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Little Big Strategy: 5 Steps to Maximizing Your Little Big Planet Experience

• By Ivy Yup
• October 08, 2008 16:35 PM PST
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Little Big Planet is slated to be released exclusively for the PS3 in two weeks, so if you haven't had the chance play the Beta, take a look at this quick overview of the creation tools to help you get started in creating the biggest little level-editing platform game to come. It's easier than you think!

Adoration of the Animated SackPeople

I would be remiss if I didn't mention some of the basics first. One of the charming things about LBP is the ability to express yourself with body language and facial expressions to communicate a clear message of approval, disapproval, or horseplay--among other things.

1. Turn That Frown Upside-Down

With a wide range of emotes, show other players just how frustrating platform games can be for those who don't excel at jumping puzzles. To display a grumpy face, press down on your D-pad to toggle between the various emotive states until you go from smiling to sobbing.

2. Getting Slap-Happy

Oh, the joy of slapping people around. It's almost cruel to do this to such an adorable little SackBoy, yet it is strangely satisfying to watch them flail around helplessly. If you're feeling particularly malicious or want to slap a player back in retaliation but haven't quite figured out how, simply hold R2 or L2 while standing next to another player. Then, with the corresponding analog stick in the down position, swiftly switch it to the up position to knockout a well-deserving SackPerson to the ground; it's slapstick humor at its finest.

3. Dance, SackBoy, Dance!

Perhaps you've always wanted to impersonate Elvis, but don't quite have the moves for it. Now you can live vicariously through your SackBoy complete with a gyrating pelvis. Press the left analog stick to toggle between moving your head to look in any direction or control the movement of your hips with the wireless Sixaxis controller. Tilt the controller sideways or rotate it forward or backwards to control the rotation of your SackBoy's head/hip movements. See if you can get SackBoy to sit down or yawn, and show off your Saturday Night Fever dance moves by waving your arms about.

Crash Course to Cool Custom Creations

LBP has an impressive array of tools to customize and save your creations to be shared over the Playstation Network. Whether you are decorating a vehicle or adding stickers and objects to your level, you'll find a number of ways to modify objects or populate the patchwork planet with items picked up from Story Mode or Cool Levels created by other players who leave prize bubbles full of goodies.

4. Vehicular Ingenuity

Create a go-kart for your SackBoy within minutes: first, hit Square to access your Popit menu and then open your Goodies Bag. Choose a wood material and then a shape. Scale and rotate the shape using the right analog stick. You can also draw a continuous shape by holding down on X or cut out a shape with the Triangle button. Return to the Popit menu by hitting Circle and choose another material. Let's go with rubber for the wheels in the shape of a circle. Add a grabbable object as the seating by selecting a sponge. Now, give it a jet engine under the Special category.

The last thing we'll need is a switch. Open your Tools Bag and select a switch, then drag it to the engine using the Popit cursor (or as Stephen Fry calls it: A tadpole done wrong). Be sure to tweak the properties such as the weight and friction. Last but not least, rename your object from "Some kind of object" to Go-Kart. This will be the name that appears in the tool tip the next time you are looking for a vehicle to place in your next Cool Level.

Vehicles can also be modified. If you've scored yourself a monster tank from a prize bubble, you can take it apart to see how it works, adjust the properties, or add more Collected or Community Objects to it (located under My Objects).

Add a few more finishing touches by using the Edit Corners Tool to tweak the shape of your vehicle, including stickers to personalize the exterior, and sound effects for the rockets. Vroom!

5. So, You Want To Be a Level Designer

The possibilities are only limited to your imagination. Creating a custom level is like painting a landscape where the picture comes to life--filled with textures, weather effects and other physical properties. LBP has the tools to help you create your design concepts or recreate your favorite platform game.

Choose a level mode under Gameplay Kits and add markers to indicate the start and finish points. You can tweak the length of time to complete the race from the Start Gate properties and add score bubbles, Double-Life checkpoints, and dangerous traps throughout the level.

Place hazardous obstacles such as a pit of fire with the Dangerous Tool (you may want to turn on your grid to align objects in the level). You can apply this lethal fire on any object and create a switch such as a button or lever to deactivate these hazards.

Decorate the level with stickers created by the Playstation EyeToy Camera. In your Popit menu, go to Stickers and Decorations to select a frame, point your camera to whatever you want to create as a sticker, select a frame, then apply the sticker to an object with the snapshot.

Once you are satisfied with the level, publish it with a name, description, and icon, and see it in all its glory among other Cool Levels over the Playstation Network.

Big Rubble in Little Planet

Making a mess? Find more tips and tricks with video tutorials narrated by Stephen Fry under Start > Videos and Voiceovers.

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