ModNation Racers Beta Starts December 18 + Character Creation Walkthrough #2

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Hello everyone!

Rob Oliveira here. I’m taking a quick break from work to talk to you about some more character creation features in ModNation Racers.

But first, here’s a date you’re going to want to mark down on your calendars. December 18. That’s the day we open up the ModNation Racers Beta to you. The Beta runs through January 10, and you’ll have the chance to score a Beta voucher right here on the PlayStation Blog! Stay tuned very soon for details on the Beta giveaway. Of course, those of you who picked up LittleBigPlanet Game of the Year Edition already have a voucher, so you’re good to go!

In today’s video I’m going to give you a very brief walkthrough of our sticker and layering system. I’m going to create something using one simple shape, several layers, and some color changes.

Once you’ve seen what I do with one shape and a couple of layers, you can easily imagine what can be done with hundreds of stickers, and hundreds layers at your disposal. Our system allows you to move, scale, skew, rotate, flip and change the height and transparency of all these stickers. We’ve also created many “physical” stickers like rust, mud, and dents. Like all of the parts in our game, you can change the color channels, and material properties of each of these. I hope you’re starting to see the possibilities!

Don’t see that Chrome Dragon sticker you’re looking for? There’s nothing stopping you from using one of many primitives and gradients as brushes to create it in the layer editor. Use the material properties to change all those stickers to chrome. Our layering system allows you to group those layers together, so you can move, scale, rotate or change colors as a group. Once you’ve created that Chrome Dragon, group the layers together and paste the whole thing a few more times, or save it as a Sticker Set to your PS3, for use later.

The Creation Station team here at UFG have worked really hard to make this system easy to use, but incredibly powerful. Whether you decide to create characters quickly and casually, or dive in and spend hours and hours, we know you’ll be able to create some truly unique and unbelievable characters!

We are incredibly excited to get ModNation Racers into your hands and see what you create! Start planning now:)

I look forward to any questions or comments. And be sure to head back next week for another ModNation Racers video walkthrough, track editing! Now back to work!

Comments are closed.

199 Comments

35 Author Replies

  • Hi Rob:

    there are a lot of spam running on the internet and a lot of mails that have the “beta key” of modnation.

    how can we recive our voucher for the beta key?

    and another question:
    Mexico is up for the beta?

    • hey luisempires! Stay tuned to the blog for more info on Beta key giveaways. I\’ll try and get someone on here to answer your beta questions asap, as Sony handles all this ok?

  • – The beta keys for Qore subscribers are sent on the 18th right? I hope I have my settings correct.
    – Any news on splitscreen? or number of players supported for online?
    – How bad is the rubberbanding in this game? I like the idea of accessibility, but I hate the thought of a skilled player losing because of the game not allowing the skill to translate to a bigger lead.

    • Hi DM. We\’ll be releasing more info in those features soon. I can tell you that our game is very accessible but practice and skill on the track are rewarded!

      I\’ll try and get some answers to your qore question asap too.

  • *looks at feet, mumbling*

    “Is this coming to europe???”

  • Awesome, I love LBP’s level creation and I love Kart racing. You got your chocolate in my peanut butter and it tastes delicious.
    Anyword on PSeye compatibility or even montion controls?

  • How about giving the early LBP owners a voucher? You know, the people who made it possible for a GOTY?

    Oh right, early adopters are always screwed over. Silly me!

    But seriously, how about sending people who have LBP platinum’d a voucher? I think that would be a great idea!

  • This is the most important question or me since I love being creative but sometimes i’m too creative for my own good. I tend to sometimes let my imagination get too adult oriented, how irm will moderation be say I make a character such as arse face or a** clown?

  • It’s dek-uhl. All Canadians know that. ;-)

  • HEY! thats my Birthday!!!! Hop I get that beta key!

  • Forgot to ask too does this game support full game launching like Crash Commando and Motor storm 2? Does it support Home in anyway?

  • Sometimes, alot of those betas are not available in Quebec, Canada. What about this one ? Will we finally be able to play betas ?

  • Hey. This game is awesome.

  • I think the real question is if this will be compatible with racing wheels? :)

  • I’m from Waterloo, Ontario.

    Maybe its a costal thing.

  • Hey Rob,

    Will the EU blog be giving away ModNation beta keys too? If not, will the ones you (Hopefully I can change the ‘You to an ‘I’ soon ;) ) win here work for EU accounts or is it strictly US only?

    Thanks and Good luck with the development!
    Can’t wait!

    • Hi Franz! I\’m hoping the folks at Sony will be on here to answer that for you today. thanks for the kind words and we can\’t wait for you to get your hands on it either!

    • Hi Franz! I got good news and bad news…Bad News is this is North American Beta only. Good News is that Europe gets their own Beta soon after the NA one is done! More details and timing to be announced so keep an eye on the EU Blog!

      :)

  • Hi Rob,

    I have an idea I think you should consider. (lol)

    Since LBP is spammed full of junk I was thinking that one method of quality control that could really work.

    What if any level uploaded is rated 1 star after 100 ratings then that level is removed from the servers.

    • Hey thanks for the comment freakzilla! I will pass your suggestion along to the big brains here that write all that stuff :)

  • This game looks awesome I’ll keep this on my games to look out for list.

  • I know this is probably too early to even ask but since this game is sharing many aspects of LittleBigPlanet, as well as the whole “Play Create Share” slogan, is this game something you’ll continue supporting with DLC instead of releasing a sequel (for this generation anyway)? Then again it’s probably too early to even talk about a sequel but given it has enough of a success that is. Media Molecule seems to be taking that approach with their own game and ModNation Racers seems like it will also get heavy support from the community, practically giving it endless replay value. Either way, really looking forward for the beta and the full game :)

    (Hey all the way from New Brunswick! :p)

    • Hi VE! good to hear from a fellow Canadian! You are correct sir, it is a little early for us to be discussing that (we\’re trying to finish the game up for you folks first :) but you make some great points. We are big fans of Media Molecule and we definitely continue to learn from many of the things they have done in this new genre. Thanks for the comments!

  • I’m with freakzilla149. There is an awful lot of user created crap on LBP to wade through. It really wrecks the experience. Some sort of QC scheme for user created content in MNR would be most welcome indeed.

    I’m so looking forward to this game. Loved all the Mario Kart games, but MNR takes it all to an entirely new level. Please let the final release be soon!

    I’m so glad to see two fantastic, original examples of family-friendly content on the PS3 (LBP and MNR), unlike the complete drought of such titles on that *other* HD game console…

  • Hey, I just registered on the ModNation website to get a chance at the beta and the exclusive theme. Problem is that I didn’t get a code for the exclusive theme that was mentioned. Should I get an email, or a code right after?

    Help!

    • Hey Dark JAK,

      All the vouchers should be sent on Dec 17th I believe. So whether you won a beta code or not, you get a voucher for the exclusive theme on the 17th.

      Thanks for the support!

  • This was the first time that I heard someone pronounce “decal” as “deckel” instead of “dee-kal”. Anyways, I’m excited for the beta but I am also disappointed that it seems to be releasing near Sega’s all stars game which is a similar racer (it doesn’t have the customization that ModNation Racers has but it has the nostalgic characters). I don’t want to have to choose between the two because 1 will be a buy and the other will be a rent.

    • Not to hate on Sonic, but only one of these games will let you share and download unlimited UGC content.

      Makes the purchase and rental choice pretty easy in my book. :)

  • Is there any sort of opacity setting that we can adjust on the different layers?

    Game looks awesome, by the way.

    • hey Draicus! Yes sir! You can set the opacity of each and every layer you add. I use it all the time to create interesting effects on characters! thanks for the question and the kind words! cheers!

  • Didn’t think you’d give me a code but it was worth a shot.

    How about a psp version? Wink once for yes and twice for definitely.

  • Will my Logitech Driving Force GT wheel work with this game?

    Thanks in advance.

  • Whats this voucher look like in LBP GOTY?
    I just picked up one and nothing was inside it.

  • get me intio theis AWESOME beta pleae.. i haven’t got a chance to play such a creative game after LBP

    • You got some ways to get in sHoXoR.

      Register on ModNation.com for a chance.
      Get LBP GOTY
      Subscribe to Qore

      Stay tuned on the PS blog as there will be a chance here as well!

  • Nice to see some good ol’ fashion Canadians making games (especially exclusivly for the ps3~)

    What timeframe next year can we expect to see it? And are canadians able to get into the beta?

    Can’t wait to see more~ (and hopefully some local multiplayer)

  • very nice

  • its like little big planet racer. should be an award winning game.

  • This game is looking absolutely amazing! Would be awesome to be a part of the beta! I’m hoping for the best. :D

  • Looks great, one question though:

    Will there be copyright issues re: character creation like in LBP levels. If someone goes through the time and effort to recreate a favorite famous character are they running the risk of a deletion?

  • Thanks for the update Rob, I can’t wait for this game. by the way, What about the people like myself, who registered for the possible beta on your site, but when do we get the code for the special edition PS3 THEME.

    THANKS

  • The game is looking really amazing :)

    It reminds me of the good old days spent on Crash Team Racing.
    Keep up the great work !

  • I CANT WAIT FOR THIS GAME!!! its gonna be game of the year fro 2010, and every year after that!

    Hey Rob what’s your PSNID? I wanna see some stuff from the art director! as far as I’m concerned you might as well be a rock-star now! haha!

    • I\’m gonna put that out there for the beta, but honestly I will get schooled :) I\’m much better at creating characters and karts than racing!!

  • since your team is adding characters from other exclusive PSN / PS3 games,

    how about these characters:
    Drake from uncharted
    Snake from MGS4
    Sacboy from LBP

  • oh crap wrong post god dammit

  • I got in through Qore, the game looks freaking awesome and it’s as good as SOLD!!! :D

  • This is not fair I bought LBP last year and almost every DLC. Why only who bought the GOY edition will receive a voucher. I’m very, very sad about that :(

    • First of all, thanks for all the support for LBP! Second of all, there are other ways you can get in the beta. Be sure to register on ModNation.com and you can get a chance to get in. Also if you are a Qore subscriber you automatically get one. And there are more chances to be announced right here on the blog. Good luck!

  • Hey Rob,

    I have a question for you:
    Will there be tutorials included in the final version of the game like in LittleBigPlanet to get us started.

    Thanks

    • Hi! Yes! While our game is very easy to get the hang of, we will be including tutorials to show you as many of the features as possible and get you up and running really quickly! Great question. Thanks!

  • wo0t!!! go0d job UGF!!! and thanks for this game!!! cant wait to make a character based on the 2010 Olympic mascots..lol..im from Richmond BC btw..can i drop-by to your studio and grab a voucher or better yet,the game.lol..keep in up UGF!!!ohhh CANADA!!!!!!!!! =)

    • Nice try but no vouchers here :) Haha. I love those Olympic mascots too! Rock on in Richmond PROPH3CY! Hope you get a chance to see some of that Olympic action. They\’re almost here!!!

  • Hi there. I’ve got a quick question.

    I had bought the LBP goty edition a couple months ago, and on the box cover, it had a sticker saying that the voucher was included.

    But then I opened the box, and I didn’t find any voucher code.

    Though I remember reading that only the first batch of goty editions were suppost to have the code. But then since there was a sticker saying that there was a code included, I’m wondering if something went wrong.

    So anyway, I mainly just want to know if this is normal. If anyone could shed some light on my predicament. ^^

  • The beta code wasn’t in the bundle packs from Bestbuy where you got the LBP: Game of the Year Edition from along with Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time. What gives for that or was it only specialty marked Game of the Year Editions of LBP? I say it is but a few guys had us wondering if it was all GOTY of LBP or just marked ones.

  • Hey rob, is there any info on what will and won’t be in the beta? I’m guessing there will be track creation, but what about character karts and sharing?

    • Yo Brapp! You\’ll be able to sample all of the above in the beta. You\’ll be able to use all the creation areas of our game and share your creations online!

  • Rob, thanks for addressing my question before.
    Now, as Art Director, when can we expect some nice renders, stock of Modnation Racers so we can start working on banners, and beautiful threads?

    Thanks again!

    • Hey Sancor! The marketing machine is revving up, so i can\’t give you any dates, but you should expect stuff like that to start coming out in the near future. Keep your eyes peeled and check back with the blog!

  • Can’t wait to try this out!

  • I just bought LittleBigPlanet GOTY edition today… I couldn’t find the beta code in the box… I guess copies of the game are already being sold without the beta key? :( Is it supposed to come on an insert?

  • @Chuck Lacson…
    Many thanks, i take back anything unproper i may of uttered before…yay! Europe (UK) gets the beta too ;)

    er…when? after xmas?

  • This has online multiplayer right? If so how many? 8 is a good number, but 10 or more would be better. Especially if users make really huge tracks. How bout endurance races?

    • Hey Shinspikes. We\’re planning for 12 player online races. You could make an endurance race by bumping up the number of laps – we really want you to create your ideal race experience!

    • 2-12 Online Multiplayer Goodness. You can make crazy long races if that\’s what you want to play.

  • Sweet!! Winter break starts at dec 19 for me so if i get a beta code, i can play modnation for 2 weeks! 8D I really hope i get one.

  • Oh, and i’d also like to know if there will be a “place” for modnation racers to hang out. Something like the lbp pod.

  • Honestly I feel like a [DELETED] bringing this up again, but I too am Canadian and I pronounce it dee-cal.

    I just don’t understand where you get the pronunciation deckle from? I just pray that you don’t pronounce about aboot…please tell me you don’t! lol

    Anyhow, re the game, totally looking forward to it. The customization looks to be top notch, I hope the gameplay is there too.

    Apart from winning a few matches, what is there in the game to keep me coming back for more? Like, WHY should I as a player keep playing the game?

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