Tag Archives: Train2Game Game Jam

Train2Game Announces bluegfx as Key Game Jam partner

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 Train2Game has partnered with bluegfx, a leading European Autodesk Gold Partner and supplier of Autodesk products, IT services, support and training, to provide resources for the upcoming Train2Game and Epic Game Jam on Friday 4th November. The company will be responsible for supporting all Autodesk products and associated plugins involved on the day, ensuring these vital content-creation tools run smoothly for competing teams.

Train2Game’s 48-hour video game creation marathon will bring together an estimated 150 games enthusiasts at the University of Bedfordshire, where they will go head-to-head to create innovative video games using Epic Games’ Unreal Development Kit (UDK), the free edition of the award winning Unreal Engine 3.

The Train2Game and Epic Game Jam is open to aspiring games developers, includingTrain2Game students and hobbyist games developers. On Friday 4th November, registered competitors will convene at the University of Bedfordshire’s new development lab to form teams and build games around a secret theme, which will be announced on the first evening of the event. The jam concludes on Sunday 6th November, when three teams will be selected as winners by industry A listers from some of the UK’s hottest development houses, as well as Epic Games.

Neil Parmer, Co-Founder and Company Director of bluegfx, sees this as a natural extension of the work his company does all year round: “When asked if we could help with the Game Jam, we leapt at the opportunity. Keeping customers running and helping them understand what’s possible with Autodesk tools is what we do on a daily basis, we’re delighted to be able to offer our services to the next generation with this competition.”

Myra Smallman, Head of Teaching at Train2Game said: “Just as we stand by Train2Game students throughout their studies, we’re glad to be working with bluegfx to make sure nothing will interrupt competitors hard work during the Game Jam. Experience with tools like Epic’s UDK is an essential part of students becoming the calibre of candidate that the games industry needs today.”

For further informatio about the Train2Game and Epic Game Jam please visit http://train2game-jam2.com/, existing students can login into www.train2game-online.com.

Train2Game news: Volition Design Director on how game designers can stand out

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Train2Game Game Designers, this is a must read blog post for you, as it contains some excellent advice on how to stand out as you try to break into the game industry.

The tips come from Volition Design Director Jameson Durall in an #altdevblogaday post titled ‘How Can Entry Level Game Designers Stand Out?’

If the name seems familiar to Train2Game blog readers, it might be because he spoke to us earlier this year about Red Faction: Armageddon, game design and getting into the industry.

Writing about what he likes to see when hiring a game designer, and as he previously told the Train2Game blog, being able to use editing tools is essential.

“While someone focusing on Game Design may not have a background in programming…scripting gameplay in an Editor like UDK or Unity is a must in my opinion.”

Of Course, Train2Game students have the opportunity to create games using UDK at the Train2Game & Epic Game Jam next month.

The Volition Design Director states that experience with UDK or another engine provides evidence of not only creating ideas, but also being able to create the actual product itself.

“I want to see that they have the ability to get in and do meaningful work to create content instead of just planning gameplay and expecting others to develop it.  Show me examples of gameplay situations that you designed and created and be ready to talk about why they are fun.”

Durall added that doing this is also a great way for aspiring game designers to practice their skills.

“This skill set also helps them prototype ideas early in development and create crude gameplay spaces to help get their gameplay ideas across.” he said.

The post makes excellent reading for Train2Game Game Design students, and contains plenty of helpful information on what a top game designer wants when looking to hire someone in an entry level position.

You can read Jameson Durall’s full post ‘How can entry level game designers stand out?’ on #altdevblogaday.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the Train2Game blog has reported on a game designer suggesting that using a development kit is a great way to get into the industry.

Valve’s Chet Faliszek told the Train2Game blog that modding is a great way to get noticed in the games industry, while in an interview at Gamescom, id Software Creative Director Tim Willits also told the Train2Game blog that modding is a “great way to get into the industry”

What are your thoughts on Durall’s advice on how to get an entry level game design role? Is it something you do already? Do you believe the upcoming Train2Game Game Jam could help this?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Altdevblogaday]

Train2Game news: Unreal Engine 3 comes to Flash

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Train2Game should find this very impressive; Unreal Engine 3 can now run in Flash.

The move was unveiled by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeny with a demonstration of Unreal Tournament III running in flash during a keynote address at Adobe’s MAX 2011 event.

Unreal Tournament III was released in 2008 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. What it means for Train2Game students is they’ll be able to play games with current generation graphics in web browers, TV’s with internet connections and social networks.

With UE3 and Flash, games built for high-end consoles can now run on the web or as Facebook apps, reaching an enormous userbase,” said Sweeny.

“This totally changes the playing field for developers who want to widely deploy and monetise their games.”

Indeed, Unreal’s move to Flash provides another avenue for Train2Game students to potentially develop games for.

“We’re excited that Epic Games is tapping into the latest capabilities in Adobe Flash Player 11 to power its Unreal Engine 3.” added, group product manager at Adobe Gaming Solutions Emmy Huang.

“As the console of the web, Flash is delivering immersive gaming experiences across screens and we’re thrilled to have Epic Games using Flash Player to deliver its blockbuster, premier 3D games on the web.”

As reported by the Train2Game blog, the Unreal Development Kit has received only one million downloads since its release.

Train2Game students will also get the opportunity to work with UDK at the Train2Game & Epic Game Jam next month. For more information, see the official Train2Game & Epic Game Jam website.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Unreal running in Flash? Is it an area you’d be tempted to work in? See Unreal running in Falsh for yourself below.

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or here on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Edge]

Train2Game students can get behind the scenes at Epic with ‘Unreal Insider’

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Train2Game students on all courses should be interested in this; Epic Games has set up a new blog that’ll give readers a behind the scenes look at the work that goes on at the studio.

The first ‘Unreal Insider’ blog post sees Vice President Mark Rein writing about their success with Gears of War 3 and a milestone number of Epic’s Unreal Development Kit.

“The Unreal Development Kit has been installed on over 1,000,000 unique machines. Yes, that’s ONE MILLION unique installs,” he said.

As reported by the Train2Game blog, it was only in June that the UDK passed 800,000 downloads.

“This isn’t a download count nor does it count users who installed a new version of UDK over an old version, or reinstalls” Rein continues. “This means there are more than one million different computers on to which the UDK has been installed”

“With this massive install base there are countless stories to tell about what those developers are doing with the technology.” the Epic Vice President added.

Of course, Train2Game students will get a chance to use the Unreal engine to create new stories at the Train2 Game & Epic Game Jam next month. For more information, see the official Train2Game & Epic Game Jam website.

Regular Train2Game blog readers will also be aware of the benefits of modding, perhaps using UDK, could bring.

At Eurogamer, Valve’s Chet Faliszek told the Train2Game blog that modding was a great way to get noticed, while  at Gamescom,  id Software’s Tim Willits also praised modding as a good way to get into the games industry.

Could Train2Game students find useful information on getting into the games industry on Epic’s blog in future? It’s a possibility…

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on this move by Epic? Will you be reading their blog?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Unreal Insider] 

Train2Game news: Games will match film visuals within a decade say Epic

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Train2Game students could end up working on games with Hollywood quality graphics in the next ten years. That’s at least if predictions made by Epic Games founder Tim Sweeny come true.

Epic Games are of course on board for the Train2Game & Epic Game Jam in November.

I really see two major milestones coming up for games in the very long-term future.” Sweeny told IGN UK.

“Number one is achieving movie quality graphics and movie quality pixels on the screen, which mean no flicker in the visuals, no popping artefacts, no bulky character outlines on the screen at all.”

“I see that actually occurring over the next ten years” he said.

And the Epic Games founder believes that computers just need the extra power that will come over the next few years in order to achieve this.

“We just haven’t been able to do it because we don’t have enough terra flops or petta flops of computer power to make it so.”

“I expect over the next ten years we’ll a real revolution in that area as we make up this missing gap between where we are today and everything movies are doing” said Sweeny.

“I expect I’ll be actively programming at the time we’ve achieved full movie-quality graphics because that’s really just a matter of brute force computing power and clever algorithm. We know exactly how to do that” he added.

Train2Game students can get a taste of what games could look like in Epic’s impressive Samaritan tech demo produced using Unreal Engine 3, as seen here on the Train2Game blog.

The Epic games founder suggested that Unreal Engine 4 for next-gen consoles will “probably launch around 2014”

The other major milestone according to Sweeny is creating proper human characters with emotions in games, and this could be improved over the next ten years, although not to the same extent as graphics.

“Simulation of gameplay characters, artificial intelligence, character dialogue and all of these other things aren’t really problems of brute force computing,” said the Epic co-founder.

“They require increasingly sophisticated algorithms and simulation of human intelligence. I have no idea when those problems will be solved. I’m quite sure they won’t be solved in the next ten years.

“They may not even be solved in my lifetime, but those are all problems that require understanding how the human brain works and trying to simulate that with varying degrees of accuracy”

“We’ve seen very, very little progress in these areas over the past few decades so it leaves me very sceptical about our prospects for breakthroughs in the immediate future.” Sweeny concluded.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Sweeny’s comments? Will we see film quality visuals in the next ten years? And do you think games will ever properly crack artificial intelligence?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: IGN UK via Develop]

Train2Game students get option to use Epic’s UDK on Mac OS

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Train2Game students will be able to use Epic’s Unreal Development Kit on the Mac OS.

The new, completely free update, allows modders to use UDK to create game builds that can be released on both Apple and Windows systems. The latest update also includes support for Apple’s ios platform for smartphones and will be available this month.

According to Epic, using UDK for Mac is “virtually identical” to the Windows system. “Every UDK game’s potential user base has increased dramatically yet again.” the engine provider added.

However, those with ideas of only using UDK for Mac will be disappointed, the platform is only available to those who also have a Windows system.

As reported by the Train2Game blog earlier this year, Epic’s free UDK has been downloaded over 800,000 times and provides excellent game building and modding opportunities.

Of course, Train2Game students will have the opportunity to test their skills with UDK at the Train2Game and Epic Game Jam from 4th-6th November. To find out more visit the official Train2Game and Epic Game Jam website.

What are your thoughts on Epic’s UDK coming to Apple? Have you used the UDK? If so, how have you found it?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Train2Game]

Train2Game and Epic Games to Host UK’s Biggest Game Jam

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Train2Game, has joined forces with Epic Games, developers of cutting-edge games and cross-platform game engine technology, to host the UK’s biggest game jam from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th November 2011.

The 48-hour video game creation marathon will bring together an estimated 150 games enthusiasts at the University of Bedfordshire, where they will go head-to-head to create innovative video games using Epic Games’ Unreal Development Kit (UDK), the free edition of the award-winning Unreal Engine 3.

The Train2Game and Epic Game Jam is open to aspiring games developers, including Train2Game students and hobbyist games developers. On Friday, November 4th, registered competitors will convene at the University of Bedfordshire’s new development lab to form teams and build games around a secret theme, which will be announced on the first evening of the event. The jam concludes on Sunday, November 6th, when three teams will be selected as winners by industry A-listers from some of the UK’s hottest development houses, as well as Epic Games.

Mike Head, marketing director at Train2Game said: “The Train2Game and Epic Game Jam is a great opportunity for students and amateur games developers to create content for their portfolio and rub shoulders with well known developers within the industry. Working with Epic Games also means that we have a unique opportunity to introduce participants to the cutting-edge UDK framework, which will allow them to really bring their games to life and showcase their talents.”

“This game jam offers a valuable creative outlet for anyone looking to make games,” said Mike Gamble, European territory manager of Epic Games. “Participants will have access to excellent tools, members of the Unreal Engine development community and industry veterans, plus there’s potential for the best games to gain additional exposure beyond the event itself.”

As well as creating cutting-edge content for their portfolio, and learning how to use the UDK, Train2Game and Epic Game Jam competitors will be eligible to win prizes for the most innovative new games developed over the weekend. Prizes will be announced closer to the event.

For further information, and to sign-up to the Train2Game and Epic Game Jam please visit http://train2game-jam2.com/, existing students can login intowww.train2game-online.com.

Train2Game students should take the opportunity to game jam, here’s why…

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Train2Game recently announced that a second 48 hour Game Jam  will take place in early November, with full details  about it available to Train2Game students on the Train2Game forum.

Game Jams are an excellent way for any game developer to test their skills, and in an interesting #altdevblogpostaday article, PixoFactor’s Adam Rademacher explains why Game Jams are “best practice” for game developers.

He argues that Game Jams are a great place to improve your abilities thanks to the focused nature of the 48 hour development period.

“The entire weekend you’re thinking about game development” wrote Rademacher.  “Thinking about how to program new features, or how to speed up your art production.  Even if you don’t finish the game on time, it’s not hard to see how it can improve your skills”

“Even if you only learn to write one new function, or one new shader, you’ve improved upon your skillset, and now you have a (hopefully) cool prototype to continue building on.”

Rademacher adds that Game Jams are an excellent opportunity to develop prototypes of games, a practice that’s common in the industry. Indeed, an interview with the Train2Game blog earlier this year, Mediatonic Director Paul Croft revealed that they’re a good way of coming up with new games.

It’s also suggested that Game Jams are a great way of practicing creativity, and in an environment where if the idea doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter.

“It’s easy to set out on a project with all intention to create something innovative and new, then be completely distraught when it’s no fun, or unreasonable to try to finish, or just not as innovative as you thought it would be.  But that’s cool.  Because you’ve only spent a weekend on it.”

The #altdevblogaday piece is a great way for game developers to try out new technology, and learn cool new stuff. This is exactly what Train2Game students will have the opportunity to do at the second official Train2Game Game Jam, in which the Unreal Development Kit will be used to make games! It’s an engine that many Train2Game students won’t have used before.

The importance of Game Jams piece is available in full to read on #altdevblogaday. While full details about the Train2Game Game Jam are on the Train2Game forum.

What are your thoughts on the benefit of Game Jams?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Altdevblogaday] 

A must read for Train2Game students: a Game Developer on why game jams are so useful

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Train2Game Game Jam

Participating in game jams – such as the one held by Train2Game in March – are a good way to make Game Developers happier.  That’s according to a Gamasutra blog post by Game Developer Andrew Grapsas.

In an in-depth post many aspects of game jamming are covered, with the particular section repeated below detailing why they’re a good idea for Game Developers, no matter where they are working.

“Breaking from the normal routine of development, the high risk environment of professional game creation, provides a “low cost” “low barrier to entry” means of following Dan Pink’s cycle of Challenge –> Mastery –> Recognition.

When a theme is released for the competition, the challenges are several. First, one must adhere a Game Design to the unique and often odd theme.”

Grapsas emphasises how Game Jam’s really allow Game Developers creative duties to flow.

“Jams offer little time for “how will we monetize this?” “will users understand this?” etc. and allow, instead, a creative flow. There are few, if any, meetings to break up the thought process. Additionally, the tight time-frame precludes over-design of the game, technology, and art and, typically, leaves the “must haves” instead of chrome.”

“These stripped-down games are understood to have time constraints in development. Art quality, code re-usability, etc. (all good things for a production product) are allowed to lax.”

Grapsas adds that one simple reason game jams provide a benefit to the Game Developer is that come the end of the Jam, they have a finished project to show for it.

“When a developer finishes the game, there is a sense of mastery. The developer has mastered the technology, design, art, etc. of the creative process. They have given birth to something “new” that wasn’t there before, overcome obstacles, and generated an end result that is visible, tangible, and playable.”

“This may happen every 2-4 years for traditional triple-A developers. For developers in casual/social, game development as a service has a way of tarnishing the game’s shipping. Having a game jam and a “micro game shipped” provides the same stimulation that shipping a larger product has without the time delay, and without the need to continually support it. It’s quick, clean, and not costly.”

“Then there are the awards. That same visibility allows others to comment, to see the creation, to experience it for themselves and speak to the creator. This is a very fulfilling act that, in and of itself, recharges the batteries.”

“It’s also just damn fun.” He adds, and many Train2Game students who attended the Train2Game Game Jam probably agree! The entire post by Grapsas is available on Gamasutra.

You can see for yourself what those who attended the Game Jam thought by watching the official documentary of the event on the Train2Game Youtube page. Every game from the event is also available to download from the Train2Game Game Jam website.

For more about the benefits of taking part in a game jam, see the Train2Game blog interview with Mediatonic Director of Games Paul Croft. In It he discusses how game jams are used by the company to come up with ideas for new games for the company to build.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the use of Game Jams? Do you believe participating in them is a benefit, not matter how experienced the developer? And for those of you to attended the Train2Game Game Jam, are they as fun as Grapsas claims?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Gamasutra] 

Interview with Train2Game Game Jam organiser Dave Sharp during the event

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The Train2Game 48 hour Game Jam took place from March 25th through to March 27THDuring the event the Train2Game blog caught up with both students and crew. The following is an interview with Train2Game Jam organiser Dave Sharp which took place half way through the event. The interview is also available to listen to at www.audioboo.fm/train2game