Category Archives: games

Train2Game News StoreFrontSDK

Posted on by

image

Apostrophe Apps, LLC, has released StoreFrontSDK (http://www.StoreFrontSDK.com), a free service and plugin that generates shops within mobile apps where developers and publishers can sell their custom-designed goods and apparel.

StoreFrontSDK is currently powering the SnorgTees mobile app (iOS and Android) and multiple mobile game companies have already committed to use StoreFrontSDK including SparkPlug Games (Plight of the Zombie) and Replay Games (Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded).

StoreFrontSDK offers mobile app developers and publishers of any size an easy way to create, control and sell physical products featuring their intellectual property. Unlike most ad systems where mobile app creators earn a meager trickle of pennies for a few hundred ad clicks, the StoreFrontSDk system allows them to determine – and dynamically adjust – the amount earned for each product sold.

StoreFrontSDK is easy to implement, taking only a few minutes to populate with uniquely branded products and incorporate into a mobile app.

Mobile developers can create a free account at http://www.StoreFrontSDK.com, where they upload designs to create custom gear and popular apparel including T-shirts, hoodies, mugs and phone cases. They then use a few lines of code to create their own button to launch their shop within their app.

After the StoreFrontSDK plugin is implemented in an app, products can be managed through the web site, immediately pushing updates to the live app without costly, time-consuming updates. Product details, prices and even entire shops can be managed across multiple apps from one account, allowing for special promotions or quick responses to sales trends.

Apostrophe Apps handles all of the printing, payment processing, fulfillment and customer support, allowing mobile teams to concentrate on making awesome apps instead of worrying about boxes of products to catalog, store, sort, package and ship.

StoreFrontSDK will soon also support user-generated content (e.g. photos and art uploaded from a mobile device), unlockable content and curated partner products to sell within their shops.
StoreFrontSDK is currently available for Unity at http://www.StoreFrontSDK.com.

Train2Game News Student Overcomes Odds

Posted on by

image

Student won’t let Epilepsy stop him from reaching his goal to be a Video Games Artist and create a successful gaming studio

Aspiring games designer studying with Train2Game won’t let his condition and ‘flashing images’ stop him starting a gaming studio and getting a position as an Artist

Scott is originally from Swansea and now living in Woking, Surrey. The 31 year old is currently studying Art and Animation with Train2Game. Scott was diagnosed with intractable Epilepsy caused by band heterotopia when he was eleven.

Scott Evin William’s mother originally assumed it was flashing images from his Sega Master System that caused his epileptic fits. But after taking away the gaming system, Doctors informed the family this wasn’t the case for his specific condition.

In a twist of fate it could now be gaming that really changes Scott’s life for the better. He’s studying with Train2Game to become a Video Games Developer, has started his own studio and is hoping to get employment at a gaming studio in the future.

Living with Epilepsy

“I had a febrile convulsion when I was three.  At nine I was diagnosed with epilepsy mum took away my Master System 2 because she thought it caused the fits. Thinking it was photosensitive epilepsy with the flashing images but this was not correct.”

“Diagnosed with Epilepsy initially I continued with everyday life, pretty good normal childhood. When I reached a working age it really took more of a chunk out of my life than expected; what I could, and couldn’t do for work.”

“My fits can happen at any time. I was out shopping for food, had a fit and collapsed on the shop floor, but a few minutes later got up and continued on shopping, for me it’s just part of my life. I really just accept its part of my life and my family are very supportive about it, but the most important thing is just accept it, move on and forward.”

Studying with Train2Game

“I started Train2Game at the end of 2010. I pay for the course myself and finances are not a problem, its simple monthly payments.  I aim to be done by the end of next year, hopefully with no personal health issues which have caused time delays in the past.”

“Home study is both challenging and rewarding, making sure to keep good time and also make lots of notes. With the support of tutors it really is a place where if you want to make a career out of games, Train2Game can offer many exclusive help and practical events.”

“There are some very challenging parts in the course where I passed exams but you also have to vigorously go over the course material. With progress comes the experience, there is theory that is important to know but a hands on practical approach is what is encouraged from a Train2Game student”

“The tutors, the administration and the Train2Game staff all keep up a great helpful, positive attitude, very good listeners and give help and guidance needed to keep you focused. Forming into teams means you get more from it by networking with those who are at an advanced stage within the course, it’s a great helping hand.”

“Train2Game gives me a relaxing environment of having the tools and books, even extra software to download and learn for a broader skillset, as a result most of the time its very relaxing and as easy-going or intense as I choose it to be, but as long as I get a lesson done I feel nice and relaxed which is great in any case and with my condition.”

“I have the utmost confidence in the course to take me to art director status and there’s no real reason why I will not pass, I grow more confident with every completed lesson so the end goal is only a matter of time.”

Game Studio

“I created a professional studio called ‘Icebox Games Studio’. Our website I created is http://www.uigames.co.uk created for the students who are designers, artists and developers. The layout of my student studio is based on the fact it might be best working freelance from home, so we all work from different locations.”

“Our primary goal is to create levels or playable games to gain experience and knowledge, we also share opinions and support each other with coursework. My role in the team is generally looking after everyone’s interests. I am team leader but treat everyone as equals, so we all share ideas and opinions.”

“We are looking over various ideas for games and are working on some, I personally work with CryENGINE3, but the team has a varied array of skillsets mostly geared toward Unity 4, meaning when we feel we can create a game that looks good in different formats.”

What’s next

“My dream is to be accredited as Lead Artist or Art Director in the opening credits of a game. That  will be when I have a few games under my belt and feel ready to take on such a great role. What I don’t do is put a stop or limit what I can learn. Long after becoming a qualified Artist and Animator, the path into gaming, it will be my choice of where to stop.”

“I know what I simply cannot do, short of that no, I will never stop wanting to learn and helping out other people. Whatever your goal just ask yourself two questions, what is stopping you and who can help you achieve the ultimate your goal. Nobody with a disability should feel any different, if a course that Train2Game provides appeals to you then go for it.”

Train2Game News Insomnia success in 2014

Posted on by

image

Multiplay, organiser of the UK’s biggest gaming festival, celebrated an outstanding year in 2014, recording a 60% increase in footfall at its Insomnia events against the previous year and cementing its place as the number one gaming festival in the UK.

With an ever growing community of all ages and backgrounds, the Insomnia Gaming Festival experienced its highest ever year of growth with significant increases across the board at all three of its 2014 events. Working with more partners than ever before to expose a variety of brands to its diverse audience, Multiplay also saw record footfall figures with that trend set to continue throughout the new year.

Insomnia54 will be Multiplay’s biggest spring event to-date, taking place on the Easter Bank Holiday weekend (April 3rd-6th 2015). With the show increasing not just in attendance but also footprint at an additional 45% floor space across over 2014, there’s even more great gaming festival fun for Insomnia’s dedicated and growing community.

2014 also witnessed a huge year for Insomnia events online, with over 45m consumers engaged through Twitch, YouTube and Flickr whilst over 1.4m consumers logged on to the official Insomnia website making http://insomniagamingfestival.com a top five gaming destination in the UK, a trend that Multiplay has committed to continuing over the next years’ worth of events.

Multiplay MD Craig Fletcher said: “We’re delighted to have had another incredible year, and we continue to see huge opportunities for growth, not just in our amazing community, but in what we can offer to publishers to showcase their products and partners who want to expose their brands to an engaged audience.”

He continued, “We’ve developed and grown organically to become the UK’s number one destination for fans of gaming culture with our partners, driven by our incredible community, and we’re ready to go even further in 2015 starting with Easter’s Insomnia54.”

For more information on Insomnia54, please visit http://insomniagamingfestival.com.

Train2Game News Windows 10 coming to Raspberry Pi 2

Posted on by

Windows 10 on Raspberry Pi 2Today the Raspberry Pi Foundation announced the retail availability of their new board, the Raspberry Pi 2 and Microsoft are joining the Foundation in also announcing that Windows 10 will support Raspberry Pi 2, which will be free for the Maker community through the Windows Developer Program for IoT later this year.

Recently Terry Myerson took the opportunity to share more details about Windows 10, which will usher in the new generation of Windows. Windows 10 is the first step toward an era of more personal computing. This vision guided the efforts to reimagine Windows for a world that is more mobile, natural and grounded in trust. Windows 10 will inspire and support a broad range of devices – from PCs, tablets and 2-in-1s to phones to Xbox and the Internet of Things.

Microsoft see the Maker community as an amazing source of innovation for smart, connected devices that represent the very foundation of the next wave of computing, and are excited to be a part of this community.

A spokesman from Microsoft said “Last year we took an important step in embracing the Maker movement by creating the Windows Developer Program for IoT and delivering Windows for the Intel Galileo board. We are taking the next step by bringing Microsoft’s leading development tools, services, and ecosystem to the Raspberry Pi community for free through our Windows Developer Program for IoT.”

Raspberry Pi has quickly become one of the Maker community’s favorite platforms because their highly-capable, low-cost boards and compute modules enable developers to bring their vison to life. Raspberry Pi 2 is a surprisingly powerful device that opens up the world of computing and programing to a huge range of people and skill levels.

Microsoft are excited about working with the Raspberry Pi Foundation and to share that Windows 10 will support Raspberry Pi 2. They will be sharing more details about the Windows 10 plans for IoT in the coming months. You can register for the developer program on the Windows Developer Program for IoT site to get the latest information on the Maker efforts.

Train2Game News UK Top 20 Games – 03.02.15

Posted on by

Call of Duty Advanced WarfighterAnother quiet week this week with Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare taking the number one spot back from Grand Theft Auto V. Further down the charts Terraria has entered again at number thirteen following a re-release on Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

All formats

Week ending 31 January 2015

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 CALL OF DUTY: ADVANCED WARFARE ACTIVISION 2
2 GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 1
3 – FIFA 15 EA SPORTS 3
4 – SAINTS ROW IV RE-ELECTED/GAT OUT OF HELL DEEP SILVER 4
5 MINECRAFT: XBOX EDITION MICROSOFT 7
6 – FAR CRY 4 UBISOFT 6
7 CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS ACTIVISION 5
8 ASSASSIN’S CREED: UNITY UBISOFT 12
9 – MINECRAFT: PLAYSTATION EDITION SONY COMPUTER ENT. 9
10 DESTINY ACTIVISION 11
11 THE CREW UBISOFT 10
12 WWE 2K15 2K SPORTS 15
13 TERRARIA XBOX 360 CLASSICS –
14 MIDDLE EARTH: SHADOW OF MORDOR WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 18
15 LEGO BATMAN 3: BEYOND GOTHAM WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 13
16 RUGBY 15 BIG BEN 8
17 DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION EA GAMES 14
18 WATCH DOGS UBISOFT 19
19 ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG UBISOFT 16
20 DISNEY INFINITY 2.0 DISNEY INFINITY –
< previous week
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2015 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.

Train2Game News Stand up for Games Aid returns

Posted on by

image

GamesAid’s sell-out Comedy night, ‘Stand Up for GamesAid’ returns to the world-famous London Comedy Store on May 11th, marking its third year. The previous two years have seen great success as the event has established itself as a favorite in the industry calendar.

Imran Yusuf (Best Newcomer nominee at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010), will emcee the entire night. He began his career in the games industry working for the likes of Midway Games, Eidos and SEGA Europe before departing for the bright lights of showbiz with appearances on The Now Show, The News Quiz and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow.

The full line –up is yet to be announced, but if the last two years are anything to go by, the bill should be nothing short of spectacular and the night is expected to again sell-out in record time.

Tickets stand at £12.50 per person and all proceeds will go towards GamesAid, a organization that harnesses the fundraising potential of the games industry, making yearly donations to UK youth-focused charities.

Tickets are on sale now and can be found at:
https://etickets.thecomedystore.co.uk/WebPages/EntaWebEvent/EventSBAndPrices.aspx

Train2Game News GameBlast15

Posted on by

image

The gamers’ charity, SpecialEffect, is aiming to build on the success of its inaugural GameBlast gaming marathon weekend in 2014 by calling on the UK games industry and gaming community to sign up for GameBlast15 as they look to raise over £100k towards the charity’s work.

The event, the UK’s largest game-based fundraiser, takes place 20-22 February and already has some of the UK’s top games industry names behind it including Jagex, the company behind the hugely successful Runescape. Jagex is SpecialEffect’s original GameBlast partner and last year raised almost £50k for the charity’s work in helping people with disabilities to access video games.

Along with a major marathon stream from Jagex from Friday to Saturday, the UK gaming trade body, UKIE, is supporting the SpecialEffect fundraising effort by hosting GameBlast LIVE, a 24-hour gaming broadcast from its headquarters in London. This will run from Saturday to Sunday.

Dr Jo Twist, SpecialEffect Vice President and CEO of UKIE, explained why she is so keen to get behind the SpecialEffect fundraiser, ‘They [SpecialEffect] were one of the first groups I met when I started my Ukie role in 2012 and I was bowled over by their dedication, their passion and their love. The innovative work they do to enable young people enjoy the games they love is incredibly inspiring. Games and the ability to play can enhance and enrich people’s lives in so many ways and everyone should have the right to play.’

The event, hosted by Matt Cuttle, promises 24 hours of unadulterated gaming and madness as BBC Click presenter and SpecialEffect Vice President, Kate Russell, builds on the £7,500 she raised through her Elite:Dangerous livestream at Christmas by flying a 12 hour Elite marathon alongside other enthusiasts of Frontier’s iconic space travel game. But Kate will be taking a break from space travel to battle it out with Jo Twist using SpecialEffect eye-control technology as they compete live on Twitch for the fastest lap in Codemasters’ popular Dirt 3 motor racing game. 

Kate explained why she has done so much to raise money and awareness of the charity’s work, ‘Ever since I found out about Special Effect a couple of years ago – a charity dedicated to helping those with physical limitations through illness or injury have fun playing computer games – it has been my pleasure and honour to be able to help raise funds and awareness about their tireless and dedicated work’.

If you’d like to join industry names like Jagex, Gamer Network and Multiplay and join hundreds of other gamers across the UK in raising money for SpecialEffect through the GameBlast15 gaming marathon go to:

http://www.specialeffect.org.uk/gameblast-about

Train2Game News Slammed wrestling

Posted on by

image

Choice of Games announced today that their text-based pro-wrestling RPG, “SLAMMED!” is now available on Steam.

The game is entirely text-based-without graphics or sound effects-and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

SLAMMED! is a 250,000-word interactive professional-wrestling novel by Paolo Chikiamco, where your choices determine how the story proceeds. The game is entirely text-based-without graphics or sound effects-but driven by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

In SLAMMED!, you’ve always dreamed of becoming pro wrestling’s biggest star…but the wrestler’s world is fraught with hardship and betrayal, in and out of the ring. Become a powerhouse, a technician, a high-flier, or focus on your promo skills. There’s more than one road to success.

But none of those roads will be easy. This is a world where your biggest fans are your harshest critics; where the front office is more dangerous than the squared circle; where friends can become enemies with a single heel turn; where, sometimes, the only way to win is to lose, spectacularly.

This is professional wrestling. And you’re about to change it, forever.

“Paolo Chikiamco has written an epic,” said Dan Fabulich, co-founder of Choice of Games. “His story conveys love for professional wrestling in a way that even non-fans can appreciate. In pro wrestling, even if the outcomes are scripted, the athletics-and the risks-are real. No one has complete control of what happens, and that’s where wrestling’s mystique lies. Someone might get really angry and turn a scripted match into an unscripted ‘shoot.’ Somebody might get hurt. SLAMMED! is about the blurred lines between reality and ‘kayfabe,’ the industry term for portraying scripted matches as genuine.”

There’s never been a professional wrestling game like this, a game where the outcome of your final match, your choice of opponent, and your relationships affect the ending. When’s the last time you played a pro-wrestling RPG with a “kayfabe” stat?-or where your trash-talking “promo” ability is as important as your core strength and wrestling technique?

                • Enjoy a 250,000-word personal tale of friendship, competition, and revenge.
                • Develop not only your physical abilities, but a favored wrestling style.
                • Become a heroic face, or a villainous heel-or even turn heel.
                • Turn a scripted match into a real fight-and vice versa.
                • Decide when to keep kayfabe, and when to break it.
                • Play as male or female, gay or straight.

It’s available for 26% off during launch week and can be obtained in the following link

http://store.steampowered.com/app/343370/

Train2Game News Syrinscape SoundSet Creator

Posted on by

image

Syrinscape, developer of movie-like sounds for the tabletop gaming experience, including the officially licensed Pathfinder Roleplaying Game SoundPacks, announces today the open call for beta-testers for the new Syrinscape SoundSet Creator, a sound design app that gives the user the power to create and customize fantastic sound effects, environments, soundscapes, and music.

The Syrinscape SoundSet Creator is a massively powerful, but easy to use, sound-design tool, available on PC and Mac. With a user-friendly interface, the SoundSet Creator puts all of the sliders, dials, parameters, settings, and other functions that are used in-house by Syrinscape, now in the hands of the public.

Participants in the SoundSet Creator open beta event will have complete access to the SoundSet Creator app, and will be able to import their own sounds and meld them together to make their own unique creations, for the entire month of February. Participants will also receive access within the Creator to the four free pre-made SoundSets – Bugbear Battle, Witchwood, Blaster Battle, and Shipboard – with which they can experiment. The four SoundSets, along with any sounds users create, will be theirs to keep after the beta closes on February 28, 2015.

“The SoundSet Creator is a fantastic sound-design tool, not only for tabletop gamers, but also for teachers, filmmakers, musicians, sound engineers, and so on,” says Benjamin Loomes, creator of Syrinscape. “The possibilities are endless, and we can’t wait to hear about the fun and unique sounds the community comes up with!”

To sign-up for the event, and to receive the four free SoundSets, visit Syrinscape.com.

Train2Game News Design an Adventure Time character

Posted on by

image

World-wide video game publisher, Little Orbit, announces a “Design an Adventure Time Character Contest” and challenges fans of the hit Cartoon Network series to create their very own Adventure Time character with the winning design appearing in the next soon-to-be-announced Adventure Time console video game.

Beginning January 27th, fans can submit their artwork and short character description, for a shot at joining Finn, Jake, Princess Bubblegum, Marceline, Ice King and all their favorite Adventure Time characters on their next epic video game adventure.

WHAT: Design a new Adventure Time character for the next soon-to-be announced Adventure Time video game published by Little Orbit.

WHEN: January 27, 2015 – February 17, 2015

GRAND PRIZE: The winning design will appear in the next Adventure Time video game!

HOW: Email your design in a .jpg file no larger than 5MB to atcontest@littleorbit.com and include name, birth date (must be 13 years or older to win), address, phone number, email address and a two sentence character description. You must be a legal resident of the United States to be eligible. The winning character and artist will be announced on the Little Orbit Facebook page in early March.

For complete details and contest rules, please visit http://www.littleorbit.com/atcontest.html