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LEGO Universe Previews: First Look Preview
MMORPG.com's Dana Massey recently traveled to the NetDevil offices to take a preliminary look at their upcoming MMO based on everyone's favorite stackable blocks from Denmark.
By Dana Massey on October 26, 2009
We all knew NetDevil was making a LEGO MMORPG, but it wasn't until we traveled down to San Francisco to take in a demonstration that we finally got to see what LEGO Universe is actually about.
What NetDevil has created is a game the combines elements of traditional MMOs, the Traveler's Tales LEGO console games (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, etc.), and old-fashioned real-world LEGO block building.
The game begins just like most other MMOs: Players create a surprisingly detailed little LEGO man, complete with the round yellow head, and enter into the MMO world. Their perspective is the same third person, over the shoulder MMO experience that players should be used to by now.
One of the first things players will notice is that the graphics are much more detailed and high-end than one might assume they would be.
The Tutorial
The opening tutorial does what is asked of it; it teaches players the basics of the game in the most entertaining way possible, taking players aboard a space ship that has been damaged by a black hole. The goal is to gather pieces and assemble a rocket ship to escape.
;)
As players learn how to play the game, the little differences between LEGO Universe and regular MMOs begin to become apparent. For example, there are boxes everywhere that players can just smash for loot in the form of little blocks and tokens. Player who are looking for something a little bit different in terms of game design will find jumping puzzles and other platform-style elements mixes in with some of the more traditional MMO fare.
Quests will play a role in the game and at the start at least, remain very simple: Fetch three of these, gather four of those. There are no walls of text, just quick blurbs from the quest giver. This is partly because the game is obviously open to a younger audience, and partly because the goal of the quest and its quick completion really isn't the fun part. The fun is smashing things along the way or figuring out how to get up to some high platform to get that last piece.
Eventually, in the tutorial, the player gets the three pieces of the rocket and is taught how to apply a "thinking cap," which in a specific area of the level lets them then try and put the ship together by entering build mode.
Once the player enters build mode, the rest of the world around them is somewhat visually obscured while they focus on what they're doing. There is an outline of what they were assigned to build, and they can grab various pieces from their inventory and drop them into the build area. Once they find the right pieces, it's just a matter of snapping them into the right spots to complete the assigned model for the character's inventory.
;)
The completed space rocket can then be used to exit the tutorial and take the player's mini-fig off to their first LEGO world.
"[LEGO Universe is] the first time we're going to bring lots of LEGO worlds together," said Creative Director Ryan Seabury.
The Many Worlds of LU
There are many, many worlds inside LEGO Universe, much like the product itself, each one designed around a different theme.
That doesn't necessarily mean each "world" will correspond specifically to a real life LEGO box set, but they will each have their own style. For example, the first zone that players jump into is full of robots on a rather green planet while a later area pits Pirates against Ninjas in a jungle backdrop.
The developers specifically said that they do not just want to make LEGO Universe a walking advertisement for whatever theme LEGO is shipping in a given month. At the same time though, they want to make sure to hit the chords people expect and bring in many of the classic LEGO themes.
The core story is a simple one for players to progress through individually or with friends. "You are trying to save imagination from the forces of chaos and destruction," said Seabury, summing it up nicely.
I've always loved Legos. I can't wait to give this game a shot.
This just looks fun! Be nice to see something different.
Yep, this looks like something worth giving a shot. I'm glad they're gearing it for a younger audience - I'd like to have something my daughter could (attempt to) play - but it still looks a lot of fun for me. Jumping platform puzzles are great, and she doesn't have decades of Mario experience. >:)
Absolutely! This looks really fun and I can imagine introducing it to my nieces and nephews one Christmas, and playing it too on the odd occasion.
I cannot imagine it replacing my "main" MMO (FE) though... as much as I love LEGO this game will not be aimed at me... it will just be nice to watch its progress and very likely success. I hope it pwns WoW lol.
I really hope the combat isn't the same point and click like every other MMO, though I do like the concept of having puzzles and other activities too.
I concur. There is a lot of creative potential here.
IF it's done right, this game could be huge.
I'm definitely going to be keeping an eye on this one!
It is on my radar as well. would like to see them implement some free-form space or area you can go to that is completly put together by players. Sort of a player build housing area or something like that.
Either way, sounds interesting and fun.
I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting from this title, but the info in this article somehow left me disapointed. I sort of had this "build my own castle out in the world" idea in my head. Then other lego guys would come and chuck blocks at it from their lego catapaults. Then me and my guild would go kill some lego dragons , collecting epic "blocks" that I could add to my castle............................or something.
Smashing stuff as i walk by it kind of fails to compare to what I imagined :(
That sounds like a good expansion for lego universe. :)
I loved legos when I was younger. This game looks like fun for me and my nephew and it's kinda nice not to have to worry about letting the kids see half naked mages that look like prostitutes running around in game. Or the cantinas in SWG for example looking like a topless bar lol. Not exactly kid friendly.
The cool thing is that the on the fly optimization technology can be used in other mmo's ND makes to easily achieve a high lvl of customization. I would love to see a build your own space ship system with tons of possible configurations in a space mmo or the same in a mech mmo or just have really crazy sci-fi armor on characters.
What's funny I guess, is that I still look for the type of make anything customization that I enjoyed while building with legos in every mmo I try.
I'm excited for the Puzzles they incorporate into the game, regardless of how much Freedom players have available to them, creating the game will require tons of imagination as well, and I expect that to show in the puzzles they make for players to do.
Hopefully this will convince other games to incorporate more puzzles as well, and not just gimicks on how to beat a boss...
The game sounds kind of how I imagined it after playing Lego Star Wars. It sounds pretty fun. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this one. I'm not really concerned about it being geared toward kids, I played Wizard 101 and had a lot of fun. Sometimes these games geared toward kids are more fun than the "adult" ones.
I have very happy childhood memories of playing and creating with Lego... I can't help but feel a need to try this game out of nostalgia.
yeah still waiting. Truly the only MMO im looking forward too. everything else just looks cookie cutter nonsense.
F U N !!
I'm a little embarrassed at how excited I am for this game
It's a kids game lol what do you want? 40 man raids? yeah I see my 5 year old digging that! ;)
The game is going to be good, simple fun. Even a hardened Nerdarager as myself knows that this is a special game for a younger generation that we oldies will play too. A great idea for a family based MMO game.
I have to say being in the fourms there since last year, the game is going to rape my wallet via my kids re-enactment of Oliver! Not to mention the better half, she spends more time on mmo's than I do, abliet their casual ones.
.................Please Sir, can I have some more MT/Sub money? Please sir.......Oo
You know, you make a good point. Too bad - a cash shop is a deal-breaker for me. On principle.
Man I love legos, I can't wait to get my hands on this game.
I used to build legos for days, it was great, could create anything you could think up. Best toy for children in my opinion. Lets them be creative and use their imagination.
Yeah I mean I am not going to play this game when I could be playing FFXIV or GW2 but that said it does look very appealing and I might buy it or use the free trial just to check it out :)