Monster Lab
Launch plan
Original concept archive

Monster Lab now has a fuller site structure built around your actual documents.

This version turns the site into an archival foundation: it presents the 1995 WarnerActive letter, the 1999 EMA proposal, a lawyer-friendly timeline, and a careful framework for comparing the original concept to the later released game.

Read the documentsReview overlap
1995Publisher response on record
1999Full proposal with budget and schedule
NowPublic archive and reboot platform

Position the story clearly

The public-facing version should state the core claim in careful language: you were developing and pitching a Monster Lab game concept in the mid-1990s, and by 1999 that concept had become a detailed Dreamcast proposal centered on modular monster construction and Digital Trading Cards.

Suggested statement

Monster Lab was conceived and developed as an interactive entertainment property by Michael Pace and EMA Multimedia in the 1990s. Surviving records show publisher outreach by 1995 and a detailed 1999 design and budget proposal for a Sega Dreamcast title built around customizable monsters, Digital Trading Cards, and local and online play.

  • Keep the tone factual and dated to the evidence.
  • Show what existed, when it existed, and what distinguishes it.
  • Separate documentation from legal conclusions.

What makes the concept distinct

The 1999 proposal does not describe a generic monster game. It specifies humanoid monsters built from six body parts, each represented by a Digital Trading Card with attributes, formulas, glue, inventory logic, local trading, online trading, and battles where winners gain parts and losers surrender them.

  • Six-part monster construction: torso, head, two arms, two legs.
  • DTC card system with stats, formulas, glue, and inventory.
  • Quest mode, versus mode, local trading, and online barter.

Integrated documents

These sections now summarize the two uploaded PDFs directly so the site can function as a readable archive before you add scans, thumbnails, and downloadable exhibits.

Exhibit A · 1995

WarnerActive response letter

The letter is addressed to Michael Pace at EMA Multimedia in Brentwood, California and thanks him for submitting materials proposing an interactive title for publication by WarnerActive.

  • WarnerActive says it reviewed the submitted materials.
  • It declined to include a title based on the proposal in its current product plan.
  • The letter states the decision does not imply the concept lacked merit.
  • It invites future submissions and is signed by Stewart Kosoy, Senior Director of Development.
Exhibit B · 1999

EMA Monster Lab proposal

The proposal identifies Monster Lab as an EMA title and frames it as a Sega Dreamcast fighting game combining 3D combat with campy monsters assembled from collectible digital body-part cards.

  • Design phase: 4 weeks, estimated at $33,800.
  • Prototype phase: 12 weeks, estimated at $150,000.
  • Production phase: roughly 15 months, estimated at $1.6 million.
  • Total development budget: roughly $1.784 million.

What the 1999 proposal contains

Beyond the budget pages, the proposal reads like a full design document. That matters because it shows the concept was fleshed out in specific systems, not just a title or a loose pitch premise.

Gameplay systems

  • Monsters are assembled from head, torso, arms, and legs.
  • Each part has attributes such as health, agility, strength, armor, magic, and resistance.
  • Monster Glue and formulas create scarcity and strategic decisions.
  • Winning or losing battles changes your inventory by transferring body parts.

Modes and world

  • Quest/Story Mode sends the player through Dr. Stein’s castle to retrieve the Book of Monster Formulas.
  • Single-player battle mode reuses the quest bosses and themed arenas.
  • Versus, local trading, online battle, and barter systems extend replayability.
  • The online concept includes searchable parts, trade visibility settings, and counter-offers.

Lawyer-friendly timeline

This version gives you a clean chronology you can later refine into a downloadable statement or exhibit packet.

1995

Publisher review documented

The WarnerActive letter confirms that Michael Pace of EMA Multimedia had already submitted materials for an interactive title proposal and that WarnerActive reviewed those materials before declining to include a title based on the proposal in its current product plan.

1999

Monster Lab formalized as a Dreamcast project

The EMA proposal lays out a three-phase development plan for Monster Lab and describes a full game concept built around customizable monsters, Digital Trading Cards, local and online trading, and multi-mode play.

1999 plan

Budget and milestones specified

The design phase is budgeted at $33,800, the prototype phase at $150,000, the production phase at roughly $1.6 million, and the total budget at roughly $1.784 million, with milestone targets spanning week-by-week design, a 12-week prototype, and a 15-month production cycle.

Present

Archive and reboot opportunity

The site can now serve two functions at once: preserve a dated public record of the original concept and create a controlled narrative for attorneys, media contacts, and future development partners.

Overlap framework

This section is intentionally careful. It is meant to help document similarities and differences without overstating conclusions.

DimensionOriginal Monster Lab conceptHow to frame it on site
TitleMonster Lab appears as the project title in the 1999 EMA proposal.State that the title was in use in your proposal materials by 1999.
Core fantasyPlayers build modular monsters from collectible body parts and improve them for combat.Describe this as a documented design pillar rather than a vague idea.
MechanicsThe concept joins monster assembly, stat-bearing cards, glue, formulas, battle rewards, trading, and loss of parts.Emphasize the layered combination of systems, not just one monster-building element.
ScopeThe proposal includes story, modes, controller layouts, security logic, schedules, and budget sheets.Use this breadth to show a mature, production-minded concept.
Public postureYour site should document chronology and authorship.Avoid legal conclusions on the public page and reserve those for counsel.
Next build

Turn this into a full archival site with exhibits, downloads, and a founder statement.

The strongest next iteration is to add document thumbnails, downloadable PDFs, a lawyer-ready one-page statement, and a dedicated revival page explaining what a modern Monster Lab could become.

Recommended next pages

  • Founder statement
  • Exhibit gallery with PDF links
  • Detailed timeline
  • Modern reboot overview
  • [email protected]
Prepare outreachBack to top