well as their impressions of the first couple of levels and some Create time.

GameSpot Australia’s Crosshairs episode 21 focuses on LittleBigPlanet heavily as well.  Starting about half-way through, they go into a lot of detail about their time with the game (and more than a few good words from Nick Robinson).  Not just a “look, it’s cool” preview, this is actually worth watching for any LBP fan.

Australian games site Gameplayer wonders whether LittleBigPlanet will show Microsoft the folly of their restrictive Xbox Live policies [warning: interesting read, but very crude graphic].

Gameplayer also has posted an extensive hands-on, calling it “a guide to building your own level.”

Scotland

WonderwallWeb’s hand-on preview from Edinburgh points out a neat level feature (that I haven’t seen much talk about):

When first playing through the levels they will seem very linear, with a beginning and an end, but with closer inspection you will notice sticker boards dotted around, if you have picked up the matching sticker from other levels you can use it to open new areas which may hold extra goodies to use in game or during customization.

Scotland’s Daily Record has a nice preview as well.

DarkZero’s hands-on preview from Edinburgh includes screenshots and details of their attempt at building a complex vehicle; definitely a must-read.

PS-cubed’s hands-on answers the oft-asked question “Is the Play part actually fun?”:

Given that these core platforming mechanics are the foundations upon which this entire experiment is built, it’s important that Media Molecule get at least this bit right, and happily they acquit themselves handsomely; the controls are simple and nicely weighted, the physics floaty yet consistent, and the gameplay and puzzle challenges enjoyably tricksy.

Norway

Another LittleBigPlanet voice actor revealed: Harald Eia!  [thanks BasketSnake!]

Denmark

GameStadium got a demo in Leipzig from Leo Cubbin and Jim Unwin, but only took a picture of Jim?  The interview unfortunately confirms that there aren’t many plans for pre-order goodies in Europe.  We can only hope that the same goodies will available some other way.

Benelux

PlayStation Only has posted a screenshot showing a number of LBP trophies.  It looks like there are at least seven for simply completing the story levels.

Forums

Goodbye sponge and fluff and aether, Sam says it’s officially “bubbles” now.

Curious about the music in the trailers?  AKIRA-UK is maintaining a very informative threat over on LBPCentral.

Elsewhere

TheSixthAxis tells us six cool things about LittleBigPlanet, with links to Sam’s posts on the forums where they got the info.

Gotgame’s preview of LittleBigPlanet gives us the phrase “comfort food platforming”.  And another article reminds us that console user-generated content isn’t restricted to LittleBigPlanet (or, indeed, the PS3).

Joystiq got in touch with both Canadian and American PR folks to confirm that LittleBigPlanet is definitely, completely, really, truly a Blu-Ray-only release.  I’m sure this changes nothing, and we’ll be hearing “I thought it was a downloadable game” well beyond the end of the year.

No real surprise, the readers of Scrawl have voted LittleBigPlanet their most anticipated game this year.

The San Francisco Chronicle ran a short article about user-generated content, which of course talks about LittleBigPlanet:

[GameTrailers editor-in-chief] Satterfield said a lot of eyes will be on LittleBigPlanet in particular to see how it performs. If it does anywhere near what people expect, he said, it’s likely other developers will follow suit.

GameSpy has a confusing positive/negative preview; I have to admit I’m not sure exactly what the author was shooting for, but I gather he’s looking forward to Playing more than Creating.

Newsweek’s Level Up’s N’Gai Croal caught up with Mark Healey to talk about receiving the Game Critics Awards for Best Console Game and Best Social/Casual/Puzzle Game.

PlayStation Disorder has a long page of Leipzig coverage, calling LittleBigPlanet “one of the best casual games I have seen so far.”

PlayStation Direct, however, is concerned that the hype will give way to criticism, and suggests lots of DLC.

IGN gives us a list of 10 Sackboy costumes they’d like to see. [thanks Capn P!]

Over on Flickr, Pavel Hruboš gives us a glimpse of the moderation reporting screen.

Mostly the same article (with somewhat different pics) is available online.  Like most things in EDGE, it’s worth reading the whole thing.  Especially the part where Mark Healey says the game “might be crap”.

It is interesting to see the Media Molecule is still hiring, though.  I would apply, but they’ve seen the [...]]]>

Mostly the same article (with somewhat different pics) is available online.  Like most things in EDGE, it’s worth reading the whole thing.  Especially the part where Mark Healey says the game “might be crap”.

It is interesting to see the Media Molecule is still hiring, though.  I would apply, but they’ve seen the limit of my artistic skills here on the blog; so I doubt they’d call me back.

Still treating Comic-Con as part of E3 Season.  In case you missed them, check out Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3, and Vol 4, and Vol 5.

Not surprisingly, given their podcast comments, 1UP has some awards for LittleBigPlanet: Best E3 [...]]]> [Edit:  WordPress informs me that this is our 100th post!  Hooray!]

Still treating Comic-Con as part of E3 Season.  In case you missed them, check out Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3, and Vol 4, and Vol 5.

Not surprisingly, given their podcast comments, 1UP has some awards for LittleBigPlanet: Best E3 PS3 Game and E3 Game of Show.

Over at LBPCentral, a Comic-Con attendee has posted a wonderful report of their experience playing LittleBigPlanet there, including a great video.  People have been asking me to write up my visit to The Truck in more detail, but my experience is now woefully outdated; go read this instead.

PlayStation Universe has a new hands-on preview of LittleBigPlanet:

The community universe that Evans showed us was actually very much like a YouTube subscriber’s profile. You’re able to ‘heart’ certain maps which will save them to your favorites. The system is set up so that as you begin to heart levels, the software will be able to take the specifics within the levels and create recommendations from other users that may be offering similarly styled worlds. This will make it far easier to find more maps that you’ll enjoy rather than trudging through creation after creation to find one that you’ll actually be glad you stepped into. While I’m on the subject, you’ll also be given ‘activity levels’ for everything you do. So, if you’re a guy who plays levels that nobody else has tried yet, you may be known as an “explorer.”

The ones within the demo had all been uploaded by beta users who allowed other users to utilize them. Creationists[sic] will have the option to upload these for the community either with a copyright or without one, which leads me to believe that yes, you will eventually see purchasable user-generated content.

Forget the BBC, LittleBigPlanet hits the big time when they discuss it on This Week in Tech Episode 152.  Nothing new, but they mention it throughout and talk about it a bit at around 40 minutes in.

Newsweek’s Level Up blog interviewed Alex Evans as part of their “Welcoming Our New Sweatshop Overlords” series:

When people ask us to define UGC (user-generated content), or what the audience for LBP might be, I always answer that anyone who has ever drawn on their school bag, or worn a pin on their lapel, or written a blog entry–all of these people are ‘creating’ in some sense, even if their motivations may be slightly different. LBP gives a unique chance to add interactivity to those ways that people can be creative, but taps into the same basic desire to express something.

Lastly, Kotaku has a nice picture of the LittleBigPlanet area at Comic-Con.

Media Molecule‘s very own Alex Evans made a guest appearance on 1UP’s epic end-of-E3 podcast.  Alex joins the poolside group around 46 minutes in, and we get [...]]]> [Note: The 1UP Yours podcast is rated R, or M, or 18+, or whatever.  Especially this one.  So don't go listening if you shouldn't.]  [Also note: Possible spoilers.]

Media Molecule‘s very own Alex Evans made a guest appearance on 1UP’s epic end-of-E3 podcast.  Alex joins the poolside group around 46 minutes in, and we get to hear a few interesting things:

• 1UP’s Garnett Lee calls LittleBigPlanet his E3 Game of Show.
• A Sony internal Beta test is ongoing; at E3 the press was able to play some of the levels created in the Beta.
• Social networking features to help select from the thousands of levels; you can favourite other players, etc.
• The new trailer with the romance story: video maker in Liverpool made the level as well.
• Built-in levels relatively easy compared to the brutal platforming being churned out by testers.
• “Lowrider” level has a companion level “Drag Racers”
• When you attach a “brain” to an enemy it takes control of the limbs..
• A big multi-stage transforming boss made of 120 switches was in the version of the game shown at E3, but no one thought to ask, so no one got to play it.
• Victor, a 19-year-old Swede who works for Media Molecule, built the big boss.
• Vehicle may break, and still continue to run as a broken vehicle would.
• Someone else at the table asked the question which vexes me: “How the h*** do you QA this game?”
• Although an Ueda-san-designed level would be amazing, Alex “can’t possibly comment” on the possibility of one actually being in the game.
• The company doing the new Rag Doll Kung Fu game have captured the style, and upgraded it to HD.
• During the Paris GDC keynote, Mark and Alex showed footage of a chaotic eight-player romp through the English Garden level.
• Media Molecule’s approach to these trade shows?  “We show everything we coded yesterday”
• SHANE: LittleBigPlanet II or content packs?  ALEX: Both.  I hope both.
• If someone stays in a level, that instance stays open as others join and leave.
• Alex wants to create a Resident Evil level after the game ships, and coins the term “triple-M” as the rating.  Apparently both Kareem and Alex have a dark side.
• There’s a lot to do with music and sound: remix and tweak the 8-track music, sound effects speakers that can be glued anywhere (and made invisible), sounds triggered in various ways.
• Kenny and Matt do the sound; they’re awesome.
• Francis did the modelling and animation of Sackboy.
• Garnett thinks the Media Molecule folks don’t sleep.
• Alex says that after release, “We need to crank on the downloadable content.  We’re never going to have a holiday, because of this game.”
• Apparently Miyamoto saw LBP on the E3 show floor and was impressed.
• At some point, Media Molecule did actually talk to Nintendo about LittleBigPlanet.
• There’s a bank vault that has to be blown up, on “Uncle Jalapeño’s level”.

Alex leaves the podcast at around an hour and seven minutes in, but there’s more of interest at the very end:  Stephen Totilo, N’Gai Croal, and Shane Bettenhausen all join Garnett in declaring LittleBigPlanet their E3 Game of the Show.