Following on from our detailed look at some of the new features that let you build your own game in LittleBigPlanet 2, Sony has just released a trailer for it giving us a peek at some of the new stuff.

As well as showing us the crazy platforming that we are accustomed to from the series, we also get to see examples of racing games, old school space invaders style shooters and even an incarnation of Puzzle Bobble.

Seeing how the community never ceased to amaze us with the original, the tools in LBP2 look immensely powerful and we really can’t wait to see the ingenuity that PS3 owners are likely to start churning out when it comes out this winter.

Despite telling us that LittleBigPlanet 2 was not on their mind last November, it turns out that Media Molecule is in fact working on a sequel to the crazy custom content fuelled platform game, according to the latest issue of US games mag Game Informer.

It seems that this time round, the focus is not on creating levels to throw Sackboy about in, but instead, making entire games. LBP2 will give the user tools to create games for a variety of genres, including shooters, racers and puzzle games. One of the dev team has even created a Command & Conquer clone to show this off.

Apparently you will also be able to string levels together and even create your own cutscenes with different camera angles and voiceovers, really hammering home the point that this is a full on game editor that will be accessible to the masses.

One of the more exciting mechanics included in the level editor are the ‘direct control seats’ which can be attached to objects in game. What these little gadgets do is allow you to set controls for an object, meaning you can really go all out to completely customise how a game you create is played. An example given was being able to assign the acceleration and reverse controls of a makeshift car to the tilt of a SixAxis controller.

You can also put a direct control seat on Sackboy, meaning you can completely tailor the way you control him, really giving you the freedom to make any game you want. Custom content was always the focus of LBP, and it looks like it has been taken to the next level in the sequel.

Enemies can also be made smarter this time with AI that can be tweaked. They can also be given personal traits such as a fear of heights, and even assigned weak spots that you will need to exploit to beat them.

The original has been supported by a fair bit of DLC since its release, and if you have invested in some of it yourself then you have no need to worry about losing it all if you move on to the sequel. All LBP1 DLC will be compatible with LBP2, including costumes and content packs.

It looks like LittleBigPlanet 2 will have more new features to look forward to than grains of sand on an admittedly small beach. This is sounding really, really cool.

Spotted on NeoGaf

CG: What do you think we’re most likely to see at E3?

Michael: I think that this year’s E3 is going to be focused more on hardware than usual, with the official unveiling of Natal, a lot of focus on the 3DS, and continued demos for Move. While there are several “big” games planned for the back half of the year, the biggest announcements are the hardware ones, with pricing for all unveiled, and the first hands on opportunities with Natal.

CG: Media Molecule – specifically, two of the level designers and the game’s producer – told us that a fully fledged LittleBigPlanet 2 would be “counterproductive” (when we interviewed them last year), as it would fragment the community. What do you make of the LBP 2 rumours?

Michael: It’s hard to say what they plan for LBP. Clearly, they could add new tools and environments, but that could be done with downloads for the first game. I think we’ll see LBP 3D, and don’t think that is a 2010 event.

CG: Do you have much time to check gaming magazines/websites/podcasts, etc? If so, which are your favourites, and what do you think of the quality of videogames journalism in general?

Michael: I look at a ton of gaming websites, and my favorites are the ones that give me the most timely information. I regularly check Kotaku (they break a lot of news), Joystiq, and the more business oriented sites like GamesIndustry.biz, Edge Online and IndustryGamers.com. I look at a lot of review sites, and Giant Bomb is probably my favorite.

CG: With no signs of a Wii HD in 2010, could this mean Nintendo are saving the HD feature for a planned successor?

Michael: There is a Wii HD in 2010, it’s just called PS3 with Move . . .  I suppose Nintendo can save the feature for their next generation console, but think that they are running the risk that Sony and Microsoft will capture the “trade up” market by moving now with Move and Natal.

Wii HD? Oh Michael, no wonder the fanboys love you so.

CG: Do Move and Natal have the mainstream appeal necessary to drive hardware sales? Will ‘hardcore’ gamers stick with these devices, or could one or both prove to be a passing fad?

Michael:It’s hard to say what will happen with Natal and Move until we see more software.  If it’s great, hard core gamers will embrace the technology; if it sucks, they won’t.

CG: What do you consider to be the most likely features of a ‘premium’, paid – for PSN package? Would it be fair to say that free online play is a powerful marketing tool, that Sony are not foolish enough to discard?

Michael: I really can’t say what Sony will do. It seems to me that online game play can bear a monthly subscription (something as affordable as $50/year), and knowing that all of the server infrastructure costs Sony a ton, I’m surprised that they haven’t imposed a charge yet. Free online play is a good marketing tool, but I don’t often hear consumers say “I bought a PS3 because PSN is free”. Everyone likes free services, but more often, I hear people say “I bought a 360 because of Xbox Live”. I think that demonstrates that people will pay a modest amount for value-added services, and Microsoft keeps adding value. Sony gives a ton of value for free, but the company isn’t so profitable that it can afford to be magnanimous forever.

All free things must come to an end?

CG: When are the seemingly inevitable PSP 2 and DS 2 announcements most likely to be made? Would Sony concede the PSP Go has been a failure, and offer some sort of part exchange program?

Michael: The DS2 seems to be the 3DS. I could be wrong, but I think that is the successor. Sony is likely working on something, but I don’t expect them to concede anything this year.

CG: Tribal declarations of allegiance to distant companies and people are common in sport, but arguably more rabidly fervent and widespread amongst gamers. Why do you think this is?

Michael: I think the tribal declarations of allegiance are similar to individual affinity for neighborhood, religion, political party, school, etc.  This allegiance is no more than a statement that “I selected (fill in the blank) as my (console, school, religion, political party, neighborhood), and since I am a very wise person, I made an absolutely brilliant decision.  If you don’t agree with me, then go f*** yourself”.” I disagree that it’s more rabidly fervent and widespread amongst gamers—you’re from the UK, tell me that there is anyone in Manchester who isn’t a ManU fan.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Critical Gamer implores any Manchester City fans reading this to resist the urge to hunt and kill Michael Pachter. Forgive him, he knows not what he does. We also apologise to any Manchester United fans in our audience; because they have, of course, never even been to Manchester.

CG: What needs to happen in order for mainstream media to afford videogames the same respect as movies? Is this even possible?

Michael: Movies have respect because we worship the “artists” (actors and directors).  The games industry has largely anonymous artists, who could be exceedingly wealthy, but who can walk down the street unmolested. Who even knows the names of the guys at Rocksteady games? I checked into a hotel at DICE while talking to Alex Evans, and the clerk recognized me by sight, and didn’t know who Alex was even after I said his name. That’s tragic, but until guys like Alex are chased by groupies, videogames won’t garner the same respect as film.

Not so scary with the Vita - Chambers switched on.

Are you any good at games? Well, that’s a rather stupid question really, on the same level as ‘do people like you?’ or ‘are you an intelligent person?’. No matter what the reality, most people will be telling themselves – and anybody who asks them – that the answer is a crater creatingly large ‘yes’.

No matter how good you are at games (or at least, think you are), what do you consider to be more important; a game’s quality, or its difficulty? Now unless you’re a serial sado masochist, you’re going to answer ‘quality’. But I have one more question for you before I replace the question mark key on my keyboard. How many times in the last two years have you complained about a game being too easy?

“Yes, LittleBigPlanet empowers the player to a degree never before seen on consoles, but the story mode is too easy”. “Yes, I like the latest episode of Monkey Island, but the puzzles are too easy”. “Yes, Modern Warfare 2 is as addictive online as the first, and Special Ops is cool, and I like the set pieces in the story – but it was too easy” and so on. If a game is perceived as having a low difficulty level, that is usually the issue that spearheads a backlash. But should this be the case if people can still, y’know… have fun?

Before you start thinking my ham – fisted attacks on controllers result in my being unable to enjoy any game more challenging than a single coloured Rubiks Cube, I’d just like to say that I love Demon’s Souls. Not in an unnatural relationship between man and disc way, I just mean it’s a fantastic game. I also, personally, play games on the highest or second highest difficulty whenever there’s an option. This is partly because I’m competent or better in virtually all genres after over two decades of gaming, and partly because I like to show myself and others that I can do it. However, I’ll happily trade a high difficulty for a high level of fun.

Every choice has a consequence. Will you survive the hold - up... or survive it?

Look at Heavy Rain. Even if you choose the highest difficulty possible you can’t fail in a way that requires a restart, and it’s actually quite difficult to get your character killed without trying for the most part – and even if that happens, the game continues. A game where you’ll never, ever be forced to go back – easy. What’s that you say? My supersonic radar will help me. BEEP. Oh, replay value, you say? Multiple endings, hmm? Yes, you’re absolutely right – but it doesn’t make the game any less easy, does it?

The trend this generation seems to be for games that allow you to increase or decrease the difficulty at any time. The big – name examples that come immediately to mind for me are Bioshock 1 & 2, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Brutal Legend, and Fallout 3. There are dozens more. This should be standard practice. Extra trophies/achievements for those who care about that sort of thing as a reward for sticking to the higher difficulty, and yet those who don’t and may struggle can make things easier at a tricky section.

What this boils down to, is that developers finally seem to have woken up to the fact that their games should be enjoyed – not endured (see, for example, the reason Ubisoft’s Pete Closs gave me for Splinter Cell Conviction’s revamp). Allowances are being made to accommodate less skilled players and, yes, this is due in part to the rise of the so – called ‘casual gamer’. Adjustable difficulties aside, are games easier today than they used to be? Yes – and that’s a good thing.

Up until the early – mid nineties, the vast majority of games were ruthlessly difficult. Try playing an average NES game in its original form now, and it will most likely trample all over your ego before urinating on it and setting it alight, using the remnants of your pride as firelighters. Metaphorically speaking. No choice of difficulties, no quicksaves, no checkpoints, no saves of any kind of all and – often – not even any continues or passwords. Once you’ve lost your small reserve of lives, it’s back to the title screen for you, lad. On top of this, a sizeable chunk of the first 8 – bit games were platformers with jumps you needed a degree in mathematics to judge correctly. Missing any one of these jumps would, of course, result in instant death. Even if you found a rare exception that allowed you to regularly save your progress (usually an RPG), it would be more difficult than getting Jack Thompson to join your Modern Warfare 2 party.

Even Demon’s Souls – arguably the most challenging game of the current generation – is far more forgiving than these games. Yes, death comes easily, and all the level’s enemies are resurrected when you are. But in effect you have infinite lives, you get to keep the weapons, items and experience you gained before dying, and you even have a chance to reclaim the ‘souls’ that you lose. Plus once a boss is dead it stays dead, no matter how many times you die or re – enter the level.

Would our British readers agree that he looks like a Riddler?

It’s important to remember that a game isn’t bad just because you can progress easily – nor is it bad because progression requires a high level of skill. It’s good if it’s fun to play and bad if it’s no fun to play, simple as that.

I think relating my experiences of FIFA 10 online (12 wins 24 losses ranked, 2 wins due to winning opponent losing connection) will illustrate my point well. If I’m winning very easily – extremely rare – then I’m certainly enjoying the game, but something’s missing from the experience. If I’m getting slaughtered by virtual footballers virtually laughing at my lack of skill (an average game), sitting on the wrong end of an 8 – 0 score with half the match still to go, I’m quite frankly not having a good time, and only continue because I’m not one of those tosspots who disconnects whenever a match isn’t going their way. The very best match is played at the halfway point, and is the sort of match I usually play with Kevin; each player constantly fighting for possession, goalscoring opportunities hard won and hard fought against, each point well earned, the winner impossible to declare until the end of the match.

Yeah, we’re both crap.

Anyway, the point is, the very best gaming is a perfect balance between a fun experience and a decent challenge – and that balance isn’t the same for everybody. If a game’s easier than you’d like then, yes, it’s not your ideal experience; but you can still enjoy the ride. If a game’s far too difficult, the emphasis is on work rather than fun. Surely nobody can disagree with, or desire, that.

Did you miss part one of our extensive Media Molecule interview? If so, go check it out now! As you may have already heard, they told us that they thought LittleBigPlanet 2 would be a very bad idea. In part two of the interview, going live on Monday, they give us some more interesting snippets.

“There definitely will be more interactive music. Whether that’s standalone in a music only pack… I don’t know yet. We’ll see how the first music pack does first. We’d love to do that; as with everything we do we’ll listen to the community, and see how it goes.” says producer Martin Lynagh.

When the subject of bugs and glitches came up, level designer Danny Leaver said:

“Unless it’s damaging to the game, we’re going to leave it. It’s part of the creative process.”

Ordinarily, a developer declaring that bugs and glitches would be left untouched would be an outrage; but LittleBigPlanet is just about the only game in existence where that can be seen as a good thing (though as Danny said, anything game breaking will still be removed).

Left to right it's (still) John 'Johnee' Beech, Danny Leaver, and Martin Lynagh.

If you missed part one of the interview, how can you forgive yourself? Go read it now! Okay, everybody ready? Here comes part two:

Ross asks Martin what I really should have thought of; will we be seeing more interactive music DLC?

“There definitely will be more interactive music. Whether that’s standalone in a music only pack… I don’t know yet. We’ll see how the first music pack does first. We’d love to do that; as with everything we do we’ll listen to the community, and see how it goes.” But how come the only level pack we’ve seen so far is the Metal Gear Solid one?

“We may be level designers, but most of our time is actually spent testing other features that come into the game.” explains Danny. “These things only ever get announced when they’re nearly complete; most of our time is spent prototyping these things. Our studio is quite small, about thirty five people; we simply don’t have a distinction between designers and level designers. So most of our time isn’t spent making levels, which is a bit of a shame.”

“But we hope to do more packs of that nature in the future.” Martin assures us.

How about more physics based additions such as the water beta, I ask him? Such as zero gravity?

“There are quite a few. Is that something that you’d particularly like to see in the game?”

I babble on, and it’s when I say that zero gravity seems like the natural progression of physics based packs, that I realise they’ve started to interview us.

“It’s certainly something to bear in mind.”

“There’s so much we want to do, we forget things like that.” says Danny. “And it’s always nice to hear -”

Danny is rudely interrupted by Ross saying ‘goo, goo’. Momentarily thinking that perhaps Ross has reverted to a childlike state, I then remember that this is a pet idea of his for an LBP addition.

“Goo?” asks Martin, intrigued.

Danny asks “What does the Goo do?”

It’s a viscous substance, I confidently declare. Ross however – the fool – thinks that he understands his idea better than I do.

“You can bounce off it.” He explains, which is met with a general ‘aaaah’ of understanding from the Media Molecule guys. So when the zero gravity goo pack comes along, you know where they got that idea from.

I move on to the now infamous fifty layer glitch, which was present in a community level I’d played just a few days before. So presumably it’s been left in intentionally?

Danny explains: “Well, anything you find like that… with a million people, I guess it’s always going to happen. Unless it’s damaging to the game, we’re going to leave it. It’s part of the creative process. The fifty layer bug doesn’t sit very well with me on a personal level, because it can make levels very hard to read, as in where you can go and what you can do. Some people have done it very well and made it very clearly defined.”

“I think it’s a testament to people’s creativity that things that are unintentional get used in such innovative ways.” says Martin, before Johnee gives us the fascinating revelation:

“My levels that got me the job had numerous glitches and bugs which I’d found in there, which I utilised to make the level look better.”

The fifty layer glitch allows players to, unofficially, create their own backgrounds. Are there any plans for an official pack to allow the community to create their own backgrounds?

“We’ve actually never heard that as a suggestion.” Martin tells me; though the highly intelligent Danny says “It’s a good idea.” But user created backgrounds probably won’t happen because, as Martin says, “They’re quite involved assets, the backgrounds. That could be problematic.”

Despite it being such a unique and incredibly innovative game – given huge backing by Sony – LBP met relatively disappointing sales on release. How did that make them feel, I ask him? Were they disappointed?

“I don’t think we are disappointed.”

“I was overwhelmed!” says Danny, and it’s clear he means it. “One thing that’s important to remember is that a lot of games, especially new games, don’t make a profit. But because our team was so small and we were quite good with our time, and produced well; the game cost a relatively small amount; we were profitable from week one.”

“We did very well for a fresh IP.” Martin points out. “It’s all relative. That is something that people have said, but to be honest we’re very happy.”

“It’s a game that if you buy now, you’ll still get as much out of it as if you’d bought it on release day.” Johnee adds. “Most games if you buy a long time after release you’ve missed the hype, you’ve missed the buzz; everybody knows all about it now, it’s all been seen before. Thanks to the community levels, I could go back and play LittleBigPlanet now, and see hundreds of things I haven’t seen before.”

And what level of input did the guys have in Cambridge Studio’s PSP game?

“We haven’t been terribly hands on, but there’s been frequent viewpoints. We’re delighted with the product.” says Martin. “Those guys are brilliant. They really ‘got’ what LittleBigPlanet’s about. They obviously don’t have the horsepower of the PS3 behind them, so they’ve made very smart decisions about what to do.”

Danny agrees. “We probably would’ve been more hands on if we weren’t happy with it. It’s a testament to the game that we literally got builds and said ‘that’s really fun!’ and that was it.”

Can we expect to see LBP in Home?

“Like a space?” Danny asked me, turning the developer – journalist relationship on its head again. These guys go against the grain without even thinking about it! So off I went again, burbling something about costumes and something viral that could pass from player to player.

“It’s a great idea.” said Martin, my new favourite. “There’s nothing I’m aware of regarding Home though.”

How will LittleBigPlanet grow in the future? It’s previously been said that the plan is to ‘expand the game without partitioning the experience’. Does that mean more DLC in the vein of what we’ve already seen, or something else? Does that mean there’ll never be an LBP2, I ask?

“It’s a good question.” It’s official: Martin is man of the match. “I think what you’ve seen so far from LittleBigPlanet, that’s the way it’s going to continue. We’re evolving the community, listening to them, carrying them with us. That’s something you’re going to see a lot more of.”

“We’d never fragment the community.” asserts Danny. So that means we’ll never see another LittleBigPlanet disc, because that would create two sets of LBP players who couldn’t share with one another? “We’d never want to do that. That’d be the most counterproductive thing you could do I think.”

Get involved! Throw yourself into the LittleBigPlanet community by visiting www.mediamolecule.com. On a regular basis.

Our extensive interview with Media Molecule – part one of which is to be published tomorrow (Thursday), with part two going live on Monday – covers a variety of subjects. When it came to the future of the LittleBigPlanet franchise on the PS3, they were decidedly unambiguous.

“I think what you’ve seen so far from LittleBigPlanet, that’s the way it’s going to continue.” said producer Martin Lynagh, referring to DLC and updates for the existing game.

Level designer Danny Leaver said that a sequel would fragment the LBP community. “We’d never want to do that. That’d be the most counterproductive thing you could do I think.” he said.

Media Molecule have given what is surely the most dedicated post – launch community support in the history of video games, and such dismissal of a sequel should serve to reassure fans still further.