LEGO Rock Raiders (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 of the same name. It features a team of space explorers mining for energy crystals on a hostile alien planet.
Gameplay
Windows version
The Windows version of LEGO Rock Raiders is a real-time strategy game.
PlayStation version
The PS version is an action and strategy game.
Development
LEGO Rock Raiders was the first LEGO video game developed alongside LEGO construction sets. (CGW)
Development of the Microsoft Windows game began in October 1997, while development of the PlayStation game began in July 1998.
The game's atmosphere was inspired by Scandinavian mines.[1]
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 action game. As senior producer Tomas Gillo[note 1] 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 versionin March 1999.[2][3][4]
...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.
David Upchurch, dupchurch.com[2]
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 Gauntlet and 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. 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 would leave LEGO Media, later citing his experience with this game as a major reason why.[2]
Release
LEGO Rock Raiders was first announced on 10 February 1999, along with LEGO Racers, LEGO Friends, and LEGOLAND. It was initially scheduled for release on Windows and PlayStation in September 1999, with a planned retail price of US$40–$45.[5][6] In May 1999 all four titles were displayed at E3 1999 in 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's car and of PlayStation and Nintendo 64 controllers were also constructed before the event; the controllers were given to the winners of a contest involving the car.[7][8]
The game was published in November 1999. The North American PlayStation version was delayed until August 2000.
Reception
The game received mixed reviews.
Legacy
Write something about the game's modding scene, with links to pages about mods and modding.
In 2012, Data Design Interactive founder Stewart Green announced plans to develop a Rock Raiders sequel.[9]
Manic Miners
Notes
- ↑ Only listed as "the original Producer" by Upchurch; inferred from the game's credits, which lists Gillo as Senior Producer.
References
- ↑ Pickering, David; Turpin, Nick; Jenner, Caryn (eds.) (1999). "Media Magic". The Ultimate LEGO Book. DK publishing. pp. 26–27. ISBN 0-7894-4691-X.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Upchurch, David. "LEGO Rock Raiders (PS1)". dupchurch.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2019.
- ↑ Upchurch, David. "LEGO Chess (PC)". dupchurch.com. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.
- ↑ Upchurch, David. "LEGO Island 2 (Various)". dupchurch.com. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.
- ↑ Fudge, James (10 February 2009). "LEGO Announces 4 New Titles". Computer Games Magazine. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on 7 February 2005.
- ↑ IGN Staff (11 February 1999). "It's a Snap". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023 (Oldest on 1 September 2000).
- ↑ Fudge, James (11 May 1999). "Lego Media at E3". Computer Games Magazine. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on 17 February 2005.
- ↑ IGN Staff (11 May 1999). "Lego Media's E3 Lineup". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023 (Oldest on 9 March 2000).
- ↑ StewartG (26 August 2012). "DDI looking for help with new Rock Raiders title". Rock Raiders United. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Original topic name archived 26 July 2013.
External Links
- Lego Rock Raiders at Wikipedia
