Train2Game News: BOOMBA! launches like a three pronged bazooka with the help of Train2Game

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

Train2Game helps to achieve national and international coverage for student’s studio’s title with the support of Train2Game’s PR team.

Student Fee Stewart has been working with Train2Game internal PR team to deliver worldwide coverage for Radiation Burn’s latest title Boomba! Fee, who is an Artist and Project manager at the studio, took advantage of the additional support Train2Game offer and coordinated withTrain2Game’s PR team to draft and distribute a press release on behalf of the studio.

Coverage was achieved on sites in the US, Spain, France and of course the UK. Highlights include Nintendo Everything and Develop Online

This support is available to all students commercially releasing games, whether they be independent student studios or working at organisations outside of Train2Game. Train2Game love to support the successes of its students and the student body love to hear about them, so make sure to keep us informed of everything you are working on.

You can see some of the international articles in the links below, including sites from Spain, France and Brazil.

Blogocio_Train2Game_students_Fee_Stewart_is_awarded_free_PR_for_her_first_game_release_by_Train2Gam1

Espal3ds_Train2Game_students_Fee_Stewart_is_awarded_free_PR_for_her_first_game_release_by_Train2Gam1

Wiiz_Train2Game_students_Fee_Stewart_is_awarded_free_PR_for_her_first_game_release_by_Train2Game

Well done Fee!

Train2Game News: Train2Game student releasing Boomba!

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

Train2Game Student, Fee Stewart, has been working with Radiation Burn LTD to create a new exciting game called, Boomba!

In the game you get to play as punks, rockers, emos, soldiers, cops and many more characters in an exciting and enjoyable turn based strategy game that is based described as Angry Birds meets Worms.

This turn based physics shooter is completely unique and plays like no other. There are over 50 different teams to choose from, with more to follow. Aimed at aged 7+ casual to medium game players, this title really is open to everyone. The accuracy of your shooting is combined with a range of exciting weaponry to be victorious; use chainsaw missiles, boxing glove bazookas and metal anvils to defeat your opponents.

Boomba will be available on: Nintendo 3DS, iOS, Windows 8 and Windows Phone, Kindle, Blackberry, Andoid, PC and Mac next month.

RadiationBurn Ltd. strives to provide fun and original IP for your enjoyment. The studio, founded in Middlesbrough 2010, creates fun and original titles of all sizes. The company was founded through winning the Microsoft Dream.Build.Play Challenge, Old Spice competition. A worldwide competition in which RadiationBurn Ltd. were voted winners, by a panel of judges and the gaming public.

Fee joined the company in October 2011 after finishing a Train2Game student placement at the company.

When asked her opinion of the game she said “Boomba! is something I thought I would be doing only once. It soon became a daily habit to both create the game and play it!”

You can find out more about the game by going to www.boombagame.com

Train2Game News: Games Industry Jobs – 20.03.13

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

It is time again for the Train2Game news to bring you some of the latest early entry level jobs.

ART

Job Title	UI Artist
Job Category	Art / Animation
Skills Required	UI Artist
Location	Farringdon, London, UK & Europe
Job Description	Marmalade Studio are looking to hire a UI Artist to work as part of our award winning games studio. The ideal candidate will be experienced in designing UI for mobile games but those with a professional portfolio of interactive artwork will be considered. You should have a good eye for detail and a good sense for layout, usability, colour and typography. You should be comfortable working to deadlines and producing work of a high standard. The role will include but not be limited to: Creating concept work for game pitches Creating game assets for use on all mobile platforms on a number of devices Creating wireframes and interactive mock ups of UI designs Creating icons, logos and splash screens for all games Working with the design and engineering team to ensure that the project is delivered on time to a AAA standard About you Expertise in Illustrator Expertise in Photoshop Experience in Flash Experience of working with game engines Experience in video editing is preferable but not essential Experience in 3D is preferable but not essential A history of traditional art is preferable but not essential Capable of working to a brief without supervision and delivering game assets to release quality Strong graphic design skills Solid experience of UI either for web or mobile Experience with typography and layout An understanding of optimal asset creation for mobile devices across varying resolutions Self-motivated with good judgment and the ability to get things done quickly Personal Characteristics A passion for games Professionalism and integrity to demonstrate a positive image of the company Goal oriented, solution focused, results driven, reliable and capable A structured and organised approach to work with the ability to manage own workload and meet deadlines Ability and willingness to learn Strength to overcome challenges and ability to solve problems creatively Team player, who encourages collaboration, welcomes challenges to achieve greater results Shares knowledge and learning with team members Flexibility Next steps Please send your CV and covering letter stating your reasons for interest and current remuneration. Due to the large response we will only be able to contact short-listed candidates.

You can apply for the job, here.

DEVELOPER

Job Title	Physics Programmer
Job Category	Programming
Skills Required	Physics
Location	North
Job Description	Summary You will be working with a highly collaborative, international team of developers, working on a variety of projects and technologies. Job function: Develop, improve and maintain physics features. Read and analyse unfamiliar code to understand and extend functionality. Debug and fix defects of a reasonable complexity. Develop solutions that address actual needs and to actively verify those solutions. Offer advice and suggestions for improving the development process. Be proactive and help with problem solving. Skills Required: Advanced understanding of C/C++ and Object Oriented Programming. Excellent 3D math skills. Demonstrable physics programming background. Good understanding of game technology principles. Experience of designing, implementing and supporting code for use by others. Team player who knows the importance of listening to others. Self motivated with an ability to complete work to a high standard. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Desirable Skills: Extensive knowledge of the main gaming platforms and the requirements needed to develop for them. Shader and GPU experience. Unreal Engine experience.

You can apply, here.

DESIGN

Job Title	MMO Game Designer – Celtic Heroes – Groundbreaking MMORPG !
Job Category	Game Design
Skills Required	Games Designer, Level Designer, Graduate Game Designer
Location	Glasgow
Job Description	The team behind ‘Celtic Heroes’ are looking for a creative MMO Game Designer to join their team. As MMO Game Designer you will have the responsibility of designing and evolving the very experiences our players engage in. You must have massive passion in the MMORPG genre and fully understand the successful game mechanics and quest design that equally challenges and rewards the player. You must be a creative thinker with the ability to rationalise your ideas into practical game play experiences. You must be a strong communicator at ease working within a development team. A strong portfolio of game design examples in the same genre of ‘Celtic Heroes’ is a MUST! If you have the skills, qualifications, experience and a passion for playing our kind of games, we would love to hear from you. To APPLY direct online simply follow this link http://bit.ly/joinourclan Set in an exciting medieval Celtic world of combat, magic and mythology, ‘Celtic Heroes’ is a fully 3D MMORPG available for iPhone, iPod and iPad. Play as a customisable warrior, mage, rogue, ranger or druid. Gain powerful new weapons, armour and items as you explore the vast world of castles, dungeons and outdoor environments. Battle fearsome enemies and complete heroic quests! NOTE: Must be able to demonstrate eligibility and VALID WORKING VISA to work in the United Kingdom and be willing to relocate / commute to the Glasgow area PLEASE DO NOT APPLY if you do not currently hold a UK work Visa or are not eligible to gain one.

Job Title	QA Functional Tester
Job Category	QA / Localisation
Skills Required	QA Tester
Location	London
Job Description	Pole To Win Europe Ltd. – Functional QA Testers wanted for video game testing! Pole To Win Europe Ltd. is looking for motivated and responsible people to join us as Functional QA Testers. Ideal candidates will have a very strong knowledge of video games, ranging from consoles, handheld consoles and mobile devices. The video games industry is a fast paced industry; the candidate should have knowledge of video games history, having experience on previous generation of hardware as well as understanding the current status of the industry and its future development. As a Functional QA Tester you will be responsible for finding bugs in the video game that you are testing. You will be making sure that all bugs that you find are written and tracked in a bug database, which the development team will receive and then fix the issues that are present. You will then have to verify that the fix has been successful in a new build, or sent the issue back to the developers in order to ensure the correct fix has been made. The Pole To Win group is a leading company in providing quality services to the games industry with over 18 years of experience. Our West London Studio opened in April 2012 and has been expanding ever since! This is an excellent opportunity to join our passionate team and pursue a career in the videogames industry with opportunities to move up within the company. The position is open to any person based in or around London. Contract will be based on the length of the projects. Required Skills Excellent knowledge of the video games industry Experience in playing video games on a variety of consoles High level of written and spoken English Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines Good communication skills and able to work as part of a team Preferred Skills Excellent MS Office Skills Previous experience with using Bug Databases Understanding of games and game terminology Understanding the roles of other areas of the industry Previous experience of Functional Testing, although training will be given on site Due to the number of applications we are only able to contact candidates who have successfully passed on to the interview stage, thank you for your understanding

You can apply, here.

Train2Game News: Train2Game radio talks to Laurence Gee

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

Train2Game radio this week spoke to Train2Game Art & Animation student Laurence Gee. Laurence tells us how he got his job at Brain In A Jar and the exciting new project he is working on which is moments away from going on to Kickstarter!

http://www.braininajar.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/BraininaJarGames

https://twitter.com/openwheelgame

https://twitter.com/Braininatweet

You can listen to the interview here: http://audioboo.fm/boos/1267348-train2game-student-laurence-gee-talks-to-t2g-radio

or read the transcript below:

Hi my name’s Laurence Gee, I’m from Birkenhead and I’m on the art course.

Hiya Laurence, how you doing mate?

I’m not to bad, how about you Mark?

I’m excellent cheers mate. So then let’s start this off. So what’s your story? What are the past experiences that have shaped your life?

Basically, starting from School to College I basically focused my skills on Art and endeavor to get better and better at my art and try to focus on moving from the traditional art to the computer based art that I do now.

Excellent, so what do you currently do for a living?

I work as a 3D artist here at Brain In A Jar games development.

Excellent, how did you end up working there?

It was through placement. Train2Game got me a placement here, which I’m very grateful for, and I worked here for the placement and when the placement was over I was kindly offered the job.

Very nice and how long have you worked there?

2 years actually, just recently became 2 years.

Still enjoying it I assume?

I love it here, yeah!

So, what are you currently working on with the company if I can ask?

You can! We are literally about to release a Kickstarter any time soon, a game called Open Wheel. Kickstarter is a crowd-funding system. There’s a website you can go to and there are loads of different projects you can support. The actual users and the people that actually give them money are actually people of the world and basically Kickstarters a crowd-funding system where people actually get to judge the game themselves or the item it’s self that go on there.

So what we’ve done is we are putting a project on there called Open Wheel. An online racing game that we’ve designed and developed our selves. It’s pretty special because it features unique game connection system. There are no log in screens what so ever, when you want to race you can just drop straight into a game, in to any running server. No lobby’s means more time spent racing. You can customize the cars and drivers, loads of stats to track, on track celebrations, race teams, leagues. There’s lots to go in there.

So what drew you and the company to Kickstarter?

Kickstarter is a great way, for small independent developers like ourselves, to fund projects, especially ones we really care about. If people like what we are trying to do then they can back us and help us out with the funding and stuff. The finances we need will make the game happen with a huge boost and we can make the game really really great!

What is your personal reason for getting into the gaming industry in the first place?

Do you remember Lemmings?

I do indeed, yeah!

I’m thinking back when I was at a really young age and I played my first game. Back from old PC games or modern consoles, I played computer games for a really long time. I was really intrigued by what went into a game, I wasn’t always intrigued about playing the game its self, but I spent a lot of time playing a game to figure who it was made and what made it work. That’s really what pulled me in.

Right is that what drew you to it was it, was that what drew you to the Art in particular or did that come from things in school?

What drew me to Art was that I’ve always done it. I’ve always been drawing and painted. I love to paint, I’m a very traditional artist and I decided I wanted to move in to the art in games because I wanted to see how they did it. When I discovered how they did it I thought it was quite interesting and I decided to take my traditional skills in to computer based skills.

So, how’s Train2Game helped you get to where you are now?

Well I started the course nearly three years ago now, very near the end of it, and I basically started the art course. I was frozen at the point where I had a basic job working in a shop and Train2Game contacted me to let me know they’d accepted me on the Art course and so I accepted, got on with the course, started doing the coursework and basically it was the placement that really helped me get to where I was.

Very nice. So finally then, where can people find out more about the project you’re working on?

Of course, that’s the main part! You can check out our Facebook page, Brain In A Jar, a twitter – we’ve got @Openwheel game and also @Braininatweets check out there – and also go to our website which is, www.braininajar.co.uk

Well thank you very much Laurence!

No worries! Thank you very much

I’ll talk to you again, bye!

Take it easy, bye!

Train2Game News: Live pitch at Develop for a chance to get funded

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

Develop in Brighton in partnership with the Wellcome Trust brings a Live Pitch event to this year’s conference. This could be the big chance a Train2Game student has been looking for!

Developers are invited to apply for the chance to receive up to £10,000 each to develop a high-impact pitch for their game to help secure a distribution platform and funding. The ideas for your game need to draw on or be inspired by contemporary or historical biological or medical science in an innovative and accessible way. The games can be developed for any mass-appeal genre, platform or business model.

Those who are successful will go on to pitch their developed game ideas to a panel of publishers and funders at a live event at Develop in Brighton on Wednesday 10 July 2013.

Panellists joining the Wellcome Trust, who are a global charity dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health, include Sony XDev and crowd-funding platform Indiegogo.

Participating developers will be invited to receive additional pitch training ahead of the live event.

Previous game developers who have been funded through this is Fayju, an independent games company, who linked with University of Essex biochemistry researcher Dr Jody Mason to create an interactive game – ‘Cascade’ – to convey Alzheimer’s disease pathology at the cellular level, as well as potential therapeutic intervention approaches. With an ageing population and the number of people with dementia set to double every 25 years, it is clear that without better therapies, young people of today will become the carers of those with Alzheimer’s disease tomorrow.

How To Apply

Submissions are open until Friday 26 April.

Development funds can be used to develop a game prototype, demo or mood reel.

To enter your idea, apply through this link, where you can also find more details on what the Wellcome Trust are looking for.

If you have any queries about this opportunity, please email Iain Dodgeon i.dodgeon@wellcome.ac.uk

Train2Game News: Phil Cross of Microsoft talks to Train2Game Student Studios

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

Earlier this month ,Phil Cross, audience marketing manager of Microsoft, held the first of a series of mentoring sessions with Train2Game student studios.

The session was recorded by Train2Game radio and you can listen to the podcast here: http://www.spreaker.com/user/train2game/train2game_radio_phil_cross_of_microsoft

You can read the transcript for the mentoring session below:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/130135616/Phil-Cross-Mentors-Train2Game-Students

Train2Game News: Games Industry Jobs – 13.3.13

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

Train2Game brings you more jobs this week from around the games industry. Good luck with any you apply for!

ART

Job Title	Artist
Job Category	Art / Animation
Skills Required	Art / Animation
Location	Midlands
Job Description	Studio Overview Hardlight is SEGA’s third UK based studio and is focused exclusively on creating high quality, innovative game experiences for mobile and handheld platforms. The Studio comprises small, agile teams working on new IP & well-known SEGA IP. Project durations are 5-10 months, building on the success of their first projects on iOS – Sonic Jump. The team follows an ethos of staying compact, agile and focused – combining talent from a variety of game genres and backgrounds, and welcomes applications from candidates of all levels of experience. Key Responsibilities Produce Concept, Prototype and In-Game Art within design and technical limitations for mobile platforms. Create an appealing and consistent look for the games visuals that suites both the genre and brand requirements. Additional tasks as required Knowledge, Skills and Experience Self-driven individual with good organization skills Traditional 2D & 3D art skills. A good eye for lighting, shading, colour, detail and form Thoroughly knowledge of Photoshop & 3DS Max and/or similar digital art programs. An eye for accurate proportion, form, and detail Pluses Previous games industry on smart phone and tablets game titles advantageous. Passion for computer games and digital arts highly advantageous

You can apply by going HERE.

DEVELOPER

Job Title	Mobile Game Engineer
Job Category	Programming
Skills Required	Mobile / iOS / Android
Location	Midlands
Job Description	Studio Overview Hardlight is SEGA’s third UK based studio and is focused exclusively on creating high quality, innovative game experiences for mobile handheld platforms. With their first project ‘Sonic Jump’ released on iOS in late October, their next projects are due through 2013. The team was founded with the ethos of staying compact, agile and focused – combining talent from a variety of game genres and backgrounds and working closely with SEGA R&D Studio to stay at the cutting edge of developments in technology, middleware and game experiences. Key Responsibilities Work with other members of the team on creating high quality mobile titles Implement game features in partnership with artists and designers Learn and help develop various areas of features going into mobile handheld titles Constantly develop your skillset and experience in the mobile space Knowledge, Skills and Experience Development experience in C/C++ Experience developing titles for mobile devices (either independently or as part of a larger studio) Comfortable with game design and implementation Examples of own demos, with source code, very beneficial dependent on past professional experience Pluses Passion for computer games highly advantageous Development experience with C# or HTML5 Knowledge of OpenGL ES and other graphical development libraries

You can apply for the position HERE.

DESIGN

Job Title	Level Designer
Job Category	Game Design
Skills Required	Game Design
Location	Midlands, UK, Midlands
Job Description	Level Designer My client is looking for a talented Level Designer to join their team. Working as part of the design team the successful candidate will become a key member of a creative group looking to shape the next wave of exciting triple-A action titles. Requirements • Understanding of game design theory such as accessibility, pacing and balancing • Exceptional team player with the ability to collaborate and communicate without losing sight of the gameplay vision • Previous experience of building levels in a visual game design tool • Prior knowledge of visual scripting (using CryEngine Flow Graph, Kismet or similar) to define and develop gameplay logic • Willingness to take design direction when offered • Work well under pressure to meet deadlines • Experience playing first-person shooters • Demo / video examples of relevant work (e.g. personal portfolio or content created in at least one shipped title) • A general passion for video games, along with the desire to make the best games possible • Strong interpersonal and problem solving skills • ‘Outside of the box thinking’ with a desire to create interesting and original gameplay experiences For more information please contact Simon Hope via email at: simon@aswift.com

Jagex Ltd, the UK’s leading independent Online Games Studio, is looking for a passionate Junior Software QA Tester to join our Web Systems team and assure the quality of company websites.

Working within our growing Software Testing Department, you will be responsible assisting our internal web developers with the creation of applications used by staff and our players. The focus of the testing team is to ensure the highest quality and timely delivery of projects. You will also be expected to provide constructive feedback throughout the development lifecycle.

We are looking for highly motivated team players with strong communication and high attention to detail, who have a professional and methodical approach to work.

Key Duties Include:

Testing software tools and system applications
Providing constructive and qualitative feedback to developers
Analysing systems and developing the required tests
Providing design input to facilitate module testability
Creating structured test scripts and test plans
Contributing on a regular basis to improving processes and procedures
Regularly informing team leader of project progress and raising issues as they arise
Reviewing non-game website content

Essential Requirements:

Experience of software testing
Understanding of internet technologies including HTTP, HTML, CSS and JavaScript
Experience testing web/internet applications, including browser compatibility and security testing
Ability to understand software design documents to identify test scope and strategy
Excellent communication and organisation skills
Experience working in test driven agile development
A high level of attention to detail, strong analytical skills and problem solving ability

Desirable Requirements:

Good knowledge of bug tracking tool Jira
Experience of automated testing using Selenium
Experience with automated test tools, processes and test strategies
Experience analysing projects and determining their testing requirements
Passion for games
In-depth knowledge of writing automated and manual test scripts
ISEB Foundation qualified
Degree in Computer Science/Engineering or equivalent experience
Experience of working on networked and MMO games

You can apply HERE.

Train2Game News: Train2Game Radio interviews Michael Bird

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

Train2Game radio interviewed Michael Bird last week. Michael has very nearly finished the Train2Game Art & Animation course. He tells about how he grew up and became the artist he is today with help from his parents. He also has a valuable bit of advice for all students!

You can listen to the interview with Michael here: http://audioboo.fm/boos/1260505-train2game-student-michael-bird-on-t2g-student-radio

Or read the transcript below:

Hello my name is Michael Bird, I live in Kettering which is in Northamptonshire and the course I’m doing is the Art & Animation course.

Hi Michael, how you doing?

Hi, Mark, I’m all right thank you.

Excellent, So what’s your story? What are the past experiences that have shaped your life?

Well I’ve always been an artist. I was never taught how to be an artist, I inherited it from my parents. When they discovered I could draw from drawing on walls and stuff, they pushed me to do it and I’ve exhibited my work throughout my life, when I was at school and times after that. I have always had it as a passion and I’ve always played Video Games from the day the first Video Games came out like Pong and Pacman that we could play at home. Since then it’s been two passions, parallel with each other and this came along and I’ve had a chance to combine the two. Hopefully I can prosper doing them both!

So where as most people were told off for drawing on walls, you were encouraged!?

Yeah, yeah, basically yeah! Well you know, I wasn’t encouraged to draw all over the walls but they felt he has obviously got something, let’s give him some paper and pencil and let him just scribble. They guided me where I needed to be guided and yeah! I’m just blessed with being able to do it without being taught how to do it.

So are your parents quite good artists as well then I assume?

Yeah yeah, my Dad’s had art sold all over the world, commissions sold all over the world. My Mum is more of a colourist. She’s excellent with colour and I’ve picked it up off both of them. They’ve had all their work exhibited everywhere so yeah, it’s all good!

You said you’d exhibited some of your work somewhere, where have you exhibited your work?

My work has been exhibited locally around the Northamptonshire area. It’s been in the local press, this is going back to when I was about twelve, I think I had my first exhibition. I say, it got in the news because it was very different to everyone else. I was very fantasy art then, swords and dungeons and dragons and all that stuff and since then since I’ve done continuous exhibitions people have come up to me and say “I’d like to know if you can do this for me” and it’s commission pieces. Most of my work is actually all around my house.

To display to all the people who come in and see you I guess?

Yes! I do have comments like “What’s that?” or “Who did that?” and I say “Well I did!”. They then just stand there or sit there and stare at it and usually they come up and say “Oh. Can you do something for me then?”.

That’s got to feel nice when people come up and say that to you?

Yeah! They go through “well what inspired you to do that piece?” I say it’s just in my head so I do it! They say “What does it mean” well what do you think it means? Because what it means to me is different to what it means to them. When you do a picture or a piece of art it’s what a person thinks when they look at it.

So where are you in the course now?

I’ve just completed assignment 42, so I’m right near the very end. I’ve got one more portfolio piece to do and then I’ve got one more lesson and then I think it’s on to do a demo reel.

So that’s got to feel pretty exciting hasn’t it?

Yeah! I’ve gone through the waves and the troughs to do the course. You get so far and then you’re brain can’t take it any more and you wonder, can I really carry on with this course? Or you’ll have big failures and you think well I’ve got to carry on! What’s the point in doing it if you get half way through and can’t be doing it any more?

So you said you had a bit of trouble going through with the course, so what made you say you will keep going with everything, what made you push through?

Determination. Just the will to get it done! If you do it and you fail, you may as well not even have tried. You do get these bad points and you have to carry on. You do have these bad bits, you just pick yourself up and start again.

Well that’s perfect! Thank you very much for your time today Michael.

It’s a pleasure. Thank you very much for letting me do it!

It’s my pleasure, I will talk to you soon.

OK, thank you very much!

Train2Game Student Radio Featured Programmes

Posted on March 7, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

Train2Game student radio has gone LIVE! This service will play all the best Train2Game interviews around on a loop so you never miss anything good.

The schedule for the interviews the service plays is as follows:

Phil Cross Audience Marketing Manager at Microsoft UK Mentors Train2Game Students: Phil answers questions from students and explains how Train2Game students can gain many areas of on-going support free from Microsoft.

On BBC Oxford Mike Gamble from Epic advises Parents: Mike shares how parents can help youngsters wanting a career in the gaming industry.

BBC Radio Derby talks to Train2Game Student Daniel Gent: An inspirational interview with Daniel who following a car accident is now Quadriplegic, Daniel says if he can do a Train2Game course anyone can.

On Juice FM Mike Gamble from Epic advises Parents: Mike gives further advice to parents and would be students.

Steve Lindsay from the Princes’ Trust: shares how Train2Game often mirrors the aims of the Princes’ Trust with young people.

Train2Game Student Amy Methven from Scotland: explains how she has already started working with a student studio group.

Train2Game Student Dan Rutter explains: how Train2Game has given him the skills to become a published games studio and start his own games company with his wife.

Train2game student Gareth Brook shares: how an ex-Army communication technician has now joined a games studio.

Train2Game Student Neil Gorman details:how he has already gained work from Microsoft and further his Train2Game course has inspired him to now take a Masters Degree in games. Neil said of the course and the Train2game academic team “it’s been great, it’s been fantastic”.

Ken Gains from City and Guilds shares: how Train2Game works with City and Guilds.

Tune in via Train2Game Student Radio or more information via www.train2game.com

Train2Game News: Games Industry Jobs – 06.03.13

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Train2Game Blogger Team

It’s the time of the week again for Train2Game to post some entry level jobs in the hope that it will help get you in to the games industry!

Art

Job Title	2D Flash Artist
Job Category	Art / Animation
Skills Required	Art / Animation
Location	South
Job Description	2D Flash Artist Stainless Games requires a 2D Flash artist with a wide range of skills at our studio on the South Coast of England to work on high-profile projects. We offer excellent conditions and a competitive package in a fun working environment. Role and responsibilities: Work closely with Art, Design and Programming to concept and then create compelling user interface experiences. Create artwork and animations for the HUD/UI. Prototype interface functionality and aesthetics. Create high quality 2D game art assets using industry standard packages such as Adobe Photoshop and Flash. Fast turnaround of 2D look and feel concepts using Photoshop and Flash. Skills Required: Passionate about art for games with a strong appreciation of graphic design in games. Good eye for graphic and interface design Professional attitude and work ethic. Good written and verbal communication skills. Self-motivation and organised Desirable: Formal qualifications in related fields such as graphic design, visual communication or multimedia design. Traditional art skills Basic scripting

You can apply by emailing : jobs@stainlessgames.com

Developer

Job Title	Tools Programmer – Runescape MMO
Job Category	Programming
Skills Required	Tools
Location	Cambridge, UK & Europe
Job Description	Jagex Ltd, the UK’s leading independent online games studio, is looking for bright and passionate programmers who want to work with cutting edge technology to join our Tools Department. Joining the Jagex Technologies team, you would be developing new in-house tools to support our content development and graphics teams while also working with our code libraries, scripting language and game engine. Key Duties Include: Develop and maintain bespoke content creation tools using Java to the highest standards Enhance and improve the game engine Research new technology, platforms, techniques and ideas Enhance both the tools team libraries and the game engine libraries Act as lead on project, overseeing design and development Essential Requirements: High level knowledge of Java, C++ and object orientated programming techniques Strong understanding of computer graphics or computer animation technologies Strong understanding and appreciation of code design philosophies Strong academic background at degree level or equivalent Good industry track record, which may include previously published products, or tools development experience The ability to think creatively to solve coding problems and to demonstrate a high degree of initiative, determination and flexibility Desirable Requirements: Knowledge of other platforms including, but not limited to, Mac OS, Linux, WII, PS3 and Xbox Good understanding of GUIs and tools Experience of working on network and MMO games Experience as a lead programmer

You can apply here.

Design

Job Title	MMO Game Designer – Celtic Heroes – Groundbreaking MMORPG !
Job Category	Game Design
Skills Required	Games Designer, Level Designer, Graduate Game Designer
Location	Glasgow
Job Description	The team behind ‘Celtic Heroes’ are looking for a creative MMO Game Designer to join their team. As MMO Game Designer you will have the responsibility of designing and evolving the very experiences our players engage in. You must have massive passion in the MMORPG genre and fully understand the successful game mechanics and quest design that equally challenges and rewards the player. You must be a creative thinker with the ability to rationalise your ideas into practical game play experiences. You must be a strong communicator at ease working within a development team. A strong portfolio of game design examples in the same genre of ‘Celtic Heroes’ is a MUST! If you have the skills, qualifications, experience and a passion for playing our kind of games, we would love to hear from you. To APPLY direct online simply follow this link http://bit.ly/joinourclan Set in an exciting medieval Celtic world of combat, magic and mythology, ‘Celtic Heroes’ is a fully 3D MMORPG available for iPhone, iPod and iPad. Play as a customisable warrior, mage, rogue, ranger or druid. Gain powerful new weapons, armour and items as you explore the vast world of castles, dungeons and outdoor environments. Battle fearsome enemies and complete heroic quests! NOTE: Must be able to demonstrate eligibility and VALID WORKING VISA to work in the United Kingdom and be willing to relocate / commute to the Glasgow area

Area:: South East
Location:: Oxford
Start Date:: ASAP
Recruiter:: NaturalMotion Games

Role Summary:
NaturalMotion is looking for a tester to work on its upcoming mobile platform titles. This is a full time, contract position with an expected minimum duration of 3 months.

Daily duties will include testing and reporting issues discovered, working to use and improve test cases and working with small, project-based teams to ensure efficient testing throughout a project’s life.

While extensive testing experience is ideal, it is not strictly necessary and a little testing experience combined with enthusiasm and additional transferable skills is welcome and there will be a chance to learn and train with the testing team.

Testing will cover such areas as the user interface, menu items, inspecting the 3D assets for errors, gameplay, progression, and all other non-gameplay areas in addition to the game itself. Diligence and the ability to commit to repetitive tasks will be required in these roles.

Requirements:
– Excellent verbal and written English skills as you will be required to communicate with staff from all disciplines (both technical and non-technical) and to write clear bug reports.
– Self-motivation and enthusiasm.
– Diligence in conducting sometimes-repetitive tests and bug isolation.
– Ability to quickly learn new software tools.
– Knowledge of current generation games and hardware.
– Knowledge and use of mobile platforms (such as iOS and Android)
– Previous experience of software testing (including mobile and/or social games)

Desirable additional Skills/Experience:
– Experience of software testing on several different titles.
– Familiarity with testing on the iOS and Android platforms.
– Experience in using bug-tracking and test management tools.
– Experience testing in an Agile environment.
– Understanding of and design of Test Cases.
-Working knowledge of a programming or scripting language.