Lego Star Wars II Developer Diary: May the Farce Be With You @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on August 18, 2006

News: The developers talk about Lego Star Wars II's focus on the funny. Also, Lego Leia in the gold bikini!

Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy is moving along nicely and LucasArts has released their latest developer's diary detailing the process. Today's entry features David Perkinson and Jeffrey Gullett of LucasArts and Will Thompson of Traveller's Tales talking about the game's focus on the funny side of The Force.

But before that, there is some fantastic news to report. LucasArts has released the first screenshot of Lego Leia on Jabba's Barge. That's right gentlemen, behold:

With that out of the way, on to the developer diary:

Funny thing about video games: for the most part, they just aren't very funny. In fact, many of the most popular games are virtually laugh free. But exceptions do exist Ц like LucasArts' and TT Games' tongue-in-cheek look at your favorite galaxy far, far away in LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy. Build, battle and laugh your way through the events of pop culture's most influential films this September 12 across eight platforms.

So, just what is it about LEGO Star Wars II that tickles your funny bone? УThere are lots of things,Ф says David Perkinson, producer at LucasArts. УBut I think it all begins with the characters. Unless you've got the heart of the Emperor, you are going to chuckle at many of them the first time you see them Ц you just have to. They're so darn cute!Ф

УI think even if you played it as straight as you possibly could, the very appearance of the LEGO characters would still add an element of humor to it,Ф agrees Will Thompson, character artist at developer Traveller's Tales. УIt's just so funny watching these cute little characters battling it out with each other in such dramatic situations. By far, my favorite example of this is every part featuring the romantic scenes between Han and Leia Ц it's hilarious watching their relationship blossom in LEGO form.Ф

УThere are plenty of funny cutscenes like those that'll have you rolling, and one of my favorites is one of the very last that Traveller's Tales included,Ф says Jeffrey Gullett, assistant producer at LucasArts. УRemember Luke's acrobatics in Return of the Jedi when he jumps off the plank, grabs it and somersaults onto the skiff? Like many memorable scenes, we have that one, but with a clever twist. In this case, Luke doesn't just do a superhuman somersault Ц he performs an all-out acrobatic routine with all sorts of jumps from the plank. It's hilarious.Ф

But Perkinson only sees the cutscenes as part of a much bigger equation to gaming hilarity. УRemember, there's an actual game here to play, too,Ф he says, Уand along with an immense amount of depth and replayability, the comedic elements play an integral role in elevating LEGO Star Wars II past your typical action-platformer. As funny as the cutscenes are, I think one of the greatest things that Traveller's Tales has pulled off is that you're actually laughing during gameplay as well. No matter how many times I rip a stormtroopers arms out of its sockets or swat a Gamorrean guard as if to say Сoh no, you didn't!' as slave Leia, it never gets old.Ф

УAnd speaking of Gamorrean guards,Ф adds Gullett, Уgetting them to rock out in Jabba's Palace serves the double purpose of distracting some of the game's most powerful enemies while also providing one of the biggest laughs in the game. You know how electric guitars are also known as an Сax'? Well, let's just say those pig guards take that idea pretty literallyЕФ

Also adding to the fun is one of LEGO Star Wars II's most interesting new features, the Character Customizer. You can unlock more than 60 playable characters throughout the course of the game, with new character parts Ц heads, torsos, midsections, legs, arms, hands and weapons Ц available in this device as you make each character available. Mix and match the pieces as you would with actual LEGO minifigures to create the likes of Darth Threepio, Stormbacca or Ewok Organa Ц there are literally millions and millions of possibilities! Then, take your character into Free Play with unique powersЕand one of the most unique looks in the galaxy.

УCharacter customization was something we'd been looking at for a while,Ф says Thompson. УThere are lots of cool ideas like that which come very naturally from working with LEGO, but it was the team at Amaze Entertainment, working on the Nintendo DS version of the game, who worked up the customization concept for LEGO Star Wars II. The best thing about the Character Customizer is randomization, which gives you a completely different character than you've ever imagined with the touch of a button. You never know what you're going to get!Ф

УYeah,Ф says Perkinson. УWith tongue-in-cheek humor everywhere you look (where else are you going to find stormtroopers lounging in a hot tub?) Сyou never know what you're going to get' is pretty much the best way to sum up LEGO Star Wars II as a whole.Ф

Finally, six new screenshots can be found by clicking here.