Category Archives: Games Artist and Animator

Train2Game news: Clue to the future is in Game Dev Story – Brink writer

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Brink Train2Game blog imageTrain2Game students should learn alternative game development disciplines in addition to their chosen field to increase their chances of finding work in the industry.

That’s according to Splash Damage’s Ed Stern, writer of Brink, who likened hiring employees in the industry to mobile title Game Dev Story.

“Learn to code, learn Unity, learn Flash, be able to make a game. Because even if you’re not great a graphics or great at sound you’ll understand what the issues are.” Stern told the Train2Game blog when asked advice he’d give a game designer looking to break into the industry.

“You know that game Game Dev Story? You want to have at least a couple of stats in the other disciplines. Even if you’re never going to be hired to do sound, have some idea what the issues are with sound.”

The Splash Damage Creative Director used an example of a game designer knowing what game artists are capable of as an example.

“If you’re a writer have some idea what the graphic issues are so you don’t inadvertently end up writing a cheque that no one else can cash.”

He also told the Train2Game blog what he looks for when hiring a new employee, and that’s to have completed projects.

“It’s always more important to finish something than to start something, that’s what we look for when we’re hiring,” he said.  What people finish in their portfolio, not what they start then kind of get a bit bored with and give up on”

Of course, Train2Game students have the opportunity to complete projects and the Train2Game & Epic Game Jam this weekend.

Stern’s comments echo those of ID Software’s Tim Willits, who in an interview with the Train2Game blog, said that completing a mod is a great way to get noticed.

“Lots of times we have people who send resumes’ in with 20 half completed mods; we don’t want that, we want a handful of one’s that are actually done, and that’s really important” he said.

Ed Stern was speaking to the Train2Game blog in an interview about Brink, games writing and how to get into the industry. It’ll be published on the Train2Game blog in full on Monday.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the Brink Creative Director’s advice? Have you been looking into learning other disciplines? Do you already have skills in other areas?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game & Epic Game Jam tips from Train2Game student Fee Stewart

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Train2Game students are gearing up for the Train2Game & Epic Game Jam which begins tomorrow. Train2Game student Fee Stewart, who’s previously told the Train2Game blog about her experience with game jams, has posted some tips for those new to Game Jamming on the Train2Game forum. She’s kindly allowed the Train2Game blog to repost her advice in full. (You can find out more about Fee in her interview with the Train2Game blog)

1.Take with you wash stuff (no one likes BO!) a pillow if you can, a light weight fleece cover, one change of clothes or two and some money for food ( which is cheap at the uni)… Optional…some monster or Relentless or a drink of some sorts .. you seriously do not need any more then this! You have no access to showers unless you book a hotel that you really won’t have time to go to, so it is a bit of a waste of money.

2. When you find out what the theme is or what you are meant to produce spend a good few hours brainstorming with your team. Don’t rush into your 1st idea as it is quite often the 3rd or 4th idea that makes the most sense.

3. Allocate a team leader! This person is GOD! If they say go get some sleep GO! This is a team event and there are certain crucial points in the 48hours that you need to have your game at a certain stage of development if you hope to have at least 3 working levels (which is what you should be aiming for) by the end of the 48hrs. It is therefore imperative that people have some sleep in shifts and not leave it till 40 hours into the dev before you go regardless of how you feel at the time go get some sleep so you are there for when your team needs you! Do expect to only get 2 to 4hrs per 24hrs.

4. Set out what you are doing and stick to it as much as possible but do NOT be over ambitious if you have time to add extras at the end then do it but leave things like splash screens, credits, music even till AFTER you have 3 working levels. The MOST important thing is for your team to have a working game!

5. Have team breakfasts! This is important!!…. Take an hour out to ALL go get some food and a walk away from the labs for a while.

6. Allocate a good speaker in your team! This person should be responsible for talking to the judges and getting over as much information about your game in the short time you have… have team member two playing the game at the time so the speaker can explain and the judges can also see the game and offer for them to play it if they want to.

7. There should be a lead artist and programmer! This person makes sure everything is to style, allocates who does what in the art team/program team and talks to the other leads. Remember this is not an I AM event this is a team event there is no room for egos. You pick the best person for each role and you work as a team to produce some amazing stuff!

8. Have fun! Remember this is an incredible learning experience 48 hours does go VERY fast! Remember why you are there and try not to fall out with your team members.Sleep deprivation can do some weird things again why it is good to have a team leader who makes sure everyone gets some sleep at appropriate times.

9. Remember you will have been up probably over 50 hours with only a few hours sleep in that time. PLEASE do NOT drive home after the event.. book a cheap hotel or go home via public transport or something.

And finally GOOD LUCK! I am really going to miss you all this time!



For more information about the Train2Game & Epic Game Jam, see the official website.  And remember, the will appear at the Gadget Show Live 2012 as part of ‘Make Something Unreal Live’


Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.


 


 

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Train2Game news: Grand Theft Auto V trailer

			
						

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Train2Game blog readers, the first Grand Theft Auto V trailer has hit the internet and you can see it here on the Train2Game blog.


The much anticipated trailer reveals that Grand Theft Auto V goes back to San Andreas, and features improved graphics.




When the Train2Game blog reported that Grand Theft Auto V had been officially announced, Train2Game students flooded the Train2Game Facebook page and Train2Game forum with what they want to see in the game.


Last month, the Train2Game blog reported that Rockstar believe they’re only “scraping the surface” of game design when it comes to Grand Theft Auto.


So Train2Game, After watching the Grand Theft Auto V trailer, do you think you’ve got what you wanted? What are your initial impressions of Grand Theft Auto V?


Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Train2Game and Epic Games to Host ‘Make Something Unreal Live’ at Gadget Show Live

			
						

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Train2Game and Epic Games have announced Make Something Unreal Live, an unprecedented event that’ll take place over six months and conclude at Gadget Show Live 2012.


The winner of Make Something Unreal Live will receive a commercial Unreal Engine 3 license for iOS.


Winners of the Train2Game and Epic Game Jam, happening November 4-6 at the University of Bedfordshire, will compete in the event next April. In both competitions, all games will be developed for iOS devices using Epic’s Unreal Development Kit (UDK), the free edition of Unreal Engine 3 which has been installed on more than 1 million unique machines.


Following this week’s game jam, development teams will benefit from a six-month incubation period in which a range of senior industry veterans will nurture projects by reviewing key milestones, providing guidance and shaping scope. During this time, talent will prepare for the final showdown at the Gadget Show Live, where more than 100,000 attendees will watch them bring to life Unreal Engine 3-powered creations in real time.


“We are looking forward to working with Epic Games and Train2Game to bring a completely new element into the Games Zone at GSL 2012,” said Gadget Show Live Event Director Matt Hodgins.


“A huge number of our visitors are into gaming, and will undoubtedly be excited to see how new games are developed and brought to life at the event.”


“Once they’re out there in the real world, our students will flourish based on their ability to create fantastic experiences under pressure,” said Train2Game Course Director, Tony Bickley,


“This is one of the best opportunities they’ve had so far to prove themselves and create something they can be proud of that will springboard their burgeoning careers in gaming.”


“In a mere five days, these developers will kickstart their careers in an intense competition that will ultimately result in one team walking away a professional studio, with a full source Unreal Engine 3 license for iOS in hand,” said Mike Gamble, European territory manager, Epic Games.


Epic Games is known for its legendary Make Something Unreal Contest game development competitions, which utilize the Unreal Engine 3 toolset and reward grand prize winners with a commercial license granting full access to Epic’s high-end game engine technology. The $1 Million Intel Make Something Unreal Contest concluded in 2010, with multiple teams going on to release commercial games based on projects made for the competition.  Developed by grand prize-winning team KTX Software and published by THQ, “ The Haunted: Hells Reach” was released for PC on October 24.


Tickets for The Gadget Show Live are now on sale at  www.gadgetshowlive.net. For more information about this weekend’s Train2Game and Epic Game Jam, see the official website.


Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Train2Game news: New Skyrim trailer offers behind the scenes insights

			
						

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Train2Game students can get an exclusive look behind the scenes of Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in an exclusive documentary that comes with the Collector’s Edition of the game.


However, those Train2Game students who won’t be able to get their hands on a collector’s edition of Skyrim can get a taste of the ‘Behind the Wall: The Making of Skyrim documentary’ in an extended trailer at the bottom of this Train2Game blog post.


The Bethesda team discuss various behind the scenes information about Skyrim, including the challenges of building such a huge open world title. Indeed, The Making of trailer reveals The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim features no less than 315 places to explore, a number that includes all of the exterior locations and all of the dungeons.


All of these need to be massively detailed because “you don’t know what the player is going to do”


As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, the Skyrim Creation Kit will allow enthusiasts including Train2Game students to create their own content for what’s already a huge game.


The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, winner of the ‘One to Watch’ award at the Golden Joysticks, will be released for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on 11th November.


So Train2Game, does the prospect of a Making of documentary tempt you into purchasing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Collector’s Edition? What feature of the game are you most interested in?


Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.


					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Train2Game news: Gears of War director Cliff Bleszinski wants Avatar visuals for next-gen

			
						

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Train2Game students will agree that there are some games with amazing graphics out there, but Gears of War 3 Design Director Cliff Bleszinski believes that they can get much better.


How much better is that? Well, the Epic man believes next-gen games should be able recreate the CG visuals of Avatar!


“I’m sorry, do you think graphics are good enough? No they’re not!” he told OXM.


“The Xbox 360 is great, we’ve pushed it further than we ever have with Gears of War 3, but I want Avatar in real-time and beyond, I want fully realistic CG, and are we there? Absolutely not. I think there’s absolutely room for improvement,”


But while Blesizinski – along with Train2Game students, no doubt! – wants better graphics, he admits that looks aren’t everything but they can make a gameplay experience much more impressive.


“Do graphics make gameplay? No. But when I fire up my projector back at my house, put Avatar on – it still makes your jaw drop, it’s like a giant portal to another planet. I think we still have a long way to go before we get there, and I want us to get there.”


However, the Gears of War Director added that it’s online that’ll be the most important thing for games and their developers in future.


“My money for the future of everything is on those who understand the online space the best. Because this is the world we live in, we’re always connected” he said.


The whole OXM article about what Epic wants for next-gen consoles should make interesting reading for Train2Game students.


Despite Bleszinski’s desire for games to be developed with Avatar like quality, the Train2Game blog has previously reported that he believes there’s still much more to come from current gen consoles. 


And not so long ago, he gave some advice on what aspiring game developers, such as Train2Game students, should do to stand out. Read it here on the Train2Game blog.


Cliff Bleszinski is Design Director at Epic Games, and as Train2Game students will know, Epic has partnered with Train2Game for the Train2Game & Epic Game Jam which takes place on 4th, 5th and 6th of November. 


What are your thoughts on Bleszinski’s comments? Do games need Avatar like visuals? Can you see it happening?


Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.


[Source: OXM via Industry Gamers]

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Train2Game news: Team Fortress 2 community makes $2m from created items

			
						

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Train2Game blog readers will have previously read that since the introduction item store to Team Fortress 2, community item creators have been earning money for their work.


Now a year on since the Mann. Co store was introduced, Valve has revealed that community item creators have collectively earned over $2 million from selling the items in the virtual store.


They’ve also introduced an update called ‘Steam Workshop’ that’ll make it easier for community item creators to test, share and get feedback on their weapons, hats and items.


“The ‘Mann Co. Store’ represents an important new direction for games and game makers,” said Valve co-founder and president Gabe Newell.


“By leveraging and extending the platform features of Steam, Team Fortress 2 has enabled a viable marketplace for independent content creators and significantly extended the gameplay experience in an incredibly short amount of time.”


Of course, this being Team Fortress 2, the Manniversary Update also sees the introduction of plenty of new hats. Train2Game students can find out about the modelling process behind Team Fortress 2 hats here on the Train2Game blog.


Team Fortress 2’s community tools could potentially allow Train2Game students to submit items to the game, make money and earn a reputation from their creation.


Valve have a reputation of being supportive of their community, and activity encourage modding using the Source SDK.


And in an interview with the Train2Game blog last month, Valve’s Chet Faliszek told us that modding is a really good way to get 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.”


So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the Mann Co. Store? Is it a good way for game developers to get noticed?


Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.


[Source: Gamasutra]

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Train2Game students can question Uncharted 3 devs this weekend

			
						

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Train2Game students have the chance to question Uncharted 3 developers Naughty Dog and get their hands on the game at an exclusive event in London this Saturday.


The Naughty Dog team behind the Uncharted series will be hosting a developer session featuring a live walkthrough of the Desert Village section of the game.


It’s likely to give any Train2Game students who attend a great insight into the development of Uncharted 3 and what goes on behind the scenes at Naughty Dog.


Attendees will also get the chance to sample Uncharted 3’s single player campaign for the first time ever in the UK.


The Uncharted 3 developer session, a FREE event hosted by PlayStation Access, takes place this Saturday 15th October from 15:00-18:00 at The Union, 50 Greek Street, London, W1D 4EQ.


The venue will  apparently be transformed into the Pelican Inn in the upcoming Uncharted 3. There’s no need to register in advanced.


For more details about the Uncharted 3 developer session, Train2Game students should see the Facebook event page.


Earlier this month, the Train2Game reported that Uncharted 3’s lead designer said they made a lot of the game up as they went along!


Train2Game students can also check out this post that looks behind the scenes at Naughty Dog. Perhaps it’ll inspire someone to ask the Naughty Dog team a great question!


Uncharted 3 is released for PlayStation 3 next month.


So Train2Game, will you attend the Uncharted 3 developer session? What would you ask? And are you looking forward to the game?


Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Train2Game news: The making of a Team Fortress 2 hat

			
						

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Train2Game Art & Animation students should find this interesting; a post on the Team Fortress 2 blog reveals the step by step process of building a hat.


For those unfamiliar with Team Fortress 2, players can customise their characters with hats and other accessories. And as previously reported by the Train2Game blog, many community created hats have made it into Team Fortress 2, with the creators earning money from the sales!


But anyway, The Making of a Skull Hat details the creation process from just a concept, to modelling, to adding a polygon mesh and texturing. It makes an interesting read for Train2Game Art & Animation students.


Valve are extremely open to community contributions in Team Fortress 2, and have keenly supported modders over the years, with many joining the development studio.


Indeed, speaking to the Train2Game blog last month, Valve’s Chet Faliszek told us that modding is a really good way to get 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.”


So Train2Game, what do you think about the process behind making a Team Fortress 2 hat? Would you consider making a submission?


Leave your comment here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.


[Source: Team Fortress 2 blog]

					

		
		
	


				
					
	

		

						
Train2Game news: Sony –  ‘Time still not right’  for download only consoles

			
						

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Train2Game students will be aware of the growth of digital distribution in the games industry, with games available to download via services including Xbox LIVE, PSN and Steam.


And while the Train2Game blog has previously reported that some believe future consoles won’t use discs at all, Sony don’t believe this will happen any time soon.


“We believe, for some consumers, the time is [right], but for other consumers, the time is still not [right],” SCE Worldwide president Shuhei Yoshida told Edge in an interview about the PlayStation Vita


Sony officially revealed their new handheld console at E3 earlier this year.


Yoshida said that current internet connections mean that it’s not yet time for a console to go digital only. This is despite Sony attempting a download only console with the PSP Go.


“So we believe the time is still not right to go download-only as a platform. Some PS Vita titles, like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, will be close to 4GB in size, which could be too large to download for consumers who do not have a fast broadband connection.”


Yoshida added that some consumers will appreciate being able to go to a retailer and pick up a physical copy of a game.


“Also, some consumers like shopping in retail stores, talking to knowledgeable store clerks, buying and playing games on the spot. We do not want to remove that capability from consumers.”


Sony are also aware that downloads haven’t taken off in every part of the globe.


“There are consumers in parts of the world – this is a global device – where the digital model has not yet fully been embraced,” added SCEE CEO Jim Ryan.


Last month, the Train2Game blog reported that Crytek don’t believe that the industry is ready for digital distribution via cloud gaming.


So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Sony’s remarks about digital distribution? Can you see consoles going download only?


Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.


[Source: Edge via Industry Gamers]