Media Molecule have made good on their promise and fixed the content moderation in LittleBigPlanet. For some value of ‘fixed’, anyway.
Ructions occurred after LBP’s release when fan’s found their home brewed levels were unceremoniously removed for vague ‘copyright’ reasons, decency or simply no specified reason at all.
Obviously, some level of moderation is required to prevent horrific penis monster-themed levels from corrupting our children’s precious bodily fluids and causing panic in the streets, but fans would like as much creative freedom as possible. Media Molecule have decided to try and open the process up as much as possible.
In the latest LBP patch – ‘Emmental’ – the following four principles are spelled out:
The moderation rules have been refined.
If you’re prevented from doing something, you’ll now be told why on the spot.
You can edit moderated levels on your moon so you can fix the problem.
You can read the moderation notifications by checking your messages page in the start menu
Hopefully that will go some way towards helping fans create some interesting levels, and at least let them correct any infringements where they are raised. Copyright-wise, though, you would think that Sony might be able to negotiate some kind of blanket license for using intellectual property from PlayStation games (making, say, a fan tribute to Final Fantasy a viable proposition) or even from other Sony-owned properties like music and films. It’s not as if playing an LBP level based on a Sony BMG artists’ music would rob them of any sales – quite the opposite, in fact.
via Media Molecule
