Jurassic Park Trespasser and Jurassic World. On the surface they are two very different and distinctive projects. One is a fondly reflected-on game well regarded for its clunky mechanics and sometimes goofy gameplay, and the other is the fourth entry in the Jurassic film saga. However – what if I told you that the two projects are more intrinsically linked than you may have been led to believe?
Thanks to a new series from Derrick Davis, of Jurassic Time, we have the most definitive insight into the production of these two titles – and how they may be more connected than you realize. Derrick has released a three-part series over on the Jurassic Time channel interviewing Seamus Blackley – the man responsible for Trespasser, and also the original ‘Jurassic World’. We recommend checking out his three-part series for more insight – but in this article we’ll discuss some of the most interesting details pulled from these videos. Hold onto your butts, Jurassic fans!
The first part of the series dives deep into the history of Trespasser – a game which still has an active and vocal fanbase today. As we all know, Trespasser is popular for the depth it added to John Hammond’s involvement in Site B – building out the mysterious Isla Sorna which we encounter in The Lost World Jurassic Park and also Jurassic Park III. It was really interesting hearing how eager Seamus was to push the boundaries of what was possible in a videogame with Trespasser – trying to create something groundbreaking in its own right. It’s really fascinating hearing about the challenges which faced the development of Trespasser – and it makes me wonder what this game could have been without the adversity Seamus and the team faced. I will warn you that section one does talk about poor mental health – so please be mindful of this and look after yourself when listening if this may be triggering for you.
Part two of the series is a fascinating look at the original ‘Jurassic World’ videogame – an action-packed sequel to Jurassic Park III which would have built on many of the same themes which we see within the fourth entry in the film franchise. It’s fascinating hearing about how the original Quetzalcoatlus teaser which is infamous in the community came about – and is also fascinating to see how the seeds of the last three films in the franchise may have been planted back when Seamus was working on the franchise. It is a huge shame that the game which Seamus was planning on developing never came to fruition, as there was real potential for the game to provide a unique experience which I think many Jurassic fans are still clamoring for to this day. It is clear when listening to the interview that Seamus was incredibly passionate about the Jurassic franchise, and was someone who wanted to create something incredible for Jurassic fans.
The third and final part of the interview series builds on some of the interesting parallels between the original pitch for the videogame, and the final product we got with the Jurassic World film many years later. Firstly, we have to touch on the prevalence of Billy Brennan as a returning character. How awesome would it have been to see Billy taking the place of Owen in Jurassic World – perhaps even with some guidance from a certain Doctor Grant? This would have been awesome to see and is clearly inspiration for the connection Owen shares with the Raptors in the final Jurassic World. We also have to touch on the fact that the most intelligent Velociraptor in the game would have been a Raptor called Blue – something which clearly also transitioned into the film. There are many more things which appear to have inspired the final story Colin Trevorrow chose to tell – including elements of militarized dinosaurs and also other elements like the IBRIS Programme. It’s clear that the core DNA of Jurassic World very much pulled from the would-be Trespasser sequel which was never released.
I found this series of interviews absolutely fascinating and would like to thank Derrick for working so hard to bring these to us. I have so much admiration for Seamus as a huge fan of Halo. This man created the console which has been integral to so much of my life – so hearing him talk so passionately and enthusiastically about the Jurassic franchise and his history with it was incredibly special. Trespasser may be a black spot on the history of games for many – but it still holds a fond place in the heart of so many fans because of the hard work it took to immerse players within the world of Jurassic Park. For both better and worse there is no game quite like Trespasser – and we can only hope that future Jurassic games learn from the strengths of this open-world title.
Written by: Tom Jurassic