Steve Hemmesch

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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Voodoo's Cup Heroes already scaled to $60K a day 🤑 in IAP only and 100K downloads a day. The game has been constantly growing from its soft-launch in February making probably more than $3 Mil. in last 30 days altogether. This seems as another major Hybridcasual hit for Voodoo, as it already overtook Block Jam 3D and its on its way to catch up to Mob Control. Ironically it has the Mob Control math gates ➗ core built into it, which seems as an obvious choice to iterate upon. 2 months before its launch there was Bag Fight in Voodoo's portfolio, a game that iterated upon the Backpack hero successful Steam game. Cup Heroes took its top visualization and 2 phase core setup and replaced the inventory merging mechanic with the tried and tested Mob Control gates. But don't be fooled, the biggest and the most important iteration is actually the rogue lite skill randomizer. Here skills are picked at the end of each wave as there is no level in the game. You also need to pay the balls currency to get them, in contrast to the usual setup, where these are given for free, each time you level up. This offers a lot of places for ad placements, and I mean a lot 😅, with possibilities to refresh the skills, get a specific skill for and ad, get all 3 skills for an ad, revive, etc. On top of it you also have interstitials popping in your face. The core gameplay itself is also very interesting as the combat happens automatically on top of the screen with no player input. After you kill the enemies and they drop some balls you need to select where do you want to drop them, so that mathematically, they will multiply as much as possible, so you can then buy skills with them in the last 3rd step, then the core repeats. Join us as we talk about all of this with Felix & Matej 🦩 😎. Data based on Sensor Tower, thanks for the support 🤗 📺 Watch on YouTube: Link in the comments 🎧 Listen on Spotify: Link in the comments 🗣 Join the discussion on our slack channel: https://lnkd.in/eZXJ2Une #gamedev #gameindustry #mobilegames #gamedesign  #mobilegaming #mobilegamedevelopment #useracquisition #gameproduction #games #gamedevelopment #mobiledeveloper  #userexperience #hypercasual #hybridcasual

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Steve Lejeune of Evil Empire uses a Stream Deck for game capture to quickly and efficiently punch in debug options literally with the press of a button! He showed me how in this video collab which will make you want to talk to your programmers and get a Stream Deck (or similar competing device) #gamecapture #gametrailers #gametrailer #gamemarketing

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Leveling Up Leadership: The Role of Mindfulness and Meditation in the Gaming Industry Podcast Listen Here: Leveling Up Leadership: The Role of Mindfulness and Meditation in the Gaming Industry Podcast ▸ https://lttr.ai/AXs6A #GamingIndustry #Pressstartleadership #Leadership

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Another stack of resources and layoff support compiled by the incredible Mayank Grover! If you need support or have some to offer, connect and boost that vis so every ship can benefit from the tide. 🙌🌊🙌 #gamedev #games #layoff #support #job #resources #mentors

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Unlocking the Power of Community The current gaming landscape is dominated by a handful of older titles that concentrate the majority of playtime, making it tough for newer games to break through. Last week, we celebrated the #EarlyAccess launch of Gray Zone Warfare by MADFINGER Games, a.s., an FPS title that has gained significant attention. As an Early Access title with over 20,000 mixed reviews, it now has access to vital resources and consumer feedback for improvement. Why Community Play Matters Reports from Newzoo, Rock Paper Shotgun, and Kotaku reveal how the limited selection of dominating titles can overshadow newcomers. Can #LANcenters and #CollegiateArenas help to bridge this gap, transforming into exciting launchpads where gamers can discover and celebrate new releases through Game Premieres or Release Parties. A Strategy for Exposure Physical destinations and the Steam PC Cafe Program provide a powerful strategy for games like Gray Zone Warfare. They enhance exposure through community engagement, enabling developers to increase their revenue while gaining valuable real-time feedback to refine their titles post-launch. Timing events around favorable Early Access reviews can create positive momentum for future launches. Looking Forward Community-centric events transform gaming into a shared celebration that brings innovation to life. We are exploring more titles that can harness this model. If you have a title that you feel would be a good fit for a public launch event, hit me up!

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💡 ERROR LOG #27: If your core gameplay loop isn’t compelling, your game might not be either. What I mean by that is the core gameplay loop is the heartbeat of your game. It’s the cycle of actions players will perform repeatedly, and if it’s not engaging, the entire player experience can be doubtful. The loop doesn’t just entertain, it defines the game, driving the player’s emotional and strategic investment. For example, think of a classic side-scroller. The loop might involve running, jumping, and shooting while collecting treasures and defeating enemies (YES! You got it! Metal Slug :D). Simple, but highly engaging. Compare that to a more complex RPG loop, blending exploration, combat, and dialogue. These loops provide different experiences, but they all share one thing: they’re finely tuned to keep players coming back but first and foremost they have to enjoy it! 💡As some of you know I’m not a designer by profession, I simply love all the aspects of game development. Here’s where I went wrong early in my design journey as I was mostly driven by visuals and appeal: I’d focus so much on flashy features and world-building that I’d lose sight of how those elements tied into the core loop. It’s easy to overcomplicate or dilute the loop with feature creep. But here’s the hard truth: if the loop isn’t tight, even the best visuals or narrative can’t save your game. 📘A-HA Moment: Start simple, then refine. Think of the gameplay loop as the game’s skeleton. It needs to be strong before you add the muscles (mechanics) and skin (aesthetics). For me, studying great games and their loops - like the seamless exploration and combat of The Legend of Zelda or the addictive power fantasy of Kratos in God of War was a game-changer. If you’re crafting a core gameplay loop, ask yourself: ✅ What will the player do 80% of the time? ✅ How does it feel? Is it satisfying, challenging, and fun? ✅ Does every element of the game enhance the loop or distract from it? What’s your favourite example of a perfectly executed gameplay loop? Let me know in the comments! Stay tuned for more ⚔️🐻

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A STUDY IN FLAME. Testing flame physics in Runway.

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Top Mobile Casual Games Benchmark Metrics Dashboard comparing these games: https://lnkd.in/ev35XSDD 🔹 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 (https://lnkd.in/eWaRH9x5)   - ARPDAU: $0.51   - D1 Retention: 44%   - Avg. Playtime: 85 min   - Sticky Factor: 43%   - Sessions per Day: 5   - Strong playtime, solid retention, and high engagement make this a standout. 🔹 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗚𝗼 (https://lnkd.in/es3UMvZv)   - ARPDAU: $1.28   - D1 Retention: 39%   - Avg. Playtime: 66 min   - Sticky Factor: 10%   - With the highest ARPDAU, but lower stickiness compared to others. 🔹 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 (https://lnkd.in/e-Xdquju)   - ARPDAU: $0.24   - D1 Retention: 40%   - Avg. Playtime: 80 min   - Sticky Factor: 25%   - Impressive playtime, though the retention curve declines faster over time. 🔹 𝗖𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 (https://lnkd.in/eJcAYpAd)   - ARPDAU: $0.30   - D1 Retention: 40%   - Avg. Playtime: 40 min   - Sticky Factor: 46%   - High engagement with a solid sticky factor despite lower playtime. 🔹 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗵 (https://lnkd.in/ea7CXEQZ)   - ARPDAU: $0.06   - D1 Retention: 48%   - Avg. Playtime: 60 min   - Sticky Factor: 31%   - One of the highest retention rates, with players coming back consistently. But most of them don't pay much. 🔹 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗽 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗿 (https://lnkd.in/eK_ehuPz)   - ARPDAU: $0.97   - D1 Retention: 37%   - Avg. Playtime: 50 min   - Sticky Factor: 13%   - High monetization but lower retention and stickiness. Data Source: AppMagic -------------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: The data is an approximate average and may not be accurate. 
Game metrics can vary widely across platforms, regions, traffic sources, and audiences.

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How do puzzle games use Loss Aversion to monetize level fails? Based on the Playliner research, here are the most common things a player will lose if they fail: • Win streaks progress • Lives • Season pass keys • Event stage rewards • Tournament position • Additional rewards • Infinite Boosters time • x2 Level Multiplier It’s all about the fear of losing – and driving that next purchase to keep playing. What do you think? Is it a fair strategy or too much pressure? Data Source: Playliner

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WE were testing Project Rise PRE—ALPHA, a fun rogue-lite game that Supercell developed. AGAIN! Thank you for inviting two & a half gamers to play in pre-alpha stage! Supercell ran the 2nd Beta test for Project R.I.S.E. last weekend, and there were some major changes done from the 1st test that I played in July. Get the latest run down here 😎 You still play in a team of 3 (if matchmaking works), exploring the map and trying to find the way to the next level of the tower, where you have to beat the boss stage. The biggest change is the perk selection, as it will be async. There is no need to wait for other players to choose, and the game won't stop during this time as in the previous version. Each player now has a pool to choose from, which is affected by their overall progression. Perks now cost elixir, giving it a strategic choice, possibly saving it between floors. I learned this hard way. Heroes got a new 6-tier progression with 18 levels that require Gold and Hero Badges. Leveling up your hero unlocks new Upgrade, Trait, or Ultimate slots, which you must buy for gold! A backpack has three slots for feathers, with two Phoenix Feathers (revives) added onto each floor. I usually found only one, but I wasn't really looking. One other great quality-of-life change that was added is the new end-of-the-floor setup. No need to wait for all of the players to get into the end area, as just one player will start the end timer. FML, this was a great change! The team is removing a lot of friction and adding a lot of quality-of-life changes, which is definitely a great direction currently. Predicting a third beta test in February next year and we (mainly me) are ready. 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gdKyVF3Z 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gpmkv8G2 🦄 Subscribe to the Brutally Honest newsletter: lancaric.substack.com 🗣 Join the discussion on our Slack channel: https://lnkd.in/eZXJ2Une Jakub & Felix ^ two & a half gamers

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Great video on the game industry bubble or echo chamber. Laura Fryer goes into one of the best explanations of why certain aspects within gaming could be happening. Laura Fryer has many other videos on gaming subjects with a high level take from deep rooted experiance in game dev herself, she brings more nuance than many others. I am glad people like her are opening up on these situations not to criticize, but point out. Her stances have been very fair and informed. I am deeply personally uncomfortable how much gamers get blamed for not buying a game or not liking certain aspects. I have spoken with many developers and many blame gamers as of late for the lack of success. As a game developer we have one end goal and it is to make a product that sells. Within those boundaries we can make whatever game we want. But, forgetting what the gamers want is foolish and down right irresponsible not just for yourself, but your studio you work in. As we have seen games have had consequences for certain aspects as of late. In the end I still feel good gameplay is above the most important factor. BG3 has many of the aspects that some segment of gamers find controversial yet it still did well. Because beyond the gameplay subject matter was taken in a mature more nuanced well written approach. Game devs can be in a bubble or echo chamber. When you are dealing with the amount of money to make games and you have studios full with devs who have families and or other real life events that need continued health care and funding; it can be downright irresponsible being in an echo chamber. It is fine if you disagree with gamer takes. That is totally fine. But, what is not fine is ignoring it. When I hire and have talked to individuals, I talk about the importance of being an artist in studios and that we are part responsible for those millions or more that we get funding for to maintain success. If you as a game developer does not understand the weight of that and how decisions can cause problems and long lasting consequences for a studio by being in an echo chamber; that is a massive problem. Many reasons why layoffs are happening. Let’s not make up more reasons by ignoring the player base.

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Today on GamesIndustry.biz... (Wednesday, June 19th 2024) 1. Your must read is Chris' opinion piece on the full Not-E3 lineup. While there's plenty of great games on the way, they all appeal to established audiences. The industry is in desperate need of growth, and nothing on show is likely to deliver it https://lnkd.in/ei7p42iS 2. Our next GI Sprint piece is now live, in which I speak to Anthony Gowland about the benefits and best practices of making smaller games (or, as Tony steals a phrase from Gary Penn) making singles, not albums https://lnkd.in/eUGBpare 3. In an update to yesterday's news, Paradox has confirmed it closed its Tectonic studio when it cancelled Life By You https://lnkd.in/ekzXXb7N 4. Reports suggests Apple could face fines of around $1bn every day if it's found to have breached Europe's Digital Markets Act https://lnkd.in/eZbFmjK4 5. Brainspark Games, a studio that specialises in educational titles, has raised £1.4m https://lnkd.in/eyHzFjs8 6. And Richard 'Faze Banks' Bengston is taking more control of Faze Media, the spin-off from his Faze Clan esports business, by acquiring a 25.5% stake https://lnkd.in/ecmsxC5q

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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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Painfully long is right. 😲 It look 8 years to build Concord and about 2 weeks for Sony to axe it. This is a strong example of what's wrong with the games industry, especially in the AAA space. How can a game remain relevant and feel innovative to audiences when it takes that many years to develop? And exactly how high of a bar do you have to hit in terms of quality and scope to meet player expectations after that length of time?! Indie studios can continue to lead the way in demonstrating 'what good looks like' for an industry that desperately needs a re-write. I firmly believe we can deliver outstanding experiences for our audiences by combining sustainable development with scalable growth strategies. In summary, we need to be embracing shorter, iterative and more cost effective development times, and identify scalable strategies to maintain Live Services. #indiegames #gamedevelopment #gamedev #innovation Sony Simply Sweet Games #gameindustry #videogames

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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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UX in video games can make or break the title. When it's great, everything is greater. When it's not so great, the whole experience gets taken down. This is an important role with a major remit. https://lnkd.in/gRNwyVgH #hiring

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