Posts by ReNo

  • cs_xmas.

    Its true nobody used to call it that, but then thats because, as far as I know, nobody KNEW it was called that. Its clearer to use "Goldsource" than "HL1" when referring to the engine, because HL1 could refer to either the engine or the game.

    Of course thats all a load of bollocks really, as its normally pretty damn obvious which you are talking about, but I don't see any harm in using the "official" name now that it finally has one

  • January US Console sales

    Its rather odd here in Europe. Quite a lot of retailers are saying that the PS3 is being preordered faster than any console yet, which is surprising enough in itself given the price point. Even more wierd though, is that some of these retailers (Amazon and Play.com, particularly) are only taking preorders up until they've filled their launch allocation, after which they are closing them off. These sites have now been taking preorders for about a week - surely if they are selling preorders as quickly as they claim, they can't STILL have more left in their launch allocation? I know Sony have promised a lot of stock for the EU launch, but it seems a little suspect. I don't think it was anything like this easy to get a guaranteed Wii or 360 at launch during their preorder campaigns, so if the PS3 is selling even quicker than those did, Sony must have corrected those production issues and then some!

  • Gutter Runners 1.1 released!

    I had a quick shot on my lunch break today, and it seemed kinda cool. I joined an empty server, but a minute or two later another guy showed up and said "wanna roleplay?" I was completely confused but played along, egged on by my workmates over my shoulder! He took the role of the skave...gutter runner's general and I was a new recruit. He would go on top of the hay pile in the map and speak to me, then say "now you will fight an assassin!" and change into one to fight me. After a while there were 4 of us in the server and he was showing us some jump routes around the map and things One of the strangest introductions to a game I've ever had, but I'm gonna give it another shot tomorrow and hope to find a few other folks to get a proper game going.

  • So...how do you go about getting a job.

    Quote from FrieChamp

    The only advise I can give you is that being a specialist in one area (art, design, programming ...) and specializing even further in that field (, character art, multiplayer design, network code ...) will give you better chances to get hired than becoming that "jack of all trades". I think the idea to "aquire as many skills in different areas of game development because this is the best way to increase your chances on getting hired" is inadequate for most big projects nowadays.

    Your point is one I agree with almost entirely, but I just thought I'd mention that its complately at odds with why I got my job. I was hired due to being a programmer AND a designer, and having good knowledge (if not necessarily ability) in all areas of game development. I'd say this is not gonna be the case for 90% of people out there - most companies are in need of somebody with a specific job in mind - but as I joined a small company the scenario wasn't quite the same.

  • So...how do you go about getting a job.

    I studied for a BSc Hons. in Computer Games Tech, and being a games tech course, they helped arrange a games industry jobs fare locally while I was in my 4th year. I went along, chatted with a few of the companies about what I'd done at uni and in my own time, and what I was looking to do career wise, and handed in some CVs to the companies I felt I'd be quite suited for. It just so happened that Outerlight - a company very local to where I lived - were working on The Ship for the Source engine. They wanted somebody who could handle both design and programming work, and as I'd done both level design and mod programming with the Source engine, I was really just in the right place at the right time. I went down for an interview with them about a week later, and about a week after that I was told I'd got the job and would be starting a week after I'd handed in my honours project at uni. Not much of a respite really - I too coulda done with a year out after the solid education block!

    So yeah, with me, I guess I was lucky as much as anything. I don't think I'd have scored a level design job easily from where I was at the time if it weren't Source engine based, so Outerlight was a lucky break. I might have gotten into a juniour programming position elsewhere, but I'm not sure if I'd have been all that up for programming alone. I've spoken to my boses about why they hired me, and they said it was more because of my mod/solo work than my uni work. I guess it speaks a lot when you're doing something off your own back for the love of it, as opposed to doing it because your lecturers have told you to.

    Best of luck when you do apply, whenever that is

  • It's alive... alive!!!

    New trailer, woohoo!

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  • Video Game Name Generator

    Frisky Zombie Gaiden

    Everybody Loves the Ostrich Forever

    Wrath of the Beach Siesta

    Night of the Techno Safari

    Lovely Cooking Empire

    The Last Dragon on Wheels

    I'd be lying if I said it never got old, but having a top-up once in a while doesn't do any harm

  • WIP in WIP, post your level screenshots!

    Pretty nice, epic architecture there, but dear lord the texture selection was ill-advised! I assume the texturing is the biggest area of WIP, however in case not, I suggest that when relying on vertical tiling so much, you pick a texture without so many horizontal breaks In the second pic it almost looks like you've actually built some geometry to emphasise the ledges and things in the texture - is that actually the case or just me reading the screenshot wrong?

  • 360 laptop

    I'm sure that plays a significant part of it! The laptop 360 also uses water cooling which is much more efficient than air cooling, and doesn't need as much empty space between components to allow for air flow..

  • crackdown demo

    Me and some mates had a play around with the demo and it was a fair old laugh. I'll almost certainly buy it seeing as its by another Scottish developer, and one I almost applied for a job at I normally don't go in for the sandbox style games - I got GTA:LCS on the PSP and played it for about an hour before I thought "this sucks" and put it back on the pile - but Crackdown for some reason holds much more appeal than the GTA games. The driving physics seemed more enjoyable than in other similar games too, which I commend them for.

    My main worry is about the relentless nature of the action. You drive out the hub area and immediately there are dozens of criminals shooting at you, and it never lets up. It didn't feel to me like I was a cop driving into gangland territory in a city - it felt like a tank driving into an enemy base during war time. I hope that the full game feels less hectic. I was just hoping to enjoy jumping around the environment exploring, but wherever I was there was ALWAYS bullets whizing by my head.