Lego Creator

Upon release, Lego Creator received mixed reviews, with critics praising the concept, but faulting its user interface, visuals, and performance, and remarking that the game was not as satisfying to play with as its physical counterpart. Following release, three sequels in a Lego Creator series were released, including Lego Creator: Knights' Kingdom in 2000.

• Developer — Superscape • Publisher — Lego Media • Platforms — Windows • Released — 11 November 1998 • Genre — Sandbox • Modes — Single-player

• Illustration — User interface of Lego Creator Lego Creator is an open-ended sandbox video game with no objectives. The game allows players to construct virtual towns on a 3D plane using Lego elements. An onscreen Wizard assists players by verbally describing the features of the game. Players alternate between two modes: Build Mode and Play Mode. In Build Mode, players select and assemble scenes from an unlimited number of bricks, minifigures, structures, and accessories. Bricks can be placed, rotated, or have their color changed. Pre-made buildings and vehicles can also be added to the scene. In Play Mode, bricks and minifigures placed in the scene come to life. Action Bricks, for example, play lighting and sound effects such as police sirens. The camera can be controlled in multiple ways. Players can use a free moving camera perspective which can be adjusted for direction, altitude and speed. Cameras can also be built as pieces in the town allowing for players to see the scene in a fixed perspective. Players can also select minifigures and vehicles and see from their perspective.

Lego Creator was published by Lego Media, a division of the Lego Group established in 1996. Lego Media expanded its number of employees following the success of Lego Island in 1997. The game was released on 11 November 1998, alongside two other games: Lego Loco and Lego Chess. The release of all three games was intended as an entry into the Christmas 1998 market. The game was pitched as a flagship title to imitate play with the toy in a virtual space, with division managing director Mark Livingstone stating it was designed with no right, wrong, or prescribed way to play as part of its design philosophy. According to executive producer Rob Smith, the game was partially inspired the earlier work of the company's Strategic Product Unit, which had created a digital archives of Lego parts in collaboration with Silicon Graphics. However, these models were too detailed to add to the game, so they were recreated by London-based developer Superscape. Smith stated a key challenge in developing Lego Creator was designing controls and a user interface that would be accessible for younger players. The game's interface went through multiple iterations and was extensively tested with children. Lego Creator was showcased at the European Computer Trade Show in 1998, and was marketed with a television and print advertising campaign costing approximately $5-7 million. The game's packaging included the Lego minifigure "Biker Bob". Following the release of Lego Creator, Lego Media expanded its software lineup and announced four additional titles in 1999, which included the future games Lego Rock Raiders and Lego Racers.

Research performed following the success of Lego Island suggested that Lego Creator would also be successful and a significant competitor to other major titles released during that time period. According to PC Data, Lego Creator was the highest-selling home education software in North America in December 1998. It was also the third best-selling game in the United Kingdom in February 1999 according to ChartTrack and the ELSPA. Lego Media Marketing Director Gregg Sauter stated that the commercial success of Lego Creator was attributable to it being the least expensive of the three games released that year.

Lego Creator received a 1999 Codie Award for Best New Home Creativity Software Program by the Software and Information Industry Association. It also received the Computer Game Developers Spotlight Award at the 1999 Game Developers Conference, and was nominated at the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards for PC Children's Entertainment Title of the Year.

Lego Creator received three sequels in a series of the same name between 2000 and 2002: Lego Creator: Knights' Kingdom, originally announced as Lego Creator II, Lego Creator: Harry Potter and Lego Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. • Title — Year — Developer — Publisher • Lego Creator: Knights' Kingdom — 2000 — Superscape — Lego Software • Lego Creator: Harry Potter — 2001 — Superscape — Lego Software • Lego Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — 2002 — Qube Software — Electronic Arts Lego Interactive