Newsletter
Bristol Games Hub Feb/March Newsletter
The games hub is hosting its first boardgame night on the 20th march. Come along with your favourite game or join in with some of the ones we have planned. We’re aiming to play Relic, the Warhammer 40K version of Talisman at this first session but other players and games welcomed! Email tom@aurochdigital.com if you have any questions or would like to join in the session.
We want to say a huge thanks to all who took part in January’s Global Games Jam. The Hub hosted over 70 developers from all over the South West to make 13 amazing games. It was really inspiring and there were many newbies at the event as well as some experienced hands.Main Winners:
1st Place – Senseless Runner by No Sense (See here: http://bit.ly/MyWrOe )
2nd Place – Sanbiki No Saru by Opposable
3rd Place – Mutable by Circular MongooseOther Category Winners:
Best Technical Achievement: Whiteout by TEAL (Which is on the Google
Play store: http://bit.ly/1hlZ4yQ )
Best Artistic Achievement: MMME by MMME
Best Gameplay Achievement: Sanbiki No Saru by Opposable
Best Sound Achievement: AHOD! by AHOD!
Auroch Digital
We’re extremely proud to announce that we have been working with Ndemic Creations to bring Plague Inc. to desktop. The new version sees the same captivating gameplay with the addition of multiplayer, user-generated content and much more. Plague Inc: Evolved launched on Steam Early Access on the 20th February and we’re continuing to work hard to bring you the extra features in this hugely successful, multi-award winning, viral hit. The game’s official page can be found at http://plagueincevolved.com and you really should watch the trailer, its awesome and shows just what our amazingly talented team have been up to 😉
Evil Twin
Our new website for our upcoming game Victory at Sea has launched!In Victory at Sea players start out as a Destroyer Captain early in the war and can travel across the Pacific, Atlantic and the Mediterranean, seeking out and destroying enemy shipping and capturing ports. Control and fight against over 65 classes of ships across 3 theatres of war, in the battle for the seas. War will be declared Summer 2014 for desktop platforms, with the game launching on mobile in the Autumn. You can see it here http://www.victoryatseagame.com/ and see more about us here http://eviltwinartworks.com/
Deeperbeige Games
White-Out, our entry for Global Game Jam 2014 is now available completely free on iOS and Android. Built in just 48 hours at the Bristol Games Hub, it’s had some modest organic success on the app store with around 6000 installs so far.
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/white-out/id817420135?mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deeperbeige.whiteout
Lonewolf
Lonewolfwilliams (Gareth Williams) has nearly finished working on an advanced Unity tutorial ebook “Design patterns for Unity” which should be useful for intermediate to advanced level developers working in teams on larger-scale Unity projects. The ebook will be available for free and comes with supporting videos and a demo project, Game Hub people can preview here: http://bit.ly/1obandH and feedback to Gareth@lonewolfwilliams.com
Events & Opportunities
Can you create a video game about teen dating violence….without using violence in the game itself? Since 2008 Jennifer Ann’s Group, a nonprofit charity headquartered in Atlanta, has run a game design challenge to promote awareness of teen dating violence and provide educational information to protect teens. The contest is the largest and longest-running of its kind in the world and was recently named a 2014 Top 10 Trailblazer as selected by the National Youth Advisory Board. The contest is open to all over the age of 13 and receives entries from both the domestic and international video game community. The winning games for 2013 came from Argentina, Belgium, Ireland, and Thailand.Rules, sign-up information, FAQs, and previous winners are available through Jennifer Ann’s Group online at:
http://bit.ly/LifeLove2014
(http://stopTDV.com/2014-life-love-game-design-challenge.htm)
iDocs 2014
This two-day event dedicated to the rapidly evolving field of interactive documentary will focus on these pressing themes; Production Models, Engagement & Evaluation and New Territories. The event is at the Watershed on 20th/21st March and will feature the projects supported by the REACT documentary strand. Find out more and sign up here:http://idocs2014.dcrc.org.uk/
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TechSPARK Event – Silicon Gorge
Silicon Gorge (26th March, Engine Shed, Bristol) will showcase web and tech startups drawn from the Bristol and Bath area to an audience of angel and institutional investors from London and beyond. It will combine the resources of the world renown SETsquared Bristol and Bath centres, the new WebStart Bristol Web Incubator and the Bath and Bristol TechSPARK network to present a carefully selected showcase of what our region can offer.
If you want your startup to be considered for a pitching slot at Silicon Gorge, you need to complete this application form: http://bit.ly/1fMkfto
Silicon Gorge is about showcasing the best startups in our region, and
therefore, there is a selection process that goes something like this:
(i) Submit your application form by 6pm, 5th March;
(ii) If selected, you will get an invitation to pitch to a selection panel;
(ii) Pitch to a selection panel (either on 11th March in Bath or 14th
March in Bristol); and
(iii) If selected by the judges, you will be awarded a slot at Silicon
Gorge (26th March)
Silicon Gorge is sponsored by Invest in Bristol + Bath. The selection panels are supported by RocketMakers and SETsquared and are organised by the Bath and Bristol TechSPARK network. Thanks and if interested, make sure you get your form in fast!
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Service Jam Bristol
From the 7th to the 9th of March 2014 there will be a Service Jam event here in Bristol, this is an event where you will collaborate in the development of an idea in a creative and innovative environment – potentially leading to new products, businesses and services. There is an opportunity to apply for up to £10,000 from WebStart Bristol to further develop an idea at the end of the event.
See: http://www.gsjbristol.com/
PM Studio
Graduate and new talent competition (two places available) – £500 bursary and a minimum of one month in residence at the Pervasive Media Studio, Bristol, UK. The PM studio is looking for people to join thier vibrant community of artists, creative companies, technologists and academics. The residencies will take place in September 2014 and will include a £500 bursary for each selected applicant. They are looking for two individuals who have recently emerged from education, or are at an early stage in their careers. You have fantastic ideas and want to explore how to make them a realit and your ideas fall into one or more of the following: Interaction/Experience design, Games design, Digital Storytelling etc. Feel free to contact them for a chat
admin@pmstudio.co.uk
A Room Full of Talent – an evening showcase for employers on Tuesday 11 March, 5-7pm. Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) and the Creative Skills Hub (West of England LEP Skills) invite you to ‘A Room Full of Talent’:
Over the last five months eight young people have been working at KWMC as Junior Digital Producers – supported by the Creative Employment Programme for their first roles in the creative and digital industry. They have worked with IBM and artists, using technology to generate data feeds and visualise the information in exciting and accessible ways.
Come and meet them, network, enjoy refreshments, and explore their cardboard creation ‘The Living Living Room’ – an interactive art installation and gaming zone that gathers information about our lifestyle choices and our perceptions of our community. www.datapatchwork.co.uk
On this journey the Junior Digital Producers have learned many new skills that we understand employers are crying out for. They’re now coming to the end of their employment with KWMC: Could you be a mentor for them, or even their next employer? This is a great opportunity to meet new creative talent and find out how your organisation can support young people into further employment. Do let us know if you would like to attend or want more information about the event. For further information please contact nicky.williams@woeskills.co.uk Directions: Free parking and accessible access http://kwmc.org.uk/contact/
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Auroch Digital is looking for a full-time accounts administrator/office manager, based at Bristol Games Hub. Must be AAT qualified, with plenty of on the job experience. Competitive salary for the right person. Please contact Debbie with CV and a covering letter; debbie@aurochdigital.com Deadline is Monday 17th March at 12 noon. Interviews to take place later that week. No recruitment agencies!
What comes after Vine and Vyclone? Come and work on a revolutionary new social video app. Matter 2 Media is looking for a developer to help build an Android and iOS app for video capture, editing and playback. This is an R&D project. The successful candidate will be able to work quickly, robustly and independently on both platforms, including native APIs; also able to spend regular time with co-developer Tim Kindberg at the Pervasive Media Studio in central Bristol. Experience with camera operation and video playback is highly desirable. The exact scope of work, timing and fee/day rate are negotiable. I will need someone to help during roughly the weeks beginning 17 March to 28th April (not necessarily full-time throughout) For further details contact Tim Kindberg: tim@matter2media.com and see our project website nthcamera.tv. To apply please send CV, links to your work, day rate and a paragraph about why you’re the person for the job to the same address.
Bsquare (out in Trowbridge) is hiring: https://www6.ultirecruit.com/BSQ1000/JobBoard/JobDetails.aspx?__ID=%2AEBBC6A7F8D3BEA65
App Developer – Rendermedia CGI
At Rendermedia we deliver high-end CGI & Animation for digital & broadcast channels. Creating beautiful CGI and Animation for clients. We are looking to recruit a graduate developer in an internship position working closely with the CG team to help us develop interactive or app versions of the work we create, offering our clients a comprehensive in house service. The ideal candidate would be someone with an interest or experience in app development and able to take 3D assets in a variety of formats to helping us to deliver applications using AR and interactive 3D. This position would suit somebody willing to apply their knowledge to an already available wealth of assets and to build to their portfolio and CV. This opportunity is on 2-3 month basis with potential for future work. To apply please contact Producer Stephanie Knapp via email. Please include CV, Cover Letter and examples of previous work. Email: Stephanie@rendermedia.co.uk/
Red7Mobile
Red7Mobile is looking for 3 more permanent mobile game developers to join our 20-strong team based in Temple Studios. Our Sports, Casino and Social games/apps, are built in Javascript/HTML5 but our developers come from a variety of backgrounds including native iPhone/Android, Actionscript, C++ etc… what they have in common is a flair for game development and a computing background. We work in a flexible team based environment with an attractive remuneration package. For more information please contact matt@red7mobile.com
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That’s it for now. We’ll be sending March’s newsletter out towards the end of the month with details for the next anti-social.
This entry was posted in Bristol Games Hub News, Newsletter.
Bristol Games Hub January Newsletter
DanceTag has recently been released on Andriod and iOS! DanceTag is a dance game which invites you to create 15 second films of you and your friends dancing in all sorts of locations, and tag those locations with your dance.
Also we have a competition to win a £50 iTunes voucher for doing a dance which ends on the 31stJan. Find Strode Theatre, Street on the DanceTag app map for further details.
Finally if you know of any musicians that want to have their music in DanceTag we are currently looking for new work. Contact Joe – joeryandesign@gmail.com http://www.dancetagapp.com/
Industry legend Ian Livingstone provided voice-over for the promo video which set a new bar for Humble campaign trailers. ( http://youtu.be/kMumwL7w7Mw )
We’re very pleased with how it went and the income from the sale should keep us fed for a few months while we work on our next game, Battledroid.
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Thought Den
If you hate games, hate animals and always mute the sound, don’t play this crap game we made about woolly mammoths for National Museums Scotland. Play link – tdn.lv/MammothGame
Concept, design & build – thoughtden.co.uk
Sound – forceofhab.it/
Client – nms.ac.uk/mammoths
Bonus motion graphics piece here, with additional cute mammoths. Bleugh! vimeo.com/84038014
Auroch Digital
Opposable Games
Opposable recently brought on board Ben Curtis as a production manager with a wealth of digital and mobile project experience.
The team will be launching Legends of Xor into closed beta in February as the first part of a stream of releases until March, after which they begin work on their upcoming original IP second screen title Salvaged, more details to follow shortly.
Opposable Games are looking for community managers, a marketing assistant, and a business development executive – get in touch if you know anyone suitable.
Force of Habit will finally be releasing Toast Time for iOS on the 6th of February! On the same day we will be throwing a joint party with Andalusian Games, who are celebrating their game Tangiers being Greenlit. Head along to the upstairs room of The Big Chill in Bristol for drinking, DJ’s, toast (selection of spreads available), 8-player Bomberman and a Nidhogg tournament. It goes without saying that it’s free to all. The new Toast Time teaser trailer is viewable online here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0-FbITKRlA and everyone’s invited to the party: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BeBTLWZCYAAbvU7.png:large
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Funding Opportunities
http://10essentialsteps18feb.eventbrite.co.uk
This entry was posted in Boardgame Jam, Bristol Games Hub News, Newsletter.
Games Hub November Newsletter – Events, News and Opportunities!
The past three years has seen the ‘Multiplayer online battle arena’ (MOBA) genre become one of the most popular and pioneering genres in the games industry. As the most played online genre, a genre that is pioneering new modes of fair ‘free to play’ and a genre that is leading a thriving e-sports industry it has become impossible to ignore, however underpinning this incredible success story is an equally profound role of emergent play. Through drawing on past and present research surrounding MOBA culture, Josh Jarrett explores the development of this young genre and argues that at its core is an elevated role of players in the ongoing innovation of the genre.
Join us at the hub, 77 Stokes Croft at 7.30pm – see you there!
We will also be sharing our plans for 2014. More info here: http://hergc.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/xmas-spirit-fuelled-game-plan-session/
Their project http://www.gruffalo.com/ has also gone live! The site was created for Pan Macmillan with games and activities to play in the deep dark wood!
Toast Time OST: http://forcehabit.bandcamp.com/
Opposable Games
Opposable Games beat 95 other entrants to win the ICTomorrow Second Screen competition in partnership with Sony. The prize was funding for their first major own IP game Salvaged, which will be released in Q3 2014. Opposable also had 2 teams attend the recent TIGA game jam, creating 2-4 player physics based beat-em-up called Placenta the Dragon, and their first own Oculus Rift game TearBears, all in 24 hours.
This entry was posted in Boardgame Jam, Bristol Games Hub News, Game Jam, Newsletter and tagged bristol, bristol games hub, news.
Bristol Games Hub October Newsletter
The word is out: we’re all being watched. It’s never been more important to think about our privacy — and how governments and corporations are invading it. The Big Brother Bundle is a unique “pay what you want”, multimedia bundle containing games, films, graphic novels, books and music all related to privacy, surveillance, and “Big Brother” state control, put together by Nils at Large Visible Machine and VODO. Please check it out and help spread the word:https://vodo.net/bigbrother
This entry was posted in Bristol Games Hub News, Newsletter, of interest.
September 2013 Newsletter
This entry was posted in Bristol Games Hub News, Newsletter and tagged bristol games hub, news.
August 2013 Newsletter
Round 1, The Development Fund, is available for SME’s to apply for Grants between £10,000 and £50,000 to completely develop a new Game IP for commercial release. The Development Fund is open now for applications and the deadline is 16th September. See here for more info; http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/index.php/portfolio/games/
This entry was posted in Newsletter and tagged bristol, bristol games hub, news.
BRISTOL GAME DEVELOPERS NEWS 23rd JULY 2013
It really doesn’t feel like a month since our last newsletter but they say time flies when you’re having fun.
The next Unity group meet-up is Wednesday 14th August from 7-9pm at the Hub. Register attendance here: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/7561758423
Antisocial this Thursday from 7:30pm at the Hub. Strictly people working in and studying games development at these meet-ups.
Large Visible Machine
Hill 218 gets universal support and async multiplayer
iOS game The Battle for Hill 218, a collaboration between Games Hub residents Large Visible Machine and Opposable Games, was recently updated to include universal support and much-requested async multiplayer. It is now easier than ever to find an online opponent and with some real pros sitting at the top of the leaderboards anyone who gives it a go should be in for a challenge even greater than that of the “unbeatable” hard AI. With the release we’ve also seen some interesting discussions on strategy emerging and anyone who is interested should check out this fan-made guide which proves there is quite a bit of depth to the game despite the very simple ruleset:
http://bit.ly/15PsZJZ
Thought Den
Twice Circled
Ionage is an Android exclusive, space RTS game where you use giant floating space platforms to do battle in a steampunk themed galactic treasure hunt. The game is out on Friday 26th July, for more information and to sign up for a reminder when the game is out head to www.ionage.co.uk.
Auroch Digital
Games Workshop’s 80s Classic Chainsaw Warrior is Back
We have today released the news that we are bringing Games Workshop’s classic, Chainsaw Warrior, to mobile and desktop platforms very soon. The seminal hit board game Chainsaw Warrior, made by Games Workshop back in 1987 is set to return this year in a digital form. The original game was a notable rarity in that it was a solo board game that pitted the player not against others but against the clock. The game saw New York balancing on the precipice of darkness as twisted forces from another reality attempted to rip the city from this world into theirs. Standing between them and the destruction of the city was a lone figure, the brutal and mysterious Chainsaw Warrior. As the eponymous hero, the player had to delve into a zombie infested New York tenement to locate the source of the evil spewing through the spatial rift and destroy it before he was destroyed. Spread the word! http://chainsawwarrior.net and #chainsawwarrior
Jack the Ripper 125
Shakespeare’s Globe Games
We’ve also just completed 3 new kids games for Globe Theatre ‘Playground’ and given the interesting fact that two of them are built from the same system as some of our GameTheNews.net games; means Endgame:Syria now has 3 incarnations – Endgame:Syria, Endgame:Eurasia and now Hemmings’ Play Company. Thanks to Red Panda Audio for working with us on the sound for the Globe games.
“Developed in Bristol, UK.”
Tomas from Auroch Digital says; “Apple have been making a big thing of their new slogan, ‘Designed by Apple in California‘ and I thought that we could also show pride in the games we make and where they are made? So for the next release of ours we’re adding to the credits of the game, ‘Developed at Bristol Games Hub, Bristol, UK.’ We’ll also be adding it to any titles we update. So I’d like to encourage others to add ‘Developed by Your Company in Bristol, UK’. Thanks.”
Very last chance to apply for the vouchers for strategy and innovation.
This is a simple scheme designed to help you get the support you need to move your business forward.
The ‘voucher’ means Creative England will pay £1000 to subsidise the cost of employing an expert to provide advice or support to your company.
http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/index.php/portfolio/business-support/#vouchers
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Complete Control – based in Bath
Complete Control is hiring a games dev to work on Flash games, HTML 5 and apps. Check out the ‘We’re Hiring’ section on completecontrol.co.uk for full details.
This entry was posted in Newsletter.
Bristol Game Developers News 27th June 2013
In no particular order, here is this month’s developer news;
http://www.bristol-venice-of-the-west.blogspot.co.uk/2013_04_28_archive.html
2.8 Hours Later: Asylum is a terrifying night-time zombie street game for hundreds of players. Four years into the outbreak the infection is at pandemic stage and UK cities are on lock down, isolated by the Government from the zombie-infected badlands around them. When these measures fail, the authorities abandon the city, and the once safe zone becomes a prison, overrun with zombies, vigilantes and scavengers. Can you escape state collapse before you are quarantined or infected?
2.8 Hours Later: Asylum will be in Bristol 6th and 7th September and tickets can be bought via http://2.8hourslater.com/tickets-and-dates
Keep an eye on the Facebook page for latest news and updates: http://www.facebook.com/2.8HoursLater
OUYA has now launched and Amazing Frog is available on it – our Frog based, rag doll, ‘hardcore parkour’, unity based, physics game set in Swindon. If you get to play it, let us know what you think.
For now, aside from a serious amount of updates we are working on Amazing Frog, we are gearing up for Gamescom in August where we intend to launch ‘Cascade” and show a demo of it on Hal’s Oculus Rift.
Also check out our videos at http://www.youtube.com/fayjugames
Will Luton
Will Luton’s book Free-To-Play: Making Money from Games You Give Away is now out, covering everything you need to know on building, running and profiting from F2P game. There’s also a lot there including design and marketing theory that applies to non-F2P games. It’s available to buy at http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0321919017/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0321919017&linkCode=as2&tag=will_luton-21
Opportunities
http://opposablegames.com/job-opposablertunities/
This entry was posted in Newsletter and tagged bristol, bristol games hub, news.
BRISTOL GAMESDEV NEWSLETTER – 28TH MAY 2013
Pervasive Media Studio
Good for Food: Good for Nothing 48 hour social innovation hackathonFriday, 31 May 2013 6:00pm – Sunday, 2 June 2013 4:00pm, Pervasive Media Studio
A different kind of jam – Good for Nothing is a community of thinkers, do-ers, makers and tinkerers applying their skills and energy to accelerate the work of cause-led innovators and change makers; it’s about diverse groups of people collaborating together, working in new, faster, fun and better ways by supporting ideas and people that are leading the way to what a flourishing 21st century society might look like. This year the theme is food and the weekender will be supporting great local community growing schemes, The Severn Project and Fareshare. www.goodfornothing.com/gigs/good-for-food
NarcoGuerra Launched!
Job Opportunities
Calvium – We are hiring! We don’t make a lot of games but we make fun projects and could really do with a good junior front end developer. The full job spec is here: http://calvium.com/front-end-developer-job-2013/
Red7Mobile – Red7Mobile is looking for a Web Developer to join their mobile games team at Temple Studios. Essential skills include HTML5/CSS3/Javascript with previous games development experience desirable. To find out more contact matt@red7mobile
This entry was posted in Bristol Games Hub News, Newsletter and tagged bristol, bristol games hub, news.
Bristol GamesDev Newsletter – 29th April 2013
Rumpus Animation are looking to take on a Unity developer for a point and click game we are making. If anyone is interested email seb@rumpusanimation.com
Opposable are looking for some Uni interns / recent grads to help with 3 things: some networking tech which requires Android chops, then some Unity and web work. Students are initially preferable, but if we don’t hear anything by end April then it’s open to everyone. Please pass on to any students you may know!
We’re looking for a full-time 3D artist to come and help make cool mobile games at Geek Beach in Bristol. If you are, or know someone, who has lots of experience creating low poly characters and environments as well as animating them (as an example see our game Battle Monkeys) then please get in touch. You can find more info here –http://geekbeach2.squarespace.com/3d-designer/ Thanks!
This entry was posted in Bristol Games Hub News, Newsletter and tagged bristol, bristol games hub, games development, news.
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