Play Like A Pro: LittleBigPlanet 2

Wow the LittleBigPlanet community with these Create Mode tips, direct from developer Media Molecule.

Finished Play Mode in LittleBigPlanet 2? Then turn your attention to the outstanding Create Mode, where you can let your imagination run wild. Developer Media Molecule has put together a list of essential tips to help you on your way. For the finest examples of do-it-yourself games-making, keep checking the LittleBigPlanet community at LBP.me.   

Building blocks

Don't start building at ground level – it will only restrict your creativity. If you start building in the middle of the screen you are free to go in any direction.

Build the mechanics for the level first. It's no good making something really pretty only to find it doesn't work and must be redesigned.

Consider using the Anti-Gravity Tweaker instead of glue. It has the same effect and will make it easier to edit the individual parts of the level.

Decide early what type of level you are building. It's much easier to create your landscapes and puzzles when you know how many players need to be involved, and whether they're working with or against each other.

Don't give score bubbles away for nothing and don't give away too many at once, as doing so can defeat the object of high scores and reduces the level's replayability.

Refine your creations

Leaving circuit boards open in Create Mode costs thermometer heat. Try closing them if you are working on large levels to improve performance while creating.

Using lots of materials costs memory. To build larger, longer levels, use a small selection of materials that work with the theme you have set.

Recording your own audio with the Magic Mouth option is fun as well as useful. Use it wisely however – it is expensive and will eat up your thermometer.

Check out the Tools & Used Objects menu in the Personal section. When you are running out of thermometer space, it is useful to be able to see what you have used already. It may help you decide what to remove in order to free up space.

Give your game character

When decorating your Sackboy, a Sackbot or a Creatinator, use the L2 button and the R2 button to move the camera up and down, and the L1 button and the R1 button to rotate it. Then you can stick stickers on Sackboy's bottom or head!

If stickers are a fundamental part of a costume's design, scale up a Sackbot and create the costume on him. This will give you more surface area and make it easier to place the stickers precisely.

Take control

Not sure how to show the players the control layout for your creation? Naming ports on a Controlinator automatically creates button prompts that will appear at the bottom of the screen.

Become the puppet master by putting a Controlinator in a Sackbot's head and setting it to be a receiver. Set another Controlinator to transmit to the corresponding colour and hey presto – no wires needed.

Don't short-circuit

When making circuit boards, be sure to use the Notes option to label the different parts of your logic. This will help no end in keeping track of your fiendish design.  

Microchips and Controlinators can be moved from one object to another. If you create a piece of logic or a control method that you are particularly proud of, remember to save it and reuse it to save yourself time in the future.

Placing a wire down on an empty bit of circuit board instead of into a gadget input adds a router. Use routers to tidy up the wiring on complicated circuit boards.

Power to the people

Decorate your Creatinator with stickers or decorations to change the look of it when another player picks it up. This can be used to tailor the Creatinator to correspond with the object it is firing, such as Victoria's Sniper Trifle.

The cheapest way to use weapons to trigger gadgets is to use standard projectiles (electric, fire, plasma, paint and water) with the projectile sensors. Player-made ammunition using tags will cost more.

Check your progress

Remember to use checkpoints and place them wisely. If a player dies and has to replay too much of the level, you risk frustrating them and making them quit without finishing.

Use the right checkpoint for the right situation. If you use the Infinite Life checkpoint all the time, players will not fear for Sackboy's safety. Play through your challenges and make a decision about which checkpoint is most appropriate.

Put these expert tips into practise now and visit LBP.me if you need more inspiration.