Fun and Game Development

Free SG Gamefest Students' Day

2010-11-22T11:57:00.002+08:00

Go register online to express your interest.

More details of the event here.

Galaxy Bunnies for Windows Phone 7 (WP7) V1.2 Published on Windows Phone Marketplace!

2010-10-17T09:06:00.003+08:00

Familia Games' first Windows Phone 7 Game (or toy) has been published to the Windows Phone Marketplace! This has been updated to V1.2 recently with the following updates:

1. Respects the user's Windows Media Player status. If user was listening / watching Media, it'd stop the media on starting the app, and resume the media on exit.

2. Updated credits with Easter Eggs. (Poke around the page to find out!)

If you have a Zune account use this link.

Xbox 360 Game Development Workshop 16 Aug - 15 Sept 2010

2010-07-29T10:43:00.003+08:00

Want to learn more about how to build games for the Xbox 360?

Here's a chance to get hands-on experience to program, build and deploy your own Xbox 360 game in a 30-hour workshop I'll be conducting in August - September.

Find out more at www.cet.sp.edu.sg or email pace_marketing@sp.edu.sg.
Here's the print-ad that went out on yesterday, 28 July 2010.

Alan Wake talk at SP Auditorium, Monday 3 May 2010

2010-04-21T21:48:00.004+08:00

Our friends from Microsoft Xbox 360 Singapore team have been working hard to bring in the developers from the upcoming Xbox 360 game, Alan Wake.

If you're keen to meet a game developer in the flesh, register online now!

Learning Challenge by Disney Research

2010-04-09T08:55:00.001+08:00

There's a really interesting competition by Disney Research in conjuction with SIGGRAPH 2010.

Check it out, and let me know if you're interested.

Singapore Android Developer Challenge 2010

2010-03-23T14:08:00.003+08:00

If you've ever wondered how to program for one of the coolest cutting edge technologies for touch-screen/accelerometer mobile phones, here's a chance for you to get knee deep and your fingers dirty.

NTU and Motorola Singapore are hosting the 1st Singapore Android Developer Challenge.

Form a team and ask (very nicely) one of your lecturers to be a mentor.

National Infocomm Competition Launch 2010!

2010-03-19T00:56:00.002+08:00

Prizes and goodies galore! Check out the NIC website or the attached pic for more info.

Remember to email to register!

Gambit Playtesting 2010

2010-02-19T13:58:00.003+08:00

GAMBIT labs in Singapore are looking for testers for their very cool games.

Go register for a chance to get a first look at the coolest games, some goodies, and some CCA points as well.

Drop me a line here once you've registered!

Tobe's Vertical Adventure Released

2010-01-29T08:38:00.002+08:00

Just wanted to share the following game release that 3 of our DIT GD alumni worked on.

http://tobesadventure.squarespace.com/

Credits : http://tobesadventure.squarespace.com/credits/

Soh Yiheng, Ikhwan and Nicholas Sim worked on the title after their graduation while waiting for NSF enlistment.

The company, Rayteoactive, was so impressed by their contribution that Raymond (founder) asked for internship and FYP collaborations.

The game is available on Xbox LIVE Indie games channel - go get a trial and buy it!

Gambit 2010 Opportunities Coming Up!

2009-12-02T18:01:00.002+08:00

Applications for GAMBIT 2010 will be open in Jan 2010, but only for 15 days!

Prepare in advance and let me know if you are dying to join!

Tribe Studios looking for students or graduates to help in 2nd Life

2009-10-30T13:39:00.003+08:00

Mr Jeremiah Seah is looking for some SP students or SP grads who can help out from now till mid Nov 2009 to develop some Second Life components.

If you're interested, drop a comment here, or email me direct.

Student Explorer Grant for games - up to S$50,000 funding

2009-10-14T11:32:00.003+08:00

MIT has a call for a proposal out. Details as follows:

Turn your ideas into a business venture!

Presented by the SMART Innovation Centre

Do you have an exciting game or web application? Do you want to be an entrepreneur? The Explorer Grant will assist individual students or groups of students explore further development and commercialization of innovative games and web applications originated by them. The Explorer Grant will provide up to S$50,000 in funding to develop commercial prototypes, evaluate go-to-market strategies so that your game or web application can be licensed to an existing company or form the basis of a start-up company.

The Explorer Grant recipients will also be provided with business expertise, guidance on intellectual property, and networking opportunities with the Singapore and international venture capital community.

Important Dates

14 September 2009: Grant submission opens
30 October 2009: Grant closes, 5pm (Singapore time)
30 January 2010: Award Grant

Eligibility
Full time undergraduate or graduate students at:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Nanyang Technological University
National University of Singapore
Singapore Management University
Nanyang Polytechnic
Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Republic Polytechnic
Singapore Polytechnic
Temasek Polytechnic
Other Singapore institutes and recent graduates can be considered

You must identify a faculty member at your institute to act as a Faculty Mentor.

You can work in student teams or individuals. If working as a team, a team leader must be identified. Teams from multiple institutes/universities can be formed.

Submission Process
The proposal must be submitted electronically to explorergrants@smart.mit.edu by 30th October, 2009, 5pm, Singapore time.

Grant application form is available at http://web.mit.edu/smart/explorer

For inquiries about the grant program, contact Howard Califano at howard.califano@smart.mit.edu or visit our website at http://web.mit.edu/smart/innovationcentre for more information.

QA Tester Positions Open at MIT Gambit Game Lab

2009-09-14T16:30:00.001+08:00

MIT Gambit Game Lab is looking for game testers, with goodies to boot! Let me know if you're involved and you might even get CCA points for it!

The Singapore-MIT Gambit Game Lab is a collaboration between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the government of Singapore.

Singapore-MIT Gambit Game Lab is inviting students to be Quality Assurance testers for their games. These testing sessions would help expose students to the development processes of the game industry, and give them valuable feedback on how to improve their games. All students selected for the sessions will receive tokens of appreciation, which include movie tickets and other vouchers.

Students can register for the game testing sessions at http://tiny.cc/gambitplaytesting.

DIT GD Graduate's work post-mortem on Game Developer Magazine's Career Guide

2009-07-23T22:49:00.000+08:00

If you have time, take a look at

http://gamedeveloper.texterity.com/gamedeveloper/2009fall/

Game Developer Magazine's annual Career Guide has featured Law Kok Chung's teams' Akrasia, the game made during his attachment at MIT-Gambit labs in Boston, USA. See page 22 onwards.

You can download a copy for offline reading as well.

Achievements Unlocked!

2009-05-21T22:47:00.003+08:00

Just yesterday during my XNA Game Studio class, a student asked me if we could include achievements in his Xbox 360 XNA game... yes, you know what he was thinking... 2 million gazillion gamer points!

Unfortunately, no. That's not possible with community games... yet. :)

That brought back fond memories of a spoof of metagaming late 2008.

So, you wanna be a Game Designer?

2009-05-18T09:25:00.001+08:00

Read this article on what it takes to become a game designer in the real world.

Article: Making a Better Community Game

2009-05-15T08:47:00.003+08:00

Xbox LIVE Community Games are a great place for budding game developers to show their talents, but very often, their games fall short in sales.

Ryan Langley's article on how to make our games better is a must read for XNA developers.

How to draw Transparent Objects?

2009-05-07T15:24:00.001+08:00

Someone asked me recently how to draw transparent 3D Objects in XNA.

Shawn Hargreaves has a good blog entry that describes the different approaches you can take, and the steps to do so in XNA.

Visual Factory Hiring Software Developers

2009-04-30T22:58:00.001+08:00

"Visual Factory Pte Ltd

Interactive Digital Media - Software Developers (Engine Module) - 2 Positions

Technical Skills:
• Highly proficient in C++ programming
• Sound knowledge of Object Oriented Technologies (Design & Implementation)
• Highly disciplined and able to write cross platform codes (including XP, Vista, Fedora & MAC OS)
• Sound knowledge of Gaming Technologies (including Graphics, AI, Physics & Camera Control)

Soft Skills:
• Highly motivated
• Optimist & positive mindset
• Good communication & interpersonal skills

Preference will be given to candidates with at least 2-3 years of working experience in Software Development & a sound knowledge & interest in computer graphics and game programming.

Successful candidates can expect a rewarding & challenging career with our company, which is actively engaged in the Interactive Digital Media sector with an attractive annual compensation package up to S$36,000.

Interested candidates can submit their resumes to the following email: recruit@visualfactory.com.sg"

Force Feedback Class

2009-04-28T22:27:00.002+08:00

XNA gives a good raw functionality for vibration on the controller, but here's a cool class for simulating force feedback.

WSQ Diploma Courses in Digital Game Art or Programming from IDGT-NTU (IMI)

2009-04-17T09:21:00.002+08:00

Institute of Digital Game Technology (IDGT)-NTU (IMI) is offering WSQ Diploma Courses in Digital Game Art or Programming (1 Year).

It aims to nurture a new generation of Asian game developers through customized professional training and R&D in advanced game technology.

IDGT has two campuses, the Singapore campus within the Nanyang Technological University and its sister campus in the Shenzhen University, People’s Republic of China.

These training courses are for fresh graduates to upgrade their skills and join computer and Video game industry which is a rapidly growing sector in Singapore.

Overview of their Training Course:

1. Emphasis on teamwork and workplace communications between students from both programs.

2. Opportunity to work on real world projects.

3. Curriculum that is recognized for its standard and quality by WDA.

4. SPUR funding available for up to 90% of course fees.

5. Monthly stipend of S$ 1000 during the course tenure (1 year).

Please feel free to call J. Deepha, Marketing & Admin Executive - Institute of Digital Game Technology (IDGT) at 65137654 or email at deepha@tqglobal.com.sg for further discussion.

XNA Xbox LIVE Community Game Sales Numbers

2009-04-13T15:31:00.002+08:00

During the last GDC, some numbers from sales of Xbox LIVE Community Games were released.

Check out the articles on GamerBytes and Gamasutra. There's also a deeper analysis on Gamasutra as well on how and why some games sell.

DreamBuildPlay 2009

2009-03-27T18:31:00.001+08:00

It's coming again in April 2009! Get your coding gear on and get a Creator's Club License as well.

DreamBuildPlay is the one coding competition for XNA you must not miss!

XNA Game Studio 3.1 + Avatars!

2009-03-27T09:07:00.002+08:00

XNA Game Studio 3.1 is coming later this year. Along with it, cool features such as:

Avatars - you'll be able to use player's avatars in the games you make; that's right, no more fumbling with FBX models.

Video Playback - do I hear a YES out there?

News released from GDC 2009.

DMIT Annual Dinner & Dance 2009

2009-03-19T23:04:00.001+08:00

Hey folks, the DMIT club has planned the Annual Dinner and Dance 2009 event on 20 Mar 2009 (Fri) at Orchard Hotel and would like to invite you to be attend the event.

The event details are as follows:-

Date: 20 Mar 2009 (Fri) That's tomorrow!
Time: 6:30 pm
Venue: Orchard Hotel
Attire: Formal Attire
Amount: $60

Anyone going? Send me a message!

Public Symposium: "Social Interactions in Virtual Worlds"

2009-03-11T23:42:00.004+08:00

There's a free symposium exploring virtual worlds such as 2nd Life. If you are going to work on, or have worked on one of the 2nd Life projects, this would be a most relevant event to attend.

For those who have not been involved in 2nd Life before, you should still attend to find out more about virtual worlds as a possible development platform, whether for games or social interaction.
"QUOTE"

Announcing a Public Symposium: "Social Interactions in Virtual Worlds"

Virtual worlds provide rich and new environments in which AI researchers, social psychologists, and game developers can explore, model, and study a whole range of interactions between humans and other agents. These environments raise a host of questions such as how different agents behave under stress, what are the mechanisms whereby agents construct representations of themselves and others, how groups and coalitions form and disintegrate, how complex networks and information flowing within them evolve, and so on.

AI systems provide more than passive aid to researchers. They provide dynamic and relatively inexpensive tools that allow researchers to implement, test, and refine their theoretical models. Formal computational models of social processes allow AI researchers to develop more sophisticated (and humanlike) virtual agents that can recognize and react (appropriately) to the subtleties involved in typical human-human interactions, allowing computer characters to play active roles in applications such as training simulations, decision-support systems, and gaming.

This two-day interdisciplinary symposium will comprise public talks by a panel of distinguished computer scientists and social psychologists, followed by a discussion panel at the end of the second day. The programme has been designed to cover a wide range of key issues from both the computer science and psychological perspectives.

Programme Outline
View the provisional symposium programme outline

Online Pre-Registration
Registration for this symposium is free of charge .
To facilitate our planning and catering, we would appreciate if you could register by 1 April 2009. However, if for any reason, you are unable to do so, onsite registration is still possible at the symposium venue on both days.
Click here to pre-register online

Dates and Venue
This two-day event will be open to public.

Date: Tue, 14 April 2009 - Wed, 15 April 2009

Venue: Level 4, Breakthrough Theatrette
Matrix @ Biopolis
30 Biopolis Street, Singapore 138671

Registration:
0845hrs - 0915hrs (Day 1)
0830hrs - 0900hrs (Day 2)

Getting There:
Nearest MRT Station : Buona Vista (EW21/CC22)
Shuttle Bus schedules available here .
Location Map of Matrix @ Biopolis
Getting around Biopolis

Homepage
Visit our home page at http://cogsys.ihpc.a-star.edu.sg/symposia/

Contact Us
If you have any queries, please feel free to write to us at ccss.mail@gmail.com

"End Quote"

Contest: Mission Darkstar

2009-02-25T11:45:00.002+08:00

Earlier this semester, the organisers of the Heritage Gaming Contest came down to give a briefing about Mission Darkstar.

The deadline for proposals has been extended to next Monday, 9th March 2009.

Check the proposal requirements and submission here!

DigiPen School Tours, March 2009

2009-02-24T11:19:00.000+08:00

DigiPen is organising school tours that cover introduction to the game industry. These are small group tours, with only 40 students per visit.

Please send me an email (check Blackboard) to let me know if you are interested.

"QUOTE"

We would like to extend an invitation to your students to attend a school tour organised by DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore in March. DigiPen Institute of Technology, a long-standing pioneer and global leader in the field of digital entertainment higher education, offers graduate and undergraduate degrees in game development, computer engineering, game design and production animation. DigiPen, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA, has opened a branch campus in Singapore in 2008.

The school tour will be conducted at DigiPen daily from 8th to 13th of March 2009. There are 2 sessions for each day:
1) 10am to 1pm
2) 2pm to 5pm

Please note that the school tour is only limited to 40 students per visit. Registration for the school tour is carried out on a first come first serve basis. Some background information and the program line-up is included below for your perusal.

Background
Computer/Video games have been a part of human culture for many decades now - evolving from simple single player games to massively multiplayer online games. During this period, the game industry has grown to a global industry with an annual income exceeding US$18 billion in the U.S. and US$35 billion on a worldwide basis. Game development is a serious and compelling occupation requiring highly specialized cross-disciplinary teams consisting of individuals spanning a wide array of subjects including computer science, computer engineering, mathematics, physics, fine arts, humanities, social sciences, and game design theory. Individuals interested in entering the games industry must be well prepared and educated to solve the myriad technical challenges that arise in the design and development of games. There is an increasing demand for such well-educated and skilled professionals for the entertainment/simulation software and other digital media industries in Singapore and abroad.

The DigiPen School Activity aims to provide students a platform in understanding how today's digital games and interactive experiences are created.

Program for one session

30 mins
Explore the game industry
This session will cover:
-Game development process
-Fields of study and different career options

1 hr 30 mins
Games Preview Session
Students will have the opportunity to play award-winning games created by DigiPen ProjectFUN students and DigiPen undergraduate students

1 hr
Introduction to ProjectFUN Workshop
Academically, these workshops help student develop problem-solving skills and enhance their thinking processes. In addition, students discover the role of mathematics, physics, and arts and the importance of the integration of these academic subjects in the field of software engineering.

"END QUOTE"

Fantazzztic Ads Awards 2009, Granado Espada

2009-02-18T11:41:00.002+08:00

IAH Games is organising a Machinima contest using Granado Espada engine, called Fantazzztic Ads Awards 2009

If you're a graduating student and have time on your hands, get on board and working on your video!

International Simulation And Gaming Association 2009

2009-02-13T15:19:00.001+08:00

The ISAGA will be coming to Singapore this June/July.

Check it out at http://www.isaga2009.ssagsg.org/index.html

Ideeeeas for games?

2009-02-05T23:44:00.001+08:00

Here's a nightcap for bed. Video from youtube.

Xbox LIVE Community Games comes to Singapore

2008-12-16T13:18:00.000+08:00

Yes! Singaporean game developers can now make games and release them on the Xbox LIVE Community Games Channel.

A group of year 3 students and myself were invited to attend the press release this morning.

There's a S$50,000 grant up for grabs for each successful application to MDA under the MDA-Microsoft XNA Development Initiative.

Check out the official release at MDA's site.

DivX and Xvid on the 360!

2008-11-10T09:04:00.003+08:00

The Xbox 360 can now play DivX and Xvid videos!

Kudos to the Xbox 360 dev team for making this happen, and further extending the accessibility and lifespan of the console.

Starting with Java Micro Edition

2008-11-03T22:40:00.002+08:00

Sun Developer's Network has a good site for those starting to create 2D games on the Java Micro Edition platform.

DreamBuildPlay Game Video

2008-10-05T14:36:00.001+08:00

Our team of 5 GD students submitted their game recently for Microsoft's DreamBuildPlay 2008 challenge.

Here's the video trailer of the game.

Cancelled: Code-a-thon 2008

2008-09-04T09:10:00.002+08:00

I've just received notice from the organisers of Code-a-thon 2008 that it's been cancelled.

A disappointment for sure, but looking at the calendar ahead, we've got Contrast from NUS and the DreamBuildPlay contest all ending this month, so keep your brains busy and ideas flowing!

Reminder: DreamBuildPlay 2008

2008-08-28T12:51:00.003+08:00

Here's a reminder to sign up for the DreamBuildPlay Challenge 2008. Entries close 23 September 2008, but you may want to submit as early as 1 September!

There's prizes galore, plus a free 12 month Creator's Club Subscription once you sign up. What are you waiting for?

Code-a-thon 2008

2008-08-28T09:52:00.005+08:00

The annual Code-a-thon is here again. This year's event will be held Mon-Tue, 15-16 September. Here's the email invite:

"Code-a-thon 2008 is open for registration!

Code-a-thon is the games festival for games developers worldwide. Talented student game programmers and artists will be challenged to code a game for 30-hours.

Code-a-thon 2008 will be held in Singapore on the 15th - 16th September 2008 and the results will be announced during Games Convention Asia 2008. Nanyang Polytechnic would like to invite your insitution to form and send student teams to participate.

For more information, please refer to the official competition website below: http://www.nyp.edu.sg/sgcc/codeathon/ "

Let me know if you'd like to sign up as a team - support can be given in the form of notebooks and other development equipment if needed.

NOTE: Closing date is 31 August - you'll need a letter from us to confirm you're enrolled in SP as a full-time student, so please let me know by today if you want to enter!

NUS Contrast 2008

2008-08-28T09:45:00.004+08:00

The NUS Students' Communications and New Media Society is organising Contrast, a 24 hr Game Design Competition (12 - 13 September 2008).

Here's the email from Kian Boon, President, NUS Students' CNM Society, Deputer Projects Director, Contrast 2008. (What's a Deputer?)

"CONTRAST is a 24-hour game design competition jointly organized by the Communications and New Media (CNM) Society and Game Development Group (GDG) from the National University of Singapore.

Due to the overwhelming and well-received response from the participants in previous years, CONTRAST is running for its third year, with a brand new theme.

This will be a very good platform for aspiring game developers to get together and hone their skills. Besides, it will also be a very good opportunity for your students to build up their game portfolios which would give them an edge should they decide to seek a career in the gaming industry.We are currently sourcing for participants, sponsorships, judges, venues to make this event even more successful.

That said, we would like to be able to source for interested participants from your school.

For more information, you can visit http://contrast2008.blogspot.com/"

Deadline for registration is 4 September 2008.

Give me a ring, drop me an email or just post a comment here if you'd like to join or are looking for someone to team up with. We're sponsoring the registration fees for any team from DIT GD that would like to enter.

IGDA Meetup 13th August - Beer at Brewerkz

2008-08-01T09:04:00.002+08:00

The IGDA regularly holds informal meetings for folks to unwind and to just generally exchange ideas. This month's meeting is on 13th August, Wednesday.

"Ey.. so it's been a while since we've done one of these...

Anyway, with all the stuff happening around the place, it's time for us all to get together and have a beer!... and catch up So we've got space for 60 people on WEDNESDAY 13th August at BREWERKZ at Clarke Quay 7.30pm(Yes, u can find them here: http://www.brewerkz.com/contact/index.htm)"

This meeting is open to "ALL GAME DEVELOPERS, not just for programmers.Artists, Designers, Producers, etc are VERY WELCOME. Students in their final year, and NS men are also welcome." So try to make your way there if possible.

Original posting on IGDA Singapore Forum.

My 360 died!

2008-07-14T11:33:00.003+08:00

The good old (one year old to be exact) Xbox 360 at my home died on my birthday over the weekend. While munching on my cereal, I turned on the 360 and was greeted with a frozen screen after trying to log on to Xbox Live. Cycling the power gave me the dreaded Red Ring of Death.

It wasn't apparent at first, as I found out that the RROD was a misnomer. It's 3 red lights around the power switch, less one quadrant on the top right corner.

It's quite ironic, since I got it as a birthday gift exactly a year ago from my wife. The good news is that Microsoft has been very prompt on their responses and support. I got an email reply on evening of the 12th, apologising for the "inconvenience".

Since their hotlines were closed on weekends, I called in this morning and was greeted by a friendly operator, and after verifying that it was indeed "unfortunate" that my Xbox 360 has passed on due to hardware fault, they will be providing me with a "new Xbox 360 taken off the factory, in an unmarked box".

I'll be exchanging it a week later, so it's a belated birthday gift from MS to me! :)

SP Student Blogs List

2008-07-14T11:22:00.003+08:00

If you look to the right of the page, you'll notice a new addition of bloglist that shows student blogs. If you've got a blog related to Game Development or generally your life as a GD student in SP, let me know, and I'll add it to the list.

Keep clean and polite in your blog though! Vulgarities, personal attacks and general bad behavior will not be tolerated. :)

CONTRAST Game Design and Development Workshops

2008-07-14T11:19:00.000+08:00

The IGDA Singapore Student Chapter and the NUS Games Development Group are organising a series of workshops on computer game design and game development; we will be covering game art, creating games in Flash and Game Maker, and rapid game design.

The workshops are conducted by professionals in their field and are at an affordable rate ($4 per workshop) so I think it's an excellent chance for students to pick up the skills.

For more information, please refer to this url.

Singapore Game Dev on Gamasutra

2008-07-04T23:47:00.003+08:00

With all the big boys coming to play in Singapore, it looks like we're making a big blip on the radar. Gamasutra's got an article analysing why we (Singapore) want a bite of that pie called Game Development.

In other news, the July 2008 issue of Edge contains a good whole section on Singapore in their new "Region Specific" section.

Happy 4th of July by the way! :)

Bluesky Enterprise Day 2008 Company Visits

2008-07-02T15:34:00.002+08:00

This came in the mail today:

"On behalf of ACE, I would like to invite your students to sign up for the special Company Visits organised on BlueSky Enterprise Day, 18th July 2008 , at Hwa Chong Institution, from 11am onwards.

The Action Community for Entrepreneurship, ACE, will be organising the BlueSky Festival 2008, from 17 to 18 July 08. As part of this event, we'll be organizing BlueSky Enterprise Day , a half-day of entrepreneurship related programmes for youths.

We will be organizing a visit to the following companies which includes:
- Alpha Synovate (Design and Development Engineering Company on Biofuels)
- Microsoft Innovation Centre (The Software Giant of today's world)
- Mikoishi (Game Development Studio and Publisher)
- Stikfas (Global Brand of Collectors' Figurines and Models)

The company visits are scheduled from 11:30am to about 1.45pm."

A visit to Microsoft and Mikoishi (one of the most successful Singapore game dev companies) sounds most interesting. Unfortunately that I've graduated many years ago.

Check out their site for more details on registration. Scroll to the bottom for the electronic flyer.

XNA Robot Game

2008-06-29T16:21:00.008+08:00

Now this is too cool to let by. The folks at Creator's Club have released a new mini-game for Premium members.

Robot Game is created by a South Korean game company, Zapetto. Download and try it out. Besides the fun factor, it boasts several cool technical examples you may want to check out. It also features a nice split-screen co-play mode. (Hint hint nudge nudge - cough, Assignment 2, cough).

Fancy the next mini-game coming from a team here in SP... now just imagine that... :)

Why Mini-Games Don't Work

2008-06-25T10:51:00.009+08:00

There has been a rising trend to include mini-games in commercial games, and to a certain extent, student projects have been trying to emulate the model of gameplay. In commercial games, mini-games work to various degrees of success, depending on execution and diversion from the main game. What does this mean exactly?

What works?

For a mini-game to "work", it should not detract from the enjoyment of the main game you are playing. An positive example of a mini-game is the chariot racing segment in the Suburban Babylon chapter of Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones.

In the chariot racing segment, the player steers the Prince's chariot through the streets of Babylon. During the race, the Sands of Time abilities are still available to the Prince. This means it's a racing game where you get to reverse time to do minor corrections to your gameplay.

The Sands of Time is a major feature for the POP series in that it introduces a more forgiving gameplay that allows players to tweak and make corrections as they play, without the need for instant death scenarios which lead to frustrations and needless replay.

The chariot mini-game works for POPTTT in the following ways:

Similar gameplay: Rules and skills players learned in main game still applies.
No new rules: The player does not have to learn any new skills.
Enjoyment: The transition of the gameplay is logical and fits well into the story of the game, driving the player forward and giving him motivation to play the level.

What doesn't?

A counter-example on the other hand would be the mini-games included in Spider-Man 3. The gameplay and handling of the player avatar (Spider-Man in this case), is quite well done and much improved from its hugely successful predecessor (Spider-Man 2), but the mini-games put a dampener on it all and really spoiled the game for most fans and new players.

While the entire game is littered with mini-games, let's take a look at one of them for argument's sake.

Throughout the game, you are tasked to defuse bombs that have been set as part of terrorist attacks (cue 1st cliche in modern game themes). These typically start off with you swinging/racing against time (tried-and-tested concept from SM2) to find the location of the bomb. Once there, you hit a context button to activate the mini-game.

The mini-game requires a series of accurate button hits and thumbstick twists on the controller. This is reminiscent of successful rhythm games/minigames such as DDR or Guitar Hero, but doesn't really work well here. To it's credit, the gameplay for the mini-game is tight but quite pointless. Why would Spider-Man have the neccessary skills in defusing bombs, and what do button presses and twists have to relate to something as sophisticated in real life such as explosives disarmament?

The mini-games in Spider-Man 3 do not work in the following aspects:

New skills needed: All the swinging and acrobatic moves you've learned as Spidey previously are meaningless in the mini-games. All you need here are fast twitchy button mashes and twists. Our grade school cousin would do better in this than us.
Detraction from gameplay: You're no longer the Amazing Spider-Man; you're the one-man-bomb-squad. Even Spider-Man admits this as a smart aside during the game.

Looking at the above, the success of mini-games in longer form games depend on their execution and design. On their own, a string of mini-games could be compiled into a game itself very nicely, but for a mini-game to succeed as a task in a game, it should not detract from the main gameplay, nor should it require the user to learn and apply a radically different set of skills.

In my next post, we'll take a look at how mini-games can be implemented correctly for Final Year Projects (if at all?).

Dream Build Play 2008

2008-06-17T14:27:00.000+08:00

Can't get enough of XNA Game Studio 2.0 in class? ;)

Microsoft's Dream Build Play challenge is on again. The emphasis for the competition is as usual, fun games.

Register to get a year's subscription for the XNA Creator's Club (worth US$99 or S$179).

If you're doing the Console Game Development module in DMIT, you might want to think about putting in the polish for those assignments and submitting them as an entry in the challenge.

Due date is in September 2008. Submissions may be made from 1 - 23 September.

Now! Open to Public!

2008-06-13T22:13:00.003+08:00

spgd.blogspot.com is now open to everyone! This means you no longer have to login to read the latest posts and updates on game development.

You'll still need to login to post a comment though. You can use any email to register for a google account.

I'm using my school email for this account. This means for login, I'm typing my-name@sp-dot-edu-dot-sg. Try it!

Microsoft Game Developer's Day 2008

2008-06-10T14:21:00.000+08:00

The Microsoft Game Developer's Day is here again. Looking at the schedule, it looks to include what's new in XNA 3.0 and a peek at the XNA Community Games.

Registration is only $30. Learn more here.

Sony PlayStation Kits for Education

2008-06-06T22:15:00.000+08:00

Sony announced today that they'll be releasing educational development kits for their PSP and PlayStation 2 consoles.

This looks to be for the US and Western European institutes for the near future. Let's see if we can get someone to start organising Sony Game Developers day in Singapore soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

XNA anyone? ;)

Thanks to Darren Quek for the heads up.

Roles in Module Assignments

2008-06-01T22:34:00.005+08:00

One question that comes up very often in group assignments is: Can we work in groups of 2 / 3 / 4?

Most of the assignments I write have mandatory requirements of 2 members and only 3 where the numbers in the class are odd.

If a group is well organised, the team can benefit from having 2 to 3 members for small Module Assignments.

For example, a team of 3 people for a programming assignment (Console Game Development / 3D Game Development / fill-in-your-module-name) may organise themselves as such:

1. Graphics / Engine Programmer - takes care of the nuts and bolts of the game engine such as camera, models, physics (collision), input handlers.

2. Gameplay Designer / Programmer - designs the gameplay mechanics and logic AND programs those. This is a small project so you'll save time and manpower by being the game designer and programmer at the same time. It also gives you a good idea of what's possible and what's not logically and pragmatically.

3. Modeller / Graphics Artist - this role is optional and nice to have (READ: Non-critical). A dangerous position to be in in a programming assignment, as your teammates can / should easily be able to locate simple public domain models or art without you. Programmer's art is always acceptable in a programming module assignment. If you do take up this role, strive for excellence and support the requirements of your team as far as possible.

On the other hand, a disorganised team can have overlap of roles which may not only create duplication of work, but also unneccesary dependencies. The worst case scenarios may have sleeper members who clock in simply for the credit at the end of the project.

Choose your members carefully and plan your work well at the beginning for a successful delivery.

Game Lagginess

2008-05-28T16:08:00.002+08:00

Here's an interesting link regarding how to improve "lag" or dropped frames in games.

http://cowboyprogramming.com/2008/05/27/programming-responsiveness/

XNA Role-Playing Game Starter Kit

2008-05-24T15:09:00.002+08:00

Final Fantasy fans rejoice! Those interested in creating RPGs can reference the XNA Role-Playing Starter Kit released recently on Creator's Club.

This is a 2D RPG with a tile engine, developed by India based Dhruva Interactive.

To begin, try out the tutorial in adding your own quest to the game.

XNA Radio Broadcasts

2008-05-07T09:19:00.001+08:00

Scott Lim and I got interviewed by Michael Tan from Mediacorp regarding the Console Game Dev module and GD in general in Singapore.

Here are the links for the podcasts:

XNA Part 1

XNA Part 2

We're on the news!

2008-04-25T15:46:00.002+08:00

The local press had a field day yesterday at our GDC (Game Development Centre), T2021A.

Here're some reports that's appeared so far...

The event yesterday was also covered by GameAxis.
http://www.gameaxis.com/home/?blog=2175

Straits Times.com
http://www.straitstimes.com/Video+News/Singapore/STIVodcast_4077.html?

ChannelNewsAsia
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/343475/1/.html

You may like to click away after the first minute or so into the st.com video. :)

Ubisoft opens in Singapore

2008-02-12T17:35:00.000+08:00

Some of you may recall Ubisoft dropping by sometime late 2007, and some even contributed to the showreel we sent to them.

Congratulations! It looks like we all played a role, maybe small, to the better of the GD industry and future in Singapore.

Here's a link to the news release.

Game Programming Tests

2008-02-03T13:48:00.000+08:00

Those of you who think they're up to the job for Software Engineer posts or the like may find that the recent article at Game Career Guide on Game Programming Tests might just be what you're looking for.

Imagine Cup 2008 Important Dates!

2007-10-24T23:24:00.000+08:00

There are at least 5 teams this year from the GD option that's going for the Imagine Cup 2008, so it looks like good news!

Just for posterity sake, here are the important dates for reference...

August 25, 2007 Registration Opens
September 1, 2007 Competition Begins
February 1, 2008Round 1 Closes
February 22, 2008 Round 2 Begins
May 2, 2008 Round 2 Closes
May 23, 2008 Worldwide Finalists and Top 20 Teams Announced
July 3-8, 2008 Finals in France

The 10th Annual Independent Games Festival!

2007-09-17T18:19:00.000+08:00

Submissions are open for the historic 10th Annual Independent Games Festival, for which the awards will be handed out at the Game Developers Conference, February 18-22, 2008 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

The main competition deadline is October 1st, and submissions for the student competition are due October 15th. A sister competition for PSP, DS, and mobile, IGF Mobile is also now open for submissions.Read about changes to the competition, new prizes - including startup advice from Game Attorney Tom Buscaglia - and much more at the official IGF website:
www.igf.com

Off to Batam!... for work...?

2007-09-03T22:43:00.000+08:00

Alrighty! I'll be off to Batam with one group of our FYP students on a "Top Secret" project for the next 3 days.

All the best for the SMIT team - Yi Heng, Desmond, Ikhwan, Darren and Timothy "Old Man" Tham. May you win top honours in the Code-a-thon! Remember to email me about your victory!

0708S1 DIT/2A10 Outing at Settler's Cafe

2007-08-26T17:25:00.000+08:00

Here's a little semester-break treat for the 2A10 folks who went to Settler's Cafe couple of weeks ago - the group photo as promised!

Cheers!

2007 SGCC 30-hour Code-a-thon

2007-08-24T16:26:00.000+08:00

Looks like Darren got to posting this in the comments before I did, but here's the news anyway.

The Code-a-thon is coming again and it's MUCH bigger this year, with the chance of winning up to S$6,000 in cash prizes!

For Code-a-thon 2007 You are to programme a game tech demo (and bring your artist friends along) in XNA, over 30-hours. If you choose to do the code-a-thon at Suntec City (this year's venue), you are allowed to bring only your notebooks. If not, you can come to Suntec on the 4th Sep to register in the morning and proceed to code at your own venue (i.e. home) and then return on the 5th Sep for the competition submission (after taking your shower).

Go ahead and register online NOW http://www.nyp.edu.sg/sgcc/open.html

You'll need to form a group of 5 programmers/artists, so if you're interested, please let me know! Send me an email at alvintang@sp.edu.sg with your member's details.

Is XNA the way to go (for developing games)?

2007-08-19T00:13:00.000+08:00

This CoDe (Component Developer's) Magazine article gives the most unbiased and fair coverage of opinions of the future and use of XNA.

If you're wondering (like me) if XNA is the way to go for developing games, and if it really is a good investment (to learn and code in), do check it out!

DirectX Tutorial

2007-08-16T11:06:00.001+08:00

While looking around for (possibly) a new text for the DirectX related modules, I came across this wonderful site. This is by far, the most comprehensive, or at least more readable than Wendy Jones', site.

Next killer-app for the mobile platform

2007-08-16T09:08:00.000+08:00

Most of you will be taking your Mobile Game Development module next semester. Here's an article that should inspire, or if not simply inform, you about making ground breaking mobile games.

PSP for Educational Institutes

2007-08-04T23:02:00.001+08:00

If this report on MCV bears any truth, the PSP's we see in the labs could be used in more constructive ways than they are currently. :)

So You Wanna Be a Computer Game Programmer?

2007-08-04T17:49:00.001+08:00

The recent article, 'A Programmer Applicant’s Checklist' on Game Career.com is a good read and gives good hints on what companies are looking for in a Programming candidate.

Coding standards! :)

POP News

2007-07-26T09:27:00.000+08:00

Wow! Nearly 2 months since the last post!

Well, here's a treat for Prince of Persia fans. 2 treats actually.

First, there's the remake of the original Prince of Persia on Xbox Live Arcade. Yes, the old scroller is back, but with cutting edge graphics and cut scenes. If you've got an Xbox 360 at home, get on Xbox Live Arcade and download the trial - it's a full first level with a nice real-time intro cut scene with the Princess and the Vizier, Jaffar.

Next, for the budding game designers (yes, I can see more than a handful of you out there), check out the Gamasutra feature interview with Jordan Mechner, creator of Prince of Persia.

Setting up an XBox 360 for XNA development

2007-06-15T18:54:00.000+08:00

Some of you lucky folks got to get hands-on training today at the Microsoft day. I was told they left out the part where you get to try out your game on the 360, so no worries, here's a video that shows how to set up your machines for development, all in under 11 minutes.

XNA Workshop - Friday, 15 June 2007

2007-05-31T15:53:00.000+08:00

Microsoft is (finally) organising an XNA workshop here in Singapore - so those of you interested in getting your hands dirty and feet wet in programming for XBox360 Live, check out the following email.

Game developers can now see their visions come to light in a matter of minutes instead of months. The XNA Framework Hands-On Lab is your ticket to know more about game development using the XNA framework.

This session features key insights on how to develop 2D and 3D games using the XNA framework. Sign up for the Hands-On Lab now to get one hour of training on the XNA Framework. What's more, you will also walk away with the coursework and Visual Studio Express CD. Choose your suitable one hour slot anytime from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

9-10am
10-11am
11am-12noon
1-2pm
2-3pm
3-4pm
4-5pm

RSVP to Andrea for the XNA Framework Lab. Send an email to : andrea@techmexeventsasia.com or Call 6550 8963

More foreign game companies set up base in Singapore

2007-05-02T15:08:00.000+08:00

The Business Times today reported a dozen more companies to be setting up base in Singapore.

Check out the report reproduced at MFA Press Releases.

How to write Game Concept and Proposal Documents

2007-04-26T16:38:00.000+08:00

Q: Game development competitions, assignments, Final Year Projects - what do they have in common?

A: Requirement(s) to submit proper documentation.

Proper planning is crucial to success in any project, more so for creative projects such as game development projects, where a good mix of personalities including artists, programmers and designers are involved.

If you can't even put down to paper and articulate what you have in mind, how are you going to be able to implement and deliver a solid game product? Those angel investors you're looking for will need a lot more than "it's cool!" to be convinced.

Look over to Tim Ryan's article on The Anatomy of a Design Document, Part 1:Documentation Guidelines for the Game Concept and Proposal at Gamasutra. It's an older document, but still a goldie.

Note: You'll need a Gamasutra account to login and read. If you haven't got one yet, get one. It's an account you'll use for a long time (if you want to last in the GD business).

What is the IGF?

2007-04-22T00:58:00.000+08:00

Check out the prizes for this year's IGF (Independent Games Festival) at GDC 2007 site.

"Independent Games Festival was established in 1998 to encourage innovation in game development and to recognize the best independent game developers.

Just as the Sundance Film Festival benefits the independent film community, the IGF creates a similar event for independent game developers in addition to the student population of game developers. The competition culminates at the GDC where winners are announced and over $50,000 worth in prizes awarded."

The IGF's Student Showcase highlighted a total of ten games this year with each IGF Student Showcase Winner awarded US$500. In addition, a prize for best overall IGF Student Game was awarded as part of the IGF Awards, with the finalists comprising all of the Student Showcase winners. Best Student Game took an additional US$2,500.

... and before Gears of War there was...

2007-04-19T16:24:00.000+08:00

Those doing INGD (Introduction to 2D Game Development) might be interested in The Video Game Revolution. The site provides an interactive view of the history of video games.

I still don't know who says "@!#?@!" when he is hit by something though...

[Edit] 'twas Q*bert!

101 Free Games to play

2007-04-18T11:01:00.000+08:00

... and these are innovative, fun games that were made from scratch (mostly). The list includes N, Warning Forever, amongst many others.

Check out the article at 1up.com. Here be ideas and inspiration for your INGD, IGRA, FYP assignments/projects. :)

Games Convention Asia 2007

2007-04-17T19:35:00.000+08:00

"The GCA (Games Convention Asia) is the only Convention in Singapore and Asia-Pacific region for the entire interactive entertainment, infotainment, edutainment, hardware and technology. Besides showcasing the latest in computer games and hardware, it will also feature entertaining information, media education and dazzling events for the general public.
As the only exhibition in the region, the GCA will reflect the trends of the rapidly expanding Asian electronic games market. According to Price WaterhouseCoopers, its turnover in 2009 will be in the order of $23 billion. The online games sector in Asia alone currently has a volume of $6.3 billion-and by 2008 looks set to reach $7.5 billion."

The event is to take place at Suntec Centre this September 6-9, Thursday thru Sunday.

How to Prototype a Game under 7 days

2007-04-13T19:23:00.000+08:00

I was looking through my old GD related links for a module I'm developing, and noticed this link.

It's an old(er) article from Gamasutra, about a challenge issued to students to create a prototype for a game under 7 days. Mind you this are playable games with well-thought out game design and no cut-corner programming.

Download the games from the Experimental Game Project. Tower of Goo gets me laughing and stressed out all at once.

Students who are doing FYP with me this semester - no pressure there hrmm? ;)

XNA Tutorials

2007-04-12T19:40:00.000+08:00

Here are some resources for those interested in Microsoft's DreamBuildPlay contest.

Video Tutorials on learnxna.com.
Video Tutorials from xnatutorial.com.
Also check out the unofficial XNA book by Mike Fleischauer.
If you're still hungry for more, go to the XNA Tutorial Master List on XBOX 360 Homebew.

Remember: Redmond awaits!

Keep me updated on your progress, and send me any questions you have.

Toblo Postmortem

2007-04-12T19:30:00.000+08:00

For those of you who've downloaded and played Toblo, here's the postmortem.

A postmortem's a report, usually a reflection on the history of development, what went right and wrong, so that other teams and the development team in particular, can learn from mistakes made.

If you're making a game (whether for a school project/assignment or commercially), postmortems are essential.

Remember the old saying - "he who does not learn from mistakes is doomed to repeat them forever!"

Video game symphony PLAY! coming to Singapore

2007-04-11T09:42:00.000+08:00

Games and arts are coming together again, this time in Singapore.

PLAY! will be performed at the Esplanade Concert Hall, June 15 to 16, 2007. Composer Takenobu Mitsuyoshi (Daytona, Virtua Fighter 2, Shenmue, Sega Rally Championship) will be performing as well.

SPH is a main sponsor. Go to their press release for more details.

Who says game consoles are for gaming only?

2007-04-11T09:38:00.000+08:00

Another reason to convince my wife that I'm out saving the world everytime I play games. ;)

Sony is planning on utilising the ganoodles of computing power they've put on PS3s for Grid Computing applications. Maybe they can calculate where my cat lost her tinklebell last year...

Article on Gamasutra: Sony To Expand Commercial Use Of PS3

Sponsors for alvin to save the world are now being accepted.

Locked Blog

2007-04-10T16:12:00.000+08:00

This blog has been locked and only invited viewers can access this blog.

If you're reading this, of course it means you're in, but if your friend wants in as well, have them send me an email at alvintang at sp dot edu dot sg.

IGDA Beer Meeting Wednesday, 18 April 2007

2007-04-10T16:00:00.000+08:00

From Robin Tan's post in IGDA Singapore Forum. Closest MRT is Clarke Quay (NEL).

Just to inform you we have an upcoming informal beer meeting session at our usual favorite hunt, yes, you guessed it, Brewerkz! Do come along if you can, catch up with old friends and make new ones in the community. Just check for table booking under "IGDA" if you can't find us.

Date: 18th April 2007 (Wednesday)
Time: 7.30 pm
Venue: Brewerkz (Clark Quay MRT)

Map:

AGDS Videos Posted

2007-04-05T11:45:00.000+08:00

Videos of some speakers have been posted on google video. Much thanks to AGDS 2006 co-organiser, Allan "Odin" Simonsen.

Links are from the Singapore IGDA forums.

IGDA Singapore Student's Chapter Meeting May 12th 2007

2007-04-04T11:55:00.000+08:00

Student's gathering at NUS. Be there if you're a student or recent graduate in Singapore!

Date: 12th of May (Sat)

Place: NUS seminar room 1, block S16, level 3

Time: 2pm-5pm. (tentative)

More info on IGDA Forums.

DreamBuildPlay by Microsoft

2007-04-01T16:28:00.000+08:00

Microsoft is conducting an Game Development competition, DreamBuildPlay, with a closing date of 2 July 2007.

I attended Microsoft's events at GDC and got to see the games the 4 teams built in 4 days. Quite impressive - simple but still fun.

Take a look at the following article, and follow the link to www.dreambuildplay.com and let me know if you'd like to join. I strongly encourage you to sign up for this.

I also attended MS's hands-on session for XNA Game Dev. As you might know, XNA uses C#, so if you're comfortable with Java, you should be able to start building real quick.

You can sign up for this as individuals or as a team effort. As the closing date is in July (closer than we feel), I suggest kick starting development ASAP. Think of an original game concept and start working on it for the Windows platform. If you do decide to port over to XBox 360 (which is quite simple), we can test it out using a Creator's Club license (which you don't have to get yet).

Independent Game Festival at GDC 2007

2007-03-15T18:13:00.000+08:00

The Independent Game Festival (IGF) is an annual event held in conjunction with the GDC. I had the wonderful opportunity and honor to attend GDC 2007, and got a real eye-opener at the student projects on display.

One of the outstanding ones was Toblo, which was awarded Best Student Game at 2007 IGF. This was a simple game where player(s) threw blocks at each other, with the aim of capturing your opponents flags. Simple but sweet.

Incidently, the team lead, Steve Chiavelli, was the only one I managed to take a photo with before the IGF event on Wednesday (7 Mar, 2007).

Steve (all round nice guy), proposed to his sweetheart that night during the awards ceremony, and naturally, she accepted.

Go to the IGF website for videos of the night's proceedings. Look for the Best Student Game award video. Viewing the video just for the proposal is cool enough. :)

Go to digipen's site to download and play Toblo.

I enjoyed it. You just might.

Intel Game Demo Contest

2007-03-15T16:05:00.000+08:00

Intel is holding its Intel Game Demo Contest.

There are 2 main categories:
1. Best Threaded Game - "show off the computational power of a multi-core processor"
2. Best Game on the Go - "show advances in laptop gaming. Think fun. Think fast. Think features."

Contest is now on til July 1st, 2007.

Selection is from July 1st to Aug 1st 2007. This means entries must be in by July 1st.

As usual, let me know if you are interested to join - drop me an email or give me a ring.

Go to their website for more info.

MOTODEV Game Developer Challenge

2007-03-15T14:27:00.000+08:00

Motorola and I-play are holding the MOTODEV Game Developer Challenge. There's a Grand Prize package of an I-play game publishing deal, tons (ok maybe more than a few) of Motorola mobile phones, and more.

If you've taken MGEP or MGDE (depending on when I've taught you), you are probably eligible already. Dig out that cool game you made for Assignment x and polish it up for submission! You CAN of course whip up something entirely new and dazzle the judges. :)

Submissions are due 10 August, 2007. If you're interested, let me know by sending me an email or calling my office number.

Visit the above links for more details.

What is the Mighty SMIT?

2007-03-05T00:38:00.000+08:00

"Mr Alvin - when is that competition held again? When's the deadline? Where do I submit my entry?"

"How do I find out more about ? How did you get to know about it?"

Events like game development competitions, IGDA Singapore chapter meetings, student meetings, interactive game competitions, come to my knowledge, and I send an email out to certain students and colleagues.

Sometimes the email hits and action gets taken - someone joins a competition upon much encouragement.

This blog aims to consolidate and inform to the best of my knowledge, Game Development related events in the Singapore region, and all related events. This includes all international events that are open to Singapore students/participants as well.