Back when I was just a little sprout, I was in a "special" class called Project Challenge. Ummm... that probably isn't what you are thinking it is... it was a deal where they took a few kids from each grade in all of the area schools and got them together twice a week to do, well, nerdy stuff like Model UN, play Dungeons and Dragons (hey it was new and viewed as creative back then) and mess around on TRS-80 computers (the only computers in the entire school district)(Respect, OK?). One of my favorite things we did in project challenge was recreate this contest they used to hold at M.I.T. every year where engineering students would build robots out of a big pile of random electrical components, and then see who's robot could scoop up and return more ping-pong balls in 5 minutes. Obviously, as 4th graders, we were limited to Lego's and other kid stuff like that, and the rules were quite a bit different, but it was INSPIRED by those MIT guys. Oh, and the contestants (both at MIT and in Project Challenge) had to build their collectors in one day. I don't think they do that anymore (although that Robot Wars show that used to be on was definitely a derivative of the same idea), but the idea lives in in San Francisco this week...

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) and the Academy of Art University School of Game Design will partner for a 24-hour Game Jam Session to celebrate the launch of LittleBigPlanet™PSP, which will be released exclusively for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable)go on November 17. Taking place in San Francisco on November 11 & 12, students will demonstrate their keen artistic talents and create dueling game levels utilizing the easy-to-use creation tools of LittleBigPlanet PSP, all while on the go. Each team, made up of 2-3 students, will be provided with a PSP to take through the city streets employing Bay Area architectural icons (buildings, historic landmarks, statues, bridges, etc.) to incorporate into their level design.

At the conclusion of the 24-hour period, each team’s game levels will be presented and judged by members of SCEA and Academy of Art faculty. The winning team will be announced that following day and will have their creations made available online once the game hit stores.

LittleBigPlanet™, the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) hit that won various Game of the Year Awards last year and is credited with defining the “creative gaming” genre, is coming to the PSP and PSPgo for the first time. Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment’s Cambridge Studio in close collaboration with the award-winning Media Molecule team, LittleBigPlanet PSP allows players to bring the beloved SackBoy™ character with them on the go.

Personally, I hope that the TPS offices make it into one of the levels... Sam, I'm counting on you to make this happen!