User:Chunky104/Water

Water is an environmental feature in the LittleBigPlanet series that exists in numerous forms: some are treated as hazards that the player must avoid, while others allow the player to safely swim through it.

Global Water

Global Water, in its most recognisible form, was first introduced in the Pirates of the Caribbean Kit for the original LittleBigPlanet, and has gone on to appear as part of the default toolset in most of the games since.

Water as a Hazard

Before (and after) the advent of Global Water that players could swim in and which interacted with physics, water has been treated as either a decorative element or a stage hazard. In the initial release of LittleBigPlanet and in LittleBigPlanet Portable, water hazards typically took the form of Horrible Gas, either on its own or covered by thin strips of blue fabric. Notable examples of hazardous water include the water wheels seen throughout The Gardens, the boat ride in Sand Ahoy, and in Alpine Run's case, electrified "frozen" water.

Water in LittleBigPlanet Karting

A pond of water in Karting Lessons.

In LittleBigPlanet Karting, Global Water primarily functions as a stage hazard that causes karts that venture too deep to respawn, but it is also used to add texture and detail to a level, whether by filling ponds in Karting Lessons and On the Wormpath, or having players drive through shallow water in Savannah Rally.

The first instance of water in a hazardous context is After the Wedding, which contains a lake on the left side of the starting area; there are guard rails blocking the way, but unlucky drivers can still be knocked into the drink if hit by a Boxing Glove or Flash Bang. It is also prominently featured throughout Monster Islands, lining the tropical beaches and serving as a hazard for karts to jump over.

Behaviour

The water level can be set with either the Water Level Tweaker or the Water Level tool on the first page of Global Controls; is used to raise or lower the water, with the maximum height being slightly above the terrain's starting height. The water's colour can also be set with the Water Colour Tweaker.

When submerged, the player enters a "drowning" state in which Manual Resets are disabled and their Sackperson assumes a swimming animation. Even if the player exits the body of water, this state persists until they respawn, which usually happens shortly after entering the "drowning" state. However, if the player's next Spawn Point is underwater, the call to respawn does not activate properly, and they will be stuck in the "drowning" state indefinitely until they are killed by another hazard.

Separately, the kart's movement is heavily dampened while underwater, which results in significantly slower driving, shorter hops, and the inability to drift. The default chase camera will also be locked at its last position until exiting the water.

Water in LittleBigPlanet Karting has no effect on dynamic objects; they will phase through water as though it doesn't exist.

Water in Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Sackboy drowning in Water Predicament.

In Sackboy: A Big Adventure, water is treated as a hazard. When Sackboy enters a body of water, he takes damage and is launched into the air. If he enters water while damaged (indicated by a coloured glow), he will drown and lose a life. Note that Sackboy dies even if the water recedes and reveals a safe floor before he pops. Most enemies are set to instantly die if they touch water, with the exception of Froogles and path-following enemies like Dawdlers and Pongers; enemies that don't automatically die in water are usually caught by a death barrier below the water's surface instead.

Water hazards are used sparingly throughout the game, being prominently featured in Water Predicament and Keep It Tidey, which are designed around the water level rising and falling. A stationary form of this hazard also appears in Pier Pressure and the platforming section of Vexpiration Date. A more primative version of water, which functions as a glorified instant death barrier, also appears in Slippery Slope's bonus room, Riverside Rumble, Until Vex Time, and the Scoreboard area of Vexpiration Date.

Despite the Kingdom of Crablantis taking place under the ocean, it is seemingly not hazardous to Sackfolk.

Quotes

“	Water is surprisingly dangerous for Sackpeople. Once soaked through, they sink to the bottom, never to be seen again.	„
— In-game loading tip, Sackboy: A Big Adventure