Train2Game Game Designer Craig Moore has been on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry diaries, Craig discusses the importance of QA testing and how life in a game development studio is treating him.
Read what Craig has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
Train2Game student Laurence Gee has been given a full-time job by independent studio Brain in a Jar following a successful Train2Game work placement.
Read his thank you post below, or on the Train2Game Scribd page. You can also read Laurence’s previous Train2Game student placement diaries.
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students will be aware of the significance of the iPad and how Apple has changed the games industry.
Not only has it provided indie developers with the opportunity to release games, but bigger, more established studios are also seeing its benefits.
Telltale games are one such studio, last month seeing 30% of their revenue come from the sale of iOS titles, and now CEO Dan Connors says they’re planning to focus more resources on iPad game development.
“The tablet is super interesting to us because we believe the style of content we build is perfect for the form factor,” he told Gamasutra.
“The fact that Apple has been able to get such a powerful tablet out there with a big install base makes it the obvious place to focus.”
Telltale games available in Apple’s app store include episodic titles Back to the Future, Sam & Max, Monkey Island and Hector: Badge of Carnagae.
And the studio CEO praised Apple’s global appeal and commented that the App store is an excellent way of getting games in front of a wide audience.
“What we’re seeing is you have access to a worldwide audience. There seems to be a real proliferation of these devices across the world,” he said.
“And the app store is so easy for people to purchase from. You can get your products to market really quickly and get them in front of people really quickly. There’s a good diverse audience – which is really good for the content that we do.”
Train2Game student Georgij Cernysiov has already seen his own iPad title released through the app store, while Train2Game student team Horizon Studios released Postal Panic for iPad earlier this year.
Train2Game students have also contributed to the development of DR Studios’ Bug Wings for iPhone and iPad. All of these show that producing iPad games could potentially be a great way for Train2Game students to get their games on the market.
And as previously reported by the Train2Game blog, Apple could potentially continue to revolutionise the games industry.
So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Telltale’s move towards more focus on iPad development? Is it something more developers will do? Would you focus on developing games for Apple devices?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: Gamasutra]
Train2Game students will no doubt be familiar with the highly successful Uncharted series for PlayStation 3.
Now, with game number three on the horizon, Naughty Dog look to be pushing towards the release of yet another technically impressive and critically acclaimed game.
And while Train2Game students may expect the Uncharted 3 to have been meticulously planned before development starts, it appears it isn’t the case.
“We start with a short description, but then we do make up a lot of it as we go along. I think that’s very important.” Uncharted 3 Lead Game Designer Richard Lemarchand told GamesIndustry.biz during an in-depth interview.
He revealed that Uncharted 3 uses a storyboarding technique similar to Toy Story and Cars creators Pixar, which doesn’t begin with a script, but animation.
“I attended a story seminar by one of the story artists at Pixar last year, and he told us that Pixar make their films in the same way: they don’t have a script when they start; they do lots of brainstorming, and they work up ideas, and they do lots of drawing, and they start to make animatics, which are like little rough-cut movies.” said Lemarchand.
The Naughty Dog game designer explained that the story evolves from this system, which is flexible enough for things to change if needed.
“So they discover the key moments of their movies that way, and over time the detailed structure of what they’re making emerges.”
“It kind of appears by them working at it and working at it. That’s good, because it means you don’t over commit to something that might be wrong, or not entertaining or interesting enough.” he said.
Train2Game students interested in how Uncharted 3’s script is written and performed should check out this behind the scenes look on the Train2Game blog.
Uncharted 3 for PlayStation 3 is set for release on 2nd November, with the Train2Game blog previously reporting that Sony believe it’ll ‘show a new level in 3D gaming’
So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the production behind Uncharted 3? Are you surprised it isn’t precisely planned? And how do you go about planning to build games?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: GamesIndustry.biz]
Train2Game students will need to stand out both in ability, and as a character, in ordered to get noticed in the games industry. This could include wearing a silly hat.
That’s according to comments made by Gears of War 3 creator Cliff Bleszinski about what game developers need to do to make a name for themselves.
“It’s not always easy for the majority of them, but the best thing you can do for your career is to be an actual name as opposed to just, and I hate to say it, a gear in the machine,” he told Develop.
And the Gears of War 3 man recognises that you have to be good at what you do, but it’s also important to make yourself a little distinctive.
“First and foremost, make a great game but also have a personality. Be the guy with the hip glasses, with the one gauge earring and the gamer tattoo all the way to the sleeves with a skateboard. Stand out,” he said.
“Be a person, be a brand. Just do something so that people know who you are. Have an online presence more than ever. Understand social channels.”
Many Train2Game students will already know about Twitter, and how some can use it to aid in their success. Train2Game also has its own Twitter account.
Bleszinski use’s creator of Minecraft – a hugely popular game on the Train2Game forum – Markus ‘Notch’ Persson as an example of a developer using alternative means to make a name for themselves.
“He’s got over 300,000 followers and he has the hat. Clearly the guy gets a certain amount of the branding right, he’s got the cool nickname, he’s got the hat he wears everywhere. You spot him and know what he looks like. He’s an example like Jon Blow.” said the Epic Design Director.
The Develop interview – which Train2Game students can read here – should make interesting reading for Train2Game students, with Cliff Bleszinski also discussing development behind the Gears of War series.
So Train2Game, what do you think of Bleszinski’s comments? Is it important for game developers to be distinctive to stand out above the crowd?? Would you consider wearing a funny hat to be recognised?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: Develop]
Train2Game students will be aware of the importance of testing games during development, and the significance of this is already being displayed in the Battlefield 3 Open Beta.
According to the Battlefield blog, the feedback from players is providing useful information to developers DICE when it comes to improving the game.
“The amounts of people flocking to our Open Beta is fantastic! We are happy to see so many players enjoy this Open Beta, and giving us their valuable feedback on the experience on the Battlelog forums,” the blog post says.
Train2Game students can see the Battlefield 3 blog for a full rundown of the changes that have been made as a result of testing during the Open Beta, and DICE say they’ll be updating the blog with further tweaks they make as more people provide them with feedback about Battlefield 3.
The Battlefield 3 beta for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC runs through to October 10th, and Train2Game students who wish to get involved can find out how to do so here on the Train2Game blog.
It could provide Train2Game students, especially those on the QA Tester course, with experience of properly testing a game in development.
So Train2Game, are you involved with the Battlefield 3 beta? Have you spotted any bugs? How important do you think this Open Beta is to the development of the game?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: Battlefield blog]
Train2Game blog readers probably won’t be too surprised, but FIFA 12 has shot to No.1 in its debut week on sale, becoming the third biggest ever UK game launch ever.
It overtakes the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV and only the previous two Call of Duty titles have enjoyed bigger first week sales. FIFA 12 takes top spot from last weeks’ chart topper Gears of War 3.
Regular Train2Game blog readers will be used to seeing the FIFA name in the charts, with the previous title in the series, FIFA 11, still in the UK charts top ten as recently as last month.
The success of FIFA 12 sees F1 2011 from Codemasters slip one spot to No.3, ahead of non-mover and previous long time chart topper Zumba Fitness at No.4. Meanwhile, another former No.1 in the form of Dead Island drops to No.5 in its fourth week on sale.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution slides one to No.6, sitting one spot ahead of the PlayStation 3 exclusive new entry Ico & Shadow of the Colossus HD remake bundle.
UK developed Driver: San Francisco slips to No.8, LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean remains at No.9, while Call of Duty: Black Ops once again re-enters the top ten.
X-Men: Destiny from Activision enters the charts at No.18 in its first week on sale.
The UKIE Gfk Chart-Track All Formats Top 10 for the week ending 1st October 2011 is therefore as follows:
Releases this week include Dark Souls and RAGE. Train2Game students can find out more about RAGE from id Software in the Train2Game interview with Creative Director Tim Willits.
What are your thoughts on the success of FIFA 12? Will it remain a big seller for almost a year, like its predecessor? Can Dark Souls or RAGE knock it from No.1?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: UKIE Games Charts©, compiled by GfK Chart-Track]
Train2Game students who go onto work on Triple-A titles will need to be ready to develop whole game franchises. At least that’s the case if id Software Creative Director Tim Willits.
“You need to make a franchise, especially for us. We’re doing everything we can to turn it into a franchise, “please let it sell so we can make another one!” he told GamesIndustry.biz.
And Willits said they needed to make sure the story was deep enough to do this from the start.
“Even from the beginning when we talked about the story and the setting, we said we need to make it rich, we need to have deep environment,”
“We have the comic books that we’ve used to support the game, we have the book we use to support the game, the iPhone – heck, the whole iPhone game was about Bash TV, which is only a ten minute experience in the overall game.” said id Software Creative Director.
He suggests that the RAGE franchise could even expand to include mobile and social games.
“So we definitely, from the get go, planned to make this a much bigger franchise, a much richer world, that allows us to have different games, and we can make more mobile games, heck, we could make a social game with Rage if we wanted to. And hopefully we can make a Rage 2. Hopefully.”
In an his in-depth interview with GI.biz, Willits handed out advice to those looking to get into the games industry: make sure you create things and finish them.
“If you want to make levels, make levels in you spare time, all the time. If you want to be an artist you always have to be drawing. If you want to be a programmer you need to make small apps. You have to have a passion to do it for free if you ever want to really get paid for it.” he said.
It’s very similar to the advice Willits gave Train2Game students about how to get into the games industry in an interview with the Train2Game blog last month.
So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Willits comments? Does new IP need to be considered a franchise from its inception? Or can games still be one offs?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: GI.biz]
Train2Game blog readers may have read our post earlier this week in which Star Wars: The Old Republic project lead James Ohlen said playtesting is a very important part of game development.
Well it seems that he isn’t the only one. Thatgamecompany, the indie studio behind Flower and the upcoming Journey, recently spoke to Gamasutra, with founder Kellee Santiago revealing playtesting is an integral part of their game development
“We are exploring different emotions in game design. If you were to have this emotion of, “I want it to feel joyous but slightly sad,” and you go to an artist, the artist can probably bang out some art in a couple days, some concept art that has those feelings.”
“You go to a composer and you say that, and they can probably do it in half a day, write out a tune that has joyous but slightly sad.” said Santiago.
And while sound and art & animation style can be tested relatively quickly, the Thatgamecompany founder believes that playtesting is the only way to get a good feel of game design concepts.
“You go to a game designer and say, “I want to feel game mechanics that are joyous and slightly sad,” there’s no real defined process for it, other than making something and having other people play it, and finding out if that’s right or not” she said.
“And it’s just a longer process, and it is because it is still so new, I think. Prototyping and playtesting is just so necessary to the craft right now.” Santiago concluded.
Of course, it isn’t only game developers and QA Testers who playtest games, with open beta becoming increasingly popular. As reported by the Train2Game blog, the Battlefield 3 beta begins today, while Valve’s Chet Faliszek also told us that testing is a hugely important part of game development.
So Train2Game, how important do you believe playtesting is to game design? Will there every be a defined process of testing game design concepts?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: Gamasutra]
Train2Game students may be aware that many MMO titles are switching to a free-to-play model, one wherein revenue is made by microtransactions rather than monthly subscription fees.
However, while many games in the genre are going free-to-play, the upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic – scheduled for release in December – is going to stick to the traditional pay monthly model.
And while many developers are switching to free-to-play, SWTOR developers Bioware believe that gamers will always be willing to pay a subscription fee for a quality product.
“I think there will always be a place for premium content at a premium price and that’s one of the differences,” Bioware co-founder Greg Zeschuk told Industry Gamers.
“Free to play is very much about trial, about ‘Hey, I don’t know what this is, I don’t have confidence that it’s any good, but I’m willing to take a look at it,’ versus ‘I know this is good, from a trusted source, and it’s the biggest license in the world.’ So it’s a different value proposition,” he said.
Fellow Bioware co-founder Ray Muzyka believes that increased competition from free-to-play titles is good for the games industry.
“There’s more competition for entertainment dollars now than ever before from social and play for free, and all sorts of entertainment, which I think is actually really healthy from an entertainment industry perspective”
However, he agrees with Zeschuk in that the subscription model will remain popular, but the games have to be worth it.
“But I agree with Greg that there’s a space for a certain number of premium products that are subscription based or whatever the premium pricing model is. But they have to merit it, they have to earn that from a consumer trust perspective and delivering and exceeding expectations.” said Muzyka.
Of course, he believes that Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of these games.
“I think The Old Republic is definitely in that triple-A premium category. That’s the feedback reading from the players and data testing.”
Earlier this week, the Train2Game blog reported on the importance of playtesting in the development of Star Wars: The Old Republic.
For an in-depth look at the development of SWTOR, read the Train2Game interview with Associate Lead Game Designer Emmanuel Lusinchi
So Train2Game, do you believe the subscription model for MMO still has a future ahead of it? Or will free-to-play titles become the dominant force?
Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
[Source: Industry Gamers]
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