In 2008 young studio Media Molecule managed to create a stellar platformer and a brand new approach to user generated content in one victorious swoop.
Debut PS3 exclusive LittleBigPlanet was not only full of fun, charm and character, but it gave gamers all over the world the tools to not only play but to create and share as well.
OVERVIEW
Founded: 2006
Location: Guildford, England
Killer quote: "Probably the best in the business at moulding the elaborate into the elementary"
KEY PEOPLE
Co-founder and creative director of Media Molecule, Healey's first published game was KGB Super Spy on the Commodore 64 for Codemasters.
Healey went on to join Bullfrog and work with Peter Molyneux on titles such as Theme Park, Magic Carpet and Dungeon Keeper. He also joined Molyneux when the Fable creator founded Lionhead, working as a senior artist/designer on Black and White.
The LitteBigPlanet designer often points back to his days at Lionhead as a time of inspiration, most notably when a certain Nintendo title arrived in the office.
He recalled in a CVG interview: "I was working at Bullfrog at the time, doing the graphics for Dungeon Keeper. We had just moved from Peter Molyneux's house into an office that was nearer the main office. (It's a long story, but Peter wasn't allowed to go into the main office...)
"Anyway, the point is there were about four or five of us alone in this pretty massive space, and in the evening we would play console games on a massive telly. When the N64 came in with Mario 64, we settled in for a massive session (I remember we got really stoned too), and I just remember us all being totally immersed and mesmerised by the game.
"It really felt like having a little remote control man. I still maintain that it's probably the best example of a 3D platform game to date. There's a bit where Mario falls down this really deep hole and I remember us all leaning back and going: 'Whooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa'."
Healey also developed Rag Doll Kung Fu in his spare time during his employment with Lionhead before going on to launch the LittleBigPlanet studio.
Co-founder and technical director Alex Evans worked with Healey at Lionhead and also helped create Rag Doll Kung Fu before the duo impressed Sony with LittleBigPlanet.
Evans agrees the PS3 exclusive is the LEGO of a new generation, telling CVG last year: "people ask, 'Can I build X? Or can I build Y?' And the answer is yes. That's what Mark the Creative Director is great at doing - seeing the requests that we get daily, like 'can we have this feature, or that feature,' and sorting it out.
"We have discussions internally. I said to Mark: I really want to be able to make an RPG, can we have an RPG kit. He says you can already do it with LittleBigPlanet 2."
KEY GAMES
LittleBigPlanet's legacy isn't its plush platforming pleasures, but its contribution to community gaming. In 2008 user-generated content was by no means new but Media Molecule enabled the playing public like never before.
The LittleBigPlanet online community wasn't held together by sharing a car or a created character every now and then, it was working together to create a galaxy of games.
Media Molecule had created a user-friendly development tool kit meaning that the LittleBigPlanet experience lasted well beyond its stock levels as players were able to create more and more.
A robust search and rating system meant that the best level builders soon found stardom in the gaming community. Some even landed jobs at Media Molecule itself after demonstrating mind-blowing design skills.
Sony later published ModNation Racers, a kart game with a similar 'Play Create Share' mantra at its core, and would go on to incorporate the idea into more and more of its exclusives.
Comments
7 comments so far...
BoringName on 10 Nov '11 said:
Took LBP as a lego fan and loved it. Watching the play counter on a level tick up to the hunderds or (strike it lucky) thousands was an amazing feeling as people played levels. Above all the art and design, I don't think there's a lot that comes as close to influencing me as that did. Hope this sudio keeps its' creativity and soul in every game.
metallicorphan on 10 Nov '11 said:
I enjoyed Little Big Planet,but not sure these guys would make my list,although TBH that is the only game i have played of theirs(that i know of),except the beta for Modnation Racers
Fr33Kye on 10 Nov '11 said:
Modnation racers is a different studio.
These guys have the best level designers in the industry. I love littlebigplanet and co-op. Littlebigplanet has already affected sony's entire gameplan. Infamous came with ugc, modnation racers came out, sound shapes, etc. Littlebigplanet basically made the whole play create share mantra, and sony are actually extending it to the vita rather than it just being more marketing buzzwords.
Lady Gagagged on 10 Nov '11 said:
Did any one else buy the 2000ad kit because it promised better level editing features at a future date? Did any one else play hundreds of mindless, barely functional user created levels? Did anyone else experience the joy of a complicated physics system that made four player gaming almost unplayable? I could go on but I won't. Simply a couple of okay games don't make a great studio.
starvinbull on 10 Nov '11 said:
The fact that people are making better platforming levels than most modern developers in LBP2 sh*ts all over your post.
Perfect recreations of space invaders, defender, pong. Reimaginings of FF7, sonic 2, connect 4. Some of the best community levels are the best multiplayer 2D platformers ever made.
The fact is that what the community can do with LBP2 vindicates who and what they are as a developer.
TheLastDodo on 11 Nov '11 said:
Never heard of that with the 2000ad kit.
Nope, I stuck to playing the thousands of top rated/MM Picks levels.
Yes, the physics system made 4 player co-op hilarious.
I think LBP was just the wrong game for you.
Lady Gagagged on 11 Nov '11 said:
How does that show that there weren't thousands of s**t levels then?
I'm sorry, they copied someone else's ideas and that shows they have created great designs? Maybe you should think before you post? You've invalidated any points you're trying to make with your own words.
They are vindicated by the work and time others have put into the game? Run that one by me again. I'm not saying LBP is a bad game, I'm saying it isn't as good as people seem to try have me believe.