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{{Italic title|''LEGO Rock Raiders'' (video game)}}
{{Infobox video game
'''''LEGO Rock Raiders''''' is a 1999 video game developed by [[Data Design Interactive]] and published by [[LEGO Media International]] for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. The game is based on and was developed alongside the LEGO theme [[LEGO Rock Raiders|of the same name]]. It features a team of space explorers mining for energy crystals on a hostile alien planet.
| image      = RockRaiders Front PC big box scan.jpg
| alt        = A scan of a PC CD-ROM "big box" front with the LEGO Rock Raiders logo at the top and a piece of CGI artwork; the art shows a LEGO minifigure piloting a small hovering craft through a cavern full of Energy Cyrstals, a large monster made of rock swinging its fist at him, and a large slug watching
| caption    = European "[[Wikipedia:Video game packaging|big box]]" front cover
| developer  = [[Data Design Interactive]]
| publisher  = [[LEGO Media International]]
| series    =
| engine    =
| platforms  = [[Wikipedia:Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| released  =
| genre      = [[Wikipedia:Real-time strategy|Real-time strategy]]
| modes      = [[Wikipedia:Single-player video game|Single-player]]
| director  = Eamonn Barr
| producer  = Tomas Gillo
| designer  =
| programmer = {{Unbulleted list|Tony Stoddart|Rob Wilson}}
| artist    = {{Unbulleted list|Rob Dorney|Dave Garbett (animation)}}
| writer    =
| composer  = Marl Boonyer
}}
 
'''''LEGO Rock Raiders''''' is a 1999 [[Wikipedia:Real-time strategy|real-time strategy]] video game developed by [[Data Design Interactive]] and published by [[LEGO Media International]] for [[Wikipedia:Microsoft Windows|Michaelsoft Wandows]]


== Gameplay ==
== Gameplay ==
''LEGO Rock Raiders'' is a mission-based [[Wikipedia:Real-time strategy|real-time strategy]] game with elements of [[Wikipedia:Construction and management simulation|construction simulation]].<ref name="AVault Mandel"/><ref name="IGN Lopez"/> The game takes place in [[Wikipedia:3D computer graphics|3D]] underground environments and is played from an overhead view that can be freely moved, rotated, and zoomed.<ref name="PC Games Gliss"/><ref name="PC Player Werner"/>
<!--
[[Wikipedia:Computer animation|3D animated]] [[Wikipedia:Full-motion video|full-motion video]] cutscene
four-minute
The Rock Raiders are travelling home on their spaceship, the [[LMS Explorer|LMS ''Explorer'']], after an expedition in the galaxy's outer rim when they travel into an asteroid field.
The ship is heavily damaged and falls into a [[Wikipedia:Wormhole|wormhole]] and emerges in another galaxy.
The ship's scanners detect [[Energy Crystals]] on a [[Planet (Rock Raiders)|nearby planet]], so the Rock Raiders teleport down to investigate.<ref name="AVault Mandel"/><ref name="CDMag Finn"/>
There are also shorter cutscenes that play before each mission, which show brief, sometimes comedic scenes of the Rock Raiders exploring.<ref name="GameSpot Park"/>
-->
=== Controls and interface ===
The game is primarily controlled with the [[Wikipedia:Mouse pointer|mouse pointer]], which can pan the camera around, interact with the virtual world, and manage the game through its interface.<ref name="AVault Mandel"/>{{sfn|McPhail|p=21|1999}}
The player can click on individual units to select them, or click and drag to draw a box that will select any units inside it. Selected units can be directly ordered to perform tasks by clicking where the player wants them to go, or by clicking specific menu icons.<ref name="AVault Mandel"/><ref name="CDMag Finn"/>{{sfn|McPhail|p=19|1999}}
Units will automatically perform certain tasks, such as collecting resources and clearing rubble, without any player input.<ref name="CDMag Finn"/>
The in-game mouse pointer features an icon that displays things (write this){{sfn|McPhail|pp=23-26|1999}}


=== Windows version ===
Hovering the mouse pointer over an object or surface for a brief time will display a [[Wikipedia:Tooltip|tooltip]] showing its name (often with a spoken voice cue identifying it),<ref name="GameSpot Park"/> as well as any additional information such as a vehicle's health or what tools a minifigure is carrying.{{sfn|McPhail|p=59|1999}}
The Windows version of ''LEGO Rock Raiders'' is a [[Wikipedia:Real-time strategy|real-time strategy]] game.


=== PlayStation version ===
=== Buildings ===
The PS version is an action and strategy game.
Buildings in ''LEGO Rock Raiders'' serve a wide variety of functions, including storing materials, powering other buildings, teleporting down vehicles, and training Rock Raiders. Ten different buildings can be constructed and used by the player during missions.<ref name="PC Games Gliss"/>


== Development ==
=== Vehicles ===
''LEGO Rock Raiders'' was the first LEGO video game developed alongside LEGO construction sets. (CGW)
Eleven different vehivls.<ref name="PC Games Gliss"/>
 
=== Hazards ===
This section will list dangers and monsters


Development of the Microsoft Windows game began in October 1997, while development of the PlayStation game began in July 1998.
=== Missions ===
''LEGO Rock Raiders'' features twenty-five different missions. The game's mission selection screen displays a cross-section of the alien planet, with individual missions represented as cavern openings. Playable missions display an image of the mission in the cavern, while locked missions are dark and blocked by beams. Hovering the cursor over an available mission will display its name, and a completed mission will also display its completion status and the player's achieved score for it. Upon starting a new game, only the first mission can be played; completing it unlocks the missions below it. The deeper into the planet a mission is located, the more difficult it is intended to be.<ref name="AVault Mandel"/>{{sfn|McPhail|p=13|1999}} The planet is divided into different-coloured layers, which are further divided into thirteen "levels" containing one to three missions in each; this was intended to give the game a branching mission path, allowing players to choose a different route through the game if they find a mission to be too difficult (though certain levels have only one mission which must be completed to progress), or to replay the game following different paths than previously.<ref name="CDMag Finn"/>{{sfn|McPhail|p=13|1999}}{{efn|Due to an oversight in the game's code, only the leftmost missions on each level can unlock a route to the end of the game. If playing the game with [[OpenLRR]], this bug is fixed.<ref name="OpenLRR Fix 58"/>}}


The game's atmosphere was inspired by Scandinavian mines.<ref name="Ultimate Media"/>
Upon starting a mission, the character Chief presents a detailed briefing for the player, explaining the mission's situation and objective.<ref name="GameSpot Park"/> Most mission objectives require the player to collect a certain amount of Energy Crystals,<ref name="PC Games Gliss"/> though other objectives can include constructing certain buildings, rescuing lost Rock Raiders, guiding Rock Raiders to find a hidden base, or blasting through certain walls.<ref name="IGN Lopez"/><ref name="AVault Mandel"/> The player is occasionally given clues as to how to accomplish their objectives, such as lost mining equipment found near the intended route, and Chief often gives further messages after an objective is achieved.<ref name="AVault Mandel"/> Once all objectives have been completed, the mission ends, usually with an animation showing all of the player's units teleporting back to the LMS ''Explorer''. Chief delivers a congratulatory message for completing the mission, and the player is shown a results screen displaying their mission statistics and overall score for the mission; the player can also save their progress on this screen.<ref name="PC Games Gliss"/> If the player fails or quits a mission, the results screen will not show an overall score and will not let them save.


Artworld UK<ref name="CGW"/>
There are also eight training missions which teach new players how to play the game.<ref name="AVault Mandel"/> Each training mission has Chief guide the player through a series of tasks related to different elements of gameplay.<ref name="GameSpot Park"/> Training missions can be accessed from the main mission selection screen, where they are positioned above the twenty-five main missions, or from a separate selection screen featuring only the training missions.{{sfn|McPhail|p=15|1999}}


In early 1999, six months before the PlayStation version of ''LEGO Rock Raiders''  was supposed to be submitted to Sony, the head of LEGO Media [''who?''] decided that a real-time strategy game would not sell on the PlayStation. The game was ordered to be changed to an [[Wikipedia:Action game|action game]]. As senior producer Tomas Gillo{{efn|Only listed as "the original Producer" by Upchurch; inferred from the game's credits, which lists Gillo as Senior Producer.}} did not have time to rework the PlayStation game while finishing the Windows version, David Upchurch, who had previously worked as producer on ''[[LEGO Chess]]'' and early versions of what would become ''[[LEGO Island 2]]'', was made the producer for the PlayStation version in March 1999.<ref name="Upchurch LRR"/><ref name="Upchurch LC"/><ref name="Upchurch LI2"/>
The table below lists the game's missions, arranged approximately as they are on the mission selection screen.


{{quote box
{| class="wikitable"
|quote = ...every night I’d retire to my hotel room, exhausted, thinking to myself “That was a good day, we made good progress… but the game’s still going to crap.”
|+
All in all, it was a depressing and demoralising experience that soured my attitude towards working at LEGO Media.
! colspan=2 | Level
|author = David Upchurch
! Missions
|source = dupchurch.com<ref name="Upchurch LRR"/>
|-
|width  = 40%}}
! colspan=2 | Brown<br/>(Training)
After many strategy-focussed elements were removed from the PlayStation game, the developers were left with a 3D rendering engine that could deform terrain, some vehicle models, and small minifigure sprites. Upchurch enjoyed controlling the vehicles and suggested making the game a hybrid between [[Wikipedia:Gauntlet (1985 video game)|''Gauntlet'']] and [[Wikipedia:Blast Corps|''Blast Corps'']], where the player could complete missions either on-foot or in vehicles, and could construct vehicles and decide how to best use them to traverse caverns.<ref name="Upchurch LRR"/>
|
# [[Moving Rock Raiders]]
# [[Rock Types And Drilling]]
# [[Building Rock Raider HQ]]
# [[Moving Rock Raider Vehicles]]
# [[Using Explosives]]
# [[Constructing Advanced Buildings]]
# [[Drilling With Vehicles]]
# [[Defending Rock Raider HQ]]
|-
! rowspan=3 | Yellow
! 1
| style="text-align:center" | [[Driller Night!]]
|-
! 2
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[The Path To Power]]|[[Rubble Trouble!]]}}
|-
! 3
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[A Breath Of Fresh Air]]|[[It's A Hold Up]]|[[Explosive Action]]}}
|-
! rowspan=3 | Green
! 4
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[Search 'n' Rescue]]|[[Breathless]]}}
|-
! 5
| style="text-align:center" | [[Frozen Frenzy]]
|-
! 6
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[Erode Works]]|[[Water Lot Of Fun]]}}
|-
! rowspan=3 | Blue
! 7
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[Water Works]]|[[Rock Hard]]|[[Don't Panic!]]}}
|-
! 8
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[Ice Spy]]|[[Split Down The Middle]]}}
|-
! 9
| style="text-align:center" | [[Lava Laughter]]
|-
! rowspan=3 | Purple
! 10
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[Oresome!]]|[[Fire 'n' Water]]}}
|-
! 11
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[Run The Gauntlet]]|[[Air Raiders]]|[[Lake Of Fire]]}}
|-
! 12
| style="text-align:center" | {{hlist|[[Back To Basics]]|[[Hot Stuff]]}}
|-
! Red
! 13
| style="text-align:center" | [[Rocky Horror]]
|}


As the game's submission date approached, he spent nearly two months living in Birmingham while he worked on it with Data Design Interactive, playtesting and designing levels for it. After finishing work on ''LEGO Rock Raiders'' in August 1999, Upchurch left LEGO Media, later citing his experience with this game as a major reason why.<ref name="Upchurch LRR"/>
== Development ==
''LEGO Rock Raiders'' was released for Microsoft Windows in November 1999.{{r|Bits N Bricks 28|p=11}}


== Release ==
== Release ==
''LEGO Rock Raiders'' was first announced on 10 February 1999, along with [[LEGO Racers (video game)|''LEGO Racers'']], [[LEGO Friends (1999 video game)|''LEGO Friends'']], and [[LEGOLAND (video game)|''LEGOLAND'']]. It was initially scheduled for release on Windows and PlayStation in September 1999, with a planned retail price of US$40–$45.<ref name="cdmag announces"/><ref name="IGN Snap"/> In May 1999 all four titles were displayed at [[Wikipedia:E3 1999|E3 1999]] in [[Wikipedia:Los Angeles|Los Angeles]], at the LEGO Media booth #1524 in the South Hall. A large LEGO model of [[Jet]] on a [[Hover Scout]] was built by model designers from LEGO Systems during the event. LEGO models of [[Rocket Racer|Rocket Racer's]] car and of [[Wikipedia:PlayStation controller|PlayStation]] and [[Wikipedia:Nintendo 64 controller|Nintendo 64]] controllers were also constructed before the event; the controllers were given to the winners of a contest involving the car.<ref name="cdmag E3"/><ref name="IGN E3"/>
''LEGO Rock Raiders'' was released for Microsoft Windows in November 1999.{{r|Bits N Bricks 28|p=11}} LEGO Media announced the game's availability on 18 November.<ref name="Gamecenter McClendon"/> Review sites listed inconsistent dates for its release: ''[[Wikipedia:IGN|IGN]]'' listed the game's release date as 15 November,<ref name="IGN Lopez"/> while ''[[Wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]]'' listed a later release date of 30 November.<ref name="GameSpot Park"/> However, posts on [[rec.toys.lego]] indicate the game was already available in some locations by 1 November.<ref name="rec.toys.lego Castle"/> A cracking group, Divine, obtained a dump of the game on 12 October, weeks before its official release date.<ref name="fido7.xgamwarez.info Divine"/>


The game was published in November 1999. The North American PlayStation version was delayed until August 2000.
== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
| GR = 65%<ref name="GameRankings"/>
| AVault = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="AVault Mandel"/>
| CGSP = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="CDMag Finn"/>
| GSpot = 6.1/10<ref name="GameSpot Park"/>
| IGN = 6/10<ref name="IGN Lopez"/>
| PCG = 72%<ref name="PC Games Gliss"/>
| PCPlayer = 68/100<ref name="PC Player Werner"/>
| PCZone = 44%<ref name="PC Zone Lyon"/>
}}


== Reception ==
''LEGO Rock Raiders'' received mixed reviews according to the [[Wikipedia:Review aggregator|review aggregation]] website [[Wikipedia:GameRankings|GameRankings]].<ref name="GameRankings"/>
The game received mixed reviews.


=== Legacy ===
== Legacy ==
Write something about the game's modding scene, with links to pages about mods and modding.
Though its development immediately followed Data Design Interactive's previous real-time strategy title, ''[[Wikipedia:Conquest Earth|Conquest Earth]]'', many reviewers compared ''LEGO Rock Raiders'' more directly to [[Wikipedia:Bullfrog Productions|Bullfrog Productions]]'s 1997 game ''[[Wikipedia:Dungeon Keeper|Dungeon Keeper]]''.<ref name="PC Games Gliss"/><ref name="Next Level Yeutter"/> In a 2015 article on the development of ''Dungeon Keeper'', ''[[Wikipedia:Retro Gamer|Retro Gamer]]'' listed ''Rock Raiders'' as one of the games influenced by it, stating that some people claimed it was "the ultimate sequel to ''Dungeon Keeper''".<ref name="Retro Gamer Crookes"/>


In 2012, Data Design Interactive founder Stewart Green announced plans to develop a ''Rock Raiders'' sequel.<ref name="StewartG help"/>
Though ''LEGO Rock Raiders'' did not receive any follow-ups (aside from its PlayStation counterpart), a few other real-time strategy LEGO games have released since then, including [[4T2]]'s ''[[CrystAlien Conflict]]'' on [[LEGO.com]] in 2007 and [[Hellbent Games]]'s ''[[LEGO Battles]]'' for [[Wikipedia:Nintendo DS|Nintendo DS]] in 2009; these titles would largely be more combat-focused than ''Rock Raiders''.


''Manic Miners''
{{clear}}


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
Line 50: Line 158:


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="cdmag announces">Fudge, James (10 February 2009). [https://web.archive.org/web/20021129091950/http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/017/161/lego_games.html "LEGO Announces 4 New Titles"]. ''[[Wikipedia:Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Magazine]]''. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on 29 November 2002.</ref>
 
<!-- articles -->
 
<ref name="Bits N Bricks 28">{{cite web |url=https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/set/assets/blt91b7459c7d4a7c4f/bits_n_bricks_s02e28_feature_and_transcript.pdf |title=Episode 28 – The Fans, Devs, and Remake of RTS Classic LEGO Rock Raiders |last1=Crecente |first1=Brian |author-link1=Wikipedia:Brian Crecente |last2=Vincent |first2=Ethan |others=Participants: Simon Eriksson, Ferdinand Köstler, Alan Sokol, and Karl White |date=14 July 2021 |work=[[Bits N' Bricks]] |type=Podcast |publisher=[[The LEGO Group]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119070931/https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/set/assets/blt91b7459c7d4a7c4f/bits_n_bricks_s02e28_feature_and_transcript.pdf |archive-date=19 January 2023 |access-date=15 May 2025 |url-status=live}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDGAJObpSAA Audio version] via YouTube.</ref>
 
<ref name="Retro Gamer Crookes">{{cite magazine |last=Crookes |first=David |date=18 June 2015 |url=https://archive.org/details/retro-gamer-raspberry-pi-buenos-aires/Retro%20Gamer%20143/page/69/mode/1up?view=theater |title=The Making Of: Dungeon Keeper |magazine=[[Wikipedia:Retro Gamer|Retro Gamer]] |issue=143 |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Imagine Publishing|Imagine Publishing Ltd]] |location=[[Wikipedia:Richmond Hill, Bournemouth|Richmond Hill]], [[Wikipedia:Bournemouth|Bournemouth]], [[Wikipedia:Dorset|Dorset]] |page=69 |ISSN=1742-3155}}</ref>
 
<!-- news -->
 
<ref name="Gamecenter McClendon">{{cite web |last=McClendon |first=Bill |date=18 November 1999 |title=And Then There Were Three |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3441,00.html |website=Gamecenter.com |location= |publisher=[[Wikipedia:CNET|CNET]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000226082040/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-3441,00.html |archive-date=26 February 2000}}</ref>
 
<!-- reviews -->
 
<ref name="GameRankings">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/197777-lego-rock-raiders/index.html |title=LEGO Rock Raiders for PC |website=[[Wikipedia:GameRankings|GameRankings]] |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=15 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527042231/https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/197777-lego-rock-raiders/index.html |archive-date=May 27, 2019}}</ref>
 
<ref name="AVault Mandel">{{cite web |url=http://www.avault.com/reviews/print_review.asp?game=rockrad |last=Mandel |first=Bob |date=January 27, 2000 |title=Rock Raiders |website=[[Wikipedia:Adrenaline Vault|The Adrenaline Vault]] |publisher=NewWorld.com, Inc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021122080147/http://www.avault.com:80/reviews/print_review.asp?game=rockrad |archive-date=November 22, 2002}}</ref>


<ref name="cdmag E3">Fudge, James (11 May 1999). [https://web.archive.org/web/20021129092135/http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/019/136/lego_e3.html "Lego Media at E3"]. ''[[Wikipedia:Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Magazine]]''. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on 29 November 2002.</ref>
<ref name="CDMag Finn">{{cite web |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/025/060/legorr_review.html |last=Finn |first=David |date=December 29, 1999 |title=Lego Rock Raiders |website=[[Wikipedia:Computer Games Magazine|Computer Games Strategy Plus]] |publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030709120318/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/025/060/legorr_review.html |archive-date=July 9, 2003}}</ref>


<ref name="CGW">Moltenbrey, Karen (March 2000). [https://www.cgw.com/Publications/CGW/2000/Volume-23-Issue-3-March-2000-/Legos-Come-to-Life.aspx "Legos Come to Life"]. ''Computer Graphics World''. Volume 23, Issue 3.  CGW Magazine. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230118103532/https://www.cgw.com/Publications/CGW/2000/Volume-23-Issue-3-March-2000-/Legos-Come-to-Life.aspx Archived] from the original on 18 January 2023.</ref>
<ref name="GameSpot Park">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/legorockraiders/review.html |last=Park |first=Andrew Seyoon |date=January 28, 2000 |title=Lego Rock Raiders |website=[[Wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]] |publisher=[[Wikipedia:ZDNET|ZDNet]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030620145837/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/legorockraiders/review.html |archive-date=June 20, 2003}}</ref>


<ref name="IGN E3">IGN Staff (11 May 1999). [https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/05/12/lego-medias-e3-lineup "Lego Media's E3 Lineup"]. ''IGN''. Ziff Davis. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230118131244/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/05/12/lego-medias-e3-lineup Archived] from the original on 18 January 2023 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20000309014635/http://ign64.ign.com/news/8022.html Oldest] on 9 March 2000).</ref>
<ref name="IGN Lopez">{{cite web |url=http://pc.ign.com/reviews/13767.html |last=Lopez |first=Vincent |date=January 12, 2000 |title=LEGO Rock Raiders |website=[[Wikipedia:IGN|IGN PC]] |publisher=Snowball.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000612141712/http://pc.ign.com:80/reviews/13767.html |archive-date=June 12, 2000}}</ref>


<ref name="IGN Snap">IGN Staff (11 February 1999). [https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/12/its-a-snap "It's a Snap"]. ''IGN''. Ziff Davis. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230118131241/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/02/12/its-a-snap Archived] from the original on 18 January 2023 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20000901014827/http://psx.ign.com/news/6879.html Oldest] on 1 September 2000).</ref>
<ref name="Next Level Yeutter">{{cite web |last=Yeutter |first=Jeff |date=2000 |title=Lego Rock Raiders |website=The Next Level |url=https://www.the-nextlevel.com/reviews/pc/raiders/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010901062458/http://the-nextlevel.com/reviews/pc/raiders/ |archive-date=September 1, 2001 |url-status=live}}</ref>


<ref name="Ultimate Media">Pickering, David; Turpin, Nick; Jenner, Caryn (eds.) (1999). "Media Magic". ''[[The Ultimate LEGO Book]]''. [[Wikipedia:DK (publisher)|DK publishing]]. pp. 26–27. ISBN 0-7894-4691-X.</ref>
<ref name="PC Games Gliss">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/PC.Games.N090.2000.03-fl0n/page/n123/mode/1up?view=theater |title=Kumpel mit Plastikherz |trans-title=[[Wiktionary:Kumpel#German|Miner/Buddy]] with a Plastic Heart |last=Gliss |first=Sascha |date=March 2000 |magazine=[[Wikipedia:PC Games|PC Games]] |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Computec Media GmbH|Computec Media GmbH]] |location=[[Wikipedia:Fürth|Fürth]] |ISSN=0947-7810 |page=124 |number=90 |language=de}} Web version: {{cite web |url=https://www.pcgames.de/Lego-Rock-Raiders-Spiel-11902/Tests/Kumpel-mit-Plastikherz-4917/ |title=Kumpel mit Plastikherz |date=7 March 2001 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830021959/https://www.pcgames.de/Lego-Rock-Raiders-Spiel-11902/Tests/Kumpel-mit-Plastikherz-4917/ |archive-date=30 August 2019}}</ref>


<ref name="Upchurch LC">Upchurch, David. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180821013515/http://dupchurch.com/?portfolio=lego-chess-pc "LEGO Chess (PC)"]. ''dupchurch.com''. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.</ref>
<ref name="PC Player Werner">{{cite magazine |last=Werner |first=Thomas |date=January 2000 |url=https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-2000-01/page/n141/mode/1up?view=theater |title=Rock Raiders |magazine=[[Wikipedia:PC Player (German magazine)|PC Player]] |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Future plc|Future Verlag GmbH]] |location=[[Wikipedia:Munich|München]]|page=183 |language=de}}</ref>


<ref name="Upchurch LI2">Upchurch, David. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180821005113/http://dupchurch.com/?portfolio=lego-island-2-various "LEGO Island 2 (Various)"]. ''dupchurch.com''. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.</ref>
<ref name="PC Zone Lyon">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_Issue_088_2000-04_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n90/mode/1up?view=theater |last=Lyon |first=James |date=6 April 2000 |title=Lego Rock Raiders |magazine=[[Wikipedia:PC Zone|PC Zone]] |publisher=[[Wikipedia:Dennis Publishing|Dennis Publishing]] |location=[[Wikipedia:London|London]] |number=88 |page=91}}</ref>


<ref name="Upchurch LRR">Upchurch, David. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190118171620/dupchurch.com/?portfolio=lego-rock-raiders-ps1 "LEGO Rock Raiders (PS1)"]. ''dupchurch.com''. Archived from the original on 18 January 2019.</ref>
<!-- forums -->


<ref name="StewartG help">StewartG (26 August 2012). [https://rockraidersunited.com/topic/3942-ddi-looking-for-help-for-rock-raiders-2-rock-raiders-inspired-title "DDI looking for help with new Rock Raiders title"]. ''Rock Raiders United''. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230118212630/https://rockraidersunited.com/topic/3942-ddi-looking-for-help-for-rock-raiders-2-rock-raiders-inspired-title/ Archived] from the original on 18 January 2023. [http://web.archive.org/web/20130726111724/http://www.rockraidersunited.org:80/topic/3942-ddi-looking-for-help-with-new-rock-raiders-title Original topic name] archived 26 July 2013.</ref>
<ref name="fido7.xgamwarez.info Divine">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://groups.google.com/g/fido7.xgamwarez.info/c/GYcpnyFElW0/m/Uj0lWzVCNp0J |title=LEGO Rock Raiders (c) Lego Media |author=Alexander Bondugin |date=21 October 1999 |newsgroup=fido7.xgamwarez.info |[email protected] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603040453/https://groups.google.com/g/fido7.xgamwarez.info/c/GYcpnyFElW0/m/Uj0lWzVCNp0J |archive-date=3 June 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
<ref name="OpenLRR Fix 58">Jordan, Robert [trigger_segfault] (13 June 2023). [https://github.com/trigger-segfault/OpenLRR/commit/198e597480540f8d65eed3e7039b1a54b4c3ce79 Fix #58: Properly unlock already-visited level links]. [[OpenLRR]]. ''[[Wikipedia:GitHub|GitHub]]''. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230622175623/https://github.com/trigger-segfault/OpenLRR/commit/198e597480540f8d65eed3e7039b1a54b4c3ce79 Archived] from the original in 22 June 2023.</ref>
 
<ref name="rec.toys.lego Castle">{{cite newsgroup |url=https://groups.google.com/g/rec.toys.lego/c/iguLTOcgxig/m/7cn7vTAByZAJ |title=CASTLE IS BACK! |author=Josh Opotzner |date=1 November 1999 |newsgroup=rec.toys.lego |[email protected] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603032005/https://groups.google.com/g/rec.toys.lego/c/iguLTOcgxig/m/7cn7vTAByZAJ |archive-date=3 June 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
}}
}}


== External Links ==
=== Sources ===
* [[Wikipedia:Lego Rock Raiders (video game)|''Lego Rock Raiders'']] at Wikipedia
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=McPhail |editor-first=Jim |date=13 December 1999 |url=https://archive.org/details/LEGORockRaiders-manual-Win-EU-2299598/mode/1up?view=theater |title=LEGO Rock Raiders ''Instruction Manual'' |edition=UK FRONT, BACK, I/F & I/B COVER |publisher=[[LEGO Media International]] |location=[[Wikipedia:London|London]]}} Serial: IB2G-ROC3 2299598.
* {{cite video game |title=LEGO Rock Raiders |developer=[[Data Design Interactive]] |publisher=[[LEGO Media International]] |date=November 1999 |platform=Windows |version= |file=[[Main Lego Config File]] |language=English |quote= }} File path: <samp>Rock Raiders\LegoRR1.wad\Lego.cfg</samp>. Last modified 25 September 1999.
{{refend}}
 
== External links ==
* [[Wikipedia:Lego Rock Raiders (video game)|''Lego Rock Raiders'']] at [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]]
* [https://www.mobygames.com/game/2993/lego-rock-raiders ''LEGO Rock Raiders'' for Windows] at [[Wikipedia:MobyGames|MobyGames]]
* [https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Lego_Rock_Raiders ''Lego Rock Raiders''] at [[Wikipedia:PCGamingWiki|PCGamingWiki]]
* [https://tcrf.net/LEGO_Rock_Raiders_(Windows) ''LEGO Rock Raiders'' (Windows)] at [[Wikipedia:The Cutting Room Floor (website)|The Cutting Room Floor]]
 
{{LEGO Rock Raiders (video game)}}
{{LEGO Media International}}
{{LEGO video games}}


[[Category:LEGO video games]]
[[Category:1999 video games]]
[[Category:LEGO Rock Raiders]]
[[Category:Data Design Interactive games]]
[[Category:LEGO Media International games|Rock Raiders]]
[[Category:LEGO video games|Rock Raiders]]
[[Category:Real-time strategy video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Windows games]]

Latest revision as of 04:20, 19 May 2025

LEGO Rock Raiders
A scan of a PC CD-ROM "big box" front with the LEGO Rock Raiders logo at the top and a piece of CGI artwork; the art shows a LEGO minifigure piloting a small hovering craft through a cavern full of Energy Cyrstals, a large monster made of rock swinging its fist at him, and a large slug watching
European "big box" front cover
Developer(s)Data Design Interactive
Publisher(s)LEGO Media International
Director(s)Eamonn Barr
Producer(s)Tomas Gillo
Programmer(s)
  • Tony Stoddart
  • Rob Wilson
Artist(s)
  • Rob Dorney
  • Dave Garbett (animation)
Composer(s)Marl Boonyer
Platform(s)Windows
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Mode(s)Single-player

LEGO Rock Raiders is a 1999 real-time strategy video game developed by Data Design Interactive and published by LEGO Media International for Michaelsoft Wandows

Gameplay

LEGO Rock Raiders is a mission-based real-time strategy game with elements of construction simulation.[1][2] The game takes place in 3D underground environments and is played from an overhead view that can be freely moved, rotated, and zoomed.[3][4]

Controls and interface

The game is primarily controlled with the mouse pointer, which can pan the camera around, interact with the virtual world, and manage the game through its interface.[1][5]

The player can click on individual units to select them, or click and drag to draw a box that will select any units inside it. Selected units can be directly ordered to perform tasks by clicking where the player wants them to go, or by clicking specific menu icons.[1][6][7]

Units will automatically perform certain tasks, such as collecting resources and clearing rubble, without any player input.[6]

The in-game mouse pointer features an icon that displays things (write this)[8]

Hovering the mouse pointer over an object or surface for a brief time will display a tooltip showing its name (often with a spoken voice cue identifying it),[9] as well as any additional information such as a vehicle's health or what tools a minifigure is carrying.[10]

Buildings

Buildings in LEGO Rock Raiders serve a wide variety of functions, including storing materials, powering other buildings, teleporting down vehicles, and training Rock Raiders. Ten different buildings can be constructed and used by the player during missions.[3]

Vehicles

Eleven different vehivls.[3]

Hazards

This section will list dangers and monsters

Missions

LEGO Rock Raiders features twenty-five different missions. The game's mission selection screen displays a cross-section of the alien planet, with individual missions represented as cavern openings. Playable missions display an image of the mission in the cavern, while locked missions are dark and blocked by beams. Hovering the cursor over an available mission will display its name, and a completed mission will also display its completion status and the player's achieved score for it. Upon starting a new game, only the first mission can be played; completing it unlocks the missions below it. The deeper into the planet a mission is located, the more difficult it is intended to be.[1][11] The planet is divided into different-coloured layers, which are further divided into thirteen "levels" containing one to three missions in each; this was intended to give the game a branching mission path, allowing players to choose a different route through the game if they find a mission to be too difficult (though certain levels have only one mission which must be completed to progress), or to replay the game following different paths than previously.[6][11][note 1]

Upon starting a mission, the character Chief presents a detailed briefing for the player, explaining the mission's situation and objective.[9] Most mission objectives require the player to collect a certain amount of Energy Crystals,[3] though other objectives can include constructing certain buildings, rescuing lost Rock Raiders, guiding Rock Raiders to find a hidden base, or blasting through certain walls.[2][1] The player is occasionally given clues as to how to accomplish their objectives, such as lost mining equipment found near the intended route, and Chief often gives further messages after an objective is achieved.[1] Once all objectives have been completed, the mission ends, usually with an animation showing all of the player's units teleporting back to the LMS Explorer. Chief delivers a congratulatory message for completing the mission, and the player is shown a results screen displaying their mission statistics and overall score for the mission; the player can also save their progress on this screen.[3] If the player fails or quits a mission, the results screen will not show an overall score and will not let them save.

There are also eight training missions which teach new players how to play the game.[1] Each training mission has Chief guide the player through a series of tasks related to different elements of gameplay.[9] Training missions can be accessed from the main mission selection screen, where they are positioned above the twenty-five main missions, or from a separate selection screen featuring only the training missions.[13]

The table below lists the game's missions, arranged approximately as they are on the mission selection screen.

Level Missions
Brown
(Training)
  1. Moving Rock Raiders
  2. Rock Types And Drilling
  3. Building Rock Raider HQ
  4. Moving Rock Raider Vehicles
  5. Using Explosives
  6. Constructing Advanced Buildings
  7. Drilling With Vehicles
  8. Defending Rock Raider HQ
Yellow 1 Driller Night!
2
3
Green 4
5 Frozen Frenzy
6
Blue 7
8
9 Lava Laughter
Purple 10
11
12
Red 13 Rocky Horror

Development

LEGO Rock Raiders was released for Microsoft Windows in November 1999.[14]: 11 

Release

LEGO Rock Raiders was released for Microsoft Windows in November 1999.[14]: 11  LEGO Media announced the game's availability on 18 November.[15] Review sites listed inconsistent dates for its release: IGN listed the game's release date as 15 November,[2] while GameSpot listed a later release date of 30 November.[9] However, posts on rec.toys.lego indicate the game was already available in some locations by 1 November.[16] A cracking group, Divine, obtained a dump of the game on 12 October, weeks before its official release date.[17]

Reception

LEGO Rock Raiders received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[18]

Legacy

Though its development immediately followed Data Design Interactive's previous real-time strategy title, Conquest Earth, many reviewers compared LEGO Rock Raiders more directly to Bullfrog Productions's 1997 game Dungeon Keeper.[3][20] In a 2015 article on the development of Dungeon Keeper, Retro Gamer listed Rock Raiders as one of the games influenced by it, stating that some people claimed it was "the ultimate sequel to Dungeon Keeper".[21]

Though LEGO Rock Raiders did not receive any follow-ups (aside from its PlayStation counterpart), a few other real-time strategy LEGO games have released since then, including 4T2's CrystAlien Conflict on LEGO.com in 2007 and Hellbent Games's LEGO Battles for Nintendo DS in 2009; these titles would largely be more combat-focused than Rock Raiders.

Notes

  1. ↑ Due to an oversight in the game's code, only the leftmost missions on each level can unlock a route to the end of the game. If playing the game with OpenLRR, this bug is fixed.[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Mandel, Bob (January 27, 2000). "Rock Raiders". The Adrenaline Vault. NewWorld.com, Inc. Archived from the original on November 22, 2002.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lopez, Vincent (January 12, 2000). "LEGO Rock Raiders". IGN PC. Snowball.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2000.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Gliss, Sascha (March 2000). "Kumpel mit Plastikherz" [Miner/Buddy with a Plastic Heart]. PC Games (in German). No. 90. Fürth: Computec Media GmbH. p. 124. ISSN 0947-7810. Web version: "Kumpel mit Plastikherz". 7 March 2001. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Werner, Thomas (January 2000). "Rock Raiders". PC Player (in German). München: Future Verlag GmbH. p. 183.
  5. ↑ McPhail 1999, p. 21.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Finn, David (December 29, 1999). "Lego Rock Raiders". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on July 9, 2003.
  7. ↑ McPhail 1999, p. 19.
  8. ↑ McPhail 1999, pp. 23–26.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Park, Andrew Seyoon (January 28, 2000). "Lego Rock Raiders". GameSpot. ZDNet. Archived from the original on June 20, 2003.
  10. ↑ McPhail 1999, p. 59.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 McPhail 1999, p. 13.
  12. ↑ Jordan, Robert [trigger_segfault] (13 June 2023). Fix #58: Properly unlock already-visited level links. OpenLRR. GitHub. Archived from the original in 22 June 2023.
  13. ↑ McPhail 1999, p. 15.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Crecente, Brian; Vincent, Ethan (14 July 2021). "Episode 28 – The Fans, Devs, and Remake of RTS Classic LEGO Rock Raiders" (PDF). Bits N' Bricks (Podcast). Participants: Simon Eriksson, Ferdinand Köstler, Alan Sokol, and Karl White. The LEGO Group. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2025. Audio version via YouTube.
  15. ↑ McClendon, Bill (18 November 1999). "And Then There Were Three". Gamecenter.com. CNET. Archived from the original on 26 February 2000.
  16. ↑ Josh Opotzner (1 November 1999). "CASTLE IS BACK!". Newsgroup: rec.toys.lego. Usenet: [email protected]. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024.
  17. ↑ Alexander Bondugin (21 October 1999). "LEGO Rock Raiders (c) Lego Media". Newsgroup: fido7.xgamwarez.info. Usenet: [email protected]. Archived from the original on 3 June 2024.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "LEGO Rock Raiders for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 27, 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  19. ↑ Lyon, James (6 April 2000). "Lego Rock Raiders". PC Zone. No. 88. London: Dennis Publishing. p. 91.
  20. ↑ Yeutter, Jeff (2000). "Lego Rock Raiders". The Next Level. Archived from the original on September 1, 2001.
  21. ↑ Crookes, David (18 June 2015). "The Making Of: Dungeon Keeper". Retro Gamer. No. 143. Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset: Imagine Publishing Ltd. p. 69. ISSN 1742-3155.

Sources

External links

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