Mike Finnigan

At Uncapped Games I'm helping to develop my favorite game I've ever worked on professionally by far... and surprisingly it's an RTS. This is surprising because I (unlike nearly the whole team who are RTS powerhouses), have basically no RTS experience at all. Fire up Super Smash Bros and I may have a shot to impress, but RTS has been a huge - and fun - mental shift for me! ...and somehow, I've gotten pretty good! (At our game at least 😅). Very excitingly, we're on the schedule to say more about our game at SGF ( https://lnkd.in/e5uDTwZp ) in June, but now, kicking things off so to speak, we've put out a really cool documentary that explains some of our philosophies, hopes, and goals. If you're an RTS nerd - or just curious to learn more, check it out: https://lnkd.in/eQpxP3WZ

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Field Day Lab is compiling an exhaustive list of classroom-ready learning games and could use your help in finding them. Specifically we need to find every game that meets the following requirements: - Grade 3 through 20 - Free or at least a demo - Playable on a chromebook - Designed to teach a specific subject, or has materials that translate the game into classroom subjects We’ve found all the games that used to be on gameUP, and some of the bigger collections like icivics. Do you have any other lists or game titles we should include?

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Hello friends. Last month, I was looking for more work and finally secured some on Reddit from a guy who needed help with preproduction on his Tabletop RPG / Card Battler. After a meeting with him, he showed me what he had and it was quite impressive. He had a prototype of a card-battler using a tabletop RPG battle system, but he had little to no documentation or planning—he's been chiseling away at his game for a few months in his spare time after work. I suggested that before I dive into art, we flesh out the game design and the rest of the game up to around an 80% mark and let the last 20% be changes, additions, and that sort. As your game evolves, it'll come into it's own and you'll find things that need changed or added, this accounts for that. He agreed and I asked if I could work on all this since I did that with my game Alligori and lead the team from start to finish with our vertical slice, and I know tabletop RPGs very well. He agreed and we did the whole song and dance with paperwork, and he sent over a retainer and I began work the following Monday. Three weeks go by and we're working great together. I'm fleshing out his game, adding some meat to the backbone of his prototype with classes, abilities, etc. My goal was to write out as much as possible and then trim content to fit it into a 1-year development cycle. So I flesh a bulk of his game out, and then categorize it more into a game design document that clearly conveys concepts, ideas, and mechanics. Catching up, last week was the final week of my first month and payment was due. He just up and disappears like a fart in the wind, I have no idea if he's alive, incarcerated, on vacation, or what. He didn't remove me on Discord, so I don't entirely suspect malicious intent, but he gave no notice. That's the risk you run with working 1-on-1 with a client remotely, one day they can just up and disappear. I do have paperwork, so I may pursue legal action. If he doesn't log on by Friday, I'm going to publicly release all my documentation and the GDD I wrote on here.

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New video up on @EstebenXR! My first tutorial on my personal experience modding the Witcher 3 utilizing the RedKit/RedEngine! #thewitcher3 #leveldesign #worldbuilding #RedKit

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[10/09 - edited for flow] Very few things have annoyed me as much as "bad data comparisons". Just the other day, I saw an image where someone broke down [the most used retention mechanics]*, and in it, they had grouped "limited time rewards" alongside things like "treasure hunt" and "puzzles" (and others) in separate categories.** Now, I don't know if this was some attempt to rile up people like me so that they'd end up buying the report or sharing the post, but I certainly had questions - Were there no puzzle-based time-limited events found in their research/survey? Alternatively, if a game mechanic featured both, did they count them twice or err to the side that had lower representation? This may seem like an argument in semantics, but when looking at data, being unable to tell when you're comparing apples to oranges is the gateway to bad conclusions. The report neglects to differentiate between a "content distribution system" and an actual "mechanics"; while the differences may seem small, the conclusions you can derive from them are very different. Worth mentioning as well, the post neglects to acknowledge the effort needed to develop/produce each of those mechanics, or the suitability of those mechanics as tools for engagement for the games' target markets; as an example, would a daily login system that provided tickets to access a time-limited puzzle game work to help engagement/retention for an FPS like CounterStrike? Without being able to identify the contributors to the data, it makes the posts' conclusions little more than a nifty bit of industry trivia at best, and discussing it as anything but is painfully counter-educational. Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! *The data was sourced from a paid report, so I don't have access to it. Can't seem to retrace my steps to find it again either. :( **Paraphrased.

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Come learn about Xsolla's strategies to improve your mobile games revenue.

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Bit late talking about this one but huge news coming from 343 Industries, both a re-brand to Halo Studios and confirmation that they are switching development to Unreal. 🗞️ This comes off the back of 343's struggles with development of Halo: Infinite. We've seen many other studios move away from their own engines to Unreal, notably CD Projekt Red! Are proprietary engines going out fashion? 🤔 For those who have worked on both proprietary engines and Unreal, what have you found to be the key advantages of working with Unreal? #gamedev #unreal #halo

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How to accelerate your career in game development? Think "one level higher." 🔹 If you're a junior or mid-level:  -- Consider how your task affects the team's work. 🔹 If you're a lead or senior:  -- Focus on how your team's work impacts the entire project. 🔹 If you're a producer, director, or PM:  -- Think about how your project fits into the company's strategy. 🔹 If you're a CEO or executive:  -- Ensure the company's results align with stakeholder interests. 🔹 If you're a stakeholder:  -- Align your assets with market interests. Always try to understand the bigger picture.

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Today I have some cool updates about "Museum Keeper," our up-and-coming museum-tycoon game! In "Museum Keeper," you get to decorate and manage the isometric, pixel-art museum of your dreams and go digging around the world to find ancient artifacts in procedural-generated mines. We’ve just got the Hunger and Thirst systems up and running for our museum guests. Now, when they need a bite to eat, they head straight for the vending machines. It’s been fun watching them interact with this new feature. Implementing these systems in Godot has been a rewarding experience. Godot’s node-based architecture and intuitive scripting with GDScript made it straightforward to create and manage the guest behaviors and vending machine interactions. The engine's built-in debugging tools have also been a huge help in fine-tuning these features. Stay tuned for more updates as we keep building this game. Check out the video below to see the vending machines in action! #MuseumKeeper #GameDevelopment #GodotEngine #IndieGame #GameDevJourney #PixelArt

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Laws of game Dev (Proposed) #3: Making More != Greater Fun Far too many gate reviews I have been involved in end with someone saying "the experience is not there yet, but will be once we get more of X created,..." In my entire career that statement has never ended up being true. No shooter has ever finally got engaging once it had 16 weapons to fire. No racing game has suddenly become nail biting exciting only after there was 100's of cars to pick from and dozens of tracks. Patterns of fail: - Games not fun but the team believes that more choices / complexity will somehow create emergent fun. In reality it often just makes game harder to learn and more confusing to play. Sometimes having a mired of choices just leads to decision regret or just straight up annoys people on the conscientious side of the personality traits. - Games not fun but the team believes its because a core system must depend on something else. The designers will point at other games, pick out some other system and say they must go together like "Chocolate and Peanut butter". The other system is created, game is still not fun, team declares something else must still be missing. In reality each core pillar of the game must be engaging on its own. - Games not fun but the teams does not drop everything and fix it right away. Eventually they get so use to it that one day start believing the problem magically went away. Thus an entire game gets built on top of a broken system and by the time conflicting data is surfaced the team is to invested, they blindly ignore it. - "More" in the end solves nothing except the average time to complete game. Don't let teams create excuses, if a little bit of something is not a little bit fun. There is no way 40 hours of it is going to get any better... -Welcome any thoughts before this goes into the books.

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Some great tips from Alex Gombos on how to write a resume that helps you get past the filters of an ATS!

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Today I want to tell a story. I've been holding onto it for a specific circumstance, but in case that doesn't happen, forgive the rough edges. For the longest time, I wanted to be a games journalist. I've known how to play games and deconstruct their mechanics ever since I spent many school summer holidays playing the same Playstation games over and over. I would be the kid that would read games magazines, mostly for the cheat codes, on occasion spotting an article about the next Pokemon game that I just had to tell my friends about. I was never taught or told that being a "critic" or "journalist" was a career, let alone in games. Media Studies wasn't even a subject my high school taught until sixth form options, so I'd have to get by with learning how to deconstruct the written word - often Shakespeare or "Of Mice and Men" - in English Literature class. Jump forward to 2014/5. I was in University, with the freedom to learn about "the media" and online video (YouTube) as I had experienced through college. Despite being on a TV Production course, and though we students all knew the influence social media was going to play in our careers, games were still part of my plan. Through friendships and unsuccessfully trying out for the Student Union's monthly news series as a "games correspondent", I was able to work on a project with a criminology student who also liked games. He ran his own YouTube channel, as I had done under many brands and guises over the years, but he was more consistent. I came on board as his camera operator during EGX Rezzed and we made a few interview videos together. One of which I want to bring to the attention of Hyper Luminal Games. Yes, happy birthday Hyper Luminal! 🎉 We've both changed since this video about Big Crown Showdown! Congrats on releasing Pine Hearts - a wholesome cosy game that is a love letter to the simple life in Scotland. I can't wait to play the full thing - Melissa kindly showed me it at WASD this year, it really was charming! Things have a weird way of coming back around. I don't believe in karma, but I've been watching the work of many studios that I admire and wondered where I fit, thinking maybe there are some answers in my previous work. So, this little story is tale of never forgetting your roots, and celebrating them where you can! Also, if I may be a bit cheeky: If you ever have the availability Hyper Luminal, I would love the chance to join your team! I can assure you my on-screen presence and ability to manage events & communities is far better than what I could manage 10 years ago. I'm happy to work on a relocation plan up to Dundee, be that to work for the core studio under Melissa's expert & bubbly guidance, or having the opportunity to scout for Little Nook's next great wholesome story to share. Here's to both our next chapters! Video:

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TONIGHT AT 6:30 PM join us for an improvised version of PVP Circuit and help us rebuild our local community brick by brick. I still can't believe I get to work in the video game industry. My 6-year-old would laugh, and then cry once she realized what it means to work in the creative technology sector. That's why IMO everyone could use some levity during these unprecedented times. Join us for a fun evening to raise funds for the Trevor Project. Event link >>> https://lnkd.in/g7tBuP6d Frequently Asked Questions: What if I can't attend the event? - If you can't make it, please consider purchasing a ticket to help us raise money for charity or get one on behalf of someone impacted by layoffs. What if I want to join but can't justify the cost? - If you want to join but find the cost prohibitive, DM me and we'll make it happen (see point above). Do I have to pitch at the event? - No, you don't have to pitch if you prefer to observe. It’s a great way to see how it's done. Will there be another event like this? - We plan to host our community again, but I can't specify if this event will be the focus. #gamesindustry #event #comedy <3

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Laws of game Dev (Proposed) #1: Meetings start late = Games ship late - Teams that have the skills, focus and discipline required to ship games on time do not seem to be the same ones waiting for meetings to reach "critical mass" or someone to finish their "worst weekend ever" story. - Correlation only, but it has been very consistent red flag over the last 27 years. - Open for comment before it gets written into the book.

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What do Lethal Company, Skyrim, Helldivers 2 all have in common? They are designed to be broken. Dig into what this even means in my recent video, which you can find on my channel here: https://lnkd.in/gDPk_8E6

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Nostalgia has a funny way of creeping up on us, especially when we think about the classic PC games we played as kids. Remember those shareware titles? The thrill of discovering a hidden gem that someone passed along? It’s amazing how many of those experiences feel lost to time, yet they played such a significant role in shaping our love for gaming. In today’s fast-paced world, preserving those nostalgic moments is more important than ever. I’ve developed a real appreciation for efforts to back up old games and keep that nostalgia alive. It’s not just about playing; it’s about remembering the joy and creativity that sparked our imaginations. When it comes to remasters, I think they serve a crucial purpose. For many, they provide a chance to experience beloved classics that they may have missed or never had access to. Remasters breathe new life into these games, allowing a new generation to enjoy them while giving longtime fans a way to relive cherished memories with improved graphics and gameplay. What are your thoughts on this? Do you have any favorite classic games that you wish would get a remaster? Let’s celebrate the past while looking forward to the future of gaming.

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Truly sad news: as reported by many outlets this morning, Take-Two Interactive is closing Kerbal Space Program 2 developer Intercept Games as part of a plan announced earlier this month aimed at reducing the publisher's total workforce by 5%. Roll7, the developer of the OlliOlli games and Rollerdrome, is also being closed according to the report. To those affected by this closure, please find a comprehensive list of resources, below: 🥇First, Discipline Games Jobs Resources: Over the past weeks I have created nine Games Jobs Resources to find jobs in a wide range of disciplines: 🎨 Art, Animation, VFX and UI: This resource contains around 1,000 jobs worldwide across all links. Link: https://lnkd.in/eu2bjadW ⚙ Engineering and Programming This resource lists just over 1,800 jobs worldwide across all links. It also talks about interview tips and questions to practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/eYdxANFM 🕹 Quality Assurance: This resource lists over 450 QA jobs worldwide. This post also talks about the craft of QA and contains tips and interview practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/dwwVjZuc 📑 Game Production: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also contains info about game production as a whole and GDC talks. Link: https://lnkd.in/gxDvFM-Z 📢 Marketing & Community: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also gives an intro into game marketing and community management. Link: https://lnkd.in/e5MuViug 🎶 Audio and Sound Design: This resource lists around 190 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eSkPSsWf 📠 Studio Support, HR, Recruitment and BizDev: This resource lists around 290 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/ePG57_7v ⚙ IT, Helpdesk and DevOps: This resource lists around 140 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/e8ZsuiZh 🎮 Game Design: This resource lists around 520 jobs worldwide: Link: https://lnkd.in/dtVmGR-t 🥈 Second, the Ultimate list of Video Games Career Resources: This should be your one-stop shop for all information. My dear friend Amir Satvat maintains these documents, he is a legend for doing this - please check them out: https://amirsatvat.com/ 🥉 Third, If you have worked in publishing, please message me. I am looking for quite a few roles right now! ⬅ 🎖 Finally, do not give up. Ever. No matter how dark things may look right now, I KNOW you will get through this, you have got this! 👊 Remember you are not alone. If you need help, advice, or even an ear to listen, we're here for you. Always! ➡ A request to my community, please can I ask you to repost this post to your colleagues and friends, so that we can get as many into jobs as possible! And please comment if you or your studio are currently hiring - let's help each other! Much love ❤️ #layoffs #gamesindustry #jobsingames #roll7 #interceptgames

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MOBAs are hard for a number of reasons, but I think the biggest reason is the massive knowledge barrier players have to overcome in order to get to the "fun part" of the game. Not only do they need to learn how to play (how do I control my character, what are the goals, how do I win, etc) but they also have to learn about the dozens of items, characters, builds, the strategy, the lane formation, and so on. It's a never ending series of new things to learn and master. I've spent several thousand hours playing MOBAs myself and I don't think I ever approached what would be considered "good" by many players. A few years ago I decided to try to make the simplest version of a MOBA that I could that still allowed players to make meaningful and interesting decisions, without overloading them with complicated characters and mechanics. NOBA is the result of that experiment. I removed almost all player inputs except movement, and reduced the complexity of a given character to a single ability. This resulted in a game about positioning, mind games, and out maneuvering your opponent, which allows most players to start engaging with the fun part of the game immediately. You can read the full details, and play it below. https://lnkd.in/gm9TRS7F

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