Vincent Lee served as the designer, programmer, and project lead for Star Wars: Rebel Assault and its follow-up, Star Wars: Rebel Assault II: The Hidden Empire, both LucasArts productions.
Vince Lee's initial introduction to video games came during his childhood through the Cub Scouts. A field trip to the Lawrence Hall of Science, an interactive museum situated in Berkeley, provided him with the chance to engage with Star Trek and Lunar Lander, both text-based experiences presented on a teletype machine that printed onto yellow paper rolls. Despite the rudimentary nature of these games, they ignited Lee's passion for interactive entertainment. Some years later, his father constructed a Heathkit H-89 personal computer from a kit, which became the family's first computer. Given the limited software options, Lee immersed himself in learning BASIC and assembly language, leading him to create his own games for the system. By the age of fifteen, he had successfully sold his first game.
Subsequently, Lee pursued college studies at the University of California, Berkeley, completing a four-year Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. He then remained for an additional year and a half to obtain a Master's degree specializing in robotics and control systems. A significant portion of his time was dedicated to programming, including freelance work for several Amiga software developers, although he primarily regarded this as a hobby.
While still an undergraduate, he encountered a LucasArts producer at a User's Group meeting, who shared his contact information. Following his graduation, Lee received job offers from IBM and Exxon Production Research Houston, but he declined both in favor of accepting a position as a programmer at Lucasfilm Games. He commenced this role in Spring of 1991.
Lee's initial responsibilities involved creating PC-based tools and porting SCUMM adventure games to the Amiga and Sega CD platforms. He began his work on image-compression technology in January of 1992. He and his LucasArts colleagues attended the Winter '92 CES in Chicago and were exposed to ambitious "multimedia" CD-ROM titles.
During his work on the Amiga version of Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, the LucasArts GM suggested he work as a programmer for the CD-ROM title. His comprehensive understanding of multimedia technology, combined with his "good gaming sense," ultimately led him to work on Star Wars: Rebel Assault, which would become the company's first exclusive CD-ROM project.
Lee engineered SMUSH, a specialized tool designed to compress the game's data. This tool was subsequently expanded into a design and editing resource. This development secured him the roles of project leader and designer for Rebel Assault. He assembled the game's missions and cutscenes as they were provided by the artists, with a strong focus on gameplay elements, playability, and smoothness, while also being involved in numerous other aspects of the project. Lee was receptive to input from Q/A, and had the final decision for their incorporation. Brett Tosti, the lead tester, noted that Lee's "programming genius" allowed him to quickly identify and resolve bugs when they were brought to his attention. Lee even communicated with Microsoft's support department, and after being informed that a particular task was impossible, he would often devise a solution within minutes.
Lee also managed the majority of the game's sound design, selecting excerpts from the original Musical score for each segment of the game. He documented his selections using a boombox before discussing his preferences with Michael Land and his sound team.
The entire process presented a challenge for Lee, who was simultaneously managing numerous responsibilities and working during nights and weekends, particularly during the final stages of post-production. Casey Donahue Ackley supervised the concluding phases as Associate Producer, facilitating communication with the art department. Lee and Ackley jointly authored the game's manual and reference card.