Category Archives: Train2Game

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Ubisoft want next-gen consoles ‘sooner rather than later’

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Earlier this year, the Train2Game blog reported that job listings suggested that Microsoft was looking to start work on their next console.

Now, while there’s still no information at all about anything called an Xbox 720 – as much as those on Train2Game courses want news! – Ubisoft want the next generation of games consoles to come ‘sooner rather than later’

“I’ll leave that up to Microsoft and Sony to say for certain.” Said Ubisoft UK boss Rob Cooper when asked by MCV when Sony and Microsoft may reveal the PlayStation 4 or Xbox 720.

“But I’d echo something Yves said earlier this year: there have been tons of technological advances since the last round of consoles was released, and we’d love to see those advances included in new consoles sooner rather than later.” He said

“That’s because the sooner we have the next generation of consoles to build on, the sooner we can leverage those advances to create the next generation of video games.

“The peripherals and the updates to the existing generation have been great, but it’s typically new consoles that really spark innovation from publishers and the demand from customers.” The Ubisoft publishing boss added.

In March, the Train2Game blog gave you a taste of what the next-gen might look like thanks to the Unreal Engine ‘Samaritain’ demo. Any Train2Game student interested in the future of gaming (That’s all of you) should have a look.

So Train2Game, do you think we’ll see the next generation of consoles in the next few years? Are they needed to spark innovation? Or is there enough excitement in the games industry right now?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: MCV)

Train2Game Radio interview with Game Development student Mike Connell

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In the newest Train2Game Radio interview, we speak to Game Development student Mike Connell.

He tells us how the ZX 81 first got him into gaming, why he chose to study programming with Train2Game and gives us some information about Postal Panic, a Train2Game student  made game that’s going to be released on the iTunes app store in the near future! (Mike is part of the Train2Game Christmas competition winners Horizon studios)

Listen to the interview here on the Train2Game Audioboo.

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

A must read for Train2Game students: Nintendo ‘Godfather’ Shigeru Miyamoto on the role of a Game Designer

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Train2Game Game Designers should strive to make their work as unique as possible. That’s the lesson to take away from comments made by the father of Super Mario and Donkey Kong in a recent interview.

“In the past, game design was all about which game was the best on the hardware that was available,” Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto told The Guardian.

“That still holds true in the current world, but for the Game Designer, it’s important to understand the overall system.

Plus, it’s important to understand all the mechanisms in games, otherwise the movement or the gameplay would not be right. If that is good, then it will be evaluated as a good game.”

The Nintendo legend believes Game Designers should be unique; it’s likely that those on the Train2Game Game Design course do believe that they have unique ideas to bring to the industry.

“But games nowadays are at a higher level, and the devices are higher-technology, so generally speaking, people can [and should] make good games.

Nowadays, it’s really important that the designer should be unique, and that their individuality should show through in the production itself.”

Continuing on from this, Miyamoto added that a Game Designer should never do something just because it’s popular.

“It’s costly if you do something because other people are doing it, but the focus should be: ‘Because people are not doing it, we’ll go this way.’ Uniqueness is important.

Finance-wise, you can put more budget in, but your energy has to be focused on something, otherwise it won’t work. For me, if you tell me, ‘I’ve seen this before,’ or ‘I’ve done this before,’ that’s challenging.”

Earlier this month, the Train2Game blog reported that Shigeru Miyamoto wants to teach when he retires.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Miyamoto’s comments about Game Design? How useful is it for you that one of the most iconic people in the industry has said what he thinks the ideal designer should be?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum

 [Source: The Guardian] 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will bring ‘most advanced multiplayer ever’

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Modern Warfare 3 gameplay trailer image

The first gameplay trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – which you can see here on the Train2Game blog – sparked more debate than excitement on the Train2Game forum, but Activision have vowed it’ll have the ‘most advanced multiplayer ever’

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is by far the most epic Call of Duty experience yet.  The teams at Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games have worked tirelessly to create for the Call of Duty player a scale that is unimaginable with a level of polish and creativity that will push the genre forward,” said, CEO of Activision Eric Hirshberg

“The passion and energy of our developers is reflected in everything about the title.  From the innovative gameplay, to the cinematic intensity, to the most advanced multiplayer ever, Modern Warfare 3 will raise the bar for this already incredible franchise.”

 The question many Train2Game students – especially those on the Game Design course – will be asking is what will developers Sledgehammer and Infinity Ward do to make the multiplayer of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 the most advanced ever?

As previously mentioned by the Train2Game blog, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is reportedly influenced by the destructible environments of the Battlefield series.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is scheduled for release on 8th November 2011.

So Train2Game, what game design changes do you believe need to be made to the Call of Duty formula? Does it need to change? And can the title live up to Activision’s hype?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum

How Train2Game students can help development of Ms. Splosion Man

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Ms. Splosion Man logoTrain2Game students – especially those on the Games QA Tester course – know that finding and reporting in-game bugs is a hugely important part of the development process.

Indie developer Twisted Pixel have announced they’ll be holding a multiplayer beta for Ms. Splosion Man, the follow up to their 2009 success Splosion Man, and Train2Game students have the opportunity to be involved.

There are 10,000 open beta spots available for Xbox Live users, which any Train2Game student can try and grab between now and 12th June on the Microsoft sign up page.

The Ms. Splosion Man beta will run from 6th June to 24th June, and participants will be expected to provide feedback. It’d make useful practice for anyone on the Train2Game QA Tester course.

“Participants will get two multiplayer levels each week, so play online often and send us your bug reports and comments to beta@twistedpixelgames.com.” says a statement by Twisted Pixel.

“The point of this early access program is to gain your feedback on how we can better your online gaming experience, so speak up.  Your voice will be heard and feedback taken into consideration.”

In order to take part in the Ms. Splosion Man beta, any Train2Game students interested must:

  • Own a retail Xbox 360 console with a hard drive.
  • Have an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership.
  • Have broadband Internet access at home.
  • Be willing to play the early access with others in the program if they know them or not.
  • Have time to play with numerous online gamers, and time to provide copious feedback.

For full details, see the Ms. Splosion Man website. The indie game is released this year for XBLA.

A number of game developers allow players to aid in production of a title, with recent examples reported by the Train2Game blog including Gears of War 3 and Infamous 2.

Train2Game forum user favourite Minecraft is also still in beta – a beta that’s been downloaded over 2 million times – but as reported by the Train2Game blog, gets a full release later this year.

So Train2Game, will you attempt to join the Ms. Splosion Man beta to gain experience beta testing?? Have you done it before? And how important is it to the game development process?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Souce: Ms. Splosion Man dev blog via VG247] 

L.A. Noire tech can ‘compete with film’ and be used outside games industry!

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L.A. Noire developers Team Bondi believe their impressive facial Art & Animation techniques (Which if you haven’t seen, you can here on the Train2Game blog) can aid Game Designers in competing with Hollywood.

“The beauty of it for games specifically is it will now allow us to compete head-on with film and TV in terms of storytelling.” Team Bondi founder Brendan McNamara told BBC Newsbeat.

“If you take all the strengths of what’s great about a video game and you take all the strengths of what’s great about cinema and film you can get this amazing new product and what that means is video games become the pre-eminent entertainment form for the 21st century,” he said.

McNamara’s comments are similar those he’s previously made – as reported by the Train2Game blog – in that it’ll soon be hard to differentiate between games, films, and TV.

The L.A. Noire Director added that the MotionScan technology has even attracted interest from the industries outside of entertainment and gaming.

“We’ve had all sorts of approaches from different people wanting to use it for medicine and for security and people like law enforcement wanting it for lying simulators to show operatives how to read faces”

Back inside the industry, Valve are also ‘keeping an eye on’ the impressive Art & Animation technology.

As reported by the Train2Game blog, L.A. Noire became the fastest ever selling original IP in the UK, taking No.1 in the charts in the process.

So Train2Game, can games compete with TV when it comes to storytelling? Do any of you Game Designers have big plans? And is it positive for the industry that in-game tech is interesting those outside it?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Souce: BBC Newsbeat via Develop Online]

Train2Game students thought it may never happen… Duke Nukem Forever goes gold

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Duke Nukem Forever goes gold

Many of those on Train2Game courses probably thought it’d never happen, but Duke Nukem Forever has gone gold.

That means the game is game is now being pressed to disc, ready to ship for its 10th June release date. The announcement game from Publisher 2K and developer Gearbox Software today, and the fetching picture of Duke was released to celebrate the news.

Last week, the Train2Game blog published a three part feature about the Duke Nukem Forever Q&A session with Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford.

It’s worth checking out for Train2Game students,  not only to be reminded about Duke Nukem Forever, but the amount of effort that’s gone into making sure the game is released.

“Always bet on Duke, I did,” said Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford on Duke Nukem Forever going gold.

“I bet on all of the developers who have ever been a part of this legendary project and I bet that none of us want to live in a world without the Duke”

I’ve played the final game and it is an incredible experience – a once-in-a-lifetime opus of interactive entertainment that reminds me once again why Duke Nukem is our King.”

“The developers of Duke Nukem Forever at 3D Realms, Triptych, Piranha and finally at Gearbox deserve our thanks and respect for never giving up and have truly shown us that they have balls of steel!”

When the Train2Game blog reported that Duke Nukem Forever was being revived last year, some thought it may have been a hoax. But finally, after 14 years in development, Duke Nukem Forever is set for release on 10th June.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Duke Nukem Forever going gold? Will the game live up to expectations? And does it’s release say anything about never giving up when it comes to the games industry?

Leave your thoughts here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: VG247]

Train2Game Art & Animation student Fee Stewart speaks to Train2Game Radio

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Fee Stewart is studying to become a Game Artist & Animator with Train2Game. Train2Game Radio caught up with him to find out why she chose to study with Train2Game, how she’s finding the course and what she wants to achieve in a career in the games industry. Listen to the interview at www.audioboo.fm/train2game

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

You can also read a previous interview with Fee about her experience at the Scottish Game Jam, here on the Train2Game blog.

For more information go to www.train2game.com 

First Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer revealed! What do you think Train2Game?

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MW3

Yesterday, the Train2Game blog reported that the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 engine would ‘move beyond’ that of its predecessors.

Well, you can now get a glimpse of the very first Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gameplay trailer and see if the engine shows any sign of being tweaked yourselves!

You can also see if Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 contains the supposed influences from Battlefield 3 – as previously mentioned on the Train2Game blog.

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer not only reveals London, France and Germany as locations, but also confirms the involvement of Sledgehammer as one of the studios involved with game development.

Earlier this year, the Train2Game blog reported that Sledgehammer may be one of three studios aiding in the development of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Watch the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer below, here on the Train2Game blog.

What are your thoughts on the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 trailer? Can you see any immediate evidence of a tweaked in-game engine? Do you have high hopes for the Game Design in the new locations?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

An interesting look for Train2Game students behind the scenes of Uncharted 3

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Uncharted 3 screenshot

While new UK No.1 game – as reported by the Train2Game blog – L.A. Noire may have hit the headlines recently thanks to its impressive Art & Animation techniques, it isn’t the only game out there using motion capture.

The PlayStation blog not only recently revealed the secrets of the motion capture techniques behind the upcoming Uncharted 3, but also the writing techniques used to optimise the Game Design.

The post provides some real insights for both Train2Game Art & Animation and Game Design students.

”We’ve developed a unique process for motion capture and performance capture for games,” Uncharted 3 Creative Director Amy Hennig explained  in  post about the cutting-edge new mocap studio in Culver City, California. “We’re kind of ahead of the pack.”

Moving onto how the game is written, Hennig said:

We don’t have the luxury of writing a big script in an ivory tower, we have an outline that we work from and we write the scenes as we go.”

The approach means it’s easily for Hennig and her team to make changes to the script as and when they need too.

“As the writer, I get to learn the actor’s voices — their cadences, their idiosyncrasies, and I write them right in”

“Their characters become infused with their personalities.” She added, echoing Naughty Dogs previous comments that Uncharted 3 is being produced like a Hollywood film, as reported on the Train2Game blog.

For the full behind the scenes look at Uncharted 3, Train2Game students should head over to the PlayStation Blog.

You can also find out even more about how Uncharted 3 is written here on the Train2Game blog.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on techniques behind Uncharted 3’s production? Did you ever imagine games development becoming so complicated? Would you like to work in such an environment in future?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: PlayStation blog]