Art Futura 2006 coverage

Hello people who can read english but not spanish. Yes... i know, there are a lot of people that reads this blog that know spanish, but for you is the spanish blog XD.

This weekend it will be celebrated in Barcelona the Art Futura 2006. For all the people that doesn't know it, i have to say that is one of the best places to see something related to videogames in spain. Its not e3 or gdc, is something different, small, but very interesting, so i will make the coverage for the people who don't have the chance to enjoy it.

Today was the opening of the show. This year they have added one exhibition place, very interesting and innovative, called "Experimental Arcade". Is like a chill out arcade place, with these games: Okami, shadow of the colossus, viewtiful joe 2, lego star wars, guitar heroes, a dance dance, vib ribbon, uparappa the rapper, un jammer lammy, mojjib ribbon, all of these from ps2, and from psp tokobot, lemmings and loco roco. Add to these Ryota kuwakuwo's toys and, in some moment.. a ps3!

After that we have seen Scanner Darkly, a film that is more a mental fart thatother thing. Visually compeling, its supposed that they will talk about how they made the film in other moment during Art Futura.

So, we stay in contact!. This will be updated as new things come!.

Dracula Twins demo and preview

Hi to everyone!. Today I am happy to announce that everyone can now download the demo of the game Dracula Twins here.

Well, if you want to know something about this game, is a game developed by the spanish company Nerlaska. I have a strong relationship with this company because they have their offices near Valencia, so i have been there a lot of times. I have helped their in "Codename Silver", "Wanted Guns" and this last game. The worst part is that my name is not Ramon Majere, but is not the first time someone has given this name to me XD. Nerlaska comes from a small village, but the people that was once inside this little team are now in groups like Pyro Studios, Enigma, Digital Legends, Gameloft or Guerrilla Games.

The game is a platform game very that tooks the formula from pandemonium (gameplay 2d in a 3d game engine) and something done as homage to titles like castlevania and ghouls and ghosts. Graphically acomplished, with a sound very well done, and using only 2 buttons and the cursor keys, its a game that you could test for seeing if it is a good game or not. It will be launched worldwide online, so i will advice you as soon as possible.

Opa Opa forever!

News of the past week (09-15 of october)

Here is Nae writing the most exciting news referring to spanish game development.

Nerlaska has finished its videogame "Dracula Twins", a game that takes the pandemonium formula and merges it with some imaginery derivated from games like castlevania, ghouls and ghost. It's said that could be bought on 21 of november by web. More info here.



The next week, on wednesday 18, is the first igda madrid meeting, and that is a good new because is the first time the companies from spain have a serious meeting. Its needed to make more things for advancing in videogames. It's expected that i won't be there (i have to work on wednesday and thursday) but is a good new.

Another good new is the exposition about space invaders at "el tossal" gallery, located at "el tossal" square in Valencia. Its free and will last until 30 of november.




More info (sorry, in spanish) here.

And its supossed that the finalists of the art futura contest will be announced tomorrow. When i have the information i will edit this to add it.

Till this moment... Opa Opa forever!

Some thoughs about videogames

First of all, i have seen that I haven't had the comments option open to everyone. Sorry. I WANT your comments for knowing what do you think (specially about my written english, where my skill is not strong enough for what i want), so it was difficult to have comments if i don't let you to write it...

Second point, today I will explain some things. Videogames, as every entertainment industry, is related to how much benefits will you gain with your product. Yes, i would prefer another option, but now this is the truth about videogames industry. Other case is when you are a professional of another field (for example education) and you make games in your free time. But in videogames industry the most important is how much benefits you get. Life is Life...

Inside this, there are several points we should know.

A) The three keys factors are: Time, people and money. They are related among them. Usually more people means you are going to invest more money in your game. More time means more months you have to pay all the people you have in your team. But you have to know how to distribute this key factors: The time should be between one year and two for any professional game. Less time means the game has not enought effort driven inside it, and more means that the technology you have used at the beginning of the game is a bit older for compete. Not all the games need to use the last technology, but is a handicap. Appart that you have used too much money and time for finishing a proyect.

B) Innovation: If a game is something really refreshing, could happen two things: The game is a hit, or the game is a "game no one will play". Yes, is a pitty, but this is too common. The ideal is to make something different to every game in the market, but not enough different that makes the people ask "what the hell is that?" and don't know how to aproach to it.

C)Perfection Degree: All the games have bugs. But there are bugs biggers than others. For example, if you collision box is too big, it is a bug. But could be that this is nothing important, as it happens in Fantasy Zone. Every game changes in its development. And no game reachs the goal has at the beggining. But you have to know how to develop a good game, considering the three key factors and initial idea.

Deceived about videogames industry?. Don't worry, its very common. But you can help someone to have a nice time, to teach someone something, or make art inside your work. It's not as bad as it could be.

Opa Opa Forever!

News of the past week (01-08 of october)

Today I will begin a new initiative... to bring you, people who don't know spanish, videogames spanish news. I will try to make it more or less fluid, but i have to say that i write better in spanish.

The first new is referred to the Art Futura show, the 2006 edition. It will be the days 26 - 29 of october, but the most important day is the last, which is dedicated to videogames.

At 13:00 horas in the Sala MAC it will be the round table around Games in Spain: Next generation, with Javier Arévalo Baeza, Pyro Studios (ES) http://www.pyrostudios.com Enric Alvarez, Mercury Steam (ES)
http://www.mercurysteam.com David Darnés, Ubi Soft (ES)
http://www.ubi.com Joan Carles Vendrell, Infinia (ES)
http://www.infinia.es Fernando Piquer, Zinkia Game Crew (ES)
http://www.zinkia.com and moderated by Daniel Sánchez Crespo, Novarama (ES) http://www.novarama.com. I suppose that it will be the classical mental fart about what we are doing in spain, with some exclusive videos and several thoughs.

At 17:00 horas , the same Sala MAC Ted Price, Insomniac Games (EEUU)
“ Designing games for next gen” http://www.insomniacgames.com/index.php Well, the man behind "Resistence, fall of the man" will show us what thinks.

At 18:00 horas, on the same Sala MAC Masaya Matsuura, NanaOn-Sha (JP)
“Sinergía” http://www.nanaonsha.com, the man behind “Parappa the Rapper”,“Vib Ribbon”, “Mojib Ribbon” will show us his advances in sound in videogames.

An finaly, at 19:00 horas in the Sala MAC, the 2006 ArtFutura Awards, with
ArtFutura Show Award, Videogames Creation Award, and 3d in Spain Movistar ArtFutura Award. Pay attention to the winners :P.

Other news are:

Virtual Toys has opened their website, and is showing images from their new games, Horsez and Rafa Nadal.















Devilish Games has finished his new website.


Enjoy all, and please... make comments!

Opa Opa

Could be that someone has seen my sentence "Opa Opa Forever". And could be you don't know what is Opa Opa.

So let's talk about Opa Opa, because is a marvelous character. There are another places where you can read about Opa Opa, the best of all is shrine of opa opa , and at wikipedia you can read something more.

Opa Opa is the main character of Fantasy Zone series. As simple as ti seems. Now I have to describe the points.

Opa Opa is some king of a egg, more like easter egg, with wings. Some time ago (the spacial year 1422) very very far, there existed a fantastuc zone where a hero (our character) fought valiantly for rescue it from forces from Menon planet. For your interest, the fantasy zone is the where takes live the game Space Harrier.

I meet first time with this game a lot of time ago. When I had to buy my first game, at year 1992, i had to choose a cheap game. As I had game gear and Master Gear Converter, it should be one of the cheapest games of Master System. The fought was between My Hero and Fantasy Zone, and at least won this last game. It was cheapest (12 $) and at the back of the box it said that you can make your ship, and it was shown in a spanish magazine called hobby consolas. So Fantasy Zone wins.

When i went to my home the first thing i do was to play this game, and get surprised. The first stage never finished! And they didn't kill you. What i do was to go straight and keep pressed the two button. Few time after i discover that what i have to do is to destroy the bases for reaching the next stage. And if you took floor the ship didn't get destroyed because Opa Opa uses his legs for walking over the floor. Marvelous detail.

After this i listened his wonderful sound, his marvelous graphics, the shop, his terrible difficulty (and this with a enemy so cute are difficult to kill them). Appart from this, i usually let the machine go for seeing the intro. And this game has the following routine: Presentation screen, demo, presentation screen, demo, and this will be with each level. But at the end the game shows a story with a ultra lovely music. Pure Love that made me have the eyes near tearing. Few time after playing it, i lend my game to a friend, that liked it and near finishes it. And is a very difficult game.

And time passed, Opa Opa and me where separated definitively when i changed my room. I don't know exactly why, but it seems that my mother washed the robes with the Fantasy Zone cartrigde inside them. Luckily for me, i saved the instructions booklet, that were very great.

And years after, i discover that Opa Opa was in another games, appart from Fantasy Zone 2, Fantasy Zone: The Maze, Fantasy Zone for game gear and Super Fantasy Zone for mega drive, Opa Opa was also in Zillion tv series and Zillion games. Zillion was also the name of the Sega Light gun.

Other day more stories.

Opa Opa forever!

X06 Chronicles

Hey everyone!. Yesterday X06 finished, and I was there. So I will explain something about the event, and share some thoughs.

First of all, give thanks to Microsoft for doing this year the show in Barcelona. I live this year in Barcelona, so this was a great chance for assisting this show. In theory, Microsoft pays us the plane, but this wasn't needed this time. So I will try to go to other places next years XD.

Barcelona is one of the most representative towns in Spain. Has a lot of style in its architecture, and is moderately big (1.8 - 3 million of inhabitants). So is a good place for a show like this, because has a lot of glamour and is a good town for surprise the visitors. And for the videogames scene in Spain was a good notice, because this type of events helps to build some estructure among the people interested in videogames.

The beginning of the show was interesting. They carry us to a place called "The National Catalonian Theatre". Is a very big place, and there show us the noveltys of windows and xbox 360, but we also can see and listen people like Peter Jackson, Peter Moore, Peter Moulineux (how much Peters) and Jade Raymond (one interesting theme for speaking is how this woman is getting to be the best representant a game can have).

After the presentation, they carry us to one of the most glamorous places in Barcelona, and give us the chance to take a bbq, some drinks (i was under medication so i couldn't take nothing that has alcohol), play videogames, receive a massage and ... as one of the member of the group "for a world that has a lot of women working in videogames", get a photo with Jade Raymond. For misfortune, the person that made the photo doesn't know how to put the flash, but increasing the bright mades the photo al least visible. This was Jade and me:















I have to say that now I suppose Jade doesn't know me, but one day i expect that the developers from Spain have the same opportunities than the ones from the rest of the world to be known, and more if we make games as good as our game: Soccer Fury.

But this is another story. Was interesting to play a lot of next gen games. I want to know what day "next gen" games will be called "actual gen" games, because Xbox 360 is near a year among us.

The second day was interesting too. Very early at the morning we listened the mental farts from molineux, jackson and one of the bioware genius, Grog Zaschak. Interesting, but we want things, not only thoughs.

And the rest of presentations. The most interesting was seeing Alan Wake, Mass Effect, Gears of Wars (a VERY well designed game it seems, not only a technically acomplished one) and a sleeper hit for Xbox Live Arcade: Assault Heroes, something like Commando meets Gta and Geometry Wars. And at 4 o clock it ended.

Appart from the games, i have to say that the most interesting things about these events are the people. The famous ones are very difficult to meet because usually are very occupied, but for example i found some time for getting the photo with Jade, and we dinner side by side with Moulineux. But there are people that are not so famous (speaking about videogames world) that could give you very interesting comments.

So, if you can go to any show, meeting, conference and so on, please go. And if some day you receive the notice that in spain there will be a international videogames something, please go. And advice first! :P.

Opa Opa forever!

Developing a videogame (1)

First of all i have to say that this blog in english begins to walk step by step. I would prefer that the few readers i have to made some comments, specially from the people whose mother tongue is not spanish, but i can see there are readers from a lot of parts of the world, something that explain us the marvel of internet and how to swim in this great babel tower that is the world.

After the introduction i will explain my point of view about developing a videogame in comfortable chapters. A lot of readers will have more acknowledge of this than me, but other i suppose not. Appart from this, is my blog and i can ... it as i wish :P.

First step for making a game is thinking about what type of game we want to do. What we are to do is to explain each of the possible several options (yes, it's possible to be more options, like making a game for winning a bet to Jack Thompson, but this is unusual)

A) I want to learn with this game: Let's see, i can do a pacman remake, the only thing i want is to do a game and show the world it runs.

B) I want t0 do an homage. We can take a game and make a homage of him, or doing a very good remake of him. Is similar to previous option.

C) I have an idea, and i want to do this game. Imagine you are walking the streets, you have a marvelous idea and you decide to make this game.

D) You want make money with this game. A lot of people also want, is common. You decide, could be due to your work or by your initiative, that you or your company want to make a lot of money with your game. Is another possibility.

E) Professionally: Could happen that you have to make a game entrusted by another company or association. Is not the most common of the possibilities, but could happen to somebody.

G) Paja mental (i don't know how to translate it to english, could be something like brain fart): You want to be the next Mizuguchi and make something more innovative than nothing. There is always someone for anything.

Ok, this is the first approach. If you think we have to add something please tell me, this is the advantage of the interactive courses :P.

Opa Opa forever!

Women in videogames

I have some worries in videgames. One is the theme of innovative (well done), other is about making something useful with videogames, and several more themes. One of this themes worried me is women make videogames.

I know some women that make videogames, but appart from exceptional cases as the main designer of the marvelous sega videogame called "Skies of Arcadia", or the producer of the Ubisoft game "Assasins Creed", they don't have responsability places.

And if I am sincere, it's nothing strange for me. Women today usually don't get close to videogames as it should be. Women now uses a lot of computers, but is difficult them to adore computers like modders do. You have only to see the most of the pc', because they are very ugly, and women prefer beautiful things.

This could be the reason of the triumph among women of mobile games and Nintendo Ds. And if you want you can include the Psp. I have seen a lot of women at the train playing Psp and mobile games. And we can also speak about casual games. My smaller sister dislikes the games of the 3d generation, and is the same person that is able to finish Wonderboy at once or knowing the map of Castle of Illusion like his hand. But when Singstar, Samba de Amigo or Eyetoy arrived at home, she was able to spend a lot of time in this games, and not in Super Mario 64. The other day she says to me that the game buzz was liked by her. It's understandable.

There are other games genre that women doesn't dislike. For example, graphical adventures with interesting characters and stories and few action moments, the rpgs with charismatic characters and kawai beasts, strategic games like sims or tycoon style. And massive online games, where are a lot of women that can't stop playing.

But despiting all this things, women in general haven't make the jump to the game development. I know that this happens not only in Spain, where the only women working in videogames that I know are a graphic artists in gameloft, other in Digital Legends and other in Quest Tracers, one level designer in Enigma, other game designer and a texture expert in Novarama, i know there are several graphical artists at Pyro, a producer in Interaccion, and few time ago there was a producer at Digital Legends. In the world we know the examples of Roberta Williams, Jane Jansen (who returns now), and several girls I meet at the Gdc of London the last year.There are initiative like women in games conference (that for me is like the day of proud "what you want", but there is), but is a percent very small, lesser also than the one from male players/female players.

I don't know if it is because women haven't think about ir, or they don't know how arriving, or if it is very difficult. And is not so difficult, not so impossible to achieve this goal, and is wonderful once achieved. As I say, for being a game designer you only need knowing about games, languajes, creativity and don't being embarrased. Other places needs other characteristics.

I think videogames will benefit a lot of one hypothetic increment of more female designers, programmers, producers and less both babes. Surely world will be then a better place.

Opa Opa forever!

About creators

I'm going to tell you a story... I have admired the creators always. This is, people that make something in his life. This list contains musicians, film makers, writers, game developers, comic makers, and something more.

Some time before i though that creators were people that in a special moment get some inspiration, and they had to transform this inspiration in a work or they explode. Sure, this in games or films is difficult, because they should need a lot of money. But they were people that gave birth his creation.

As time has passed, i see the things don't work in this way. Usually, the creator is someone that receives an errand, and has a producer. Although the creator believes that his work is better made as he thinks, the one who says if the work should be done in one way or the other (unless the author is self-sufficient, and sends the producer to go to hell). For example, if the writers don't send his books in a important publishing house don't arrive to a big part of the public, and in general there is a lot more works done that free time for enjoying them.

I am a bit uncharmed. Except decent exceptions, i see creators as mere serves of the system, as another work, that when reach high enough level (sometimes without it) they become a lot elitist.

But, appart from this, i want to be a videogames developer :P. And you?

Opa Opa forever!

The Importance of english language in videogames

Yeah, it seems that i have more international readers. People from Japan and Denmark, welcome!.

Today i will speak about something i have to do all the days in my work... use the english language. I begin study english when i was very young (6-7 years) but I never give this the importance it has, until I have to play the videogame Phantasy Star, an rpg from the Master System console. It was in english, so i have to use dictionary for following the story.

Now I have two bosses that use the english language as their mother tongue, and there are in the company mates from sweden, portugal, france and several countries more... in a company of 30 employees. We have to speack in english with the distributors too.

As you can see even working in Barcelona (Spain), I have to use my english more times that my spanish (or valencian, due to working in a catalan territory). The problem begins when english is not my mother tongue. I have used spanish all my life, i think in spanish and i feel in spanish. If i have to make a joke, i prefer spanish, if i have to explain a feeling, i prefer spanish, and so on.

But, thinking with care about that, i prefer losing my mother tongue (something i think never will happen) that having not the possibility to talk with other person because we don't understand the other one languaje.

In videogames english is important, first of all, because the syntax of programming languages is english (for... if... ) . If you have to present any document to a publisher, the most usual is presenting it in english. And, if you go to any conference, expo or similar, the most usual is speaking in english.

So, as you can see, is very important to know a bit of english for working in videogames industry.

Opa Opa forever!

About the fact of developing videogames

This is incredible. I make this blog for the people that don't understand spanish, and while the total of readers has been 34, only 1 is not spanish. Or at least it comes from UK (could be some spanish guy that is living in this part of the world, if not, please, i want your coments about my writing! :P).

Well, letting this things appart, today i will explain something about what i think about the fact of developing videogames.

First of all, i have to say that i hate the word videogame if its wrongly used. Videogames comes from games and video, that is, games that could be used in something like a tv. For this reason, Pro Evolution Soccer is a videogames. But Metal Gear Solid isn't. Metal Gear Solid, is more like a interactive film, this is, a story explained in a visual form, but where the user can interact with somethings.

Once this is clear, it's time to return to this fact. When I was young i thought i want to be a videogames programmer. The one who, once has the graphics, only has to put them in the program and make all work, including deciding things and giving the game a story. But this figure has become another. Now each worker has some tasks to do. For example, you can be one of the designers of the game and only work in cameras and secondary things.

Who is the one that decides all the other things?. It's difficult to say. Depends on the company.

But for me a Videgames Developer is a person that is thinking all the time in what will be his next game, or if is in one project, how to make his game better. This is also difficult, because more is not always better, and this is more certain if we are talking about a company. Also is a person that sees something interesting and thinks "how could i make this a videogame?".

So, if you are one of this types of person, fight for being a videogames developer. Someday you will arrive to this point.

Opa Opa forever!

Europe is living a presentation

Ey! (ho, let's go). It's time for introducing myself. I am a spanish videogames designer (yes, there are people doing videogames in spain, like the company where i am working now) and i have created this blog in according to several reasons:

A) To share my thoughts and opinions about videogames, specially about creating videogames. Beginning with this part, i have to say that i think that to be a true videogames designer is more a way of thinking that a work. If you are a true videogame designer you will be thinking in converting all you see in videogames.

B) To reach this aknowledge to people don't understand spanish. If you can and you want to see my spanish blog, click here. I have to say that in spanish sometimes i tell you things about my real life, so enjoy XD.

C) For improving my written english. By now I have to work with people from USA and England, so i need to improve my written english. If you see some mistake in my texts, please report to me (for example, writing it as a comment).

So... till next time.
Opa Opa forever!