Category Archives: Student

Train2Game News Videogames writers guild chair filled

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Steve InceFollowing the Guild’s AGM on Friday July 4 2014, games writer Steve Ince has now taken up the position of chair of the Videogames Committee within the organisation, a position he is proud to take up and hopes it encourages more game writers to join the Guild.

Steve says:
“I joined the Guild two years ago because I believe it’s important to be part of a strong organisation that works in the interests of professional writers and, by extension, those writers who wish to become so.

“As a professional game writer I not only want to help shape the direction of writing within games with the work I do, but also be a part of how game writers are perceived by the wider writing community and within the game development industry.

“With this in mind I put myself forward for the Videogames position within the Writers’ Guild which was confirmed at the recent AGM, for which I’m very honoured.

“As a first step in this new position I’d like to invite all eligible game writers to consider joining the Guild, details of which are on the Guild website.

“Game writers, like most other scribes, can feel a little isolated at times, so being part of an organisation with such a rich history will give you a place in a strong community of creative individuals from every part of the writing spectrum.

“Previous holders of this position have done a fantastic job to date and I hope I can match that, particularly as there’s still a lot to do in respect to what the Guild means for game writers.  By joining or becoming part of the discussion, game writers can help give direction in a field that is evolving faster than all others.

“I welcome comments, questions and suggestions on anything related to the game writing side of the Guild, including membership enquiries, and look forward to hearing from you.

“I hope to achieve something positive for both the Guild and game writing while in this position.”

Train2Game News Artist required for Student Studio

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Train2GameTrain2Game Student Liam Young is on the developer course and is just getting his own studio off the ground but requires an artist.

Liam is covering all the design and development side of the company himself but requires a talented artist to turn some concept art into in game assets and he is prepared to pay the right person for the work they do.

The right person would not be taken on as an employee of the company but would receive full credit for the work that is done for the game further helping the portfolio and CV of the decided on artist.

It is important you be a dedicated worker and reach a mutually agreed upon deadline at a satisfactory level of quality.

If you are interested in helping Liam with his work you can get in touch with him by emailing lyoung536@yahoo.co.uk

You can view the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ZombieBoffinStudioLtd

and the twitter page at https://twitter.com/ZombieBoffinLtd

Train2Game News Insomnia 52

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Multiplay, organiser of the UK’s biggest gaming festival, is thrilled to announce the attendance of some of the most popular streamers, YouTube personalities, and online gaming broadcasters at its biggest ever Insomnia event.

After a successful debut at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena with last Easter’s Insomnia51, Multiplay is gearing up for an expanded summer gaming festival. Headline sponsors for Insomnia52 include Scan, HyerX and Iiayma.

This upcoming event introduces the Festival Arena, which will take place in the stadium, with a huge marquee taking over the pitch with an array of new features including the biggest stage yet. YouTube continues its dominance as the hottest form of video entertainment, with Insomnia52 featuring a brand new YouTuber Live Zone featuring Lets Plays, and a wide variety of interactive stage content from a roster of high profile personalities.

Insomnia52 will feature special guests such as Syndicate of TheSyndicateProject, who will also be launching his exclusive clothing brand in the UK for the very first time at the show. There will also be opportunities to meet Syndicate and your chance to win an exclusive one hour gaming lock-in session on the Razer Gamer Bus, where a handful of lucky winners will get to play alongside the YouTube star. Other currently confirmed special guests include Ali-A, SIVHD, Keyori, the Noxcrew, AshleyMarieeGaming and members from the Mindcrack Minecraft server, with more huge announcements to follow in the coming weeks.

As the biggest ever Insomnia Gaming Festival, this summer’s event will be solidifying the gaming festival feel with live music. Headlining the Main Festival stage on the Friday Night of the event will be Zane Lowe. The internationally renowned DJ and remix artist will be mixing up a DJ set of epic proportions. Other great live acts will feature across the weekend including sets from contestants of BBC’s The Voice, with the full line-up being announced shortly.

“When we first started Insomnia all those years ago we had these far-off dreams for where we’d like the event to one day be, and reality has finally caught up,” said Craig Fletcher, Founder & CEO of Multiplay. “This is our 52nd event, and we all feel incredibly proud to have helped Insomnia grow into the unique gaming festival experience it is today, in no small part thanks to our fantastic community. I’m already looking forward to watching Zane from the front row!”

Multiplay is set to grow the Insomnia Gaming Festival throughout 2014, delivering unrivalled gaming entertainment to tens of thousands of fans. Insomnia52 will deliver more competitive gaming tournaments, LAN-based gaming, new title showcases, panel talks, more interactive activities, and more exhibitors and sponsors than ever before this August bank holiday weekend.

For more information on Insomnia52 and to purchase tickets visit http://insomniagamingfestival.com. More announcements will be made in the coming weeks.

Train2Game News Develop 100 Tech List

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Develop 100Develop have recently put together a list of the top one hundred bits of tech in the games industry today.

It is full of everything from Game Engines to Consoles to peripherals.

This list is definitely a required read for anyone even remotely interested in the games industry to know what is used to make all the games you adore and enjoy.

You can view the full magazine of the Top 100 Tech from develop below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/232466314/Develop-100-Tech-List

 

Train2Game News Organic Motion improves MoCap Market

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Organic MotionOrganic Motion has taken another giant step forward in the motion capture market with their release of OpenStage 2.4.

In addition to multiple usability features added to the product, OpenStage 2.4 boasts a real-time frame capture rate of 120fps; double its previous mark of 60fps. The increase in frame rate means a substantial increase in tracking quality for users of OpenStage 2.4. Quicker character actions, such as kicking, punching or swinging a golf club now track better than ever. Brent George, professional animator and beta tester of OpenStage 2.4, has already recognized a noticeable improvement.

“At 60fps, OpenStage drastically improved the efficiency of my motion capture pipeline. The increase in frame rate opens up even more possibilities to further leverage OpenStage to save money and improve overall animation quality.”

In addition to animation, the upgrade also substantially impacts the system’s versatility within life sciences.  Dynamic Athletics, an Organic Motion partner and the leader in the application of 3D motion capture in human performance and musculoskeletal health, is excited at the possibilities that exist with OpenStage 2.4.
“The advancements that Organic Motion has made with version 2.4 allows the applications of motion capture to expand into new arenas.” explained Patrick Moodie, Chief of Science and Co-Founder of Dynamic Athletics. “At DARI, collections start with simple movements and progress to the more complex. From golf swings to pitching motions, the possibilities with OpenStage 2.4 are now endless.”

In an effort to allow everyone to witness the new features of OpenStage 2.4 live, Organic Motion will be hosting an online live demonstration from their headquarters in Manhattan on July 15th at 2pm ET. Those interested may register via the following link – Organic Motion Live Online Demo Registration.

Train2Game News Mytho Games looking for Designer

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Mytho GamesTrain2Game student studio, Mytho Games, is looking for a designer to join the team to work on a few projects they have going.

The team already have a current designer but he is busy with life at the moment and unable to devote his time to the team so a second designer is needed to keep the projects rolling along at a good speed.

The company asks “We are looking for an individual that really wants to put their ideas forward into a game. We are big believers in creative freedom so providing your ideas are now so crazy and impossible to do its likely we will use it. Anyone who is a good story teller and excellent level designer will be the best pick.

Only real requirement is you have Facebook and enough enthusiasm to oil the rusted wheels of progress that have coursed our team to a slow to a crawl.”

To register your interest for the position or to find out more contact The Warrior of Jupiter on the Train2Game Forum.

Train2Game News Great British Summer Game Jam

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Great British Summer Game JamMind Candy has partnered with Autodesk to encourage people to get into game development, promote the UK’s games industry and experiment with new technology and hardware in the first ever Great British Summer Game Jam.

The Jam will see development teams creating games around the “British Summer” theme to win a variety of prizes from the likes of Unity3d, Marmalade and PlayJam. Ukie is also supporting a special “Accessibility Award”, judged by accessibility consultant Ian Hamilton, for the game which is the most accessible to those with impairments and disabilities.

The Great British Summer Game Jam will run from Saturday 5th July to Sunday 6th July but teams will be encouraged to tinker with some of the new technology that Mind Candy has collected from various partners from Thursday 26th June to start preparing for their game. The technology for the jam is provided by partners Autodesk, Marmalade, Unity3d, Simplygon, Allegorithmic, PlayCanvas, PlayJam (GameStick), Simplygon and AMD. Anybody of any skill level can sign up, be it students or established developers, and take part remotely or in person at Mind Candy’s offices in East London, where jammers will be kept supplied with sustenance, funky office space, WiFi and power.

CTO of Mind Candy, Jeff Reynar said “At Mind Candy, we know from experience that a small game idea can turn into a massive break-out hit.  We love Game Jams and run them internally – they are a great way to discover and try out new ideas, or just to have fun! We are hugely excited to be hosting The Great British Game Jam in our London office and can’t wait to see what everyone creates!”

CEO of Ukie, Dr Jo Twist said “We are really proud to be part of this fantastic initiative and to be supporting the Accessibility Award in particular. Jams like these are a great way to raise awareness around issues like accessibility and with today’s huge array of technology, tools, and ways to reach new audiences on different platforms, there has never been a more exciting time to make games. It will be fantastic to see what kind of creative and innovative projects come out of the Jam from some of the UKs best developers.”

The Jam kicks off with a briefing session and tech presentation at Mind Candy’s office today (Thursday 26th June). It will be recorded and put on online after for anybody who misses it. For more information or to register for the briefing session, follow this link – http://gbsgamejam.eventbrite.com

Train2Game News Survey shows rise in females in Games Industry

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IGDAThe percentage of women in the game development workforce has nearly doubled since 2009 according to a survey of more than 2,200 developers in the industry by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA).

The survey also showed that workers change jobs frequently, but most love their jobs and are in a career that is their passion – but crunch time and the desire to have more work/life balance still exists.

IDGA’s 2014 Developer Satisfaction Survey is the evolution of the association’s previous Quality of Life and Diversity surveys, aimed at better understanding the game industry from the perspective of the individual developer. The IGDA survey was a joint project with its research partners, M2 Research and the University of Western Ontario, which oversaw, the organization’s Quality of Life surveys in 2004 and 2009.

The IGDA plans to use the results to better understand its members’ priorities and the most critical issues affecting their overall satisfaction, and in turn use that information to help prioritize the association’s advocacy efforts and initiatives, according to Kate Edwards, executive director.

The IGDA will be releasing the Summary Report of its Developer Satisfaction Survey in July and following up in subsequent months with more in-depth, thematic reports on developer response to topics like Diversity, Quality of Life and Employment Practices.

Here are some of the key findings:

Demographics
·         Men still dominate the industry: 76% of respondents identified as male; 22% identified as female.  The other 2% listed themselves as male-to-female transgender, male-to female transgender or “other.”   This represents a significant change from 2009, when women made up 11.5% of the industry. (The prior IGDA survey tracked only male and female gender identification)
·         Nearly 50% of all members of the developer work force earn less than $50,000 annually.   34% earn between $50 and $100,000. At the other end of the spectrum, 19% earn more than $100,000.

Employment Experience

·         The average survey respondent has worked in the game industry for nine years; has worked on 16 distinct projects and had an average of four employers in the last five years.
·         The primary reason for working in the industry is “to earn a living doing what I enjoy” (41%) and 61% plan to work indefinitely in the field. That said, the top reason for wanting to leave the industry is “I want a better quality of life.” (39%)

Work/Life Issues

·         Similar to the findings in the 2009 survey, respondents say they feel they need to work more hours than are specifically required or expected.  53% responded either “disagree” or “strongly disagree” to the notion that crunch is a necessary part of game development.
·         While crunch exists, 37% of respondents indicated that they receive no compensation for that extra time.

Train2Game News Zero Hour Contracts

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Vince CableEmployees on zero hours contracts will have the freedom to find work with more than one employer after Business Secretary Vince Cable announced plans to ban exclusivity clauses.

Exclusivity clauses prevent an individual from working for another employer, even when no work is guaranteed. The use of exclusivity clauses in zero hours contracts undermines choice and flexibility for the individuals concerned.

The ban, set to benefit the 125,000 zero hours contract workers estimated to be tied to an exclusivity clause, is part of a bid to clamp down on abuses in the workplace by less scrupulous employers. It will allow workers to look for additional work to boost their income.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said:

“ Zero hours contracts have a place in today’s labour market. They offer valuable flexible working opportunities for students, older people and other people looking to top up their income and find work that suits their personal circumstances.

But it has become clear that some unscrupulous employers abuse the flexibility that these contracts offer to the detriment of their workers. Today (25 June 2014), we are legislating to clamp down on abuses to ensure people get a fair deal.

Last December (2013), I launched a consultation into this issue. Following overwhelming evidence we are now banning the use of exclusivity in zero hours contracts and committing to increase the availability of information for employees on these contracts. We will also work with unions and business to develop a best practice code of conduct aimed at employers who wish to use zero hours contracts as part of their workforce.”

This action follows a government consultation into zero hours contracts which received over 36,000 responses. 83% were in favour of banning exclusivity clauses in zero hours contacts.

The Business Secretary also announced that the government will:

  • consult further on how to prevent rogue employers evading the exclusivity ban, for example through offering 1 hour fixed contracts
  • work with business representatives and unions to develop a code of practice on the fair use of zero hours contracts by the end of the year (2014)
  • work with stakeholders to review existing guidance and improve information available to employees and employers on using these contracts

The ban will be part of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill, which is being introduced to Parliament today (25 June 2014).

Train2Game News Fission Mailed

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Fission MailedREZtron Ltd., are thrilled to announce that it will be part of FISSION MAILED – The Art of Videogaming, Act 1 exhibition at The White Building in London’s creative district of Hackney.

In the last 12 months REZtron’s ‘retrotainment’ has been going from strength to strength catering for the Hospitality industry, Festivals, Corporate functions and Product launches. This will be its first entry in collaborating with the Art world.

FISSION MAILED is a one day interactive gaming art exhibition at The White Building exploring the evolution and creativity of video games and its parallel adoption as an artistic medium.

The pop-up exhibition showcases the interplay of graphics, technology and storytelling through some of the most iconic (and underrated) games ever produced such as Asteroids, Panzer Dragoon, Ikaruga, Rez, Shenmue and Cosmic Smash to name but a few. Alongside these there will also be classic multi-player games open to the public to try out such as Micro Machines, Bomberman, Sonic 2 and Street Fighter II. These will be displayed on projectors and iconic CRT TVs.

Juxtaposed with these iconic and popular games, a parallel history of gaming will unfold through the practices of artists and indie game developers who provide a more pluralistic and subversive approach to exposing the darker underbelly of the gaming industry both past, present and future. Work by some of the most progressive and responsive game developers will be showcased, including work by Anna Anthropy, Merritt Kopas, Ben Eposito and Sophie Houlden.

The first part of the FREE exhibition will take place on Sunday 29th June, 4pm til 10.30pm.Tickets can be booked through Eventbrite.