Games Toaster

Derry computer games studio launches

Dark Water Studios, a start-up independent games developer, launched this week in Derry.

Dark Water are already working on an unnamed PC multi-player game which is partly funded by Northern Ireland’s Department of Enterprise. The company also says it is in the early stages of prototyping a next generation console and PC title.

The venture is headed by Mike Brown, with technology manager Paul Houbart and lead animator Rory Fellowes – together they bring over 50 years of experience to Dark Water. Currently employing ten people their aim is to expand to 25 by the end of the year.

The company is understood to be an unofficial spin-off from Instinct Technology, a Derry-based games middleware firm previously called Torc Interactive. 

"Our aim is to bring together the cream of available game-creation talent; by drawing from Northern Ireland's existing talent pool by using the quality of life offered by this unique location to attract the cream of overseas talent and by making good use of the opportunities for outsourcing and remote working which modern technology allows" commented Brown.

Directory: Producers

Games Toaster’s Irish Computer Games Directory 

PHASE ONE: Developers, Publishers, and Middleware Providers
After vastly expanding our news archive’s category tags, the following is the first phase of Games Toaster’s Irish Computer Games Directory.

Part one coverers producers (developers, publishers, and middleware providers etc). This first phase, like what is to come, will be dynamic; but also contains historic entrees.

The directory comes after many years of looking at the idea of a database or similar. It is planned to expand from producers to every area of computer games in Ireland.

NOTE: While every reasonable effort has been made to make sure all information is accuracy, we can not guarantee such. Please send error reports to [email protected]. Other information is welcome at [email protected]. As always, we can not take responsible for other websites. Research sources: Company Registration Office, Dublin; Google;  companies’ websites; GameDevelopers.ie.

Torc’s Dreadnought demo released

Torc Interactive, the North West of Ireland games developer and middleware company, recently released a demo of their first person shooter game, ‘Dreadnought’ . It was made for AMD to highlight their latest processors, the AMD64 line. 

The game is based on Torc’s ‘Instinct Engine’. According to AMD, when in ‘64-bit enhanced mode’ Dreadnought will highlight improvements with games running on 64-bit processors - such as, improved graphics detail and quality, bullet holes staying on walls and not fading over time, and other effects.

As previously revealed by Games Toaster, the game is set on a nuclear warship in stormy waters. The demo starts as you enter the ship. The ship, a nuclear missile cruiser named the Admiral Ushakov, was last seen in the Barents Sea four years ago, and was apparently believed lost at sea. When it reappeared near Iceland, it is then thought to be in terrorist hands. The terrorist are using the ship for some kind of ‘research’, and the player-character is (you guessed it) a ‘US Special Forces operative’, sent in to “steal or destroy”.

The demo and screen shots can be downloaded here.

[The demo was actually released in August - excuse us; we try to keep on top of all Ireland’s games-related news, but sometimes things slip by. You can help - we’re interested in any little or great detail of Irish-related happenings, email us at [email protected] or see our ‘contact’ page]

North West developer - mini-game, due to start on full game

Torc Interactive, the Donegal/Derry based games developer and middleware company, is set for a busy year. Expecting to release a mini-game with the computer processor manufacture AMD early this year, starting work on a full game of their own later in the year, and on the middleware side of things, fully reveal their ‘Instinct’ game engine at the Game Developer Conference (GDC).

The showing of their tech demo at last year’s GDC lead to the developer being noticed, and then to the making of the first person mini-game with AMD, named ‘Dreadnought’. It is set on nuclear warship out at on a stormy sea; Torc proposes to include “a unique sense of realism and depth”.

Torcing it up a bit

Torc Interactive, the Co Donegal based games developer, are currently working on a PC and Xbox game engine, and a number of game ideas.

Torc begin work on the engine September last year with the hope to have it completed for GDC 2004 in March. They also plan to have a playable technical demo nearing the end of November.

“As you can see the fully unified, per pixel lighting is looking a treat, and take our word for it, running in-game like a dream. We are currently having fun throwing objects off walls and dead bodies around the levels!” states their website.

“Our main focus right now is in finding a publisher. We've a few game concepts at various stages of development that we're looking to pitch around November. Early responses have been very encouraging, and we're in the process of forming our strategy to leverage the best deal for us”, Dermot Gallagher of Torc said to GameDevelopers.ie.

[Screen shots 1-3, Torc Wallpaper 4-6]

Cian Ginty