'About 50%' of Lego Rock Band team was against the game concept
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Nov 5th 2009 at 3:59PM } 
"I'm so sick of these corny games. All of you people should just learn to play with REAL Legos." –Troy Powers
LEGO Rock Band's very existence is something that both the Joystiq staff and community couldn't help but question. However, animator Matt Palmer revealed that developer TT Fusion also had doubts about the bizarre collaboration. "I know people were saying, 'Oh, they're flogging a Lego license again,'" he recalled during a Develop panel. "I'd say about 50 percent of our studio were for the idea, and about 50 percent were against it."
Considering the game actually came out (this week!), it's apparent that the team eventually banded together to finish the project. Why the change of heart, though? "Many of us started realizing that we weren't just skinning one franchise on another," Palmer explained, noting the need to hand animate the blocky Lego celebrity characters to capture their various "signature styles." That's ... something. Right?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
CheeziePotato @ Nov 5th 2009 4:01PM
It did sound like a bad idea.
whylekat @ Nov 5th 2009 4:09PM
No no it is a bad idea. It sounds like an inside joke between developers.
Rhamsey @ Nov 5th 2009 4:21PM
It does remind me of the lego halo joke from a while back.
fffunfarm06 @ Nov 5th 2009 4:44PM
lol did I just get the plug? Ha I'm internet famous!
Troy Powers (PSN: TroyPowers) @ Nov 5th 2009 4:52PM
I guess you have to have a kid at home who really loves to watch Rock Band, but isn't quite coordinated enough to PLAY Rock Band, to really appreciate the idea.
fffunfarm06 @ Nov 5th 2009 6:18PM
lol did I just get the plug? Ha I'm internet famous!
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Nov 5th 2009 4:01PM
GO AWAY MUSIC RHYTHM GAMES
Apollo @ Nov 5th 2009 4:24PM
How about no?
I'm still waiting on Pink Floyd to join in on the action.........
GewurztraminerX @ Nov 5th 2009 4:30PM
You're only saying that because the rest of the gang won't let you and Kwame play Rock Band.
butaneko @ Nov 5th 2009 4:34PM
Yeah where's Ma Ti and his heart ring when you need him
MarkHawk @ Nov 5th 2009 4:37PM
F Dat! Rhythm based games have become my second favorite genera. It's not just The ones with Guitars either. The Balled of Gay Tony has some rhythm based mini games and when you nail it you get to have a very fun time with your rhythm partner in the ladies bathroom.
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Nov 5th 2009 4:42PM
@ GewurztraminerX
I was too busy boning Linka to care. Russian chicks put out.
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 5th 2009 4:02PM
The entire existence of this game seems like a grab for shelf space during the holiday rush. Something tells me this had very little to do with the studio WANTING to do it, and more on the hands of the publisher looking for some easy money.
The only thing missing is Activision.
RedRaptor @ Nov 5th 2009 4:05PM
Well, it's published by EA and MTV Games. Together, that's about Activision-quality franchise whoring.
MarkHawk @ Nov 5th 2009 4:50PM
Not that EA is perfect but they are much better then they were 3-4 years ago.
Besides if it was Acitivision you would of had Lego: Guitar Hero two months ago, This week Lego: Band Hero Taylor Swift Edition, and in 3 weeks Lego Ghostbusters: Guitar Hero Tour. Lego Ghost Busters of course would be the same as Lego: Guitar Hero but you get to play as the original cast of Ghost Busters and Bono. You'd also only be able to export 23% of the total library of songs to Guitar Hero 5.
WINterfang ( Now with the power to piss you off ) @ Nov 5th 2009 4:04PM
I find this idea worse than Band Hero.
KeegdnaB @ Nov 5th 2009 4:06PM
I find this game to be a response to Band Hero, but with Legos so it at least has SOME originality to it.
That being I'll still buy since I am in fact, a sucker for Legos.
GewurztraminerX @ Nov 5th 2009 4:08PM
LESS TALK MORE BLOKK
sonicspike41 @ Nov 5th 2009 4:12PM
And it's spiritual successor: Less Talk More Mega Blokks
THE HEAVY @ Nov 5th 2009 4:08PM
coming up next - K-NEX DJ Hero
Donald @ Nov 5th 2009 5:42PM
But all of the cool kids play with Legos!
BunnySlapper @ Nov 5th 2009 4:13PM
"until we are absolutely sick and tired of instrument rhythm games."
That happened at Guitar Hero 2.
Baanu_Rass @ Nov 5th 2009 4:14PM
It is a reskin of RB2 though at the part that matters, the gameplay. Squeezable drum OD activations and the same broken HOPO chords proves it.
Andy Anonymous @ Nov 5th 2009 4:49PM
RB2's HOPO chord issues were fixed in a patch that came out last month.
Baanu_Rass @ Nov 5th 2009 5:33PM
But not in this game (or for PS3 owners), proving my point they didn't do anything to the actual gameplay.
Ian @ Nov 5th 2009 4:16PM
I guess these are Block and Roll bands?
*badump*pshhh*
I'm here all weekend, tip your waitress.
Ashitaka @ Nov 5th 2009 5:04PM
Use this link next time :P
http://instantrimshot.com/
nick @ Nov 5th 2009 4:20PM
It's funny, because they're two titles here that are becoming over-exposed and tired.... Lego AND Rock Band. Did we really need more so close to other Lego and Rock Band titles?
The whole notion of Lego Rock Band, to me at least, seemed like WHY? WHY? WHY?
GewurztraminerX @ Nov 5th 2009 4:23PM
Kids, kids, kids. They like games too.
Mika101 @ Nov 5th 2009 4:20PM
It's an okay game but when i'm able to rip it (ps3 owners have to wait til Nov. 12th) i'm trading it in to put the money towards another game.
Torque_AOD @ Nov 5th 2009 4:21PM
If ALL their songs can be exported, and has a KICKASS set list. Then never doubt the game.
Ashitaka @ Nov 5th 2009 5:05PM
We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions are kickass enough for you?
Drunk Ste @ Nov 5th 2009 4:28PM
It's just an over priced track pack to me. I'll wait until I can pick it up for £20, export the tracks to Rock Band 2 then never play it.
MarkHawk @ Nov 5th 2009 4:42PM
45 songs would normally cost you 90$ on the Rock Band network. I guess it can still be over priced for you but logically it's more of a Half off track pack sale. Plus you can sell the hard disc if you tight on cash.
Deezul @ Nov 5th 2009 7:57PM
The problem with comparing this to an expansion pack implies that everyone WANTS every track that's included in the game. I doubt you will find anyone who is happy with every song that is in every RB game released.
Come Get Me!!! @ Nov 5th 2009 4:29PM
as much as i loathe RB and GH, if either did a jackson 5 game id be very obligsted to buy it. and def lepard....and judas priest...im just sayin.
Come Get Me!!! @ Nov 5th 2009 4:32PM
Obligated.....man i need to go back to school......
Troy Powers (PSN: TroyPowers) @ Nov 5th 2009 4:41PM
That quote is taken SO out of context. I'm suing you guys!
coil780 @ Nov 5th 2009 4:51PM
Seconded (well, not on the suing part). The dev quoted said they were 50-50 when the project was initially pitched to them, but by late 2008 the project had proved itself.
coil780 @ Nov 5th 2009 4:52PM
Oh, you were talking about your own quote... well, my comment re: the article still stands. ^^
jayeffaar @ Nov 5th 2009 4:53PM
Maybe, but it's still really funny.
C.A. @ Nov 5th 2009 6:27PM
Joystiq has turned you into a circus act. Next you'll probably have quotes about honky tonk women on here! Call the supreme court!
JeezWhiz87 @ Nov 5th 2009 8:58PM
It might be out of context, but I agree with it. What ever happened to Legos being sets of little plastic bricks that you would lose important pieces to when your mom vacuumed it up, and you could never complete your giant space ship? Give me those days back!
ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Nov 5th 2009 4:50PM
The Joystiq staff actually reads what we write?
bongoes Sector 2814 @ Nov 5th 2009 5:39PM
It's scary, I'm going to be more careful with what I say so the overlords don't get mad.
Traceur_Ryuk [Founder of The Anti-EMCB(tm) Brigade] (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Nov 5th 2009 6:37PM
This seems like a good chance to get out what I need to say.
Fix the comment system, and some forums/friends list would be nice.
MowDownJoe @ Nov 5th 2009 6:43PM
They probably use the Joystiq KillFilter to hide all comments containing "comments" and "fix".
Andy Anonymous @ Nov 5th 2009 4:53PM
If you're a "collector" type of gamer and you enjoyed Lego Star Wars for that reason, there's a fair amount of it in LRB as well.
Though, to be honest, I'm not liking the aspects of LRB that mimic all the ways the GH franchise has gone wrong: gimmicky challenges, renderings of real stars, etc.
But in spite of that, it still has all its tracks importable into RB2 and is well worth it for that reason alone.
Arkanaloth @ Nov 5th 2009 4:56PM
I've been sick of music rhythm games since DDR...
IcelandTerrorist (stormtrooper190) @ Nov 5th 2009 5:03PM
up next megablocks band hero.