In what appears to be an interesting turn for a “user-created” game, the developers of LittleBigPlanet (no spaces, please) hope the game can be
a whole palette of tools that can be used to create anything from a puppet theater to graphic novels to pop-up books to music sequencer.
Kotaku is reporting that
“Games have conditional elements,” said Kareem Ettouney, Media Molecule art director. “We wanted to make sure that there is a tool set in there that allows you to create those elements.
“But the exciting part of LittleBigPlanet is everything else you can do with it. We didn’t want to hinder people. What we wanted to make sure we widened the palette. The only real limitation is your imagination.”
So when Sony Computer Entertainment of America called Media Molecule and suggested that they hold a design contest at the historic Parsons School of Design in Greenwich Village, the team jumped at the opportunity.
Some of the ideas that these gamers and non-gamers came up with are pretty amazing.
The most intriguing of the lot was definitely Team Good Sportsmanship’s Sack Monster. The 24-hour creation told a story, albeit a short one, and included some very interesting design choices.
In Sack Monster the entire game is the Sack Monster. Sackboy has to take on the giant creature that, according to a fish out of water, is gobbling up sackboys.
I’m getting more reved up for this game. I’ve been disappointed with releases as of late. Give me something good on the radar.
Thanks to Kotaku for the news and image.
I’m with you on that one (though it makes me feel dirty to see you thank Kotaku… 🙂 )
I’m starting to fall under the LBP spell, enough so that I went out and preordered it. If the creator is userfriendly enough, I could have a blast doing some of the non-game things with it.
The way it was used to do the work of a powerpoint presentation for the Sony presser in E3 was enough to convince me it had potential. Now I’m starting the slow burn to excitement-town.
Plus I’d like something friendly for my family to play/watch.
Exactly. They took people who don’t play games and had them create some pretty amazing things with it.
I think that is user-friendly.
Also, if I can create a “game” my 5 year old son can play, then that is full of awesome.
The idea of making games makes me nervous, but I’ve been reading some reviews and making me nostalgic for some old school gaming. In the right hands, LBP could be the biggest release in years.