Train2Game game developer Lionel Adams has recently started a Train2Game student industry experience placement at DR Studios.
In his first update from the Milton Keynes studio, Lionel tells us how he’s settling in, what it’s like getting a feel for unity, and informs us of the experience of being thrown in at the deep end!
Read Lionel’s first industry experience diary update on the Train2Game Scribd site, or here on the Train2Game Blog.
Train2Game news recently reported that Angry Birds Space reached 50 million downloads, becoming the fastest growing mobile game ever.
The series shows no signs of slowing down either, with Finnish developer Rovio announcing that Angry Birds has reached 1 billion downloads across all platforms.
The figure incorporates all games in the series including Angry Birds, Rio, Seasons and Space and every platform the game is available on. Rovio made the announcement in a YouTube video you can see below.
Angry Birds Space is currently available for iOS and Android mobile devices, PC and Mac. Angry Birds merchandise is available throughout the High Street!
What are your thoughts on the impressive numbers for Angry Birds?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game game designer Jonny Robinson is on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry experience diaries, Jonny describes the experience of winning Make Something Unreal Live with Commando Kiwi, visiting SCEE, his excitement for DR Studios upcoming game and more.
Read what Jonny has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page. There’s more from Jonny here.
Train2Game students can now build and share their own Portal 2 levels thanks to the release of the brand new and free Perpetual Testing Initiative update.
The puzzle maker for PC and Mac allows players to create new Portal 2 test chambers without the need to leave the game, with maps published directly onto Steam Workshop. Players can vote on and automatically download any user-created puzzles using the Workshop.
There’s more on the Perpetual Testing Initiative in the trailer from Valve and Aperture Science’s Cave Johnson below.
In an interview with The Train2Game Blog, Valve’s Chet Faliszek told us modding or using community creation tools is a great way for aspiring game developers to show off their skills.
There’s more Valve news right here on The Train2Game Blog.
Are you building Portal 2 puzzles yet? What do you think about the tools?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Gmae Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students have the chance to design and publish a mobile video game if they take part in Virgin Media’s 100 day game project contest.
“We’re looking for amateur and student game designers from across the country to come to us with their concepts for a top quality mobile/tablet game.” reads the announcement.
“Utilising some of the industry’s brightest brains, we’ll select one concept and help the lucky winning team create their game and make their vision a reality. Reaching out to gaming fans everywhere, the project will culminate with the beta game launch at the Eurogamer Expo on 27th September.”
To enter Virgin Media’s 100 day game projects, you need to be in a team of 3 or 4 members aged 18-35, and pitch your iOS or Android game using this entry form.
Entries will be judged by a panel of experts on Tuesday 12th June, with the winning team being taken to game development labs in Dundee to build their game between 18th June and 26th September. The beta of the winning game will be presented at the Eurogamer Expo at the end of September.
Will you and a small team of fellow Train2Game students give this a go? Keep in mind that this isn’t a Train2Game contest, but it’s a great opportunity.
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum. Good luck to any Train2Game student teams who enter!
Train2Game has been hailed as a “fantastic opportunity” for people to get involved in the games industry by Ian Livingstone, Life President of EIDOS and co-author of Fighting Fantasy
The games industry legend was speaking to us at Train2Game and Epic Games’ Make Something Unreal Live, where four teams competed to build games based on Fighting Fantasy books for iPhone and iPad. He was one of the judges that decided Commando Kiwi was the winner.
“I’m delighted to be part of this Train2Game initiative. I’ve been in the games industry since 1975 when Steve Jackson and I started Games Workshop.” said Livingstone.
“We had our first Fighting Fantasy game book in 1982, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, and here we are thirty years later judging a competition in the world of digital entertainment where people have taken have taken our book and transformed it into a very playable iPhone and iPad game.”
“And it’s great to see young talent coming through because I would say the UK is one of the most creative nations, if not the most creative nation in the world. It’s important that we support the young talent coming through.” Livingstone continued, before hailing Train2Game for giving more people the skills needed by the industry.
“Initiatives like Train2Game are fantastic, to get people who might not have known there’s a worthwhile career in games, recognising it as worthwhile, and being empowered with the skills to be able to make a contribution with real skills. It’s a fantastic opportunity today.” he said.
Watch the full video interview below.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students can get an insight into what it’s like working on Darksiders II for Vigil Games thanks to a ‘Meet the Team ‘feature with Lead Designer Haydn Dalton.
In a blog interview with THQ, Dalton describes a typical day in the life of a lead game designer for Darksiders II, and as Train2Game game designers may already expect, it’s a busy life!
“I’ll get in the morning, get the latest version of the game code and start playing the game. Depending on what’s the current priority; up-coming demo, milestone, stability, encounters, combat, what have you – that’ll dictate how I focus my time with the game.” he said.
“I write up feedback on the content, sit with designers and provide guidance on a whole variety of design components.” the Darksiders II lead designer continued.
“This also extends out to animators, programmers, etc. Sometimes I may go into some of the script files and tweak numbers myself, but most of my time is set on the broad view of the game, and it’s a BIG game.” Dalton added.
The full interview with Darksiders II lead designer Haydn Dalton is here, and also features talk of where he started in the industry, and balancing in-game weapons.
There’s more on Darksiders II here on The Train2Game Blog. The game is scheduled for release on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC later this year.
What are your thoughts on a day in the life of Haydn Dalton? Does it give you a greater insight into what it’s really like being a game designer?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Game Designer Chris Robinson returns with the latest news about his Train2Game work placement at AppCrowd.
Appcrowd CEO Rick Alexander is one of the industry professionals that appears in our mentors panel discussion video from Gadget Show Live.
In his latest industry experience diaries, Chris discusses ‘crunch’ time, how he believes the Train2Game work placements will help him find permanent work, and working on designing levels.
Read what he has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
There are more diaries from Chris here. As usual, leave your comments here on this post, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game hosted a mentors panel at Gadget Show Live which saw some of the industry veterans advising the Make Something Unreal Live teams, taking part in a 30 minute discussion.
The video, which you can now see here on The Train2Game Blog, features Epic Games’ Mike Gamble, the combined 50 years games industry experience of Pete Hickman and Tony Bickley, and CEO of AppCrowd Rick Alexander.
All four provide plenty of great advice to Train2Game students and you can watch what they have to say right here.
There’s more advice from figures including Peter Molyneux and Cliff Bleszinski, and an insight into what went on at Gadget Show Live in our Make Something Unreal Live documentary.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students recently took part in Make Something Unreal Live, a game development contest co-sponsored by Epic Games which took place at The Gadget Show Live in April.
Four teams received mentoring from high profile industry figures as they completed games based on the iconic Fighting Fantasy series. The winning team, Commando Kiwi walked away with a fully licensed Unreal Development Kit for i OS, while all four games will be published on the App Store through Appynation.
Now, here’s a 15 minute Train2Game documentary about Make Something Unreal Live. The video features all four teams that took part – Commando Kiwi, Digital Mage, Derp Studios and Indigo Jam – talking about their experiences.
Not only that, but industry figures including Unreal’s Mike Gamble, Epic’s Cliff Bleszinski, Peter Molyneux, Fighting Fantasy creators Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson.
Watch it on the Train2Game YouTube channel, or here on The Train2Game Blog.
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
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