Train2Game News: New DR Studios title ‘My Sea Park’ has huge Train2Game student input

Posted on by
Reply

Train2Game students on work placement at DR Studios have played a big part in developing My Sea Park; the latest title from the Milton Keynes based game producers.

The upcoming free-to-play iOS title allows you to build your own sea park full of penguins, dolphins, killer whales, giant squids and more.  You can find out more by liking the My Sea Park Facebook page.

Find out more about Train2Game students on work placement at DR Studios in their industry experience diaries, right here on The Train2Game Blog.

As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game News: Next Skyrim update introduces mounted combat

Posted on by
Reply

 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim players will be able to partake in mounted combat when the new feature is added by Bethesda’s 1.6 Skyrim update.  You’ll be able to strike down foes while riding a horse.

Train2Game students may recall that the feature first appeared in an internal Skyrim Game Jam at Bethesda. Of course, Train2Game students will be familiar with game jams after taking part in one run by Train2Game and Epic last year.

The new patch also comes with the standard bug fixes, and will arrive on all platforms soon. PC players however, can already take a look at mounted combat by opting into the latest Steam Beta update.

Steam integration and modding support for Skyrim has proved to be very successful, with almost 14 million mods downloaded using the Skyrim workshop.  There’s much more about modding here.

Be sure to keep reading The Train2Game Blog for the latest The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim news.

What are your thoughts on the update for Skyrim? And what do you think about mounted combat coming from an internal game jam?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game News: LittleBigPlanet PS Vita developer diary reveals community influence on game

Posted on by
1

Train2Game students can get behind the scenes of development for LittleBigPlanet PlayStation Vita in a new developer diary from Sony PlayStation.

LittleBigPlanet for PlayStation Via is being developed jointly by Tarsier Studios and Double Eleven, with the latter previously taking Train2Game coder Darren Price on a work placement.

The Making of video sees LittleBigPlanet Media Molecule’s Alex Evans and Mark Healey discuss their confidence in the studios that are making the game, while Tarsier offer a look at development, which includes getting input from LittleBigPlanet community level designers.

Watch it below here on The Train2Game Blog.

There’s more on LittleBigPlanet here, while be sure to keep reading The Train2Game Blog for more PlayStation Vita news.

What are your thoughts on LittleBigPlanet for PS Vita? Will it give Sony’s handheld a shot in the arm?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game News: Batman: Arkham City developer diary goes behind the scenes of voice acting

Posted on by
Reply

Train2Game students can get behind the scenes of Batman: Arkham City’s voice acting in a brand new developer diary from Rocksteady Studios and Warner Brothers.

Batman: Arkham City ‘Game of the Year Edition’ Video #2: Audio Voice Talent sees game director Sefton Hill and lead narrative designer Paul Crocker discuss the importance of audio talent to making a great game.

It also shows behind the scenes footage of Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy, The Joker voice actor Mark Hamill and Talia al Ghul actress Stana Katic performing and discussing their roles.

Watch the developer diary below, right here on The Train2Game Blog.

Batman: Arkham City’s Harley Quinn’s Revenge DLC  is released on 30th May, while Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition reaches the UK in September.

There’s more Batman: Arkham City news here on The Train2Game Blog.

What are your thoughts of the voice acting in Batman: Akrham City? How important do you think it can be to a game?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game student industry experience diaries: Stuart Davison at AppCrowd – week 11

Posted on by
Reply

Train2Game student Stuart Davison  is on a Train2Game work placement with AppCrowd. He returns with a new industry experience diary in which he discusses scripting and what he’s learned to appreciate about other disciplines.

Read it on The Train2Game Scribd page, or here on The Train2Game Blog. There are more Train2Game industry experience diaries here. 

Train2Game News: Darksiders II Creative Manager on getting into the industry

Posted on by
Reply

Train2Game News recently went to a Darksiders II preview event organised by THQ. While there we had a quick chat with Vigil Games Creative Manager Jeremy Greiner, who told us how he broke into the games industry and offered advice to those looking to get in.

“My gateway into the industry was through community.” He told The Train2Game Blog.

“I was very active on the Microsoft forums, in the shooter forums, and ended up on becoming community manager and from there moved forward on the path.”

“Once you get your foot in the door, it’s all about what you do with it, so just get that foot in the door and keep trying hard.” Greiner added.

Getting a foot in the door can be a very important step towards a career in the games industry, and it’s something that Train2Game can provide students with thanks to the work placement scheme.

There’s more advice from industry professionals about getting into the industry here on The Train2Game Blog.

Also, keep reading for the latest Darksiders II news. Vigil’s action adventure game is scheduled for release for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in August. A Wii U version will arrive at a later date.

What are your thoughts on Greiner’s path into the industry and his advice?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game student industry experience diaries: James Bouckley at Unity – week 11

Posted on by
Reply

Train2Game student James Bouckley  is on a Train2Game work placement at Unity. In his latest industry experience diaries, he discusses making mechanics work and testing a game.

Read what he has to say about his Train2Game work placement  here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.

Train2Game News: World of Warplanes closed beta begins 31st May

Posted on by
Reply

Train2Game students can apply to take part in the World of Warplanes closed beta which begins on Thursday 31st May.

World of Warplanes is a flight combat MMO from Wargaming.net, the developer of the popular free-to-play title World of Tanks.

World of Warplanes”will feature a wide range of warbirds, each of them unique in their effectiveness and behavior. Virtual pilots will choose from three main warplane classes — single-engine light fighters capable of engaging enemies in close dogfights, heavy fighters with their deadly straight attacks, and ground-attack aircraft, the fearsome threat for ground targets.”

Train2Game students interested in applying to take part in the World of Warplanes closed beta can sign up on the official website.

Get a taste of World of Warplanes in the teaser trailer below.

For more on beta testing, how it’s useful for Train2Game students, and opportunities to get involved with it, keep reading the Train2Game blog.

Will you apply to take part in the World of Warplanes beta? Are you a fan of World of Tanks?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game News: World of Mercenaries beta begins today, sign-ups still open

Posted on by
Reply

Train2Game students can sign-up to take part in the closed beta for World of Mercenaries, an upcoming  MMOFPS from City Interactive, which begins today.

The PC shooter built using Epic’s Unreal Engine offers “fast-paced game play and a high degree of freedom of movement” where “Purists will find a new battlefield for fame and glory; casual players will be more than just targets.”

Those interested in joining the World of Mercenaries beta need to visit the official website and select ‘Apply for beta’

City Interactive say players who take part in the closed beta will have a part in helping to build Mercenaries. Earlier today The Train2Game Blog reported on how feedback from the Firefall beta has helped Red 5 Studios develop the game.

For more on beta testing, how it’s useful for Train2Game students, and opportunities to get involved with it, keep reading the Train2Game blog.

What are your initial thoughts on World of Mercenaries? Will you apply to take part in the beta?

Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game News: Develop Awards 2012 finalists announced

Posted on by
Reply

Train2Game students see one of the most diverse arrays of finalists ever for this year’s Develop Industry Excellence Awards, with Develop Online unveiling 96 different games industry based organisations have received nominations.

The Develop Awards are there to reward game development studios both big and small for the work they’ve done in the last 12 months. Nominees range from larger studios like Rocksteady, Ubisoft and EA, to microstudios including Thechineseroom and ShortRound Games.

Of course, this is all on top of David Perry set to receive the Games Industry Legend accolade when the awards take place in Brighton on Wednesday 11th July during Develop Conference week.

The full list of Develop Awards 2012 nominations are below.

Who do you think deserves awards? Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

DEVELOP INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2012: THE FINALISTS

CATEGORY: CREATIVITY

NEW IP
Brink (Splash Damage)
Dear Esther (Thechineseroom)
Frozen Synapse (Mode 7 Games)
Monstermind (Bossa Studios)
My Horse (NaturalMotion Games)
Zombies, Run! (Six to Start)

USE OF A LICENCE
Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
Battlestar Galactica Online (Bigpoint/Artplant)
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (TT Games)
LEGO Life of George (LEGO Group Denmark)
Magic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers (Stainless Games)
Peppa Pig (Strawdog Studios)
Team Hot Wheels Apptivity (Big Bit)
Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (Doublesix Games)

USE OF NARRATIVE
Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
Dear Esther (Thechineseroom)
Driver: San Francisco (Ubisoft Reflections)
Misfits: Community Service (Mobile Pie)
Where is My Heart? (Die Gute Fabrik)
Zombies, Run! (Six to Start)

VISUAL ARTS
Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
Battlefield 3 (EA Dice)
Dear Esther (Thechineseroom)
Rayman Origins (Ubsioft Montpellier)
Trine 2 (Frozenbyte)
Wonderputt (Damp Gnat)

AUDIO ACCOMPLISHMENT
Battlefield 3 (EA Dice)
Batman: Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
Beat Sneak Beat (Simogo)
Driver: San Francisco (Ubisoft Reflections)
Okabu (Hand Circus)
Total War: Fall of the Samurai (The Creative Assembly)
Zombies, Run! (Six to Start)

PUBLISHING HERO
Connect2Media
IndieCity
Indie Fund
SCEE Xdev
Steam
Thumbstar

CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES

TECHNICAL INNOVATION
Enlighten (Geomerics)
Kinect Sports: Season Two (Rare)
Monstermind (Bossa Studios)
MotorStorm RC (Evolution Studios)
My Horse (NaturalMotion Games)
Circus Challenge (Pitbull Studio)
Team Hot Wheels Apptivity (Big Bit)

USE OF ONLINE
Aurora (nDreams)
Eve Online (CCP)
Monstermind (Bossa Studios)
Minecraft 360 (4J Studios/Mojang Specifications)
PlayStation Home (SCE)
Trials Evolution (Red Lynx)
World of Tanks (Wargaming.net)

VISUAL OUTSOURCER
Atomhawk Design
Axis Animation
Cubic Motion
Dimensional Imaging
Imagination Studios
RealtimeUK
TrioViz

AUDIO OUTSOURCER
Nimrod Productions
Outsource Media UK
Richard Jacques Studios
Side
The Audio Guys
Wave Studios

SERVICES
Audiomotion
LocalizeDirect
Pinewood Studios
Testronic Labs
Universally Speaking
VMC Game Labs

TOOLS PROVIDER
Autodesk
Epic Games
Firelight Technologies
Hansoft
Havok
NaturalMotion
RAD Game Tools
Unity Technologies
Xaitment

ENGINE
BigWorld Client (BigWorld Technology)
CryEngine 3 (Crytek)
Havok Vision Engine (Havok)
HeroEngine (Simultroncs)
Marmalade (Ideaworks 3D)
Unity 3.5 (Unity Technologies)
Unreal Engine 3 (Epic Games)

RECRUITER
Aardvark Swift
Amiqus
Avatar Games
Datascope Recruitment
OPM Jobs
MPG Universal

CATEGORY: STUDIOS

NEW STUDIO
Thechineseroom
Big Bit
Bossa Studios
ShortRound Games
Six to Start
Toxic Games
We R Interactive

MICRO STUDIO
Thechineseroom
Dakko Dakko
Mobile Pie
ShortRound Games
Six to Start
Rodeo Games
Tanukii Studios/Room 4 Games

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Mind Candy
Zattika
Playground Games
NaturalMotion Games
Stainless Games
Rovio Entertainment
nDreams
Wargaming.net

INDEPENDENT STUDIO
Blitz Games Studios
Bossa Studios
CCP
Crytek
Frontier Developments
Mediatonic
Preloaded
Rovio Entertainment

IN-HOUSE STUDIO
The Creative Assembly
EA Dice
Rare
Red Lynx
Rocksteady Studios
TT Games
Ubisoft Montpelier
Bigpoint Hamburg

SPECIAL AWARDS

DEVELOPMENT LEGEND
As previously announced, the winner of this award in 2012 is David Perry, who will attend the gala ceremony to collect the honour.

GRAND PRIX
Our final prize is the ultimate accolade, decided solely by the Develop team and awarded to the European games studio that has made the biggest impact on the business in the last 12 months.