Robert Ramsay is studying to become a Game Artist & Animator with Train2Game. Train2Game Radio caught up with him to find out why he chose to study with Train2Game, and how he’s finding the course.
In part 3 of a 3 part interview, Robert tells fitting Train2Game around the rest of his life, and his plans for the future. Listen to the interview at http://audioboo.fm/train2game
Read parts 1 and 2 here on the Train2Game blog, and leave your comments on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students will know that reflecting on your work is an important part of game development, even for the biggest studios.
As a result, Brink developers Splash Damage have discussed their game at the Game Developers Conference in Germany, pointing out what they could have done better. This is despite, as previously reported by the Train2Game blog, Brink reaching No.1 in the charts.
Lead Game Designer Neil Alphonso analysed Brink’s four key design concepts: blended game modes, objective and team based gameplay, the SMART system, and player customisation and persistent levelling.
As reported by the Train2Game blog last year, Splash Damage claimed Brink would ‘end the genre as we know it.’
Looking back however, Alphonso acknowledged that they may have been too ambitious with certain Game Design ideas
“Brink tried to be something new and different in several areas, In hindsight we perhaps strayed away from convention a bit too much in some areas.” he said.
“But several of Brink’s key features resonated really well with our audience, along with continuing to work on tweaking and refining the gameplay now the game is out in the wild. We’re taking a lot of these lessons on board for our future projects.”
Alphonso also said the story, the Game Design of Brink, “had to take a back seat”.
“People reacted pretty differently to the way we approached our narrative,” Alphonso said. “Some would say there’s no story to speak of, which I would beg to differ with. But some loved the setting and the context we’d given the action.”
“There’s a lot there for people to read into it. But we don’t spoon feed it to people, which is maybe what some people were looking for.” He continued.
“So in the end, essentially when the game is viewed as a highly contextualised multiplayer experience, it does really well. But if you view it as a cinematic single-player cinematic experience, it doesn’t really hold up.” Alphonso concluded.
For more information on how Brink was developed, see the Train2Game blog. There’s also an in-depth look at the Art & Animation of the game.
So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Splash Damages anaylsis of Brink? How do you think the game could be have been improved? And how important is reflecting on a game post development?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: Eurogamer]
The official Train2Game Facebook page now has over 4000 fans, with this impressive milestone achieved over the weekend of 14 August.
The Train2Game Facebook page offers the 4000 fans regular updates about Train2Game, features interviews with students, work placements and offers a place for Train2Game students to see and discuss games industry news.
It features content from the Train2Game blog, the official Train2Game website and respected games industry websites around the web.
The 4000 Fan of the Train2Game Facebook fan page also offers a great hub of information for those wishing to enter the games industry.
In addition to the Train2Game forum, the Train2Game blog and the Train2Game Twitter, the Train2Game Facebook page will continue to offer the best content to Train2Game students, as it grows ever more popular.
Train2Game would like to thank every single FAN for their support.
Following another quiet week for new releases, it probably won’t surprise Train2Game students to see Zumba Fitness top of the UK charts once again.
It’s the dance games’ ninth consecutive week at No.1 and 12th overall in the top spot. The 505 Game is now the7th biggest selling third-party Wii title ever in the UK
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean is the biggest mover, up three to No.2 while another game from Disney, Cars 2, is a non-mover at No.3. Dirt 3 drops to No.4, with FIFA 11 moving up one place to No.5.
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 rises two places to No.6, moving ahead of Just Dance 2 extra songs which drops to No.7. Call of Juarez: The Cartel moves up two places to No.8 while The Sims 3 re-enters the top ten at No.9.
Former No.1 – as reported by the Train2Game blog – L.A. Noire just about remains in the top ten after dropping one place to No.10.
The biggest mover outside the top ten is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D for the Nintendo 3DS which jumps from No.39 to No.13.
The UKIE Gfk Chart-Track All Formats Top 10 for the week ending 13th August 2011 is therefore as follows:
1. Zumba Fitness (505 Games)
2. LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney)
3. Cars 2 (Disney)
4. Dirt 3 (Codemasters)
6. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (Warner)
7. Just Dance 2: Extra Songs (Ubisoft)
8. Call of Juarez: The Cartel (Ubisoft)
9. The Sims 3 (EA)
10. LA Noire (Rockstar)
The week ahead is set to be another quiet one for new releases, but big titles including Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Rugby World Cup 2011 arrive in time for the end of the month.
So Train2Game, what are thoughts on the continued success of Zumba Fitness? Or indeed the top ten as a whole?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: UKIE Games Charts©, compiled by GfK Chart-Track]
Robert Ramsay is studying to become a Game Artist & Animator with Train2Game. Train2Game Radio caught up with him to find out why he chose to study with Train2Game, and how he’s finding the course.
In part 2 of a 3 part interview, Robert tells us how he’s helping other Train2Game students with their courses. Listen to the interview at www.audioboo.fm/train2game.
Read part 1 here on the Train2Game blog and leave your comments here, on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Artist & Animator William Alexander is on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest Train2Game industry experience diary, William writes about his time with Train2Game at the Develop Confernce, which includinf talking to some high profile industry figures. a
Read Williams ’s latest industry experience diary here on the Train2Game blog, or on the official Train2Game industry experiences website.
William also features in the Train2Game industry experience diaries produced by Game Design student Jonny Robinson, which you can see here on the Train2Game blog.
Train2Game Game Designer Darren Price is on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest Train2Game industry experience diary, Darren writes about coding during a sprint, and his time at the Develop Conference.
Read Jonny’s latest industry experience diary here on the Train2Game blog, or on the official Train2Game industry experiences website.
Robert Ramsay is studying to become a Game Artist & Animator with Train2Game.
In first part of a special in depth interview, Train2Game Radio caught up with Robert to find out he chose to study with Train2Game, what he thinks about the future of the industry and a little bit about his personal side project, Mage Listen at www.audioboo.fm/train2game
Read his story below then leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students, as game developers of the future, may already be thinking about how they can prevent their games from being pirated.
There are various different forms of DRM in PC gaming, with Steam perhaps being used the most by PC Gamers. Blizzard have their own DRM, which has proved controversial in that in order to play their upcoming Diablo III, the player will have to be connected to the internet the whole time.
The idea has caused controversy, because it means if your internet connection flickers for just a second, you’re dropped from the game. Any progress made since the last time a game save is made will be lost.
The DRM also means playing PC games on the move using a laptop goes somewhat out the window. It’s therefore something that may annoy Train2Game students as gamers.
However, while gamers may find the ‘always on’ DRM controversial, it seems to have won over game developers. Indeed, id Software Creative Director Tim Willits believes it’s the best way forward.
“Diablo III will make everyone else accept the fact you have to be connected” Willits told Eurogamer at QuakeCon.
“If you have a juggernaut, you can make change. I’m all for that. If we could force people to always be connected when you play the game, and then have that be acceptable, awesome,”
It isn’t the only comment the id Software Creative Director made at QuakeCon that could be seen as controversial. Indeed, the Train2Game blog reported that he said the FPS is the ‘best genre’
“In the end, it’s better for everybody,” Willets continued on the subject of the DRM, suggesting it has benefits.
“Imagine picking up a game and it’s automatically updated. Or there’s something new you didn’t know about, and you didn’t have to click away. It’s all automatically there. I’m a big proponent of always connected. I’m always connected. Our fans are always connected.”
“There will be a few people who will resent the fact you have to be online to play a single-player game. But it’ll change.” he concluded.
So Train2Game, do you think ‘always on’ DRM is the way forward? Or does it come across as too restricting to regular gamers? Are internet connections reliable enough for it to work?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: Eurogamer via Industry Gamers]
The Train2Game Blog 