The International House of Mojo

Another Friday has come and gone, meaning there has been another LucasArts.com update. The Clone Wars product spotlight has several new goodies, although none of them are terribly interesting. In Bounty Hunter news, you can now view the ILM-animated intro cutscene over at StarWars.com. There is also a new Bounty Hunter screenshot here, demonstrating how you can pick up some optional bounties in the game to earn extra cash (or credits or whatever.) And last but not least, you can look at some pretty cool new concept art at the RTX Red Rock product spotlight. Weeee!

In addition to our previous report that the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb may be facing a delay, new evidence has emerged. boeffl points out that the official Emperor's Tomb website now lists the release date as spring 2003. This would contradict the original release date of fall 2002. We'll just have to wait and see what the official word from LucasArts will be.

It being Friday, LucasArts has put up new gadgets and doodads on their site for us to play with and enjoy. The most notable, added to the 20th Anniversary site, is a video of the opening scene from Sam & Max Hit The Road. It looks stretchy and stuff but is really funny, so watch it anyway.

Also on the 20th page is part 2 of The History of LucasArts, covering many of your favorite classic adventures (from Monkey Island 1 to Sam & Max Hit The Road) and everything in between. Also check out this Steve Purcell drawing from Defenders of Dynatron City, profile of RTX Red Rock's lead programmer Eric Johnson, and new screenshots from Knights of the Old Republic.

TheForce.net has obtained a scan of this article from Animation Magazine. The article discusses voice acting in video games and focuses on some of the upcoming LucasArts titles (mostly Bounty Hunter). Here's a quote from Darragh O'Farrell, voice department manager at LEC:

"Every project throws us some kind of curveball. We're always looking for Star Wars movie soundalikes, or in the case of Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb we needed to find actors who could speak Cantonese and Mandarin. So we're kept pretty busy."

They also have to find someone who can replicate the performance of the late Roy Conrad in Full Throttle. Be sure to read the full article for a bit of a glimpse into the game voice acting process.

Arr! I just be returnin' from an official Star Wars: Knights o' the Old Republic chat! The chat be among such scurvy sea dogs as the game's first mates and jolly minstrel Jeremy Soule (www.jeremysoule.com). Questions from the chat monkeys mostly be regardin' the original music fer the game. Here be some highlights from composer Jeremy Soule, matey!

I've been an avid gamer for almost 20 years now. I've enjoyed past LucasArts and Bioware games greatly. Anybody remember Ballblazer? ... I've enjoyed many game scores over the years. I certainly loved the music in The Dig. It had such an epic quality to it. I've also enjoyed the music for Baldur's Gate. Great stuff.

Arrr! *hic*

Screw it. It's Friday! LucasArts.com has updated with numerous little and big joys for all of you to discover. Finally some action going on around here today.

This week we're treated to a brand new product spotlight page for Gladius. The new site features some additional screenshots, a tour of the world of Gladius, character and equipment bios, desktop wallpapers, a looping soundfile, and a whole lotta brown. Better take a look.

Stopping by the 20th Anniversary Site will treat you to some concept art from The Eidolon, a game reference bound to confuse even the most hardcore readers [info on The Eidolon].

Also included in this week's Friday update is a new screen of the week, featuring Jango Fett doing the Ben run.

Skyfox, over at The SCUMM Bar has written an article about a recent trip to the Barbican Museum to visit their 'Game On' exhibit. More importantly, of course, was the fact that he met up with LucasArts' PR guru, Tom Sarris, and Mixnmojo's own Spaff and Lemonhead at this event. Go read about their wacky adventures!

The Mojo recently got a chance to "sit down" and "talk" with LucasArts veteran composer Clint Bajakian. In the interview Clint answers questions and talks about his score for the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb. This is the first original score that both Clint and LucasArts have done that is recorded by a live, full orchestra. Go now. Go.

In its usual Friday evening updates, LucasArts.com has posted quite a few new screenshots. First, you can view screenshots for the Gamecube port of Jedi Outcast on its official website. But wait, it gets better. The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic site has posted some very impressive new shots from this upcoming RPG. And in this screenshot from Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb, it looks like Indy is about to pull the ol' casually-shoot-the-impressive-swordsman gag.

Oh, the main page also contains a new poll asking, "If you had to choose, which character from Sam & Max would you be?" Let the good times commence.

This weeks MCV, "The Market for Home Computing and Video Games," the UK based Games industry paper, has an interview with Simon Jeffery about LucasArts' 20th. He offers this insight:

When Monkey Island 2 came out in 1992, one of my colleagues at Electronic Arts brought me over the box to look at. I was drinking milk at the time and when I read the bit about 'laugh so hard milk will come out of your nose' I laughed so hard that milk came out of my nose! True story!

The article then goes on to say that, speaking of milk, maybe LucasArts "tugged on the Episode 1 teat a little too hard."

As well as the interview, the cover has a nice 20th anniversary logo on it, whilst the reverse is a poster of the Heros for the next generation. Im not sure if its available in newsagents, but it should be dammit!

The LucasArts 20th Anniversary Website has been updated with a few interesting things. You can check out this piece of concept art from Mike Stemmle's Afterlife, a game I haven't played myself but a lot of people enjoyed. There's also a new trivia questions asking, "In what game did the line 'I'm selling these fine leather jackets' first appear?" If any LucasArts fans ranging from casual to hardcore answer this question incorrectly, the Fat Skeleton Dude will come to your house and kick you!

As we reported earlier in our Editor's Day feature, Skywalker Sound was working together with LucasArts to create effects for the upcoming game Bounty Hunter. LEC just announced in a press release that the sound design for the game has been completed. Check out below:

Marin County, Calif. -- September 4, 2002 -- Seeking another outlet for its Academy Award(-winning sound library, Skywalker Sound, a division of Lucas Digital Ltd. LLC, recently completed the sound design for Star Wars Bounty Hunter, a Sony PlayStation 2 game developed by sister company LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC. This is the most recent endeavor into games for the legendary facility, which has been at the forefront of the audio post industry for more than 25 years.

<:MORENEWS:>

"The gaming industry has made great technological leaps in recent years with regards to imagery, and it is only natural that sound design follow that curve," said Glenn Kiser, VP and General Manager of Skywalker Sound. "This project was a lot of fun for us, and we plan on pursuing other ventures in this market." The Skywalker Sound Effects Library currently contains more than 70,000 originally recorded sound effects, including master sound designer Ben Burtt's Star Wars catalogue, which supplied the raw materials for the Star Wars Bounty Hunter soundtrack. Recent feature production credits include sound design and audio post-production for Minority Report, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Monsters Inc., Pearl Harbor, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, From Hell, Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy, Fight Club, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, Jurassic Park III and Titanic. Inspired by events between Star Wars: Episode I and II, Star Wars Bounty Hunter presents an original, compelling third-person action game which establishes the bounty hunter Jango Fett's place in the Star Wars galaxy. Gameplay emphasizes intense combat and physical action in the relentless pursuit of prey across six fantastic worlds and 18 levels of play. "It's a privilege for LucasArts to work with Skywalker Sound, who are world renowned for their sound design work," says Liz Allen, director of marketing for LucasArts. "Skywalker Sound's expertise enriches the overall game play experience in Star Wars Bounty Hunter, and results in a greater and more realistic level of immersion into the Star Wars universe."

About Skywalker Sound

Skywalker Sound has been associated with a total of seventeen Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Sound and Best Achievement in Sound Effects Editing. Located in Marin County, California, just north of San Francisco, Skywalker Sound is a division of Lucas Digital Ltd. LLC, which also includes Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Formed in 1993, Lucas Digital Ltd. LLC is dedicated to serving the digital needs of the entertainment industry for visual effects and audio post-production.

Funtimes are now!

The latest GameSpy Bizbuzz had an interesting story about what happens when two gaming companies give their products similar titles. The players? Our very own LucasArts Entertainment Company, and newcomer Crave Entertainment. The games in question? LEC's Star Wars Bounty Hunter, and Crave's Mace Griffin Bounty Hunter. Go read it and see how this situation was resolved.

Source: Marek

In addition to our previous report of the PC Gamer feature concerning Full Throttle 2 and Larry Holland's upcoming game, we have obtained two scans from the article. First, you'll find a nice shot of Ben standing in what seems to be a 3D rendered environment. Secondly, you can see this somewhat crude scan of Larry Holland's new World War II flight action game. Be sure to buy the new PC Gamer issue to read the full interviews and gaze at two more teaser images.

Update: Laceyware adds this:

This is also in PCGamer UK edition, and the picture you show of Ben in a 3d world is slightly larger with more to the right. Unfortunatley, though, this has another picture in front of it, so the bottom right is covered by another picture. There is still more detail than in the US version pic, though.

On Friday, LucasArts.com published a new official site for the upcoming Star Wars: The Clone Wars, featuring all kinds of new stuff. You can now find wallpaper, an FAQ, vehicle information, and more.

However, if Star Wars games aren't your thing, you can also check out this new screenshot from Hal Barwood's upcoming RTX Red Rock action/adventure game. It shows E.Z. Wheeler exploring the Mars surface, perhaps looking for the legendary race of broom aliens, eh?

The current (October 2002) issue of PC Gamer U.S. Edition has two short articles with screenshots about both the upcoming Full Throttle II and the new WWII flight/action game from Larry Holland (creator of the XWing series, Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe and others). Sean Clark, director of FTII says the following about the game's story:

Sean Clark: Ben, the leader of a biker gang, gets himself entangled in a greedy plan to destroy a town and, more importantly to Ben, all the roads. In the process of preserving this dingy corner of the world he meets, greets, and beats up a menagerie of tough and gritty characters, and goes toe-to-toe with a variety of other gangs. Oh yeah, and he gets to blow up a lot of stuff, too.

And in response to the adventure game genre being dead:

Sean Clark: FT2 is an adventure game at its core but we're using action elements as a means to create more immersion. [...] The first game tried to address this desire, but was limited by the technology available at the time. If that leads people to call the newer game a hybrid, or bemoan that it isn't a "pure adventure," so be it. Regardless of how you classify it, FT2 will be fun and unique.

One slight eyebrow raiser (not really an eyebrow raiser according to Remi) in the FTII article was the caption reading "Yeah, it's an adventure game. But what would a Full Throttle game be without some old-fashioned ass-whomping? And with a big grin, too." Did Ben really smile all that much the first time around?

As for the untitled Larry Holland WWII game he says that, like his previous air-combat games at LucasArts, it will focus on action more than true-sim instrumentation and whatnot, and be based around a "compelling story-driven single-player experience." For the full interviews and colorful screenshots, drive to the nearest book store and pick up the current issue of PC Gamer.

An editorial has been published in the San Francisco Chronicle entitled "Stop privatizing the Presidio." As we reported earlier, the Letterman Digital Arts Center in Presidio is a complex being built to house LucasArts, Industrial Light and Magic, THX, Lucas Learning Ltd. and Lucas Online. This new construction has been controversial to those who feel that the complex would ruin the historic and natural park atmosphere of the land. Here's a quote from the editorial:

It is time for the trust to admit that its own data show that it doesn't need real estate development for financial self-sufficiency of the park. The trust should therefore terminate pending agreements with Lucasfilm; abandon plans for 700,000 square-feet of more new buildings; and use trust funds to rehabilitate buildings. That way, the Presidio will be a park, not an office park on public land.

After the Editor's Day event last month, Mixnmojo stopped by to take a few pictures of the current status of the Presidio grounds. Check 'em out if you're at all interested.

LucasArts has just issued a press release, announcing that they are working on an adventure game sequel to Sam and Max Hit The Road. The game, which was being developed by Infinite Machines before they allegedly kicked the bucket, will be co-directed by Mike Stemmle and should be released for Windows PC's in the first quarter of 2004. No word on the actual plot of the game, so we must wonder if it the setting still revolves around space. Here is the press release in full, and also... woohoo!

SAM & MAX TO HIT THE ROAD (AND OTHERS) IN LONG AWAITED CLASSIC ADVENTURE SEQUEL FROM LUCASARTS

Popular Madcap Dog and Rabbity Thing to Return for More Hilariously Skewed Adventures First Quarter 2004 on Windows PC

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. -- August 27, 2002 -- Sam & Max, interactive entertainment's most beloved canine and rabbit combo, hit the road again first quarter 2004 in a long awaited adventure comedy sequel for Windows PC from LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC. The follow up to the critically acclaimed 1993 adventure classic Sam & Max Hit the Road will dispatch the Freelance Police into a wild world of screwy and vaguely quixotic missions. Each one will be jam packed with nerve-jangling action, brain-busting puzzles, and the kind of easygoing banter one might expect from a talking dog and a naked, hyperkinetic bunny.

<:MORENEWS:>

Sam & Max are based upon the "Sam & Max Freelance Police" comic book series created by Steve Purcell. LucasArts' Michael Stemmle, co-director of the award-winning original game, will direct the sequel.

"Sam & Max Hit the Road is a classic and as close to being a signature game as any LucasArts has ever done," says Simon Jeffery, president of LucasArts "The Sam & Max sequel, much like the recently announced Full Throttle II, perfectly complements LucasArts' renowned adventure game legacy and lends further support to the company's commitment to investing in and developing more of our original properties.

About LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC is a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software worldwide. Based in San Rafael, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts is one of five companies in the Lucas group which include Lucasfilm Ltd., Lucas Digital Ltd. LLC, Lucas Licensing Ltd., and Lucas Online. Lucasfilm is one of the leading film and entertainment companies in the world. Lucasfilm's businesses include George Lucas' film and television production and distribution activities. Lucas Digital, which consists of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Skywalker Sound, provides visual effects and audio post-production services to the entertainment industry. Lucas Licensing is responsible for the merchandising of all Lucasfilm's film and television properties. Lucas Online is a digital destination for entertainment, education, reference and e-commerce for Lucasfilm's intellectual properties and business units.
# # #

Update:(Spaff)

The game will have no connection to the one being worked on by Infinite Machine. It will be completley re-written.

LucasArts.com updated their site on Friday as usual. Now you can find some new screenshots in the Clone Wars product spotlight as well as one new screenshot from Bounty Hunter. I particularly like this one screenshot because it shows the amount of detail in the Jango Fett model. Or maybe I'm just a guy who loves setting stuff on fire.

The LucasArts 20th Anniversary website has been updated with more good stuff. First, you can check out this awesome piece of concept art from Grim Fandango. After that, stop by the LucasArts Theatre for a higher quality QuickTime trailer for the game Outlaws. The Flashbacks section now has some more crazy memories from LucasArts employees, including a milk incident with Simon Jeffery over Monkey Island 2. There's also an Interactive Timeline, featuring the elusive game Night Shift.

What is probably the most interesting update is this profile and interview with Sean Clark, who has directed such games as Sam and Max Hit The Road, The Dig, and Escape From Monkey Island. In his interview, Sean gives us an update about the upcoming Full Throttle 2. Here's the quote:

At this point, we've got a complete design, a fairly complete game level, and we can run Ben around, pick fights, and engage other characters in discussions about such pressing topics as "I need a beer," and "Where's the bathroom?" The next several months of development will mostly revolve around content creation, feature implementation, and dialog writing.

Interesting note: Sean is credited on Full Throttle 2 as Director and Co-Designer. I wonder who else is designing the game...