Tag Archives: games

Train2Game News Nintendo Direct

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Nintendo debuted a new Nintendo Direct presentation today, revealing details about several new and upcoming  Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games.

Some of the exciting news included the reveal that iconic video game character Cloud from  FINAL FANTASY VII will be added as a playable DLC fighter in  Super Smash Bros. for Wii U  and   Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. Other notable announcements included the reveal of an HD remake of  The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii U console, a new Wii U bundle featuring  Splatoon and  Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and news that the Pokémon games that started it all –  Pokémon Red Version,  Pokémon Blue Version and Pokémon Yellow Version – will launch with new wireless communication functionality in the Nintendo eShop on the Nintendo 3DS system on Feb. 27. To view the Nintendo Direct video in its entirety, visit http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct .

“There’s never been a better time to join in on the fun with Nintendo,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing. “From new experiences like  Xenoblade Chronicles X that you can enjoy this year to re-imagined favorites like  The Legend of Zelda and  Pokémon  coming in 2016, we have you covered with games you’re sure to love.”

Some of the highlights revealed in the video include:

Wii U and Nintendo 3DS

    A New Challenger Approaches!: Cloud Strife, the legendary protagonist from the classic RPG game  FINAL FANTASY VII, will enter the battlefield as a playable fighter in  Super Smash Bros.  for Wii U and  Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS  in the future. A special video presentation will be released in December, which will share more updates about the hit fighting games. More information is available at  http://www.smashbros.com/us/dlc/ .

Wii U

    The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD: Originally released for Wii and Nintendo GameCube systems in 2006,  The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is a visually remastered remake of one of the most critically acclaimed games in  The Legend of Zelda series. The new game launches on March 4 in a bundle with a detailed new  amiibo figure modeled after the Wolf Link and Midna characters in the game. The game will also be compatible with five other  The Legend of Zelda amiibo from the  Super Smash Bros. series. The game’s iconic soundtrack will be offered as a bonus for fans who pre-order the game from select retailers.

    The Legend of Zelda for Wii U (name not final): Next year marks the 30thanniversary of  The Legend of Zelda series. And with that comes  The Legend of Zelda for Wii U, the next entry in the storied franchise. During the Nintendo Direct presentation, it was revealed that certain saved data from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD on the Wolf Link amiibo can be carried over to this new game.

    New Wii U Bundle: A new Wii U Deluxe Set that includes the Wii U console and pre-installed versions of hit games  Splatoon and  Super Smash Bros. for Wii U launches this holiday season.

    Pokkén Tournament: A collaboration between The Pokémon Company and BANDAI Namco Entertainment Inc.,  Pokkén Tournament is a new fighting game for Wii U that lets players use their favorite Pokémon characters to battle it out in fighting arenas. Fans who purchase a first-run version of the game at retail stores will receive a limited-edition Shadow Mewtwo amiibo card that immediately unlocks the character in the game after tapping it to the GamePad.  Pokkén Tournament launches exclusively for Wii U in spring 2016 at a suggested retail price of $59.99.

    Star Fox Zero:  Star Fox Zero delivers a new beginning for the classic shooter series. With a unique control scheme that uses both the TV screen and the screen on the GamePad, players pilot multiple vehicles through intergalactic levels with Fox and his classic crew. The game launches exclusively for Wii U on April 22.

    An Ink-redible  Splatoon Update: Today at 5 p.m. PT, a free new update for Splatoon adds more than 40 pieces of new gear, including more winter items and some slick bandanas. And on Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. PT,  another free new update adds a new stage called Museum d’Alfonsino. Further stages and features will be added in future updates through January. A Nintendo Treehouse  Splatoon Tournament will happen in December, featuring competitive game play as well as tips for players about setting up their own tournaments. The tournament will be live streamed at http://www.youtube.com/nintendo ,  http://www.twitch.tv/nintendo  and http://live.nintendo.com.

    Super Mario Maker Powers Up Once Again: In December, a new Web portal will offer a more robust search function to find and filter levels in  Super Mario Maker across a variety of Web-enabled devices!

    Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival: By tapping any of the  Animal Crossing amiibo figures, players can play as that character in the game’s main mode, a dynamic board game. Players can also tap in their  Animal Crossing amiibo cards to play other modes like an  Animal Crossing quiz. The Wii U game that includes the Isabelle and Digby amiibo figures and three amiibo cards launches on Nov. 13 at a suggested retail price of $59.99, the same day as the standalone  Animal Crossing amiibo figures.

    Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash: On Nov. 20,  Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash launches exclusively for Wii U at a suggested price of $49.99. The game includes a fun New Super Mario Bros. power-up, the Mega Mushroom, which is featured in the over-the-top “Mega Battle Mode.” Players can also select “Classic Mode” to enjoy a more traditional game of tennis. Players can compete online or together via local play, and the game is compatible with amiibo in select modes, including online matches.

    Xenoblade Chronicles X: Massive RPG  Xenoblade Chronicles X launches exclusively for Wii U on Dec. 4 at a suggested retail price of $59.99. For people who purchase the physical version of the game, four free high-speed data loading packs are available to download from the Nintendo eShop starting today. The data packs greatly increase the speed of loading times in the game, but are not required to play.

Nintendo 3DS

    Where it all Began: The original Pokémon games –  Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version and  Pokémon Yellow Version – are coming to the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 27, the same day that the original games first released in Japan in 1996. And there’s no need to pull out those old Game Boy Game Link cables while playing. Using the wireless communication on Nintendo 3DS, players can trade Pokémon with other players.

    Hyrule Warriors: Legends: Take the epic  Hyrule Warriors experience on the go!  Hyrule Warriors: Legends offers players the entire  Hyrule Warriors game on Nintendo 3DS … but with even more content! This time, Tetra, Toon Link and the King of Hyrule from  The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker join the Skull Kid from  The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask on the battlefield. In addition, new character Linkle, a girl who lives in a small village filled with Cuccos and wields two crossbows, joins the large cast of playable characters. Players will be able to command multiple characters, taking direct control of them at any time, leading to new strategic options on the battlefield.  Hyrule Warriors: Legends launches for Nintendo 3DS on March 25 at a suggested retail price of $39.99.

    Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam: The hilarious  Mario & Luigi series meets the charming  Paper Mario series in the  Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam  game, launching exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on Jan. 22 at a suggested retail price of $39.99. Using compatible amiibo, players can create a corresponding character card in the game, which has powerful effects during battle.

    Fire Emblem Fates: There are multiple adventures waiting to be experienced in  Fire Emblem Fates for Nintendo 3DS. By purchasing one of the two main games at a suggested retail price of $39.99 –  Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright or  Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest – either at retail locations or in the Nintendo eShop starting Feb. 19, players choose to embark on a unique quest with a different story and different experiences. The decision that the player makes early in the game will dictate the game’s story and difficulty. After purchasing one game, the downloadable version of the other is only $19.99 via an in-game purchase. There will even be a third downloadable version in the near future,  Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation, for players who own either  Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright or  Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest and want to take on a new challenge and experience an alternative version of the game. For fans of the series, a special edition will be available that includes all three games, an artbook and a Nintendo 3DS XL pouch at a suggested retail price of $79.99.

    The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes DLC: New free DLC is coming on Dec. 2, adding Linebeck’s Uniform and Fierce Deity Armor outfits, each with unique powers, as well as the new Den of Trials with more than 30 stages to conquer. The upcoming software update also makes it more convenient to get Friendly Tokens by purchasing them from the Street Merchant once the princess’ curse has been lifted. Additionally, two adjustments will ensure a more comfortable online experience: By answering a question before matchmaking, you will be matched with other players who gave similar answers, plus players who leave a game in progress through the Pause menu can be added to the blacklist.

    Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: Players can  become one of 20 Pokémon in  Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, launching for Nintendo 3DS on Nov. 20 at a suggested retail price of $39.99. With turn-based battles and ever-changing dungeons, players can encounter every single known Pokémon in the game – all 720 of them!

    Nintendo Badge Arcade: Now available in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS,  Nintendo Badge Arcade is a free-to-start game that lets players control a classic arcade-style crane machine to earn badges from popular titles to customize their Nintendo 3DS HOME menus. The game is constantly being updated with new badges, so it’s always great to keep checking back!

    Two  DRAGON QUEST Games are Better Than One: The lineup of RPGs on Nintendo 3DS continues to grow with classic games  DRAGON QUEST VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past and  DRAGON QUEST VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, both remastered for Nintendo 3DS and coming in 2016.

    Pokémon Picross: The popular  Picross series meets the lovable world of Pokémon when free-to-start game  Pokémon Picross launches exclusively in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS in early December.

amiibo

    Jan. 22 sees the release of Lucas in the  Super Smash Bros. series, amiibo figures for Resetti, Blathers, Celeste and Kicks in the  Animal Crossing series, and Series 2 of the  Animal Crossing amiibo cards.

Third-Party

    FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS from Square Enix, Inc. (Nintendo 3DS): In the first  FINAL FANTASY action-RPG on Nintendo 3DS, players journey to an island filled with mystical crystals protected by powerful eidolons. More than 20 jobs can be learned, each with its own set of special skills. When  FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS  launches exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on Jan. 26, it will include all the DLC that was previously released in Japan. Multiplayer functionality for up to four players is enabled through Nintendo 3DS local wireless communication.

    Mega Man Legacy Collection  from Capcom (Nintendo 3DS): Capcom’s iconic Blue Bomber has been a classic part of Nintendo history since the NES days.  Mega Man Legacy Collection launches for Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 23 and features faithful reproductions of the first six NES  Mega Man games (Mega Man 1-6), plus new ways to experience these classics with Challenge Mode’s remix stages and Museum Mode’s repository of original production art. In addition, the game comes with exclusive new challenges that can be unlocked using the Mega Man amiibo. But that’s not the only amiibo that can unlock these bonus challenges! A new gold-colored Mega Man amiibo figure also launches as part of the  Mega Man Legacy Collection Collector’s Edition.

    Hive Jump from Graphite Lab (Wii U): Players shoot their way through dangerous alien infestations in  Hive Jump, a frenetic run ’n’ gun platformer for one to four players.  Hive Jump launches in the Nintendo eShop with exclusive Wii U features in early 2016.

    Kerbal Space Program from Squad (Wii U): By using the Wii U GamePad, players can take part in the complete space agency experience, from building a spaceship part by part, to mission control by flying their creation and conquering the planets and moons of the solar system.  Kerbal Space Program launches in Nintendo eShop for Wii U in early 2016.

    SteamWorld Heist from Image & Form (Nintendo 3DS): For a limited time, players who purchase side-scrolling, turn-based strategy shooter SteamWorld Heist in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS when it launches this holiday season will receive an exclusive Nintendo 3DS HOME Menu theme.

    FAST Racing Neo from Shin’en (Wii U): It’s almost here!  FAST Racing Neo, the high-octane racing game with up to eight-player online multiplayer, launches exclusively in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U in early December.

    Typoman  from Headup Games and Brainseed Factory (Wii U): Typoman is a puzzling platformer that tells a dark tale of heroes and monsters, where words can either be a blessing … or a curse! Using the GamePad in a unique way, players set out on an adventure to explore the incredible power of words and how they can be used to survive the environmental hazards and overcome vicious enemies. The game launches exclusively in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U on Nov. 19.

    Mighty No. 9  from Deep Silver (Wii U / Nintendo 3DS): From Keiji Inafune, the creator of the  Mega Man series, comes  Mighty No. 9. This action side-scroller can be played solo or with two players in online co-op and competitive modes. The Wii U version of the game launches on Feb. 9, with a Nintendo 3DS version following shortly thereafter.

    LEGO Marvel’s Avengers from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (Wii U / Nintendo 3DS): With an extensive roster of new characters to play, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers features storylines and locations from six different films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as classic Avengers content seen in Marvel Comics, all retold with a unique splash of LEGO humor. The game launches for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS on Jan. 26.

    Project X Zone 2  from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America, Inc.  (Nintendo 3DS): Everyone’s favorite Capcom, SEGA and BANDAI NAMCO characters are crossing over once again in  Project X Zone 2. But this time Nintendo is also joining the fun by adding Chrom and Lucina from  Fire Emblem Awakening and Fiora from  Xenoblade Chronicles to the game. Project X Zone 2 launches exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 16.

    Terraria from 505 Games (Wii U / Nintendo 3DS): In  Terraria, players explore vast fantasy worlds and wage war on hundreds of enemies and giant bosses using weapons and armor they craft themselves. They can even use the touch-screen interface on the Nintendo 3DS system or the Wii U GamePad to reach directly into the world of Terraria, fashioning elaborate and amazing structures with their fingertips. It’s also possible to share the adventure with friends, with online and split-screen multiplayer for Wii U and local play for Nintendo 3DS. Hundreds of hours of entertainment await in  Terraria, launching in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in early 2016.

For more information about Nintendo, visit  http://www.nintendo.com/.

Train2Game News Universal Reattribution

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adjust, the leading business intelligence platform for mobile apps, today launched Universal Reattribution, a new feature that enables marketers to finally close the analytics gap and track 100% of re-engagement campaigns.

With Universal Reattribution, app marketers will better understand where and how lost users return to an app and the re-engagement channels that are most effective. Starting today, Universal Reattribution is available to all of adjust’s 1700 clients.

According to adjust’ s recent Mobile Benchmark report, most users leave an app within a few days of installing, never to return. Average retention rates in the report indicate that only 15% of users still enter an app after seven days on average. App marketers currently leverage retargeting and re-engagement ad campaigns to bring users back to an app. Only 55% of returning users are tracked and reattributed accurately through other market analytics tools when explicitly marked as a retargeting campaign, leaving 45% of all returning users invisible to tracking. Now available, adjust’s Universal Reattribution feature provides the first-ever reattribution technology for mobile apps to capture the 45% of untracked users who re-engage in an app.

“With our Universal Reattribution tool, marketers are now able to get a more complete understanding of the performance of all their marketing channels – from ads to email marketing, web content and more,” says Christian Henschel, CEO and Co-Founder of adjust. “This type of reattribution requires a highly complex and fast technology to be useful and effective for marketers. We match every incoming session with its corresponding incoming click in real-time, whereas our competitors have opted to shortcut tracking by showing only the interactions that explicitly retarget previous users, and ignore other marketing outreach that also contributes to re-engagement. This is why we are the only platform worldwide that is able to conduct reattribution coherently and in mass volume. Universal Reattribution is the result of dedicated, hard work to make our systems faster and stronger.”

With the launch of its Universal Reattribution tool, adjust reveals that the potential for re-engagement generated by non-retargeting ad campaigns has been hidden for a long time. From these findings, not only the relevance of advertising sources will change, but also the dynamics of performance analysis. Previously, re-engagement and user acquisition were two completely different topics and separate efforts, and now, marketers can cohesively understand the effects of their outreach across all users and channels.

For more information on adjust’s Universal Reattribution tool, visit www.adjust.com or contact sales@adjust.com.

Train2Game News Cocos2d-x Engine

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Chukong USA today revealed several of the top grossing games rocketing up the 2015 charts in the App Store and Google Play have been developed with the award winning Cocos2d-x game engine.

Cocos2d-x is the world’s largest open source mobile game engine with over 490,000 registered developers and 50,000 published titles. According to research firm AppAnnie’s game index, Cocos developers from indie to enterprise alike have recently achieved the prestigious top 10 ranking with games including: Clash of Kings, Puzzle & Dragons, Monster Strike, Fantasy Westward Journey Mobile, Big Fish Casino, The Legend of Mir 2, The King of Fighters’ 98, and the new indie title Floors.

Ricardo Quesada, the main author of Cocos2d, said: “We’re focused on providing a powerful, yet lightweight game engine with easy-to-use APIs, intuitive tools, and an enthusiastic community. Additionally, with the availability of Cocos SDKBOX, we can further offer mobile game developers a comprehensive solution for building and marketing highly polished, well-performing games, as exemplified by these top performing games in the app stores.”

Hiroshi Sugiyama, Chief Engineer of Alim, a subsidiary of gumi Inc., said: “We chose Cocos2d-x for its excellent multi-platform support and open source code; no part of Cocos2d-x is a black box. Its potential as a great game development tool helped us right from the beginning. When we began production on Brave Frontier, Cocos2d-x had just been released; tools and information was scarce at the time. Thanks to the platform, we were able to deliver a high quality game.”

Yuri Sanachev, developer with Ketchapp, said: “Floors was my first mobile project, and it only took about a week to learn Cocos2d-x basics for designing the core gameplay. The Cocos engine is very flexible and developer-friendly, while the resources, memory management, particle engine and actions model made my life a lot easier. I also leveraged the Cocos SDKBOX IAP, and I’m looking forward to the roadmap of future integrations and updates that will be invaluable for my games.”

Additionally, today’s news falls on the heels of a recent update to Cocos SDKBOX, where thousands of developers are already leveraging the framework for managing game data SDKs used for analytics, attribution, user acquisition, social, IAP, mediation and other live operations services to grow their player base and rise to the top of the app store charts. Since the release of SDKBOX version 1.3 in September, the number of games with the service installed has grown to over 4,500 titles.

For more information on Cocos2d-x and SDKBOX, please visit us at http://cocos2d-x.org.

Train2Game News Train2Game welcomes Ombudsman Decision

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12 November 2015 – It is widely known, in the public domain, that Train2Game is leading the way bringing City & Guilds to the gaming sector.

This decision was not taken lightly and followed an extensive period of consultation with our students who persuaded us to go the City and Guilds route.

Subsequently, a tiny number of students, for reasons unknown, claimed this was a retrograde step, one deciding to raise the issue with the Financial Ombudsman Service.

The Ombudsman service stated in their findings, “I think that in this case the alternative offered is a better quality product…..”

Adding, “……the new qualification is more widely recognised internationally and is more prestigious so likely to lead to better opportunities for students”.

The Ombudsman service also stated, “I am persuaded that the new qualification offered is better than Mr S signed up for. If he had completed the course I think it is likely he would have been in a better position to get a job”.

Train2Game welcomes the final decision and endorsement of the Ombudsman that the complaint was unfounded and that City and Guilds exam (qualification) is superior to TIGA exam (qualification).

In view of this decision Train2Game will continue to lead the way bringing the “more prestigious” qualification(s) to its students and to the gaming sector via City & Guilds.

Train2Game News Coding with Star Wars

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Code.org unveiled a Star Wars-themed computer science tutorial featuring Princess Leia, C-3PO and R2-D2 as well as Rey and BB-8 from the upcoming film Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The online lesson kicks off the third-annual global  Hour of Code campaign, in honor of Computer Science Education Week, December 7-13, 2015.

Thanks to Disney and Star Wars, students will learn to write code that allows them to create fun challenges and games using Star Wars characters. Participants will join forces with Rey to guide BB-8 through a space mission, then team up with Princess Leia to build their own game featuring R2-D2 or C-3PO. Students will also be able to play their completed games on smartphones and share them with friends and family through a unique link.

“For generations, Star Wars has sparked kids’ curiosity and imagination, and we hope the appeal of characters like Princess Leia and Rey will help fuel greater participation in science and math, especially among girls, around the world,” said Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. “Computer science has helped shape our legacy and changed the way movies are made, which is why programs like the Hour of Code are so important to us.”

This is the second year Disney has worked with Code.org on a coding tutorial featuring Disney characters. Last year’s tutorial — which President Obama participated in at the White House for the Hour of Code last December — has been completed more than 13 million times and tapped Anna and Elsa from Walt Disney Animation Studio’s blockbuster film “Frozen.” More than 100 million students across 180 countries have tried an Hour of Code tutorial, including one in three students in US schools, according to Code.org estimates.

Code.org’s new “Star Wars: Building a Galaxy with Code” lesson for the Hour of Code 2015 aims to nurture creativity and teach logic and problem solving through basic computer programming. There are two versions of the introductory tutorial: one introduces users to the coding language JavaScript for the first time in a Code.org lesson, and lets them create a game in their Internet browser using Code.org’s unique blocks-to-text programming environment.

For beginner and younger students, a tablet-friendly drag-and-drop version will be available in the next few weeks. The tutorial will also be translated into more than 40 languages. The tutorial is supported by Star Wars: Force for Change, a philanthropic initiative that harnesses the strength of Star Wars and its global fandom to empower people to come together to make a positive impact on the world around them.

In addition to the lesson, role models and technologists, including Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, Rachel Rose, a Senior R&D engineer working on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Charita Carter, Senior Creative Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, have provided short video lectures to help students through the one-hour activity.

“Millions of us have been transported to a galaxy far, far away thanks to the creativity of the team behind Star Wars. Every one of us, especially young boys and girls, should also have the chance to learn how to power our own creativity with computer science,” said Hadi Partovi, co-founder and CEO of Code.org. “Code.org is honored to have the support of Disney and Star Wars on the Hour of Code, making it possible for students everywhere to experience firsthand how this foundational field opens new doors and can be a lot of fun, too.”

“Disney is driven by storytelling and technology—and we know that kids introduced to computer science today will become the innovators and storytellers of tomorrow,” said Jimmy Pitaro, co-Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. “We are honored to be working with Code.org again this year to introduce millions of students to coding, which is becoming one of the most important languages of their generation.”

In addition to partnering with Code.org to make the “Star Wars: Building a Galaxy with Code” tutorial available for free in more than 180 countries, The Walt Disney Company is donating $100,000 to support Code.org’s efforts to bring computer science education to after-school programs throughout the United States. One lucky classroom will win the grand prize – a trip to San Francisco, Calif. for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes “Making of Star Wars” experience with the visual effects team who worked on Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The grand prize is courtesy of  ILMxLAB, a new laboratory for immersive entertainment, combining the talents of Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound. Sphero, a company that participated in the 2014 Disney Accelerator, will also be gifting programmable  BB-8 TM droids to 100 participating classrooms. HP Inc has also donated Star Wars TM Special Edition Notebook devices to 10 participating teachers. And during Computer Science Education Week in December, Disney will host an Hour of Code event for local students at their Los Angeles office, and Disney VoluntEARS will support Hour of Code events around the world.

The “Star Wars: Building a Galaxy with Code” tutorial is the newest addition to Code.org’s online learning platform,  Code Studio, which offers a suite of self-guided computer science activities and courses for students to learn the fundamentals of computer science, starting as early as kindergarten.

At a time when the majority of K-12 schools don’t offer computer science, more than 5 million students have enrolled on Code Studio since its 2014 launch, including 10 percent of all K-8 students in the United States. Additionally, 43 percent of Code Studio students are girls, and 37 percent are black or Hispanic.

This reach is substantial, considering  women hold only 23% of computing jobs, just  18% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science are awarded to women, and only  22% of high school AP Computer Science exam takers are girls. Furthermore, only  18% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science are awarded to blacks and Latinos and, at the high school level,  9% of AP Computer Science exam takers are Hispanic, and just 4% are black.

Beyond the Hour of Code, Code.org has partnered with Disney on “Infinity Play Lab,” an environment where students code stories or games starring Disney Infinity versions of Anna and Elsa from “Frozen,” Hiro and Baymax from “Big Hero 6” and Rapunzel of “Tangled.” Code.org has also released Hour of Code tutorials with artwork from Rovio’s Angry Birds, PopCap Games’ Plants vs. Zombies and the acorn-crazed squirrel Scrat from the Twentieth Century Fox animated series “Ice Age.”

Try a preview of the “Star Wars: Building a Galaxy with Code” tutorial now on Code Studio (http://Code.org/starwars). The experience will also be available on Disney.com soon.

And sign up to participate in this year’s Hour of Code event:  http://HourOfCode.com

Train2Game News Rumpus Animation hit Kickstarter goal

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Studio with working Train2Game student get last minute surge of investment to reach target

Train2Game student Leah Panigada and her team successfully raise funding for comedy point-and-click sequel Bertram Fiddle. Rumpus Animation is based in Bristol and Leah is a full time employee at the company alongside studying with Train2Game. The Kickstarter went down to the wire, achieving its £25,000 target with one day to spare, the total now sits at over £28,000.

Train2Game spoke to Leah to find out more about her studies, Rumpus Animation and what’s next now the Kickstarter is complete.

Leah Panigada, Rumpus Animation and Train2Game: ‘I am currently a Train2Game student. I have been for a year and a half. It can be quite difficult as I am currently on the design course. I’m a 2D digital artist so find the 3D things quite different to what I’m used to! I most defiantly feel my experience with Train2Game has been positive. Although it’s a struggle to learn a new art form I feel like it’s all worth knowing. The Train2Game courses are very thorough and are very good at keeping you up to date on the latest changes to the industry. I’m the only person on my team at work that is studying Train2Game although my best friend is also taking a Train2Game course. She is taking the coding side and we hope to make some small app games in the future.’

‘Rumpus animation is owned by Joe Wood and Seb Burnett. They founded it in 2011 and have been creating animation for the BBC, CBBC, GOOGLE JAPAN, AARDMAN, as well as plenty of one off projects from loads of different clients. About two years ago Seb and Joe decided to pitch Bertram Fiddle as a point and click adventure game. Safe to say that the whole studio is VERY excited to make the turn from an animation company to a game and animation company!’

‘The Bristol development scene is thriving! The Bristol Games Hub is a community of gamers, game developers and game publishers all under one roof! They really support each other and have regular meet ups for other game developers in the area. It’s refreshing to see so many unique and interesting new games and ideas being made. Link to their site is here: http://bristolgameshub.com/’

‘Our team is actually very young. Our producer, Elise Townsend  – Who is newest on our team is the youngest at 22. Dan Emmerson and I are 23 to 24. Seb and Joe are in their 30s. I was only just starting work experience with Rumpus when Bertram Fiddle one was starting up but they still accepted me as part of the team. I was still learning loads about animation and how to set animation up for games. Now I’m a full time member of the studio and the second game is going to start soon! So yes I have been here while the first game was released. Let’s hope it’s the same for the second!

‘Bertram Fiddle 2: A Bleaker Predicklement is the sequel to our first game. In this new adventure Bertram Finds himself framed for a murdering he did not commit. We plan to make this game Puzzlier, Punnier and more perplexing than ever! It’s a story-based comedy point and click adventure game set in Victorian London. We are planning to put a lot of weird new characters in this one inspired by Victorian Novels, HammerHorror and Lovecraft. Episode 1 was featured on the app store and received ‘The Best Narrative’ award from Tokyo indie fest, 2015.’

‘There’s some great humour in there. Seb is the creator and writer of all the jokes and story in the game. The bizarreness of it really makes it fun to work on everyday! You never know if you’ll be designing a werewolf or animating a Fish-man! I think it’s a great game for kids but also brilliant for the more mature audience. In a sense we have drawn inspiration from many different places! Like Gavin the Cyclops from Mythology, – Count Fulchmuckle – who has red eyes and a taste for ‘exotic’ things. We also have Lady Ravisham from Charles Dickens – Great expectations, and Geoff the murderer from any old school murder Mystery!’

‘I feel that the first games was received really well. Nearly all the feedback we got was positive and complimented the humour and look of the game. Some people felt that the puzzles weren’t difficult enough which is something we really want to work on with the second game. Other than that, it’s great to see that people can understand what Bertram Fiddle is about and that his character is pretty human. Although I feel like people warmed up to Gavin more than Bertram. ‘

‘We’ve been working a lot on our Kickstarter and trying to catch as much attention as possible. Our short videos and gifs have been a blast for us and the fans! As for the sequel, it’s got a storyline, a bunch of awesome new characters, Concept-art, Fan-art, puzzle ideas and backgrounds ready to go! We also have a production blog for Kickstarter backers were you’ll be able to keep up to date with our processes. I really can’t wait to start on it! Dan and I have been given a lot more freedom when it comes to creating the puzzles, designing/ animating characters and story.’

‘The support for the second game has been overwhelming! Seb acting even weirder than normal and has had very little sleep. The Kickstarter was incredible, there were some really cool prizes up for grabs. Some of my faves were the ‘MEMBERSHIP TO THE ADVENTURER’S CLUB reward you will get this fantastic 8 inch, book-shaped tin, printed to look like a, er, book, so you can hide all your secret Adventuring bits and bobs away. There’s a really cool art book coming out that will have some awesome work from many a talented artist’s such as Warwick Johnson Cadwell and Violaine Briat. If you’ve been keeping up with twitter you’ll know who! We’ve also given backers the opportunity to be a character in the game! I’m very Jealous of that one!’

‘It feels great and exciting that we successfully completed our Kickstarter but also a bit strange because the constant hype from 30 days is now over. Although now we are all running around and finishing all of our other projects so that we can fully concentrate on the game. It’s going to be really REALLY busy! We are such a small team that there is never not something to do! To all the people who supported us, it’s just been so overwhelming, exciting, nerve wrecking and stressful, haha, – don’t think we’ll be making another Kickstarter for a while! – but just the biggest of Thankyou’s to those who supported us and I hope that you enjoy playing our game as much as we will enjoy making it.’

The Kickstarter has now successfully finished. It’s a superb game and with a Train2Game student involved, it would be great if the community could continue to support Leah. If you are interested in learning more, find all the information you need at the links below.

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/763843992/bertram-fiddle-a-victorian-animated-adventure-game?ref=nav_search
Bertram Website: http://www.bertramfiddle.com/

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Train2Game is a proud supporter of www.plasisgamesportal.com and www.gamatier.com

Train2Game News Virtual Reality foresight

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A new report has been published by Transparency Market Research, titled  ” Virtual Reality in Gaming Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2013 – 2019 ” .

TMR, a market intelligence company based in the U.S., states that the global virtual reality in gaming market was estimated at US$466.6 million in 2012 and is anticipated to reachUS$5,839.9 million in 2019, expanding at a 39.2 % CAGR from 2013 to 2019. According to this report, the market for virtual reality in gaming is fuelled by numerous factors such as continuous advancements in gaming technologies, namely 3D effects, motion tracking, and user interactive graphics.

The increase in disposable income is also a key factor augmenting the market, as with rising disposable incomes, individuals are inclined towards new innovative reality games and entertainment solutions to entertain themselves. However, the soaring costs of these entertainment sources are amongst the major factors impeding the growth of the market. Nonetheless, cost-effective devices with gesture control and economical sensors for motion tracking are projected to be introduced in the market in the near future, which will stimulate the growth of this market.

On the basis of component, the virtual reality in gaming market is segmented into two components, namely software components and hardware components. Among these two components, in 2012, the software segment was the biggest segment, representing a revenue share of 53.5% in the overall market for virtual reality in gaming.This segment is expected to retain its dominance in the market throughout the forecast horizon owing to consistent advancements in virtual reality technology. The hardware segment is predicted to experience exponential growth in the forecast horizon owing to the utilization of virtual reality products, namely hand gloves, head mounted displays (HMDs), and glasses.

On the basis of type of gaming console from various manufacturers, the virtual reality in gaming market is segmented into Apple Mac, personal computers, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Wii, and Sony PlayStation. Amongst these, Sony PlayStation dominated the global market for virtual reality gaming consoles owing to its powerful brand equity in the mobile phone industry, gaming industry, and other consumer electronics.

On the basis of geography, the market for virtual reality in gaming is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World (RoW). In 2012, North America dominated the global market, accounting for a revenue share of 37.0% owing to the existence of prominent companies such as Take Two Interactive and Electronic Arts Inc. After North America, Europe emerged as the second biggest market and held a revenue share of 31.9%. Nonetheless, Asia Pacific is predicted to exhibit enormous development in the market during the forecast period owing to rising numbers of online gamers along with presence of the topmost gaming manufacturers in this region.Sony Corporation, Electronic Arts Inc., Linden Lab Inc., and Nintendo Company Limited are the dominant companies in the virtual reality in gaming market.

Train2Game News time2win stress test

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Tournament platform time2win starts into its announced stresstest on November 9th, 2015.

In this open testphase of the platform, 41.000 euros will be distributed as prize money and gaming equipment worth over 10.000 euros will be raffled! Registrations are now open on time2win.eu. “You are able to play for prizes of up to 200 € in about 60 Tournaments with 16 to 32 participating Teams”, says CEO Christopher Young. “But even the last place will be rewarded for their participation in our stresstest. We want all players to experience, how to play and win on time2win.”

Besides time2win-tournaments, with prizemoney set by time2win and its partners, other modes like challenges and buy-in-tournaments will be usable on the platform as well. “We know, that players don’t just want to participate in our own tournaments, but also try and test the other features we offer. The starting capital for our money features can be won in our time2win tournaments”, comments COO Björn Ruessel.

Platform development will be ongoing until official release during the next months. “We strive to elevate eSports onto a new level”, says Björn Rüssel. “Competitive eSports including prizemoney should be accessible to everybody. Everybody deserves a realistic chance to win prizes!”

time2win plans not only online tournaments but also offline events as well, with more games joining the mix, like CS:GO or RocketLeague.

Besides existing partners, known brands like TeamSpeak cooperate with time2win. The company even sponsors own tournaments during the stresstest. Furthermore Avira, Mionix, Slightly Mad Studios – producer of “Project CARS”, energydrink-company Tantrum, Clans.de and Musterbrand joined as partners. More information can be found in this three minute long video, describing existing and planned features for time2win.

Train2Game News Kudan AR Unity Support

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Kudan, the Augmented Reality software provider, release a version of their AR Engine that unlocks the potential for over 4.5 million Unity® developers to integrate professional Augmented Reality into their games and apps.

The Kudan AR SDK has solved some of the biggest challenges with Augmented Reality today. Until now apps have generally been reliant upon expensive data connections, a problem that Kudan neatly avoids with the ability to store assets and recognize hundreds of images locally on the device. 3D content can be highly realistic, with multi-million polygon models and HD videos.

Next-generation features of the Kudan AR SDK include the ability for developers to add occlusion to real world objects, adding depth and interactivity to a scene.

The SDK also offers a capability to position AR content on any surface. Known as Markerless Tracking, this is a new type of AR that doesn’t require a trigger image or location, allowing for AR anywhere, anytime.

The magic of the augmented reality can now be easily added to new or existing Unity® projects. Unity® customers include Cartoon Network, Coca-Cola, Disney, Electronic Arts, LEGO, Microsoft, NASA, Nexon, Nickelodeon, Square, Ubisoft and Warner Bros.

Kudan CTO, John Williams says, “The Unity plugin is another milestone in the development of our engine and represents an important step towards the continued growth of our developer ecosystem. We’re committed to providing the millions of Unity developers a professional solution with which to enable AR in their games and apps.”

Unity® is the game developer’s software of choice in every major market in the world. An overwhelming majority of the top-grossing 3D mobile games made with third-party tools are created using Unity Technologies’ engine.

The fully featured Kudan AR Engine is a relative newcomer onto the scene, arriving at a time of great disruption in the AR software provider landscape. With Apple Inc.’s buyout of Metaio and Qualcomm’s sale of the Vuforia platform, developers have been faced with some difficult choices.

The lightweight Kudan AR Engine Unity Package is available to download, for free, at the Kudan Website:
https://www.kudan.eu/downloads/kudan-ar-unity-package/

Train2Game News GameBlast 16

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Gamer’s charity SpecialEffect today announced GameBlast16, the UK’s biggest gaming marathon weekend. People of all ages are invited to play video game marathons or hold gaming-related events to help people with disabilities benefit from the fun and inclusion of video games.

The charity is calling for teams of friends, family members or work colleagues to sign up to undertake their own sponsored video game marathons or gaming-related events anytime during the weekend of 26-28 February 2016.

“It’s the best reason to game ever. Gamers can enjoy doing what they love best and level the playing field for people with disabilities at the same time,” said Mick Donegan, the charity’s Founder and CEO.

“People like Ceyda (LINK), who’s always wanted to join in with her friends and family, but her cerebral palsy meant that she couldn’t use a standard controller. The funds raised through GameBlast16 will help us change the lives of many more people like Ceyda through the gift of gaming fun and inclusivity.”

GameBlast is the charity’s biggest annual gaming event. Over £120,000 was raised through GameBlast15 last February, and SpecialEffect are aiming to reach a target of £150,000 in 2016.

Teams and individuals can sign up for Gameblast16 at
http://www.specialeffect.org.uk/gameblast