IndieGameBlog.net has an interview with Magnetic Mind lead developer Oliver Schulze. Magnetic Mind has recieved both positive and negative criticism about it's similarities to LittleBigPlanet. In this interview Oliver explains the game's background and influences and provides more detail on what to expect from the full game.
Magnetic Field dev ...
"Yes, it is true, LittleBigPlanet inspired us. We knew that we wanted to make a 3D Jump and Run that behaves like a 2D Sidescrolling Jump and Run. That was before we heard anything about LBP. Over time we tried several style things for the game, how should it look like, how should the control be, etc…
One day, I saw a video about LBP and I was fascinated by the great use of the Depth Of Field Effect. So I wanted that for our game. The bricks and the fence, you can see in the garden-level, got also a little bit inspired by it. But, no one of us has a Playstation and nobody played the game till now (I did a little bit, but only at a booth at a game exhibition)…
So, what do I think about the reactions? At first I couldn’t believe that someone seriously tried to compare our small indie game to something huge like LBP and it made me a little bit proud. Then I saw comments, that said, that our game is from Microsoft and should show, that LBP is possible on a XBox, and that they are a company that only copies things and so on…. That made me a little bit angry, because that people just added comments without reading the article. I don’t like such flaming, it is to undifferentiated. They criticise things they don’t know about. These comments are as good as no comment."
I hope they continue making more games . And to think it was only three guys...lol
Well, I see a lot of hypocrisy in the world (I am a hypocrite as well at times). Microsoft is obviously not going to be able to bring Little Big Planet to the 360, but I don't see what's wrong with an indie company developing a game that is akin to LBP and then putting in on the 360. What's wrong with that? I mean, are the PS3 owners getting a game called Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2? Isn't that basically a copy of the game that was exclusive to Xbox? Does Microsoft copy other companies? Yeah? So does Sony. I bet that if Sony continues to support the Walkman, we will eventually see it grow more and more to resemble the Ipod. I guarantee it. Companies follow success.
The quality of XNA Titles coming out of the Dream Build Play contests is exploding.
Say what you will about this being inspired by LBP, but one thing is certain: this is great quality work from a team of 3 people.
The real trick is going to be to get these Indy Games an audience -- and their developers some revenue.
XNA works on existing Zune -- and the future Zune HD certainly, but what about Windows Mobile? MS is quickly building one hell of a Indy games industry around XNA.
Now they simply need to bring the players - and I'd wager the Indy Marketplace is going to explode.
The devs that are further up the arc on experience with XNA stand to become the next PopCap.