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Codemasters files suit over Jumpgate Evolution delays
We have all been waiting for Jumpgate Evolution for quite some time, but perhaps no one quite as much as Codemasters. As a matter of fact, the company is so tired of waiting on the game to come out that it's decided to file a civil complaint against Netdevil and its parent company Gazillion Entertainment for the delays in publishing the eagerly anticipated sci-fi space shooter. While the announcement on Codemasters' official Jumpgate Evolution site doesn't offer anything beyond the generic "yes, we did this, here's what court we filed it in, no other comment at this time" statement, the court document itself makes for interesting (if dry) reading. Essentially, Codemasters charges that Netdevil failed to meet contractual guidelines, which called for the studio to ship the game by February 24th, 2009. During that time, Codemasters paid almost 1.4 million USD to Netdevil to help underwrite the game's development and for "art assets." Codemasters is also seeking compensation due to setting up servers, website, community team, etc. for the European version of Jumpgate Evolution. Ultimately, it boils down to a pretty standard breach of contract that offers Codemasters' share of interest back to Netdevil and Gazillion in return for all monies invested in the project to date. Whether or not this brouhaha will cause any changes to the timetable for Jumpgate Evolution will remain to be seen. We'll keep an eye out as the case progresses. [Thanks, Merketh!]
Frostburgh holiday comet headed for LEGO Universe
In the mood for a snowy throwdown? Netdevil and Gazilion have just the thing for you LEGO Universe players -- an entirely new wintry wonderland named Frostburgh! The new area is actually situated on an icy comet that will open up on November 30th, offering players a whole new area to explore in honor of LEGO Universe's winter holiday, Frostivus. In fact, there will be a festive new mission every day for the entire month that Frostburgh will be orbiting near Nimbus Station, as well as all new holiday NPCs to meet with. Aside from the new holiday quests, players will additionally have the chance to get into snowball fights, build gingerbread houses, open presents, pick up fun wintry stuff for their minifigs, and tame new reindeer pets. Additionally, the Vertigo Loop racetrack is in for a snowy storm of its own: Icy road conditions and evil snowmen are on the forecast, which will create new challenges for racers. For those who manage to make it through the hazardous road conditions, new achievements and special Frostivus cars await! As a preview of the chilly LEGO Universe fun that kicks offt next week, we've gathered up a handful of screenshots in the gallery below, or you can check out the Frostburgh trailer after the break! %Gallery-49493%
LEGO Universe publishes new World Build League zones
LEGO Universe hasn't been out that long (it launched on October 26th to be exact), but NetDevil and the LEGO Group are already expanding the family-friendly MMO with three new zones developed by the World Build League. The WBL, formerly known as LEGO Universe Partners, is a group of LEGO fans from around the world who have partnered with NetDevil to create professional-quality player content. To access the new content, travel to Starbase 3001, jump on the launch pad, and select the new area of your choice. DeepFreeze, MoonBase, and Portabello await. As you might expect, DeepFreeze is a winter-themed zone where you can build a snowman or ride a Zamboni. MoonBase is designed to delight your inner sci-fi geek, as the low gravity atmosphere lets you high-jump to your heart's content while you're keeping a wary eye out for alien encounters. Portabello brings a fantasy feel to the game complete with dragon quest-givers and other genre staples. Check out the video after the break, and hit up the official website for more details.
MMO Family: A parent's look at LEGO Universe
MMO Family is your resource for leveling a gaming-specced family, from tips on balancing gaming with family life to finding age-appropriate online games for everyone in the family. Most kids who play video games have at least seen one from the LEGO franchise. There are a ton of them -- enough, in fact, for a whole page listing them. They're fun games; I'll bet you've played at least one of them, at least in bits and pieces in a demo somewhere. After all, who doesn't love LEGOs? Still, there was a decided "ho-hum" reaction among my team of young playtesters when I announced we were going to test the ropes of the brand new LEGO Universe MMO. Oh sure, they were willing enough, but it seemed there was always something shinier and more appealing to play on any given day than the game about good ol' LEGOs. Until they played LEGO Universe -- and had a (brick-)smashing good time.%Gallery-105603%
The pain and suffering of MMO shutdowns
Like life itself, the MMO industry doesn't often seem fair -- promising games can die premature deaths while creaky antiques continue to chug along just fine. When an MMO like APB or Tabula Rasa announces that it's closing its doors after only a couple years (or months), the first reaction is usually to ask, "What in Sam Hill happened and why are they doing this to me?" Yet what isn't always considered is the emotional fallout on behalf of the devs. Over at Kotaku, Michael Fahey examined the fallout when MMOs are shuttered prematurely, using the examples of Auto Assault and The Matrix Online as case studies. NetDevil spent four years developing the former, which lasted a mere fraction of that time -- 16 months -- as a live game. Ryan Seabury testifies to the pain that this causes for a dev team: "I won't lie, it hurts like hell still over four years later... Naturally, if a universe like Auto Assault that you sort of mentally attach to over multiple years suddenly ceases to exist, it's like a part of you dies." He personally points to NCsoft as the reason for Auto Assault's closure, stating that the game might still be in operation if it wasn't for the publisher's lack of faith. On the flip side, The Matrix Online had a longer run and plenty of time to prepare for the end once word was passed down. Then-Community Manager Daniel Myers says that the decision was a matter of dollars and sense. Still, Myers admits that it continues to affect him: "There are still days that I wish I could log in and see the Megacity again. I don't know [if] that will ever completely stop. I kind of hope it doesn't."
LEGO Universe launch day roundup
Many of us at Massively have been looking forward to the launch of LEGO Universe, and we're pretty sure a lot of you have too. Most of us never really outgrow LEGO bricks, so translating them into an MMO format seems like a recipe for fun. The months leading up to today's launch have been full of opportunities to check out the game -- we took multiple trips into the world of LEGO Universe to check out different areas and report on what we found. In between were interviews, some awards, and an avalanche of images and trailers. Follow along after the jump for the highlights of the past months, from the launch date announcement to the heaps of just-before-launch-day goodies!
LEGO Universe releases lots of launch goodies
The doors to the LEGO Universe have been thrown open in the EU as of today, where LEGO maniacs are starting their own journey into the lands that NetDevil created. Meanwhile, those in North America who didn't get in on the Founder's pre-order must continue to wait for the launch on Tuesday, October 26th. But have no fear, Massively readers. If you're looking for more information on the game beyond the First Impressions piece we published yesterday (and the two smaller impression pieces on the Gnarled Forest and Forbidden Valley prior), then we've got you covered. Indeed, NetDevil sent us a veritable deluge of new stuff, including trailers, a literal "making the DVD" video, the opening cinematic (voiced by Sir Patrick Stewart, even), and a plethora of screenshots -- you know, in case the 131 screenshots we took for our First Impressions weren't enough. For those awaiting their copy of the game, this should help pass the time a bit. You'll find all the shiny LEGO Universe video newness tucked behind the break, and the bricktastic gallery below. %Gallery-49493%
First Impressions: LEGO Universe
Playing. It's one of our earliest lessons from childhood, and one that we as gamers hold on to with gusto. Let's face it -- in just about every gamer out there is a kid who, at least in some small way, refuses to grow up entirely. We love to play. It's that love, coupled with childhood memories of clicking tons of brightly colored LEGO blocks together, that has made the idea of LEGO videogames a huge hit. Now have a new contender to the LEGO gaming play-space: LEGO Universe. It's a game that has the potential to offer all the things we as MMO gamers would love: an open-ended world, a great known IP that reminds us of youthful days, and the social aspects many of us enjoy. Aside from this, LEGO Universe also offers many things that parents of young gamers will value. As someone I spoke with recently asked: "What's stopping people from building offensive adult-themed content with LEGO bricks that my child might see?" The answer lies in LEGO Universe's moderation team, known as the Mythran (a shadowy group actually written into the lore of the game), which personally reviews personal free-build areas for compliance. The Mythrans also oversee character and pet names. When combined with a speedchat and whitelisted word chat system, it makes for a very workable solution to keeping kids safe online. Curious about a look into LEGO Universe? Join me behind the break as I take a more detailed look at this colorful game, and be sure to check out the extensive gallery below! %Gallery-105603%
Oh my! A Jumpgate Evolution leak -- not really
Earlier today an unannounced video slipped onto YouTube claiming to be a "Jumpgate Evolution Play Test." The JGE forums lit up with speculation as to the source of the video, yet the true source was not even known to the JGE forum moderator, Alpha. In the thread regarding the leak, Alpha said, "I don't know where this video is from (or how old the footage is, or indeed anything about it), but really, given that the team is really small right now, the devs are going to know who shot that footage." She was correct, because just a few hours later, OhSnap (Kara Kroupa, Marketing Coordinator at NetDevil) replied with a detailed explanation of what exactly happened. According to OhSnap, the video "showed up on youtube first because I asked the emissaries to spread it around before I made the video announcement. With all intention to explain the details here later." Unfortunately, Alpha had not read the information regarding the video when she first replied to the post, so she treated it as a breach of the NDA. Fortunately, there was no real issue, and no damage was done save to Alpha's keyboard, which now has OJ sprayed on it from her laughing at finding out the "leak" was intentional. Now, after months of quiet, we have some Jumpgate Evolution footage! Take a look after the break at this "leaked" real footage of gameplay of the citadel. [Thank you, Notturno for the link to the video]
Lego Universe is live for pre-orderers, full launch coming October 26
If you got on the Lego Universe bus early by pre-ordering the kid-friendly MMO from "Lego sales channels", you can now get busy with the bricklaying. NetDevil has launched the game for a special, two-week "Founders Release" for these early adopters, giving them access to the online DIY adventure before Lego Universe's proper October 26 U.S. launch. Perhaps even more newsworthy than the game's early debut and launch window is that its launch trailer, posted after the jump, is so super hot. Not only does it do a great job of setting up the Lego Universe ... universe, it features the vocal talents of Patrick Stewart, who's beginning to reach Nolan North-esque levels of video game ubiquitousness. (Not that we're complaining!)
Jumpgate Evolution still alive and kicking
Jumpgate Evolution has been flying a bit under the radar since E3 2010, but we're happy to report that the space-based action MMO is still seeing active development. The recent forum upgrade, coupled with a producer update that outlines what the NetDevil folks are currently working on, has conspired to give us a bit of hope that we might be barreling through hyperspace and setting spaceships afire sooner rather than later. In the post on the official boards, executive producer Lance Robertson touches on everything from the patcher and the live support team to PvP, the economy, and compatibility testing as ongoing areas of concentration. The details are a bit sparser than we'd like, but we'll keep our scanners peeled for more Jumpgate Evolution news as it happens.
LEGO Universe lets pre-order customers start extra early
Anticipation for LEGO Universe has been building ever since the foundation was laid for the game. Considering the way in which players have assembled for the game's release, it seems no surprise that the team behind the game has put together something special for launch. We had known that there would be an early access event to allow players to start piecing things together, but now it seems that an even earlier release is being opened up for "Founders" to start playing -- one that starts this weekend. Starting at 10:08 a.m. EDT on Friday, October 8th, the pre-order customers known in community terms as "Founders" will be able to log in and start playing the game, allowing them full access over the weekend. If you can't wait until then and still haven't pre-ordered, however, you aren't out of luck yet, as the official announcement encourages players to visit the nearest LEGO store to pre-order the game and get a special mini-figure. LEGO Universe players will have to keep their eyes peeled for further instructions, as the end of the week is quickly approaching, and it promises quite a set of experiences.
New Jumpgate Evolution forums now live
Jumpgate Evolution forum members will be happy to hear that the old JGE forums are a thing of the past. The new forums went online today, replacing the old ones that a NetDevil staffer referred to as "broken in many ways." As with many new sites, this one still has a few bugs to be fixed and additions to be made, so the News and Announcements forum contains a welcome post with a list of known issues. That post explains how players can bring their login information to the new forum and gives a list of features that are still in the completion process. The forums and subforums are all functional -- though missing a few bells and whistles -- so check them out for yourself!
Lego Universe's childhood innocence-preserving measures outlined
Let's face it, when hand-delivering the faceless, twisted corners of the internet a set of tools which are renowned for their capacity to create anything ever, things are going to get ... bad. Like, boners, we mean. Fortunately, NetDevil recently outlined the measures the developer has taken to protect the MMOs younger-skewing target demographic: Content moderation for player-made objects and names, combined with a privacy-ensuring "Lego Universe ID" system for in-game friends. The first measure is pretty straightforward -- both player's names and the objects they create must be moderated before anyone else can see them. However, to lighten this substantial workload, NetDevil's made it so in-game friends can see each other's creations before they get moderated. Friends, however, have to exchange their personal ID codes outside of the game in order to achieve this level of acquaintance. Sounds hauntingly familiar to Nintendo's Friend Code system -- but we suppose it will help protect the childrens. That's what it's all about, isn't it? The childrens?
LEGO Universe creative director on building a LEGO MMO
The thought of a LEGO MMO seems like a pretty simple one. LEGO bricks themselves are a pretty basic concept, but that doesn't translate to quick and easy development according to Ryan Seabury. Ryan is the creative director of LEGO Universe, and he gave Gamasutra some insight into how things work behind the scenes. From the first days of planning to the current state of beta testing, the interview is one of the most in-depth discussions of the game that we've seen so far. Ryan explores the possibility of LEGO Universe on consoles, talks about the game's target audience, LEGO's insistence on keeping the in-game bricks true to the brand and even NetDevil's plans for keeping player-crafted structures rated PG. Check out Gamasutra for the full interview.
First Impressions: LEGO Universe's Forbidden Valley
Welcome back to our series of First Impressions on the upcoming title, LEGO Universe. Before we get started, I must note very clearly that the experiences chronicled here are in the current beta client of the game. The reason for this note is that while my previous experience in the Gnarled Forest was largely bug-free and polished, the Forbidden Valley zone is a microcosm of the bugs that still reside within the game currently. But even with the bugs clearly showing themselves, the zone also has some of the more ambitious art, design, and amusing (if not punnier) quest writing currently in the game. Curious about how this new area in LEGO Universe stacks up? Join me after the break as we navigate the dangerous lands of the Forbidden Valley. %Gallery-97712%
Details on event zones in Jumpgate Evolution
There's something about the massive span of space that lends itself to large-scale PvP, and Jumpgate Evolution is certainly heading down the road to having big and meaningful faction battles. This is the core of the game's Event Sectors, hotspots of activity between both players and NPCs in which everyone takes part in a truly epic struggle. In a recent diary on MMORPG.com, Joe Grubb explains the design philosophy behind the sectors and how they're shaping up as the game continues in development. Grubb explains that one of the first goals the team had with these sectors was that they had to feel meaningful in context -- rather than just featuring good gameplay, it had to make sense why the battle was taking place from a lore standpoint. He goes on to explain how the team began testing and then revising the way content was set up to improve the feel of immersion and realism in each given sector. Take a look at the full diary for a preview of what promises to be one of the most interesting features in Jumpgate Evolution -- and really, who doesn't like epic space battles?
New LEGO Universe trailer: "Bring your world to life" [Updated]
The newest trailer from the team at LEGO Universe gives a closer look at what most players consider to be the core of the game: building and customization. Developers Ryan Seabury, Mads Purup, Randall Furino, and Scott Brown lead us through the different building models that offer varying amounts of freedom and creativity, along with some interesting LEGO twists on character customization. Among other things, the game allows you to decide how you want to die. Do you want to fall apart into a pile of LEGO bricks, or something else? Want to see all the options for yourself? Follow along after the jump for the newest look at LEGO Universe! [Editor's note: At the request of NetDevil, we've replaced the European version of the trailer with the US version. Enjoy!]
Lego Universe closed beta now available on Mac
Hey, fans of Apple products love stacking things on top of other things to make bigger things too, you know. That's why NetDevil recently opened up Lego Universe's closed beta process to Mac users. Potential stackers and builders can hop on the wagon by going to the game's official Beta Center and applying to join up. These new players are getting in at an opportune time -- though the beta's currently only playable on certain days of the week, the game's official site promises that "it won't be long before the game servers will be open 24/7, which means non-stop playtime - woohoo!" That was their woohoo, not ours, though we can certainly see why that's cause for celebration.
Chew on these Lego Universe 'Gnarled Forest' screens
We've seen a few of the bright and generally welcoming environments of Lego Universe -- today, we get a look a few screenshots from the MMO's Gnarled Forest area. We never would have assumed a game about toy heroes could contain such ominous imagery. Check out the images after the break. %Gallery-99220%
