Train2Game game developer Lionel Adams has recently started a Train2Game student industry experience placement at DR Studios.
In his first update from the Milton Keynes studio, Lionel tells us how he’s settling in, what it’s like getting a feel for unity, and informs us of the experience of being thrown in at the deep end!
Read Lionel’s first industry experience diary update on the Train2Game Scribd site, or here on the Train2Game Blog.
Train2Game students can get behind the scenes of Darksiders II’s story in a new developer diary from THQ.
Titled ‘Behind the Mask: Death’s story’ the video sees the Darksiders II development team discussing the story of protagonist Death, and how the narrative runs parallel to that of fellow member of the four horseman, War in the original Darksiders.
And in what will be especially interesting to Train2Game game designers, the developer diary details how THQ and Vigil Games ensure that their “deep story” has rules, which ensure everything makes sense and comes together.
Watch the Darksiders II developer diary curtsey of GameSpot, below here on The Train2Game Blog.
The video features, among others, Lead Designer Haydn Dalton. You can find out what a day in his life working on Darksiders II involves right here on The Train2Game Blog.
Darksiders II is scheduled for release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on Tuesday 14th August 2012.
There’s more Darksiders II news here.
What are your impressions of the game design and story behind Darksiders II? Are you looking forward to this one?
Leave your comments on The Train2Game Blog, or here on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game news recently reported that Angry Birds Space reached 50 million downloads, becoming the fastest growing mobile game ever.
The series shows no signs of slowing down either, with Finnish developer Rovio announcing that Angry Birds has reached 1 billion downloads across all platforms.
The figure incorporates all games in the series including Angry Birds, Rio, Seasons and Space and every platform the game is available on. Rovio made the announcement in a YouTube video you can see below.
Angry Birds Space is currently available for iOS and Android mobile devices, PC and Mac. Angry Birds merchandise is available throughout the High Street!
What are your thoughts on the impressive numbers for Angry Birds?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students can get a look behind the scenes of art in Paradox Interactive’s upcoming co-op dungeon crawler Dungeonland, thanks to developer diary number number two from Critical Studio.
Posted on the Paradox Interactive forum, the Dungeonland developer diary entitled ‘The Art of Dungeonland’ sees the Critical art team discuss the influences and concepts behind their cartoon style title including Disney, medieval fantasy and more.
“When we started working on the visual design of Dungeonland, our only goal was really to just have fun. The personality of the game came from not trying to “copy” anything. It’s a big mix of influences from everybody in the team, done our way. We don’t really care if it’s been done before or if it looks like something else – if we think it’s cool, we are going to do it!”
“And we had a LOT of influences. Everything from Disney, of course: all the cartoons, the Silly Symphonies… But not only Disney – EVERYTHING even remotely related to cartoons, from Spongebob Squarepants to Coyote Ugly and any weird obscure stuff we watched as kids.”
“On top of that: everything medieval fantasy, including Lord of The Rings, a lot of Warhammer, about nine hundred different monster manuals from Dungeons & Dragons, and so forth.”
“We also try a lot of different stuff and throw a huge amount of ideas away until we are happy with what we got. Even though we are a small team, so far we’ve been able to produce hundreds of pages worth of concept art – and we’re very close to a thousand.”
There’s much more in the Dungeonland developer diary which you can read in full on Paradox Interactive’s forum. Those on the Train2Game Art & Animation course will no doubt like a look!
There’s more Paradox Interactive news here on The Train2Game Blog, including our in-depth interview on the development of King Arthur II: The Role-playing Wargame.
What are your thoughts on the art style and influences of Dungeonland?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students can register to take part in the upcoming LittleBigPlanet beta on PlayStation Vita. The goal of the beta is to get feedback from players about the overall experience of the game.
Those interested in taking part in the LittleBigPlanet Vita beta need to go here for a chance to be selected. Of course, you’ll need to be a PlayStation Vita owner, or someone to plans to buy one in the near future, in order to take part.
LittleBigPlanet Vita is being partially developed by Middlesbrough studio Double Eleven, where Train2Game student Darren Price has been on a work placement.
As previously reported by The Train2Game Blog, over six million community created levels have been produced by LittleBigPlanet players. There’s more about LittleBigPlanet here.
And for more on beta testing, how it’s useful for Train2Game students, and opportunities to get involved with it, keep reading the Train2Game blog.
Will you be applying to take part in the LittleBigPlanet PS Vita beta? Are you still using the level creation tools of previous games in the series?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students will need to wait until next year to play Bioshock Infinite as Irrational Games’ upcoming shooter is delayed until 26th February 2013. The announcement came from publisher 2K.
“When we announced the release date of BioShock Infinite in March, we felt pretty good about the timing.” said Bioshock Infinite creative director Ken Levine.
“Since then, we’ve uncovered opportunities to make Infinite into something even more
extraordinary. Therefore, to give our talented team the time they need to deliver the best Infinite possible, we’ve decided to move the games release to February.”
Essentially, Bioshock Infinite is delayed in order to give Irrational more time to work on the game that was scheduled for release later this year. The Train2Game Blog has previously reported that Ken Levine said game developers need to be comfortable with throwing their work away.
There’s more Bioshock Infinite news here on The Train2Game Blog.
What are your thoughts on the decision to delay Bioshock Infinite? Will the game ultimately be better because of the extra time?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game game designer Jonny Robinson is on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry experience diaries, Jonny describes the experience of winning Make Something Unreal Live with Commando Kiwi, visiting SCEE, his excitement for DR Studios upcoming game and more.
Read what Jonny has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page. There’s more from Jonny here.
Train2Game students can now build and share their own Portal 2 levels thanks to the release of the brand new and free Perpetual Testing Initiative update.
The puzzle maker for PC and Mac allows players to create new Portal 2 test chambers without the need to leave the game, with maps published directly onto Steam Workshop. Players can vote on and automatically download any user-created puzzles using the Workshop.
There’s more on the Perpetual Testing Initiative in the trailer from Valve and Aperture Science’s Cave Johnson below.
In an interview with The Train2Game Blog, Valve’s Chet Faliszek told us modding or using community creation tools is a great way for aspiring game developers to show off their skills.
There’s more Valve news right here on The Train2Game Blog.
Are you building Portal 2 puzzles yet? What do you think about the tools?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Gmae Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students have the chance to design and publish a mobile video game if they take part in Virgin Media’s 100 day game project contest.
“We’re looking for amateur and student game designers from across the country to come to us with their concepts for a top quality mobile/tablet game.” reads the announcement.
“Utilising some of the industry’s brightest brains, we’ll select one concept and help the lucky winning team create their game and make their vision a reality. Reaching out to gaming fans everywhere, the project will culminate with the beta game launch at the Eurogamer Expo on 27th September.”
To enter Virgin Media’s 100 day game projects, you need to be in a team of 3 or 4 members aged 18-35, and pitch your iOS or Android game using this entry form.
Entries will be judged by a panel of experts on Tuesday 12th June, with the winning team being taken to game development labs in Dundee to build their game between 18th June and 26th September. The beta of the winning game will be presented at the Eurogamer Expo at the end of September.
Will you and a small team of fellow Train2Game students give this a go? Keep in mind that this isn’t a Train2Game contest, but it’s a great opportunity.
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum. Good luck to any Train2Game student teams who enter!
Train2Game has been hailed as a “fantastic opportunity” for people to get involved in the games industry by Ian Livingstone, Life President of EIDOS and co-author of Fighting Fantasy
The games industry legend was speaking to us at Train2Game and Epic Games’ Make Something Unreal Live, where four teams competed to build games based on Fighting Fantasy books for iPhone and iPad. He was one of the judges that decided Commando Kiwi was the winner.
“I’m delighted to be part of this Train2Game initiative. I’ve been in the games industry since 1975 when Steve Jackson and I started Games Workshop.” said Livingstone.
“We had our first Fighting Fantasy game book in 1982, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, and here we are thirty years later judging a competition in the world of digital entertainment where people have taken have taken our book and transformed it into a very playable iPhone and iPad game.”
“And it’s great to see young talent coming through because I would say the UK is one of the most creative nations, if not the most creative nation in the world. It’s important that we support the young talent coming through.” Livingstone continued, before hailing Train2Game for giving more people the skills needed by the industry.
“Initiatives like Train2Game are fantastic, to get people who might not have known there’s a worthwhile career in games, recognising it as worthwhile, and being empowered with the skills to be able to make a contribution with real skills. It’s a fantastic opportunity today.” he said.
Watch the full video interview below.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
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