BioWare Atari
BioWare Info BioWare Spiele Support Foren Visit the BioWare Store
Neverwinter Nights Home
Neverwinter Nights Home

Where Game Developers Come From

Profile by Jay Watamaniuk

Jade Dragon StudiosLast week, we spoke with University of Alberta instructor Nathan Sturtevant about his course that takes computer science students through the process of developing a game using the Neverwinter Nights toolset. This week, we hear the students' side of things as we catch up with two very busy members of a group that formed Jade Dragon studios to develop a project called Ashes of Sententia. Project Manager David Feldman and Lead Programmer Jason Hill give us the goods.

Is there a website?

http://www.jadedragonstudios.com

Why did you take this course?

Neverwinter NightsJason: When I found out about the course, I was really excited to take part in it. I was enthused to get a taste of the game development process. I was also excited to get the chance to work with people in other disciplines on a project like this. I've never worked on a group project where the team was so diverse in their backgrounds and it was really interesting to experience that.

David: Having played RPGs while growing up I had a strong interest in the course due to my past experiences. I had seen the evolution of the RPG from the table top versions (D&D, Rifts, Vampire the Masquerade, etc.) to mainstream console and computer games (Final Fantasy, Baldur's Gate, etc.) and I wanted to see how this has changed the perception and experience of the RPG.

Did either of you have any experience in designing games before taking the course?

David: I had never designed computer based games before this class, but I have designed both custom paper based RPGs and DM'ed campaigns that ran for multiple years.

Jason: I've been thinking up game ideas in my head since Grade 8. I've also started work this past summer on my own small project, but this is my first time working with a group of people on a game.

What has the course taught you about game design?

Neverwinter NightsJason: I've learned, in this course, the importance of the planning aspect of game design. The course has shown to me how important it is to plan the design early and record/document all ideas and decisions made. It helps a lot throughout the process when you need to go back and recall what decisions previous were made and make sure the project is still on track. I've also learned, personally as a computing science student, the value of taking the time to learn and master the tools you are given to work with. If you take the time to research and harness the power of your tools, it gives the development team that much more power to bring their ideas to life.

David: The course introduced me to the complexity of games and the need to be able to coordinate multiple sub-projects to get to the final product. This includes the skills needed to plan, coordinate, and work as a team even though we have to accomplish most of the work independently.

What was the most challenging aspect of the course and this project for both of you?

David: Time. I think the most challenging aspect has been to work within the time restraints that exist and to stay focused on those limitations. The desire to try to make something amazing that has 40 hours of game play is very strong and I have found it very challenging to limit my scope to have a high quality game by the end of the semester.

Concept ArtJason: The most challenging part of the course was designing the right amount of content for the module so that it can be created in the short amount of time we are given. With only about 2.5 months of development time, it is hard to decide what can be done. It was important for our group to be able to re-evaluate our timeline often and decide what could be feasibly added or what needed to be removed to finish by the due date. The fact that all members were equally passionate about the project and wanted to see it succeed was a great factor in tackling this issue.

Do you hope to pursue a career in the games industry?

Jason: I've been seriously considering taking game development as a career path for many years. After taking this course, I am now 100% certain that it is what I want to be doing after I graduate. I am currently looking for an internship position with a development company for next year. Being able to experience the intensity of the development process and working with a talented team of individuals has pushed me over the edge. I am in eager anticipation of getting a position in the industry where my passion for games, storytelling, and technology can be used to make great works of art.

David: I greatly enjoy the class and gaming and I would love to follow it with a career within the field. I believe it is an area that has room for a large number of skills and experiences and would be a joy to work in.

~

Related Links

Want to comment on this article or read what others have to say about it? Join the official discussion!

 

 

Dragon Age: Origins Preorder
Neverwinter Nights 2 Forums
Anzeigen/Verbergen

English
Deutsch
Français
Español
Italiano

Anzeigen/Verbergen

Neueste Bildschirmfotos anzeigen 

Neueste Bildschirmfotos anzeigen
Anzeigen/Verbergen

Multiplayer Games at Neverwinter Connections

Today
Schedule a Game...



Aktuelle Uhrzeit: (Zeit einstellen)
Sa, 21 November 2009 02:56

Anzeigen/Verbergen

Buy Premium Modules

Top NWN: HotU Modules:
1. Good vs Evil III
2. More...

Top NWN: SoU Modules:
1. Good vs Evil III
2. More...

Top CEP Modules:
1. The Lord of Terror The Diablo Campa...
2. More...

Top Modules - NWVault:
1. Hall of Fame
2. More...

Total Modules: 4423

Anzeigen/Verbergen

5,041,691 BioWare-Benutzer:
  65 Eingeloggt
  2 Verborgen
  221 Gäste

1100 Playing Online
  100% NWN
  99% NWN: SoU
  100% NWN: HotU

446 Registered Guilds

8,767,889 Einträge in den Foren

Neueste Themen in den Foren:
1. No Text And Stretched Screen (NWN 1: Linux Version - General Discussion)

2. The language issue - once more w... (Mass Effect 2 General Discussion (No Spoilers Allowed))

3. ToB - Final Battle help (Baldur's Gate II Gameplay (Spoilers!))

4. Problem with Jaheira Romance (Baldur's Gate II Gameplay (Spoilers!))

5. The Cerberus Sym... (Mass Effect 2 General Discussion (No Spoilers Allowed))