LEGO Island

Development Info Prototype Info Prerelease Info

Debug Mode#

Type ogel during gameplay to enable an extensive set of debugging keyboard shortcuts.

There's also a debug feature accessible without the "ogel" code: press + on the Numpad and various character models will flip by. Each press will also cause the camera to temporarily jump up and to the right. Pressing - on the Numpad will go backwards. While the viewpoint is altered, it's possible to freely walk off paths and through walls. This mode is very finicky; sometimes part or all of it will stop working for no obvious reason.

To do: Is there more to this, or a better way to control it?

Power Brick Cutscene#

This unused pre-rendered cutscene, stored in INTRO.SI with the filename of outro.smk, shows the Power Brick flying off the top of the Information Center to heroic fanfare. Judging by the filename, this may have been the cutscene that plays when you exit the game, seeing as the Power Brick flies onto the Information Center in the intro. The only time the Brick comes off the Center in the final game is when the Brickster steals it using the helicopter, which happens in a live-rendered in-game cutscene.

Jukebox Volume Buttons#

The jukebox has button sprites that indicate an unused volume control feature. The image on the right shows a mockup of how this would've been implemented.

Music#

A 22050 Hz version of the jail theme is stored with the rest of the music files, but only the lower-quality 11025 Hz version ever plays.

This version features an alternate arrangement with less melodic percussion, a slightly different tempo, and a different ending.

In fact, high quality versions and alternative arrangements for plenty of tracks have surfaced thanks to composer Lorin Nelson cassette tapes of his recordings.

Dialogue#

To do: There is more.

This unused line is the original source of the message that plays when the game can't find the CD data. The used version has been edited (rather clumsily) to remove the word "back". It seems that the original idea was to play this message if the CD was ejected during gameplay, but doing so just crashes the game. Alternatively, there is a 2nd "CD back in computer" message.

This would have played when a new user name was entered in the registration book that matched an existing one, but instead this just signs on as the existing user.

An earlier version of the registration book was more complicated and had features for manually saving, loading, or starting a new game where you'd be asked to click on red or green bricks. In the final game, you start a new game by typing in your name, load a game by clicking on a checkmark, and the game auto-saves. The red and green bricks were only used when asking if you want to quit the game.

Animations#

To do: There may be more of them, and if necessary, extract audio from them.

. There are many unused animations in the files that can still be viewed in the game using debug mode.

Infomaniac's Turn Animation#

The main Information Center room contains animation where the Infomaniac turns and looks up to the screen and another where he turns back to the player. It's assumed this animation would be played before and after the character introduction movies.

Reg Book's Animation#

Infomancer animation for one of the unused dialogues.

Race Animation#

At the beginning of the car race, an animation of a LEGO character waving a checkered flag, then jumping into the middle of the road and breaking up into pieces. It's unknown why this was never used, perhaps because the "LEGO pieces" would have gotten in the way of racing.

"You look lost" Animation#

Watch on YouTube

An animation in which Infomaniac asks the player to go to the information center. It may have played after Brickster escaped from prison if the player didn't do anything. This animation was cut because it might have been annoying.

Animals animation#

Watch on YouTube

An animation for animals from hospital in which they are... just having fun. The reason for the cancellation is unknown.

Watch on YouTube

Other animal animations, but for the dog. They may have originally been on the island default, but in the game, some animals are encountered in the rescue mission.

Rescue mission#

Watch on YouTube

An animation in which Enter and Return are trying to save Bradford Brickford. They would play if the player did not press anything thrice.

Resident's animatons#

Watch on YouTube

Animations for the villagers, where they are happy and sad. They would probably play if the player interacted with them.

Infomaniac Animation#

Watch on YouTubeWatch on YouTube

Two animations for Infomaniac, in which he calms the player. They were both played if the player lost or received a bronze medal.

Brickster's Chase animations#

Watch on YouTubeWatch on YouTube

There are several unused animations for the "Brickster's Chase" segment.

• The opening animation shows Brickster throwing the pizza out the window and leaving the prison. In the game itself, he is immediately outside.
• An alternative animation of Brickster getting into the helicopter. Unlike the version used, this one is slower, and Brickster himself says a different line. This animation is included in the Beta 1.0 prototype.
• Animations for passers-by talking about Brickster. These animations could appear in the following circumstances: before the chase, during the chase, and when the player is searching for the other cubes. Additionally, there are special animations for Mama Brickolini and Papa Brickolini, where they appear together from an unknown direction. These animations were likely not used due to their potential interference.
• The animations of Brickster throwing the bricks for "Pepper". These contain dialogue that is used in the game when the player reaches the van, so they were likely used for these occasions.

Unused Transitions#

Watch on YouTube

There are unused transitions in the game files that can only be loaded by changing the game code.

• A code that doesn't make any transition, but simply freezes the game and immediately moves on to the next scene.
• Black squares appear on the screen, making it completely black, and then it transitions to the next scene.
• The screen is slowly filled with a black bar coming from the top.
• The same, but the screen is divided into two parts, one part is compressed, the other is the same, but only the top and bottom.
• Another transition that doesn't start in the game, but is mentioned in the code.

Miscellaneous#

Watch on YouTubeAn undocumented registry entry allows the game to be run in a window instead of fullscreen. Set the value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\LEGO Island\Full Screen to 0 to force windowed mode. This feature seems to be incomplete, though – it always uses the same rendering mode regardless of other settings.

References#