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TFU - not just for Spaced fans! 23 Feb, 2008, 12:37 / 11 comments

By The Tingler


Star Wars: The Force Unleashed has been demoed again at GDC (that's the Game Developer's Conference, and yes, I know we haven't mentioned it so far), and producer Haden Blackman spoke about it again. Thankfully not using the words "kicking ass with the Force".

Instead he talked about the perils of multiplatform development, and used it as his excuse for the lateness of the game.
The problem was, once LucasArts finally had enough PS3 dev kits to supply the staff members that required them, 360 development of The Force Unleashed was months ahead. Worse still, the 360-optimized early version of the game "didn't translate well" when ported onto the PS3, given the differences between the hardware architecture of the two consoles and the complexity of PS3 development. This led to more complications and pushed the simultaneous launch of The Force Unleashed back further.
Frankly I think LucasArts should have done what everyone else is doing - just release the 360 version first.

(Considering Haden then goes on to apologise for bugs in the demo, I think it's a pretty feeble excuse - I'd much rather he'd said 'the game was delayed because we wanted to make it as good as we can' rather than 'PS3 programming made us late')

At the end he briefly mentions how LucasArts considered making it in the Knights of the Old Republic universe or even a Wookiee game, before George Lucas, the master of dialogue, gave possibly the most ironic comment ever:
"I tell you guys about the importance of dialogue, and you pitch me a game with a hero that can't talk?!"
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11 Comments

  • neon_git on 23 Feb, 2008, 15:20…
    Oh come on, you're just baiting me with that headline. I'm easily confused as it is.
  • The Tingler on 23 Feb, 2008, 16:01…
    Oh yeah, baby!
  • Jake on 23 Feb, 2008, 17:15…
    that is a quality Spaced reference, though.
  • neon_git on 23 Feb, 2008, 17:45…
    I'll never understand how so many people outside of the UK know what Spaced is. Hell, there was another Telltale staff member on their forums talking about Garth Marenghi not too long ago. I have a hard enough time finding people here who've even *heard* of it.

    Makes me proud to be British ... well it sort of evens out all the slavery and that empire thingy at least.
  • Jake on 23 Feb, 2008, 17:57…
    Spaced is decently well known amongst the more dorky Americans... especially at this point now that Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead were pretty big successes.

    I think Gargh Marenghi's Dark Place is airing on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block at this point, so many people are seeing it finally. I heard about both of those shows (and others) from various friends and co-workers of mine from the UK, as well as from people like Thrik and Huz and Gabez, who have recommended a handful of UK shows.
  • telarium on 23 Feb, 2008, 17:52…
    I had heard of it before working for Telltale. I just haven't been able to find it yet so I can actually watch it.
  • tabacco on 25 Feb, 2008, 17:07…
    I will loan it to you.
  • The Tingler on 23 Feb, 2008, 20:55…
    Just for god's sake don't watch the American version, if that ever happens.
  • neon_git on 24 Feb, 2008, 13:55…
    To be fair, the American version of The Office is actually quite good. It's the exception that proves the rule of course, and you're quite right about an American Spaced.
  • Jake on 24 Feb, 2008, 09:11…
    McSpaced! I suspect that with the American version of the IT Crowd getting killed before they even shot the pilot, and the resistance from Edgar Wright and the general voice of professional TV critics on the internet, McSpaced is unlikely.
  • The Tingler on 24 Feb, 2008, 10:41…
    I agree, but there was a one-week period there where I was just screaming at the Internet.

    Thank god Red Dwarf USA got cancelled too...