Train2Game student Matty Wyett-Simmonds is on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry experience diaries, he details what he’s been up at the Milton Keynes based game developer and talks a bit about being part of Make Something Unreal Live team Derp Studios.
Read what Matty has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
Read previous updates from Matty here on The Train2Game Blog.
Train2Game Game Designer Craig Moore is on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry experience diaries, he details what he’s been up at the Milton Keynes based game developer, including feeling the pressure of deadlines.
Read what Craig has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
Craig’s previous Train2Game industry experience diaries are here on The Train2Game Blog.
The Train2Game blog chats to the teams about working with the Fighting Fantasy IP for Make Something Unreal Live at The Gadget Show Live, as the teams become studios in their own right.
The hottest new Indies in town: Commando Kiwi, Derp Studios, Digital Mage and Indigo Jam
With student teams beginning to perform as independent studios and working on a world-renowned IP, we caught up with the development teams to get a few choice words on the latest news and to get some more details on the games they are working on.
First on our list was Commando Kiwi.
Jonny Robinson, Commando Kiwi, said: “When we found out we’d be working on a game inspired by The Warlock of Firetop Mountain; we were all in shock, a few of us have read the book before so our minds were blown away with pure awesomeness! We’re working on a classic IP from legends in the game industry; Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson.”
Next we caught up with Derp Studios to hear their thoughts on working on a Fighting Fantasy title and the genre of game they’re designing. We also got the lowdown on what it’s like to work remotely when designing games.
Nigel Clark, Derp Studios, said: “Our game is a gripping first-person RPG, a sequel to the second Fighting Fantasy gamebook, Citadel of Chaos. Strategically combined combat with both melee and magic will only get you so far. The player must decide the best course of action. A true test of “fight or flight” awaits our players.”
“To combat the distance factor, we’ve utilised tools within Facebook, Subversion (SVN) and contact points within Train2Game and Epic Games, along with Skype conferences to maintain good team communication. Working as a team is challenging in the first place. However with your team spread throughout the country it’s even more of a challenge.”
Our next destination was Casa del Digital Mage, where we asked: What do you want to achieve with your game?
Craig Moore, Digital Mage, said: “Digital Mage hopes to help the player truly become engrossed within the battlefields of Allansia by providing ease of use and an intuitive control system enabling quick decisions to control an army as a general should!”
..and what do players have in store should they buy it?
“An exciting, diverse, and adventurous team is sculpting a mobile experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat and keep you coming back for more, with lush graphics and a sweeping soundtrack, Digital Mage is using every last trick in the book to make this the best mobile strategy game available on any platform.”
Lastly we caught up with Indigo Jam, where we asked: What have you been designing and can you get us excited about it?
Indigo Jam, Deathtrap Dungeon, Action Adventure
Ben Stoneman, Indigo Jam, said: “Indigo Jam studios brings the Deathtrap Dungeon title to life with gameplay featuring a dark tale set in Allansia that leads you to a Trail of Champions in the dark dungeon labyrinth of Fang, riddled with monsters and deadly traps and other unknown horrors. Countless adventurers have accepted the challenge but have never been seen again.”
Train2Game then went on to ask: How has the course helped you develop the skills to deliver what is such an imaginative game design?
“Indigo Jam is very lucky to have a good range of skills and abilities gained from the Train2Game courses complemented by the extra training for the UDK Game Jam in November. The team is getting along really well. They are confident in their own abilities, and have delivered at every stage of development.”
With the energy and hype that the teams are creating, Make Something Unreal Live at The Gadget Show Live can’t come soon enough.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game student Ollie Smith is studying to become a Games QA Tester with Train2Game. Train2Game Radio caught up with him to find out why he chose to study with Train2Game, how he’s finding the course and how he balances it around the rest of his life.
Read it here on The Train2Game Blog, the Train2Game Scribd Page, or listen to it on Train2Game Radio. Leave your comments here, or on the Train2Game forum.
Hi Ollie, what first got you into video games?
That would have to be when my parents bought me a PlayStation on my eighth birthday, and I was hooked on Spyro The Dragon for months. And then it’s been sort of a…next game comes out I buy it and I’m hooked.
So what made you decide you wanted a career in the games industry?
When I was younger, my father and I used to go to GAME in the town, and they had a special on with GameMaker, and it was only 99p for a license. So we bought it, but it turned out to only be a demo license and we had to buy the full thing after 30 days. So, I quit GameMaker, swearing never to use it again, and then I started to look at doing web design – I’m a certified web developer and know HTML and PHP and CSS. And from there I went onto learning Java, then I was looking on the internet for ways to make games easily and I found Train2Game. So I applied, then a year later I got a knock on the door.
So what made you decide to take the Train2Game Games QA Tester course in particular?
I was going to go for the Game Developer course. I was half way through work when the advisor came to see me. He started talking to me suggested the Games QA Tester Course. So I was like, OK I’ll sign up for the QA Tester course.
Tell us a bit more about yourself, what do you do?
I’m a student, I’m classed as a student because I’m with Train2Game.
How do you find balancing the Train2Game course around the rest of your life, is it an advantage being able to learn from home?
Yeah, definitely. I’m a night person, so I don’t come out in the day time, and the thing with normal college or uni is that it’s in the day time. So with Train2Game, I can sit down at 1 in the morning and just study.
You’re also a part time DJ, tell us about that.
Yeah, I do it for a few online radio stations as a fill-in DJ. I used to have my own show, but I got ill, ended up in hospital and didn’t show up for three sets…so, I got fired. So now I’m more of a fill-in, if one DJ is missing they’ll call me and I’ll hop straight on and fill-in for whatever DJ wasn’t able to get in.
Do you think the radio and DJ work you’ve done before could help you in terms of getting into the games industry, perhaps in the audio side of the industry?
I’ve thought about that, but it isn’t really me, if you know what I mean? I like to try and keep some things separate. It sounds a bit weird to explain, but if you focus everything around one subject, you tend to get bored of it very quickly.
Going back to Train2Game, what do you wish to achieve with the course this year?
I’m going to use a term from an MMO, I want to grind through it, get my skills up and hopefully get my dream job.
And what would your dream job in the games industry be?
To work for Lionhead game studios.
Great, thanks for your time Ollie.
Click here for more information about the Train2Game Games QA Tester course
Train2Game student Daniel Parkes has posted his first blog update of the year, and it brings good news; he’s achieved 100% in for his latest TMA on the Train2Game Game QA Tester course.
“Well as for my latest TMA mark I’m very happy to say I achieved 100%. I’m very happy with the way my course is going and very much looking forward to a new year with Train2Game” writes Daniel.
The Train2Game Games QA Tester also reveals how much time he spends working on his course, and talks about why he’s joining the beta testing programmes of various games.
Read Daniel Parkes latest post in full here on his blog.
You can find out about Train2Game Games QA Tester Daniel Parkes and his progress, right here on The Train2Game Blog. For more information about the Train2Game Games QA Tester course, see the official Train2Game website.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students were among the winners at The Scottish Game Jam last weekend. The Scottish Game Jam is part of Global Game Jam 2012, the world’s largest game jam event which took place across the world last weekend.
And as revealed by Train2Game’s Dave Sharp on the Train2Game forum, Train2Game Art & Animation students Fiona Stewart and Corinna Bruce were winners of the Best Art Award at the Scottish Game Jam.
The Train2Game Blog spoke to Scottish Game Jam organiser Romana Khan last year, ahead of the first Train2Game Game Jam. The second Train2Game Game Jam, in association with Epic Games, took place in November.
Train2Game Blog readers may recall that Train2Game Art & Animation student Fiona Stewart is on a work placement at Radiation Burn, and recently spoke in depth to RTI FM about her experiences with Train2Game.
Train2Game Art & Animation student Robert Ramsey also took part in the Scottish Game Jam, he’s previously given a huge interview to The Train2Game Blog about his experiences of the course.
The Train2Game Blog would like to congratulate all Train2Game students who took part in the Scottish Game Jam on their efforts. Keep an eye on The Train2Game Forum, for posts from Fiona, Corinna, and Robert about how they found the event.
Of course, you can leave your comments and congratulations here on the Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Game Designer Kimberley Caseres is on a Train2Game work placement at Wired Productions. In her new industry experience diaries, Kimberley details what she’s been up at the Watford based game development studio responsible for the We Sing series.
Read what Kimberley has to say about her Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
You can Kimberley’s video diaries about the Train2Game course right here. Alternatively, you can find out more about Wired Productions in The Train2Game Blog interview with Senior Producer Kevin Leathers.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Game Designer Jonny Robinson has been on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry experience diaries, he details what he’s been up at the Milton Keynes based game development studio.
He also reveals a little about Commando Kiwi, his team for the Train2Game & Epic Games Make Something Unreal Live contest later this year at The Gadget Show Live.
Read what Jonny has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
You can read his previous industry experience diaries from Jonny here on The Train2Game Blog.
As usual, leave your comments here, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game student Guy Mayne has been on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry experience diaries, he details what he’s been up at the Milton Keynes based game development studio.
Read what Guy has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on The Train2Game Scribd page. Read previous Train2Game industry diaries from Guy here on The Train2Game Blog.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Game Developer Darren Price is on a Train2Game work placement at Double Eleven, a studio that has been named by Industry Gamers as one to keep an eye on this year. The studio is currently developing LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation Vita.
In his latest Train2Game industry experience diary, Darren writes the less serious side of the industry after his experiences at the Double Eleven Christmas Party.
Read it right here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
You can also read more Train2Game industry experience diaries from Darren Price here on The Train2Game Blog.
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on The Train2Game forum.
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