Tag Archives: Ubisoft

Train2Game news: “Dude in a suit” not involved with game development at Ubisoft Montreal

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Train2Game blog readers, aside from those who’ve been on Train2Game industry experience placements, may not know much about what happens behind closed doors at a game development studio.

Thankfully for them, Ubisoft Montreal creative director Jason Vandenberghe – who the Train2Game blog interviewed  at Gamescom earlier this year – has offered an insight into how the Canadian outfit works, revealing that the studio is a suit free zone in the process!

“The dude in a suit saying ‘Our studies show that we’re missing a marketing opportunity here’?” said Vandenberghe in a video Q&A for CVG that makes interesting viewing for Train2Game students, “It doesn’t work like that! None of us would work like that.”

“I’ve seen those kinds of presentations, and when they’re made the creative folks in the room are like ‘Wha? What are you doing? Why are you doing this?”

Vandenberghe goes onto speak about how those building Ubisoft’s games work together.

“Creating a video-game is incredibly complex, and it comes from teams – it comes from groups of people who are collaborating together. Who trust each other, who’ve learned to work together, who’ve learned to fight together and who’ve learned to challenge each other’s ideas.” he explained.

“What happens to Ubisoft is that you have these creative people with lots of opinions and lots of experience about what makes great games.”

“They come together in a room and they fight. You walk out and what’s left on the whiteboard is a bunch of great stuff. That’s how we do it here, and I don’t know a better way to do it.” Vandenberghe concluded.

Train2Game students can get a bigger insight into what it’s like to work in the games industry, and some advice on how to get themselves in, in the Train2Game interview with Jason Vandenberghe from Gamescom earlier this year.

So Train2Game, what do you make of the comments about life at Ubisoft Montreal? Does it sound like an environment you’d relish working in?

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

[Source: CVG]

Train2Game news: Ubisoft see a ‘bright future’ for Kinect

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Train2Game students may have mixed opinions on the future of Kinect, but Ubisoft believe it has a bright future.

The publisher is behind a variety of motion control titles including Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, Just Dance and Fighters Uncaged, and SVP of sales and marketing Tony Key believes the system will only continue to grow.

“Well, when the install base gets big, it becomes a more attractive business model for publishers to say all right, I can make money making a Kinect-only game.” he told Gamasutra.

“So I think you’ll see more and more Kinect titles coming next year, which is going to support more and more hardware sales. So I see a bright future for Kinect.”

Key also predicts that there will be a much higher number of Kinect titles released next year.

“What kinds of products, I can’t say. But I do think the system will continue to grow, and I also think that the amount of games coming out in 2012 will be much higher than the amount of games coming out in 2011.”

Ghost Recon: Future Solider is one of a number of Ubisoft titles scheduled for release next year that’ll be Kinect compatible, find out more in the Train2Game blog interview with the developers. 

The Ubisoft SVP of sales and marketing also told Gamasutra that Just Dance has been crucial to bringing women to Kinect.

“We think that Just Dance is a huge game changer for the Kinect system in terms of bringing more females into the Kinect space.” he said.

“Microsoft is spending a lot of time, resources and strategy around bringing more families in, bringing more females in. Because they have the male, they’ve got him nailed. So to really really grow they know they’ve got to get those people in there.”

“I think Just Dance 3 is an awesome opportunity where we could have a Kinect game with more females playing than males. And that would be a first for Kinect as far as we know.” Key added.

So Train2Game, what do you make of Ubisoft’s predictions? Will Kinect become more popular in 2012? Are they right to rely on the success of Just Dance?

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

[Source: Gamasutra]

Train2Game’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier interview with Ubisoft

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Train2Game was at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from 17th August to 21st August. While there, we spoke to three members of the Ubisoft Ghost Recon: Future Soldier team. They were Game Director Eric Couzian, Lead Game Designer Roman Campos Oriola and Associate Producer Thomas Leroux-Hugon.

In an in-depth interview with Train2Game they discuss new game design features for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, taking co-op into account during game development and adding Kinect motion controls to the game.

They also reveal how they got into the games industry and suggest how Train2Game students can follow in their footsteps.

Read the Train2Game Ghost Recon: Future Soldier interview below,  here on the Train2Game blog.

Train2Game news: Adding Kinect motion control ”not really difficult’ say Ghost Recon developers

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Train2Game students may be split over the potential of Kinect, but developing for the motion controller isn’t difficult…so long you know how you want to use it.

That’s according to the developers of the upcoming Ghost Recon: Future solider. The upcoming tactical squad shooter features Kinect compatibility in its Gunsmith mode, which as reported by the Train2Game blog was first revealed at E3.

The mode allows players to put together and take apart weapons using Kinect hand gestures, while motion control can also be used to test the weapons on an in-game firing range.

And developers Ubisoft say adding these features to Ghost Recon: Future soldier was relatively simple

“I think adding the motion control of Kinect to a game it’s not really difficult when you know what you want to do with it, when you know to add it into the game” Lead Game Designer Roman Campos Oriola told Train2Game at Gamescom.

“So for us Kinect for the gunsmith is there to enact the fantasy that you are really manipulating your weapons and customising them.”

Associate Producer Thomas Leroux-Hugon added that while Gunsmith mode was originally designed with a control pad in mind, its context meant adding Kinect compatibility made things simpler.

“In the very specific context of the gunsmith mode the design existed already as a pad driven design but Kinect added something that made things simpler in a way” said Lerouz-Hugon

“It’s always easier for us to work from a good ground and then something closer to the actual act of manipulating stuff.”

And Ubisoft are convinced they’ve found the right use for the motion controller, without having to think about it too much

“It could be like ‘we need to put some motion control in, what feature will do? Maybe we could have that?’ No. The case was we had a really clear mind about what we wanted to do with It.” added Oriola.

The full interview Ghost Recon: Future Soldier interview with Ubisoft will be published shortly.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Kinect in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier? Have Ubisoft found the right use? Do you have any ideas about how you’d like to use Kinect in games.

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

Train2Game interview with Far Cry 3 Narrative Director Jason Vandenberghe

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Train2Game was at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from 17th August to 21st August. While there, we spoke with Far Cry 3 Narrative Director Jason Vandenberghe.

In an in-depth interview, he discussed what his role involves, the game design process behind an open world title, creating believable characters and much more.

He also reveals how he got into the games industry and gives Train2Game students advice on how to follow in his footsteps.

Read the interview below here on the Train2Game blog, or listen via Train2Game Radio.

Far Cry 3 Narrative Director: Using actors and performance capture improves game design

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The use of actors and performance capture is the future of game design. That’s according to Far Cry 3 Narrative Director Jason Vandenberghe, who argues that it improves games making characters more believable, something he believes the industry needs to do more of.

It could be a technology that Train2Game students could use in their future careers.

“I think we’ve been putting up with poor performances and poor writing for too long in the industry” Vandenberghe told Train2Game in a soon to be published interview.

“There’s a lot of people who’ve kind of accepted that it’s just a game so you don’t need to have a good story or don’t need to have good believable characters. Why not? We should have good, believable, strong characters every time.”

The Far Cry 3 Narrative Director believes that as the performance capture technology becomes more readily available, more game developers should take advantage of it.

“We have examples of that, there have been great characters in gaming and we should continue with that, we should expect that” said Vandenberghe.

“I believe that now that the technology for performance capture is becoming more and more available, and we’re learning more about it, I expect the quality bar to rise and I hope you guys (gamers) should be demanding better characters out of your games.”

“What I’m trying to do with this game is raise the audiences’ expectations” he added.

Stay tuned to the Train2Game blog for the full interview with Far Cry 3 Narrative Director Jason Vandenberghe. The title from Ubisoft is set for release next year.

Other games that use motion capture include L.A. Noire and its impressive facial animations, and the Uncharted series which takes input of actors very seriously.

And last month the Train2Game blog reported that Assassin’s Creed: Revelations will also use motion technology.

So Train2Game, is Vandenberg right? Is performance capture and the user of actors the future of the industry? Will it help game designers produce better games?

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

Train2Game news: id Software support Blizzard’s controversial ‘always on’ DRM

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Train2Game students, as game developers of the future, may already be thinking about how they can prevent their games from being pirated.

There are various different forms of DRM in PC gaming, with Steam perhaps being used the most by PC Gamers. Blizzard have their own DRM, which has proved controversial in that in order to play their upcoming Diablo III, the player will have to be connected to the internet the whole time.

The idea has caused controversy, because it means if your internet connection flickers for just a second, you’re dropped from the game. Any progress made since the last time a game save is made will be lost.

The DRM also means playing PC games on the move using a laptop goes somewhat out the window. It’s therefore something that may annoy Train2Game students as gamers.

However, while gamers may find the ‘always on’ DRM controversial, it seems to have won over game developers.  Indeed, id Software Creative Director Tim Willits believes it’s the best way forward.

“Diablo III will make everyone else accept the fact you have to be connected” Willits told Eurogamer at QuakeCon.

“If you have a juggernaut, you can make change. I’m all for that. If we could force people to always be connected when you play the game, and then have that be acceptable, awesome,”

It isn’t the only comment the id Software Creative Director made at QuakeCon that could be seen as controversial. Indeed, the Train2Game blog reported that he said the FPS is the ‘best genre’

“In the end, it’s better for everybody,” Willets continued on the subject of the DRM, suggesting it has benefits.

“Imagine picking up a game and it’s automatically updated. Or there’s something new you didn’t know about, and you didn’t have to click away. It’s all automatically there.  I’m a big proponent of always connected. I’m always connected. Our fans are always connected.”

“There will be a few people who will resent the fact you have to be online to play a single-player game. But it’ll change.” he concluded.

So Train2Game, do you think ‘always on’ DRM is the way forward? Or does it come across as too restricting to regular gamers? Are internet connections reliable enough for it to work?

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

[Source: Eurogamer via Industry Gamers]

Train2Game Animators get excited: Assassin’s Creed: Revelations tech could surpass that of L.A. Noire

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Train2Game students will be familiar with the impressive facial Art & Animation of L.A. Noire, with many wondering if it could be beaten in future.

Well, the facial animation of Assassin’s Creed: Revelations could surpass that later this year, thanks to the Mocam technique used to capture footage.

“One of the elements that’s really interesting about Mocam is that, while  it creates a lot of high-fidelity character expression and movement, the actor doesn’t need to look like the character he’s playing.” Assassin’s Creed: Revelations Lead Game Designer Alexandre Breault told Now Gamer.

“It’s a system that’s able to interpolate the facial movements of one person and apply them to any model. That gives us a lot of flexibility with our actors.” He added.

That means the in-game character doesn’t have to look like the actor who plays them, useful for Assassin’s Creed: Revelations which features a number of historical characters.

Another way the motion capture used for Assassin’s Creed: Revelations could beat that of L.A. Noire is that it incorporates the entire body. Team Bondi’s method, while very impressive, only captured the face of the actor or actress.

“They’re also able to act with their whole body, as the system isn’t just limited to the head” explained Breault.

“ Mocam doesn’t create a clash between facial expression and body movement – it’s all integrated. It allows realistic facial expression, but not at the cost of actor expression as normal mo-cap does.”

It certainly sounds impressive, much like the fact the Train2Game blog reported earlier this year that the Ubisoft team behind Assassin’s Creed: Revelations is over 200 people strong.

And while it isn’t being used to capture facial animation, Uncharted 3 is also using advanced motion capture techniques.

So Train2Game, could Revelations surpass the tech of L.A. Noire? Would it improve the game? Is motion capture the way forward?

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

[Source: Now Gamer]

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood review round up

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Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood has been released today, and the review scores suggest that the latest in Ubisoft’s franchise is going to be a big hit.

Metacritic currently gives Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood on the PlayStation 3 a very impressive score of 91, while the Xbox 360 counterpart is one point behind on 90. That means Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood has a higher average review score than Call of Duty: Black Ops, which Metacritic rates at 88.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood is therefore one of the highest rated games of the year, with Eurogamer even giving the title a perfect 10/10 and call it “one of the best games of 2010.”

CVG are also highly praising of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. They say “Overall, Brotherhood is an awesome package with enough new content to kill the competition this Christmas. There’s enough quality and scope here to put Brotherhood in the running not just as a top Christmas purchase, but one of the best action games of the year.” CVG give Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood 9.2/10.

Meanwhile, Kotaku claim that Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood is the best game in the series to date. They lavish praise on the game in their review summary:

“The game that comes to mind while playing Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, is Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Not since Rockstar’s potent crime drama has a game so massive, so polished, so impressively improved from its predecessor been released just a year after the prior installment. But people won’t remember how long Brotherhood took to make. They are likely to remember its quality. Ezio’s new adventure may be less personal than his previous one, but it is as interesting and as mischievously manipulative of real history as the series has ever been. Nearly bloated with fun things to do Brotherhood is Assassin’s Creed in peak form.”

GameSpot UK are slightly less praising of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, giving it 8.5/10.  They say “Almost every aspect of the series has seen enhancements in Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. There is joy in leaping across the Roman rooftops, taking in the grand sights in front of you and realizing that it is all your own playground. This may not be Assassin’s Creed III, but like Ezio’s smirk, Brotherhood is too irresistible to ignore.”

If you’re still wondering why Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood is receiving so much hype, you may want to check out both the Single Player Launch Trailer, and the Multiplayer Launch Trailer.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood is available now for both the PlayStation 3, and the Xbox 360.

So Train2Game, have you got your hands on Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood yet? If so what do you think about it? Is it deserving of the very high praise it has received? Do you think that the excellent review scores could help it do the seemingly impossible and knock Call of Duty: Black Ops from the top of the UK Chart?

You can leave your thoughts about Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer launch trailer

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assassins-creed-brotherhood multiplayer characters

Ubisoft has revealed an Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer launch trailer to coincide with the games release in the USA today.

The new Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer launch trailer tells us that “People are rarely who they seem” and “This is a truth often released in one’s final breath” The trailer demonstrates the characters and locations that are available in the Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer mode.

Oh, and of course it shows a wide variety of ways to do away with an enemy in the cat and mouse world that is Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer.

You can check out the trailer for yourself below.

You can check out more details about the Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood online multiplayer, including game modes and character classes, in this previous post on the Train2Game blog.

The brand new multiplayer mode is just one aspect of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, with the game of course featuring a vast single player story starring Ezio from Assassin’s Creed II. You can check out the Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood single player launch trailer in this post from a few days ago.

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood is released here in the UK on Friday for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood multiplayer mode? Is it something you’re looking forward to? Or are you only interested in the single player story? And do you think that Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood could do the seemingly impossible, and knock Call of Duty: Black Ops from the top of the charts?

You can leave your thoughts about Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.