Train2Game student Georgij Cernysiov is on a Train2Game work placement at Playteau. In his first experience diary from the studio, Georgij details how he’s settled in.
Read what Georgij has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
More Train2Game industry experience diaries are right here on The Train2Game Blog.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game students looking for advice about getting into the industry could do worse than listening to Ubisoft’s Jade Raymond. She was responsible for the development of Assassin’s Creed as a new IP and is now charge of the Splinter Cell brand in her role as managing director of Ubisoft Toronto.
In an interview with gamesindustry.biz, Raymond offered useful advice to those looking to get into game development.
First of all, she says it’s important to know what your strengths are when it comes to game development.
“Be honest with yourself about what actually love doing. If you love art and you’re an artist and you’re doodling all the time don’t go into physics. Don’t try and be a bad programmer.” said Raymond.
“But we do have tonnes of jobs for great artists, or music, there’s so many different aspects, so many different specialties that are involved in making a game now almost anything you’re interested in you could focus on that and get a job in games.”
“So I think number one is be honest with yourself about what you actually like and what you’re actually good at and try and become that.” she added.
Of course, Train2Game offers four courses, all specialising in different areas of game development.
The Ubisoft Toronto Managing Director also suggested work placements, something that Train2Game also offers students, are a great way to get your foot in the door.
“And then the second part is to get internships and to really try and get real experience. Even if you’re working for free.” said Raymond.
“Game companies, it’s a big risk hiring someone who’s never worked anywhere before, so if you can work for them for free while you’re still a student and you don’t need or you’re used to not having much money then do that. When I was young I hounded people, and obviously there’s a line between stalking… [laughs]”
She added that building up contacts and being persistent is key.
“But you know, build up your contacts, stay in touch, try and find out where you can work for free, where are they willing to take me for a couple of months, get some real experience and then you can put that on your CV, and often that company if you do a good job they’re going to hire you in a real role after.” Raymond said.
“And do that while you’re doing your studies so you’re not just doing the school side of it, you’ve got some real world experience.” she concluded.
Speaking of work placements, you can find out what various Train2Game students have achieved on them right here on The Train2Game Blog.
So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Jade Raymond’s advice on getting into the industry?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game student Matty Wyett-Simmonds is on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry experience diaries, he details what he’s been up at the Milton Keynes based game developer and talks a bit about being part of Make Something Unreal Live team Derp Studios.
Read what Matty has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
Read previous updates from Matty here on The Train2Game Blog.
Train2Game students may be interested to hear that two UK racing game developers have announced they’re working together on a single project.
The two studios are Brain in a Jar and Eutechnyx, both of which may already be familiar to regular Train2Game Blog readers.
Train2Game student Laurence Gee works full-time at Brain in a Jar, after being offered the job following a successful Train2Game work placement. Meanwhile, Eutechnyx’s Lead Programmer Dave Hawes featured in this Train2Game video interview last year.
The new project from Brain in a Jar and Eutechnyx will be announced later this year.
We’re very excited to be working with Eutechnyx on one of its biggest projects this year, as we’re keen to demonstrate the two pillars on which our company is founded on – great technology and intelligent staff scaling.” said Brain in a Jar founder and director Carl Dalton.
“We’re proving that independent games development in the UK is still at the cutting edge and can adapt to the demands of the global games industry.” he concluded.
“We are actively looking for teams to work with us on a variety of projects, so we’re very pleased to be bringing Brain in a Jar on-board for one of our major pieces of work in 2012.” added Eutechnyx Executive Producer Dave Thompson.
“Despite its core size, the team has proven itself to be a highly skilled and competent developer and its skill in being able to scale its workforce according to work demands is a fabulous asset in the modern game development landscape.” he said
The Train2Game Blog will be sure to keep you up to date with the latest news from the combined project from Brain in a Jar and Eutechnyx. For previous news from Eutechnyx, see The Train2Game Blog.
So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on two independent UK studios working together on one project?
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Game Designer Kimberley Caseres is on a Train2Game work placement at Wired Productions. In her new industry experience diaries, Kimberley details what she’s been up at the Watford based game development studio responsible for the We Sing series.
Read what Kimberley has to say about her Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
You can Kimberley’s video diaries about the Train2Game course right here. Alternatively, you can find out more about Wired Productions in The Train2Game Blog interview with Senior Producer Kevin Leathers.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Game Developer Darren Price is on a Train2Game work placement at Double Eleven, a studio that has been named by Industry Gamers as one to keep an eye on this year. The studio is currently developing LittleBigPlanet for the PlayStation Vita.
In his latest Train2Game industry experience diary, Darren writes the less serious side of the industry after his experiences at the Double Eleven Christmas Party.
Read it right here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
You can also read more Train2Game industry experience diaries from Darren Price here on The Train2Game Blog.
Leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on The Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Game Designer Craig Moore has been on a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios. In his latest industry experience diaries, he details what he’s been up at the Milton Keynes based game development studio.
Read what Craig has to say about his Train2Game work placement here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game Scribd page.
Craig’s previous Train2Game industry experience diariesare here on The Train2Game Blog.
As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on the Train2Game forum.
Train2Game Art & Animation student Fee Stewart recently appeared as a guest on RTI FM to talk about Train2Game.
The mum of three told Postcard from Poprad about her experiences with Train2Game and what she’s been working on as part of a Train2Game student placement at award winning independent game developer Radiation Burn.
You can read part one of Fee’s interview here or on the Train2Game Scribd page, while part two is here. Alternatively, you can listen to Fee on RTI here.
RTI: So Fee, let’s start out by finding out and telling the listeners, who you are.
Fee: I’m Fee Stewart, I’m a mum of three. My oldest is 16 at college now and my youngest is seven.
That means you’re a busy mum?
I am a busy mum, yes and I decided that I wanted a career now that my children are a bit older. So, I’ve gone and retrained.
But didn’t you have some sort of home work or job that you were doing before children? There must have been life before children.
Oh yes, there was life before children. I’ve always been in the arts world, a bit. I trained as a fine artist and before that a graphic designer.
Does that mean you’re a Michelangelo type?
Not at all, no! [Laughs]
What does fine art mean then?
I did fine art painting and printing, so it was painting on canvases, yes, a bit like Michelangelo, but not half as good as Michelangelo!
Was it because you got bored at home or were you genuinely driven to get something new to do?
A bit of both actually, I’ve been at home for 16 years while I’ve been bringing up my children, and I’m just fed up of being at home on my own and I really wanted to get back out into the work place and feel that I’ve achieved something and done something useful outside of just being a mum.
But that presents one major problem of course. That even though the kids are growing up, mum’s still on call 24/7.
She is but I have a very supportive partner.
I saw an article in the newspaper about that Fee where they reckon if mum got paid all that she was due in terms of wages, she would earn £250,000 a year.
If not more Eric! We’re worth our weight in gold I think.
And with today’s money you’re probably right! OK, so you decided to make a change for you, that was the important thing? And was it just financial, or was it just an opportunity to do something? What was the motivation, why did you want to change?
The motivation is both really. I think it’s quite hard to get back out, as a mum, interview the workplace especially when you haven’t been out into a job for a long time. And I wanted to do something that I really enjoyed doing as well. So, having followed an art path most of my life, it had to be something to do with that, so I looked around and found a course and have started retraining to do video games.
RTI: OK, so number 1 you’re changing the rules because mum doesn’t want to be bored at home anymore, and then number 2, you’re going in what is known as a male dominated world. Or is that wrong?
Fee: No, it’s a very male dominated world, there’s not many of us girls in it, we could do with some more.
Looking for comrades are you? Anyone out there listening who wants to get into games, we’ll put you in touch with Fee! You’re in this male dominated world, are you looking to do something where you’d have your own business, or are you going to work for somewhere in the traditional way? What’s the game plan?
Well I’m not 100% sure what the game plan is at the moment. I’m working at a studio called Radiation Burn in Middlesbrough at the moment…
Backtrack, you’re working? How did that happen?
Well, the Train2Game course I’m on actually provides work placements; this was through them that I was given the opportunity to go on work placement, and I’m still there at the moment. I’ve been there four months now.
Well actually that’s quite clever because id you’d gone straight into a workplace after not being in work for 16 years, it’d have been quite dramatic I would have thought, whereas doing it this way it’s a little bit more gentle.
It is more gentle, definitely. I wouldn’t have said that it was that much easier, I mean you are expected to work very hard just like you would be if you’d gone from a proper job. So it’s not any easier by going on work placement, but it certainly gives you a very good insight as to what the job involves from the people in the industry and it’s very exciting and I’m enjoying it.
Part two of RTI FM’s interview with Train2Game Art & Animation student Fee Stewart will be online shortly. As usual, leave your comments here on The Train2Game Blog, or on The Train2Game Forum.
Train2Game Game Designer Guy Mayne has begun a a Train2Game work placement at DR Studios.
Read Guy’s first industry experience diaries about how he’s settling into a game development studio environment here on the Train2Game blog, on the Train2Game Scribd site, or on the official Train2Game industry experiences website.
Train2Game Artist & Animator Fee Stewart is on a Train2Game work placement at game development studio Radiation Burn in Middlesbrough.
In her first industry diaries, Fee discusses how she’s settling into Radiation Burn, the challenges of working in a studio environment and learning new skills.
Read her experiences here on the Train2Game blog, on the Train2Game Scribd page, or the Train2Game industry experiences website.
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