LittleBigPlanet 2 Unofficially Revealed - Details = amazing

[George]

Via NeoGAF:

LittleBigPlanet 2 Game Informer June 2010 Issue Information

Context about the first LittleBigPlanet

- The first LBP was never intended to be a simple platforming game
- Over 2 million levels available online
- About 56,000 new levels per week on average

LittleBigPlanet 2 Information Starts Here:

- LBP 2 has less of a focus on platforming altogether and it's more of a platform to actually create games with

- There is an all-new level creator and it is not just a tool to create platform games.

- As examples, the game 100% encourages the player to create game types and wants you to make a shooter, a racer, puzzle games, Space Invaders clones, even RPGs

- A player can even customize a HUD. The example given is a health bar for a fighting game.

- A Media Molecule developer has created a fully-functioning Command & Conquer Clone

- Media Molecule loves that a lot of user-created levels in LBP1 were homages to classic games and laments that so many manipulations of the creation tools were necessary to do them. Sackboy won't need to be "hidden behind the curtain" when you make games with LBP2.

- There is a new super-important creator tool called "direct control seats"

- (from previous point) In LBP1, lots of people made rudimentary "hold R1 to accelerate" vehicles. Mark Healy created a car out of rubber wheels and a bottle, then placed a direct control seat in it. He pulled up an interface that resembled a PS3 controller and assigned commands to buttons.

- Example given was assigning Sixaxis tilt for forward and reverse, horn on the X button.

- You are no longer limited to the game's stock sound effects. You can record your own sounds and voices, attaching them to characters or objects. Magic Mouth from the original LBP is gone

- Direct control seat's control scheme is instantly accessible and you can attach it only to the part of the vehicle you want it to control.

- Example was given about the 8/16-bit remakes/tributes having to use the signature gameplay mechanics of LBP. That is no longer true in LBP2. A creator can place a direct control seat on their own platforming protagonist and complete it with a customized control scheme.

- Example of the previous was Yoshi's Island. If a player creates the perfect recreation of the SNES-era jump they can share it with anyone in the community.

- There is an in-game microchip that functions as a calculator and it is a direct response/homage to PSN user Upsilandre (seriously, he's mentioned by name)

- Enemies in the original title could only be programmed with super-basic commands and most resembled marionettes.

- Users will be able to take a template for an enemy called a Sackbot, tweak the AI and dress it in any way they choose.

- Creators can choose the weak points on the Sackbot, determine if it is scared of heights, and even program acting routines.

- A disco scene was set up by Media Molecule and two employees recorded together on a single Sackbot. They moved its arms and bobbed its head in a dancing routine. JUST the AI was copied and pasted onto twenty different Sackbots. Each Sackbot was given its own unique look.

- There are now movie editing options as well.

- Every LBP2 player will receive their own profile on LBP.me. It will display your activity feed as well as previews of their own stages

- There will be user-created integration in QR codes as well. They can be printed on advertisements, business cards, and automatically load a level when held up to the PlayStation Eye. There is no special menu to do this. Any time the PS3 is turned on and running LBP 2, you can wave it in front of the Eye.

- If you are not near your PS3 you can take a quick photo with your smartphone to see an online preview of the level and add it directly to your level queue.

- For creators of multiple levels, you will be able to string your stages together so that they flow from one level to the next.

- Sackbots can be drastically increased or decreased in physical size.
- Sackbots can be controlled by direct control seats as well.

- There is a new gadget (like the MGS paintball gun). It is a big-*** grappling hook.

- Media Molecule says explicitly there are multiple more gadgets coming.

- All DLC from LBP1 transfers over to LBP2. Including downloaded content packs, costumes, etc.

- There is a major overhaul to the story level as well. There's the same 3-plane perspective for the story mode and the levels so far have a similar run-jump-grab platform style.

- Storyline is not country-based like last time, but is based in periods of time
- Here is a list of levels and summaries so far:
(click on the link to see these, they are spoilers)

- Circuit boards (like the calculator) can get extremely complicated and they have a very distinct interface

- Creators can make full-on cutscenes. Camera angles and voice-overs included. Creators can even make little five-minute short films. These levels are clearly marked on the stage select screen so you can tell whether you're watching or playing the level.

FUCKING SHIT, talk about out doing themselves.

Coming 2010:
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1221 ... 10-release

[crackdude]

So this is Game Maker for teh c4su4l n00bz.

[Emmett The Crab]

Sounds awesome!

[Sega Uranus]

Really cool stuff, but this is sounding more like one of those meals you can buy with all of the ingredients ready that usually ends up getting you sick. The first game had like... Some of the worst platforming physics I can even think of, so it is such a massive improvement to me that they are fixing this.

This all sounds so complex though, it is extremely hard for me to imagine that most of the people who play this will be able to make anything worthwhile though. Just now it is hard for players to make anything fun of the first game, with about 95% of the downloadable levels just being complete garbage.

I will most likely buy it and remake some SEGA games and force you all to play them. Universe of Illusion starring Virtua Ecco the Dolphin and Nagoshi of the Dead, anyone?

[George]

95% are complete garbage?

Have you played the game? I love it when you say stuff about games that you never played. I think there is a lot of crap levels, but not 95%.

That is why, LBP, is categorized levels via ratings and such, so you don't have to play scummy levels.

[Sharky]

Sounds pretty cool.

[Sega Uranus]

95% are complete garbage?

Have you played the game? I love it when you say stuff about games that you never played. I think there is a lot of crap levels, but not 95%.

That is why, LBP, is categorized levels via ratings and such, so you don't have to play scummy levels.

Write me a top ten list about how rating systems work.  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[George]

95% are complete garbage?

Have you played the game? I love it when you say stuff about games that you never played. I think there is a lot of crap levels, but not 95%.

That is why, LBP, is categorized levels via ratings and such, so you don't have to play scummy levels.

Write me a top ten list about how rating systems work.  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

So now you are insulting me. Why do you always act like a child?

[SOUP]

The added features sound fantastic.
I really doubt that I'll end up putting the time into the creater to take advantage of it, but I'm looking forward to seeing what some of those super-dedicated players come up with.

[Emmett The Crab]

This reminds me of the hype for Spore, which was inevitably a let-down.  I hope LBP2 isn't a let down.

[George]

Diffrence is that the creator of Spore has always let me down. So I already knew Spore would suck.

Mm is yet to let me down.

[fluffymoochicken]

So this is Game Maker for teh c4su4l n00bz.

If it's more complicated than LBP1's level designer, then it would actually be harder to use than Game Maker.

Not to mention that you likely won't be able to use a mouse like you would on a PC.

[George]

But you can use 1:1 motion tracking with Move.

>.>

[fluffymoochicken]

Hmm, I suppose so... it would be pricey and it might take some getting adjusted to, but maybe so. ^_^

[George]

[youtube:2ntiue5u]Fs0T5l24JL0[/youtube:2ntiue5u]