Monthly Archives: February 2014

Train2Game News: A game proposal like no other

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divinity-original-sinWhen Daniel learned that one of his girlfriend’s favorite game developers produced a game in which you can create your own stories to play with friends, he hatched a brilliant plan to win her heart…

You can imagine that at Larian Studios they never expected to become a wedding agency when they started developing Divinity: Original Sin, but requests to use the game for marriage proposals began pouring in when the studio offered players a chance to create their own cooperative dialogs during the Kickstarter campaign.

Daniel, for instance, wanted to create a dialog of his own in which he’d ask his girlfriend, Dolores, to marry him. ‘Sure,’ was the studios reply, expecting to ship the game in plenty of time for those planning imminent proposals to enjoy.

With the delay of the game’s release, however, Daniel had to act: He contacted them directly, asking what arrangements could be made to facilitate an in-game proposal. This was a man utterly tired of being unengaged to his Dolores, it seemed, and the delay simply wouldn’t do.

Working together with the team’s writers and designers, Daniel made not one, but two stories: one to get an unsuspecting Dolores over to Larian Studios and one to set up a proposal in the game.

The first was an outright fib: Daniel and Dolores, as it went, had won a fan contest to come and test-play the game at Larian Studios. So they did, but as she explored the game world, Dolores soon found a mysterious ring on the beach near Cyseal, engraved with a message. ‘Bring me to the statue of the lady’, it said, ‘and her spirit will be revealed to you.’

Later on, as they explored the game world, they located a statue in a forgotten corner. The magic ring was employed, and lo and behold, a ghost rose from the ground, bathing the area in golden light. ‘I am the spirit of Love’, she spoke, ‘so say what has been in your heart for so long!’

‘Will you marry me, Dolores?’, Daniel asked. ‘I will!’ the shocked Dolores answered. The rest is history.

Soon, however, proposal arrangements will be out of Larian’s hands: Divinity: Original Sin will release this Spring with a game editor, and you may see what creative custom campaigns other hopeful lovers will make to impress their beloveds.

You can enjoy the video of Daniels in game proposal below:

Train2Game News: Pants to gaming for a day!

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GAME-store-logoThe candles are lit, Barry White is playing and the champagne is on ice, but one half of the happy couple has gone for a quick gaming session that can last for hours without an intervention.

Now the perfect Valentine’s accessory has been created by retailer GAME for gaming widows and widowers – GAME On undies – a range of pheromone fuelled underwear to help them tempt their loved ones back into the bedroom.

According to new research by GAME, today one in four gamers (23%) admit they will be tempted to slip away for a ‘console quickie’ – unable to resist the urge of a few snatched moments of Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto V behind their partner’s back.

And the girls are getting in on the action too – the guilty secret applies just as much to women (19%) as it does to men (26%).  Similarly a quarter of gamers (24%) admit that their partner has accused them of paying more attention to their console than to them. That’s why GAME has decided to take the unprecedented step of calling gamers to go easy on the gaming for one night of the year. To help the cause, it has launched the limited-edition underwear for partners who want to have their own buttons pushed.

Ailsa McKnight, Marketing Director GAME Retail Ltd, says: “We understand and share our customers’ passion and commitment for gaming but we want to do our bit for harmony on February 14th. Many of us can get easily distracted by our consoles – even on Valentine’s Day.

“It can be tempting to dip into a game for a few minutes, lose track of time while the dinner is on the table and then get caught in the act. Hopefully the GAME On range of undies can be a more welcome distraction to help bring couples together.”

With Londoners (27%) the most likely to two-time their partners by gaming on Valentine’s Day, a limited number of the cheeky undies will be available at the GAME Stratford store this week.  Head in store for more details.

Train2Game News: BAFTA Inside Games Event

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BAFTAThe British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has today announced that tickets for Inside Games, a new public showcase of the latest games from the world’s biggest games companies, are on sale now.

The event will take place on the same day as the British Academy Games Awards, Wednesday 12 March, at the Tobacco Dock London.

Inside Games is BAFTA’s first-ever pre-Awards event celebrating gaming excellence. It will offer the public hands-on experience with a wide range of highly anticipated games. The event includes a series of BAFTA-curated talks with leading game developers and, with the ‘Inside Games Arcade’, a playable showcase of independent games. These will vary in scope, platform, style and development budget, showcasing the best the art form has to offer.

Also this year, for the very first time, BAFTA is selling public tickets to the British Academy Games Awards. The ceremony, hosted by comedian Dara O’Briain, will take place later that evening. Tickets for the Awards, which include entry to Inside Games, are on sale now.

Harvey Elliott, Chair of BAFTA’s Games Committee, said: “After a review of last year’s Awards activity, the committee believed it was time to broaden the ways in which BAFTA celebrates games and to enable the industry to engage more directly with gamers. Our Inside Games event has been curated by BAFTA to give gamers unprecedented access to the developers behind some of the best new titles of 2014. Also opening our Awards to the public for the first time is another way in which we are helping them have a better connection with the industry.”

Tickets to Inside Games are available for £12 in advance, with a limited number available on the day.

Tickets to the British Academy Games Awards, which include access to Inside Games, are available for £30.

For more information on both these events and to purchase tickets, visit http://bit.ly/InsideGames.

Train2Game News: Extreme Motion Android Challenge

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Extreme RealityExtreme Reality, the only company to bring full-body motion analysis and control via a device’s native or peripheral camera, today announced the call for submissions for the Extreme Motion Android Challenge 2014.

The contest, open to Android game developers, gives participants a chance to win prizes of up to $8,000, and a meeting with gaming pioneer and the founder of EA Trip Hawkins, for the most innovative uses of motion control in an existing or new Android game.

Games submitted by the deadline of May 20, 2014 will be evaluated by a panel of judges led by Trip Hawkins. The grand prize winner of the contest will receive $8,000 and a meeting with Trip Hawkins and three additional winners will receive $1,000 respectively.

With Extreme Reality integrated into an Android game, all a player needs to do is place their Android device on a table with the device’s camera facing them, take two steps back, and the motion of their body will be captured and analyzed in real-time, enabling their motion to control the game. Similarly, an Android device can be tethered to a larger screen, such as a TV, so a player can enjoy the same level of immersive motion control offered by console systems.

“No longer limited to gaming consoles or other hardware, motion control is adding an entirely new and exciting experience to games on any platform,” said Sarit Firon, CEO of Extreme Reality. “We look forward to seeing the innovations in motion gaming created by participants in the Extreme Android Challenge, from adventure to sports to fitness or dance games.”

Developers can sign up now by submitting their project proposals at http://www.xtr3d.com/android-challenge-2014/. After their concept has been approved, they will receive the Extreme Reality Android SDK that enables them to easily incorporate motion control into their game. The Android SDK will be sent by March 17 to start development until May 20when they will submit the game to Extreme Reality. Evaluation of the games by the judges will begin May 25, and winners will be announced on May 30.
The judges will review the following six aspects in their scoring:

  • Motionization – Best utilization of motion control to enhance the game experience
  • Graphics and Audio – The level of visuals and audio in the game
  • Gameplay – The storyline and mechanics that underpin the game. Is it fun to play?
  • Stickiness – Does it have lasting appeal? Is it addictive? Would you finish the game? Would you play it again?
  • Polish – Is the game ready for prime time?
  • Usability – Is it easy to use with minimal explanations? Is it intuitive?

This would be a good challenged for some Train2Game student studios and give you access to some powerful software. There is also the chance for some healthy prize money and to meet someone who could offer invaluable advice.

Train2Game News: Merkury Games looking for Artist

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merkurygames - CopyTrain2Game Student studio Merkury games is looking for new and experienced artists to join their studio.

Merkury games is built of several students of differing experience working as one to forward their respective careers. The studio specialises in retro style games with a twist which can be seen in their two previously released PC games.

The studio is looking for a voluntary artist to join the team who preferably has previous experience based on the retro games in the 8/16 bit drawing. The main requirements for the work will be around sprites, backdrops and concept art. They are looking for an individual who would be willing to take on this challenge. All serious applicants will be considered.

Lewis Gordon said about working at the studio “It’s an open, happy environment where any idea is welcomed and put to use. We are all about helping each other to learn and expand to get the most out of our career”

To be considered for the position please email your CV and an example of your work to recruitment@merkurygames.co.uk

To find out more about Merkury Games visit www.MerkuryGames.co.uk

Train2Game News: Rodeo working on UE4 Games Workshop title

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Rodeo GamesRodeo Games has licensed Epic Games’ leading edge Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) technology for an unannounced project.

Rodeo can so far reveal they are using UE4 to build a new turn-based strategy game based on one of Games Workshop’s many properties, which is set for a release on mobile platforms in Q2 2015. The UK-based independent developer is known for “Hunters: Episode 1” and “Hunters 2,” as well as “Warhammer Quest,” the successful mobile game that kicked off their ongoing partnership with Games Workshop.

Rodeo Games, a team of experienced industry professionals who previously shipped triple-A titles before coming together to develop games featuring best in class graphics for mobile platforms, is the first indie mobile studio to announce a UE4 license. Rodeo had previously been working with its own in-house ‘Taurus’ engine before switching to UE4.

“We’ve made it our mission to raise the bar on what players can expect to see in mobile visuals and gameplay,” commented Laurent Maguire, co-founder of Rodeo Games. “In short, we want to set a new standard, and working with Unreal Engine 4 we can achieve that more efficiently and with greater impact.”

“Rodeo Games is already a very impressive player within the dynamic mobile sector. We’re working closely with them to help them achieve their objectives in the months ahead,” remarked Mike Gamble, European territory manager at Epic Games. “As Rodeo will demonstrate, UE4 has so much to offer indie developers, and we look forward to helping many more teams compete in the marketplace.”

Train2Game News: Train2Game interviews Rancon

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RanconHarry Cole and some Train2Game students were joined by Rancon studios this morning in an informative interview.

They were joined by Matt – Technical Lead, James – Gaming Technical Lead and Dan Cook – Creative Director who discussed: How to get paid clients, working with ITV and The BBC, types of clients, the team’s project management techniques and advise to becoming a professional developer.

The Train2Game students who were involved in the interview had the following to say:

Muir: “Good advice. I’ve really enjoyed this interview. Lots of good advice, information, ideas. This is the third interview I’ve been part of I think. It’s my favourite one so far. Thank you.”

Richard: “Excellent advice. Was insightful being part of the interview. The student questions and response to them were enlightening. An hour of the day very well spent. Hosted well and Rancon were most informative.”

Lee Sainsbury: “Indeed the information was invaluable.”

You can listen to the interview in the link below:

http://www.spreaker.com/user/train2gamestudentradio/rancon-coaching-train2game-students

The board that is mentioned in the interview can be viewed below:
image

You can find out more about Rancon by visiting www.rancon.co.uk

Train2Game News: Xbox One System Update

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Xbox One Dash updateMicrosoft are releasing the first Xbox One dashboard update. The update was due today but has been pushed back for later this week.

The system update will add the ability to manage storage, improve Kinect voice commands and add lots of behind-the-scenes updates for developers.

Chief product officer Marc Whitten wrote on Xbox Wire “Just as we did with Xbox 360, Xbox One will have regular updates to deliver new features and platform experiences designed to delight you,

“It features many new improvements – including lots of behind-the-scenes updates for developers building apps and games for Xbox One, several new features we believe Xbox fans will love, stability and product updates to improve the customer experience, and continuous improvements to the quality of Kinect voice so commands become more fluid and responsive over time.”

Some of the updates that will be coming are as follows:

  • The ability to see and manage your storage space. With this update, you will find it easy to find how much space your content takes up and better manage your content. You can also control your install lineup and more easily manage your download queue. Microsoft have separated My Games and My Apps into separate lists, so you can easily create separate queues for both. Now you can pick the order in which you want your content to load and we’ve added a boot progress indicator so you can better track updates while they load.
  • The battery power indicator is back! You can see it right on the home screen, so you can easily track how much battery life is left on your controller.
  • And, you will be able to use your USB keyboard with your Xbox One.

Another update will follow on March 4 to prepare your Xbox One for Titanfall – it will offer many new features and improvements, most significantly a new party and multiplayer system.

“This post is the first of many announcements and sneak peeks at features in the system updates,” Whitten added. “We’ve been carefully listening to your feedback and look forward to delivering many new features that will make Xbox One even better. We’re just getting started and can’t wait to share more information in the coming weeks.”

Train2Game News: Team17 announces next gen Worms

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WormsBattlegroundsLogoTeam17 is excited to unveil plans to release their first PlayStation 4 and Xbox One title, Worms Battlegrounds.

Worms Battlegrounds will be one of the first titles to be self-published on the Xbox One under the ID@Xbox program, of which Team17 is one of the ambassadors.

The veteran independent British publisher is proud to see its award-winning franchise make its debut on the next generation of consoles, having seen it already appear on over twenty-five other platforms since its introduction back in 1995.

Worms Battlegrounds is due for a 2014 release and will be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Nutjitsu, a lush-looking Pac-Man meets Mini Ninjas game from Ninjabee, creator of the Kefling games for Xbox Live Arcade has also been announced to be released as part of the ID@Xbox initiative.

The first ID@Xbox games will release in March 2014, according to the program’s director Chris Charla. The list of ID@Xbox applicants apparently extends into the “thousands”.

Train2Game News: UK Top 20 Games – 10.02.14

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FIFA 14FIFA 14 returns to the top claiming its 10th number one crown since launch last year.  In doing so it also becomes the 11th title in an elite group to claim 10 weeks at the top on the All Formats Chart.  It’s the 3rd FIFA title to achieve the feat and also the 6th by publisher EA to feature in the list.  Activision’s Call of Duty: Ghosts returns to number two, ahead of the sole new entry in the Top 10 this week, Microsoft’s Fable: Anniversary at No3.  The title remastered in HD for Xbox 360 was first released almost 10 years ago on the original Xbox and includes The Lost Chapters content.  Its arrival also sees last week’s debutant and chart topper Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition pushed further down the chart to number four.

All formats

Week ending 8 February 2014

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 FIFA 14 EA SPORTS 2
2 CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS ACTIVISION 3
3 FABLE: ANNIVERSARY MICROSOFT –
4 TOMB RAIDER: DEFINITIVE EDITION SQUARE ENIX 1
5 – LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 5
6 GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 8
7 BATTLEFIELD 4 EA GAMES 4
8 MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION MICROSOFT 7
9 KILLZONE: SHADOW FALL SONY COMPUTER ENT. 10
10 ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG UBISOFT 6
11 – GRAN TURISMO 6 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 11
12 NEED FOR SPEED: RIVALS EA GAMES 9
13 BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 19
14 MADDEN NFL 25 EA SPORTS –
15 NBA 2K14 2K SPORTS 12
16 WWE 2K14 2K SPORTS 13
17 ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES SEGA 16
18 FOOTBALL MANAGER 2014 SEGA 14
19 LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 17
20 FORZA MOTORSPORT 5 MICROSOFT 15
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Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2014 UKIE Ltd

These charts cannot be reproduced either in print or online without obtaining permission from Ukie. If you wish to reproduce the charts in print or online, please contact david.smith@ukie.org.uk for the appropriate license.