Prerelease:LittleBigPlanet (PlayStation 3)

This page details prerelease information and/or media for LittleBigPlanet (PlayStation 3).

This article is a work in progress. ...Well, all the articles here are, in a way. But this one moreso, and the article may contain incomplete information and editor's notes.

This page is loooong... Consider grouping related content into additional subpages to ease readability.

This page details LittleBigPlanet's development. In no specific order are the builds, but generally they should go from earliest to latest on this page.

To do: Trailers & Development Videos

Craftling Builds

These are the earliest pieces of footage of LittleBigPlanet. Sackboy's model looked more plump, he had stubbier legs, and his model overall looked different. He was also referred to as a "Craftling" and not "Sackboy" yet. The following videos all probably took place while the engine was being created.

Siggraph 2009 Presentation

Originally shown at Siggraph 2009's Advances in Realtime Rendering in games course, these were used to show off how they were rendering the game at early points in development. All of the stuff shown here is likely from builds that were made in 2006.

Craftling Screenshot

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A screenshot from the presentation of a Craftling jumping that uses some early HUD. The HUD (as seen in some later gameplay videos) would say how much time you've got left in the top left of the screen in a red bubble, and all 4 players' scores would be shown at the right of the screen in green bubbles. The Craftling model looks nothing like his final; it looks rather fat, and has stubby legs and button eyes.

cloth-1.mov

To do: This video is partially corrupt, possibly due to how it was uploaded to YouTube. If it's still possible to find online, upload a version without the problems.

Some footage demonstrating how they were programming the cloth physics in the game.

spritelight1-4.mov

A video used to demonstrate how they rendered lighting in the game at this point in development.

Media Molecule Presentation at GDC 2009

A live recording of one of Media Molecule's presentations at GDC 2009 on the development of LittleBigPlanet, that shows off clips of early gameplay from 2006.

This build's version of the pod is shown off:

• The pod uses rendered videos instead of an actual interface, probably used as a placeholder or concept.
• The music playing in the background is "Under Stars" by Brian Eno.

After the pod, the sackpeople in the video enter a level and start to play it.

• The HUD is different (see above).
• All the costumes seen in this video are unavailable in the final game. A similar costume of the Prince from Katamari would later be made DLC as part of the NAMCO Classics Costume Pack for LittleBigPlanet 3.
• The level itself appears to be in a blue void that uses the Beanstalk backdrop that can be found in the final game, while the Craftlings are standing on some mushroom-like platforms.
• The Craftlings' arms and body move according to a little dot glow, which is most likely there for debugging and testing.
• There is a single car that is used to proceed to the rest of the level by riding it down the mushroom-like platforms.

After the area with the car, they skip the video ahead a bit and we can see the rest of the level, which is revealed to be the Beanstalk level:

• The Craftlings are standing at the base of the Beanstalk, and they start to climb it in the brief moments where footage is shown while the video is skipped forward.
• Some pod-like objects are scattered throughout the level on poles.
• There are various balls of sponge in the level, which some of the Craftlings cut holes into using the removed Hairdryer tool.
• For a split second while they skip forward through the video, a screen can be shown saying "Winners!" in yellow text, presumably used as a win screen to the end of the level.

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After the Beanstalk level, this build's version of create mode is shown off:

• Players enter create mode through a level at the base of the pod.
• There are two separate areas found in create mode, the level area and the tool selection area, which can be toggled between using the Select button.
• The level area is just a small room with some sponge blocks that the players can decorate.
• The tool selection area is another small room with some platforms in the middle and various shapes of material used for tools on either side.
• There are oval shapes in the middle of the area that allow the player to choose a paint color to paint with using the roller tool.
• There are varied shapes on the left side (A star, an eye, and a white block) made out of material that the players use to decorate the level area.
• There are some other rectangular shapes on the right of the tool selection area that don't end up being used by the Craftlings in the video.

A video demonstrating how the popit was planned is also shown off:

• The Popit is named as P.O.P.P.E.T. or Portable Organization Projected Phosphoric Electronic Toolbox.
• Some concepts are shown for the different abilities of popit for when in play mode, when on creative zone, and when in create mode.

Near the end of the presentation they show off a clip (Beanstalk_Attempt_5.wmv), of an early concept for the beanstalk level, as well as the removed Giant boss character.

(Source: GDC Vault & Raw Video)

Gamecity 3 (FIRST HALF ONLY)

Presentation Recording

The first half or so of this video is of the rendered videos of the pod, but they appear to have been updated.

• The pod has better details, including higher quality textures and more stuff inside of it.
• No gameplay is seen (not including the second half of the YouTube video).
• The narrator is different.
• The video cuts to what would apparently play after the level was over, directly after he enters the level.
• The narrator mentions "collecting sponge" to "get creative" - referring to the original game mechanic of creating your levels on a budget of Sponge.

Screenshot

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This screenshot was seen in the Gamecity 3 slideshow. It has some debug information towards the bottom of the image which is unreadable.

Pre-GDC 2007 Builds, New Sackboy Model

These builds were presumably before the first showing at GDC 2007. The footage from these builds mostly comes from trailers or early gameplay shown far after release.

• The Sackboy model in these builds looks more like the one in the final game, but still retains the bobbly head.
• Each of these builds takes place in a background that looks like cardboard hills. Probably due to lack of better textures.
• It is unknown if there are any other backgrounds in these builds.
• The level begins with a large sign saying "Start!" pointing down, with a wire behind it leading to who knows where.
• Almost everything in these builds looks as if it could be a model and not made out of materials, but this is unknown.
• The debug / level select screen is a pink screen with a sackboy in the corner. It is only seen in these builds and the files for it are not in the final game.
• It's interesting to note that some elements of this build are still in the game.

Gamecity 3 Sackboy Creation Demo

A video shown off later at Gamecity 3, detailing the creation of the new Sackboy model. The level itself is the same as the following build.

• You can see some buttons on a screen to the right, which could possibly be the LittleBigPlanet level editor.

LittleBigPlanet Community Meet

A build shown off at a LittleBigPlanet Community meet in 2011.

• The level starts out with a robotic creature named "BBQ Bot" in the files of the Deploy Build coming down and saying "Work together to finish the level. The player with the most sponge wins!".
• The level ends with a metal robot type monster which is seen in a lot of concept art. He plays an animation and says:

"WHAT'S THIS? Pesky little pip squeaks. I hope you aren't thinking of interfering with my plans.......... I'll be keeping my eye on you."

• The boss appears to be walking forward towards the end, but in the video the audience apparently finds grabbing a key more interesting, so what he did is unknown.

"New LittleBigPlanet Footage"

Video taken from GameTrailers. Dated April 2007. There isn't much to see.

• There are more than 4 sack people bobbing their heads around. It's likely that they are just bots for testing.

GDC 2007 First Public Demonstration

Demonstration Recording

The first major build of the game, hence it being shown off at the GDC.

• This build takes place in the Gardens theme.
• There is an "Empty Level"-esque box.
• This level is not in the game.
• The level formed into "Skate to Victory" over time.
• Sackboy's model is the same model as the final game, but with the old skeleton and bouncy head.
• Sackboy's movements seem more fluid and wacky.
• There are cloths on sticks in the creative area. They react to stickers being placed on them.
• The Popit user interface is much different. It is shaped like a balloon. The Popit icons go from the Goodies Bag, to Configuration, to Publishing (presumably).
• Placing, scaling and rotating objects is all done from an XMB-like menu.
• Placing down materials is first by selecting shape, then selecting material, where the final game it's vice versa.
• There are more than 3 layers for creation.
• The garden gnome seen in the Gardens background appears to be an object you can place down, rather than a static background object.
• The Hit-box on the cog is a perfect circle, allowing for sackboy to walk on it while it rotates. This is not possible in the final game.
• Everything is grabbable, or at least we can assume.
• There are different Popit sounds.
• The cog rotates without a motor bolt.
• There is an Evel Knievel costume for Sackboy.
• Importing stickers from the PS3's hard drive is mentioned, but never saw the light of day.
• The orange (or any spherical object for that matter) can be grabbed and rolled without Sackboy getting squashed like in the final game.
• Sackboy has extremely long arms when grabbing things.
• There is a lot of blur when things get focused on, which gives a very nice effect that was removed.
• There is no gnome in the background (hence why he's a spawnable object. He's in a different place and rotated more, so we can assume he was spawned for the level.)
• The blue moon on the stick's internal filename is "moon_on_stick", therefore the stick attached in this video to the moon is part of the model.
• The collectable material is sponge.
• There is no consistency with the layers - every player by default is in the middle layer, and is positioned based on nearby objects.
• The brown burlap blocks are squishy like the tree object's leaves.
• There are more rocks, shells, and stones lying about.
• There is a rather ugly flower material/object with sponge lying on top.
• There is a 3d house object, turned to its side, with a redundant house sticker on top of it.
• There are clay signs with stickers on them, such as the Wheel of Fun sticker.
• A material-based house is slanted to the side which is not possible with materials in the final game.
• The wobbly tree looks like it's made out of materials rather than the one that looked more like a model from the previous build.
• To pick up the jetpack you had to press O.
• There are more colored stars.
• There is a shield with a fork and knife in the castle. Its texture is still in the game.
• The ramp at the end of the video doesn't look like it's made out of materials.
• There are smaller flags on the ramp.
• There are multiple hills with houses on them behind the ramp.
• The game's auto-screenshot tool paused the game while it showed you the screenshot it took.
• Said screenshot would go to the bottom left of the screen after you saw it, then fall away.
• The gnome at the end is in an object layer and the skateboard nearly collides with it.

Promotional Material

Gameplay Trailer

A trailer that shows off gameplay of the full level shown at the demonstration.

Paint Function Screenshot

A single promotional screenshot from the same build shows what the paint function looked like at this point. A similar graphic can be found in the LittleBigPlanet 3 Alpha.

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E3 2007

Various bits of gameplay shown off at E3 2007.

Trailer

A trailer that shows off create mode.

• Basic Sponge is different and has a rounder border, which still exists in the final game but isn't used.
• Stickers have a glow affect that makes them reflect light.
• Very briefly an unused basic material Gold is shown, which has unique physics sounds and a unique bevel and texture. It still exists partially in the final game.

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• An unused material referred to as Cutout is used to cut out pieces of shapes, which was scrapped and replaced by being able to cut with any material in Popit.

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• A Sackboy can be seen playing around with an unused fish object.
• Near the end of the trailer a unique background that appears entirely empty is used. It is likely just a test background, but it could be this build's blank background.

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Stage Demo

A stage demo shown of the developers messing around with create mode.

• It can be briefly seen whenever something loads, but a yellow and black striped texture is used before a texture fully loads in.
• A unique stinger track plays for a background whenever the background is changed.
• The Islands theme's background is different and is entirely surrounded by walls, as opposed to the final game where the walled garden section is only half of the background.

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TGS 2007

Gameplay videos from LittleBigPlanet being shown off at TGS 2007.

Play Walkthrough 1

• The pod interface is now updated, and looks entirely different. The Earth is alone in the center, while the moon orbits around it.
• When playing a level, a Fluff counter now appears in the upper left-hand corner. It flashes between different colors.
• The fluff collectible has been updated; instead of large sponge spheres, it's now multi-colored flashing circles. It's mentioned in the video that the fluff is used to create in Creative Zones in play mode, as well as just being used for scoring.
• The prize egg collectible can be seen.
• The skate to victory level has been updated and now features the new layer system. A windmill flings players instead of the gears.
• Both players are required to pass a finish gate before it will end a race.

Play Walkthrough 2

• More of the pod UI can be seen, with Play, Friends, Messages, Creations, and Me at the top of the screen. Levels can be selected by selecting Look for levels on: Craft Earth.
• The loading screen inbetween levels shows an updated version of the controls. According to the screen, the circle button is used to open Popit. An arrow is on the right side of the screen where it would have likely shown the controls for the Popit interface when you moved over.

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• The scoring system at the end of a level is entirely different.

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Create Walkthrough

A recording of a developer walkthrough of how the create mode works.

• The icons for backgrounds feature a small square screenshot of the background, with a colored border and a white L on them.
• The background for the unused English Seaside theme is used. It appears to be fully finished at this point.
• An unused material referred to as Creative is used by mistake instead of the cutout material. The Creative material flashes between colors the same way as fluff, and was likely used for the Creative Zones mentioned in the other video. An icon for this material still exists in the final game.

CES 2008

Create Walkthrough

A recording of a developer walkthrough of how the create mode works.

• The pod interface has again been updated. The Earth is now larger and lower down, with the moon still orbiting around it. You can select between LittleBigStory and My Levels, along with Friends, Creations, and My Profile at the bottom.
• Only a few levels are available to play at CES, with two CES levels, three Gardens levels, and the second seaside level.
• The loading screen that shows controls has been updated, with the Square button now for Popit, and the Circle button for jumping.

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• The blank background is shown, which looks similar to the one from the final game, except with a sharper bevel.
• Very briefly a debug menu can be seen, which can be accessed somehow through the Popit cursor. It has the options Allow all Developer Levels, Character Control Mode, Clear Inventory, Fill Inventory, and Reset Level Progress.

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Create a Level Trailer

A trailer shown that contains a lot to pay attention to.

• The icons for the Horrible, Cutout, and Creative materials can be clearly seen here.
• The unused glue function is shown, which is used to connect together objects in different layers.

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• Prize Bubbles are present instead of the prize egg, which look similar to the final game except with a red texture.
• The walker enemy is used, although it is mostly obscured by the character it's being used for.

The music tracks at this point in development can be seen.

• There are thirteen fixed tracks, which would have been licensed songs that were chosen for each theme. The icons for some of these tracks still exist in the final game.

Image	Names (Left to Right)
	Mexican Ambient Japanese Akihabara District Mexican Desert Russian Theatre Siberian Tundra Mexican Graveyard Japanese Zen Garden Indian Jungle English Seaside English Country Garden American New York Alleyway American Mid-West Train African Savannah

• There are three interactive tracks, which are Funk Test, Mexican Test, and Rag Doll Kung Fu. The file locations for the icons for these tracks can be seen briefly in debug text in the bottom left corner at one point in the video.

Image	Names (Left to Right)
	Funk Test Mexican Test Rag Doll Kung Fu

The icons for backgrounds that were at this point in development can be seen.

• The only background from the final that isn't present is the Savannah's background.
• Three of the backgrounds are for themes that didn't make it into the final game, one for the English Seaside theme and two backgrounds for other cut themes, the left one being Russian Theatre the other unused theme that didn't make it into the final game. Is the American Mid-West Train theme.

Image	Names (Left to Right)	Russian Theatre	Midwest Train
	Blank Background Mexican Desert Mexican Graveyard English Garden English Seaside Japanese Zen Garden Indian Jungle Russian Theatre Siberian Tundra Midwest Train American New York Alleyway

Press Builds

r18596

Differences from the final game:

• 'Edit Mode' box in top-left. It's unknown what the meters mean specifically, but it can be assumed that they functioned similarly to the thermometer in this build.
• Ice Hazard. Removed from the final game due to network issues (it didn't work online and it loaded every time it was activated).
• Different pause menu.
• In Edit Mode, you could not take damage. The final game removes this.

Promotional Gif Images

Some promotional animated GIFs of game footage that were used to advertise the game; the original source of these isn't available online anymore.

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• The first one features an early version of the boss battle with Sheriff Zapata from the mines.
• The second one features a level from the removed English Seaside theme. The jetpack is used as a way of simulating the effect of being underwater. Unlike the normal jetpack, it doesn't appear to have a tether, and is likely the "Water Jetpack" referred to in LBP1's files.

Killzone Trailer

A trailer shown for the game that shows off the Helghast costume. Most of the footage shown in this trailer is from different builds.

• A version of the pod from an earlier build than the rest of the footage can be seen.

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• An early version of choosing Popit colors can be seen, which has more colors to choose from than the final and allows for choosing different colors for each part of the Popit (Background, Outline, Highlights).

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• This build's version of paint can be seen, which uses colored circles as placeholder icons.

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• An early design for the game's music boxes can be seen, which was originally a boombox.

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• Pod UI for this build can be seen, which uses the unused medals present in the final game for when levels are completed, as well as displaying a star for some kind of achievement (Aceing or Goodies). The Seaside theme's location on the Earth can also be seen here.

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• Some footage of levels from the Seaside theme can be briefly seen.

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• An early level from the Wedding can be seen, which is rarely seen in pre-release footage.

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Preorder Trailers

Five trailers that were used to advertise the game for preordering at different stores.

"East vs West" Trailer

A trailer used for preordering from Best Buy.

"I Don't Wanna Grow Up" Trailer

A trailer used for preordering from Toys R Us.

• The early version of the curator for the Savannah can be seen, who was originally an ape.

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"Mr. Postman" Trailer

A trailer used for preordering from Amazon.

"King's Garden" Trailer

A trailer used for preordering from Walmart.

"Rock the Planet" Trailer

A trailer used for preordering from Circuit City.

• An early version of the boss fight for the Metropolis can be seen, which involved fighting the boss with a monster truck.

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E3 2008

Stage Demo

A stage demo shown at E3 2008. It's very close to the final game.

There are two levels shown off here,

• The frozen tundra is shown and resembles the design from the Wilderness Template in the final game, which is likely based off the level in this build.
• The construction site has an R1 sign that isn't in the final game.

The pod UI is updated, but still different from the final game.

• The InfoMoon is referred to as the InfoWorld.
• The main story planet is simply referred to as LittleBigPlanet.