Week 36
On week 36 of my diaries now! That’s a lot of weeks so far, and yet everything is still going swimmingly well. The new project is underway now and we are all working hard on it. My Sea Park is doing pretty well too. This week has been quiet though, since Jonny and Ben are no longer here and there are some people away too, making the office a lot more empty than normal. I’ve been quietly working away doing what I’ve needed to do. Not much of an eventful week really.
I have also been going through the course a little faster, currently verging on the end of section 2, so far the course has provided some insightful knowledge into my role as an artist, I look forward to seeing what section three will teach me, which I should be on very soon if I keep up the pace I am at. I have spoken to quite a few students on the artist course and none that I know of are on section 3, so I have no idea what it’s going to be like! Should be interesting
Week 37
This week so far has been a bit of a headache week, as I try to fix a problem we are having with axis translates vertex values, local and world pivot locations and parent/child objects,
since all of these values display differently from Maya to Unity or Max. This is probably the most confusing problem I’ve come across since I started modelling eight years ago. Other than that issue my week has been ok! We have started doing regular weekly sprint meetings again which is good, because it means I can be a little more organised with my work and it also means I always know what I am doing.
I’ve also now done the section 2 exam for the A&A course, which makes me on section 3 in five working days! This also means I am as far in to the course as Craig Moore is into the
designer course, he started the course about a week before I did so I’m not doing too badly I don’t think. That being said, how far people are into the course is not a rating for how good they are at their roles, there is a lot more information to learn that may not be on the courses that people can acquire through experience or looking up online for info or tutorials.
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Tag Archives: game
Train2Game Student Diaries Craig Moore Weeks 37 and 38
Week 37 – It’s all kicking off now!
This week we really have started on the new title full swing. Art is doing arty things, development is doing developy things and I’m getting to do a little bit of everything; which is lovely and just what I want to be doing.
Most the week I have been assisting Rory in just concreting a load of the design functionality and, particularly, social aspects of the game. We learnt so many things from My Sea Park that going in to this next project we feel much more confident as to what we are doing and it’s making the process much more concise.
I have also had to do some more changes and updates to a pitch document which has gone off to yet another magical destination in the ether! It’s very exciting seeing my documents go off to people, so far the feedback has generally been positive so I must be doing something right.
Other than that the next Game Jam is coming out of the wood work, and teams are being assigned. I got myself in the nice and high Team 32. It’s been a bit of a quiet reception so far and fingers crossed some coders will come out the woodwork as we won’t get very far in Metro without them.
Craig
Week 38 – Properly back in to the fray.
This week has been the first proper return to agile development and scrums for the team. Poor Rory has been neck deep in planning and attempting to foretell his way through a large project which is no simple feat considering everything that has to be taken into account.
In saying that, it is great to have a concrete list of things that need doing for the week and targets to aim for, despite working hard, there is something about a task list that pushes you towards the goal for the week so much stronger than simply having “stuff to do”.
Using new tech we do have a lot of unknowns, which do contribute to the uncertainty of time scales, but as a team we have overcome them successfully. It is Friday afternoon and I am 99% done on my tasks. The general idea is not to ever return to these once they are ticked off, but I think we might just pop our heads in to tweak from time to time as the project goes on, when things don’t quite match up or look slightly wrong. I’m not sure if that’s just because it’s possible to do or because it fits the nature of the project, but I like the ability to go back to things if they simply no-longer work/look good or I feel that there is a better way to do the task.
More next week I guess, it’s about to get a bit crazy in here!
Craig
Train2Game news: UK Charts – Mass Effect 3 breaks series records to take No.1
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Train2Game students see the much anticipated Mass Effect 3 firmly take hold of No.1 in the UK Charts this week, as it achieves the biggest first week sales of the year so far.
It has also smashed previous launch figures of the previous games in the series, with Mass Effect 3’s week 1 sales beating those of Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 combined. Mass Effect 3 also marks the first time the BioWare series has launched simultaneously across three platforms, but the Xbox 360 version proves most popular, providing almost three quarters of total sales.
You can find out more about BioWare in our interview with studio co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka & Dr. Greg Zeschuk, right here on The Train2Game Blog.
The success of Mass Effect 3 knocks fellow EA title, and last week’s chart topper, SSX down one spot to No.2. New release Street Fighter X Tekken, is the second highest new entry at No.3, while FIFA 12’s position continues to fluctuate, with the football title marking EA’s third appearance in this week’s top ten. Mario Party 9 slips two to No.5 in its second week on sale.
The Sims 3: Showtime, also from EA, debuts at No.6, sitting one place above Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 slips one to No.8, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations in a non-mover at No.9, while Zumba Fitness returns to complete the top ten.
PlayStation Vita title Unit 13 reaches No.15 in its first week on sale.
The UKIE Gfk Chart-Track All Formats Top 10 for the week ending 10th March 2012 is therefore as follows:
1. Mass Effect 3 (EA)
2. SSX (EA)
3. Street Fighter X Tekken (Capcom)
4. FIFA 12 (EA)
5. Mario Party 9 (Nintendo)
6. The Sims 3: Showtime (EA)
7. Mario & Sonic London 2012 Olympic Games (Sega)
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Activision)
9. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (Ubisoft)
10. Zumba Fitness (505 Games)
Releases for the week ahead include Silent Hill: Downpour, FIFA Street and the one you’ve been waiting for, European Bus Simulator.
So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Mass Effect 3’s record breaking No.1? What are your thoughts on the game? And do you expect it to stay at No.1 next week?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game interview: Train2Game game developer Paul Cullum from Merthyr Tydfil
Train2Game student Paul Cullum from Merthyr Tydfil – AKA Superfurry on the Train2Game forum – is on the Train2Game Game Developer course. In an interview with Train2Game Radio, he tells us why he chose to study with Train2Game, how he fits it around his life as a musician and what he hopes to achieve in the games industry.
Read the interview on the Train2Game blog or on the Train2Game Scribd page. Alternatively, you can listen to it via Train2Game Radio. Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
OK Paul, what first got you into video games?
Probably my father. I’ve been playing computer games since about 5 on the Spectrum, that’s where I started. Manic Miner, that was the game that got me into it.
What made you decide you wanted to forge a career in the games industry?
Well I’ve always been into games as I said and I used to programme on the Spectrum and on the Amiga. I’ve had pretty much every console that’s come out.
So what got you into programming?
I just had the brain for it I suppose. I used to love programming little things on the Spectrum, little games from magazines, putting in thousands of code and then…it didn’t work! And then finding the problem. But I’ve never really programmed any games because I didn’t know how to really.
And is this why you decided to join the Train2Game Game Developer course?
It is, yeah.
What does your partner think about being on a Train2Game course?
She’s OK with it, she thinks it’s good. I mean she’s seen some of the programmes I’ve written. Her sister works for Nintendo advertising the games, the new Zelda game I think she was advertising that.
Tell us a little about yourself, what do you do?
I’m a musician, I play in pubs and bars, and I’ve played in Europe: Denmark, Sweden, places like that.
How do you find fitting the Train2Game course around the rest of your life then?
I’ve been ill for the last couple of months, in hospital, so I haven’t had much of a chance to get into it lately.
What’s been your favourite part of the Train2Game course so far?
I’ve not been able to get stuck into it that much, but just making little games from the first book, just making the little platform games, which I enjoyed doing because I love platform games. That’s my favourite part so far. And I’ve got a bit of knowledge of C++ and other languages already so I’m sure I’ll get to a point where it’ll fry my brain, but it’s going alright so far.
And what do you want to achieve with Train2Game this year?
I want to put together a portfolio, learn more C++, incorporate that with other languages and learn databases and things like that and how to put them in games. Just to get a head start to get me into the industry.
How useful have you found the Train2Game forum so far?
I’ve met a couple of people actually. I met up with a few people in Cardiff a few months ago, and they want to work on a game with me when we’ve got further into the course.
How do you see yourself entering the games industry, would you like to get a role at an established developer, or do you want to form your own studio with other Train2Game students?
An indie done would be perfect because I’ve got some ideas once I get my head round stuff, and the two lads I met, they’ve got some good ideas for games so hopefully we’ll get to a point where we can develop it more. It’s just ideas at the moment.
Can you see your music career and games career joining together at all?
Possibly, yeah. I use a lot of software to record stuff at home so it’s pretty easy to knock up a little background music for a game.
What would your ideal job in the industry be?
Just being a part of a team really, learning new things and getting better.
Thanks for your time Paul.
For more information go to www.train2game.com
Train2Game at gamescom Neven Dravinski Producer UFC Undisputed 3 talks to Danny Palmer
Train2Game at gamescom Neven Dravinski Producer UFC Undisputed 3 talks to Danny Palmer and shares the shortage of QA testers in the industry!
Train2Game at gamescom John Block Producer of Metro Last Light talks to Danny Palmer
Train2Game at gamescom John Block Producer of Metro Last Light talks to Danny Palmer and explains how he got into the industry and what you should do to get started.
Train2Game at gamescom 3 of the team from Ghost Recon Future Solider talk to Danny Palmer
Train2Game at gamescom 3 of the team from Ghost Recon Future Solider talk to Danny Palmer, plus games advise and how to start in the industry
Train2Game at gamescom Marek Ziemak Environment Artist Witcher 2 talks to Danny Palmer
Train2Game at gamescom Marek Ziemak Environment Artist Witcher 2 talks to Danny Palmer and explains how he started as a QA tester
Train2Game at Gamescom: Jason Vandenberg Narrative Director of Farcry 3 talks to Danny Palmer
Jason Vandenburg Narrative Director Farcry 3 shares how to join the Games Industry
Train2Game at gamescom join Danny Palmer at the press call with Raphel Colantonio President of Arkane Studios talking Dishonored
And find out how Raphel Colantonio got into the games industry
The Train2Game Blog 