Category Archives: games

Analyst predicts “blowout” quarter for Activision

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Train2Game blog Activision logo image

The fact Activision will make a lot of money isn’t a surprise to Train2Game students, but the publisher will make an larger revenue this quarter than originally predicted.  That’s according to Analyst Cowen and Company who have raised their original estimations from $4.58 billion to $4.77 billion.

“We expect strong sales of Call of Duty: Black Ops and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm to drive a blowout quarter.”

Regular readers of the Train2Game blog may remember how both of these Activision published games have been very, very successful. Call of Duty: Black Ops was the biggest selling game in the UK during 2010, while World of Warcraft: Cataclysm sold 4.7 million copies worldwide in its first month.

These figures mean Cowen and Company have altered their predictions, increasing them up to $4.77 billion.  And Cowen’s Doug Creutz doesn’t think it’ll stop there:

“We believe that despite some challenges, Activision can grow earnings in FY11, based on continued growth from the Call of Duty franchise and likely new output from Blizzard.”

He also added that ‘modest’ income from True Crime: Hong Kong will help contribute a little to Activisions’ profits.

Cowen’s predictions for the next year assume Diablo III and StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm will be released during the 2011 financial year.  Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty was another big seller for Activision during 2010, shifting 3 million copies during its first month on sale.

Activision reveals its results for Q4 1010 on February 9th.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the predictions on the estimated revenue of Activision? Well deserved for publishing a number of great games over the year? Or do you think they’re become too big and too successful?

Or do you just think the whole estimate by Cowen and Company is completely obvious anyway?

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: GamesIndustry.biz]

The 1st Train2Game Game Jam – Event Details

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Train2Game Game Jam Long Image

Train2Game, in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire and DR Studios, is hosting a 48 hour Game Jam. Bringing both students and non-students together for a weekend for a common goal – to make a great game.

The Train2Game Game Jam will take place from the evening of Friday 25th through to Sunday 27th March.

If you like a challenge, and want to come together with other talented individuals this could be a perfect opportunity to push your skills and challenge your way of working. Participants will work concurrently along with industry professionals around a central theme, and you will have 48 hours to create a game.

If all goes well we will see some experimental prototypes that teams can continue to work on after the Jam. Many games developed in jams have become fully published games.

The Jam is Open Source, hardware and software agnostic and all projects are protected under a Creative Commons License. We encourage people to try out new ideas and push themselves within reason, everyone needs to eat and sleep and stay at their best!

More details about the Train2Game Game Jam are below and you can keep up to date with it on the Game Jam event page on Facebook.

Dates: 6pm Friday 25th March 2011 to 6pm Sunday 27th March 2011 (48 Hours)
Location: University of Bedfordshire

Format: Teams of 2 to 6 members
Participants: Existing Train2Game students (limited number), Non Train2Game students
Existing members of the games development industry are excluded from this event.
Age Limit: 17+

Cost: Free for existing Train2Game students
£35 per person for non Train2Game students
Provided: Bag, t-shirt plus extras (TBC) for every participant

Train2Game Game Jam FAQ

Do I have to be in a team already or can I come on my own?
The game jam is open to pre-organised teams and individuals alike. If you’re attending as an individual then one of our game jam crew will help you into a team that fits your skills as a programmer, artist or designer. On most game jams 50% of the participants are attending as individuals so it’s not uncommon.

Do I have to bring my own computer?
No. The University of Bedfordshire has kindly donated enough lab space to house everyone that wants to take part in the event. The computers in the lab are more than capable of running all the latest software required for modern games development. If you want to bring your own computer/laptop the university will clear some space in each lab for you to use, however, your computer will need to be PAT tested (safety check) before we will allow it into the event.

What software is commonly used?
Because of the short time scales there isn’t any option to be elaborate. Commonly games are built in Game Maker, Unity, Flash, HTML or XNA. The focus is on games design and game play rather than the excessive use of technology.

Do I need to have done a game jam before?
Not at all. The process under which the game jam is run is pretty straight forward, all you need to do is to be able to code, draw or design … and stay awake

Do I need to stay for the full 48 hours?
It is possible to come and go from the event once we have announced the theme and the jam has started although you need to discuss this with your team members right at the beginning, so they understand you’re going to not be there for a period and therefore are not relying on you for something in the time you’re not there.

What facilities are there for sleeping and eating?
There will be a quiet room set aside for sleeping. You need to bring a sleeping bag or quilt to use, as these are not provided. Food is provided at both the venue and in the area surrounding the University.

Can I bring a non-participating friend with me?
Yes. If you have friends or family that would like to attend and watch what’s going on and learn a little more about games development that’s fine.

What happens to the games at the end?

The games are made available for download for free on the internet.

How do I register?

Registration is not open just yet. Watch the forums, Facebook page and Twitter for the announcement that registration is open and how to register.

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Zombie Cow on balancing creativity and commercial viability of indie games

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Time Gentelmen Please Train2Game blog image

Many Train2Game students have pooled their resources and set up their own game development studios. These keen Train2Game students – who are already developing their own games – may find what one UK independent developer has told GamesIndustry.biz very interesting indeed.

Dan Marshall of Zombie Cow spoke about how indie developers need to find a good balance between making a game not only creative, but commercially viable enough for the game developers to make an income from it.

“You’ve got to walk a tightrope between what you want to do and what you have to,” Marshall said in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz . “You’ve got to make stuff that people want, and you’ve got to make stuff that you want to make.”

Speaking about Zombie Cows recently cancelled sequel to indie hit Time Gentlemen, Please! He said

“It’d be lovely to make another adventure game, but that’s probably not going to bring in enough cash to keep me doing what I’m doing.”

“If you look at the big games from the last couple of years or so, it’s been Super Meat Boy and Limbo and Braid and that sort of stuff. Should I be making things along those lines, because there’s obviously a market for those? Then suddenly you start to sound very boring, but it’s the reality of it.”

It sounds like a question many Train2Game student developers may have to ask themselves. There are plenty of great ideas out there, but when it comes down to it an independent game needs to be successful enough to bring the game development team an income.

Marshall also explains how not enjoying producing the game was on of the reasons development on the title was stopped:

“I wasn’t enjoying making Revenge of The Balloon-Headed Mexican and that’s one of the main reasons that it ground to a halt. If I wasn’t inspired by it, how could I expect anyone else to be? It would have been a really good game, I just don’t think it would have as good as Time Gentlemen, Please! and that’s the core of why it was cancelled.

“You’ve got to make stuff that you want to make because you’re the one sitting there typing for 12 hours a day making it, but you’ve got to make something that other people want as well in some capacity.”

That last point is some good advice for Train2Game students. They need to ask themselves if they don’t enjoy their game, is it possible for the consumer to do so?

Of course that isn’t to say a creative and innovative independent game can’t be successful! Just look at Train2Game favourite Minecraft ,which recently passed over 1 million sales. You can read much more about Minecraft and the reasons behind its success on the Thoughts of Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts about needing to find a balance between being commericial and being creative? Do you think its something you’ll need to apply to your games? Or in future are you willing to take a risk developing a game that’s very creative, but isn’t guaranteed to sell very well?

As usual you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: GamesIndustry.biz – log in required]

Train2Game launches computer game QA course!

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Train2Game has officially launched the brand new Train2Game Quality Assurance course. The course, created by games developer DR Studios, is the fourth Train2Game course, and is available from 7th February 2011.

The QA course will teach students the many complex steps involved in the QA process, and its symbiotic relationship with the game development challenge as a whole. Methodologies, tools, processes and structures all form integral components within the course. The QA course is conceived and taught by industry experienced QA veterans who continue to push the boundaries of computer game development in today’s market.

Unique to the games industry, the QA course represents a ground breaking-induction model that has been specifically developed to support games development and the QA process of any technology oriented business. This course will provide students with not only specific games-related skills but also techniques that are transferable to other industries and business sectors.

Modules within the course range from basic QA through localisation, working with hardware manufacturers, focus group tests, planning test sessions and managing QA teams. Successful completion of this course will equip students with the knowledge and skills that today’s games industry demands from its QA specialists.

Students study at home and can progress at their own pace during the course, so there is no need to give up current work commitments. They have’ hands-on’ practical time with industry tutors and a full support service is available seven days a week by phone or email. On completion, students will be awarded a Train2Game Quality Assurance Diploma.

Course Director, Tony Bickley of DR Studios, added, “There are many passionate gamers out there who would like to turn their enthusiasm into a living, and our new QA course is a great way of providing them with the skills and knowledge required to work in this exciting industry.”

As usual, you can leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

42% of all Kinect games sold made in UK

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Developing motion controlled games may not be something Train2Game students have thought much about, but new figures say UK developers produce a significant number of these titles.

Figures from GFK Chart Track reveal that 42% of all Kinect games sold in the UK were also developed in Britain.  The best selling game for Kinect so far is Kinect Sports, developed by Warwickshire based studio Rare.  The game accounts for 28% of all KiNECT sales over the last ten weeks.

UK Game Developers now also hold a significant share of the PlayStation Move games sold, with 30% of software sales coming from software produced by studios here.

The FIGURES come from UKIE’s Motion Controller Report which looks at sales of Kinect, PlayStation Move and Wii Motion Plus games since October 2010.

“The array of strong products that our home-grown, UK talent is producing is something we can all be proud of.” said UKIE Chairman Michael Rawlinson

“This just shows how our UK developer base remains one of the best in the world, and can continue to step up to the plate as the market develops and platforms evolve.”

UKIE also point out that the current best selling game in the UK – as reported by the Train2Game blog – is LittleBigPlanet 2 from Guildford based studio Media Molecule.

Train2Game blog readers will know that the Kinect has sold extremely well.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on these sales figures? Had you considered developing motion controller based games before? Will you think about it now?

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source:  CVG]

Train2Game blog student interview #4: Games Artist & Animator Daniel Jackson

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In the fourth of the Train2Game blog student interviews, we talk to Train2Game Artist & Animator Daniel Jackson (AKA MrGrey on the Train2Game forum) He tells us why he decided to take a Train2Game course, a bit about himself and how he feels about the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game blog: Hi Daniel, why did you choose to study with Train2Game?

Train2Game Artist Daniel: I looked around for a while but kept finding courses that asked for over £20,000.  I saw an advertisement in the back of a magazine for Train2Game which made me look it up on the internet. I have looked at other distance learning courses before but never found one that didn’t ask for an insane amount of money for the work to be sent to you. After doing the research I decided to contact Train2Game for more information and it went from there.

Train2Game blog: Which Train2Game course did you decide to take and why?

Train2Game Artist Daniel: This has been a bit of a pipe dream for me for many years but never in a million years did I think I would be acting on it. I made my first animation on the trusty Amiga 1200, it had spaceships and buildings and took an entire night and most of the morning to render 30 seconds as it was one of the first type of 3d animations although very basic 3D. I originally started out on the Train2Game Game Designer course, I wanted to be involved in games development in any way I could. However, once the Train2Game Artist & Animation course became available, I immediately switched as this is what I wanted to do from the beginning.

Train2Game blog: What were you doing before you started your Train2Game course?

Train2Game Artist Daniel: Dreaming of either being a games developer or being Steven Spielberg! I was – and I’m still doing – my day job with little spurts of gaming and arty stuff in between. Messing about with computers in any way shape or form was just something I would do with my spare time. It’s taken me nearly 20 years to actually do something that I want to do and not something that I have to do! It’s a big step.

Train2Game blog: How are you finding balancing the Train2Game course with the rest of your life?

Train2Game Artist Daniel: It can be hard sometimes, especially if you’re working a fulltime job and unfortunately my job requires me to bring my work home with me from time to time which is a bit of a pain. I’ve recently freed up some extra time for Train2Game so I have a new focus to get on with the work that matters to me. For me doing the coursework is not a chore it’s a pleasure.

Train2Game blog: What has been your favourite part of the Train2Game course so far?

The highlight for me was when I realised that I’m actually doing something that I have dreamt about most of my life!

The thought that I was actually physically going towards actual involvement in making games was life changing and I can only hope that it continues. Meeting the people that are on the Train2Game forum is another. I’ve been on other forums before but none as close and friendly as the Train2Game forum. It’s a very welcoming place and I have met many interesting people who I enjoy chatting to and enjoy interacting with.

I’m so excited about seeing the Train2Game students develop and gain more experience as they go on, it gives me a little tingle knowing that someday I’ll hopefully be a part of a team that started out as a concept on Train2Game forum I feel so proud to be a part of it.

You can see the previous Train2Game blog interview with Games Artist & Animator here. You can also check out more Train2Game student interviews on the Thoughts of Train2Game blog

UK Charts: LittleBigPlanet 2 debuts at Number 1

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LittleBigPlanet 2, the almost essential game for Train2Game students, has climbed to the top of the UK Charts on just its first week on sale.

LittleBigPlanet 2 was released on Friday and has proved popular amongst the Train2Game Facebook community. It marks Media Molecules’ first ever GFK Chart-Track All formats Number 1, and trumps the original games highest position of Number 4 when it was released towards the end of 2008.

The PlayStation 3 exclusive has not only been more popular in its first week than that of its original, but has already smashed the online user count of LittleBigPlanet 2.

The other big release of the week was the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2 which means the EA title climbs to Number 7 in this weeks chart.

LittleBigPlanet2s rise to Number 1 means Call of Duty: Black Ops drops to Number 2.  That prevents the Activision giant from equalling Modern Warfare 2s total of eight weeks at Number 1…at least for now.

Elsewhere in the chart, Just Dance 2 remains in Number 3 while FIFA 11 drops two places to Number 4.  Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood moves up two to Number 5, Wii Fit Plus drops two to Number 6, while as mentioned above, Mass Effect 2 takes Number 7.

The top ten is completed by Kinect Sports, former Number 1 Gran Turismo 5 and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. DC Universe online and Fallout: New Vegas both drop of the top ten.

The full UKIE GfK Chart-Track All Formats Top Ten for the week ending January 22th 2011 is as follows:

1.       LittleBigPlanet 2 (Sony)

2.       Call of Duty: Black Ops (Activision)

3.       Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)

4.       FIFA 11 (EA)

5.       Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (Ubisoft)

6.       Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo)

7.       Mass Effect 2 (EA)

8.       Kinect Sports (Microsoft)

9.       Gran Turismo 5 (Sony)

10.   Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (EA)

The big release of the coming week is Dead Space 2 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the PC.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on LittleBigPlanet 2s Number 1? Are you surprised it has been so successful? Will it hold onto the top spot next week? Could Dead Space 2 claim it next week, or will it go back to Call of Duty: Black Ops?

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2010 UKIELtd” ]

Report: Modern Warfare 3 being developed by three studios

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Modern Warfare Train2Game blog image

Rumours that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is in production is bound to cause a stir with a number of Train2Game students. And if the LA Times is to believed, the game is in development with no less than three studios aiding in its production.

Activision has called upon Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software to work on the next title. No official announcement has been made about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 but the LA Times alleges the information comes from inside sources.

Treyarch produced Black Ops, the most recent game in the Call of Duty series.  Sledgehammer, founded by ex-EA developers Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey has apparently postponed its own Call of Duty ‘spin off’ title to work on Activisions’ next project.  Raven are also said to have delayed one of their own projects to work on the multiplayer section of what is apparently going to be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

It’s a new move from Activision who’ve traditionally left Infinity Ward to develop the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series without the help of others.

It’ll also be the first Modern Warfare game produced since the high profile departures of Game Developers f Jason West and Vince Zampella who then set up their own studio under the banner of Respawn Entertainment.

If the project truly is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, the extra reinforcements could spark speculation whether the game will be ready or not in time for Christmas. This year it was Call of Duty: Black Ops which claimed the UK Christmas Number one

So Train2Game, if Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is in development, are you interested in it at all? Do you think three studios working on the same project will have any outcome on the project? Do you think this is a bad sign for Activision?

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Big day for Train2Game students as LittleBigPlanet 2 released

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LittleBigPlanet 2 has been released today and it’s a day that many Train2Game students have been waiting for.

The good news for those Train2Game students looking forward to the game is that, as the Train2Game Blog reported earlier this month, LittleBigPlanet 2 has got very high review scores with a lot of 9s and 10s.

While LittleBigPlanet 2 is a fun game in its own right, Train2Game students will be most interested community creation aspect of LittleBigPlanet 2 which allows them to not only let their creative juices flow by creating new levels, but also entirely new games.

We’ve seen plenty of examples of great community created levels during the beta test including reimagining’s of Portal, Flower, Wolvenstein and Dogfight. There will no doubt also be plenty of excellent and unique community created levels that all LittleBigPlanet 2 players will get the opportunity to try out if they choose to do so.

Not only that,  but Media Molecule do hire aspiring game developers who’ve used the community tools to make outstanding levels. It’s something that any Train2Game student who builds LittleBigPlanet 2 levels will be aspiring to achieve too!

John Beech is now a Level Designer at Media Molecule, after first having his community design work spotted by the studio.  Until then he was a self employed builder.

At the Learning Without Frontiers Event in London, Media Molecule revealed that they’ve already hired five people who’ve made outstanding levels using the LittleBigPlanet creation tools. Studio art director Kareem Ettouney also said that Media Molecule is open to hiring more community developers.

Hence this is the reason why a Train2Game student looking for something to practice their skills with could do very well out of using LittleBigPlanet 2.

LittleBigPlanet 2 is now available for the PlayStation 3, and of course any Train2Game students who own that particular console!

For another example of how Train2Game student community development could lead to good things, see yesterdays Train2Game blog post about the Starcraft II modder offered a job by a Games Development studio.

So Train2Game, are you getting LittleBigPlanet 2 today?  Have you actually already bought it? And do you think you’ll be trying your hand and creating community levels?

As usual, leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source for LWF event: Develop Online]

Capcom: Smartphones drawing users away from handheld consoles

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Train2Game blog Capcom Logo image

Train2Game students certainly spend a lot of time playing video games on their smartphones, and Capcom believe the whole portable market is moving in that direction.

Capcom Interactive’s president and COO Midori Yuasa told MCV Online that gamers are increasingly abandoning handheld consoles and PCs in order to play casual games on smartphones such as the iPhone. She also confirmed that Capcom is investing in a variety of titles for the iPhone this year.

“The casual gamer that used to play on the PC and the hardcore gamer that used to play on a dedicated gaming portable now plays on their smartphone,” said Yuasa.

“The iPhone and larger smartphone markets are extremely important to Capcom as, like no device before, smartphones have the potential to become a universal game platform.

“We have a lot of stuff on the horizon for both hardcore and casual gamers, so 2011 is shaping up to be huge on Capcom’s mobile front.”

The Capcom COO used the company’s successful release of the free to download Smurfs Village for the iPhone last November, where players have the option of in-game purchases which cost between £2.99 and £59.99.

“A freemium business model can be extremely effective as illustrated by the success of Smurfs’ Village. However, the key is that the game has to be designed from day one as a freemium title.

“If you try and shoehorn in an alternate revenue model into an existing design, you end up with a muddled experience that users either ignore or hammer with user reviews.”

It’s another sign for Train2Game students that the casual mobile market is growing extremely quickly. Yuasa’s comments come little over a month after the Train2Game blog reported that  market research firm  Interpret claimed ‘Stagnating’ handheld consoles are losing their market to smartphones

Of course, Nintendo are confident that the 3DS will be a huge success, with President Satoru Iwata predicting the handheld console will have a ‘rocket start’ For more information about the Nintendo 3DS, check out the Thoughts of Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, do you think Midori Yuasa is right? Have you abandoned your handheld console in favour of smartphone games? Or do games on your iPhone or Android mean you just won’t bother to buy a handheld console again?

As usual, you can leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: MCV Online]