Category Archives: Developer

Train2Game news: Ninja Theory are looking for two Junior QA Technicians

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Train2Game students might be interested in this opportunity with Ninja Theory, the Cambridge studio is looking for two Junior QA Technicians.

Ninja Theory are the team behind Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West.  Their next title is DMC, a reboot of the Devil May Cry Series.

The two advertised positions don’t require any previous experience and could therefore potentially provide two Train2Game students with that vital first job in the games industry.  The Ninja Theory Job advert reads as follows:

“We’re looking for two Junior QA Technicians to join our experienced QA team for a four month contract. Under the guidance of more senior team members you will conduct functionality and play-testing as appropriate during the development cycle in order to detect and confirm software deficiencies, reliability, ease of use, and any other areas as directed in order to ensure the overall highest quality of the project.

You’ll take part in maintaining efficient and accurate play-tests producing accurate and detailed reports and working to an ethos of continual process improvement. Following industry and internal best practice guidelines for process of play testing and usability tests you’ll need to highlight any potential risks found with milestones, production tasks and wider studio output.

It’s important you can explain any bugs you find to other studio members so it’s crucial that you are able to create and maintain strong working relationships with other disciplines gaining a good understanding of each requirements and specific method of working.”

Naturally, this could be a great opportunity for a Train2Game Games QA Tester in particular, but Train2Game students of all disciplines may be keen to get their foot in the door.

For more information about the Junior QA Technician positions, and to learn how to apply, visit the Ninja Theory website.

Good luck to any Train2Game students to apply for the positions.

Keep up to date with the latest news in QA Testing here on The Train2Game Blog.

Train2Game news: Skyrim mod turns dragons into My Little Pony

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Train2Game student fans of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim can now replace its dragons with My Little Pony.

That’s if you install the Pony Dragon mod which changes the dragons into a My Little Pony, Fluttershy if we’re being precise about these things. The mod even alters the dragons sound to sound more like a Pony’s neigh.

At the time of writing on The Train2Game Blog, The Pony Dragon mod has been downloaded over 450 times. You can see the mod in action in the video below.

Like what you see? Then you can download it from Skyrim Nexus here.  However, you’ll have to choose between this, or the “Macho Man” Dragon mod which has previously appeared on The Train2Game Blog. That changes Skyrim’s dragons into the late, great, wrester “Macho Man” Randy Savage.

And if changing your dragons into a Macho Man or a Pony isn’t enough, then as previously reported on The Train2Game Blog, there’s a mod which changes Mud crabs into Futurama’s Doctor Zoidberg.

As previously reported by The Train2Game Blog, official modding tools for Skyrim, featuring Valve integration, are set to be released sometime this month.

Not only is modding an excellent way for those on Train2Game courses to practice their skills, but it can also provide that extra experience needed to get into the games industry.

“It’s a really good way for someone to get noticed because it shows that you’re able” Valve’s Chet Faliszek previously told the Train2Game blog on the subject of modding.

Keep reading The Train2Game Blog for the latest news about modding and how it could benefit you.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the My Little Pony mod for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim? Will you be installing it? Or is it a bit silly?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or here on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: VG247]

Train2Game news: Namco Bandai say free-to-play games can’t be high quality

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Train2Game students will probably have noticed the increasing rise of free-to-play titles, with Star Trek Online the latest previously subscription based MMO to switch to the model.

The move received a mixed reception on the Train2Game Facebook page, while Train2Game forum users were more positive.

The concept of free-to-play has received a more negative reaction from publisher Namco Bandai, who not only say it’s not possible to create high quality games using the model, but also that it’s bad for the industry.

“Free-to-play games can’t be high quality,” said Namco Bandai Senior VP for Europe Olivier Comte.

Namco Bandai are the publisher behind titles including Dark Souls, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and the upcoming Soul Calibre V.

“We need to put certain value on certain work,” he continued. “When you’re a big company… you can’t take risks too quickly, you can’t make a change just because there’s a fashion for a couple of years; you want to be there in 20 or 30 years.” he argued while speaking at Cloud Gaming Europe.

Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online and DC Universe Online are subscription based MMOs that have made the leap to free-to-play, while the model has also been successful for games including World of Tanks and Team Fortress 2.

TheTrain2Game Blog recently reported that Ubisoft believe their upcoming free-to-play title Ghost Recon Online will be AAA quality, something that won’t be possible if you’re convinced by Comte.

For the latest news about industry trends, including free-to-play, keep reading The Train2Game Blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the comments from Namco Bandai? Can free-to-play titles ever match the quality of AAA? Are there free-to-play titles you enjoy?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Industry Gamers]

Train2Game news: Half-Life mod Dear Esther gets trailer ahead of full release

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Train2Game students should be interested in upcoming indie title Dear Esther for two reasons. First of all, it throws the rulebook for traditional game design out the window, and secondly it started life as a mod.

In terms of game design, Dear Esther is a first person ghost story in which you wander an island uncovering the reasons why you’re there and what’s going on as you explore the environment.  There are no guns, no weapons; Dear Esther is all about discovering the narrative, so it might prove to be an interesting experience for Train2Game students who  play it.

While Dear Esther is getting a full release, as mentioned above it started life as a mod built using Half Life-2’s Source engine and originally released in 2008 by Dan Pinchbeck, a researcher based at the University of Portsmouth. However, by 2010 the mod had been given support by Valve for a full, independent release, with a team of six people behind it.

Dear Esther is set for release on 14th February and Train2Game students can watch the trailer below.

You can find out more about Dear Esther on the game’s official website.

Dear Esther isn’t the first mod to get an official release. Heck, it isn’t even the first Valve mod to be officially released with huge titles such as Counter-Strike and Team Fortress starting life as mods.

And in an interview with The Train2Game Blog, Valve’s Chet Faliszek said modding is a great way to break into the games industry.

“It’s a really good way for someone to get noticed because it shows that you’re able” he said.

“Normally modders have to work as a team and that’s important, and they also have to be able to finish something and that’s really important. So those two things together are a really good way to demonstrate that you’re ready to work in the industry.” Faliszek added.

For all the latest news about modding, and how it can be a great benefit to you, keep reading The Train2Game Blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Dear Esther? What does it say about the potential of modding?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Gaikai bringing cloud gaming to Facebook

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Train2Game students may have already experienced gaming for themselves, thanks to being able to see it at The Eurogamer Expo.

But for those unfamiliar with it, the concept of cloud gaming is being able to stream games from the internet and play them on any TV, PC or even tablet computer without the need for a console.

Now, cloud streaming service Gaikai has confirmed that it’s going to make its service even more accessible, by bringing it to Facebook, offering users the chance to play high quality titles through their internet browser.

“Our next big launch is on Facebook and we’ve been working with them for some time. Facebook already owns the category of casual gaming, we’re going to help them own core games. A click and boom, you’re playing World of Warcraft,” said Gaikai Chief Executive David Perry, while speaking at the Cloud Gaming Europe conference

He argued that the fewer steps needed to access a game, the higher the chance of somebody playing it will be.

“Bring the game to the gamer, don’t move people, move games,” said the Gaikai Chief Exec, who praised social game developer Zynga.

“Zynga has figured out that you put the customer first, very aggressively. You click once and you get to play for free, you share it with your friends and then you pay Zynga if you love it.”

“It’s as pro-consumer as you can get and that why their valuation has skyrocketed,” Perry continued.

“Some of the traditional publishers who have ignored all of this are falling off a cliff. Look at their stock prices, it’s not good.” he added.

The Train2Game Blog has previously reported on how Gaikai are combating lag for games streamed using their service.

For more news and information about cloud gaming services including Gaikai, keep reading the Train2Game Blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on cloud gaming coming to Facebook? Can it compete with social games?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Gamasutra]

Train2Game news: Beta testing “critical” to development says Planetside 2 Creative Director

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Train2Game students will be aware that developing video games can be a long and complicated  process, in which QA Testing is hugely important.

However, no matter how many QA Testers a game has, sometimes it’s a beta that’s really needed to eliminate bugs and problems. Indeed, it’s something that’s particularly important for MMOs and Planetside 2 developer Sony has label beta testing as critical for that genre in particular.

“For MMO games beta is critical. There is a lot we can do to test gameplay and mechanics in studio, but getting the massive scale needed to ensure the game really works requires getting real players in.” Sony Online Entertainment’s Creative Director Matt Higby told NowGamer.

“It’s also critical to determine if our player progression curves are too punishing or too lenient, find exploits, balance issues and so on. Beta for us as a company is an incredibly critical phase of development.”

Higby also told NowGamer that during the Planetside 2 beta, Sony will be keeping a close eye on player feedback and that big betas have great benefits to game developers.

“Once we get to beta, we’ll be looking both at players’ direct feedback via bugs and message boards, as well as analyzing data that will be collected and aggregated.” he said

“The biggest benefits to a big beta are load and stress testing, testing across a diverse collection of hardware configurations, getting large sample sizes to determine if weapons and vehicles are balanced, and so on. We won’t be shipping anything until we’re all proud of it.” he added.

Train2Game students can apply for a place in the Planetside 2 beta here.

The Train2Game Blog has previously posted about the importance of beta testing, with Star Wars: The Old Republic developer Bioware stating that beta testers can really help with game development.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

Stay tuned to The Train2Game Blog, for the latest beta testing opportunities.

So Train2Game, are you looking forward to Planetside 2? Do you agree that beta testing is critical to the game development process?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Q.U.B.E makes enough to return Indie Fund investment in just four days

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Train2Game students who attended last last year’s Develop Conference may have seen the talk by Toxic Games Daniel Da Rocha about how their game Q.U.B.E went from a student project to an indie title.

Q.U.B.E was received sponsorship thanks to Indie Fund, which as reported by the Train2Game Blog all the way back in 2010, is a project that aims to encourage the next generation of independent game developers.

The good news is that Q.U.B.E was released via Steam on 6th January, and  Indie Fund has announced it only took Toxic Games four days to recoup the $90,000 of investment they received to fund their puzzler. 12,000 copies of Q.U.B.E. have been sold so far.

“Indie Fund recouped its investment in Q.U.B.E., and now we’re looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Toxic Games.” read the announcement on Indie Fund.

“Our goal is to help developers get and stay independent and it will take some time to see if we’ve achieved it. With the investment already paid off and discussions in progress about bringing Q.U.B.E beyond PC, we’re feeling pretty hopeful.”

“Our heartfelt congratulations to Toxic Games. We’re proud to have played a small role in what has already been a great success.” they added.

To find out more about Indie Fund, and even how to apply for funding, Train2Game students should see their official website.

The news of Q.U.B.E’s success can surely act as encouragement to Train2Game students looking to produce their own games.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Q.U.B.E and Indie Fund? Does it give you confidence in your own future projects?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Your chance to join the StarHawk public beta

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Train2Game students have the opportunity to get involved with the StarHawk multiplayer public beta from Wednesday, as long as they’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber.

Those without a PlayStation Plus account, will need to wait another month before they can test out the PlayStation 3 exclusive third person shooter from Lightbox. Alternatively, if you purchased Uncharted 3, you’ll be able to get involved with the StarHawk beta from 1st February.

Train2Game students can find out more about how to sign up for the StarHawk beta here.

Lightbox describe the beta as a “crucial step” as they test game balance, server traffic and general bugs.

Train2Game students can see more about the PlayStation 3 exclusive StarHawk by watching the developer diary below.

Beta testing is an excellent way for Train2Game students, especially those on the Games QA Tester course to practice their bug hunting skills. Not only that, but in an interview with the Train2Game blog, Trion Worlds Senior QA Tester Karl Tars said that beta testing is potentially a way to get into the industry.

The Train2Game Blog will be sure to keep you up to date with the latest beta testing opportunities.

So Train2Game, will you be getting involved with the StarHawk public beta?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: PlayStation Blog]

Train2Game student Fee Stewart on RTI FM

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Train2Game Art & Animation student Fee Stewart recently appeared as a guest on RTI FM to talk about Train2Game.

The mum of three told Postcard from Poprad about her experiences with Train2Game and what she’s been working on as part of a Train2Game student placement at award winning independent game developer Radiation Burn.

Train2Game students can listen to Fee’s interview here.

Fee also presents Train2Game student video diaries, you can see the latest right here on The Train2Game Blog.

As usual, feel free to leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on The Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Minecraft 1.1 update released

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Train2Game forum user favourite Minecraft may have been officially released, but that doesn’t mean game development has stopped, with Mojang releasing update 1.1. for their hugely popular title.

The updates, posted on the Mojang Blog, include improvements to bows, new recipies, and sheep now being able to regrow their wool. Minecraft update 1.1 also fixes a number of bugs. It just goes to show that even when a game is released, the game design process isn’t finished.

Train2Game students can watch the video from Mojang below, which describes all of the new updates.

As previously reported by The Train2Game Blog, Jen Bergensten is now Minecraft lead designer, having taken over from creator Markus ‘Notch’ Persson last month.

For more about the indie sensation that is Minecraft, see the Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the Minecraft update? How important is it for developers to keep working on games, even after they’re released?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.