New Website

I got this new website up:

http://www.sayantanbiswas.com

Thanks to Avishek for the help. :)

The Road - Here I come

Been a long time I've stepped on my blog to make a mark or two. Didn't get a reason to. When the priority of life takes too many U-turns, it's difficult to follow your compass, and realize which way you're heading. Understanding how real or fake your friends are aren't sometimes the easiest job. I decided it's high time I have to stop taking chances; that also in a land where you don't know whom you think you know. I recently learnt that it doesn't matter who's the hero or who's the villain. It just depends on which side of the chess-table you are. But. You have to be one of them. So that it makes a difference. So our blood isn't a waste. I also learnt that I need 1 more person in my team, just 1. Whom I can relentlessly trust through up's and down's and thick and thin. Regardless of place. Regardless of time. Regardless of my presence, or her. It'd be a bond. A bond of life, towards a goal, towards a future. We'll both help each other to take the next best leap of faith. Unconditional. Uninterrupted. UNSTOPPABLE!! :)

How to irritate some-one!

New Job Ahoy!

After a long break of random learning curves and a few small contract jobs, I'm finally appointed to "Knowledge Adventure India Pvt. Ltd." as a "Game Artist". Full-time. :)

Hope my stay here is comfortable for my colleagues as well as me. There were a few particular reasons I joined this company. The most important being, the company deals with Children Games. Yes, you heard me right: "Children Games". You must be wondering what made a Game Artist, who's a hardcore Shooter-head get into development of Children Games. Well here it is:

For ages developers have deviated from the root cause of a video game. It was to make children happy. These days it's just turning into a gore-fest. If everybody is making games for teenagers and mature people, who'll be the ones to carry the tradition. Well I'm proud to say I'll try to be one. :)

Moreover KA doesn't only make children games, it tries to educate and train children up through these so-called edutainment-type video games. It might not have the most complicatedly realistic AI activities, but it ACTUALLY has something which will pave the path of a REAL future for a child ahead.

And yeah, I've somewhat relocated to Bengaluru (Bangalore) for a couple of years. ;)

Links to visit:
JumpStart
Knowledge Adventure.com

Monsta Choppa!

"Phantasm Games developing ‘Monsta Choppa‘ for Xbox
09 July 2009 10:55 AM

BY SHIVA PRASAD

Bangalore based game development studio Phantasm Games Studio is working on its console game titled ‘Monsta Choppa‘ for XBOX 360 console targeting XBLA (Xbox Live Arcade) and Xbox Live Indie Games. The game development is scheduled to be completed by February 2010.

Monsta Choppa is a 3rd person action game which will feature hack and slash combat, giant monster battles, strategies trap placement and many more key exciting features. The game would be available at a cost of 800 Microsoft Points and is been targeted towards casual gamers.

Microsoft Points are the currency of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows - Live Marketplace, Windows Live Gallery and Zune online stores. The points allow users to purchase content without a credit card and in the United States; 80 points are equal to US$1.

Speaking to Animationxpress.com Phantasm Games Studio CEO/Lead Programmer Manjith Krishnappa said, "Our aim is to release a fun to play game, which will satisfy the gamers. The game‘s success will also be gauged from the response of the gaming community. Monsta Choppa‘s many features, challenges and achievements will also attract hardcore gamers who want ultimate thrills. The development team is confident to achieve this target."

The development team size is 7 and the project was started on April 2009. Two game designers were involved for the game design from whom it has been purchased. The team also has a technical consultant who gives regular feedback about all aspects of the game such as game art, programming and implementation.

The game consists of total 9 levels with 3 themes namely robot theme, alien theme and horror theme. Each of these contain theme based monsters and environments. The games pick up and play mini game style approach allows a vast range of players to enter the game. The challenges and stages will be customizable allowing for all sorts of combinations creating an experience to excite any audience.

The Core Concept of the game is to battle with endless hordes of monsters, tackle great challenges and meet the greatest heroes around. Players will create their own legend as they battle, maximizing their style to become the champion of Monsta Choppa and the hottest celebrity in the universe.

In Monsta Choppa the player will and do battle with endless hordes of monsters, tackle great challenges and meet the greatest heroes around. Players will create their own legend as they battle, maximizing their style to become the champion of Monsta Choppa and the hottest celebrity in the universe.

Phantasm Games Studio is an Independent game development studio based in Bangalore and is operational since June 2008. They develop games for various platforms and related technologies such as real time and non real time 3D Applications, using an engine that is currently being developed in-house. Apart from ‘Monsta Choppa‘ they are also currently working on various Online Flash Game projects.

connect@animationxpress.com"

Source: AnimationExpress.com

I'm truly Disappointed ......

The self-titled debut album of my EX-BAND named 'Prachir' which was originally called 'Arko(TM)' got released a few days back in Kolkata. But to my surprise, they didn't even mention the name of any of the old members' name at even a single corner of the packaging. It's my opinion on ethical grounds that they should have at least put something along the lines of "Thanks to all the old members of the band" or something that sort.

The 'Bengali Band Scenario' started with a true sense of community once upon a time. But this event really shows how suffocated the scenario really is right at this moment of time. All the people who were involved in the band in the past are:-

- Nilanjan Sen.
- Sayantan Biswas (me that is).
- Sourayan Biswas.
- Shankhayan AKA 'Babumoshai'.
- Anwesha Gupta.
- Swagato Kar AKA Bappan.
- Uma Kanto AKA Umz.
- Vikram.
- Somedeb AKA Tutul.
- Aninda AKA Laltu.
- Nilanjan Paul AKA Pappu.
- Palash Da.
- Debdulal Das AKA 'DD'.
- Debashish AKA Potla.
- Tirthankar (though for a very few days).
- Debankan (I was noted quite late that he'd been in the band for almost 10 months).
- Sayan (not sure about him though).
- Prodosh Da (almost forgot about him).

Now if they claim 'Prachir' is a fresh setup, they might as well have got rid of the numbers 'Porichoy' and 'Hotash Prithibi'. Anyways, what is done is done. I don't want to crib so much about it. This marks a sad day for Bangla Rock and Bengali Rockers.

Edit:- This whole issue just flashed so many old memories in my mind. I just thought of sharing 2 very old pictures with all of you.

This is a photo of one of the Arko line-ups(really really old):

This is a photo of the 'first' Prachir line-up:
An old Amadergaan Forum Thread about Arko and Prachir respectively

Apparently Mister Indro (the present keyboardist) claims me and Sourayan haven't played a single show with the name of 'Prachir'. Comedy time? Yes it is. BWAHAHAHAHA. :D

Indro you seriously didn't see this coming. Right? :P

----- Sayantan.

Trying to settle down

Well if you know me, you must be wondering what's taking me so long to still settle down. Thing is I'm not one of those 'happy-go-lucky' person. So just as I expected, things didn't really go quite like how I planned after I moved back from Mumbai to Kolkata.

Things that went according to plan:-

- Met all my relatives
- Bought a Vacuum Cleaner
- Went to see 'Aamir' with my mom and dad
- Had been able to fix my brother's PC completely(virus-free as well as system config issues)

Things that DIDN'T go according to plan:-

- Above all other issues, my PC got broken, while I had couriered it from Mumbai(curse those DTDC people). I'm happy my 8600 card as well as my Hard Disk is at at least alive.
- I haven't got a Kolkata-based SIM card yet because of time constrains. Yep, I'm still on 'roaming'. So don't try calling me now. I'll not be picking it up. :(
- I'm still not done with the 'revamped' electric wiring in my room. Hopefully the electrician is going to come today
- Still haven't joined the 'Clay Modeling Class'
- Still haven't joined the Driving School
- Still haven't gone to 'British Council' for that English course

Anyways, wish me luck so all these bugs get debugged very soon. :)