28 replies to this topic

[jamesster]

There's sure a lot of talk about TT Games going around lately. First up, a new trailer for LEGO City: Undercover was released today. Undoubtedly, the farmer is the best disguise in the game, as it allows you to do a Super Chicken glide and fire pigs out of cannons.



Next up, Game Informer has... Well, quite a lot of stuff, really. First up is a history of TT's partnership with LEGO, which is fairly interesting, and also contains some brief footage from classic games like Island Xtreme Stunts. There's also an article on co-op in TT LEGO games, and a video showing the animation of the Hulk in LEGO form. Finally, there's a video showing the development of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, and a developer's thoughts on LEGO The Lord of the Rings.

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Sources:

Game Informer
The official Nintendo YouTube channel

[McJobless]

So...when are they going to give up on the over-priced gimmick that is the Wii U?

[StoneRainStudios]

They did a nice job reusing that LEGO Island joke there in the beginning of the trailer...

THE BOAT, SILLY!

[Oboe Shoes]

Part of me is really hoping whoever wrote that joke into the script got it from LI1

[le717]

That actually is Mama. How?

In one of the newer LEGO Club mags (Sept-Oct '12 or Nov-Dec '12), thre is a map of LEGO City as shown in Undercover. In the corner of the map is a small island that is barely connected to the main land: LEGO Island. In their video bios, both Nick and Laura Brick once patrolled in a big city (LEGO City) before presumably being transfered to LEGO Island. In Mama's video, it shows her as a young lady, getting off a boat in a large city with lots of people, carrying a bag with her (as is this girl). Then add the L.E.G.O. Radio announcer saying that the Brickolini's Zillionth anniv. party was a huge sucess, and you've got the Informainac declaring to that girl "Hello, Mama!"

Now if in this game they show that same girl involved with a piano in any way, be it in the fore- or background of a cutscene or gameplay, be it buying a new piano ("Mine broke"), watching a piano being hoisted by ropes, or picking up/carrying around piano pieces, it means that TT Games does have a heart, and did read the LEGO Island script, and that is an absolutely confirmed Mama.

[jamesster]

le, that island isn't LEGO Island. It's Albatross Island - the LEGO-ized Alcatraz that Rex Fury escaped from. The game opens with you constructing a ferry and going over to the island to gather clues about the escape. So far, there have been no indications of LEGO Island having direct ties to LEGO City: Undercover. Who knows, once the game is released maybe people will find some cameos, or maybe there's a LEGO Island bonus level or something, but right now we simply don't know of any connections.

[PeabodySam]

I'm sorry to say, I don't think I have enough faith in TT Games to think that this was a deliberate LEGO Island reference.  Nor do I have enough faith to believe that there will be any deliberate LEGO Island references in the whole game.  Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but it seems like LEGO doesn't remember LEGO Island anymore.

 

They have Legend of Zelda sound effects and Super Mario warp pipes, but still no sign of the one and only Brickster in a LEGO "cops & robbers" game?  Come on!  Soccer Mania had nothing to do with LEGO Island (discounting Captain Click's unexpected cameo appearance in the flesh... err, bone), and the Brickster was the main villain!  Heck, you could call this guy "the Brickster", and I'd be cool with that because he's got a beanie cap, domino mask, mustache, grin, jail stripes, and black pants... and LEGO completely missed that opportunity.

[jamesster]

Maybe I'm just pessimistic, but it seems like LEGO doesn't remember LEGO Island anymore.

*cough*

*cough*

*cough*

*cough*

Also, don't forget all the Adventurers cameos Indiana Jones had, and all the throwbacks to old themes in LEGO Rock Band, and the cameos of classic LEGO space ships in LEGO Star Wars 2/TCS, and the Space Port astronaut cameo in LSW TCS, and the classic town sets appearing in the various "LEGO City" bonus levels. TT Games actually has quite a history of referencing past themes in their games.

[PeabodySam]

*cough*

*cough*

*cough*

*cough*

Also, don't forget all the Adventurers cameos Indiana Jones had, and all the throwbacks to old themes in LEGO Rock Band, and the cameos of classic LEGO space ships in LEGO Star Wars 2/TCS, and the Space Port astronaut cameo in LSW TCS, and the classic town sets appearing in the various "LEGO City" bonus levels. TT Games actually has quite a history of referencing past themes in their games.

I'm not sure which is more ironic. The fact that I had to convince you that the LEGO Universe Sky Lane was the same Sky Lane that we all knew and loved (this was shortly before they updated Johnny Thunder to the classic textures), or the fact that you're using several images from my own majhost gallery as a counter argument to my statement. Well played.

But old sets appearing in TT Games are little more than cameos. It's not like in LEGO Battles (which doesn't count as TT Games because it was developed by Hellbent instead), which has entire factions of Islanders and Ninjas. From what we've seen so far of LEGO City: Undercover, it's all an original cast of characters, with preexisting character cameos being limited to those from the very-recent Minfiigures series (although, the Minifigures series does make quite a few references to older LEGO lines, but I suspect that whoever's writing the character bios must be an AFOL well-versed in LEGO history, as opposed to just a game designer).

[Lair of Rockwhales]

. In Mama's video, it shows her as a young lady, getting off a boat in a large city with lots of people, carrying a bag with her (as is this girl).

It also showed real humans in that video. Plus, I doubt that LEGO Island takes place "zillions" of years after this game. 

[MrEightThreeOne]

So...when are they going to give up on the over-priced gimmick that is the Wii U?

You know, this sounds vaguely familiar to what people said about the Wii and DS.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

You know, this sounds vaguely familiar to what people said about the Wii and DS.

But the Wii and DS did not have the first major original LEGO game in a decade only on that console (excluding LEGO Battles) despite almost every other game being omni-platform, and they didn't have that touchscreen... GIMMICK thing.

[jamesster]

But the Wii and DS did not have the first major original LEGO game in a decade only on that console (excluding LEGO Battles) despite almost every other game being omni-platform, and they didn't have that touchscreen... thing.

lol specifically excluding a game that would otherwise break your point entirely

Also, the basic idea of the DS (Dual Screen) was to add a touchscreen in addition to the already existing standard screen. And like it or not, the basic idea of the Wii U is to do the same thing but on a console.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

lol specifically excluding a game that would otherwise break your point entirely

It doesn't really break my point because Battles wasn't as much as a super major game like LCU (or maybe it was, but I never viewed it as such compared to a game that reminds me much of many classic games) and handheld stuff is cheaper. Plus,

the basic idea of the Wii U is to do the same thing but on a console.

This is exactly what is wrong with it.

[McJobless]

You know, this sounds vaguely familiar to what people said about the Wii and DS.

And still doesn't change the fact that both are rubbish.

[Lair of Rockwhales]

And still doesn't change my opinion that both are rubbish.

 

[jamesster]

lol specifically excluding a game that would otherwise break your point entirely

It does not break my point because Battles wasn't a super major game like LCU and handheld stuff is cheaper.

It does break your point because you didn't even mention price in your original post, and I do not see how handheld = not major.

the basic idea of the Wii U is to do the same thing but on a console.

This is exactly what is wrong with it.

How so?

[Lair of Rockwhales]

It does break your point because you didn't even mention price in your original post, and I do not see how handheld = not major.

I guess I'm sort of going off the point that the Battles games were not as discussed as the TT console games have been, and this has generally been true for the majority of previous LEGO titles (even though most of those were ports, not original games). Overall, this generally seems to be the case with a lot of other stuff, with the main driving point behind a lot of handhelds is being portable entertainment for a lower price than those expensive consoles that stick you to the couch. Obviously there are exceptions, but those are the ones we discuss with more constructive things than "this is a fun game!"

I don't know, I've just always seen it that way. Probably something to do with handhelds having lower storage space and power so the game is cheaper in build (again, not saying the gameplay is bad, just that it's not as pricey and fancy).

How so?

Because it's just...something. Why would you put a touchscreen in a console controller? Why would you use it without fearing neck pains? This isn't about it being a gimmick like Extreme claims, this is about me viewing it as a poor design choice. I've tried to look at the good side, but something about it just bothers me.

[mumboking]

Now I just remember the keyboard controller for the GameCube by ASCII

[jamesster]

I guess I'm sort of going off the point that the Battles games were not as discussed as the TT console games have been, and this has generally been true for the majority of previous LEGO titles (even though most of those were ports, not original games). Overall, this generally seems to be the case with a lot of other stuff, with the main driving point behind a lot of handhelds is being portable entertainment for a lower price than those expensive consoles that stick you to the couch. Obviously there are exceptions, but those are the ones we discuss with more constructive things than "this is a fun game!"
I don't know, I've just always seen it that way. Probably something to do with handhelds having lower storage space and power so the game is cheaper in build (again, not saying the gameplay is bad, just that it's not as pricey and fancy).

May I point at all the Mario, Sonic, Pokemon, etc handheld games? Those certainly aren't less important than console games. I dunno how LEGO Battles slipped under the radar for ya, as from what I've seen it got as much promotion as any other classic LEGO game - perhaps it was drowned out by TT's heavily promoted licensed titles?
 

Because it's just...something.

Why would you put a touchscreen in a console controller?

Why not? Seems to me it opens up a lot of new gameplay possibilities.

Why would you use it without fearing neck pains?

>handheld game systems

This isn't about it being a gimmick like Extreme claims, this is about me viewing it as a poor design choice. I've tried to look at the good side, but something about it just bothers me.

Yet you called it a gimmick in post #12.