Last Online: 2/15/08
Andy King
ikashiru - No Longer a developer trapped in a gamer's body...
As soon as this research is out of the way, I'll stack this profile full of my own IP. If you need some help with any creative content send us a message!
As soon as this research is out of the way, I'll stack this profile full of my own IP. If you need some help with any creative content send us a message!
Vision w/o action is a daydream.Action w/o vision is a nightmare
Current / Previous efforts...
Games designer & Musician turned Lecturer & Producer;
Relevant excerpts from the past ten years..
Currently:
A lecturer and programme leader for BSc Games Technology at UWE.
Developing an as yet undisclosed multiplayer action game.
Putting together a small games studio in SW UK.
Producing game music whenever possible.
Previously:
Freelancer for multimedia projects
Photographer & Journalist
Educational IT Network manager
QA Tester & Games Designer
BSc MMT (with computer sys)
Various 'A' levels in Business & Law
Various A grade GCSE's
Earliset relevant achievements;
140/140 for GCSE Music composition.
Selling my VGM soundtracks for A-Level.
Relevant excerpts from the past ten years..
Currently:
A lecturer and programme leader for BSc Games Technology at UWE.
Developing an as yet undisclosed multiplayer action game.
Putting together a small games studio in SW UK.
Producing game music whenever possible.
Previously:
Freelancer for multimedia projects
Photographer & Journalist
Educational IT Network manager
QA Tester & Games Designer
BSc MMT (with computer sys)
Various 'A' levels in Business & Law
Various A grade GCSE's
Earliset relevant achievements;
140/140 for GCSE Music composition.
Selling my VGM soundtracks for A-Level.
New Tune Ideas!
Ok so I finally have a some pro level equipment to get me going, but felt in the mood for a last hurrah with the triton and came up with two ideas straight off the bat..
1). A s t r A (2:34) (2007)
2). e d o - s t e p (1:49) (2007)
New Song Ideas!! (still waiting for new kit tho!)
1). A s t r A (2:34) (2007)
2). e d o - s t e p (1:49) (2007)
Why games development?
People get into games development for a variety of reasons. Although I had always messed around writing my own programs in basic and playing the odd game on our BBC B and Spectrum, gaming never really hit me as a medium until my mum got ill.
Suddenly games were a way out, a way to avoid the harsh realities of our home environment - and of course - I totally loved playing them too, most probably for all the same reasons you do, but there was something about them that made everything just a tiny bit better.
My mum died when I was 9 years old. It's actually quite difficult looking back making sense of it all even now. My dad was strict, not really knowing what to do with two little boys and made decisions the best he could. One of these decisions that was best for my little brother in his mind was for us not to attend the funeral. In a slight oversight on his part we came home from school one day to my mum's wake. Nothing could take away the pain for what seemed like ages after. My dad took me to one side and we talked for a while. He told me that everything my mum was - I was, and that she would always live on in everything I do.
It's hard to contrast that with what happened a few days later - my dad came into my room one saturday morning with a big parcel, I had no idea what it was. It turned out to be a particularly glorious piece of shiney new Sega hardware - one of the first UK megadrives which my dad had arranged to get especially.
That was the catylist really, suddenly the old games were out the window (at the time!) and I was totally immersed in awesome game experiences which really began to change how I thought of games. Part of me realised I wanted to take things my mum had done and make them mine, the other part of me wanted to make video games!
Within a week or so I was taking piano lessons as it was her favorite passtime. From then till this day I had three goals for life;
write music, make games, be happy.. and if the first and third could be incorporated into the second - all the better! Certainly today the first statement is true, the second is true at times and the third.. well we are all working on that one!
Despite being a lecturer and starting up a games studio for the University I am still eager to contribute to projects other than my own (which you should be hearing of sometime!) wherever possible. Drop us a PM I might be able to help out? Even if it is just writing a couple of tracks...
Suddenly games were a way out, a way to avoid the harsh realities of our home environment - and of course - I totally loved playing them too, most probably for all the same reasons you do, but there was something about them that made everything just a tiny bit better.
My mum died when I was 9 years old. It's actually quite difficult looking back making sense of it all even now. My dad was strict, not really knowing what to do with two little boys and made decisions the best he could. One of these decisions that was best for my little brother in his mind was for us not to attend the funeral. In a slight oversight on his part we came home from school one day to my mum's wake. Nothing could take away the pain for what seemed like ages after. My dad took me to one side and we talked for a while. He told me that everything my mum was - I was, and that she would always live on in everything I do.
It's hard to contrast that with what happened a few days later - my dad came into my room one saturday morning with a big parcel, I had no idea what it was. It turned out to be a particularly glorious piece of shiney new Sega hardware - one of the first UK megadrives which my dad had arranged to get especially.
That was the catylist really, suddenly the old games were out the window (at the time!) and I was totally immersed in awesome game experiences which really began to change how I thought of games. Part of me realised I wanted to take things my mum had done and make them mine, the other part of me wanted to make video games!
Within a week or so I was taking piano lessons as it was her favorite passtime. From then till this day I had three goals for life;
write music, make games, be happy.. and if the first and third could be incorporated into the second - all the better! Certainly today the first statement is true, the second is true at times and the third.. well we are all working on that one!
Despite being a lecturer and starting up a games studio for the University I am still eager to contribute to projects other than my own (which you should be hearing of sometime!) wherever possible. Drop us a PM I might be able to help out? Even if it is just writing a couple of tracks...
Previous composition ideas
Not having a proper studio setup in my new flat I thought it would be fun to upload a bunch of undeveloped, unfinished synth tunes from the past ten years or so..
As these were all thrown down as rough concepts on a synth - they are all mainly limited to the sounds on the keyboard - so they all sound a bit artificial - but for tunes which never actually left the internal sequencer they are ok and just about worthy of inclusion here - but do tell me if you think not!
REMEMBER - these tunes never got endings, there are bum notes and the levels are all wrong (bass heavy etc..) - because most of was put together to get the dam tune out of my head at the time! (& improvised!)
1). Give Up (1:55) (2002) Everything is mine apart from the vocal. Dodgy remix
2). Rukibell (5:32) (2007) 3 motifs - could have potential.
3). Erm 90s? (2:04) (2006) Short title screen type concept
4). Dimensions (4:08) (2004) Synth background piece - slowly evolves.
5). Piano Song (2:25) (2004) Worst temporary track name ever!
6). Extreme (4:41) (2003) First tune I ever wrote on the Triton. But messy but hey.
7). Sad Hill (2:03) (2006) 2D Platformer Sonic style, but less cheery! Check out the organ ha!
If there is something here you like the sound of or perhaps you like something completely different - get in touch I may be able to help.
I will post some finished / full tracks at a later date.
As these were all thrown down as rough concepts on a synth - they are all mainly limited to the sounds on the keyboard - so they all sound a bit artificial - but for tunes which never actually left the internal sequencer they are ok and just about worthy of inclusion here - but do tell me if you think not!
REMEMBER - these tunes never got endings, there are bum notes and the levels are all wrong (bass heavy etc..) - because most of was put together to get the dam tune out of my head at the time! (& improvised!)
Track List (subject to change)
1). Give Up (1:55) (2002) Everything is mine apart from the vocal. Dodgy remix
2). Rukibell (5:32) (2007) 3 motifs - could have potential.
3). Erm 90s? (2:04) (2006) Short title screen type concept
4). Dimensions (4:08) (2004) Synth background piece - slowly evolves.
5). Piano Song (2:25) (2004) Worst temporary track name ever!
6). Extreme (4:41) (2003) First tune I ever wrote on the Triton. But messy but hey.
7). Sad Hill (2:03) (2006) 2D Platformer Sonic style, but less cheery! Check out the organ ha!
If there is something here you like the sound of or perhaps you like something completely different - get in touch I may be able to help.
I will post some finished / full tracks at a later date.
Games that hit me time and time again like an angry ninja..
A stand out title that I still play today. Back when it was released it was summative of the creative tide of inspiration that was the next generation of its day on the Dreamcast.
The sheer scale of what Suzuki wanted to achieve in Shenmue still blows me away. Simply awesome. Stand out music composition and environment design. Yu Suzuki is a true visionary.
It's hard to sum up just how breathtaking this game was in it's day. Long before DVD games this title spanned 4 cds. The first of which notably given away as covermount by the Official Sega Saturn Magazine here in the UK! Everything about this game is epic. I also like the rail shooters like Zwei too - but this deserves mention here.
The BEST 2D multiplayer game ever. Crank this up today up to 10 players will be instantly addicted. It is appreciating with age too - thanks in part to Hudson for thrashing the IP into the ground with terrible "3d" remakes.
So much more than a precursor to metal gear. Despite never being released in the west this title holds it's own as a formiddable attempt at telling an epic story.
Yuzo Koshiro - you took video game audio to the next level, long before the advent of red book audio. The fruit of your labour - even on the Yamaha YM2612 on the megadrive blew me away and made me realised I wanted to write music for games when I grew up. Even if it's not your genre - his work on games such such as ROTS show what could be achieved even when you only had the ram for motifs.
Epic 2D beat-em-up with RPG elements. 6 Player via multitap. The most vibrant 2d side scroller fighter you could ever play. Has a great atmosphere - the kind you only get when you can feel the game has been a labour of love for the developers.
There are many other great RPG's on the Sega hardware - but this is the game that introduced me to them. Before PDS and the rest, this game was the first I wanted to play through again immediately to get one of the alternative endings. A captivating game, often overlooked today.
Just seeing this game running caused me to go out and buy an import unit. Took 2d visuals to the next level. Commands a justifiably high price tag on the electronic bay too.
My favorite DC shooter - great gameplay, with novel mechanics that turn difficulty settings on their head - quite literally! Play this today and people assume it's an xbox game! It looks that good.
I still own the cart for this for my old MVS cabinet. My favorite side scroller arcade title which just oozes simple addictive gameplay with some of the most detailed artwork of any game of the time. Still massive today.
Take any shoot em up, and turn it inside out. Serious? Techno / Metal music? None of the above! Even the PAL release has the highest WTF/per second rating for anyone playing this game for the first time. Great fun.
As embarrasing as it sounds, I love this game. Music, interactivity and gameplay don't get much more integrated than this, in fact I defy someone to play this game and not at least appreciate it on some level. Regardless of its presentation - it's a gem. And has been making cheerleader superheroes trendy for a lot longer than "Heroes" has!
It changed online war FPS forever, establishing a mould that many set out to break but never succeed. Yes there were earlier iterations, but none created such a wind of change.
Masato Nakamura - You defined a generation with your audio in these first two games. I doubt anyone on here cant recal some part of the Sonic audio design / music. There really was no game like this in 1991 - competitors looked bland and fell to the wayside.
The original port of the 1995 arcade title to SATURN was flawless. (Not PS2 or DC versions as stated) Everything was perfect - gameplay, audio - and even splitscreen with cinematic replays (one of the first titles to do this well) a great conversion which for 2 years was the best racer on any platform. Game Over Yeaaah!!
