LittleBigPlanet PSP loses multiplayer, and maybe its soul

by James Ransom-Wiley on Aug 19th 2009 2:30PM

Like a child with all the world's toys at his disposal but no one to play with, Sackboy drifts lonesomely across the 2D plane. At first glance, the confines of LittleBigPlanet PSP appear to be punishment for the heaps of joy he carelessly reaped with his now missing friends -- even with complete strangers -- as they indulged in orgies of pure fun in the PS3 version. Had he taken these spontaneous acts of foolishness and delight for granted, Sackboy wondered.

"The one thing we've lost is multiplayer," senior producer Mark Green explained of LBP PSP to Eurogamer at GamesCom this week. "The system is physically capable of doing multiplayer, but perhaps not with the full physics system. On the technical side of things you lose a third of the processing power or a third of the system memory just to do multiplayer at all. With those limitations we couldn't achieve it." Couldn't achieve what? Joy?

Green did clarify that the PSP game will feature "full" level creation and sharing (online/ad-hoc) modes. Additionally, further tweaks to LBP PSP include downsizing the game field to one 2D plane (no foreground and background planes) and so-called improvement upon the original's floaty jump mechanic. Did we also mention there's ... no multiplayer?

Source

Tags: gamescom-2009, lbp, lbp-psp, littlebigplanet, littlebigplanet-psp, media-molecule, multiplayer, sony-cambridge

Reader Comments (105)

Wow.... that sucks.

No multiplayer = no purchase

And there goes my interest in this...The fun times I had in LBP on PS3 were running around with complete strangers doing stupid stuff. Running around alone sounds boring.

I definitely would have preferred a simpler 2D representation / world with 4 player support, than a beautiful 3D world with 1 player. It seems like they wanted to as faithfully recreate the look of the original as possible, but if that is at the expense of the feel then... why bother?

Of course, the real reason is probably "because it would have been too expensive to implement and Sony wanted this out the door in 6 months." And that's a line of reasoning that no developer can win against.

I just hope it is still a fun, charming little game.

That does feel like a big loss, but personally...I know like 1 other dude with a PSP and he never plays it. As long as I can still download custom levels, I'm good.

True, I don't really know many people with PSP's. Playing with total strangers was fun though, nothing was better then leaving people behind while getting on a rocket propelled skateboard.

I actually didn't play very much LBP with other people, so I'm not particularly bothered by this.

Haha. is EXACTLY where I'm standing. Ok, maybe I know, like, 3 guys with a PSP (and I'm getting one for Dissidia: Final Fantasy next week), but what definitely hooked me to the PS3 LBP was the custom levels you could download over the internet. I liked the wide variety of levels from the insanely hard but satisfying levels to the hold R1 and watch Sackboy go through a roller coaster type levels.

I played LBP online a few times, and I hated when random people joined me midlevel or even at the end where I'd have to wait for them to finish in order to get out of there. I also joined a couple others in a super hard level where one of the other guys kept dying, and we couldn't get very far! I'm not saying multiplayer is bad by any means, but it surely was not why I played LBP on PS3.

Was gonna buy this, but now, probably not.

While SP seemed ok, it's just a decent platformer.
MP was where it is at for LBP.

Oh well. MM, you've lost a sale.

Without multi, what's the point?

I never did co-op anyway.
Maybe playing with people around you rather than across the world?

Damn, that's no good.

Then it's just like masturbating...

Hey, masturbation is just sex with the one you truly love.

Ookie Cookie?

It seems Sony has sold their souls to the devil... First, creating the PSP Go, then getting rid of the buttons on the PS3, and now this?!

How does one lose what it never had in the first place?

I don't think its as bad as most think personally. You still can create and share so it keeps content fresh.

All and all its probably going to be one of ur best time eaters on a plane,boat,train ride ...that is unless if you are told to put it away by security

.....They just ripped the stuffing out of Sackboy with this. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? D:

Seems an odd choice. Forget about online multiplayer, with ad-hoc local multiplayer, they could have made this into a bona-fide hit in Japan, and it doesn't seem like this is the kind of game that is beyond PSP's capacity for online multiplayer

But then again, such limitations are strange, and sometimes more information is needed

"The system is physically capable of doing multiplayer, but perhaps not with the full physics system. On the technical side of things you lose a third of the processing power or a third of the system memory just to do multiplayer at all. With those limitations we couldn't achieve it."

It was multiplayer or physic. Both can't happen at the same time. And given that the gameplay revolves around the use of physics, that basically translates into a choice between mutliplayer or gameplay.

Its official Im never getting a PSP

it's official. no one cares.

@charlie b.

LOL seriously.

Also to Longhorn. WTF are you doing with a Sackboy avatar? If you're a true LBP fan you probably would be a bit disappointed but you'd still want to get a PSP for this game.

The PSP is powerful, but you knew some cuts had to be made. I'm still amazed at how similar the two games are shaping up to be, overall. User-constructed environments aren't a simple matter with the limited resources of a handheld.

PSP owners have friends?

Why am I being downgraded? Sony is the one saying it.

You are correct. I sold my PSP and immediately became more popular.

Makes it seem kinda pointless then.

So a single player Mario game is fine. But a single player LBP...not fine. I love the double standard Joystiq.

I assumed this would be single player when we saw videos of only ONE sackboy. I thought that was a dead giveaway. I also assumed that to add multiplayer would tax the system too much.

Is the draw to a Mario game multiplayer? No. The draw to LBP for me was multiplayer, I never even bothered to play through the campain, it sucked.

Mario is a platformer. LBP is a user-content driven game that was designed to share content.

The sharing concept is shot dead unless you are one lonely person in a dark corner and ad-hoc connection keeps timing out.

well no, the draw to LBP is to create and share levels...which they've kept.

Maybe that's what made you want to play it. I enjoyed playing through custom levels with random people. It made the horrible levels fun to laugh at. I won't be picking this up now.

cry me a river

Why would anyone be crying? I'll just put the money towards another game and hope they get it right if they make a PSP sequel. Grow up Paul, you're acting like a douche.

There's no double standard. LBP was sold on two things — co-op multiplayer and it's level editor. They effectively just ripped out 50% of the original game.

Until about 2 months ago, the draw of a Mario game was never co-op or multiplayer.

OR!
Maybe Nintendoliterally STOLE Sony's multiplayer! Yes, that MUST be it! Miyamoto & Co. ganked it, so Sony can't use it in LBP now. Those wagglishious bastards.

how about they take out the physics and the a good chunk of the editing tools to fit multiplayer in? Would that be better? you'd be playing with your friends but I'll tell you what....you wouldn't be playing little big planet. Plus I would bet money that most people that use their PSP have never once played a game online!

and anyway it's a portable, that will be going on a disc that holds 1/40th the amount of the PS3 counterpart, give the devs a break. they made the right decision, you sound like a little brat.

Now if you'll excuse me....I'm gonna make like a douche... and get out of this bloody hole!

Peace!

Yes Paul, that would be better.

@CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw

ok, no offense or anything but do you not understand the limitations of a handheld console vs a home console??

first, screen size, no way you can fit that much on screen w/o having a horrible experience.

second, the compaign in LBP was great! wtf were you playing?

third, LBP IS A PLATFORMER BY DEFINITION OF PLATFORMING!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platform_game

so yea.. the psp is powerful but not that powerful. and to think otherwise is just naive.. oh.. wait.. i won't go there..

:P

Good point seamonkey.

The size of the sackboys in a multiplayer PSP LBP would make it hard to see what you are doing on the level and your sackboy.

It's the American way....find something to bitch and complain about if it has to do with Sony, no matter how small or how insignificant.

Where is the NO HDMI OR COMPONENT CABLES in the new lower priced elite story Joystiq? You constantly bitch and moan about Sony not including the cables, yet when MS follows suit and nixes theirs?

NOT A PEEP

Yes, I am well aware of the differences between consoles and handhelds. I know you're trying to sound smart, but you're looking like a complete fool. As I said before, if they aren't going to have multiplayer than I'm not buying.

So are you telling me that I should still buy, even though my favorite part of the game is being taken out? Why would I do that? Since it's not "possible" I won't be playing it. Simple as that.

Can you show us any story on Joystiq that was specifically about the PS3's lack of HDMI cable? Joystiq will mention the lack of cables on their chart or in a story when it's seen at retail and opened. Quit crying about Joystiq's imaginary bias, you're delusional.

*GLUG* Help! I'm drowning in Fanboyism!

I love how you talk about the "American Way" like a little elitist when you so often find something to bitch about on MS or Nintendo related stories.

Can we say hypocrite?

In response to the story, it's too bad that they couldn't actually get at least two players going or something. I haven't played a ton of LBP, but when I played two players with a friend, it was good fun.

Killjeebus said:
Where is the NO HDMI OR COMPONENT CABLES in the new lower priced elite story Joystiq? You constantly bitch and moan about Sony not including the cables, yet when MS follows suit and nixes theirs?

NOT A PEEP

Hey, is the elite $500?

Did they tout is as THE HD console for this generation?

Does ANY model of PS3 come with ANY HD capable cables?

Man you sure like to bitch about Americans and joystiq, why not quit comign here and post on www.PS3circlejerk.ru or something?

This is the first time I've seen any of Killjebus' comments that aren't faded white.

*claps hands*

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LittleBigPlanet PSP loses multiplayer, and maybe its soul

Reader Comments (105)

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