I was at the demo during the Microsoft Research Keynote speech at Microsoft PDC (Professional Developers Conference). And I got to talk to the Microsoft Research guy working on it afterwards.

This is not a game in the pipe to compete with LittleBigPlanet. What you don't see hear is that before this montage, they explain that this is a product of a person at Microsoft Research and his wife teaching their 9 year old kid how to program in C#. What they want to do is train programming as a life skill in the future just like finance, interpersonal, time management skills, etc. Boku is simply a tool that helps engrain the concepts of programming into a young person's head. It is not a game to compete with LBP.

The full presentation can be found here:

http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/pdc08/WMV-HQ/KYN04.wmv

It is near the end. In the last 30-45 minutes if I remember right.

I have a feeling Boku will be huge. ^_^

I saw the vid and now that I understand the concept of why this type of game (In my eyes this is just a component of a PC game ripped out and made the main feature.) would be large on consoles I can't help but be shocked that this could be the direction "core" gaming has gone.

Without a doubt the gaming fanatics tend to want to be more intergrated with the gaming industry so it makes total sense to make this kind of game. But this leads back to the confusion around why people thought Little Big Planet is a "casual" appealing title, even using "my girlfriend" reffrences.

Wait LBP is the first of its kind? Level creations (mods) never existed before LBP. I am serious LBP is first.

But just for the hell of it I want to see who microsoft claims they copied if they do ever say something.

Holy knee jerk reactions! This should not be compared to Little Big Planet. It looks like this will be marketed as a learning tool, looks much more complicated (ie. not as accessible), and will most likely not be available for purchase at a Walmart. This will be available for hobbyists and schools.

That being said, I'd like to play with it.

PS - Sony did not create the map/game editor.

Because, and I don't know how many times I'm going to have to make this argument, there is nothing about LBP that forces you to use the creator.  It was a major selling point, but you never ever have to use it, and if you don't the game is an extremely simple to play platformer with only 2 relevant buttons.  It's cute enough to get the attention of people who aren't into video games, while being simple enough in its core gameplay to be easily picked up.  I don't know where the idea came up that you have to use the editor.  It's certainly encouraged, but not required for anything save some trophies.

no, i think here MS is ripping off bungie trying to make the forge into its own game type after seeing people turn hallow into soccer 

If this is more than a platform 2d level creator then LBP just went right down in my opinion. Things I hope they include.

1. moveable camera. 3d movement.

2. 3d user created worlds.

3. ability to create FPs's.

M$ may have hit the Jackpot here. I feel really sorry for LBP and Sony now.

Like the LBP comparisons--the OP mentions it, but Microsoft doesn't.

Am I the only one that thinks that that looked completely horrible?

Ok, so I'm not a fan of creating my own content. Really not a fan. I tried to create some levels once, and I have played around with MS paint a couple of times. But that's as far as I got before I gave up in disgust. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like this.

This "Game" or whatever it is is not marketed towards me, obviously. But I still cannot see the potential in this. It appears to "kiddy" for serious game development and it seems to complicated for kids, whatever the advertisement said... Ironically, these seem to be about the same arguments that were thrown against Wii Music at first.

Anyway, I cannot really see the potential here. I will hold off with any judgement until the final product is out (unless it turns out to be vaporware), but I am surprised over the amount of positive feedback it's getting here.

who cares who copies who. anyway, this looks completely different from LBP (not that i've started messing around with the level creator).

if this is a dumbed down XNA then i'm all for it. i do find it interesting that they are using a Japanese name for what looks like a NA product... unless it means something in English... or it's being developed in Japan.