For the twelve months ending March 2011 Media Molecule turned a healthy profit of £3.44 million thanks to LittleBigPlanet 2.
However during the same period the company spend a whopping £4.1 million on research and development including ‘leading edge physics and dynamics, rapid world creation from laser data, innovative routes to market via web based interfaces, 3D stereo-optics for advanced simulation, and use of ‘hi-def’ data capture and processing techniques.’
The team have already said they will not be producing LittleBigPlanet 3 so what they are working on is something of a mystery – although the obvious answer is ‘something for the PS4’.
‘Rapid world creation from laser data’ sounds intriguing as it indicates Media Molecule are working on a project based on real world locations.
Laser scanning is a relatively new technique in which buildings and terrain are zapped by lasers from above and the data is used to accurately recreate the terrain in a 3D computer model.
Click this link to check out a bridge that has been laser scanned and reconstructed in a simulation.
Source: Develop
Jakster123x
Intriguing. Sounds similar to what the SSX devs are doing
gazzagb
Laser scanning for terrain models is something I’d love to get into once I’ve finished Uni, the industry is worth billions :D
I can’t really imagine what kind of game they’d create next. The LBP genre is just so unique, it’s hard to think of them working on something like that. Anyway, let’s hope that £4.1 million makes it a good game!
phantom5813
laser scanning sounds kinda like what tony stark did in iron man 2 with that town model
AG2297
I’m happy to see them moving on from the LBP IP. It will be good to see what else they can come up with.
bacon_nuts
Yeah, LBP 2 felt like a slightly backwards step for me, probably just wasn’t as fresh. Would love to see what new ideas they have, I’m sure it will be amazing..
jonny_bolton
Yay! A reference I get! I feel included.
bunimomike
Hopefully something with zombies.
Deathbrin
So if i go outside there’s possibility that i’ll be zapped with a laser? I better keep an umbrella