Lucasfilm's LucasArts, in creating its new Star Wars game, focused on how to make the franchise game fresh and exciting for consumers. With games now costing in the range of $20 million to develop, franchises that come with a built-in fan base have become more attractive. LucasArts is tackling the problem with its new Star Wars: The Force Unleashed game through old-fashioned storytelling and up to the minute game technology. The game will take place between Episodes three and four, and follows the training and adventures of an apprentice to Darth Vader who is set the task of ridding the universe of Jedi knights. The games makers hope it offers a cinematic experience with the player feeling he is driving the story. The game also employs a new character animation simulation from NaturalMotion that gives computer-created characters realistic reflexes, a nervous system and a sense of self- preservation. The technology was used to make stormtroopers that are terrified of the force and react to it in life-like ways. Another technology called Digital Molecular Matter from Swiss company, Pixelux Entertainment, causes materials in the game to respond in realistic ways to the environment. For example, wood splinters realistically. The advances combined with LucasArts technology means that each scene can play out a variety of different ways depending on how the player behaves. The Force Unleashed will be released this summer, though there are many bugs to fix before then due to the sophisticated technology employed in the game.