studio-gameOn

What an absolute amazing experience…
15 Students        6 Weeks        1 Game

I always knew it was going to be a challenge from that very first day when the team’s collaborative effort managed to snap the cork off in the neck of the champagne bottle. Honestly how challenged was this team…?

However through all the other challenges we faced, the highs and the lows we always managed to bring it back with a strong sense of team and respect for each other.

While the role of Studio Manager may have been a challenge to keep it all together, I certainly was in the privileged position of not only having my own experiences to reflect upon but I had 14 other personal experiences which I got to share and be apart of. I feel so overwhelmed with pride of all the team has achieved.

Thanks to my fabulous team…
Rory – Production Manager
The Design Team
Ian, Pixel – who also did the sound effects, Gemma and Alex B
The Art Team (who already know that their good)
Liam – Art Lead, Clyde, Toby, Bow and Abbey-who did an amazing job of character animation.
The Programming Team
Alex A, Josh, Colin and Christina

I’d like to make special mention to….
Alex A- who was only registered for part time in this project and who has done full time hours along with the rest of us and then done huge additional hours on top of that again. Truly exceptional.
Josh- who has just started work placement in the final week and was working full time would come into uni straight from work and do crazy hours of a night. Without his dedication to the project we would not have been able to achieve all we have. Apologies to his young family at home but am thankful to your understanding in supporting Josh to be the exceptional person he is.

As for the team, they came to the Studio as students but today they stand as professionals and I am really proud of everything they have achieved.

For the industry people, thankyou for showing your support. All I can say to you is, remember these names because these guys have such a great future ahead.

Of course none of this would have been possible without the support of Phil Graham (QUT’s iCi funding). Thankyou for giving us the scope to be able to achieve all that we have.

I’d also like to thank two exceptional women and the driving force of Studio-GameOn…Jane Turner and Lubi Thomas. I can’t thank them enough for all their support and guidance they have given the team and especially myself throughout this whole project. I just love working with them so much and can only hope that one day I can aspire to be as good a role model as they are.

I’d also like to thank the industry board Adrian Cook - Wildfire Studios, John Passfeild, Duncan Curtis and Marko Grgic - 3 Blokes Studios. I can’t thank them enough for all the support and encouragement they have given the team. Having the Industry Board take so much interest in our work really meant a lot to all of us and drove us to want to do more just to impress them. They made the team feel so positive and their advice was really valued. What they are doing for the gaming industry in Brisbane is just amazing.

Another person I’d like to thank is Keith Novak (keithnovakphoto.com) our very own professional photographer. He has made us look so good and captured some really special moments. There is always so much more to his photos than meets the eye and is truly a work of art.

Thanks also to the film crew documenting our journey. I really can’t wait to see the final release and be able to reflect on what has been an amazing experience.

I’d like to thank our family and friends for putting up with the long hours and for supporting us so that we could achieve all we have done. Without your support we couldn’t be the people we are.

To the people of Brisbane, our friends we have made on facebook and all the social networks, to all our members in the forums…thankyou for your suggestions and feedback and for supporting us on our journey. Thanks to Matty Graham for creating the End Level Music and all the people who contributed to the game. We hope you have enjoyed watching the process of making a game in six weeks just as much as we have. Your support has been an important factor in making sure projects like this, are encouraged and continue to happen for future students.

This experience is so much more than any subject I have ever done at university. The mistakes we made, the lessons we learnt have all been part of the experience and I honestly wouldn’t change a thing and I would encourage any student, if they are faced with an opportunity like this, to grab on with both hands and enjoy all that it has to bring.

Keep watching this site for how you can get your hands on the game.

So - Can we do it?

Yes (never in doubt - lol)

T’was the night before endgame and all through the lab
Was the sound of keyboards typing feverishly mad.
The movie clips they hung all fine tuned, ready to go
All they needed was a menu to relieve our greatest woe.

So onward they continued with the deadline approaching near
The meaning of Studio-GameOn, all becoming clear.
All our hopes and our dreams wrapped into the last night
When I awake in the morn, what will be the sight?

15 students, 6 weeks, and one immortal game
And to the industry board, there be no shame.
We have worked so hard along the way
Just to get to, this very last day.
So can they do it?, we will have to see,
But in my eyes, no matter what, they are all winners to me.

Shez

Studio Manager

It is currently 5:10am with 2 full days to go. I have been up since 7am yesterday, overseeing the production during the day, and programming the non-core features at night. I don’t have too much to talk about right now, but one thing I would like to say is- I sure am tired.

I am half way through a huge blog post, but the past week has been ridiculously busy- hopefully I can finish that off tonight.

~Rory

Monday….the last week of Studio-GameOn. The team ran into the Studio at 9 o’clock full of energy and eagerness and so ready to go. Well the “go” part was right at least. However a quick lock of the door behind them soon put an end to that. Jane and Lubi come in today for a brief, done well, keep it together so proud of you speech, which was followed by the boots of Studio Manager laying down the law; firm but fair. There is no time now to keep polishing off art assets and these boots are not made for dance’n. By now the team know what needs to happen and are really starting to see the end and realise for themselves, how they need to look after each other. The list of assets and tasks has been clearly set out and strict deadlines have been put in place for the protection and completion of the project. Heaven help anyone to tries to defy this process now.
The overall feel in the studio is very industrious though doesn’t have the tension between the teams; just the impending fear of the end. However there are still a lot of laughs, jokes and stirring which help to break the monotony of working so hard. Tonight alot of the team stayed back working and I somehow feel this is going to be a repeating theme this week.

Oh my god, what a week. Towards the end of the week saw the team suffering from fatigue and energy levels drop to an all time low. It really was Friday the 13th. We decided that everyone needed some time away from the studio and have the whole weekend off and return fresh and revived on Monday. Or at least that was the plan….

As we weren’t going to be coming in on Saturday, the programmers and I stayed to finish the build to send to the board. It did end up being a late one, but the thought of being able to sleep in the next day was worth it. With the build finished, meant we could all have a good nights sleep and not even look at a computer for the whole weekend. Except for a few emails / invites / updates / generating more to do lists and planning for the coming week…saw yet another exciting Sunday and a late night at that.

International Interest

This week we had a group of dignitaries from Korean Universities come and tour the Studio. With the help of a translator, we managed to explain how Studio-GameOn was established and run. It was fantastic to see such an international interest in our project and we were praised for our professionalism.

MX

We also had a photographer from MX come and take photos of some of the team and showed them around the studio where they meet our talented team. (Look out for the article)

games.on.net

Today we had Tim Campbell from games.on.net and a friend of his Max Vasey come to visit.  Tim will be doing a write up for the games web page, so be on the lookout.  We gave him the full tour and was able to spend quite a bit of time with them and go through all the processes of each of the teams.

Back on track, refocused and non-sleep deprived sure feels good. The team has certainly responded to their emails and now while the pressure of the deadline is on, I’m glad I made the opportunity then. At least now there is a strong foundation of support.
Coming into Uni at 6.15am has proven to be worthwhile. I get a chance to do all my management work with no interruptions, which allows me to spend time with the team during the day. Then if signs of tempers or frustration begin to show, I can deal with it straight away and not allow it to build and disrupt the progress of the game or the team unity.
I am really enjoying spending time with the team. They all are amazing.
As to the deadlines, we are staying on top, however our perfectionism and pride of our work means that it is not submitted to the board until the very last minute. Our next big deadline is Friday. Today we hope to construct the basic layout of the game. This will be where we finally start to see all the work we have been working on in parallel timelines, start to be incorporated into one. This is a huge task, but it will be absolutely fantastic to see it all come together. Knowing the quality of all these parts, it is really hard not to get excited about the project and I can’t wait to share this with everyone.

Yesterday afternoon was the worst afternoon I have experienced  at Studio-GameOn. Not through any one incident, but from sheer exhaustion. I am struggling to meet my own work expectations of the paperwork side of Studio Manager, while being there for the team as well. I never anticipated that writing so many positive emails to the team would be so emotionally draining along with the long hours, all have lead to me hitting a brick wall. What I do realise now is that I have been neglecting to prepare myself. (Note to self: next time writing emails of encouragement- write one to self) It is so easy to fall into this trap.
I have been coming into uni early, and now even the cleaners know who I am and let me into the building. I find I get a lot more done before the team arrive and it allows me to spend more time with them making sure that they are doing OK. It would therefore be smart to go to bed early, however there is always just one more email or notes I need to make, which is not very productive while falling to sleep at 11 o’clock.
While it may be good writing these emails of thanks to the team, I am struggling how to say thanks to my direct reports (without as one member of the team has put it, as sucking up) Jane and Lubi have been very supportive and encouraging and I don’t think you could ever say thanks enough for all they have done, not only for the Studio but for QUT and the Gaming Industry in general. They are absolutely amazing women and are the best role models a person could ever look for.
What I can learn from how I feel is, I don’t want my team to feel this way. I want them to know that they are supported no matter what. They have all been working so well and I am proud of them and because of that, no matter what the outcome of the game I have even more respect for their individual qualities, knowing they have given their all. I will come into uni even earlier while I am awake and alert, if that what it takes to get my work done, but I will never leave them to deal with this alone. I just need to be more productive with my time and get some sleep.
We all need each other to work together, now more than ever. The bond between the team is growing even more and it is a real privilege to watch and  be apart of.
To those who think this is a ‘suck up’…wrong.
I am 100% dedicated, 100% passionate, 100% caring and 100% me and I make no apologies for that.

Towards the end of this week saw the tell tail signs that yet another impending milestone was looming. All hands were grinding to the bone, with the obvious signs of added pressure erupting and disturbing the quietness of continual work. While all of the team are now working hard and some others now doing additional hours in their own time, it is really important to look after the team and keep the cohesion of workflow while under the duress of pressure.
On Friday afternoon we had the opportunity of a vacated piano waiting in the halls, which managed to find its way into the studio. Then we had the pleasure of listening to some piano music by some of the team. While it may not have been productive to the game at the time, it certainly gave some welcomed relief and some laughter and reduced the tension in the air. I am always surprised when I find out more about someone, which just enforces my opinion of people that there is so much more than meets the eye.  It helped raise the team spirit and therefore makes a much more productive work environment in the long run. I have been really impressed with how the team have responded and I am a firm believer of telling them so. Many of the team went in on Saturday; I also went to catch up on my work and emails and to support the team. Afterwards I arranged a BBQ at my house, where some of the team got a chance to unwind away from the stress of the Studio. The more I work with these guys, the more I enjoy their individual ways. While we may be looking forward to the final deadline, I certainly am not looking forward to the end of working with them nearly every day.

Past Post-Its

It only seems like we’ve been here a couple of weeks. Behind every post-it is hours of work, blood, sweat and tears with the odd dash of laughter. This picture really tells a story of our progression.