LittleBigPlanet 2 hands-on - GamePro.com

by Eric NeigherDecember 31, 2010 11:10 AM PTWe go heads first into LBP2's new creation tools, including the infinitely customizable logic boards, which should aid intrepid level builders immensely.

What we're talking about: LittleBigPlanet 2, the sequel to the do-it-yourself platformer extraordinaire, LittleBigPlanet.

Where we saw it: This one was hands-on all the way, played through an early build of the game by my lonesome.

What you need to know:

LBP2 will be compatible with all the content that you or anybody else created for the original LBP, according to Sony. So all your favorite custom levels, all the nifty little add-ons and tweaks, you'll be able to revisit them with the new engine in LBP2.
LBP2 will feature a new system in which players will be able to create "logic boards" for vehicles and other machines. That is: they'll be able to create simple sets of instructions for these machines that can be transferred to similar machines anywhere in the game. For example, players could set up a system where a Corvette will move forward at a press of the X button and stop with square. That set of instructions could be removed and transferred (like a circuit board) to any similar wheeled vehicle, thus saving time and allowing for creativity to build on itself.
Gameplay will no longer be restricted simply to platforming - instead LBP2 will allow for seamless transitions between game levels (without having to return to a central hub level), customization of the game's HUD itself, and a vastly improved and expanded palette of graphics will allow LBP2 players to create full-on RPGs, recreations of their favorite old-school titles, and even things like racing games.
LBP2 features "Sackbots," diminutive, AI-controlled versions of Sackboy that can assist with solving puzzles, or act as cogs in a larger design scheme for a level. While these can be a little creepy with their glowing red eyes, for the most part they're awfully helpful and expand what can be done in a level.
There will be a single-player campaign in the game, featuring Sackboy traversing a variety of levels using LBP2's solid platforming engine. So don't despair that if you don't have an internet connection you won't be able to play this game at all - but to be honest, you're going to want an internet connection.

Point in development cycle: I played a pre-release beta version of the game that was fully functional, but lacked the online sharing and community due to the fact that it hadn't been released yet.

My take: For fans of LBP, the future couldn't look brighter. This game not only incorporates and improves upon all the features they loved in the original, but it adds clever new tools and even sharper graphics, as well. The new logic-boards feature seems like it has a ton of potential, but in all fairness, because I was playing a pre-release version of the game, I didn't have a chance to test it out in all its glory.

For those of you who haven't played LBP before, but have played (or are familiar with) games like Minecraft - LBP2 is a game you should seriously consider taking a look at. It taps very heavily into that creative instinct that seems so prevalent among gamers, and does so in a far slicker, if somewhat less free-form, way than Minecraft or The Sims does.

But even if you're not the creative type, LBP2 will allow you to quickly and easily partake in others' creations with its upgraded content browser. It's now much easier to search for custom content - I'd say it was faster, too, but since there wasn't really any available in the build I played I can only comment on how the interface worked.

It's clear that the designers have listened very closely to fan demands on this game - not only by implementing some requests from the peanut gallery, but by making LBP2 even more susceptible to being customized and tweaked than the original was. From where I'm standing, this one looks like it could be the game that keeps on giving; you've really got a whole universe of possibilities with the tools it gives you.

View the original article here

Google Instant Previews: A Hands-On Tour - PC World

Finding yourself short on time and/or patience? Good news: Google's got a little something new to make your next Web search even speedier.

Google announced the debut of Google Instant Previews on Tuesday. And no, you aren't experiencing déjà vu: This is something different from the Google Instant feature we saw rolled out in September.

The original Google Instant allows you to see search results as you type. The new Google Instant Previews takes it a step further, letting you actually peek at snapshots of sites without ever leaving the results page.

"Instant Previews provides a graphic overview of a search result and highlights the most relevant sections, making finding the right page as quick and easy as flipping through a magazine," Google Product Manager Raj Krishnan explains.

Hey, we're talking about images here -- so why try to illustrate with words? Here's a hands-on tour of what Google's new Instant Previews feature actually does and how it can work for you.

Google Instant Previews: The Newest Way to Search

Click to Zoom

Once you have Google Instant Previews enabled, you'll see a small magnifying glass to the right of every Google search result (view full-sized image). To start using Instant Previews, you simply click on one of those icons. You can also hit the right arrow key if you prefer a mouseless navigation experience.

Whichever way you do it, activating the magnifying glass brings up a preview thumbnail for the page in question. It doesn't take long, either; Google says it's usually a delay of less than one-tenth of a second. Despite my best speed-counting efforts, I couldn't quite tell if that estimation was precise -- but let's just say it was pretty darn close.

Click to Zoom

Each "instant" preview shows you a current view of the page, complete with text, graphics, and anything else that might be present (view full-sized image). If you click on the thumbnail, Google takes you to the site. If you move your mouse anywhere else within the search results, Google starts loading previews for other pages in the list.

Click to Zoom

When Google detects text that seems particularly relevant to your search, it creates an orange-highlighted pop-out box within the preview so you can read the words (view full-sized image). When I searched for "Conan O'Brien review," for example, Google Instant Previews pulled out text showing a review of Conan's first show from People.com.

Google Instant Previews: The X-Rated Question

Maybe it's just my warped mind, but one of the first things I wondered was whether Google Instant Previews would blacklist certain "obscene" terms from instantly appearing, as it did with the original Google Instant feature. Google's explanation for the blacklisting made enough sense, by the way: You can always search for that stuff by hitting the "enter" key -- but having the material pop up automatically could cause a child to be inadvertently exposed to something saucy.

Strictly in the name of research, then, I took it upon myself to search for a few terms far too raunchy to spell out here. (Hey, it's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it.) The verdict: Google does not block adult-oriented content from showing up in its Instant Previews feature. In other words, depending upon what your search entails, click the magnifying glass with caution; whatever's on the sites will show up in the previews on your screen.

Google Instant Previews: Final Thoughts

In general, I found Google Instant Previews to be a fairly handy feature. While the original Google Instant option did little more than annoy me (I disabled that bad boy about 5 minutes after it came online), I could see this one being something I'd actually use. Google suggests using it for times when you want to compare results, find a result that meets a specific need -- something with a chart or image, for example -- or quickly find a page you'd previously visited without having to click through to a dozen different sites. I could envision myself using it in any of those contexts.

So there's your tour -- now, ready to try out Google Instant Previews for yourself? Head to google.com/landing/instantpreviews to give it a whirl. If the page doesn't load for you, don't worry: Google says the feature is being rolled out as we speak and will be available to everyone soon.

Hopefully, your wait won't be much longer than a tenth of a second.

JR Raphael is a PCWorld contributing editor and the co-founder of geek-humor site eSarcasm. You can find him on both Facebook and Twitter.

View the original article here