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[V_Ben]

1up has been doing a (not quite regular) Video show called 1up Backstage, which is, in my opinion, a fantastically produced video show, packed with loads of great stuff about how development takes shape. I haven't really seen people talk about it much, so I figured I'd link people to the episodes, and the deleted scenes that go alongside each one. Matt Leone did a great blog post introducing the show, so i'm linking to that if people want to know more.

http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9016958



Episode 1

Backstage Episode 01: Iteration at Airtight Games

We take a look at how a game idea can evolve over time, with former Microsoft Game Studios head Ed Fries, early Dark Void development footage, and the team at Airtight Games.

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/27657

Ep. 01: Deleted Scene: 8-bit Dark Void

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/27654

Ep. 01: Deleted Scene: Pitching Ed

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/27656

Ep. 01: Deleted Scene: The Bet

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/27655

Ep. 01: Deleted Scene: Kind of a Big Deal (animated)

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/27692


Episode 2

Episode 2: Outsourcing at 2K Marin

We check out how multiple studios built BioShock 2, with 2K president Christoph Hartmann and members of the development teams at 2K Marin, 2K Australia, and Digital Extremes.

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/28071

Ep. 02: Deleted Scenes: Eden and the Ship

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/28072


Episode 3

Episode 3: Combat Design at SCEA Santa Monica

We visit the team behind God of War 3 to get an up-close look at how they built the game's combat system.

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/28304


Episode 4

Episode 4: Livestreaming at Keystone II

Backstage with Keystone II is somewhat of a departure from previous Backstage episodes. This time, we're focusing on the community, not the devs. Join us as we visit a Super Street Fighter 4 tournament, streamed live, at Keystone II, an arcade in NorCal, and talk to members in the Street Fighter community, including Neidel (Haunts) of iplaywinner, Magus1234, Dizz, Seth Killian, and albert_c.

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/29088


Episode 5

Episode 5: Focus Testing at EA Vancouver

Go behind the scenes with a focus group as they get their hands on EA's NBA Jam Wii remake for the first time, with prototype footage and a look at how the game came to be.

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/30232

Bonus Footage;
- An extended look at how the game took shape
http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/30249

- A discussion about some briefly-considered game ideas
http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/30248

- Early development footage: the Stick Man prototype
http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/30250

- Early development footage: the first playable build
http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/30251

Hope you enjoy it!

 

[kittens]

Sounds cool. Will definitely check it out later.

 

[JWong]

It's actually EA Burnaby, but I won't pick on semantics. 8P

 

[V_Ben]

It's actually EA Burnaby, but I won't pick on semantics. 8P

I didn't even know there was an EA Burnaby :lol

 

[JWong]

I didn't even know there was an EA Burnaby :lol

That studio is in Burnaby, which is a city beside Vancouver. The collective cities nearby Vancouver is called Greater Vancouver.

There was a Vancouver studio, which was EA Blackbox's own studio, but it got shut down. Blackbox moved into EA Burnaby.

EA Burnaby is the largest video game studio in North America. I'm quite certain about it.

 

[V_Ben]

That studio is in Burnaby, which is a city beside Vancouver. The collective cities nearby Vancouver is called Greater Vancouver.

There was a Vancouver studio, which was EA Blackbox's own studio, but it got shut down. Blackbox moved into EA Burnaby.

EA Burnaby is the largest video game studio in North America. I'm quite certain about it.

oh wow. well, the more you know!

 

[NaviLink]

Thanks for pointing this out, it's actually pretty good. That's one type of stuff I expect from video game press.

 

[mikeGFG]

Yeah this is very very dope.

 

[GhaleonQ]

I've been enjoying these. Matt takes (used to take?) a bit of flak, but he's done well.

 

[TheThunder]

That studio is in Burnaby, which is a city beside Vancouver. The collective cities nearby Vancouver is called Greater Vancouver.

There was a Vancouver studio, which was EA Blackbox's own studio, but it got shut down. Blackbox moved into EA Burnaby.

EA Burnaby is the largest video game studio in North America. I'm quite certain about it.

Larger than Ubisoft Montreal ?

 

[JWong]

Larger than Ubisoft Montreal ?

That's why I said I'm quite certain of it. Person to person ratio, Ubisoft Montreal may have more staff because EA Burnaby does a lot of outsourcing.

But EA Burnaby is definitely the largest studio size in terms of its massive land. It is, for sure, the largest mocap studio in North America (and possibly the entire world).

You can see the scale with that (European) football field. It's big.

Sorry for being off topic. Watched most of the videos, and it's really good stuff.

 

[TheThunder]

That's why I said I'm quite certain of it. Person to person ratio, Ubisoft Montreal may have more staff because EA Burnaby does a lot of outsourcing.

But EA Burnaby is definitely the largest studio size in terms of its massive land. It is, for sure, the largest mocap studio in North America (and possibly the entire world).

http://i47.tinypic.com/16llh5u.jpg[/MG]
You can see the scale with that (European) football field. It's big.

Sorry for being off topic. Watched most of the videos, and it's really good stuff.[/QUOTE]
Yeah I was asking about staff and people working but really cool stuff they got here in Canada.

 

[V_Ben]

That is one gorgeous campus. Love how clean it all looks

 

[Matt Leone]

Appreciate the kind words. I shouldn't take all the credit for these, though -- a lot of the effort happens on the video editing side, and I didn't have anything to do with the Street Fighter episode (that was all Richard Li).

But thanks to anyone checking them out. We're trying to do one a month, give or take, depending on how much time we can find (this and the 1UP Cover Stories are my pet projects, essentially). Let me know if you have any ideas for what you'd like to see in a future episode.

 

[V_Ben]

Appreciate the kind words. I shouldn't take all the credit for these, though -- a lot of the effort happens on the video editing side, and I didn't have anything to do with the Street Fighter episode (that was all Richard Li).

But thanks to anyone checking them out. We're trying to do one a month, give or take, depending on how much time we can find (this and the 1UP Cover Stories are my pet projects, essentially). Let me know if you have any ideas for what you'd like to see in a future episode.

No problem Matt, glad you like the thread!

Though it's certainly not in the area close to 1up, i'd love to see a piece done on blue castle games, about taking one franchise and developing a new installment in it, or something along those lines. I've always been interested in how a developer approaches creating an installment in a franchise they didn't have a hand in creating.

 

[haunts]

Episode 4

Episode 4: Livestreaming at Keystone II

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/29088

This is a great episode, must see.

<_<



>_>

 

[JWong]

No problem Matt, glad you like the thread!

Though it's certainly not in the area close to 1up, i'd love to see a piece done on blue castle games, about taking one franchise and developing a new installment in it, or something along those lines. I've always been interested in how a developer approaches creating an installment in a franchise they didn't have a hand in creating.

Heheh Blue Castle is also in Vancouver. They probably would need to take a trip again.

 

[mj1108]

Appreciate the kind words. I shouldn't take all the credit for these, though -- a lot of the effort happens on the video editing side, and I didn't have anything to do with the Street Fighter episode (that was all Richard Li).

But thanks to anyone checking them out. We're trying to do one a month, give or take, depending on how much time we can find (this and the 1UP Cover Stories are my pet projects, essentially). Let me know if you have any ideas for what you'd like to see in a future episode.

Just watched the NBA Jam Wii episode videos and I have to say a regular series like this on the development process is long overdue. Please keep it up! Off to watch the other episodes and can't wait for future ones!

EDIT: Also, keep including the Backstage Bonus ep's as you can... really great stuff... especially seeing first playable development builds.