Rob C.

🗣️💬 Can you spare 5 minutes? If you use communication apps in your work or personal life, I would love to hear what you think about the experience. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gT8XHkev I am wrapping up my MA in interaction design at the University of North Texas. My capstone focuses on folks who use apps to keep in touch with people in their communities: hobbies, personal, school, sports, work. #discord #slack #survey #teams #unt

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Awful news today with Skydance Interactive having gone through a round of layoffs last week. My dear friend Scott Fine announced the news today, sharing the news and the profiles of those affected in a heartfelt post: https://lnkd.in/ex4BnyrX To those impacted please check out the following resources: 🥇First, reach out to us at People Can Fly Studio, we have many roles open right now in Canada, the UK, Ireland and Europe, please check them out here: https://lnkd.in/eWpV5PbA 🥈Next, Discipline Games Jobs Resources: Over the past months I have created 9 (at time of writing) Games Jobs Resources to find jobs in a wide range of disciplines, and I would urge you to check them out, if anything just to see what would be available to you: https://lnkd.in/epvmzDW6 You can find over 6,300 jobs there. 🥉 Third, 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/ I urge you to check out the areas in particular about CV support and mentoring, as these will help you no matter what industry you are hailing from or are looking into going next. 🎖 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 ❤️ #skydanceinteractive #layoffs

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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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I like sharing the good news about the video game industry (because I know many people have been burned by working through it). Although, as a whole, the industry is expected to continue growing year after year. What do you think this means? The concept of diversity becomes the inevitable truth. Growth encompasses variety and innovation, bringing a richer palette of stories and experiences. This transformation is driven by a new wave of creators who are not just making games but also crafting cultural bridges. A fantastic example is the upcoming game 'Rooster', which celebrates Asian heritage in a deeply authentic way. The team behind Rooster has a shared vision of representing this culture through fun and accessible gameplay experiences, which aligns beautifully with broader industry trends toward inclusivity and representation. It seems like they love what they do to boot! If there was a clear path to surviving the video game market while also enriching the social impact of gaming, IMO, it would be to get behind and champion these vital initiatives. #diversity #equity #inclusivity #asianheritage #rooster

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I interviewed our Casting Director and this was the clear takeaway... Voice Actors often ask me "how can I break into video games work." I thought this advise was brilliant 👇 - Actors who are also active gamers seem to get cast in games a lot! - However, Casting Directors aren't specifically looking for this - These actors tend to have a great understanding of the material - They instinctively know how a line or an effort should be performed - They have an enthusiasm & passion for the work - They are often easier to direct and are familiar with the language I am by no means suggesting an actor has to be a gamer to be a voice actor in games! But, if this is an area of the industry an actor wants to get into... Consider getting into the industry via this area... Do those last two lines make sense? I was trying to be clever! #VoiceActing #GameAudio #Develop2024

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TAROF - The Amazing Ring of Fire - Dev Blog 4 Over the past week or so I have been reverting to an older build (back to one with the skylight before experimental materials removal broke it) and going through code and content clean up so not as much progress as expected. I have been learning a lot though and spending the time needed to implement certain things. A lot more experimenting. Here's what's changed this week: FIXES/IMPLEMENTATION - Reverted back to a previous build (before disabling experimental materials broke my skybox). - Want to get game in a clean stable state so this is a build I can always revert back to as a main checkpoint. - Code & content clean up. - Cleaned up blueprints to make them more readable. - Collapsed key functionality into functions. - Added comments. - Deleted unused code snippets. - Deleted unused content in content browser. - Moved everything into appropriate folders. - Deleted all card textures below 1024 pixels. Don't need higher. - Rearranged card blueprints to order them to my liking. - Added 2 Niagara effects for specific cards. - Waterfall - For the Ace card with the rule 'Waterfall'. A lot of playing around with this over the past week. Got it to a point I am happy with for now. Can return later if needs be. - Created a sprite sheet and added both the red and blue pixelate card to it so both can be used as a particle. - Question Marks - For the Queen card with the rule 'Questions'. Simple but effective. - Hooked up functionality for the niagara FX to play / stop when needed and also hooked these up to the appropriate cards. - Card Info/Rules section - Added descriptions for each rank that shows when the card is selected. - Changed size of description text. - Changed colour to yellow. Same as title. - Removed handles from text box by turning alpha all the way down. - Stopped user from interacting with the text box. - Added a secondary 'Next Turn' button at the top center. - This allows for different placements depending on games needs. For example, when the waterfall FX is played, it covers the lower half of the ring and also the next turn button so the button can be set to the top instead, making it accessible. - Added a placeholder settings menu - Includes new icons. - Settings Icons Spins on mouse hover and once selected shows an X to close menu. - Currently has debug and VFX options KNOWN ISSUES - Card Z order on used cards not working properly TO DO - Add card spawn lerp - Add spawn point to deck creator BP - Add ring of fire effect - Background music - Add SFX - Add VFX - Add Main menu IDEAS - Add multipliers / punishments - For example when a suit (Diamond / Club / Heat / Spade) or rank (A - K) is completed. - Implement 'Imposter Cards' - The small suits on the card change on the fly and if a player selects 'End Turn' without realising then they will be punished.

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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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Theory meets practice at GitLab! Learn how the team incorporates UX metrics like System Usability Scale (SUS) into their daily workflow. In their Handbook, GitLab reveals insights on participant selection, cohort definition, survey distribution, SUS score calculation, and interpretation. They even outline strategies for engaging with respondents for follow-up discussions. A valuable resource for product designers and managers looking to enhance usability in their specific product areas. https://lnkd.in/ekd-4GkC

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📖 Book Review 📖 Just finished *Play Nice* by Jason Schreier, I have to admit - I was done binging the audio book before the physical version arrived - Yom Kippur is a time for repentance after all. I'm still glad I have this to gift to a friend. As always, Schreier delivers top-tier storytelling—his writing is engaging, his humor on point, and the narrative flows effortlessly. He’s one of the best in the business when it comes to capturing the chaotic world of game development. However, while the book offers a gripping account of Blizzard’s rise, decline, and uncertain future, it falls short in one crucial area: it stops at storytelling without offering solutions or deeper analysis. The book lays out key industry challenges—crunch culture, business vs. creative tensions, and the complexity of scaling AAA projects and studios. But just like with Press Reset, Schreier leaves it up to the reader to make sense of what to do next. A missed opportunity, especially when the industry is ripe with interesting examples like Blizzard’s abandonment of StarCraft that led to Tim Morten’s journey to Frost Giant Studios, Inc.. The hard reality of developing a strategy game in 2024 could have sparked meaningful debate about the business realities of game development. Schreier’s wonderful writing captures the industry’s chaos—but we need to take the next step. It’s not enough to document these already-high-profile issues; we need to engage in raising solutions. For those interested in actionable insights, I highly recommend the Deconstructor of Fun podcast—they dive into the complexities Schreier hints at but don’t stop at storytelling. Blizzard was a cornerstone of my gaming journey— my adventures in Sanctuary, Azeroth and Aiur consumed years of my life. But we can’t build the future of this industry on nostalgia alone. Let’s take these stories and use them as fuel to improve the way we work and create. What solutions do you think are needed? Let’s move the conversation forward.

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🔴 Hot take: Technical debt isn’t the enemy—letting it loose is! Instead of wasting time on “perfect” code, we should focus on manageable debt that drives useful progress. 💡 New Blog post: https://lnkd.in/dSg6xTSU #gameDevelopment #TechDebt #StartupTips #DevLife #Programming #EngineeringLeadership #SoftwareDevelopment

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Capcom has released a less-than-positive annual report. There's nothing critical in it; all the declines are tied to a pause in releases. Capcom certainly has a vast catalog of successful franchises for upcoming releases. Resident Evil (RE) stands out distinctly. While Capcom didn't start with RE, it played a crucial role in their history and has had a significant impact on the gaming industry as a whole. Today, RE comprises 32 releases across 33 platforms. These are incredible numbers and a testament to success. Moreover, judging by Metacritic scores, Capcom manages to maintain a high standard of quality. I gathered a timeline of all RE releases on one website (link in the comments). I thoroughly enjoyed watching videos, reading books, reminiscing about my own experiences playing the games, and playing with friends and colleagues. Here are a few interesting facts about RE and Capcom: - Resident Evil 4 was released on 14 platforms. - The first RE took 3 years to develop, instead of the usual 3-6 months for Capcom in 1996. Consultants hired from the U.S. advised shutting down the project when it was almost complete, predicting its failure. - Devil May Cry and Dino Crisis were born while searching for fresh gameplay for RE. - Capcom was one of the first companies to start paying revenue shares to developers, which is particularly noteworthy for Japanese companies. - Toy Story I and RE I were released around the same time. - For a while, music for RE was composed by a well-known Japanese composer who was said to be deaf. It later turned out that he wasn't actually deaf and didn't compose the music himself. PS. In 2026, the series will celebrate its 30th anniversary, and there will likely be a special release or edition. Or perhaps they'll simply release a version with full DualSense support.

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🌟 New blog entry 🌟 Just published a new blog post on my blog discussing Edward Deming, the father of quality, and what game development project managers can learn from his principles. As a game development project manager myself, I believe his pillars are crucial for the success of any project, with a focus on user satisfaction among others. I hope you find it informative and insightful! Feel free to share your thoughts and comments. #GameDevelopment #ProjectManagement #Quality #UserSatisfaction https://shorturl.at/0a79o

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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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Amazing list of practical game design principles from Warren Spector, one of our industry's great. Appreciate how he frames some of the magic we feel playing his games. Can't wait to play his next one! Wonderful peek into Warren's design mind. His Deus Ex is stuff of legends. While I'll argue that there are operable definitions of fun (humbly suggest The 4 Keys to Fun ;) I agree wholeheartedly that a team needs more than a single word "make it Fun" to guide the design. In fact that's kind of the whole point. In our extensive player research players favorite games support multiples of their favorite play styles. From a Psychology perspective it's vital for an exceptional game to offer players new playstyles. The exploration of novelty, cause and effect relationships, and especially new kinds of strategy to get to a goal are vital to what human beings (and all mammals) call play. Definitely worth a read! Here's a list of company values for Warren's company Other Side also worth a look https://lnkd.in/gpq-qusR

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I've seen some Game industry chaos out there. I just want to say stay strong. Someone said something about me being, "glad to be out of that game industry?" That thought is understandable, but I don't see it that way AT ALL. I do work in Military Simulation, running a studio that builds the software and I've been busy lately, and I'm grateful for that. HAVIK has been a very rewarding place to work. And the work? Well, the tech is built with Unity, the team is focused on building engaging features. Graphical beauty and unparallel realism is the goal. We work in cross-discipline groups, run two-week sprints with a one-week planning gap between. We release on a quarterly schedule and are currently prepping for the biggest show of the year with new projects, new features and big company announcements. I run capacity plans, build out mentorships and set up annual review cycles. We have regular game nights online. Also, one of my producers regularly shows of his collection of Star Wars helmets... Sound familiar to all my game dev contacts out there? Because it is. It's indistinguishable from my 25 years in game industry. Oh, except that we're growing. We hired 6 people in our studio to work on our "game" in the last month. We are spinning up 3 new projects this year. Also, I don't have to argue about things like monetization with "line goes up" accountants. We're running a business and make a profit, but we don't have to squeeze blood from a stone to do it. We have locked-in contracts and continue build our reputation on succeeding and over-delivering with them. The company is filled with professionals who actively participate in the work. Honest people who assume good intent and work with each other to deliver quality to our customers. I couldn't be happier or more fulfilled to be part of this. I realize it's bumpy out there right now and I'll always be there to answer a call or help work through challenges. It will get better and along the way you might find something different, but similar and better.

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LinkedIn is all about networking, right? Or variations on that theme, I guess. So, let's see what happens as I propose something to the gaming world. There are thousands of folks out of work right now in the video game industry. It's selfish and the height of hubris for me to think now is a good time for me to break into writing for games despite my storytelling expertise. What I am going to do is put a link to one of my novels here and let everyone download it for free. If you are in gaming, and want to help me adapt this piece of fiction into a vast, open world of post-apocalyptic gaming mayhem, then reach out. You can comment here or hit me up at [email protected]. Am I worried someone will "steal" my idea? Nah. It's been out there for 15+ years. If someone was going to steal it, they would have already. And it's a pretty unique mash-up, so it won't take much Sherlocking to follow the threads if someone did steal it. Plus, all storytellers know there are no original ideas. None. Not a one. Have a read. See what you think. Give me a shout. Let's see what we can do together. https://lnkd.in/eBryvp7N Cheers! #videogames #gamingjobs #games #gamestudios #mecha #zombies #postapocalyptic #videogameindustry #gameindustry #allthatjazz

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