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LEGO Universe Previews: Hands-On Preview
Jon Wood scored an opportunity for a hands-on look at one of the most eagerly anticipated MMOs coming down the pike: LEGO Universe. What he found out was that this "kids'" game has a lot more going for it than some would think. Jon thinks it's a sure fire hit destined to appeal to kids and adults. LEGO Universe seems to have it all!
By Jon Wood on July 07, 2010
At this year’s E3, the game that stood out to me the most wasn’t what I was expecting it to be. In fact, it was my very last appointment of the show. I expected to walk in, hear a little bit more about how the game was progressing and then walk out again knowing that I’d have trouble forming a minimum 500 word article out of the whole deal. After all, it was just a game being developed for kids, how cool and exciting could it possibly be?
If you haven’t guessed by now or by some miracle managed to miss the giant name and logo a the top of this screen, the game I’m talking about is Lego Universe and it was easily the single most interesting and intriguing game that I saw.
Why? Why not? It’s a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, looking more like its tongue and cheek brothers of the single player variety (Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Batman, Harry Potter, etc.) than its brothers in the MMO realm.
Honestly I can sum up my impressions thusly: If the Lego IP franchise (Batman, Harry Potter, etc.) and Little Big Planet got together in some kind of unholy union, the result would be LEGO Universe. It combines the whimsy of the former, in all of its block destroying grandeur with the free flow of imagination and sense of wonder that comes with LBP.
Ok, so here’s a rundown of the premise: Imagination in the world of Lego Universe, is a driving force. Four explorers went looking for it and after finding it, they mess it up. This forms “The Maelstrom,” a force of dark chaos. The Opposite of Imagination that is threatening to destroy the universe. Players will be “fighting” against this force throughout the game.
Players go through the game collecting imagination. That imagination can then be used to build bigger and cooler things.
One of the biggest differences between LEGO Universe and its IP wielding brothers is that, like in almost any MMO, you collect loot. Everything from bricks to models go into your character’s backpack to be used later.
In the spirit of a mini-figure (lego man) being a “flexible identity,” LEGO Universe is a “you are what you wear” style game. In other words, you get your abilities from the stuff you have equipped. So, if you’ve got, for example, a cool sword equipped, then you get the swinging and hacking abilities associated with that sword. While many players dislike this mechanic in traditional MMOs, it really does seem to lend itself to the build-it-yourself mystique surrounding the LEGO franchise.
The feature that the developers feel really sets this game apart from the crowd of MMOs is the property system that allows players to reclaim small worlds from the maelstrom and re-create them in any way they see fit.
Seeing it in action, the property system plays out like the most detailed housing system I’ve ever come across. Not only is it a space that belongs to you that you can invite your friends to, it’s a space that you can literally build for yourself. It is here that the real fun and imagination of LEGO is truly represented in a way that we haven’t necessarily seen in any of the franchise’s previous video game efforts.
Using prefabricated LEGO pieces, players are able to make any number of things, they even have the ability to alter the pre-fabricated pieces in any number of ways. In the demo that we were given, the player built an old style wooden fort.
Believe it or not, the real gem of the system isn’t in the fact that it gives players the ability to build most anything they choose. It is, in fact, when they take this construction one step further and allow players to animate their creations and really bring them to life. I’ll give a few examples:
First: The fort that was built was impenetrable, with a door in front that was shut and locked. Through a few commands, the developers were able to key the door to a keyword typed into chat that would open it.
Second: A dinosaur and a bunch of chickens were created. The chickens were given the command to break apart when touched. One of the chickens was then told to make a noise. In turn, the dinosaur was told that when it hears that noise, it should run and touch the object that made the noise. The result was that the chicken made a noise and the dinosaur walked over and smashed it. Then, another chicken was given the command to make the noise after the first chicken was destroyed. In the end, the dinosaur trashes all of the chickens.
Those two examples give a good idea of how this aspect of LEGO Universe works, appealing both to the very simplistic and to the amusingly complex. So, did I expect a “kid’s game” to be the coolest and most exciting things I was going to see at E3 this year? No, I didn’t, but then again, I like to be surprised.
This game looks more and more promising as a fun little diversion. With the ability to upload your designs to Lego and have them sent to you in the form of real-life bricks, this game will potentially appeal to a wide variety of people.....at least for a while. I'm still not sure about the depth or lasting appeal but I'll likely give it a try to see how it plays out.
wow, this game promises a lot. it seems to be very good!
"it's a sure fire hit destined to appeal to kids and adults. LEGO Universe seems to have it all!"
Right , the adults are going to dive into this game just like the kids. Excuse me if I scoff at that notion. Lego's are something that 8 year olds like, the teens tend to mostly out grow them, I don't see the adults doing much in this game unless playing along with the kids.
My personal experience is that kids would much rather play lego games on the Wii rather than bother with any PC games. So I question the size of the market segment that will enjoy this game.
Might be a good game, but the consoles market to this segment far better than then the PC's do. Not sure they are going to get much income as the kids at that age rarely have any funds to invest in a game.
Why aren't the old farts all over this one? I mean the whole background of the game advocates what they want. They get to fight the "Opposite of Imagination," which they claim plagues all new MMOs these days, and this SCREAMS sandbox.
Kids, adults... and sandbox vets.
I am all over it.. Doesn't come out until 10/26 though, so no need to get too excited just yet..
Just goes to show that if you keep your mind open to things you might not normally find interesting, more often than not you will be pleasantly surprised.
Hm, I'll dig it.
I have gone low on imagination after finishing my dissertation anyhow.
I'm not sure I see enough here to warrant a subscription based game. Is there something more than a keep door and chickens to keep people playing week after week?
I really wish Netdevil would actually work on Jumpgate Evolution... Seems like development on that game has completely stopped...
Absolutly the best way to make a Lego game.
I think it's funny people who like elves and spacemen would call this a kid's game...
Actually, I find it laughable.
Sounds like something worth keeping an eye on, at least for a very alternative MMO experience. I'm in.
Well, I know several of my more science/engineering oriented friends in college were making things out of erector sets and animating them. Walkng robots, dogs, etc.
If you walk around MIT you will see all sorts of student projects that are creative and designed to be functional. not to mention the actual robots that are being worked on (I currently work in the in the computer science and artificial intellligence labratory so I see some cool things).
I see no reason why an adult who is creative and likes putting things together, likes designing things, wouldn't like this.
I'm not sure the game is really aimed at kids. The game requires a bit more experience and knowledge (in mmo terms), than most kids are likely to have.
Remember Wizards 101 is supposedly a kids game too, but I know a lot of adults play the game.
Sounds good so far. I am hoping this game has some form of character progression. If you use a sword more, will you get better at it (inflict greater damage), or does it only serve to swing and hack? I am feeling like all of the weapons may do the same damage. From watching a video all the enemies were a couple hits each, the larger ones were a few more. If the helmets, chest pieces, and armor all had certain attributes then this could be really good.
I look forward to hearing more about this game as well. I notice it's flagged as PC and Mac which is nice and I hope sticks. Subscription is a bit of a downer for me but I'll still give it a shot.
I think you underestimate people's tendancy to not care about what they "grow out" of. I know a lot of TEENS that "grew out" of legos who would still play this just because, it looks awesome! The game is a matter of individuality, which sets the game apart from the rest of its competitors. Which has an amazing potential to sell and sell alot at that.
LOL, you know, off hand I can count over a dozen adults I know who still love to put things together with legos, they have been talking about this for a long time. I expect they will play. The people I know are pretty "run of the mill" lower middle class with disposable income.
A lego mmo... hmmm might be interesting
I have been playing Lego Universe for some time now (beta)
I am 32 year old playing it alongside my 8 year old nephew and it really is a blast it has something for everyone in it and really does have broad appeal.
If like myself you have work a couple of kids and other activites outside of gaming and just want something fun to dive on everynow and again then its a exccellent little game.
And come on whats coller than a Lego Ninja, perhaps a lego ninja pirate but as yet I have not found that gear :)
haha :D sounds cool! Can't wait to play it ^^
Originally posted by Comnitus
Why aren't the old farts all over this one? I mean the whole background of the game advocates what they want. They get to fight the "Opposite of Imagination," which they claim plagues all new MMOs these days, and this SCREAMS sandbox.
Kids, adults... and sandbox vets.
As you command, Domnius Comnitus! Old Fart here (51) weighing in on this game. I've also been testing this since the beginning of closed beta. This game appeals to pretty much every age group. I saw it first hand at E3 at the LEGO Universe (LU) booth. Everyone enjoying what they saw and we are only 1/2 way through the closed beta. (There will be no open beta before release)
Originally posted by Ozmodan
"it's a sure fire hit destined to appeal to kids and adults. LEGO Universe seems to have it all!"
Right , the adults are going to dive into this game just like the kids. Excuse me if I scoff at that notion. Lego's are something that 8 year olds like, the teens tend to mostly out grow them, I don't see the adults doing much in this game unless playing along with the kids.
See the above ↑↑↑
My personal experience is that kids would much rather play lego games on the Wii rather than bother with any PC games. So I question the size of the market segment that will enjoy this game.
LEGO Harry Potter was also being demo-ed there at the show. People were enjoying themselves playing that game a lot. We'll have to wait until release so see if the sales numbers reflect your statement.
Might be a good game, but the consoles market to this segment far better than then the PC's do. Not sure they are going to get much income as the kids at that age rarely have any funds to invest in a game.
Well, I would have to agree with you on the fact that kids won't have the monetary resources to bail out the initial cost and monthly costs for the game. On the flip side of that, every adult that I saw were interested initially for this kids to play... but changed after 15 minutes into wanting to play the game themselves. There are adult testers that actually want LEGO/NetDevil to create a seperate LU with adult privilages just for them to play. This is how enamoured they are with the game so far! -)
Originally posted by Abrahmm
I really wish Netdevil would actually work on Jumpgate Evolution... Seems like development on that game has completely stopped...
I was inivited to attend E3 by Gazillion/NetDevil as a Fan of Jumpgate/Jumpgate Evolution. I was shown the presentation after signing a NDA before they would let me in the door to their demo room. So I can't reveal details but they have been working on the game for a long while. The direction of the game has changed from its original design inception. Go read the many forums to hear the positive & negative sides of their decision.
BTW... Whilst LEGO Universe and Jumpgate Evolution (JGE) are both housed in the same building, they are totally seperate projects. The only times LU devs use JGE team members are to test play latest systems/content before it is released to us testers. Ditto for the JGE team per the JGE team.
Originally posted by thamighty213
I have been playing Lego Universe for some time now (beta)
I am 32 year old playing it alongside my 8 year old nephew and it really is a blast it has something for everyone in it and really does have broad appeal.
If like myself you have work a couple of kids and other activites outside of gaming and just want something fun to dive on everynow and again then its a exccellent little game.
And come on whats coller than a Lego Ninja, perhaps a lego ninja pirate but as yet I have not found that gear :)Nice to see another tester posting. A lot of the game's systems and content are still missing. Testers in Alpha saw more than is available at this time. They are getting content/systems stable before adding them back in. There was another nice big update to the client so we'll see what is new very soon!
TQQdles™,
Dolnor Numbwit
Eternal Testing Newbie
P.s. Sorry for the colours going wonky. These forums don't like me! -(
I wish they would send me an invite. :(
For me this is graphicaly too retro, but it has some nice ideas.
You may scoff at this idea but, as a parent of 2 under-10 kids, there are lots of parents who are looking for a kid-friendly game they can appreciate as well. Size of market? Well, in my family that'd be 3 accounts for Lego Universe.
Can I say the same for an MMO that is made for the 15+ crowd? Nope. In fact, in many cases not even 1, because I don't want my kids seeing me play something too violent.
its sad that some people cant seem to open there mind, yes its lego, which i used to play with when i was 8, its for kids, but the lego games seems to have pulled a much bigger audience, i am currently playing lego harry potter and its great!
so forget about being a adult and go have some fun with some lego :)
I still haven't got exactly what to expect from this MMO but almost EVERY Lego game, even though is not too challenging or hardcore, is really fun to play till its end..so i'm looking forward to know more about this one :)
I am 45 with kids under 10. My older boy and me have played every LEGO X game that has come out. The only one we did not enjoy immensly was LEGO Indiana Jones 2. Lego Harry Potter is great. (Try it your self at Onlive, you won't even have to down load the game to play the demo)
We are also in the testing. Lego universe is engaging and addictive much like the other Lego games and will appeal to all ages. This is going to be a big hit and like some of the other "kid" friendly games like WIzard 101 it will grab the attention of the adults as well. As noted above, 3 Lego universe accounts in that house, there will be at least 2 in mine. It will add up quickly.
I have been testing this game for some time. It is really a fun game. It might look cheesy ( then gain look at WoW ) but, the game play is solid MMO flair with some fun mini games thrown in.
Yes it is G rated. Most definately hard to communicate do to the limited restrictions on chat ( damn child molesters ) but the game itself is solid. I can see a lot of families playing this together. I do not think it needs a high end PC to play, so Dad's can upgrade now to give thier older PC to the kids to play.
Some of the mini games are fun, for instance. One area I can think of that you go through. Without going into a lot of detail.
After you go through this area or small little themepark and do most of the quests if not all. You will get another quest that obviously takes you out of that area. On the way out you come across this pile of lego. If you build it ( meaning you do not have to or might not be able too ) you will then see a quest open up from another quest giver.
What you built was a finish line. You then get a quest to race through the area for a time qualifier. It is really fun!! And not easy by the way, due to the multiple-paths through the area.
This is the kind of thing you will see in game. There are the same fedex quests, the same kill X for Y, the same gather item B and then there are these unique items you can collect and use to build things in a small instanced area of your own. In some cases there are 3 different types of pieces you can collect to complete a quest.
Meanining you can build one of three items to complete the quest, wach with their own unique look from a specific genre. Or, you can combine pieces from the different genres to make your own more unique item to complete the quest. All that is needed is to build the item, the look and design can be specific or a chaotic mess of different styles. And this happens at the beginning. Just a hint of what will be to come down the line.
While this game does not have a very sandbox feel to it. It is definately a themepark game and with lego those themes are specific to their different sets. However, with the design and collections you get over time. I see the higher end of the game having a real social aspect to bringing people along and show and compare designs. Maybe even running around and through them.
i could see myself playing this game.
I dont see many adults playing this game more than seeing them play Barby Online. Lego is for kids.
Sounds really entertaining.
Here is a game I'm going to keep my kids well away from. Why? Because I'd much rather have them play with their actual LEGO's than the computer version of it. Why go through a game collecting 'Imagination' when they already have it locked in their heads.
All of my boys have spent hours building and playing on the floor with their Lego's. If they can think it up, they can build it and the older they get the fancier they become and I'm not talking about kits either - I'm talking about taking a bunch of loose Lego's and building 3 Masted Sailing ships, Aircraft Carriers, Massive Space ships etc.... And after building them and the surrounding facilities, then they get their Lego people out and play!
And for the early post that talked about age's vs Lego's. My 20 year still buys and builds those 1000 pc $500.00 kits and my HS shopmore and 5th grader activily build / and play at home with them. Can we say createtivity?
Computers are fine, computers are great, but did we really need one for Lego's?
Need? Since when was capitalism about need, it is about profit.
I still have a tub of legos and still remeber playing the first computer legos game. it was fun then and I hope it is fun now. My brother and I would spend hours just pick through the legos we though were cool! if they have all the lego they came out with... Like Jonny Thunder, the Ninja ones, to the old school cops and robbers. I think this game would be great...
P.S. you can maker your own house... really... http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2010/07/visiting_those_dallas_landmark.php
and http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/07/02/futurama-returns-in-lego-form/
I think the biggest challenge is going to be progression / endgame. Sandbox tends to only be meaningful if you can do something with your creations other than show them off in a private instance, and this is key for player retention. Given the simplicity of the game systems, I also wonder how the group content will play out.
I actually hope this game does very well, because I think it would be good for the industry to have a new model for success than WoW.
if a Lego MMO wasnt the most retarded thing id ever heard of, id think this was a really great idea.
I have tried this game and as an Adult i can say it was fun as hell lol, not sure how long that fun will last but with what they say they will implement then it can be a sure hit pass time game for sure, How it will work as an MMO who knows but it sure was better than any of the other kiddie like MMO's out there and tbh probably better than some of the more serious one's.
Great article; I'll have to check it out now. On a side note, I believe the term you're looking for is "tongue-in-cheek", not "tongue and cheek". Common mistake :)
Very wrong, you are over generalizing. There are those of us who never grow up and if you have grown past the use of legos I feel very sorry for you. I am 28 and am looking forward to this game. A chance to build in a world is something most mmo's seem to get totally wrong. Hopefully this game will give developers a better idea of how to allow players to build and customize their worlds.
"Legos are for 8 year olds," said the guy who plays video games.
Fast approaching 50 and this game looks like hours of fun, the builder looks great. I was more of a Meccano fan than Lego, you could use small engines, pulleys, cogs etc with meccano, lego never had that so being able to animate it and make it interactive sounds very appealing now :)
Wish I had gotten in to the beta :(
I've had my eye on this game for some time it's probably going to alter how future MMORPGs play out. I'm shocked that MMORPGs have not branched out by now away from fighting and moved more towards tomb raider type scenarios. Adventure puzzles will be the next big thing to hit MMORPGs.
This game is really clever ... I'm an adult gamer and have played for hours/days. I would say the game far exceeded my expectations.
Hello Kitty Online is a real game. If that isn't bad enough, another game was recently announced, one so bad I honestly can't even remember the title -- I think I blocked it out, too traumatized by the announcement to recall. LEGO Universe, on the other hand, has some real potential, from what I've been following over the last several months (on and off).