When We Made... Lego Builder’s Journey
actually look at you. And even with that little bit of work, with the help of the animation and really smart designers and engineers, with everybody working together, you could tell from the very beginning that Chris Wallace takesshea was look behind the scenes a character that people would really gravitate of Light Brick Studios’ debut title, which seeks toward.” Quill really fleshed out character with to recreate the experience of becomes playinga fully with Lego the help of the game’s strong world-building. through a more poetic lens As an interloper in Quill’s world, the player experiences it not through her eyes, but as an observer watching as she lives her life in her familiar setting. It’s a strangely intimate feeling, and one which gives way to joint apprehension as both the player and Quill enter new, unfamiliar areas. “When you go through Mousetown and you see Quill runLEGO through there and you see that is she has aany hometown, BUILDER’S JOURNEY unlike Lego thegame feeling of might her leaving it, of that maybe in being in you be familiar with.town Launched danger, gives 2019 you more a bond,” Alderson says. Arcade, “If December as a of surprise release on Apple that part was left out,attracted you wouldn’t feel likepraise therefor was Builder’s Journey immediate its much to meditative fight for. Everything that we’ve done, the mood quiet, nature – telling a story as players solve settings, takingcomplicated Quill from one area towith the Lego. next and letting increasingly puzzles you rest and take in this environment… It’s all supposed It stands in stark contrast to the Lego games to we’ve exaggerate anduntil accentuate thatthe mood that you’re seen up now. While Lego brand has feeling. all ties back howwith you 2017’s are connecting with been Itbranching outinto of late, procedurallyQuill and her world.” generated sandbox title Lego Worlds as a notable Above: Karsten Lund from Light Brick Studios
example, the phrase ‘Lego video game’ still brings to SAME EIGHT WAYS mind QUESTION action-adventure titles spun off existing IPs. Collaboration was keyand during theBrick development of Moss, Creative director Light Studios head notKarsten just within theexplains team itself, but with thea help of external Lund the game was deliberate playtesters. People were often broughtininatonew feedback on decision to take the Lego franchise direction. “It started with the idea of exploring new genres,” says Lund, “and trying to use the Lego brick in a way that is a little different than what we’ve done these past years. We wanted to look at the brick from a different angle. The action-oriented gameplay is very much part of the Lego idea and the Lego play promise in many ways, but there’s also that other side, the creative side where you’re expressing yourself with the brick. That
the game and asked questions about their experience – even if most of these questions were actually very similar. “External playtests were mostly about ‘Okay, how do people feel when they play? Do they like it or not like it?’,” Alderson explains. “At the end of playtest we would ask the same question eight different ways. The question is really ‘What didn’t you like?’, but we would ask it differently: ‘What pulled you out of the experience? What took you out of the headset? If there’s one thing you could change what would it be? If you had two weeks to finish the game, what would be the thing that you’d fix?’ “Those help bring a playtester into their comfort zone, because no one wants to play something that people put a lot of care and love into and then turn around and say ‘Thisdefi is what didn’t like it’. Soto it takes a little was nitelyI where we about were trying go with this.while The to get the playtester we found that inspiration was to trycomfortable, and make anand artistic experience, finding ask the same and try different and put ways Lego to brick-building atquestion the core means of that you eventually the really good stuff aftertake the fourth experience. Weget wanted to see if we could brick or fifth time which you ask building, is it. fun in its own right, and turn that into “I don’t think anyone in our studio has ever made a a game mechanic.” game like is this, so I think important that game you trust Artistic certainly theit’s word for it – the hasthe process. You trust playtesting you make surebringing that you been justifi ably praised for its and art style, instantly allow yourself some time andoffreedom try something to mind the isometric work Ustwo’stoMonument Valley andcomparison then keep going. Try something branch out, – a that hasn’t been lostnew on and Lund. but“We alsowere use your experience from games that you’ve definitely inspired by the movement made before and that you’llwe’ve be fine. As in long as you’re of artistic games seen recent years,having fun too! Weonenjoyed especially mobile”playing notes Moss Lund.throughout “The games thethat entire I’m personally a huge of, such as Monument Valley, process and I think thatfan really helps.” are definitely an inspiration. But we’ve really tried to find our own feet in this, especially because everything is brick built and we have the unique design language of Lego. “We tried to come up with something unique, but we definitely drew some inspiration from those indie games out there that managed to show us new kinds of games, with new ways of playing and experiences with narrative and emotions.”
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