GDC 2007: More on LittleBigPlanet

Imagine a community-based game that allows for players to customize the in-game environments, develop items, and create games that are open to criticism from fellow players? Does it sound like a mix between Second Life and MySpace? Like a Spore ripoff perhaps? Well, Here’s a few details on Sony’s and Media Molecule‘s LittleBigPlanet for the PS3.

LittleBigPlanet is concocted and developed by Media Molecule – a team that spanned out of Lionhead after they created Rag Doll Kung Fu. The game is set to allow characters to develop their own gameworld, customize the objects in it and then have other players play and rate the games made. The game is scheduled for a 2008 release.

Develop Magazine informs that here’s what Phil Harrison‘s had to say about the game: “By giving the players the power to shape and share an entire virtual world via PlayStation Network we’ve created the space for PS3 owners to realise their creativity and craft their own unique experience.”

Perhaps, what makes this game differ from say spore, or PlayStation Home, is that there is no separate environment editor. All the “world modifying” that your character can eventually do and share with the rest of the world online, can be done via playing through the game. Here’s a snippet from the PR sheet that explains it all:

The LittleBigPlanet experience starts with players learning about their character’s powers to interact physically with the environment. There are obstacles to explore, bits and pieces to collect and puzzles to solve – requiring a combination of brains and collaborative teamwork. As players begin to explore, their creative skills will grow and they will be ready to start creating and modifying their surroundings – the first step to sharing them with the whole community.

Characters have the power to move anything in this glued and stitched-together 3D landscape; they have the power to design, shape and build both objects and entire locations for others to view and play. ThereÂ’s no complicated level editor; all of these skills can be learned by simply playing the game.

Judging from the released screenies (below) it’s what happens when a cutesy 3D Platformer meets Second Life meets a god game. Cool. We now wonder how this will compete/integrate with PlayStation Home.

Check out the other screens after the jump!

  

Imagine a community-based game that allows for players to customize the in-game environments, develop items, and create games that are open to criticism from fellow players? Does it sound like a mix between Second Life and MySpace? Like a Spore ripoff perhaps? Well, Here’s a few details on Sony’s and Media Molecule‘s LittleBigPlanet for the PS3.

LittleBigPlanet is concocted and developed by Media Molecule – a team that spanned out of Lionhead after they created Rag Doll Kung Fu. The game is set to allow characters to develop their own gameworld, customize the objects in it and then have other players play and rate the games made. The game is scheduled for a 2008 release.

Develop Magazine informs that here’s what Phil Harrison‘s had to say about the game: “By giving the players the power to shape and share an entire virtual world via PlayStation Network we’ve created the space for PS3 owners to realise their creativity and craft their own unique experience.”

Perhaps, what makes this game differ from say Spore or PlayStation Home, is that there is no separate environment editor. All the “world modifying” that your character can eventually do and share with the rest of the world online, can be done via playing through the game. Here’s a snippet from the PR sheet that explains it all:

The LittleBigPlanet experience starts with players learning about their character’s powers to interact physically with the environment. There are obstacles to explore, bits and pieces to collect and puzzles to solve – requiring a combination of brains and collaborative teamwork. As players begin to explore, their creative skills will grow and they will be ready to start creating and modifying their surroundings – the first step to sharing them with the whole community.

Characters have the power to move anything in this glued and stitched-together 3D landscape; they have the power to design, shape and build both objects and entire locations for others to view and play. ThereÂ’s no complicated level editor; all of these skills can be learned by simply playing the game.

Judging from the released screenies (below) it’s what happens when a cutesy 3D Platformer meets Second Life meets a god game. Cool. We now wonder how this will compete/integrate with PlayStation Home.