Category Archives: Student

Train2Game News Free App Game Kit available this week only

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App Game KitCross-platform development tool App Game Kit has been made free for all developers throughout GDC this week.

AGK enables developers to code in AGK or C++ and then compile their game to their target platform of Android, iOS, Mac or PC.

The game engine has been used in titles such as Cannon Ball, Hide It Find It and Jumping Jack.

“AGK is a tool we needed at TGC, it’s already saving us time and money developing new apps. This is our gift to the development community; grab a copy while you can,” said The Game Creators CEO Lee Bamber.

The offer for AGK will end on March 21st. To take advantage of the offer, developers must use the voucher code AGK4FREE.

The Game Creators is currently at GDC to showcase its tools.

Visit the official website for more information.

Source: Develop

Train2Game News AppEngage Network

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To prove the value of an engaged user, Midverse Studios is offering developers who implement the AppEngage Network up to 100,000 installs for free.

The offer is available to all Android developers (Google Play and Amazon) who implement the AppEngage SDK within the next 30 days.

With the AppEngage Network, Midverse is pioneering a Cost Per Quality Engagement (CPE+) model, leaving behind the increasingly expensive and decreasingly effective Cost Per Install (CPI) model. The mobile platform provides incremental in-game rewards to users based on players successfully completing tasks across a number of in-network games. Through these cross-game incentives, the AppEngage Network keeps players involved across multiple apps, creating a reason to try new titles and to continue playing them well after the first play session.

“CPI is broken, with developers paying a premium for users who are encouraged to install their apps by other ad networks, but then immediately delete or never even play their games,” said Rizwan Virk, co-founder and CEO of Midverse Studios.  “With the AppEngage Network, we’re delivering users who stick around long enough to get hooked and actually want to play your game.”

Developers currently using AppEngage have increased monetization by at least $.01 in average revenue per daily active user (ARPDAU).  That means an app with 100,000 daily active users (DAU) will have a revenue increase of at least $1,000 per day.

Midverse’s 100,000 Free Users promotion will run for a limited time.  The number of free installs is based on the developer’s DAU and how many users their application shares with the Network. Complete terms and conditions for the offer are available at http://www.midversestudios.com/100kpromo_terms.

Train2Game News Unity acquires Applifier

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unity-logoUnity Technologies, creators of the Unity multiplatform engine and development tools, announced that it will acquire Applifier, one of the world’s largest and most successful mobile game service providers.

The acquisition will see Everyplay, the pioneering game replay sharing and community service, integrated into the Unity development platform. The GameAds video advertising network will complement the free cross-promotion network currently in development for Unity Cloud.

Everyplay, created to let players express themselves with game replay sharing, provides developers with a unique way to acquire new players and increase retention for free. The service gives players the power to easily record, share and discuss extraordinary moments from their gameplay sessions leading to authentic virality with the players’ friends and the broader audience of involved gamers. Everyplay boasts a global community of over 6 million registered mobile players and is now growing by over 1 million new users each month with millions of shared replays from hundreds of integrated games on iOS and Android. The social game replay service, already easy for developers to adopt, will get integrated into Unity for effortless activation of features. Everyplay will continue to offer its SDKs outside of Unity products and enthusiastically welcomes any developer interested in using Everyplay with their games.

“Unity was founded to democratize game development, and we are incessantly searching for tools that can make our community more successful,” said David Helgason, CEO, Unity Technologies. “By welcoming Everyplay to the Unity platform, we’re arming our developers with an incredibly powerful and authentic way to connect with a rapidly growing community of passionate gamers.”

“The challenge for today’s developers doesn’t end with releasing awesome games – they also need to attract and retain legions of true fans,” said Jussi Laakkonen, CEO, Applifier. “We are thrilled to join forces with Unity and, with the help of the incredible Unity community, overcome these important challenges together.”

The acquisition also brings GameAds, a broadly adopted video ad network, to Unity. The service is used by leading game publishers to find engaged new users and to monetize non-paying users with video ads. The GameAds video ad network and Everyplay gaming community will work side by side Unity Cloud and its upcoming cross-promotion network. Together the three services will provide mobile game developers with multiple methods to grow their customer base.

Train2Game News Operation Supply Drop fundraising

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Operation Supply DropToday, military-focused video game charity Operation Supply Drop announced their next major fundraising event, the third annual “8-Bit Salute”, a 24-hour gaming marathon, to be held May 17 – 18, 2014.

Donations raised during this charity event will fund video game care packages, offering much needed diversion and stress-relief to combat-zone deployed troops and those recovering in military hospitals.

Machinima sensation and community favorite Rooster Teeth (creators of the award-winning Red vs Blue series) will actively promote the 8-Bit Salute fundraiser and field a community team to raise awareness and funds.

“Rooster Teeth is excited to continue our involvement with Operation Supply Drop and to grow the partnership to continue to provide assistance to those who dedicate themselves to serving our country,” said Rooter Teeth co-Founder Gus Sorolla. “We look forward to further collaboration and success for years to come.”

Other key partners include gaming juggernaut Wargaming America (World of Tanks, World of Warplanes), developer Naughty Dog (2013 Developer of the Year, The Last of Us) and gaming-headset powerhouse ASTRO Gaming. They have pledged significant donations and will assemble fundraising teams via the Operation Supply Drop website at www.operationsupplydrop.org. There, fans will have a chance to win a variety of great prizes while raising awareness and funds for our troops.

“The feedback, stories and pictures of delighted recipients, deployed in hot spots around the world, and those recovering from combat-related injuries serving us and our country, are testament to how much of a morale boost our supply drops are, as we try to give back to those that risk their lives to defend us and our way of life,” stated Operation Supply Drop Founder Captain Stephen “Shanghai Six” Machuga, a former U.S. Army Ranger and combat veteran. “We are thrilled to have so many partners involved and are confident that this will be the biggest and most successful 8-Bit Salute to date.”

Train2Game News Game Music Connect 2014

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Following the resounding success of the inaugural Game Music Connect conference in 2013, Game Music Connect 2014 proudly returns to The Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre, London on September 24, 2014.

Game Music Connect is for aspiring and professional composers of all backgrounds and those interested in learning about the art and craft of creating today’s cutting edge video game soundtracks. Featuring interviews, practical demonstrations and roundtable discussions with some of the world’s leading composers and audio directors, the first announced speakers for Game Music Connect 2014 include music industry luminary Steve Schnur (Worldwide Executive of Music, Electronic Arts), composers Garry Schyman (BioShock Infinite), Jessica Curry (Dear Esther) and Olivier Derivière (Remember Me). Early-bird tickets are available now at http://www.gamemusicconnect.com.

Game Music Connect is founded by BAFTA and IFMCA award winner and five-time BAFTA Original Music nominated composer James Hannigan (Transformers Universe, RuneScape, Dead Space 3, Command and Conquer series, Harry Potter series) and noted game audio director, composer (Forza Motorsport 5, X-COM, Transport Tycoon), writer (develop, Audio Media), jury chair for BAFTA’s game music and audio awards, and industry commentator John Broomhall, to celebrate and explore the music of video games.

James Hannigan: “It’s a huge thrill to be back for 2014 and a great honour to have such wonderfully talented, diverse and influential guests join us for the day. As promised last year, we will be covering the innovative indie game music scene this time around, as well as continuing our focus on blockbusters and the challenges of interactive music.”

Game Music Connect 2014 will open with a keynote from Steve Schnur, EA’s Worldwide Executive of Music. Schnur’s hands-on approach with composer selection and score production has earned EA more than 50 soundtrack nominations over the last 10 years during which he has produced in excess of 100 EA soundtrack albums. With the formation of Artwerk Music Group, EA also directly signs, develops and launches artists for publishing, master recordings, sync deals and distribution.

For more information and to purchase tickets for Game Music Connect 2014, visit www.gamemusicconnect.com.

Train2Game News Future Internet Games Contest launched today

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ficontentThe Future Internet Games Contest is being launched today by Disney and the Future Internet Consortium partners in association with Abertay University.

Ideas for games in the areas of augmented reality, blending real and virtual worlds, and city-wide play will be assessed by a panel of experts from the Europe-wide Future Internet (FI) Content initiative.

This Disney-led project comprises major European and global companies and research centres, who have joined their skills to drive innovation at the crossroads of content, media, networks and creativity.

Entries can be made at http://www.daretobedigital.com/220_Future-Internet-Games-Contest-.html until 10 June, with a £2000 prize for the winning web or mobile game – and potential opportunities to work with the Disney-led consortium.

Professor Kenny Mitchell, Research Lead at Disney Research, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for budding game developers and veterans alike across Europe to show their skills on a highly visible and important stage as part of our Future Internet Content project.”

The partnership between Abertay University and FI Content is to focus on the Pervasive Games platform, where the real world and internet experiences are playfully mixed together.

The platform focuses on multiplayer mobile gaming, using cutting-edge internet technology to enable large groups of people to play together, and moving games beyond playing on a console at home or remotely interacting with friends through social games.

Game developers are invited to think about how a mobile game can be an augmented version of the real world, offering play between real people that creates something more exciting and interactive for everyone.

Professor Louis Natanson, who leads computer games education at Abertay University, said: “Abertay University is delighted to work with Disney on the Future Internet Games Contest, and we look forward to seeing how game developers address this challenge.

“Games have incredible power to bring people together, to entertain and to change how we perceive the world around us.

“Future internet technologies, and the hugely powerful smartphones everyone carries with them, offer an unprecedented opportunity for designers and programmers to build entirely new ways for large groups of people to play together in the real world.”

The Future Internet Games Contest is led by Disney and associated partners in association with Abertay University.

This initiative aims at developing and experimenting across Europe cutting-edge ICT platforms devoted to applications and services in the emerging area of pervasive games for virtual and augmented reality.

For more information, and to apply, please visit http://www.daretobedigital.com/220_Future-Internet-Games-Contest.html

Train2Game News Game to help cope with ADHD

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The holy grail of educational gaming is to make a game that educates yet also is as fun as an entertainment game. AdapTac Games believes they have achieved the holy grail of educational gaming with their Intergalactic Aetherial Hurtle: ADHD Skills Booster Game.

This action/strategy single player racing game iPad app is based on standard executive skills function and behavioral therapy strategies built into a game designed like an entertainment game, surpassing basic mind puzzles or mini-math challenges.  In the game, players study specs on available car parts and characters, plan which parts and characters to select, compete for car parts, build and race their car (players control acceleration and braking). Players compete against 3 NPC teams while sticking to their time limit and avoiding distractors like the Trickster. Skill in key areas like attention and strategy is shown on the dashboard, which displays both per game scores and overall averages so players can see how they are improving.

Why though is this game needed? CEO and Founder, Candice M. Hughes, PhD, MBA, neuroscientist, mom and serial entrepreneur struggled to find ways to help her family cope with ADHD. Shockingly, she discovered that while medications are available for the condition, up to 64% of kids with ADHD either discontinued or would not take them due to high cost, side effects and other concerns. (AdapTac does not endorse changing medications without consulting a physician.) After surveying other families living with ADHD and finding that all wanted a different solution, she developed her own non-medical solution by founding AdapTac Games, which has already completed nearly half of the first game to improve attention and planning through skills training in teens with ADHD. An Indiegogo campaign, which has consistently been in the “Most Popular” under gaming since launch continues through April 4 to build remaining portion of the game as well as to improve the graphics and gameplay on the initial portion of the game at http://igg.me/at/adaptacgames.

AdapTac Games takes pride in working with women programmers through a collaboration with Mount Holyoke College, Dr. Hughes’ alma mater. The firm is also proud to be part of the growing games for good movement, which encourages social improvement through games. In 2013, AdapTac Games was named a 2013 Tech Company to Watch by Connecticut Innovations, received and Entrepreneur Innovation Award in 2014 and Dr. Hughes is a Women of Innovation Entrepreneur finalist.

For more information and campaign updates visit AdapTac’s website

Train2Game News Wearable Technology Conference

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Wearable Tech ConferenceIntel’s chief futurist and strategist, Steve Power Brown, and Dave Evans, innovation guru for Cisco, will deliver the daily keynote addresses at the first ever Wearable Technology Conference & Expo, which takes place from 18-19 March at Olympia in London.

With more than 100 expert speakers, 30 exhibitors and a whole host of UK-exclusive product launches, the Wearable Technology Conference is expected to attract 1,500 attendees, making it the biggest event of its kind in the world. Delegates will be informed, inspired and entertained during the two day event, for which just a handful of seats remain unfilled.

With speakers from the likes of Google, Misfit Wearables, Fitbit, Microsoft, Mitsubishi, Virgin and Cisco, the conference will cover every aspect of wearable tech – from development and funding, to testing and manufacturing. Sessions, workshops and demos will drill down into the myriad of markets this technology will impact, including healthcare, sports and fitness, engineering, the military, AR and VR, gaming, fashion, travel, entertainment, telecoms and communication.

Delegates will also hear from Chris Dancy, otherwise known as ‘the world’s most connected man’. Chris keeps metrics on himself for every moment of every day, believing that keeping statistics makes him a better employee and it’s in the future of everyone’s work. And Jason Bradbury and Rachel Riley from The Gadget Show will make a very special appearance as they pitch their own wearable tech inventions to the experts.

UK EXCLUSIVES

The Wearable Technology Conference will be the first time many new products will be seen in the UK, including:

· The Intelligent Headset – the world’s first headset with dynamic 3D audio, which has applications for gaming, music and also as an aid for the visually impaired

· Optinvent – the UK launch of the ORA smart glasses, the most complete and powerful true AR see-through smart glasses platform available. The ORA glasses are not released until April/May this year and will initially be available to industrial/professional markets and application developers before going on sale to consumers.

· ORSTO’s X3 smartwatch – British-made and hand built

· SunSprite from Goodlux – SunSprite is a next-generation health wearable invented by Harvard doctors that tracks a person’s sun and bright light exposure to improve their energy, mood and sleep.

· Xensr – the conference will host the European launch of Xensr – the first wireless, programmable motion capture solution that measures physical motion for sports, engineering, medicine and more.

· Smartlife – Smartlife will use the Wearable Technology Conference as the platform for the first public demonstration of its brand new base layer garment and associated electronics, which will report the wearer’s heart rate, location, speed, calorie burn and duration worn – perfect for athletes of all levels.

Outside of the conference, delegates are invited to enjoy multiple networking opportunities, including the Wearable Technology Conference drinks and awards.

“Wearable tech is THE big news for 2014 and it’s only going to get bigger, with experts predicting it will be worth as much as $8.4 billion by 2018,” commented Wearable Technology Conference director John Weir.

“And it’s not surprising when you consider it has the potential to impact all of our lives, both professionally and personally, affecting everything from our health and wellbeing, to the way we see, hear, communicate and play with the world

“For anyone who is interested in finding out how wearable tech can change their life, their job, their business, their industry or their customers’ lives, there is only one place to be on 18-19 March, and that’s the Wearable Technology Conference.”

Full information on the conference sessions and speakers together with who is exhibiting at the expo and demonstration products please visit www.wearabletechnologyshow.net

Train2Game News Dream Harvest Games Artist Position

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2537336243-Dreamworks logo finalDream Harvest Games, a friend of Train2Game, are looking to recruit an artist from the pool of Train2Game students.

Dream Harvest is just coming to the end of the prototyping phase of their top down action sci fi puzzler game. They are looking for a determined, talented 2D artist who works well with others and will be committed to the project.

The current studio is made up of a mixture of highly talented professionals with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Getting a chance to work with these people would certainly assist your future prospects for employment or could lead to coming on board full time with the team.

The game has a science fiction theme that plays on the idea of how an aristocratic society, limited in their ability to run their city, enslaves their own population. Morality, Power and Control are all themes that are prevalent in the story and as you can imagine the game is built around a strong narrative and is targeting the core market. It will initially be released on PC, Linux and Mac with future plans to release the game on to Microsoft and Sony Consoles.

Your Job:

  • Development and preparation of prototypes and style determination in close collaboration with our Lead Artist.
  • Development of ideas from concept through quick sketches to finished illustration
  • Planning and independent implementation of graphic concepts for game worlds, characters, vehicles, storyboards and other visual content of our game
  • You will find sound solutions to any challenges that arise. Development and management of internal design ideas and continuing education programs. Close cooperation with the designers, programmers and audio designer.

Your Profile:

  • A solid experience in visual arts, animation, visual effects.
  • Very good knowledge of Photoshop or other 2D art and painting programs
  • Excellent traditional and digital drawing skills
  • Extremely well versed in anatomy, proportions, perspectives and color theory
  • You have distinctive communication skills — and you enjoy working in a team
  • A very good knowledge of English, both spoken and written
  • Passion for the development of games

Additional plus:

  • Knowledge of Unity
  • 2d animation skills
  • Knowledge of 3d programs

We offer:

  • An exciting job where you can assume responsibility and develop professionally
  • A dynamic team with friendly, highly-qualified colleagues from all over Europe
  • A culture of mutual respect and active training
  • Shared equity percentage profit share program once game is released

This is an equity share position and the experience and knowledge you could gain from working here is invaluable.

If you are interested in the position email your CV and Portfolio to applications@dreamharvest.co.uk

You can also find out some information about the team and previous projects on the Dream Harvest Website here: www.dreamharvest.co.uk

Train2Game News Testing opportunity at Roll 7

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roll7Roll7 have an opportunity for some Train2Game student’s to play test one of their up and coming projects. If you are chosen you would be one of the first in the world to lay eyes on it.

On March 19 Roll7 are inviting a few select Train2Game students to there studio to test their next game. The game is a side scrolling 2D shoot-em-up with a cover system that needs fine balancing before the game is shown at Rezzed this year.

This is a voluntary, unpaid position but it would be fantastic to put on to your CV, you would get to visit Roll7 studios to talk with the developers and you may also be considered for future, paid, testing rolls at the studio.

Roll7 studio is based in London on Arklow Road. You would need to be able to get to the studio under your own intiative on March 19.

If you are interested in testing the game for Roll7 you can email Tom at Tom@roll7.co.uk

To find out more about the studio visit www.roll7.co.uk