Sony’s Harrison Unveils PS Home and Little Big Planet at GDC
March 8, 2007
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The PlayStation Home, referred to simply as Home, is a free downloadable program that upgrades social networking as we know it.
Users can create a customizable polygonal avatar to suit their tastes, decorate their “apartments” with all types of furniture and accessories (tv, decorations, and music players, explore the insides of their apartments, invite their friends into their virtual room and play pool, watch movies or listen to music (streamed off the PS3 hard disc), or launch straight into online multiplayer games. The interface looked clean and simple, and the graphics were highly detailed.
Little Big Planet, Sony’s new virtual playground, really fired everyone up and was definitely the star of the show. Little Big Planet is a unique combination of side-scrolling, puzzle-solving, and create-your-own-game sandbox play in which players can quickly and easily create levels with the game’s powerful internal physics engine. After building a level, you will be able to upload your project online so that others can try out what you’ve created.
Overall, the graphics were high-end, the physics seemed realistic, the interface looked clean, and the simple gameplay was a hit; speaking of which, the Sixaxis plays an important role in gameplay. Little Big Planet will be available on Blu-ray disc as the key example of Sony’s new “Game 3.0″ initiative.
Harrison also hyped up the European sensation SingStar, which he claimed has sold over 7 million copies on the PS2 worldwide, and the upcoming PS3 version will greatly expand the game’s scope, thanks to the PlayStation Network. Users will be able to download new tracks at the SingStore, but will also have the option of posting videos of themselves singing their favorite songs. All you’ll need is either an EyeToy or a standard USB camera, and every single SingStar owner across the world will be able to download your handiwork. Oh Jeez.
Harrison also noted that users can also customize their games with in-game wallpapers and other optional items. SingStar for the PS3 will be available first in European markets in June and will debut in North American this fall.
In addition, Sony showed a brief video of in-game footage from the new PS3 Killzone title, which appears to be set on a far larger scale than the PS2 original and featured driveable tanks. The physics and particle system looked top-notch. Sony promised more Killzone details at E3 in July.
