Lego Jurassic Worlds dinosaurs get made for real before they go in the game

Ever wondered how TT Games, the makers of all those Lego-centric games, designs its creations? Are they based on existing real-world sets or they something entirely original constructed by the studio itself? Well, when it comes to the dino-filled world of next month’s Lego Jurassic World, the British developer had to get a little unusual to fit in all the different prehistoric beasts of Isla Nublar onto its roster.

“We always try to recreate the Lego toys that exist – we think that’s really important,” says Mike Taylor, head of design at TT Games in the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine. “But in some cases, they don’t. so the more famous dinosaurs, such as a T-rex or a triceratops, they’re recreated from the Lego set blueprints, if you like. But the others we've had to create ourselves – and we go to Lego and we say, ‘Look at this, how does this fit in with the style of the others?’ and we get approval. So we actually do a lot of original Lego creations ourselves.”

So if the dinos of Lego Jurassic World can be built from real-life bricks, does the team spends its days making these brick-happy creations in the studio? “We've got a library of thousands and thousands of pre-sorted Lego pieces, and then a really experienced Lego modelling team,” Taylor reveals. “So they’ll sit there and create models in digital format, and then that’ll go through the approval process as well.” We’re totally not jealous of that job...

For all the latest info on Lego Jurassic World and more, pick up a copy of Official Xbox Magazine issue 124. You can buy it here or subscribe to future issues.

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