When it comes to focus testing, the recent climate has favored evaluating the process closely to ensure it's done at the right time - beginning focus testing too early can compromise a developer's vision and clutter the pipeline with too much feedback too early.
But working on LEGO Universe, NetDevil's bucking the trend - it's been focus testing the online world for two and a half years, using the same group of 19 kids and families from day one.
Often it is asked why Lego hasn’t done Minecraft. After all, the formula fits. You put blocks on to other blocks to create something blocky and wonderful, fresh from your imagination. Surely that just screams Lego.
It seems that they tried with Lego Universe, but how do you make a kid-friendly Lego MMO when almost everybody seems intent on building penises?
Developed by The Lego Group, the app takes the form of an interactive comic book, complete with mini-games and virtual Lego build kits to be unlocked. The Antimatter Missions is broken up into five parts, with five short comics making up the bulk of the title.
Funcom Lead Designer Oscar López Lacalle previews the new MMO LEGO Minifigures Online and discusses The LEGO Movie in this exclusive interview from GDC 2014.
