Looking Glass Studios

Background

Looking Glass Studios, Inc. was a famous development studio based in Cambridge of USA. It was formed in 1990 through the merger of Blue Sky Productions and Lerner Research. The most prominent developer at the studio was Warren Spector, who later headed the Austin division of Ion Storm and Junction Point Studios. The studio worked on such important franchises as the Flight Unlimited, Thief and System Shock series. The company was shut down in 2000, three months after releasing Thief II: The Metal Age, and about 60 employees were let go when their publisher, Eidos Interactive, struggled with financial crisis. Employees mostly went to Ion Storm, while others joined Irrational Games (2K Boston), creating BioShock, the spiritual successor to System Shock 2.

1st Logo (January 1993)

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Visuals: On a black background is a line in the top middle part of the screen, with "LookingGlass" above it. Its reflection can also be seen below it. Above the word is "A", and below it is "Technologies Game", with it all stacked up. Everything here is colored blue.

Technique: A still image.

Audio: The opening theme of the game.

Availability: Seen on Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds.

2nd Logo (September 23, 1994)

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Visuals: On a black background, a purple spotlight shines on a translucent gold "G", with a line jutting out at the end representing an "L". Many colors can be seen shining on it. Below it is "A LookingGlass Technologies Game" also made in the same material as the "LG" monogram.

Technique: A still image.

Audio: None.

Availability: Appeared on System Shock.

3rd Logo (June 7, 1995)

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Visuals: On a photo of a cloudy sky, the "LG" monogram from before is seen again, but this time made with a shiny blue material and rotated at an angle. Below it is "LOOKING GLASS" in a more angular font with a sharp point on the "N". "TECHNOLOGIES" is also seen below in a stretched sans font. A lens flare is also seen on the "N", covering up part of the text.

Technique: A still image.

Audio: The opening theme of the game.

Availability: Seen on Flight Unlimited.

4th Logo (March 5, 1996)

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Visuals: On a metal plate, a large machine lowers down and implants something in it. It rises up to reveal "LOOKING GLASS" in the same font as before, but it now appears to be made of glass. A light appears below and splits off, revealing "TECHNOLOGIES", also in the same font. A panel opens up in the bottom right corner and flips over, before coming out to reveal the "LG" monogram made in gold.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An echoed crash sound followed with the mechanic noise and the clang of bumper below.

Availability: Appeared on Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri.

5th Logo (December 12, 1997)

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Visuals: On a black background with an old-cinema effect, a blue spotlight moves. Then, the previous logo, colored in white and placed over a rectangle made with gray squares, zooms out from the low-corner and places in the center, leaving a shadow over the spotlight.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: An old-style music and a announcer highly distorted with static noise.

Availability: Seen on Flight Unlimited II.

6th Logo (November 30, 1998-March 21, 2000)

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Visuals: On a black background is a glass square with an abstract drawing of a man looking through a telescope. On the right is a black square with "LOOKING GLASS STUDIOS" spaced and stacked to fit the length of it. The square ripples around with blue lights as the entire logo gains a blue glow.

Technique: 2D computer effects.

Audio: Wind chime bells.

Availability: Appeared on Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age. Also seen on Destruction Derby for Nintendo 64, System Shock II and Flight Unlimited III.