The International House of Mojo

LucasArts has posted the transcript to last week's chat with Star Wars guru, Haden Blackman. Lots of interesting questions were asked (even by me!) and answered, so check it out HERE.

Don't like Mojo's news coverage? Well you can always read LucasFans. Oh, whats this? Yes, thats right, LucasFans is now part of Mojo. Spaff claims that his mission to dominate LEC coverage across the net is complete and he is now retiring. More on that as it develops. As for now, go read the pretty similar but now hosted by Mojo LucasFans.

Grim Fandango Central has just come up with some nice-looking forums, for all of you GF lovers. They'd love to have more members, so go check it out!

The Monkey Island SCUMM Bar has posted a long-due interview of Bill Tiller, lead background artist of Curse of Monkey Island, among many other things. If you've ever wanted insight into art production and general affairs at LucasArts, this is a must-read! Click here to go directly to it.

The Star Wars Galaxies FAQ has been updated with.. guess what? - thats right. Questions and answers!
There are questions and answers on missions, the space addon, spawns, camera perspective and more.

I'm interested to see how this game turns out. The E3 preview made me believe that it could be a great game.

Source: Shacknews

I was just sent an interesting mail that stated

The Latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly reports Full Throttle and Maniac Mansion are headed to the PS2 and possibly other consoles.

Seeing as Simon Jeffery told us there were no plans to port older games to consoles at present, if these *rumours* are true, then are they more likely to be sequels? A lot of evidence already points to Full Throttle being the sequel that LEC are working on currently - and rumours also hit us that it could be an action adventure (or that one of the new titles will be) ...... Interesting stuff huh? - it also means that if both these games are in production then there are atleast 3 non starwars titles not 2 as previously believed, as The New Stemmle Project is not a sequel.
Once again, time will reveal....

IGN has posted its E3 Best of Show awards for PC and LucasArts pretty much ruled them all. Not bad for a pack of Star Wars games :).

On the PC front Star Wars: Galaxies won "Best PC Game of Show," "Best Online PC Game," and "Best PC Graphics." Also LEC's entire E3 2001 lineup won the "Biggest PC Suprise of Show" award.

LEC also had an impresive showing in the IGN Gamecube awards. Rogue Leader went home with "Best Gamecube Game" and "Best Gamecube Graphics." IgnPC said it pretty well with their comments for the "Biggest PC Suprise" award:

It's kind of a backhanded compliment, we suppose, but this really took everyone by surprise. In past years, Lucas has relied on the Star Wars license to sell games. Now they've finally decided to recruit the industry's top developers to help them out. Verant, Ensemble, Bioware, and Raven have all been brought on board to make this year's crop of Star Wars games better than even. And after last year's batch, that's a welcome change.

According to the LucasArts official newsletter, Escape From Monkey Island has been given a release date for the Play Station 2... and the winner is... June 20th! So if you own a PS2, go rush out and buy this game because the monkeys want you to.

This evening, LucasArts held a chat with the LEC resident Star Wars expert, Haden Blackman. Many interesting Star Wars questions were asked and answered, but let's face it... here's the bit most of you want to see:

Dogma972: Is there any chance that a Star Wars Adventure game could be produced?
jHof: Do you know if LEC plans to start the 50/50 adventure to SW games soon? Because right now, all we see are SW games and a Monkey port. =)

Haden Blackman: We are definitely moving towards more original titles - we'll have more to talk about at next E3. At the same time, we love Star Wars games. I wouldn't rule out a Star Wars adventure game in the future.

Sounds great, although I believe that LEC only stated that a 50/50 ratio between Star Wars games and original titles would be introduced, not between Star Wars and adventure games. Either way, the chat log should be up soon at the official LucasArts website.

Finally the second half of our E3 report is online! Day 3 covers, well, a trip to Disneyland -- but in a good way, and for Day 4 we got a special chance to talk to the man himself, LucasArts president Simon Jeffery which you definitely want to read, about the all Star Wars lineup of this year, the companys fans, and more. Here's a quick couple of quotes about original titles in the coming year:

• "We're absolutely going to be making adventure games still."
• "Star Wars is very safe, but the original stuff, we can be very risky. We can do, you know, just mad, mad stuff."
• "Nearly all of our in-house effort is based on creating original games."

If you're wondering why Adventure Gamer hasn't been loading, its because they're currently moving to their new domain, AdventureGamers.com. The full site should be back up and running shortly.

LucasArts has scheduled a chat event for all you Starwars maniacs out there (yeah all two of you, muahahhahahahah... ehm). Anyway, the chat will take place on Wednesday May 23 so mark your calendars!

Mark your calendars now for an exciting and informative chat with our resident Star Wars expert, Haden Blackman. Haden has worked on most of our recent Star Wars titles (beginning with Behind the Magic) and he is actively involved with the Star Wars Galaxies project. Stop by to discuss our upcoming games and your favorite Star Wars classics.

In their E3-Report Just Adventure + claims to have wiggled some info out of LEC. According to JA+;

LucasArts has not one but two adventure games in development. The LucasArts rep was very cagey about these two games; he did say that one will be a sequel (but he didn't say to what; our loud speculating was met with an utter and complete poker face) and the other will be completely new. He assured us that LucasArts has absolutely no intention of ever (then qualified that to "in the foreseeable future") abandoning the adventure genre.

Also, they got Grog.

Keep in mind that this is not official as the E3 mojo-monkeys badgered everyone they met including Simon Jeffery and Mike Stemmle and Sean Clark. Repeat, not official!

Source: Just Adventure

To cooincide with Bill Tiller's E3 appearance, Adventure Developer in conjunction with the International House of Mojo would like to introduce "Tiller Techniques". An exclusive new feature to help you guys with you art for your Amataeur Games. Some of Bill Tiller's past credits include Lead Artist for the Dig, designer and director for the background art in Curse of Monkey Island he also went on to lead the art team for Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine.
Check out the details at Adventuredeveloper.com and read the first installment here

... is here! Go read about all of our adventures or something like that. Sorry for the post but golly are we tired! Day 2's update can be found here.

Well our report of day 1 at the E3 expo is up , its got loads of Starwars goodness in it, but if you read it all, at the end are some interesting FACTS OF THE DAY which are 100% not Star Wars. These facts will be in each days report and come straight from the mouths of LEC employees. (or ex) Other than that we have include Tom, Dom and maybe Ron! read away. The Starwars games are actually pretty good. no really, read it, go on !

Events are drawing to a close here on the first day of the E3 Expo. We've seen some great things, all of which I'll be updating the site with as soon as possible. We've met Dominic Armato and Bill Tiller, who have both been great fun. But the most interesting piece of news was when, during a chance meeting with Simon Jeffery he left us with this quote:

I'm sorry about the whole Star Wars thing, next year there will be loads of original titles.

Okay, so it wasn't that exact quote, but it was pretty near, he then said "ENNNGGHHHH!!" and destroyed downtown Los Angeles.

I'll be interviewing him tomorrow at some point, and we'll post it sometime on Sunday. So stay tuned for Star Wars, Star Wars, aaaand also some Star Wars (and Smash Bros Melee!) ... whoop!

I fear that I'll never be able to show my face in polite soceity for announcing this to everyone. So this could be my final ever news item as the egging shall probably promptly start around about now...

Without further ado, I can announce that the final E3 title to be revealed tomorrow will be for Star Wars - Jedi Outcast. This game will effectively be Jedi Knight III built using a modified version of the Quake III arena. As of yet the timescale for the game is unsure. So it could be Prequel, Original or something completely different like the Sith Wars or after Star Wars. Who knows?

Sorry... I'm just doing my job...

Update: LucasArts has posted the product spotlight for Jedi Outcast here on their E3 page.

LucasFans' webmaster Joonas Linkola has posted a feature/mini-rant, titled "Stop Whining," about fan reactions to this years all Star Wars E3 line-up. "In a vain attempt to correct a few common delusions and false accusations, I've gathered here a list of topics brought up in the discussion." You can read it here.

More on this as we bother LEC about it ;)...

Well, I'm just packing all my stuff away into a big ass suitcase, for tomorrow I shall be embarking on a massively long trip across the world to where E3 is being held: Los Angeles.

I'll be away from home for about 5 weeks, but I should be able to do the odd bit of Mojo work from Jake's house. :) We will keep you apprised with all E3 happenings as up-to-date and detailed as possible here on the main page. You'll see... even if it is all Star Wars news, it will still be... amusing?

So then E3 and Los Angeles here we come! Woooo!

The last E3 announcement panel has cracked away. And lookie here, its for the 17 of may. What a cooincidence, that's the same day as the opening of E3. And Simon Jeffery wants to have an interview with US! Devout adventure supporters. Hmm... could adventures still be in store? Could LEC actually have a (warped) sense of humor to torture us like this? Only time shall tell my friends...

It appears that everyone else on Mojo staff is lazy, or I was assigned official E3-updater without knowing it, as nobody else around here caught this earlier... Anyway,

Today's LucasArts E3 announcement is, once again, a Star Wars title, but this is one I must admit I am really excited about. The game, Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron 2, is, as the name suggests, a Gamecube-bound sequel to the popular N64 and PC title Rogue Squadron 1. Why am I excited about it? Because it is classic Star Wars (non episode-1), and because it looks so cool! I know the Gamecube gets knocked a lot but damn!

The game was essentially announced at Nintendo's Spaceworld expo earlier this year when snips from a playtest were shown during the Gamecube's introduction. If you haven't seen them yet ... drool, and drool. Note that all that footage is live in engine, not prerendered.

Westlake interactive have published a patch for the Mac edition of Escape From Monkey Island.

A new patch for Escape From Monkey Island is now available. The patch fixes two problems on Jambalaya Beach and is recommended for all Monkey Island players.

You can download the 1.1.1 updater here.

Source: Bluesnews

I have just noticed this and i'm sure you've already seen it but Mixnmojo has a WAP site, this means that you can recieve mixnmojo on your WAP enabled phone.

The address for the WAP site is http://wap.mixnmojo.com. Now I haven't got a clue how WAP phones work and I think that you need to input the address which is above and there is also a link just above the search bar.

I recieved my copy of subscriptiopn copy of PC Gamer (UK) to day and this is just on the DVD there are 5 LucasArts Demos (The Curse of Monkey Island, Grim Fandango, Rogue Squadron, X-Wing Alliance and Jedi Knight 2).


They also have 6 page preview of STAR WARS: Battle Ground, I have looked at the screenshots and there seems to be some new screenshots.

Today's mystery E3 title was just announced. What is it? Star Wars Racer Revenge: Racer II, a PlayStation 2-bound sequel to last years Episode 1: Racer. Developed by Rainbow Studios, makers of "Motocross Madness" and "ATV Off-Road Fury," SWRR:R2 is set 8 years after the original Racer game (and therefore 8 years after Episode 1 the film), with a basic running story going something like this:

It has been eight years since the first spectacular Podracing showdown between Sebulba and the young Anakin Skywalker. Seeking payback for his humiliating loss, Sebulba has a new beefed-up Podracer and lust for revenge. But it's not going to be easy: Anakin has grown into a boldly skilled Podracer pilot.

As usual with the new console titles the artwork is pretty nice looking, a step up from the original Racer game for sure. As for gameplay, we'll just have to see.

Mercatfat, our resident tortured genius, has sent me a picture of his Sam and Max Rom hack.. It's absolutely brilliant! I put it up as the featured Pic, so check it out! I wish we could have his talent with us at our E3 coverage.

Or so Lucasarts apparently likes to believe. Yet another Star Wars game is being shoveled upon us, this time in the form of a sequel. Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron 2 is slated for Gamecube, and a preview is availible here. This stunner will likely be officially unvailed tommorrow. I'm as ripe with anticipation as you are.

*The opinions expressed here are those of Mercatfat and do not necesarilly reflect those of Mixnmojo. :D

Also returning for second E3 in a row is the highly-anticipated Star Wars: Obi-Wan, and this time he's green! Yep, green means X Box, so fans should start saving now to pick one up when they ship this coming Fall. The game looks like a third person action game, with an original storyline progressing "through an underworld trail of munitions dealers and crime lords-from the lowest depths of Coruscant and dusty Tatooine to the lush city of Theed." Here are three of the features from the product spotlight:

• The power of a legend is yours as you wield Obi-Wan's considerable Force powers, Jedi agility and lightsaber in 15+ action-packed levels
• Force abilities include Force attack, push, pull, throw, defend and jump
• Original storyline brings you face-to-face with a host of new and familiar enemies - ranging from Tusken Raiders and assassin droids, to the evil Sith Darth Maul.

Obi-Wan, theoretically the sequel to the LucasArts classic Jedi Knight, was announced for the PC at last year's E3 show, but was shelved a couple months later due to a lack of focus in the game, and current PCs' apparent imability to run a game so complex.

The Uber lord of the Mojo server sent this to me just now...

Dear Customer, As you may be aware our network move scheduled for the 7th did not take place, due to some last minute changes. Therefore to ensure a smooth transition we have re-scheduled the move for early Thursday morning (1am - 4am) GMT. Thanks,

Soo.. erm.. hmm odd. Ok then, again you have been warned! That is all.

The current LEC Question of the Week is about making your own mods based on their (somewhat) newly announced title, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds.

There are certain games that allow the player to create there own levels, opponents, and objects to be used in the game. Has LucasArts looked at including programmable attributes to is games?

When Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds comes out this winter, it will be the first LucasArts game to ever ship with a scenario editor. The editor will allow players to choose from an extensive library of Star Wars units, vehicles, locations and armaments (from classic and prequel time periods) to create their own real-time strategy battlegrounds to play and share with others online. We know that customers have really wanted this kind of functionality over the years, and we're excited to have the chance to offer it for the first time with Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds.

Now you can make that DOTT themed RTS like you've always dreamed! That is, of course, unless you get sued. :P

Update: After rereading what I just posted (I'm smart like this, you'll discover), I realised that the editor lets you create your own maps using the Battlegrounds characters and landscapes, not your own art. So, as it turns out, while you may not be able to create the Total Conversion of your dreams, you should be able to make some pretty sweet Battlegrounds maps!

Just preceeding the (re?)announcement of EMI for the PS2, LucasArts linked to this LA Times interview with EMI Project Leaders Mike Stemmle and Sean Clark about the upcoming port.

The article, like most non-gaming press articles, has some errors. For instance it opens with "Never before has this long-running PC comedy adventure series [...] made an appearance on home consoles," but obsessive fans all know that Monkey Island 1 was ported long ago to the SegaCD (I think it was SegaCD :).

Anyway, it does have some interesting questions as well. Or at least I thought so...

Q: How has the franchise survived over a decade relatively unchanged save for a couple of face-lifts?

Clark: I'd disagree with that face-lift assessment. Though it looks that way on the player's end, each game was completely brand new. Tons of new characters were added, the artwork was converted to 3-D, etc. "Monkey Island" has gone through more evolutions than you'd think.

Speaking of LEC fan projects, the eye-catching fan-made Fate of Atlantis "inspired" IndyProject has been updating this week, after a couple months off. The most recent two updates talk about the forthcoming IndyProject demo, which should actually be released sometime in the near future -- for real (yay!), and the progress on some of the scenarios included in the final released project. Again, more at IndyProject.

For the second E3 in a row, LucasArts has announced... Escape From Monkey Island! That's right, your favorite pirate and his wacky pals should be heading to a PlayStation 2 near you this Spring.

Not exciting, you say? Well, as the opening flash animation reminds us, it's not. The PS2 port was announced a while ago, but it seems the all Star Wars parade needed a little breaking up.

From the screenshots, though, it appears they fixed up (made easier) Monkey Kombat, as mentioned in the chat with EMI's Project Leaders. The Giant Monkey Head also appears to be less silver, but this could be attributed to my ever increasing insanity.

On monday at 5pm GMT, the server will be going down for 3 hours while it is moved to a new NOC. You have been warned!! That is all.

You might remember last year, i wrote about a LEGO contest that LucasFilm was Holding. Well the winners were to recieve a trip to legoland anda full sized lego model of their choice autographed by George Lucas. The Winners have been picked, and their choices of lego models? R2D2 and a Trade Federation Battle droid. Go here for pictures and more info! The R2D2 one isnt made yet, but the other one looks amazing!

LucasArts' today announced Starfighter Special Edition, the second title announced in this year's E3-mania. The special edition of Starfighter is coming out for everyone's *cough* favorite console, the X Box. While I'm not personally changing-my-pants excited over this announcement the screenshots do look very nice.

Now that LucasArts is supporting the XBox, versus last week when "Dreamcast is no longer being produced. X-Box is not yet available. That leaves the PS2" (said EMI leads Mike Stemmle and Sean Clark) will we be seeing an EMI XBox port after all?

It's DJG's birthday today! And he rules so much that, um, I guess we can spare him the embarassing egg-throwing. Anyway, to reiterate, DJG rules. Happy Birthday! May you have many more and all that. Now, on to E3 coverage (and Mojo 8, heh heh ;).

Although this isnt LEC Related, i thought those of you who enjoy solving puzzles and love a challenge might want to know about it.

There is a film in production, A.I. This film is being made by Steven Spielberg, but was origionally intended to be directed by Stanley Kubrick. The makers of the film have created a massive online murder mystery, the first clue of which was a name at the end of an internet only trailer.

This name led to hundreds of well made web sites, all with details of working and home life of a family.. except 200 years into the future.

I can't post nearly enough detail about this in one post, so for those interested i suggest you visit The Guide and scroll down to "introduction". Its bizzarely interesting! However, the guide is simply that, a walkthrough to the game. Follow the first links yourself if you want to start playing!

LucasArts has announced the first of several upcoming games which will be featured at E3: Star Wars: Galactic Battleground. This game was previously mentioned in LEC's February press release.

Battleground will be a real-time strategy game where the player can take the role of the Empire, Rebel Alliance, Trade Federation, as well as other civilizations, including Wookiees, which everyone knows are just cool.

The game, in collaboration with Ensemble Studios, will be based upon the RTS engine used in Age of Empires.

You can find more information about the game on LEC's E3 page.

Today we welcome aboard a new site to the mojo community; The Monkey Island Sword Fighting Club. This site is based around an IRC channel #miswordclub on DAL net. The idea is that you challenge the ops to an MI style swordfight online, and if you beat them, you become a member (I think thats right anyways!). You can vist the site to get more information. Welcome to the Mojo Community folks!

IGN have posted a Preview of the Game Boy Advance version of Jedi Power Battles. This is possibly the only episode 1 game, which i have played and actually enjoyed (Racer was a good laugh for 10 minutes) And im hoping that the GBA version will be as good a version as the DC one. More about the GBA JPB in our E3 report .. soon(ish).