gmaes Publishers: SCEE
gmaes Platforms: Playstation 3
gmaes Release Date: October 2008
gmaes Genres: Platformer
gmaes Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer, co-op
gmaes Media: Blu-ray disc, download
gmaes play
In LittleBigPlanet, players control small characters (nicknamed either "Sackboy" or "Sackgirl", owing to their material and appearance), each of which can jump, move, and grab objects. Players can use their abilities to shape and develop the highly manipulable environment to build custom spaces either individually, collaboratively, and/or competitively. Levels focus on co-operative, physics-based gmaes play, and players can use mechanisms such as cogs and blocks to build anything from small level parts to large, complex worlds. The gmaes will also allow opportunities for players to acquire new skills and tools.
A major focus of LittleBigPlanet will be on the global community features through the PlayStation Network for players to interact and share their "patches" - levels and other modifications - as well as online play. It has been stated that a "YouTube" of gaming may form as user content is published.
Players can navigate their way through the world by jumping, pushing, grabbing, running and flying to overcome numerous puzzles provided by the gmaes 's robust physics engine. The traditional concept of enemies has not been shown but the gmaes will, in fact, have enemies, ranging from the small, to the big and complex. In addition, harmful objects can be placed in the gmaes , such as pits of fire and being "squished" or flattened by an object that cause the player to restart that section of the level; players pop and roll out of restart points nearby.
A scoring system is also in place, in the form of a time trial with a start and end gate and players collecting world items such as sponge. Scoring is based on both time and execution of the level.
Objects
Objects are made of many different, selectable materials, such as felt, wood, metal or sponge. The materials act realistically; wood does not change shape when you stand on it or grab it, while felt "squishes" and deforms. Objects are selectable from a pull-out menu, nicknamed "Pop-It" , accessible at any point during play.
Usable items are not limited to physical objects; from the "Pop-It" menu "stickers" are also selectable. These "stickers" are pasted to any object or wall throughout the world, limited only by the player/level creators imagination. The stickers can range from photos taken from the PlayStation 3 hard drive to other storage media, even the PlayStation Eye.
A resource system is also in the gmaes , where fluff and other items are collected by the player in order to fuel their ability to build new objects.
Player control
Players can jump, move, and grab objects by using the controller. The analog sticks are used for movement and camera control during the gmaes , but may also be used to move a characters' arms by pressing a certain button to swap between functionality. The head can be moved by using the SIXAXIS tilt control.
Character movement will also be based on how hard the controller is used, much like pressure sensitivity; for instance, when the L2 or R2 triggers are held (for the left and right arms respectively), by jerking the analog stick, the player is able to slap another player inside the gmaes .
Grabbing is also a key ability; it allows a character to pull an object, or even another character, in whatever direction they are currently moving. This allows, for example, a chain of players to hang off a rope when only one character is actually grabbing the rope. Also, it allows a jetpack-equipped player to carry other players through the sky.
Emotions are also a controllable aspect of the characters. Aside from the normal expression the player's avatar exhibits, the player also has a choice of four different emotions to show, each emotion triggered by a different directional button on the SIXAXIS's D-pad. Starting from the upward directional button and going clockwise, the emotions are as follows: happy, angry, sad, and nervous. Each emotion has three different levels of intensity, the emotion growing more intense with each consecutive press. Kyle Schubel of SCEA also mentioned they want to expand the emote system even more.
User-created content
LittleBigPlanet has integrated content-creation tools for the player. There is no special mode for the player to go into to reach them and, as such, they are accessible to the player at all times. These tools enable the player to dynamically place, edit, morph, rotate and interact with objects within the game world. Dynamically reacting physical objects such as springs, ropes, levers, cloth and motors have been seen so far. Allusions to player created objects have also been made.
The player may place an unlimited number of stickers onto the objects in their stage, including custom pictures stored on their hard drive or other storage media. From here, levels can be uploaded onto worldwide servers where other players can download them by browsing world ladders of popular maps. When levels are created they can also have a "prize" added to them that other players will get when they complete the level. Once they get the object they may use it in their own levels but may not set it as a prize for their levels. So when another player plays that player's level they will see this item and ask that player where they got it. That player will then direct them to the original player's level and thus a level gains "popularity" through interesting "prizes" for the creation of the level.
In addition, the player's individual Sackboy character may be highly customized to suit the player.
Reaction
The unveiling of LittleBigPlanet at the GDC 2007 elicited numerous positive reactions. In his BBC News blog, technology editor Darren Waters wrote, "LittleBigPlanet is perhaps one of the most dazzling demos I've seen in the last 10 years."IGN described the game as "beautiful" and reports that "Even in the presence of Home, Sony's impressive new community software, LittleBigPlanet stole the show at Phil Harrison's Game 3.0 practice conference, and was the thing that everyone was talking about.". 1UP writes that "There are plenty of questions remaining about LittleBigPlanet … but it's clear from the reaction to the gmaes so far that it has already won over many fans, including our own Bryan 'Fragile EAgle' Intihar," and that "this could be something very special." Slashdot Games editor Michael Zenke suggested that the gmaes could be the PlayStation 3's killer application, saying, "if these elements are for real, this is the reason to buy PlayStation 3".Even Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, praised the product, though he was unsure how the gmaes would fare on Sony's platform.
Release date
A demo version of the game was planned for release on the PlayStation Network in the fourth quarter of 2007, but was delayed until 2008.
Original announcements pointed to a full release early in 2008, but Sony later said that the game has been delayed until September 2008 in the UK. However, during the Sony PlayStation Day on May 6, 2008 in London, Sony announced that the game would be delayed by one month and is now expected to be released in October 2008.
Watch out at Little Big Planet through discountedgame for price, reviews, and when to pre-order gmaes.
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