Academy of Flight: Difference between revisions
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'''''Academy of Flight''''', developed under the name '''''LEGO Flight''''', is a cancelled LEGO video game developed by [[Wikipedia:Eurocom|Eurocom Entertainment Software]] between 2001 and 2002. It was planned as an [[Wikipedia:Action game|action game]] featuring the use of aerial vehicles, and would have been released alongside a LEGO theme celebrating the 100th anniversary of powered flight in 2003. Eurocom cancelled ''LEGO Flight'' during early development in favour of a ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond in video games|James Bond]]'' game the company was also developing. Its only official mention was in a 2001 press release regarding a publishing agreement between [[Wikipedia:Electronic Arts|Electronic Arts]] and [[LEGO Interactive]]. | '''''Academy of Flight''''', developed under the name '''''LEGO Flight''''', is a cancelled LEGO video game developed by [[Wikipedia:Eurocom|Eurocom Entertainment Software]] between 2001 and 2002. It was planned as an [[Wikipedia:Action game|action game]] featuring the use of aerial vehicles, and would have been released alongside a LEGO theme celebrating the 100th anniversary of powered flight in 2003. Eurocom cancelled ''LEGO Flight'' during early development in favour of a ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond in video games|James Bond]]'' game the company was also developing. Its only official mention was in a 2001 press release regarding a publishing agreement between [[Wikipedia:Electronic Arts|Electronic Arts]] and [[LEGO Interactive]]. | ||
== Development == | == Development == | ||
[[File:First flight2.jpg|thumb|left|17 December 2003 marked the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first successful flight, seen here]] | [[File:First flight2.jpg|thumb|left|17 December 2003 marked the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first successful flight, seen here]] | ||
''LEGO Flight'' was developed at Eurocom Entertainment Software during late 2001 and early 2002. Rob Matthews worked as the game's project manager, which was his first assignment upon joining Eurocom in October 2001. Matthews was put in charge of a small team creating a pitch document for the game, which would have been based on a proposed LEGO toy line planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first sustained powered flight by the [[Wikipedia:Wright brothers|Wright brothers]]. While the development team was not shown any proposed designs for the toy line, Matthews recalled in 2019 that it was intended to feature notable 20th century aircraft, including the ''[[Wikipedia:Wright Flyer|Wright Flyer]]'', a [[Wikipedia:Boeing 747|Boeing 747]], and a [[Wikipedia:Space Shuttle|Space Shuttle]]. In late 2001 Matthews and his team were flown to the [[LEGO Group]]'s headquarters on one of the company's private jets, where they met some of the company's staff and toured their facilities and factory.<ref name=" | ''LEGO Flight'' was developed at Eurocom Entertainment Software during late 2001 and early 2002. Rob Matthews worked as the game's project manager, which was his first assignment upon joining Eurocom in October 2001. Matthews was put in charge of a small team creating a pitch document for the game, which would have been based on a proposed LEGO toy line planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first sustained powered flight by the [[Wikipedia:Wright brothers|Wright brothers]]. While the development team was not shown any proposed designs for the toy line, Matthews recalled in 2019 that it was intended to feature notable 20th century aircraft, including the ''[[Wikipedia:Wright Flyer|Wright Flyer]]'', a [[Wikipedia:Boeing 747|Boeing 747]], and a [[Wikipedia:Space Shuttle|Space Shuttle]]. In late 2001 Matthews and his team were flown to the [[LEGO Group]]'s headquarters on one of the company's private jets, where they met some of the company's staff and toured their facilities and factory.<ref name="Matthews interview"/> | ||
The ''LEGO Flight'' pitch was developed further during the first two months of 2002, deciding on a game similar to ''[[Wikipedia:Blast Corps|Blast Corps]]'' where the player would use aerial vehicles to rescue people. The game was planned to be developed for [[Wikipedia:GameCube|GameCube]], [[Wikipedia:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]], and [[Wikipedia:Xbox (console)|Xbox]]. Though the team presented the game pitch to LEGO, the project ultimately fell through due to Eurocom prioritising the production of the ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond in video games|James Bond]]'' title ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond 007: Nightfire|007: Nightfire]]'', which Matthews joined the development of in April 2002.<ref name=" | The ''LEGO Flight'' pitch was developed further during the first two months of 2002, deciding on a game similar to ''[[Wikipedia:Blast Corps|Blast Corps]]'' where the player would use aerial vehicles to rescue people. The game was planned to be developed for [[Wikipedia:GameCube|GameCube]], [[Wikipedia:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]], and [[Wikipedia:Xbox (console)|Xbox]]. Though the team presented the game pitch to LEGO, the project ultimately fell through due to Eurocom prioritising the production of the ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond in video games|James Bond]]'' title ''[[Wikipedia:James Bond 007: Nightfire|007: Nightfire]]'', which Matthews joined the development of in April 2002.<ref name="Matthews interview"/> Matthews continued working at Eurocom as a project manager until November 2012,<ref name="Moby Matthews"/> when the company laid off 150 of its nearly 200 employees; Eurocom laid off the remaining 42 employees and shut down the following month.<ref name="Eurogamer layoff"/><ref name="Eurogamer trading"/> | ||
''Academy of Flight'' was announced in a press release from [[Wikipedia:Electronic Arts|Electronic Arts]] on 10 December 2001. It was listed as one of the franchises from [[LEGO Software]] to be co-published under a three-year agreement between Electronic Arts and the LEGO Company.<ref name="Ahmed"/><ref name="Bergman"/>{{efn|The press release's wording does not exclude the possibility that "Academy of Flight" was not the game's intended title, but rather referred to the planned "centenary of flight" toy line that the ''LEGO Flight'' game would have promoted; similarly, it also uses "LEGO Sports", the name of a football-based LEGO toy line at the time, to presumably mean ''[[Football Mania]]'', the then-upcoming video game.}} This would be the only time that the game was officially mentioned. The centenary of flight toy line it was intended to be based on was seemingly also cancelled, though a LEGO set of the the ''Wright Flyer'', designed by [[Henrik Andersen]], was released in 2003 as set number 10124.<ref name=" | ''Academy of Flight'' was announced in a press release from [[Wikipedia:Electronic Arts|Electronic Arts]] on 10 December 2001. It was listed as one of the franchises from [[LEGO Software]] to be co-published under a three-year agreement between Electronic Arts and the LEGO Company.<ref name="Ahmed"/><ref name="Bergman"/>{{efn|The press release's wording does not exclude the possibility that "Academy of Flight" was not the game's intended title, but rather referred to the planned "centenary of flight" toy line that the ''LEGO Flight'' game would have promoted; similarly, it also uses "[[LEGO Sports]]", the name of a [[Wikipedia:Association football|football]]-based LEGO toy line at the time, to presumably mean ''[[Football Mania]]'', the then-upcoming video game.}} This would be the only time that the game was officially mentioned. The centenary of flight toy line it was intended to be based on was seemingly also cancelled, though a LEGO set of the the ''Wright Flyer'', designed by [[Henrik Andersen]], was released in 2003 as set number 10124.<ref name="Matthews interview"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://brickset.com/sets/10124-1/Wright-Flyer |title=10124: Wright Flyer |website=[[Brickset]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240428012733/https://brickset.com/sets/10124-1/Wright-Flyer |archive-date=28 April 2024 |access-date=28 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
| Line 24: | Line 25: | ||
{{reflist|refs= | {{reflist|refs= | ||
<ref name="Ahmed">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/legoland/news_2831479.html |title=EA to copublish LEGO games |first=Shahend |last=Ahmed |date=10 December 2001 |website=[[Wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]] |publisher=[[Wikipedia:CNET|CNET Networks, Inc]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030802112441/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/legoland/news_2831479.html |archive-date=2 August 2003}}</ref> | <ref name="Ahmed">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/legoland/news_2831479.html |title=EA to copublish LEGO games |first=Shahend |last=Ahmed |date=10 December 2001 |website=[[Wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]] |publisher=[[Wikipedia:CNET|CNET Networks, Inc]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030802112441/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/legoland/news_2831479.html |archive-date=2 August 2003}}</ref> | ||
<ref name="Bergman">{{cite web |last=Bergman |first=Thomas |date=11 December 2001 |url=http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=1524&mode=thread&order=0 |title=Lego & EA Team Up |website=WorthPlaying.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011225133229/http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=1524&mode=thread&order=0 |archive-date=25 December 2001}}</ref> | <ref name="Bergman">{{cite web |last=Bergman |first=Thomas |date=11 December 2001 |url=http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=1524&mode=thread&order=0 |title=Lego & EA Team Up |website=WorthPlaying.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011225133229/http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=1524&mode=thread&order=0 |archive-date=25 December 2001}}</ref> | ||
<ref name=" | |||
<ref name="Eurogamer layoff">{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-23-goldeneye-reloaded-007-legends-dev-eurocom-hit-by-job-losses |title=GoldenEye Reloaded, 007 Legends dev Eurocom hit by job losses |first=Wesley |last=Yin-Poole |date=23 November 2012 |website=[[Wikipedia:Eurogamer|Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Gamer Network|Eurogamer Network Ltd]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127172002/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-23-goldeneye-reloaded-007-legends-dev-eurocom-hit-by-job-losses |archive-date=27 November 2012}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Eurogamer trading">{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-07-james-bond-developer-eurocom-makes-remaining-staff-redundant-ceases-trading |title=James Bond developer Eurocom makes remaining staff redundant, ceases trading |first=Wesley |last=Yin-Poole |date=7 December 2012 |website=[[Wikipedia:Eurogamer|Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Gamer Network|Eurogamer Network Ltd]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210113236/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-12-07-james-bond-developer-eurocom-makes-remaining-staff-redundant-ceases-trading |archive-date=10 December 2012}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Matthews interview">{{cite interview |last=Matthews |first=Rob |interviewer=Brickome |title=Information about Academy of Flight |work=[[Rock Raiders United]] |date=25 March 2019 |url=https://www.rockraidersunited.com/topic/8487-information-about-academy-of-fligh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325201253/https://www.rockraidersunited.com/topic/8487-information-about-academy-of-flight |archive-date=25 March 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
<ref name="Moby Matthews">{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.mobygames.com/person/71611/robert-matthews |title=Robert Matthews |encyclopedia=[[Wikipedia:MobyGames|MobyGames]] |id=71611 |access-date=23 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240323183157/https://www.mobygames.com/person/71611/robert-matthews |archive-date=23 March 2024 |url-status=live}} Information sourced from [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rgmatthews Rob Matthews] on [[Wikipedia:LinkedIn|LinkedIn]].</ref> | |||
}} | }} | ||
Latest revision as of 06:07, 15 August 2024
| LEGO Flight | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Eurocom |
| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Director(s) | Rob Matthews |
| Platform(s) | GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox |
| Release | Cancelled |
| Genre(s) | Action |
Academy of Flight, developed under the name LEGO Flight, is a cancelled LEGO video game developed by Eurocom Entertainment Software between 2001 and 2002. It was planned as an action game featuring the use of aerial vehicles, and would have been released alongside a LEGO theme celebrating the 100th anniversary of powered flight in 2003. Eurocom cancelled LEGO Flight during early development in favour of a James Bond game the company was also developing. Its only official mention was in a 2001 press release regarding a publishing agreement between Electronic Arts and LEGO Interactive.
Development
LEGO Flight was developed at Eurocom Entertainment Software during late 2001 and early 2002. Rob Matthews worked as the game's project manager, which was his first assignment upon joining Eurocom in October 2001. Matthews was put in charge of a small team creating a pitch document for the game, which would have been based on a proposed LEGO toy line planned to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first sustained powered flight by the Wright brothers. While the development team was not shown any proposed designs for the toy line, Matthews recalled in 2019 that it was intended to feature notable 20th century aircraft, including the Wright Flyer, a Boeing 747, and a Space Shuttle. In late 2001 Matthews and his team were flown to the LEGO Group's headquarters on one of the company's private jets, where they met some of the company's staff and toured their facilities and factory.[1]
The LEGO Flight pitch was developed further during the first two months of 2002, deciding on a game similar to Blast Corps where the player would use aerial vehicles to rescue people. The game was planned to be developed for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Though the team presented the game pitch to LEGO, the project ultimately fell through due to Eurocom prioritising the production of the James Bond title 007: Nightfire, which Matthews joined the development of in April 2002.[1] Matthews continued working at Eurocom as a project manager until November 2012,[2] when the company laid off 150 of its nearly 200 employees; Eurocom laid off the remaining 42 employees and shut down the following month.[3][4]
Academy of Flight was announced in a press release from Electronic Arts on 10 December 2001. It was listed as one of the franchises from LEGO Software to be co-published under a three-year agreement between Electronic Arts and the LEGO Company.[5][6][note 1] This would be the only time that the game was officially mentioned. The centenary of flight toy line it was intended to be based on was seemingly also cancelled, though a LEGO set of the the Wright Flyer, designed by Henrik Andersen, was released in 2003 as set number 10124.[1][7]
Notes
- ↑ The press release's wording does not exclude the possibility that "Academy of Flight" was not the game's intended title, but rather referred to the planned "centenary of flight" toy line that the LEGO Flight game would have promoted; similarly, it also uses "LEGO Sports", the name of a football-based LEGO toy line at the time, to presumably mean Football Mania, the then-upcoming video game.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Matthews, Rob (25 March 2019). "Information about Academy of Flight". Rock Raiders United (Interview). Interviewed by Brickome. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019.
- ↑ "Robert Matthews". MobyGames. 71611. Archived from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024. Information sourced from Rob Matthews on LinkedIn.
- ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (23 November 2012). "GoldenEye Reloaded, 007 Legends dev Eurocom hit by job losses". Eurogamer. Eurogamer Network Ltd. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012.
- ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (7 December 2012). "James Bond developer Eurocom makes remaining staff redundant, ceases trading". Eurogamer. Eurogamer Network Ltd. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012.
- ↑ Ahmed, Shahend (10 December 2001). "EA to copublish LEGO games". GameSpot. CNET Networks, Inc. Archived from the original on 2 August 2003.
- ↑ Bergman, Thomas (11 December 2001). "Lego & EA Team Up". WorthPlaying.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2001.
- ↑ "10124: Wright Flyer". Brickset. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
