February Newsletter

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All the latest updates from the Hub, news from Bristol & SW developers, jobs, opportunities & events.

Bristol Games Hub is a non-profit space for games and play. We run this newsletter, host events, and also rent desk space at cost price and with no strings attached, so you can get on with creating amazing games. Contact nina at aurochdigital.com for more information.

Nina can also be contacted regarding including news items in the next newsletter, the deadline for which is 10th March.

Next Games Hub Anti-Social: 25th February, 7.30pm

At this month’s Anti-Social we’ve decided to shake things up a bit, so, Bristol Games Hub presents…

The Mega Dev Quiz 2016! 

A pub quiz style affair, hosted by our very own James Parker. Here’s a tip: try and get something of everything into your team!

Join us then… we’ve got a buzzer! We’re at 77 Stokes Croft on the 3rd Floor. The entrance is off Thomas Street, just up from the junction of Thomas St / Stokes Croft, above Meat Liquor.

Games Hub News:

Global Game Jam

The end of last month saw the return of Bristol Games Hub’s Global Game Jam. It went off with a bang and the theme ‘Ritual’ inspired the jammers to create games ranging from the technically advanced, to the outright bonkers! The event was covered by Vice and TechSPARK.

A huge thanks again to Watershed / PM Studios for donating the space, as well as Aardman Animations, Opposable Group, Auroch Digital and Ground Shatter for sponsoring the event.

SW Freelancer / Company Dev Directory
If you’re looking for people to help on a project, or you are available for work – put your details in. Please only list info you’re happy to have in the public domain: http://bit.ly/bghdirectory

SW Game Dev Jobs Facebook page – Find roles and post new openings here…

Hub Resident Spotlight

New feature! Each month we will be putting the spotlight on one of Bristol Games Hub’s residents so you can get to know the companies that keep the community going a little better. This month is….

Meteor Pixel 

Meteor Pixel is run by Sam Ibbitson who moved into the Hub in March 2015 where he started work on their latest project, Bushido: Legend of the Samurai. As a company they’ve been running for about 4 years, although they only started working full-time in Spring last year. Before that Sam was a front-end web designer at a large corporate company and was making mobile games / mod’s in his spare time.

Sam is primarily a 3D artist (environments are a specialty), but also does animation, including working with motion capture data. He is currently trying to learn more about programming and has started using more code-focused tools like PlayMaker (for Unity)!

Dev Scene News

 

Auroch Digital Update

Elections of US America Election: The Card Game is the satirical card game based on the upcoming US elections that we’re making with our friends at Wonkette. We’re now over 60% funded on Kickstarter and we’d love for you to pledge your support to our project too. By backing us you’ll be part of our newsgame initiative GameTheNews game. One of the games from this,  Endgame: Syria was featured in The Guardian’s article, ‘Fifty Apps that are Reinventing Mobile Gaming’. This was a big honour for us and we’re proud to be considered amongst some of the other fantastic games on the list.

Our strategy game with Slitherine, Last Days of Old Earth is almost ready for public consumption, with an Early Access release scheduled for the 3rd of March. We’ve been speaking with Gamereactor about the project (as well as Dark Future: Blood Red States) and PCGamesN goes into a little more detail about our Early Access plans.

Virtual Natural History Museum

Bringing evolutionary education out of the Stone Age. Fossils from around the world will be displayed in an online computer game museum designed to help teach pupils about the evolution of life on Earth.

Virtual Natural History Museum is a live crowd funding project with the aim of making the unseen 99.9% of the worlds fossils available to teachers, students and the general public.

Go to their Walacea site to find out more and to back the project.

Jobs & Opportunities

 

Mudox Studios

Modux are on the hunt for a permanent, full time coder / developer. This is a great opportunity for the right candidate. Click here for more details, to apply, send a CV, cover letter and link to portfolio if you have one to samh(at)modux.co.uk

Minecraft Coders Wanted!

Control/Alt/Delete are looking for help running their Monday after school Minecraft group for young people. Click here for more details and to apply.

BAFTA Crew

BAFTA Crew is now open for application from game practitioners with at least two years professional experience until 2nd March. Click here for more details and to apply.

Game Debate

Game Debate are looking for a PHP Developer and Server Admin. Click here for more details and to apply.

Ancient Beast

Ancient Beast are looking for a part time coder to work on their turn based strategy game. For more information and to apply click here.

Feed the Pig: Game Design Challenge

Design a game to change people’s spending habits and encouraging them to save and you could win $10,000 plus a $40,000 development grant. Open to applicants of all levels, click here for more details, deadline for submissions 10th March.

Apprenticeship Levy & Next Gen Skills Academy

The government is considering creating an apprenticeship levy on employers, to support renewed training in the creative and other industries.

The Next Gen Skills Academy, a consortium of employers such as Microsoft, Sony, Framestore and others, is offering to host a presentation in Bristol to clear up some of the confusion around the levy.

This is primarily aimed at animation, VFX and games companies. If you would like to attend, please email Pete.Levy(at)nextgenskillsacademy.com to find out more.

Events Diary

 

Unity Meetup (17th Feb)

This month’s Unity Meetup has a guest speaker from Aardman Animations. Mark Burvill will be talking about how Aardman took a 12 year old’s idea and turned it into a chart topping mobile game. The Meetup page has all the information you need to come along.

BGH Anti-Social Quiz (25th Feb)

See above for full details.

Grrrl Gamers Meetup (1st March)

The regular monthly meetup for women in the gaming industry, for full details and to RSVP go to their Meetup site.

i-Docs (2nd-4th March)

A three day event dedicated to the rapidly evolving field of interactive documentary. Looking at the use of immersion, evolving practices and tools for thought. A special £100 concessions rate has been released for Bristol Game Hub, click here for more details and to access the special hidden price.

Unreal Meetup (3rd March)

The Unreal monthly meetup is the perfect place to come and talk all things Unreal, whether you are just starting out or want to discuss more advanced features. Go to their Meetup site for more details and to RSVP.

Quick Links

Thanks all!

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