Category Archives: games

Mojang’s Scrolls to follow same release strategy as Minecraft

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Regular Train2Game blog readers will be highly aware of the success of indie game Minecraft, as well as its huge following among Train2Game forum users.

Some of them have been there since they purchased Minecraft when it was in Alpha, or in its current Beta form, and Mojang have revealed that their next game, Scrolls, will follow the same pattern.

“With our new game, Scrolls, we’ll follow the same formula as Minecraft,” said Mojang’s Daniel Kaplan while speaking at GameLab in Barcelona.  “That means we’ll release the game very early, at the minimal playable state.”

That means people will pay for it, play it, and give feedback from a very early stage, in essence, almost asking like a QA Tester. Kaplan also revealed that Scrolls has a five person development team.

“That sounds like a small team, but it’s very big for us. One thing that means is we’re going to have to outsource art,” he added.

As reported by the Train2Game blog earlier this month, Minecraft for the Xbox 360 IS being developed by Dundee based 4J Studios, and Kaplan says it’ll be quite different to the PC version.

“I don’t think we can have the exact same experience because of the lack of a keyboard, so we’re going to do a complete overhaul of the user interface, and make sure it works on a 360 controller.”

Kaplan also commented on the prospect of Mojang publishing games by other indie studios, something the Train2Game blog revealed the developer was thinking of last month.

“We’re looking for people with a similar structure [to Mojang],” he said. “People who are very passionate about what they’re doing. We’re also looking for games that last longer, and treat games as a service, like Minecraft does.”

“And of course, [they need to have] passion,” he added. “A lot of people join the game industry because of passion, but you should also learn that that’s what it takes to stay there.”

That last statement could describe many Train2Game students who are very passionate about finding work in the games industry.

So Train2Game, what do you think of Scrolls release structure? Will it mirror the success of Minecraft? And will you be jumping in straight away?

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

[Source: Gamasutra]

Freemium ‘As Profitable As A Console Game’ say EA

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As something that Train2Game students may get involved with in future, it’s interesting that Free-to-play games can be as profitable as regular console games. That’s according to EA Games label head Frank Gibeau

“We’re aggressively investing in things that are very low cost like free-to-play,” said. “The free-to-play group inside of EA Games is growing extremely fast – we’ve got 17 million users.” He told GamesIndustry.biz.

“Frankly when they get to scale, have huge audiences, are very profitable, they’re not cannibalizing the main games and they actually reach markets that we’re not currently serving. With Need for Speed World, Russia and Brazil are number one and two – the Ukraine is in there too. I can’t sell packaged goods in those territories.”

The free to play Need for Speed World now has over 5 million registered users, with Micro-transactions providing the game’s income.

“But I’m reaching an audience with Need for Speed content. It’s an engine that’s not as advanced as Frostbite 2 but it’s certainly got great production values and great game designs, and it’s free-to-play with micro-transactions. It’s a very exciting time from our perspective because it’s not all about consoles. It’s about smartphones, tablets, free-to-play, browser, social,” added Gibeau.

The free-to-play model has already established itself as a successful mode for social media titles, as reported by the Train2Game blog earlier this week.

Train2Game students who want an in-depth look at how developing a free-to-play title could bring them success should see this previous post on the Train2Game blog

So Train2Game, do you think it’s possible for free-to-play titles to become as profitable as console games? Is it a development model you’d consider pursuing?

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

[Source: GamesIndustry.biz]

Train2Game Game Design student Chris Robinson speaks about his work placement at DR Studios

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Train2Game Game Design student Chris Robinson spent 8 weeks on a work placement at DR Studios. Before he left, Train2Game Radio caught up with him to find how he found the placement and whichs kills learned through Train2Game he’s used at DR Studios. The interview is available to listen to at www.audioboo.fm/train2game while the full transcript is below.

You can also find out a previous Train2Game placement student at DR Studios, Robin Channon, got on here on the Train2Game blog. Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Jonathon Robinson Train2Game work placement experience video diary No.1

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Train2Game Game Designer Jonathon Robinson recently joined DR Studios as part of the Train2Game industry experience placement programme.

In his first placement experience diary, Jonathon and Train2Game incubator scheme and Art & Animation student William Alexander discuss his initial impressions of working in the game industry.

Watch the video, produced voluntary by Jonathon, below and leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Disclaimer: views expressed in the video are those of the person expressing them, and not of Train2Game or DR Studios.

Allies & Empires gains more users than Farmville

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Just last week, the Train2Game blog reported that Zynga’s Empires & Allies had reached 33 million users. Now the game has passed 41 million players, meaning that more people are playing Empires & Allies than are playing Farmville.

It provides a reminder to Train2Game students as to how big a phenomenon social media gaming has become.

Empires & Allies is free-to-play, but like many other Zynga and social media games, players can spend money to help them progress faster. And as noted by Venture Beat:

“If the game continues to get users, it could reach a much bigger audience than a hardcore game would typically get.”

“The combat strategy element will address the tastes of hardcore gamers as well as many mainstream gamers who have complained that there isn’t enough game play in Zynga’s other games, such as FarmVille.”

As the Train2Game blog reported earlier this year, a survey suggested that 70% of internet users play casual games. Social games are therefore potentially a lucrative market forTrain2Game students to be involved in.

Indeed, the Train2Game blog also reported that Game Design  is the most important aspect of a social game, and that Game Designers behind them much larger roles than those who help produce console titles.

If the popularity of Empires & Allies keeps growing, could it reach the 100 million player peak that the Train2Game blog reported Cityville had?

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Empires & Allies? Have you played it? Could it potentially appeal to a more hardcore audience then previous Zynga games?

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

[Source: Venture Beat]

Dark Souls contest could see Train2Game students get their names in game credits

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Train2Game Art & Animation students have the chance to see their work appear in the upcoming Dark Souls thanks to a competition from Namco Bandai.

They’re giving fans the opportunity to design a shield that’ll be included in Dark Souls following its release for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in October this year. It’s a great opportunity for Train2Game Art & Animation students to get their names into the credits of a Triple-A title.

To enter, interested Train2Game students need to ‘like’ the Dark Souls Facebook page then create a shield design using one of the three templates provided.

You have until 13th July to submit your designs after which the top ten will be decided by a week of voting from the community.  The top ten designs for each template will then be sent to game developers From Software who will pick the three winners for use in the game.

Of course, there’s nothing stopping any Train2Game student from entering the Dark Souls competition! But it’s probably something that’s more suited to the Train2Game Art & Animation students.

For more information about the Dark Souls design contest, see the the Dark Souls Facebook page. You can also ‘like’ the official Train2Game Facebook page.

Dark Souls is scheduled for release on 7th October for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

So Train2Game, will you enter the contest? Could you see such a competition as a way of trying to get into the game industry?

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

[Source: Dark Souls Facebook Page]

Train2Game student team game Postal Panic released for iPad this week

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Horizon Studios, an independent developer comprising entirely of students on Train2Game courses, will soon release their internally developed touch screen puzzle game Postal Panic for iPad on the Apple App Store. The game will be free for the first three weeks.

 Train2Game is pleased to announce that following the first three weeks, 50% of the revenue from the game will be going to the ‘Princes Trust’

Postal Panic is the fun postcode delivering game developed by Train2Game students. Your job is simple; deliver the parcels to the postcodes as quickly as you can.

As the Parcels come down the conveyor belt, you need to deliver them to the postcode displayed on the Postal Scanner 7000; you need to do this before they hit the bottom, as this will damage the parcels and Postal Paul will get fined. Too many fines and you’re in for the sack!

Features

• Accurate map of the UK postal code system

• Simple, intuitive touch &swipe game controls

• Single or Multiplayer with up to 4 players

• Addictively fun puzzle game play and scoring

• Learn the Post Code areas of the UK and impress your friends & family

For updates on Postal Panic head to the official website at http://postalpanic.horizonstudios.co.uk/ 

Postal Panic is set for release on the iPad, and available from the iTunes App store, from Thursday 30th June.

Postal Panic was developed by Train2Game student team Horizon Studios as part of the Train2Game Christmas Competition 2010.

To play more games developed by Train2Game students, visit the official Train2Game Game Jam website, where all the games developed during the 48 hour event are available for free.

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

Train2Game Radio interview with Art & Animation student Dave Higgins

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In our latest interview, we speak to and Train2Game Art & Animation student Dave Higgins.

Train2Game Radio caught up with Dave to find out why he chose to study with Train2Game, how he’s finding the course and what he wants to achieve in a career in the games industry.

Listen at www.audioboo.fm/train2game. Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.