Assistant Producer, Jeffrey Gullet, took some time out of building the virtual blocks that will create Leia, Chewy and the whole gang to let us in on some of the fun. *can't wait to build his first Deathstar*

GamersInfo.net: In the original LEGO Star Wars game, there were over 50 characters. However, many of these characters fell into a handful of distinct templates with the same abilities and strengths. Is there going to be more variation and distinction between the characters in the sequel?

Jeffrey Gullett: Yes, there will be quite a few differentiating factors for each character. While they will still fall into certain categories, like blaster characters, Jedi, high jumpers, etc., we are also putting in distinctive melee attacks and animations. This will add a lot of uniqueness to all of the characters. It's also worth noting that Jedi and Sith characters have their own distinct powers this time - not just Force push for everyone. So Obi-Wan has the Jedi mind trick, the Emperor has Force lightning, Darth Vader has Force choke, and so on.

GamersInfo.net: What can you tell us about the "building" feature for all non-Jedi characters that is being added to the game?

Jeffrey Gullett: This is a great new feature for LEGO Star Wars II. Because the game is following the story of the Original Trilogy, there are a lot fewer Jedi in the mix. So having some way for other characters to build things without using the Force was needed. It works like this: the player will see a pile of LEGO bricks laying someplace in the level. When they walk over to them, the bricks will kind of jump around a bit, telling the player they can be used. By pressing a single button, the player will begin to build. They will pick of the pieces and sort of throw them into place and build many different objects. Sometimes it will be a crate that you can jump on to reach a high ledge, or an access panel that R2-D2 can use to open a door, or it might even be a classic Star Wars vehicle that the player can control once it's built.

GamersInfo.net: The original LEGO Star Wars was one of the most enjoyable games I played last year, but one complaint I had was the length of the game. How does the sequel measure up in terms of scope and are you adding more incentive, such as the collectible studs and parts in the original, to replay through the game?

Jeffrey Gullett: There are lots of new things in LEGO Star Wars II that will keep you playing for quite a while. We still have the Story and Free Play modes that are so fun from the first game. But in addition to that, there are several bonus levels that will deliver a different experience of the game. In the first game, the mini-kit vehicles that you collected were not usable within the game. But now there are special vehicle bonus levels that will allow you to play with all of the vehicles you collect. I think that players will find quite a bit more in LEGO Star Wars II to keep them playing for a long time.

GamersInfo.net: Co-op was a blast in the original, but there were some limiting factors to it. Are any improvements being made to this portion of the game?

Jeffrey Gullett: Yes there are. We took a lot of suggestions directly from the feedback we received about the co-op play from the first game and put it right into the sequel. Most notable is the improved camera. This will allow players to get further apart from each other without forcing one person to fall off a cliff, or pull them in a direction they don't want to go.

GamersInfo.net: Any chance we'll be seeing some online functionality in the sequel for more than just the PC version?

Jeffrey Gullett: We're not planning on any online functionality at this time. We found that adding some kind of online component to the game just really didn't add much to the overall fun factor of the game. And basically, that time and effort would be better spent on making things like co-op play and vehicles even better.

GamersInfo.net: LEGO Star Wars II is being developed for all the current-generation consoles and also for the PSP handheld system. How is it working on building a game for both the home console and the PSP at the same time? Also, how are you addressing the more limited control options on the PSP?

Jeffrey Gullett: It's quite amazing to see the game come together on the PSP. It's really going to offer a true console gaming experience to a handheld system. While developing a game for the both home and handheld systems at the same time is a challenge, it's coming along quite well.

As for the controls, luckily, LEGO Star Wars II has fairly simple, easy to understand controls. So the controls on the PSP do not really create any kind of limit to how the game will work. I think that people will really have a great experience with LEGO Star Wars on the PSP.

GamersInfo.net: LEGO Star Wars was considered a surprise hit as it seemingly came out of nowhere and delivered a very enjoyable experience. What's it like to follow-up this success and do you feel pressured to deliver the goods once again?

Jeffrey Gullett: I think everybody was surprised at how successful the first LEGO Star Wars game was. But I think why it was successful is not such a surprise. At its core, the game was easy for anybody to pick up and play, it was filled with lots of great tongue-in-cheek humor, and really delivered on all the things that make Star Wars and LEGO fun. And at the end of the day, that's what is most important. The game was just fun to play. So in general, no, I don't feel pressured to live up to what the first game delivered. It's the same team that made the first game that is making LEGO Star Wars II. They really know what they are doing, and I'm confident that LEGO Star Wars II will deliver all of the fun that the first game had and more.

GamersInfo.net: Since the "surprise" of the original game is now out of the bag, what do you think will surprise people this time around?

Jeffrey Gullett: Well, if I told you, it would hardly be a surprise, would it? But rest assured, there are certainly some surprises in store for everybody in LEGO Star Wars II.

GamersInfo.net: What's your favorite thing that has been added to the game so far?

Jeffrey Gullett: Without a doubt, my favorite new feature is the ability to mix and match parts to create my own LEGO Star Wars characters. I could spend hours just trying different combinations and coming up with some pretty strange and hilarious characters. There are literally millions of possible combinations! I don't think it's even possible for somebody to try them all. This is something that people are going to have a lot of fun with. It fits right in with the spirit of LEGO. But just imagine if you had every single LEGO Star Wars mini-figure in your toy box. I know I never had them all. Now I do, though!