Maurice Kroes

Some of you may know, while others may not, that last year I started writing articles on the topic of game testing. It turns out that writing articles is quite challenging. 1. You need an idea for the article. 2. You need time to write it. 3. You need to write it clearly and interestingly. So, while I have plenty of ideas, I seem to lack the time to write them in an engaging way. Therefore, here is a list of popular texts that I have already written: - Aspects of Testing Mobile Realtime Multiplayer Games - Challenges Encountered in Game Testing - From PC to Mobile: Developer Mistakes and Their Lessons Enjoy! Perhaps you have topics from the world of game testing that interest you? Feel free to ask, and I'll try to write an article about it or provide a brief answer. Links in the comments! #qa #testing #blog #games #gaming

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Game Industry Ecosystem ♻️ Yesterday, during dinner with three remarkable individuals from the Swedish game industry in Stockholm, we sparked a discussion about the current challenges in game industry education. We talked about how there are currently too many educational programs, and that many game industry teachers end up getting jobs themselves instead of helping students secure employment, leaving their teaching roles. Additionally, we highlighted the significant gap in the ecosystem—soon, we'll have an influx of newly graduated students who lack the necessary experience to be fully prepared and responsible candidates for companies. This is where organizations like Spelkollektivet and initiatives similar to game jams, summer game camps play a crucial role. They function like boot camps, where students can acquire practical skills necessary to become game developers, regardless of the category. I believe we will soon need more places like Spelkollektivet, where students can learn teamwork, hone their skills, and work on several actual projects. These experiences will help them build real portfolios and sharpen their raw talents. Moreover, such environments enable students to form valuable relationships, potentially leading to the creation of their own companies/startups/consult and freelance. Here are some suggested solutions to help solve this issue: 1. Enhanced internships and apprenticeships 2. Project-based learning 3. Industry-driven curriculum 4. Boot camps and workshops 5. Portfolio development 6. Networking opportunities 7. Career services 8. Soft skills training 9. Continuous learning 10. Entrepreneurial support #gameindustrysweden #gameindustry #gamedev #gameindustryeducation #gameindustrycommunity #futuregames

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🚨 Arctic Game Workshop in Umeå: How the Games Industry Really Works, by Henrik Jonsson Join us for a day of game dev insights, exciting updates, and networking with the local dev community. 🎮 How does the Games Industry really work - products, money, platforms, publishers - and investors? 🎮 How do you position yourself and pitch to fit into that world? 🎮 How do you work as a professional game studio + how does a board/owner/investor influence the company?

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AI in Game Development today In recent years, we’ve heard bold claims about a future where AI creates entire games from start to finish. Will that become a reality? And more importantly - do we even want it to? Regardless of where we’re heading, one thing is certain: AI is already reshaping how games are made. Today’s AI tools are more accessible and affordable than ever, meaning even small teams can leverage their power without needing a dedicated R&D department. Here are three practical ways how AI can enhance your game development today: 1. Text Creation for NPCs Immersion is everything, especially in dialog-heavy games like RPGs and open-world games. NPCs often deliver small, atmospheric lines - what game designers call "barks". Think of a market vendor casually saying, “Lovely weather today!” These snippets aren’t critical to the main story, but they bring your game world to life. With the right AI text generator, you can create thousands of these lines, saving time while maintaining variety. 2. Text-to-Speech for Audio Once you’ve got the dialogue, why not turn it into audio? AI-powered text-to-speech tools are affordable and practical for non-essential voice work - like NPC chatter, tutorial instructions, tooltips, or accessibility features. While they’re not yet on par with professional voice actors, they’re a practical solution for functional or background audio needs. 3.Concept Art for Iteration Early in development, experimenting with art styles is key to finding the visual identity of your game. AI art generators allow you to explore numerous artistic directions quickly, helping you identify a style that resonates with your vision and your audience. Will this replace concept artists? I don't think so - I believe in the human ability to create unique, inspiring art. But AI can be a complementary tool, accelerating the ideation process and giving artists a head-start toward creating the unique, polished visuals that will define your final game. In summary, I believe AI isn’t here to replace creativity but it can be used to support it. From saving time on tedious tasks to opening new creative possibilities, AI tools will become common companions for modern game developers.

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"I will block you if you an outsourcer company" I came across a pretty striking message in the "About" section of one of the founders of a mid-sized game development company on LinkedIn. On one hand, I totally get that the flood of messages can be overwhelming. But on the other hand, this kind of thinking seems a bit narrow-minded. If you've been in the game development industry long enough, you realize that outsourcing isn't there to annoy you; they're actually here to help you meet your deadlines. Often, they bring a wealth of expertise and can do so at a lower cost. So, don’t hesitate to delegate some tasks! Embracing outsourcing for sure can lead to better efficiency and allow you to focus on what you do best.

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💡 ERROR LOG #6: Constraints are your enem… FRIEND! "Constraints are evil! If creativity loves freedom, why is everyone around me trying to limit me?" I've had this thought many times. At the beginning of my creative path, I simply always thought like that, and after some time, when I was unable to fit into the framework created by the limitations. Later, I realized that my frustrations were either due to lack of skill or lack of patience. There really haven't been many times when I found myself unable to do my job due to the limitations imposed on me. I have many stories on this topic, but the first one that comes to mind is a guideline we established in Cyberpunk 2077 that said "no matter what you do, remember everything is technology and should be able to explain itself logically." Of course, we sometimes took some creative shortcuts here and there, but overall this rule stuck with us very strongly. I remember when I got the creative brief for some of enemy archetypes: "he should be as strong as the Hulk, but of medium size" and the other one "can be as big as the Hulk, but fast as he is slim and athletic" I had the feeling that it was taking the tools out of my hands, seriously. The fact that the Hulk is big and muscular is not a coincidence, his size, weight and strength come exactly from the way he looks. Generally, when you look at him, you immediately know what to expect. In Cyberpunk 2077 we had to reconcile contradictions, and it was both beautiful and difficult at the same time. You may have encountered a huge member of the Animals gang who has a sandevistan implanted in him, which makes him move much faster than you might think at first glance. Additionally, how it works is explained in the lore and is logical from a technological point of view. Ultimately, these limitations led the entire team to look for solutions that are not at our fingertips, which is why we managed to find fresh and creative ideas, which gave a very innovative effect. After a few years of creative work, I began to approach limitations with absolute openness and I realized that, paradoxically, they had a very positive impact on my creative freedom. Limitations force the creator to look at the challenge from a different perspective, which is crucial in the creative process. 📘 I really recommend this book: “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman as it opened my eyes for how much constraints are blessing very often in all design. They are actually crucial and part of it which is amazing especially comparing to what I was thinking about them many years ago. Don't hesitate to comment and share your thoughts please. Stay tuned for more ⚔ 🐻

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Hello there! Here are some useful tips for networking events. This article summarizes key points from a conversation I had with Ljubica Garic ➡️ Digital Dragons from 8Bit - Games Industry Recruitment some time ago. Hope it helps you out! (So don't forget to go to parties)

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When it comes to #videogame testing, Functional Quality Assurance (FQA) and Localization Quality Assurance (LQA) are often treated as separate entities. But is that the best approach? Our experts say, "Not quite!" Our new blog post can help level up your game testing.

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"I can do it, and I will do it," and "Right here, right now," are two personal mantras that I often repeat to myself. ✍ 🏃‍♀️ And I not only find these simple phrases motivating in life, but also in my quest to increasingly become a better game writer and narrative designer. "I can do it, and I will do it." I've said this phrase to myself far more times than I can even count. I say it to myself on difficult runs. I say it to myself when I'm under a tight deadline and have to get a project finished. I say it to myself when I start to doubt my skills or abilities. 🏋‍♀️ Life is hard. Game development is hard. But if you know what you want, if you want it bad enough and you keep showing up everyday, then you can do it, and you will do it! Sometimes, though, this is a lot easier said than done. This is when, "Right here, right now," comes in. 👩‍💻 In this digital age in which we all reside, it's so easy to let moments bleed together, which means that it's so so important that we remind ourselves to take a step back and stay present in the current moment. 🏃‍♀️ 🌆 When I'm on a run, and I feel my thoughts seemingly getting away from me or feel as though the scenery around me is becoming something akin to a smeared painting, I'll tell myself to appreciate the the right here, and the right now. In game development, it's really easy to get caught up in where you want to be, or get hung up on the skills that you do not yet have. In these instances, I find it so important to remind myself to love the journey and all the moments--good, bad, tough, and otherwise--that comprise it. 🎊 Celebrate where you are, right here and right now because all of the moments that comprise the right here, and the right now will eventually culminate in you being where you want to be. #gamewriter #gamedeveloment #healthymantras #narrativedesign

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TODAY'S GAME DEV DISCUSSION - I want to hear your opinion: "Do Single Player Games Need a Backend?" As a developer and advisor, I have seen so many benefits from solid backend services for games - even Single Player games. And I am now finding myself hearing, from a few Game Publishers, that "We don't need a Backend for our games" This baffles me - There are so many benefits - Is this just a problem with jargon? A Backend system seems like a bare minimum to me for many reasons, including making the experience better for players Game Play Updates: Tweaking your game after release without having to ship (and certify) a new binary build Analytics: Understand how your players are really playing the game. Telemetry: Understand where players are really struggling and where they quite your game Cloud & Cross Platform Saves, Inventory systems (or even a store?), Social media shares, platform integrations, achievements, etc, etc, etc. I'm tagging some good people who have helped build backends to hear their take and some experts in release management - apologies if this comes out of the blue Sean Durkan, Jamie O'Flanagan, Paul Winterhalder, Johan Toresson, Marie Daniel🔜Gamescom Denis Ferrier #GameDevelopment #Publisher #Backend #Servers

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96 days ago I started taking LinkedIn seriously, did my first post and I just hit 8000 followers! I did not have any specific goal in regards of followers but wanted to share this success and also reintroduce myself! I am Kristian and I am working as a bizdev person in Games Industry. I am from Eastern Slovakia but live in Prague and work full remote. My career so far looks like this: manual labor → streamer (failed) → recruitment → bizdev (outside of gaming) → partnership/bizdev in games (now) Since the beginning, I posted 57 times and: ➣ I gained 3702 followers ➣ 339k impressions ➣ 3200 reactions ➣ 658 comments ➣ 404 shares I never actively used any other social network like facebook, twitter, instagram, tiktok or others. Which is weird as I really enjoy being on LinkedIn. I made tons of friends, helped few ppl, engaged with other cool creators and loved every second. If you continue to follow me, you'll see more of: ⇢ bizdev/networking tips and jobs in our industry ⇢ bizdev resources (helpful from juniors to CEO's) ⇢ sharing must-follow ppl who add value ⇢ my journey, challenges, wins and fails ⇢ other helpful or entertainment content I would love you to introduce yourself and connect with similar minded people here.

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What I mean when I say I love prototyping. https://lnkd.in/dEk99k3b It is not about perfection. Its not about ingenuity. Its about trying, testing and having fun. Concepting and Prototyping is one place where silliness can e maxed out sometimes. Now that might not apply to every prototype but over the mental load is less. So have fun. You can also get this prototype to play: https://lnkd.in/d_shEmGM

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What a year it's been for Gaimin Gladiators! We've made a gladiatorial return to the competitive Counter-Strike scene! With the addition of a Danish squad formerly known as ECSTATIC, our ranks are now bolstered with considerable firepower. After all, who doesn't appreciate Danish CS, right?!?! Having secured multiple titles across various platforms, we are solidifying our presence in the industry and setting a precedent for the Esports World Cup. After extensive negotiations involving lawyers and agencies, I'm delighted to announce that we've successfully acquired the top 17 world ranking team according to HLTV. The recent signings, who previously competed under the ECSTATIC banner, made their mark at the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, securing positions between 12th and 14th. Despite their youth, they've demonstrated their capability to contend at the highest level of CS play. With the likes and experience of coach Peter "casle" Toftbo Ardenskjold" guiding these young talents, their journey promises exciting development. Counter-Strike is a pivotal title in the esports landscape. Yes, it's fiercely competitive, and yes, there are inherent risks. However, as an organization, we believe the timing is opportune. Investing in CS allows us to maximize our resources in one of the premier titles in esports. AND We are ecstatic to be here :) I'd also like to extend my appreciation to our partners who have been with us since day one, supporting us throughout this journey as Gladiators! Gaimin Winline BNB Chain Innovation CoinMarketCap 开云体育Kaiyun Sports

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There have been various watershed - I won't say "moments", but let's call them experiences - in my journey as a game developer. The first time I shipped a game, it radically changed my understanding of game development. There were all kinds of things that I thought were important, worth spending real time and effort on, that after the game shipped clearly were not worth it. I've seen this pattern over and over. There is no substitute for shipping and seeing the outcomes. The first year I spent in publishing opened my eyes to all kinds of realities that inform the game industry that I simply wasn't aware of as a developer. Not only did I have access to all kinds of financials that had been hidden before, but I got to go across the industry and see all kinds of developers doing the work, and that radically changed my understanding again. The first year I spent working for Tencent was an education not just in free to play but in what "rest of world" really means. While I had an incredibly deep understanding of what game development in the US looked like (and a relatively shallow understanding of Europe), I had no idea what China really was or what was happening there. Each of these thresholds opened up an understanding that simply wasn't available before. That's my experience, and it seems crystal clear to me why my understanding of games was incomplete as a player, then as a developer, then as a publisher, then as a Western-focused developer. But, I see no value in gatekeeping that experience. It's not like I wasn't a real developer before I shipped a game - I was just more nuanced after. Just because you've never run an 8-figure P&L doesn't mean you don't have meaningful insights on how the business works. I get the value of experience, really I do, but can we please drop the rhetoric around "real" game developers? I've seen enough to know that there is more in this world than is dreamt of in that philosophy.

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After countless hours of work, late nights, and endless cups of coffee, I’m so proud to share the Estonian Game Development Industry Overview with you all. This wasn’t just a project—it was a labor of love for our amazing game dev community. Unlike traditional PDF documents, this report is designed as a webpage, making it much easier to improve, expand, and keep up to date. I’m not a fan of static PDFs where every small update requires a whole new announcement—this format allows us to make continuous updates without losing momentum. It’s built to grow alongside our vibrant industry, reflecting the latest trends and achievements. This report took months of collecting data, connecting with studios. It’s not just about numbers—it’s about telling the story of our community, our resilience, and our dreams for the future. 🔗 Check out the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eeDKNxii Thank you to everyone who supports GameDev Estonia activities—it wouldn’t have been possible without your encouragement and contributions. Let’s keep building and evolving the Estonian game dev scene together! 💡 #gamedevestonia #estonia #gamedevelopment #communitydriven #industryoverview

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🌟Slush 🌟 An inspiring week has passed in Helsinki, filled with incredible experiences. Slush is a great event for sure, congratulations to the organizers. What stood out most for me was how the event extended beyond the walls of the convention center, spreading all over the city with lots of side events. ✍️My Highlights are: - While the investment landscape remains challenging for gaming studios, there is a growing sense of optimism for the upcoming year. - UGC emerged as a key topic, with future-focused, data-driven projections sparking exciting ideas to navigate what lies ahead. - Generative AI for sure another hot topic. I was particularly impressed by BitMagic’s innovative prompt-to-game engine, which promises a new frontier in game development. - As we prepare to launch our Merge-2 game in 2025, learning about scaling strategies from Metacore and discussing the topic with attendees is highly valuable. Overall, it is a compact week full of inspiration and learning. Now it’s time to process and act on these insights!

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Hi to all. I want to share what I promised. Implementation of management on a mobile device. Made the controls in my mobile game. But I got what I wanted, which was to control turning and firing with the right stick. That is, the left control is only for movement - as you need to run away from enemies. And the correct control, if we control within the outer ring, turns the character, and if we run the drain behind the ring, there is a twist and turn. I love character management, what do you think I'd be interested to hear? Who wants to try, write to me, I can send the apc of my game. #Unity #GameDev #Android

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Building for live service is very tough, both in initial design and long term. Even very good games struggle. Why? Elder game. Often it’s because the elder game isn’t sufficiently interesting, challenging, social or strategically different from the novice or mid-game. Whether through content, systems, or modes, a struggling live service often misses this important dimension and tries to plug it with DLC, which can be a mixed bag. The secret is to think of your game design as two game designs, where you will graduate players from one to the other. Like the difference between a game of football versus the leagues and tournaments of football, melding very fun with very absorbing usually incorporates some level of management, economy and forethought. Get it right and you’ve solved liveops. Your elder game may naturally arise from the inherent systems, but more typically you have to be intentional about it. Incorporating elder features such as real clans, competitive modes, massive trading economies and so on also has impacts on how your novice game plays, and reconciling the two can be maddening. It also sometimes just doesn’t fit. Not all games are made equal, and sometimes trying to bring liveops into a game can be a bit like trying to “make Fetch happen”. You’ve got to be clear-eyed about whether a game really has potential, far beyond the typical analysis of business case, product features and so on. Hopefully the Helldivers 2 team can figure it out. It’s a hell of a game, but it’s had some dings in recent times (such as the PlayStation account debacle) and appears to be on the slide. All is absolutely not lost, however.

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⁉ What Should You Do If The Job Interview Turns Out To Be A Stress Interview? At VALUES VALUE: Recruitment for Game Development Industry, we strongly oppose stress interviews in any form. We believe that the level of stress resilience can be assessed through more ethical methods. If you find yourself in a stress interview without prior warning, it's advisable to ask about the purpose of such an interview. Is working in a stressful environment a common aspect of this company? Evaluate whether you genuinely want this job. If your answer is yes, gather your composure and navigate through the stress interview with poise. However, if you feel extremely uncomfortable during the stress interview, you have the right to request an early conclusion to the interview and withdraw from the application process for the vacancy.

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