LittleBigPlanet: Sack it to Me – LittleBigHalloween Edition

Return of the Halloween Head!
Its that time of year again…time to get FREE seasonal Sackboy costumes on the PlayStation Store. This week its the Pumpkin Head Halloween Mask! But you better move fast, this costume is only available a during 1 week out of the year.

“Whats New” in LittleBigPlanet PSP
SCEE Cambridge has been hard at work developing a completely new adventure for Sackboy. We’ve asked them to give us some insight on the PSP version through a series of articles to explain what’s new.

“Diary Entry – Nuts and Bolts…and Motors, Strings and Magnetic Keys – What Makes LittleBigPlanet (PSP) Tick” by Jon Torrens, Designer

What’s unique about LBP is that all the behind-the-scenes machines that make the game work are actually created using the tools available to players in edit mode, and are in the level somewhere (just not where you can see them). For example, in the mini-games we have things that have to get faster and faster, like the giant wheel you run on in the China mini-game. The best way for us to do this is to have a little vehicle that moves slowly towards a switch that uses the speed setting. Need something to happen faster? We just speed up the motor bolts on the vehicle. Need something to happen halfway through the game? Stick a magnetic key on the vehicle and a magnetic key switch on its track. The brilliant thing about this is that you have a really simple diagram of what happens in the game. You don’t have to think ‘Well, the time for the wheel to reach top speed is 90 seconds, and I want the player to have to deal with bombs at increasing amounts, so I’ll put bombs dropping on the player at 40, 70, 85 and 90 seconds, you can just place key switches along the track.

A technique we used for repeating sequences was simply having a big disc with a magnetic key on it that rotated past magnetic key switches on a static block behind it. We could move the magnetic key switches into any sequence without having to calculate the exact values required, and to change the overall speed of the sequence we just changed the speed of the motor bolt that made the disc rotate. This might sound technical, but if you’re making a slightly more sophisticated level – like, for example, one with emitting blocks that Sackboy has to run across, or a series of sound effects that plays a tune – then comfort yourself with the knowledge that you have exactly the same tools that we had, and with which we managed to make all those lovely story levels you’ve been playing. Okay, there are quite a few of us, and we had a fair amount of time, but it’s all there for you to use. Aren’t we generous?

For more stories from LittleBigPlanet (PSP) head on over to LittleBigWorkshop.com to read more…like “What’s the Story“, “Prizes and Physics” and more…

LBP (PS3): Game of the Year Edition – User Spotlight
In this week’s spotlight, we learn more about Tommy, PSN ID x-nobody-x, and his level, “The Tails of the LittleBigCrytal”, in the LittleBigPlanet: Game of the Year Edition.

Community Picks!
Our fansites continue to find standout levels online…here’s more to play over the weekend (when you’re not trick-or-treating, of course).

**QUICK CORRECTION** – Last week, we showed off a great new vehicle pack and some of you couldn’t find it…attribute that error to my nimble fingers and whoever invented the keyboard and put the F next to the R. So check out “TSFRJ”s new level pack which he recently updated.

LittleBigLand.com picks:

• Level Name: A Journey
• PSN: syroc

The title of this level says it all, because it truly is a journey through different worlds. It has many different themes but they all blend in so well together. The author of this level has used all the sounds and music in such way that it completely fits the scenery and adds a lot to the whole experience. This is a amazing level that is well built with some good platform action.

• Level Name: Back to the Savannah
• PSN: marquise126ace

Building a level that has the look and feel from a Media molecule story level is hard and before i saw the “Back to…” levels from marquise126ace i thought it was impossible to create such a thing. But he has managed to create levels that have that Media molecule look and feel, if i didn’t know any better i would have said that this is a story level. Back to the Savannah is basically a sequel to the Savannah story levels, the plot of the story is that the Gibbon king needs to speak to you urgently but you have many dangers to survive before you get to him. If you like the Media molecule, Savannah story levels (and who doesn’t like those) then this is a level that you do not want to miss.

For more check out some other fansites like LBPforum.net, LBPcentral.com and of course our own LittleBigCommunity site, LittleBigWorkshop.com.

New to LBP?
Just joining us? As our community continues to grow with new members, we thought it would be good to steer your way to some LBP goodness:

FREE STUFF

• (again) HURRY and get the Halloween Costume for your Sackboy – available for 1 week only
• Download the LittleBigPlanet (PS3) demo on the PlayStation Store and give the game a spin….BTW, the LBP PSP demo is coming soon too.
• Download the Norse Mythology pack (for LBP PS3) @ SonyWonder.com – scroll to the bottom and click the Sony Partners Page.
• Pre-order LittleBigPlanet (PSP) at our participating retailers and get 6 FREE Sackboy costumes!

FUN STUFF

• Since Halloween is here, check out the Monsters Kit DLC on the PlayStation Store