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Train2Game News: UKIE and Nesta mentoring

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UKIE LogoUkie, who bring games industry expertise and Nesta, who have years of experience of running successful creative industry mentoring schemes, have partnered to develop a mentoring scheme designed specifically for UK games businesses.

Building on the success of Nesta’s wider creative Business Mentor Network, the Video Game Mentoring Network has been set up by Ukie and Nesta to advise and nurture games businesses with an appetite for growth.

The scheme will be officially launched in April but games businesses are being invited to express their interest in being mentored now by contacting mentoring@ukie.org.uk

Businesses joining the games mentoring network will receive:

  • One-to-one business mentoring in the form of 10 two-hour sessions over a 6-12 month period

  • An induction workshop at the start of the programme to get the most out of your mentoring sessions

  • Workshops and events designed to meet other members of the wider Network

  • Coaching support – in addition to mentoring

Ukie and Nesta want businesses of all sizes to apply to be mentored, from start-ups who have been established for less than two years, to established and high growth potential business who are looking to scale. They are also calling on potential mentors to express and interest in being part of the scheme. The minimum criteria for applying are simply that you must be a registered business that:

  • Has made or sold a game in the UK in the last 12 months or have a game ready to bring to market in the next six months.

  • Or you can also be a business that has launched a product or service in the UK that supports the creation and selling of games within the last 12 months.

  • Being a Ukie member automatically qualifies you to apply.

Ukie CEO, Dr Jo Twist said: “This partnership with Nesta gives games businesses an amazing opportunity to get first hand expert advice from people with proven track records in the games industry. Mentoring is invaluable both for mentees and for mentors. Our industry is especially good at collaborating and sharing stories and experiences so we encourage all businesses to apply and be part of the network.”

Mentors for the programme are being selected from successful leaders in the games industry, with experience of working in a variety of businesses from creating their own successful independent development studios and publishing companies, to working at senior levels for multinational games businesses. Individuals can express interest in becoming a mentor by contacting mentoring@ukie.org.uk.

Train2Game News: Icey Monty launch second gaming site

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GamonautTrain2Game Student Studio Icey Monty has again expanded their online empire and have launched another new gaming site.

Joining their previous site www.shooter3dgames.com which is full of the best browser based shooter games they have now released www.gamonaut.com to house all styles of game and is a perfect house for their own games the studio releases.

Icey Monty has been going from strength to strength over the past year with getting work from Strongbow and releasing their gaming portals. They are a true inspiration for other Train2Game students and studios.

It seems nothing can stop this young studio from rising. Congratulations on the site launch guys.

Train2game News: Thief modding competition

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Square Enix and Amazon.com Inc., in collaboration with a host of gaming partners including AMD and the team behind The Dark Mod, today announced the ultimate THIEF mod contest in celebration of the upcoming reboot to one of the most renowned stealth franchises in gaming history.

Beginning today, the THIEF and modding communities are challenged to put their imagination to the test. Whether it’s creating a new heist for Garrett or reworking a classic level from the series, Square Enix and Amazon are looking for fans to submit entries in one of two categories; either a short video playthrough of a mod they’ve created, or a pitch for a mod they would like to create.

Once submitted, all entries will be voted on by the community, members of the Thief development team, and members of The Dark Mod team.

One winner from each of the two categories will be chosen and will receive a host of prizes from key partners, including:

o    A high-end gaming rig from AMD which includes an AMD Radeon R9 290X graphics card
o    An all-expenses paid trip to E3 2014 with Square Enix
o    Steam code for all Square Enix Games with the matching Prima Guide
o    A bundle of game development books on Kindle
o    An Amazon Kindle DX

In addition, every entrant to the competition will also receive a free digital version of Thief: Gold (1999) courtesy of Amazon.com.

For more information on how to enter and the full list of categories and prizes, visit www.amazon.com/thiefcontest

For information on how to create a mod, along with all the tools needed, visit TheDarkMod.com

Closing date for entries is April 14, 2014.

Full Terms and Conditions apply

Train2Game News: Game Launch Competition

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Train2GameAs part of the PR team’s ongoing support of students creating games, we’re offering you the chance to win a month’s worth of free PR.

The initiative will search for the most promising titles and give them support by taking the game to UK press for reviews and features. Your game will feature in blogs and on websites, getting you the much needed publicity that will result in your title getting in the hands of gamers. We’ll also introduce you to our business connections to get you further support in releasing your game.

What you will win:

• Creation and distribution of press release to announce the title.

• Approach to press for reviews and features.

• Placement in magazines, on the radio and in blogs associated with theTrain2Game.

• Media training where applicable

• Advice and consultation

• Business connections, we can put you in touch with organisations that can help get your game out there.

The criteria:

• Your game needs to be completely finished and ready to take to market.

• Teams and individuals qualify for the opportunity. If you are in a team the majority of the group need to be Train2Game students.

• A playable version of the game will need to be submitted to the judging panel.

• The games will be judged by the PR team who have many years of experience working in the Games Industry.

To enter or register your interest, email: advice@swanpr.co.uk

Train2Game News: UK Top 20 Games – 17.02.14

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The_LEGO_Movie_VideogameIn an interesting development the Lego Movie Video Game has become the number one game, beating new arrival the highly anticipated Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII which enters the charts at number three.

All formats
Week ending 15 February 2014

POS.  TITLE  PUBLISHER  LAST
WEEK 
1 THE LEGO MOVIE VIDEOGAME WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE –
2 – CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS ACTIVISION 2
3 LIGHTNING RETURNS: FINAL FANTASY XIII SQUARE ENIX –
4 FIFA 14 EA SPORTS 1
5 GRAND THEFT AUTO V ROCKSTAR 6
6 LEGO MARVEL SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 5
7 – BATTLEFIELD 4 EA GAMES 7
8 ASSASSIN’S CREED IV: BLACK FLAG UBISOFT 10
9 MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION MICROSOFT 8
10 FABLE: ANNIVERSARY MICROSOFT 3
11 TOMB RAIDER: DEFINITIVE EDITION SQUARE ENIX 4
12 – NEED FOR SPEED: RIVALS EA GAMES 12
13 KILLZONE: SHADOW FALL SONY COMPUTER ENT. 9
14 ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES SEGA 17
15 GRAN TURISMO 6 SONY COMPUTER ENT. 11
16 – WWE 2K14 2K SPORTS 16
17 NBA 2K14 2K SPORTS 15
18 BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 13
19 – LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE 19
20 FOOTBALL MANAGER 2014 SEGA 18
< previous week
Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2014 UKIE Ltd

These charts cannot be reproduced either in print or online without obtaining permission from Ukie. If you wish to reproduce the charts in print or online, please contact david.smith@ukie.org.uk for the appropriate license.

Train2Game News: A game proposal like no other

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divinity-original-sinWhen Daniel learned that one of his girlfriend’s favorite game developers produced a game in which you can create your own stories to play with friends, he hatched a brilliant plan to win her heart…

You can imagine that at Larian Studios they never expected to become a wedding agency when they started developing Divinity: Original Sin, but requests to use the game for marriage proposals began pouring in when the studio offered players a chance to create their own cooperative dialogs during the Kickstarter campaign.

Daniel, for instance, wanted to create a dialog of his own in which he’d ask his girlfriend, Dolores, to marry him. ‘Sure,’ was the studios reply, expecting to ship the game in plenty of time for those planning imminent proposals to enjoy.

With the delay of the game’s release, however, Daniel had to act: He contacted them directly, asking what arrangements could be made to facilitate an in-game proposal. This was a man utterly tired of being unengaged to his Dolores, it seemed, and the delay simply wouldn’t do.

Working together with the team’s writers and designers, Daniel made not one, but two stories: one to get an unsuspecting Dolores over to Larian Studios and one to set up a proposal in the game.

The first was an outright fib: Daniel and Dolores, as it went, had won a fan contest to come and test-play the game at Larian Studios. So they did, but as she explored the game world, Dolores soon found a mysterious ring on the beach near Cyseal, engraved with a message. ‘Bring me to the statue of the lady’, it said, ‘and her spirit will be revealed to you.’

Later on, as they explored the game world, they located a statue in a forgotten corner. The magic ring was employed, and lo and behold, a ghost rose from the ground, bathing the area in golden light. ‘I am the spirit of Love’, she spoke, ‘so say what has been in your heart for so long!’

‘Will you marry me, Dolores?’, Daniel asked. ‘I will!’ the shocked Dolores answered. The rest is history.

Soon, however, proposal arrangements will be out of Larian’s hands: Divinity: Original Sin will release this Spring with a game editor, and you may see what creative custom campaigns other hopeful lovers will make to impress their beloveds.

You can enjoy the video of Daniels in game proposal below:

Train2Game News: Pants to gaming for a day!

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GAME-store-logoThe candles are lit, Barry White is playing and the champagne is on ice, but one half of the happy couple has gone for a quick gaming session that can last for hours without an intervention.

Now the perfect Valentine’s accessory has been created by retailer GAME for gaming widows and widowers – GAME On undies – a range of pheromone fuelled underwear to help them tempt their loved ones back into the bedroom.

According to new research by GAME, today one in four gamers (23%) admit they will be tempted to slip away for a ‘console quickie’ – unable to resist the urge of a few snatched moments of Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto V behind their partner’s back.

And the girls are getting in on the action too – the guilty secret applies just as much to women (19%) as it does to men (26%).  Similarly a quarter of gamers (24%) admit that their partner has accused them of paying more attention to their console than to them. That’s why GAME has decided to take the unprecedented step of calling gamers to go easy on the gaming for one night of the year. To help the cause, it has launched the limited-edition underwear for partners who want to have their own buttons pushed.

Ailsa McKnight, Marketing Director GAME Retail Ltd, says: “We understand and share our customers’ passion and commitment for gaming but we want to do our bit for harmony on February 14th. Many of us can get easily distracted by our consoles – even on Valentine’s Day.

“It can be tempting to dip into a game for a few minutes, lose track of time while the dinner is on the table and then get caught in the act. Hopefully the GAME On range of undies can be a more welcome distraction to help bring couples together.”

With Londoners (27%) the most likely to two-time their partners by gaming on Valentine’s Day, a limited number of the cheeky undies will be available at the GAME Stratford store this week.  Head in store for more details.

Train2Game News: BAFTA Inside Games Event

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BAFTAThe British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has today announced that tickets for Inside Games, a new public showcase of the latest games from the world’s biggest games companies, are on sale now.

The event will take place on the same day as the British Academy Games Awards, Wednesday 12 March, at the Tobacco Dock London.

Inside Games is BAFTA’s first-ever pre-Awards event celebrating gaming excellence. It will offer the public hands-on experience with a wide range of highly anticipated games. The event includes a series of BAFTA-curated talks with leading game developers and, with the ‘Inside Games Arcade’, a playable showcase of independent games. These will vary in scope, platform, style and development budget, showcasing the best the art form has to offer.

Also this year, for the very first time, BAFTA is selling public tickets to the British Academy Games Awards. The ceremony, hosted by comedian Dara O’Briain, will take place later that evening. Tickets for the Awards, which include entry to Inside Games, are on sale now.

Harvey Elliott, Chair of BAFTA’s Games Committee, said: “After a review of last year’s Awards activity, the committee believed it was time to broaden the ways in which BAFTA celebrates games and to enable the industry to engage more directly with gamers. Our Inside Games event has been curated by BAFTA to give gamers unprecedented access to the developers behind some of the best new titles of 2014. Also opening our Awards to the public for the first time is another way in which we are helping them have a better connection with the industry.”

Tickets to Inside Games are available for £12 in advance, with a limited number available on the day.

Tickets to the British Academy Games Awards, which include access to Inside Games, are available for £30.

For more information on both these events and to purchase tickets, visit http://bit.ly/InsideGames.

Train2Game News: Extreme Motion Android Challenge

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Extreme RealityExtreme Reality, the only company to bring full-body motion analysis and control via a device’s native or peripheral camera, today announced the call for submissions for the Extreme Motion Android Challenge 2014.

The contest, open to Android game developers, gives participants a chance to win prizes of up to $8,000, and a meeting with gaming pioneer and the founder of EA Trip Hawkins, for the most innovative uses of motion control in an existing or new Android game.

Games submitted by the deadline of May 20, 2014 will be evaluated by a panel of judges led by Trip Hawkins. The grand prize winner of the contest will receive $8,000 and a meeting with Trip Hawkins and three additional winners will receive $1,000 respectively.

With Extreme Reality integrated into an Android game, all a player needs to do is place their Android device on a table with the device’s camera facing them, take two steps back, and the motion of their body will be captured and analyzed in real-time, enabling their motion to control the game. Similarly, an Android device can be tethered to a larger screen, such as a TV, so a player can enjoy the same level of immersive motion control offered by console systems.

“No longer limited to gaming consoles or other hardware, motion control is adding an entirely new and exciting experience to games on any platform,” said Sarit Firon, CEO of Extreme Reality. “We look forward to seeing the innovations in motion gaming created by participants in the Extreme Android Challenge, from adventure to sports to fitness or dance games.”

Developers can sign up now by submitting their project proposals at http://www.xtr3d.com/android-challenge-2014/. After their concept has been approved, they will receive the Extreme Reality Android SDK that enables them to easily incorporate motion control into their game. The Android SDK will be sent by March 17 to start development until May 20when they will submit the game to Extreme Reality. Evaluation of the games by the judges will begin May 25, and winners will be announced on May 30.
The judges will review the following six aspects in their scoring:

  • Motionization – Best utilization of motion control to enhance the game experience
  • Graphics and Audio – The level of visuals and audio in the game
  • Gameplay – The storyline and mechanics that underpin the game. Is it fun to play?
  • Stickiness – Does it have lasting appeal? Is it addictive? Would you finish the game? Would you play it again?
  • Polish – Is the game ready for prime time?
  • Usability – Is it easy to use with minimal explanations? Is it intuitive?

This would be a good challenged for some Train2Game student studios and give you access to some powerful software. There is also the chance for some healthy prize money and to meet someone who could offer invaluable advice.

Train2Game News: Merkury Games looking for Artist

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merkurygames - CopyTrain2Game Student studio Merkury games is looking for new and experienced artists to join their studio.

Merkury games is built of several students of differing experience working as one to forward their respective careers. The studio specialises in retro style games with a twist which can be seen in their two previously released PC games.

The studio is looking for a voluntary artist to join the team who preferably has previous experience based on the retro games in the 8/16 bit drawing. The main requirements for the work will be around sprites, backdrops and concept art. They are looking for an individual who would be willing to take on this challenge. All serious applicants will be considered.

Lewis Gordon said about working at the studio “It’s an open, happy environment where any idea is welcomed and put to use. We are all about helping each other to learn and expand to get the most out of our career”

To be considered for the position please email your CV and an example of your work to recruitment@merkurygames.co.uk

To find out more about Merkury Games visit www.MerkuryGames.co.uk