GGMania got a chance to talk with Kevin Sheller of High Voltage Software, as he answers a few questions regarding to Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, the next installment in the best-selling Leisure Suit Larry franchise. For those who don't remember, the Leisure Suit Larry videogame franchise began in 1987 with The Land of the Lounge Lizards, the first of seven games in the series. Since then, the Leisure Suit Larry games have sold more than 35 millions of units worldwide and its games are considered collector items. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude is scheduled for release on next-generation consoles and the PC in late 2004.

GGMania: Could you introduce yourself to our readers and tell them a little bit about what you do on Leisure Suit Larry Magna Cum Laude?

Kevin Sheller: Hi! I'm Kevin Sheller, the executive producer here at High Voltage Software. I was the producer of the product as it kicked off before turning it over to Josh VanVeld, who is now directly in charge of the product as producer. I oversee all producers at High Voltage.

GGMania: In your opinion, what makes the Leisure Suit Larry series such a videogame legend?

Kevin Sheller: Uniqueness. There had never been a game like Leisure Suit Larry before, and there really hasn't been a comparable game since. At the time that the first Leisure Suit Larry game came out, adventure games were popular and selling well. It is the humor and the sexiness that hadn't really been done before – or at least done successfully. Shockingly, about 16 years since the first LSL game, humor and sexiness STILL hasn't been done successfully in the video game world.

GGMania: Did you integrate these elements into Leisure Suit Larry Magna Cum Laude?

Kevin Sheller: Without a doubt. When we sat down to diagram and design the game, we stated very clearly to everyone at Sierra and our team that the two most important elements of the game was humor and sexiness… in that order. We didn't want a game that was just nudity and lewdness for the sake of it. We wanted a game that made people laugh first, and then turned them on.

GGMania: What are the biggest changes in Leisure Suit Larry Magna Cum Laude over the original Leisure Suit Larry series

Kevin Sheller: The main difference is the adaptation to the console. Most console gamers are used to action games, not adventure games. We knew that to satisfy our audience, and to satisfy the powers that be, we had to find a way to mix the style and feel of the original Leisure Suit Larry series with the expectations of our target audience. Luckily, High Voltage Software is mostly made up of our target audience – young men. So we knew we had to make a game we liked. That was easy. Make funny jokes, sexy girls and a variety of gameplay opportunities. We'd all like that!

GGMania: Can you tell us a bit more about the interaction with the environment in Leisure Suit Larry Magna Cum Laude?

Kevin Sheller: Larry's world is alive and filled with humor around every corner. Walk up to a poster, read it, and you'll laugh. Have Larry examine it, and he'll make you laugh. Walk up to a character in the environment talking to other characters, and you can listen in on their conversation. You'll laugh again. Have Larry talk to them, and you'll laugh at what Larry says and what they say or do. Play one of the many games with the characters, and you'll have a fun gameplay experience mixed with a whole bunch more laughter. How can any human being take so on much jocularity?

GGMania: What other unique gameplay aspects will be featured in Leisure Suit Larry Magna Cum Laude

Kevin Sheller: Buy Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, and you'll be buying about 4-5 games in one. There is a dance game like Pa Rappa the Rappa. There's a photo game with elements from Poke' mon Snap. There's a quarters drinking game like… Well, OK, so there aren't any blockbuster Quarters games out there, but you get the idea! There are lots of games to master and many levels of complexity in each one. There's spanking games, and wet T-shirt games, and streaking games, and drink mixing games, and make-over games, and slaps games, and…

GGMania: What can you tell us about the storyline for the game?

Kevin Sheller: Really, the best way to ask the question would be, "Tell us about the storylines for the game!" The overall story is simple. Get on the touring reality-TV dating show. The multiple storylines are where the game really shines. You'll try to help a masturbating monkey win the affections of his unsuspecting scientist-keeper. You'll become a pawn in one woman's world-domination plot. You'll try to save the school's pep when you learn that the guy who wears the mascot suit is sick. You'll try to help the local bum serenade the convenience store manager. You'll try to help one woman's dream to be a rock star. You'll try to save the same masturbating monkey from the evil hands of science. And of course, all the while trying to get some booty.

GGMania: Could you estimate hours of game play? Will players collect points throughout the game?

Kevin Sheller: We expect the player who plays everything to get around 25 hours of gameplay. This game is massive. We have more than 75 characters with speaking roles. We have recorded more than 95,000 words of dialogue. I don't know exactly how this compares to a movie, but I think we have most movies beat. You do not collect points in MCL. There are secret tokens hidden throughout the game, however. Collecting and spending them allows you to access a myriad of Easter eggs and nude codes.

GGMania: Can gamers expect a huge improvement in graphics? What engine are you using?

Kevin Sheller: An improvement over the old Larry games? Of course! Compared to titles that are coming out now? I think so. It's sometimes hard to tell how you match up with the competition when you've been staring at it for so long. But from what we've been hearing from the outside, people love the art in Larry MCL. I know I do! We are using our own proprietary engine technology. Unlike other engines, however, it isn't simply a "3rd person" engine or a "first person shooter" engine. It's a 3D graphics engine that provides our programmers with easy access to all of the systems the current technology offers. What we've actually created is a unique new gametype that doesn't easily fit into a standard engine category.

GGMania: Can gamers expect also some erotic scenes? Will the game likely end up being M-rated?

Kevin Sheller: Erotic scenes? Nudity? Bouncing breasts? We are pushing the boundaries of what has been done before. We have been in continuous contact with the ESRB as we try to figure out how to stay on the "M" side of the line. So far, so good. We also want to make it clear that we are keeping the game true to the characters and the humorous style, so it's always a little tongue-in-cheek.

GGMania: Currently what is the status of the current progress of the game and when can we expect to see it in stores?

Kevin Sheller: Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude will be in stores sometime in Q4 2004.

GGMania: Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview, is there anything else you'd like to tell our readers?

Kevin Sheller: We can't wait to find out what all of the Leisure Suit Larry fans think of our creation. We know that we have something special on our hands. It will be interesting to see what our two major audiences think of the game: The Leisure Suit Larry aficionado, and the young, never-heard-of-a-leisure-suit-before would-be fan. We hope that we will satisfy both with great writing, great characters, great gameplay, and the fun sexual romp that is Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude. Let's do another one of these interviews after the game comes out, whaddaya say (ed.note = what do you say)?