Lego MMORPG in the works

*Raph's Girl* · 05-01-2008, 03:35 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080501/...pluggedin_dc_1

Millions of children pick up Lego bricks each year to spend hours -- 5 billion, in fact -- creating their own imaginary worlds.

Now the manufacturer of the little plastic playing blocks wants to take them online to "Lego Universe," a virtual world for fans of the ubiquitous toy.

Lego Universe joins an established trend where toys and video games are cross-promoted, such as Nintendo Co Ltd's (7974.OS) Pokemon TV show, game card, toys and video game franchise, and Mattel Inc's (MAT.N) Barbie online shopping and gaming portal at barbie.com.

To launch next year as a massively multiplayer online game, or MMOG to those in the gaming community, Lego Universe will let players create online versions of themselves and interact with each other.

"We want to make the connection between digital play and physical play," said Mark William Hansen who is in charge of Lego Universe. "The physical experience is our core, the digital experience will never replace the physical experience, but it's a nice add-on."

Hansen, speaking at the headquarters of Europe's largest toymaker, said he had been working on his doctoral thesis with Lego Group on mass customization and ended up joining the family-owned company to create the game.

Lego Universe will blend real-world style environments with characters and buildings made of digital plastic pieces. A forest would have less bricks in the background, while a city would lend itself to being made nearly entirely with bricks.

Each player's avatar, or online persona, will be a customizable digital version of Lego minifigures, the tiny characters included with most Lego kits that also feature in existing Lego video games such as Lego Star Wars.

That's not surprising. Lego employees are just as likely to pull out a Lego figure of themselves, with name, phone number and e-mail address rather than a traditional business card.

Lego Universe will initially launch as a PC game, available in stores or as a download, and may eventually be available on other gaming platforms. It will operate as a pay-as-you-go subscription service at a "competitive price," Hansen said.

Most social online worlds have their own currency or monetary system, and Lego Universe will also require users to spend virtual money to buy virtual bricks. But rather than winning or beating an opponent, players build capital by spending time in the game.

"The more a child plays, they collect more coins and more bricks. The more you play, the more you get to build things," Hansen said.

The other crucial element of Lego Universe, like other MMOGs, is that users will be encouraged to interact with each other, to build and play with virtual Lego bricks as they would on a carpet littered with real Lego pieces.

"We want kids to come and play together," Hansen said.

BRICK-BY-BRICK

Lego Universe is part of a bigger plan by the company to revitalize itself after a near-collapse five years ago, when the company founded in 1932 posted its first loss.

Lego executives say the company lost its way by branching into non-core areas like television shows and toys that required less building and weren't customizable like the core Lego bricks.

"It was a near-death experience," said Henrik Lorensen, vice president of business development at Lego.

Lorensen said Lego was distracted from its main area of expertise of providing toys children could use to build their own worlds and unleash their imagination, or as he says, "the joy of building, of creation, that you have when you play."

Lorensen says the approach of "making good, classic products in the right way" is reflected in Lego Universe.

About two dozen people at Lego are working on the game while an additional group of nearly 70 are working to create the online world in Denver, Colorado, where game developer and Lego partner NetDevil is based.

The digital efforts fit in with Lego's popular video game franchise and also with Lego Factory, a digital design system that allows users to build Lego designs and then order the necessary components in one package from Lego.

Through such efforts, Lego believes it can reach even more people than the 400 million who play with Lego bricks every year. Lego has expanded its line to include kits tailored for girls, featuring princesses and horses and castles.

Lego Universe, the company believes, will encompass all of that and more, as the name suggests. Users will be able to create, destroy, enact battles, or just fiddle with bricks in a world of their own.

It will also give the company the ability to reintroduce bricks that are no longer made in Lego factories and potentially offer all the 6,000 types of bricks made by Lego.

But there will always be a link back to the physical world.

Just like with Lego Factory, users will also be able to order the physical versions of their online creations and have them delivered to their door.

Peanut · 05-04-2008, 05:24 PM

INB4 Candleja

**GK Punk** · 05-04-2008, 05:26 PM

愛 · 05-04-2008, 05:26 PM

Watch out! You're gonna get Reptar'd!

Peanut · 05-04-2008, 05:29 PM

**GK Punk** · 05-04-2008, 05:40 PM

Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels.

Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them breaks and splinters. That is the "loser," and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round.

I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theater of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world.

Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment.

When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading, "Please use this M&M for breeding purposes."

This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this "grant money." I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion.

There can be only one.

愛 · 05-04-2008, 07:48 PM

I have a bag of M&Ms, and I'm going to do the very same thing. We'll see who comes out on top.

You will all be informed of the victor!

EDIT: WHAT THE HELL? YELLOW WON!

*Cure* · 05-05-2008, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ai

I have a bag of M&Ms, and I'm going to do the very same thing. We'll see who comes out on top.

You will all be informed of the victor!

EDIT: WHAT THE HELL? YELLOW WON!

How long did it take you to do that?!

**Barkworm** · 05-05-2008, 12:58 AM

This thread = GOLD!

*Sewer Bull* · 05-05-2008, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GK

Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species.

What is your view on those peanut species? They seem to be much more endure than their plain milk chocolate counterparts.

poiuytre · 05-05-2008, 07:54 AM

I'm not sure why no-one's saying anything on topic. I think a LEGO MMO is a great idea.

**Barkworm** · 05-05-2008, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poiuytre

Yeah, I have noticed Peanuty things are more thick-headed than normal things.

Wow, you're really witty.

**GK Punk** · 05-05-2008, 11:25 AM

Whenever Barkworm posts, I hear John Erwin in He-Man's voice.

*Sewer Bull* · 05-05-2008, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poiuytre

Yeah, I have noticed Peanuty things are more thick-headed than normal things.

I wonder what exactly does Peanut do to have all those boys obsessed with him.

*Cure* · 05-05-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sewer Bull

I wonder what exactly does Peanut do to have all those boys obsessed with him.

Trust me, we've ALL wondered that.

Peanut · 05-05-2008, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sewer Bull

I wonder what exactly does Peanut do to have all those boys obsessed with him.

Yeah, seriously. The amount of man-crushes are getting seriously scary. My former stalker, LogicDonny, actually sent me a couple obscene messages on XBL not too long ago.

**Barkworm** · 05-06-2008, 01:51 AM

And you didn't tell us?! Post them here, for god's sake!

Ra · 05-06-2008, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peanut

Yeah, seriously. The amount of man-crushes are getting seriously scary. My former stalker, LogicDonny, actually sent me a couple obscene messages on XBL not too long ago.

Oh god, the LogicDonny saga continues. I'm just waiting for the day when he sends erotic love messages to Peanut.

And, just to seem like we are on topic, I tried out the Lego thing, which seems to have a demo up right now. It was pretty crap.

The Shelf · 05-06-2008, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ra

And, just to seem like we are on topic, I tried out the Lego thing, which seems to have a demo up right now. It was pretty crap.

Now when you say "pretty crap" do you mean it was beautiful poo, or do you mean it was very not good? I couldn't tell you what the difference is, but I'm sure someone more knowledgeable about poo could.

Ra · 05-07-2008, 02:25 AM

Was that a joke? If it was, it kinda...failed...

05-01-2008, 03:35 PM	#1
Raph's Girl Dierna Soul, Reporter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jakku Posts: 10,831	Lego MMORPG in the works http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080501/...pluggedin_dc_1 Millions of children pick up Lego bricks each year to spend hours -- 5 billion, in fact -- creating their own imaginary worlds. Now the manufacturer of the little plastic playing blocks wants to take them online to "Lego Universe," a virtual world for fans of the ubiquitous toy. Lego Universe joins an established trend where toys and video games are cross-promoted, such as Nintendo Co Ltd's (7974.OS) Pokemon TV show, game card, toys and video game franchise, and Mattel Inc's (MAT.N) Barbie online shopping and gaming portal at barbie.com. To launch next year as a massively multiplayer online game, or MMOG to those in the gaming community, Lego Universe will let players create online versions of themselves and interact with each other. "We want to make the connection between digital play and physical play," said Mark William Hansen who is in charge of Lego Universe. "The physical experience is our core, the digital experience will never replace the physical experience, but it's a nice add-on." Hansen, speaking at the headquarters of Europe's largest toymaker, said he had been working on his doctoral thesis with Lego Group on mass customization and ended up joining the family-owned company to create the game. Lego Universe will blend real-world style environments with characters and buildings made of digital plastic pieces. A forest would have less bricks in the background, while a city would lend itself to being made nearly entirely with bricks. Each player's avatar, or online persona, will be a customizable digital version of Lego minifigures, the tiny characters included with most Lego kits that also feature in existing Lego video games such as Lego Star Wars. That's not surprising. Lego employees are just as likely to pull out a Lego figure of themselves, with name, phone number and e-mail address rather than a traditional business card. Lego Universe will initially launch as a PC game, available in stores or as a download, and may eventually be available on other gaming platforms. It will operate as a pay-as-you-go subscription service at a "competitive price," Hansen said. Most social online worlds have their own currency or monetary system, and Lego Universe will also require users to spend virtual money to buy virtual bricks. But rather than winning or beating an opponent, players build capital by spending time in the game. "The more a child plays, they collect more coins and more bricks. The more you play, the more you get to build things," Hansen said. The other crucial element of Lego Universe, like other MMOGs, is that users will be encouraged to interact with each other, to build and play with virtual Lego bricks as they would on a carpet littered with real Lego pieces. "We want kids to come and play together," Hansen said. BRICK-BY-BRICK Lego Universe is part of a bigger plan by the company to revitalize itself after a near-collapse five years ago, when the company founded in 1932 posted its first loss. Lego executives say the company lost its way by branching into non-core areas like television shows and toys that required less building and weren't customizable like the core Lego bricks. "It was a near-death experience," said Henrik Lorensen, vice president of business development at Lego. Lorensen said Lego was distracted from its main area of expertise of providing toys children could use to build their own worlds and unleash their imagination, or as he says, "the joy of building, of creation, that you have when you play." Lorensen says the approach of "making good, classic products in the right way" is reflected in Lego Universe. About two dozen people at Lego are working on the game while an additional group of nearly 70 are working to create the online world in Denver, Colorado, where game developer and Lego partner NetDevil is based. The digital efforts fit in with Lego's popular video game franchise and also with Lego Factory, a digital design system that allows users to build Lego designs and then order the necessary components in one package from Lego. Through such efforts, Lego believes it can reach even more people than the 400 million who play with Lego bricks every year. Lego has expanded its line to include kits tailored for girls, featuring princesses and horses and castles. Lego Universe, the company believes, will encompass all of that and more, as the name suggests. Users will be able to create, destroy, enact battles, or just fiddle with bricks in a world of their own. It will also give the company the ability to reintroduce bricks that are no longer made in Lego factories and potentially offer all the 6,000 types of bricks made by Lego. But there will always be a link back to the physical world. Just like with Lego Factory, users will also be able to order the physical versions of their online creations and have them delivered to their door. __________________

05-04-2008, 07:48 PM	#7
愛 Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 7,449	I have a bag of M&Ms, and I'm going to do the very same thing. We'll see who comes out on top. You will all be informed of the victor! EDIT: WHAT THE HELL? YELLOW WON! Last edited by 愛; 05-04-2008 at 08:03 PM.

05-05-2008, 12:58 AM	#9
Barkworm Draconian leftist ruler Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 6,761	This thread = GOLD! __________________ Make ****, not kill!

05-05-2008, 07:54 AM	#11
poiuytre Hench Mutant Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 437	I'm not sure why no-one's saying anything on topic. I think a LEGO MMO is a great idea. __________________ "That girl...she said that the sky frightened her. That looks so...liberating." Last edited by poiuytre; 05-05-2008 at 01:48 PM.

05-06-2008, 01:51 AM	#17
Barkworm Draconian leftist ruler Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Germany Posts: 6,761	And you didn't tell us?! Post them here, for god's sake! __________________ Make ****, not kill!

05-04-2008, 05:24 PM	#2
Peanut Second Gear Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The New World Posts: 15,422	INB4 Candleja

05-04-2008, 05:26 PM	#3
GK Punk I'm your Devil Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,439

05-04-2008, 05:29 PM	#5
Peanut Second Gear Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The New World Posts: 15,422

05-04-2008, 05:40 PM	#6
GK Punk I'm your Devil Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,439	Whenever I get a package of plain M&Ms, I make it my duty to continue the strength and robustness of the candy as a species. To this end, I hold M&M duels. Taking two candies between my thumb and forefinger, I apply pressure, squeezing them together until one of them breaks and splinters. That is the "loser," and I eat the inferior one immediately. The winner gets to go another round. I have found that, in general, the brown and red M&Ms are tougher, and the newer blue ones are genetically inferior. I have hypothesized that the blue M&Ms as a race cannot survive long in the intense theater of competition that is the modern candy and snack-food world. Occasionally I will get a mutation, a candy that is misshapen, or pointier, or flatter than the rest. Almost invariably this proves to be a weakness, but on very rare occasions it gives the candy extra strength. In this way, the species continues to adapt to its environment. When I reach the end of the pack, I am left with one M&M, the strongest of the herd. Since it would make no sense to eat this one as well, I pack it neatly in an envelope and send it to M&M Mars, A Division of Mars, Inc., Hackettstown, NJ 17840-1503 U.S.A., along with a 3x5 card reading, "Please use this M&M for breeding purposes." This week they wrote back to thank me, and sent me a coupon for a free 1/2 pound bag of plain M&Ms. I consider this "grant money." I have set aside the weekend for a grand tournament. From a field of hundreds, we will discover the True Champion. There can be only one.

05-05-2008, 11:25 AM	#13
GK Punk I'm your Devil Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 12,439	Whenever Barkworm posts, I hear John Erwin in He-Man's voice.

05-07-2008, 02:25 AM	#20
Ra It's my desire? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In your pants. Posts: 4,441	Was that a joke? If it was, it kinda...failed... __________________ "So. The whole lot of you against little old me? How retarded."