Black Game Developers
- Thread starter Responsible Allen Iverson
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Tried to get in the industry as a tester when i was 20 and a bRoth a was the one who cock blocked. fukkin fakkit. Dude asking me questions like
If a rock was in a boat filled with water and a man was on the shore with 3 ducks how would you get eggs waffles out of your toaster. fukking dweeb.
If a rock was in a boat filled with water and a man was on the shore with 3 ducks how would you get eggs waffles out of your toaster. fukking dweeb.
I added the Cryamore thread to the relevant threads section
Added JILGames, Hillmon Ancrum, SolarLune, Ethan Redd, PolyKnight Games, Paul LaCen, Duckbridge, FourTwoThree Studios, Evie Powell, Paul Davey, NostalgiCO, Hoop Somuah, and Joe Palmer
OG_StankBrefs
Da Spice...
http://thegamefanatics.com/2015/02/blacks-gaming-chat-notion-games-andrew-augustin/
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This Black History Month, we wanted to feature our African American friends who are making a name for themselves in the gaming industry. Our first in this ‘Blacks in Gaming’ series is Andrew Augustin, Founder of Notion Games and a great friend of The Game Fanatics.
Tell us a bit about yourself, and who you are in the gaming community – excuse our ignorance if you must.
My name is Andrew Augustin. I am a 2D artist and a game developer. I’ve been drawing since I [...]" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services0
BLACKS IN GAMING: A CHAT WITH NOTION GAMES’ ANDREW AUGUSTIN
by CHARLES POWERSFEBRUARY 19, 2015
This Black History Month, we wanted to feature our African American friends who are making a name for themselves in the gaming industry. Our first in this ‘Blacks in Gaming’ series is Andrew Augustin, Founder of Notion Games and a great friend of The Game Fanatics.
Tell us a bit about yourself, and who you are in the gaming community – excuse our ignorance if you must.
My name is Andrew Augustin. I am a 2D artist and a game developer. I’ve been drawing since I can remember. I have created Super Ubie Land, Up Up Ubie Remix, Team Notion, and more for my indie company Notion Games LLC. I also created the characters for The Sims 3 Pets. Recently had the privilege of being in the 2015 Forbes Magazine 30 Under 30 list and also received a full scholarship to attend the University of Texas for the Denius-Sams Gaming Academy under game designer legend, Warren Spector.
So let’s jump right to it. It’s Black History Month and we at The Game Fanatics sat down to think about the African Americans in our line of work who are currently making history. It’s without a doubt that you are one of the few people on our list. How does that make you feel? …No pressure, right?
I feel strange actually. I feel like all I’ve been doing is creating and trying to pursue my dreams of being an artist and game developer. To be looked at as one of the “leaders” in the industry for African Americans is pretty insane.
That being said, are there any other African Americans, or minorities, in gaming that you personally look up to?
I really don’t know how to answer this question. I’ve been looking for other African Americans to look up to in the industry but I haven’t come across many at all. I even did a google search for Black or African American game designers and a bunch of articles asking if there any and expressing the need for some popped up all over the place. But there are artists that I do look up to. Anthony Piper, Khary Randolph, LeSean Thomas and Chase Conley are artists that I do admire and hope to one day be able to work with them.
And what about those who look up to you, what would be a piece of advice you’d give to someone who aspires to be at the level you are at today?
Diversity is very much needed and I am hoping that it’s welcomed.Andrew Augustin
The biggest thing I can stress is to never give up and do what you love to do. Having good work ethic and staying motivated while building and maintaining relationships with positive people who are able to help you along your journey is key. I didn’t have a degree when I got hired by EAand I don’t have a degree now. Don’t be afraid to take risks. I left my job in the industry to create my own studio and to build my own projects. It is really difficult and very time consuming, but nothing that you truly value will come easy.
If you are an artist, keep practicing and learn perspective, anatomy, etc. and if you feel like you can’t get good at those things, create a style that focuses on your strengths.
You may have touched on this a couple of questions ago, but where do you draw your inspiration from?
From a game designer perspective, a lot of my influences came from my early days of gaming. I know this sounds cliché but Mario, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Resident Evil 1, Metal Gear Solid, the Heart of Darkness, and more really molded me to what I am today as a designer. As an artist, I have been really into the 90s cartoon network, Disney, andNickelodeon style. I tend to create based off of those influences and mix a tiny bit of anime here and there.
As a minority, what are some of the challenges you face in your line of work?
I’m not sure if I really have faced any challenges being a minority to be honest. I have been extremely happy with all of the support from fans and editors and even big time legends in the industry. I was a bit afraid at one point to show that I am an African American game designer because I feared that there would be some kind of backlash. I couldn’t really tell you why I felt that way.
So over the past few years, we’ve seen an increase in awareness about the lack of diversity in video games…thanks to panels at video game conventions and the like. What’s your personal opinion on the need for diversity in video games?
I think there is a need for more diversity in the game industry. We need more African Americans, Latinos, Women… we need it all. Everyone and every culture brings their own flavor to the industry. There has always been this concern of the lack of lead African American characters but my view on the matter is that we should create those characters rather than complain and wait for someone else to create them. I am currently creating Team Notion which features a colorful cast of heroes and villains. The main 2 characters are a Latina and African American female. I’d like to see more Native American characters and more. Diversity is very much needed and I am hoping that it’s welcomed.
Alright let’s have a little fun with this next question. Your favorite Black video game character and why?
I usually enjoy playing with female characters in most games because it’s something different and I think there are a ton of really cool things you can do with women in terms of design. I hear Dudley from Street Fighter is black and if so, he is hands down my favorite black video game character. What other character in any video game will give you a class A beating and the sit down to sip some tea like nothing happened? He’s just too classy wit’ it!
You can find Andrew on Twitter, and check out theNotion Games website to learn more about his studio.
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334674
This Black History Month, we wanted to feature our African American friends who are making a name for themselves in the gaming industry. Our first in this ‘Blacks in Gaming’ series is Andrew Augustin, Founder of Notion Games and a great friend of The Game Fanatics.
Tell us a bit about yourself, and who you are in the gaming community – excuse our ignorance if you must.
My name is Andrew Augustin. I am a 2D artist and a game developer. I’ve been drawing since I [...]" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printMore Sharing Services0
BLACKS IN GAMING: A CHAT WITH NOTION GAMES’ ANDREW AUGUSTIN
by CHARLES POWERSFEBRUARY 19, 2015
This Black History Month, we wanted to feature our African American friends who are making a name for themselves in the gaming industry. Our first in this ‘Blacks in Gaming’ series is Andrew Augustin, Founder of Notion Games and a great friend of The Game Fanatics.
Tell us a bit about yourself, and who you are in the gaming community – excuse our ignorance if you must.
My name is Andrew Augustin. I am a 2D artist and a game developer. I’ve been drawing since I can remember. I have created Super Ubie Land, Up Up Ubie Remix, Team Notion, and more for my indie company Notion Games LLC. I also created the characters for The Sims 3 Pets. Recently had the privilege of being in the 2015 Forbes Magazine 30 Under 30 list and also received a full scholarship to attend the University of Texas for the Denius-Sams Gaming Academy under game designer legend, Warren Spector.
So let’s jump right to it. It’s Black History Month and we at The Game Fanatics sat down to think about the African Americans in our line of work who are currently making history. It’s without a doubt that you are one of the few people on our list. How does that make you feel? …No pressure, right?
I feel strange actually. I feel like all I’ve been doing is creating and trying to pursue my dreams of being an artist and game developer. To be looked at as one of the “leaders” in the industry for African Americans is pretty insane.
That being said, are there any other African Americans, or minorities, in gaming that you personally look up to?
I really don’t know how to answer this question. I’ve been looking for other African Americans to look up to in the industry but I haven’t come across many at all. I even did a google search for Black or African American game designers and a bunch of articles asking if there any and expressing the need for some popped up all over the place. But there are artists that I do look up to. Anthony Piper, Khary Randolph, LeSean Thomas and Chase Conley are artists that I do admire and hope to one day be able to work with them.
And what about those who look up to you, what would be a piece of advice you’d give to someone who aspires to be at the level you are at today?
Diversity is very much needed and I am hoping that it’s welcomed.Andrew Augustin
The biggest thing I can stress is to never give up and do what you love to do. Having good work ethic and staying motivated while building and maintaining relationships with positive people who are able to help you along your journey is key. I didn’t have a degree when I got hired by EAand I don’t have a degree now. Don’t be afraid to take risks. I left my job in the industry to create my own studio and to build my own projects. It is really difficult and very time consuming, but nothing that you truly value will come easy.
If you are an artist, keep practicing and learn perspective, anatomy, etc. and if you feel like you can’t get good at those things, create a style that focuses on your strengths.
You may have touched on this a couple of questions ago, but where do you draw your inspiration from?
From a game designer perspective, a lot of my influences came from my early days of gaming. I know this sounds cliché but Mario, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Resident Evil 1, Metal Gear Solid, the Heart of Darkness, and more really molded me to what I am today as a designer. As an artist, I have been really into the 90s cartoon network, Disney, andNickelodeon style. I tend to create based off of those influences and mix a tiny bit of anime here and there.
As a minority, what are some of the challenges you face in your line of work?
I’m not sure if I really have faced any challenges being a minority to be honest. I have been extremely happy with all of the support from fans and editors and even big time legends in the industry. I was a bit afraid at one point to show that I am an African American game designer because I feared that there would be some kind of backlash. I couldn’t really tell you why I felt that way.
So over the past few years, we’ve seen an increase in awareness about the lack of diversity in video games…thanks to panels at video game conventions and the like. What’s your personal opinion on the need for diversity in video games?
I think there is a need for more diversity in the game industry. We need more African Americans, Latinos, Women… we need it all. Everyone and every culture brings their own flavor to the industry. There has always been this concern of the lack of lead African American characters but my view on the matter is that we should create those characters rather than complain and wait for someone else to create them. I am currently creating Team Notion which features a colorful cast of heroes and villains. The main 2 characters are a Latina and African American female. I’d like to see more Native American characters and more. Diversity is very much needed and I am hoping that it’s welcomed.
Alright let’s have a little fun with this next question. Your favorite Black video game character and why?
I usually enjoy playing with female characters in most games because it’s something different and I think there are a ton of really cool things you can do with women in terms of design. I hear Dudley from Street Fighter is black and if so, he is hands down my favorite black video game character. What other character in any video game will give you a class A beating and the sit down to sip some tea like nothing happened? He’s just too classy wit’ it!
You can find Andrew on Twitter, and check out theNotion Games website to learn more about his studio.
Added Drop Dead Interactive and added the thread about the game they are making, "Gear Gauntlet," to the relevant threads section
http://www.gsu.edu/2015/02/17/film-student-builds-video-game-company/
Film Student Builds Video Game Company
Kynton Stephens is the founder of Spray & Pray Studios, a video game company that’s been invited to South By Southwest Interactive as a finalist in the Student Startup Madness competition.
By Jeremy Craig
When he picked up his first video game controller at the age of six, Kynton Stephens knew immediately what he wanted to do. He didn’t only want to play the games, he wanted to create them as well.
It wasn’t just a frivolous notion spoken by a child who would change his mind later.
It was a dream he stuck with. As a Georgia State undergraduate student in film, he’s worked hard and assembled a video game company, Spray ‘N Pray Studios, producing its first game for the market.
Stephens and his colleagues will head to South By Southwest Interactive in Austin this March as one of the “entrepreneurial eight” finalist teams in the national Student Startup Madness competition. They’ll pitch their work to a panel of judges from companies such as Google, Samsung, Dell and a Silicon Valley venture capital firm.
Stephens said the studio is looking forward to pitching because it will provide traction for the game. The contest winners will receive software and services valued at around $2,000, and the finalists have the opportunity to grab the attention of potential investors.
“That’s pretty big,” he said.
The new game, RAVEN, is the first installment of an episodic series of science fiction narratives. It’s an adventure in space, set 700 years from now on a far-flung human colony under siege from an alien invasion. The beta version is expected this spring.
Stephens has enlisted talents from all over. He’s drawn on his fellow Georgia State students in a wide range of fields, from voice acting to programming and the critical business aspects of keeping an enterprise running.
“At first, I was just interested in the game-making part, and then I realized that if I was going to start this thing, I was going to have to learn a lot of the business side of making games and being an entrepreneur,” Stephens said.
Austin Mandus, a recent Georgia State alumnus who majored in finance and marketing, is the studio’s chief financial officer.
Mandus gets to be the realist in the group to make sure all the hard work in conceiving and producing the game becomes a reality. He says he is the one who thinks of the ways everything can go wrong, and helps the studio navigate tough financial decisions. With every plan, he asks, “What happens when it fails? How are we going to respond? How are we going to move forward?”
Stephens’ team building and drive have impressed Elizabeth Strickler, associate director of Georgia State’s Digital Arts Entertainment Lab, a resource he and his team use.
“He’s come a long way than when he first came into my class,” Strickler said, referring to one of her media entrepreneur classes. “He understands group dynamics better and how to build a team. He’s clear about what he wants. Conviction is a key ingredient to startups, and he definitely has it.”
Film Student Builds Video Game Company
Kynton Stephens is the founder of Spray & Pray Studios, a video game company that’s been invited to South By Southwest Interactive as a finalist in the Student Startup Madness competition.
By Jeremy Craig
When he picked up his first video game controller at the age of six, Kynton Stephens knew immediately what he wanted to do. He didn’t only want to play the games, he wanted to create them as well.
It wasn’t just a frivolous notion spoken by a child who would change his mind later.
It was a dream he stuck with. As a Georgia State undergraduate student in film, he’s worked hard and assembled a video game company, Spray ‘N Pray Studios, producing its first game for the market.
Stephens and his colleagues will head to South By Southwest Interactive in Austin this March as one of the “entrepreneurial eight” finalist teams in the national Student Startup Madness competition. They’ll pitch their work to a panel of judges from companies such as Google, Samsung, Dell and a Silicon Valley venture capital firm.
Stephens said the studio is looking forward to pitching because it will provide traction for the game. The contest winners will receive software and services valued at around $2,000, and the finalists have the opportunity to grab the attention of potential investors.
“That’s pretty big,” he said.
The new game, RAVEN, is the first installment of an episodic series of science fiction narratives. It’s an adventure in space, set 700 years from now on a far-flung human colony under siege from an alien invasion. The beta version is expected this spring.
Stephens has enlisted talents from all over. He’s drawn on his fellow Georgia State students in a wide range of fields, from voice acting to programming and the critical business aspects of keeping an enterprise running.
“At first, I was just interested in the game-making part, and then I realized that if I was going to start this thing, I was going to have to learn a lot of the business side of making games and being an entrepreneur,” Stephens said.
Austin Mandus, a recent Georgia State alumnus who majored in finance and marketing, is the studio’s chief financial officer.
Mandus gets to be the realist in the group to make sure all the hard work in conceiving and producing the game becomes a reality. He says he is the one who thinks of the ways everything can go wrong, and helps the studio navigate tough financial decisions. With every plan, he asks, “What happens when it fails? How are we going to respond? How are we going to move forward?”
Stephens’ team building and drive have impressed Elizabeth Strickler, associate director of Georgia State’s Digital Arts Entertainment Lab, a resource he and his team use.
“He’s come a long way than when he first came into my class,” Strickler said, referring to one of her media entrepreneur classes. “He understands group dynamics better and how to build a team. He’s clear about what he wants. Conviction is a key ingredient to startups, and he definitely has it.”
