Sat, May 08, 2010 | 06:39 BST

First LittleBigPlanet 2 details surface, make LBP1 look silly

littlebigplanet16

In the first LittleBigPlanet, if you could create something that wasn’t a second-rate Mario level, you were heralded as one of the finest minds of your generation. In LittleBigPlanet 2, someone’s already made a Command & Conquer clone.

That’s right: in LittleBigPlanet, you made levels. In LittleBigPlanet 2, you create entire games. How do we know? Because the latest issue of Game Informer’s leaked the lot.

Hours after it was announced, the all-knowing videogame hivemind that is NeoGAF managed to get its hands on the issue in question. So, what’s new in LittleBigPlanet 2? Hoo boy, where do we even start?

Foremost, the game’s focus is no longer on platforming. Rather, if you can dream up a game genre, you can probably bring it to life. Examples given included shooters, racers, puzzle games, RPGs, and even a working Commander & Conquer-esque RTS.

Vehicle creation – once so rudimentary and simplistic that it made Flintstones cars seem like marvels of modern Stone Age engineering – has been taken up a few notches with the inclusion of Direct Control Seats. Basically, you can glue a Direct Control Seat to a vehicle or enemy (!) and assign them a custom control scheme. In other words, it’s much more robust than the first LittleBigPlanet, but far from overwhelmingly complex.

Perhaps a bit more daunting, however, are Sackbots – LBP 2′s name for programmable AI. You can tweak them in a number of ways – for instance, telling them to be afraid of heights – and even choreograph elaborate acting routines. For instance, the funky folks over at Media Molecule created a disco dancing army by manipulating one Sackbot’s arms and legs, and then pasting that routine onto 20 other Sackbots. So basically, the day the game comes out, expect a few hundred levels that reenact the music video for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

You’ll also be able to craft cut-scenes, record your own sound effects, customize HUDs, and string levels together – in effect, creating an entire game.

And that’s only the beginning. Basically, when Media Molecule attaches “2″ to a game title, they mean it. Click through the link for tons more.

24 comment-trail-alt Posted in: Action, Adventure, Arcade, Casual, Fighter, Fitness, Horror, Hot, MMO, Mini-games, PS3, Platformer, Puzzler, RPG, Racing, Rhythm action, Shooter, Simulation, Sony, Sports, Strategy
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24 comments

#1

trivi4l
08/05/10, 6:19 am

That exclamation point next to enemy made me think of MGS

#2

Mike
08/05/10, 6:56 am

Where’s the “game”?

#3

justiceblob
08/05/10, 6:58 am

Perhaps everyone who said LBP2 was pointless and they might as well just release the content to download can STFU now. Boy, this shit sounds good.

#4

Dannybuoy
08/05/10, 7:40 am

I’m already scared about how long it’ll take to create a level. I spent about 2 weeks creating 1 level. It was rubbish really and would break most of the time. Getting my head round the tools was tricky. This sounds amazing but am I gonna have time to create a game of any depth. Let’s see!

#5

Anders
08/05/10, 8:14 am

Grappling hook! \o/

#6

Syrok
08/05/10, 8:55 am

MM just confirmed this via twitter http://twitter.com/Media_Molecule/statuses/13597069280

\o/

#7

NiceFellow
08/05/10, 9:17 am

With most sequels simply seeming to be a case of more of the same on a slightly tweaked engine with some new MP modes – this sounds like the kind of jump in basic capability deserving of a proper 2 in the title (assuming it’s all true of course).

#8

Syrok
08/05/10, 9:37 am

“assuming it’s all true of course”

It is, see my post above yours. :)

#9

Old MacDonald
08/05/10, 9:44 am

Sounds great! Also reminds me that I have to go back to LBP 1 and complete it.

#10

NiceFellow
08/05/10, 10:14 am

@8 “It’s all true!”

Fantastic. Thanks for the link. Day 1 for me as I love LBP and still play/create/share with it regularly.

#11

Detale
08/05/10, 10:20 am

Sounds awesome. I was rubbish at the creation side of things, but there were so many others out there coming up with great levels that there was always something new to play. This sounds like they’ve really taken it up a notch or three, can’t wait to hear more…

#12

Redh3lix
08/05/10, 10:32 am

STILL play LBP 1 since release. The user created levels are simply astounding. I had a few goes at creating my own levels and it’s very addictive.

Best news ever regarding LBP 2!

#13

onlineatron
08/05/10, 10:55 am

My only worry is that Media Molecules tools in the first game came with lengthy tutorials and were still quite a pain.

How are they going to increase functionality whilst simplifying the creation tools?

Maybe the ‘Microchip’ mechanic aids this?

#14

Withnail
08/05/10, 11:02 am

Day 1. Move support will surely be demoed at E3 and will make the create side a lot easier.

#15

Erthazus
08/05/10, 11:03 am

This is a shitstorm.

I will create freakin games and you all going to DOWNLOAD THEM :D

#16

Zonejeu
08/05/10, 11:09 am

@Justiceblog : Note that the people who actually said that are Media Molecule, the developers themselves ;)

#17

onlineatron
08/05/10, 11:24 am

@16

That’s very true and very odd.

Danny Leaver (Level Designer) said that LittleBigPlanet 2 would be ‘Counter-productive’.

He said this in November of last year.

What on earth happened there?
He would have known about LBP2 back then… so why say it would be a pointless venture?

#18

ExclusivesMostly
08/05/10, 12:04 pm

LBP2 is great news. Bora Bora level in LBP1 is the most beautiful and enjoyable user created level I’ve tried by far. Trust me you have to give it a go, preferably with another player: you’ll see why.

#19

2plus2equals5
08/05/10, 12:32 pm

Shocked!

But i want a game, a platform game, not a game builder.

#20

Syrok
08/05/10, 12:37 pm

That’s what the story levels are there for and whatever the community makes. :)

#21

AliTheBrit19
08/05/10, 1:15 pm

I cant believe its another 2010 game, as if there wasn’t already enough huge games out this year!

#22

AHA-Lambda
08/05/10, 1:21 pm

I would find this very hard to believe to be releasding this year tbh O_o

#23

Haseef
08/05/10, 10:46 pm

Are the created levels going to stay free, or will there be some sort of subscription model….. I find playing full games inside a game, too good to be true!

#24

Creator_b
15/07/10, 1:19 am

I always go to candlepants.org for the latest LBP 2 information.

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