Archive for the ‘general’ Category

Why Are You Up All Night?

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Well, it’s nighttime again and I am still sitting in front of my computer, trying to get some perspective on some things I’ve been working on, lately.

See, my problem with game design is, that I am quite addicted to it. It’s not only the possibility to create living characters, plots and even whole worlds, no – it’s the possibility to make the pictures in your mind come to live.

But then there are times, like now, when my mind is just flooded with ideas and images and nothing really works out the way you imagined it all in your mind. Most times I compensate this state of mind with a really large amount of sleep. Well… mostly. Not tonight. There are very rare nights like this one, when I am afraid to go to bed because my mind constantly tells me, that doing so would kill the pictures and remove something really beautiful from this world.

No chance to get people to see the pictures lost. No chance to get people to have fun with your ideas and – the most important one – No chance to ever get your game to be the best you could make of the resources you had.

See, game design is not always million dollar budgets, years of development time and 70+ people working on the title. Sometimes it is the little games, which we care about the most. I am absolutely certain, that we can make the best games on the face of earth, as long as we keep these little ideas and pictures and don’t waste them to the endless universe.

If we then put everything into the game, like our souls, happiness, sadness, love, passion and power the outcome can be stunning and beautiful.

So if you’re asking me, why I am sitting at my desk in front of my painfully loud computer at 2:30 in the night, almost falling asleep and knowing, that the next day starts in about five to six hours – you now know the answer.

It’s because of making good games.

Keep your heads up people, the night just started!

Hardware day!

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

So, after the nice guys from alternate sent almost everything I ordered (who needs keyboards, switches and printers anyway?!)  and trans-o-flex managed not to damage the packages during their crazy maneuvers on the iced road, I can post this happy-me picture:

component packege....

So well… I love this weekend. Monday is the first day at the office, and I look forward to holding the key in my hands. This is quite a unique week. After setting up the furniture and the pcs we will descend into town to celebrate.

I registered the domain already, but it points to this page which I am going to change as soon as the ISP sets up the lines at the office.

Tomorrow is the first day of Daylight Interactive. Wish us the best and stop by every now and then to take part in the changes.

Yours, Nadim

The “shady” side of game development

Friday, May 9th, 2008

Well… It’s getting hot in here, because summer is knocking at the door of Ascaron/Studio 2 in Aachen, Germany. I know that there are places on earth that are a lot warmer than Germany, Las Vegas – for example. Or maybe Hawaii, for that matter. Still I am complaining about it and damn I hate that heat and sunshine and all that stuff.

 

Imagine me sitting in the office, having to work hard and concentraded. Then add some noise to the scene, because there is a construction side somewhere near the office. Got the picture? Good.

Now add an open window, so we get fresh air, and some energy drinks and coffee. Got it?

Really? Then add the fine and incomparable smell of steak and sausages and stuff like that. Yeah right, somewhere in the area around the office, some very unfair people just started their barbecue and this constantly drives me more and more into the arms of total insanity.

So maybe I should walk over to these people and tell them about the danger of Game Developers gone mad? Would that help? We don’t have a “do killer games make our kids become mass murderers” discussion for no reason. So the better get me some of tha reeeeeally good smelling barbecue over to my office.

They could just build a catapult to deliver it right through my office window – which is, as I told you – open for SOME reason, right?!

Anyways, I look forward to have my barbecue tonight. It will be the first thing I’ll do after a hard day at work, making games for people who don’t even want to share their barbecues

 

;)

 

 

Told you so…

Thursday, August 2nd, 2007

Who was the guy telling me not to watch the new transformers movie? This was kinda cruel, because transformers is something I took with me since my childhood. Well, I lost it somewhere between ages 10 and 24 but now I want to watch that damn movie. No matter how bad it really is. But if you remember that you told me, feel free to mail me as many “told you so”, mails as you want if I don’t like it.

Manga and comic drawing gets better every day, but my Japanese only improves slowly. Maybe I need to watch some more “Love Hina”, but I don’t have that much time at the moment, so I guess I’ll stick to the textbooks.

About work:

Right now, I prepare everything I need for this year’s GC Developer Conference.

I already got my hotel reservation, packed my IGDA Membership card and stuff like that. But there is still a lot of time, yet.

If you want to meet on GCDC, just send me an e.mail to nadim@the-wise.net

Tuesday, July 24th, 2007

So my grandmother got 90 years old last week which was the main reason for a big mess in my plans. At least I managed to work a little on the concept and other projects. But hell, the weekend was even worse. I started to catch up on my work yesterday and try everything to get that damn page online.

I still search a way around all that spam, because I think that commenting will be a very important function. We’ll see. The site won’t differ much from this one, I’ll just need a couple of days, maybe one or two weeks to get everything set up and started. But then it will serve all the purposes I have in the concept outline. So the additional work will have been well invested.

Overlord has been great fun. The review is in production, but it may take a while. I started X3 Reunion 2.0 some weeks ago, too. I guess this might take a little longer. This game will not be reviewed yet, due to time management issues. I will write that one as soon as I have the time to do so.

I sense darkness

Friday, July 13th, 2007

I played Overlord since I returned from my parents. This game really keeps me playing. But I can’t really be very evil. I think I am not evil at all which is why I need to replay the game soon to see everything I missed in the first run. This game is really worth my time.

Actually I am really tired and have problems focusing on work. Well… maybe because the weekend is almost there and I still haven’t decided  how to wast my time yet.

The plans I have been making for this weekend are in alpha stage, but I think I may tell you a little detail. The new “my weekend” is going to involve a lot of gaming, junk food, drawing, comics and spending money in various amounts. The “World In Conflict” beta started yesterday, so I guess I will be playing the beta along with Overlord and should have quite enough to do.

For everyone who asked me about my project “what parents play” – right now I almost finished the concept and the website should be up and running after the weekend. Special details will be announced on Friday – if nothing gets in the way.
Until then I might give you a little overview on the ideas I have with wpp:

The site is dedicated to everyone who wants to understand why and especially what their children are playing. It is meant to be a place where parents may go to find out about games they might want to play – with a focus on people who are not very used to computers and games at all.

I will start a Q&A section as soon as the site goes online so everyone may contribute their ideas. Everyone is encouraged to join the sites main quest which will be announced on the site next week.

Stay informed about the project, you may  get additional info at

www.whatparentsplay.com – coming soon

A little bit of faith…

Thursday, June 21st, 2007

When I got out of bed today I really thought this was going to be a great day. I packed all my stuff I needed for work, reviewed some design catalogs for reference during my breakfast and headed out of the door. I had enough time so I decided to get my package from the post office. When I came out with my packet (size M) it started to be pouring with rain. I was soaking wet when I dropped off the package at home and then left for work. I don’t know if you can imagine working in clothes which are as wet as if they just came out the laundry. Anyways. This had something good to it (because I really love rain)… this incident reminded me of the “heavy rain” trailer by Quantic Dream which had been released last year and impressed me quite much. So I rechecked if there were any news to this and then started to work.

Do you remember the project idea I had a few weeks ago? Here goes the update:

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There is something going on

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

Hey guys!

 

I have been through a lot of action since my last post. First of all, I started my job at Studio 2 on Monday.

 

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February madness

Monday, February 5th, 2007

Once again, I experienced people to be pretty crazy in February. After bug bashing weekend has been quite a success, I have to face the unbelievable truth now.

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it’s prime time, folks !

Monday, January 22nd, 2007

I can’t believe it. First I discover ABC’s series “Six Degrees” to be one very intelligent show with a nice twist to the standard. I just like the way of storytelling in this show. But then I got shocked a few weeks ago. The series is on “hold” till January, they say. Hm, so far not bad, at least if it returns in January. Now guess what, it already is January and still no sign of life from my favourite TV show. This is an alarming development. Especially after “Justice” was cancelled, too.

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