Hover Scout

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Art of the Hover Scout from the LEGO Rock Raiders video game

The Hover Scout is a fictional vehicle in the LEGO Rock Raiders theme. It is depicted as a small floating vehicle used for reconnaissance. A Hover Scout model was released in a LEGO construction set in the summer of 1999. The Hover Scout appears in LEGO Rock Raiders books and comics, and is one of the vehicles that can be used in the theme's tie-in computer and PlayStation video games.

Design

The Hover Scout is a small craft consisting of a platform and a control panel. The plafrorm uses a dark grey 6×6 "cross with dome" plate (part 30303), a part which was introduced in and heavily used by the LEGO Rock Raiders sets.[1] It has two neon green headlamps on the front and two neon orange tail lamps (or propulsion?). It has a control panel (part 2342) in dark turquoise, a colour for it exclusive to this set.[2]

The Hover Scout was designed at LEGO Futura in Billund, Denmark.[3]: 32 

Product release

A construction set featuring the Hover Scout was released in mid-1999. "The Hover Scout" (item 4910) contained 39 pieces and featured the minifigure (Jet).

Game information

Windows

In the Windows version of LEGO Rock Raiders, the Hover Scout is classified as a Small Vehicle.[4] It costs one Energy Crystal to transport down one Hover Scout.[5]: 72  It transports down at the Teleport Pad.[5]: 62  Rock Raiders must be trained as Drivers to use this vehicle.[4]

The Hover Scout can travel across land and moves at a speed of 3 blocks per second.[4] This is the fastest default speed of any objects in the game; if upgrades objects are included, the Hover Scout's default speed is tied with the Small Transport Truck with an Engine upgrade and slower than only the Small Digger and itself with Engine upgrades. It can strafe[4] by pressing Z or X, an ability shared only with the Rock Raider, Tunnel Scout, and Granite Grinder.

Game files

In the game's configuration file, the Hover Scout is defined as Hoverboard[4] in the VehicleTypes {} section.[6]

Pre-release

The LEGO Rock Raiders instruction manual claims that Rock Raiders must be trained as Pilots to use the Hover Scout.[5]: 72  In the game it can only cross land, meaning that Rock Raiders must be trained as Drivers to use it instead.[4]

References

  1. "Sets which Contain Part 30303". BrickLink Reference Catalog. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023.
  2. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named BLP 2342
  3. Yeo, Matt (ed.) (October 1999). "Behind the Scenes: Rock Raiders". LEGO Adventures!. Issue 7. Egmont Fleetway Ltd. pp. 30–33. ISSN 1465-0738.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Main Lego Config File, line 2507–2526. Hoverboard {} section.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 McPhail, Jim (13 December 1999). LEGO Rock Raiders Instruction Manual (UK FRONT, BACK, I/F & I/B COVER). LEGO Media International. Serial no. IB2G-ROC3 2299598.
  6. Main Lego Config File, line 2016–2031. VehicleTypes {} section.

Sources