Before #AsianPacificIslanderHeritageMonth comes to an end, we’d like to take a moment to highlight some of our APAC studio members by sharing their stories of their culture, career journey, and what keeps them inspired. Now introducing Jackie Cao: Senior Systems Designer at Sledgehammer Games. "Born and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut, I had a typical suburban New England upbringing while maintaining my Asian heritage. My parents wanted us to be involved in 'American' culture, enrolling us in various sports and musical activities. Summers were spent camping in the woods or at the beach, and winters snowboarding in the mountains, I played lacrosse and tennis at school. I still had a culturally rich upbringing due to having immigrant parents and the majority of my extended family living in the same town. We spoke Cantonese at home and celebrated Chinese and Vietnamese holidays and traditions.My mother, who used to work as a school teacher in China, now runs my uncle’s restaurant, while my father works at a printing press. When I first told them I wanted to study game development, they were skeptical and worried about career prospects since they didn’t know much about the field. However, they were surprisingly supportive and encouraged me to chase the American dream they immigrated here for which was to pursue my own passions. I went to school for my Master’s Degree in Game Development at the University of Utah with a focus on Game Production. During my elective classes in Design, I found that I enjoyed that aspect of game development more. I got an internship at an indie studio, then moved on to Bioware as a Level Designer. During my time there, I discovered a passion for encounter design for boss fights and my next role was AI/Encounter design at Gearbox. Now, I’m at Sledgehammer Games as a systems designer focusing on AI combat.My personal interests and experiences contribute to my work as well. Traveling internationally and living in Europe amongst many international students for a time has enriched my perspective. With how much globetrotting takes place the Call of Duty, those worldwide experiences have helped me design games that are inclusive but also grounded in reality. Additionally, my main hobby as a competitive shooter and firearms instructor provides valuable insights into the realistic use of weaponry in Call of Duty and gives me a lot of knowledge and interest in the setting of the game." We’re proud to celebrate Jackie’s contributions to our team and the experience he brings with him. #AAPIMonth #GameDevelopment #GameDev Activision #GamesIndustry #EmployeeSpotlight
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Following your passion can be done at any stage in life and be as rewarding. Our Yoobee graduate student, Leon Coertze has been featured in the below article for his journey as an adult learner who retrained and built a career out of his passion for creativity. Whether you're looking to make a career pivot or upskill, Yoobee will be with you every step of the way. Study online or on campus and rediscover your creative flow. #Yoobee #CareerChange #UpSkilling #Animation
Returning to study in your 30s or 40s can be daunting, but the rewards are often immense. As part of our series talking to people who’ve retrained at Yoobee College of Creative Innovation, Leon Coertze tells us how studying for a Bachelor of Animation at Yoobee allowed him to build a career in the gaming industry.
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Here at the NetEase Games Licensed Games Studio Group we continually encourage and support our designers to pursue new knowledge of design areas outside of their current role's domain. We call this "cross-functional learning" and have made it into one of the capabilities of our design career plan, which means that all designers can create learning goals for themselves, set aside time to work on them, and have their progress count for their semi-annual performance evaluations. This quarter, I have decided to educate myself on Game Economy Design, which is a fascinating topic that I have not studied in depth before. During my research I have come across an outstanding article by Alexei Karpenko, which I highly recommend to anyone interested in the principles of functional in-game economies. You can find a link in the comments. Cheers! 🥂
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🎓 Excited to share a significant milestone in my journey: completing my Master of Arts (MA) degree in Indie Game Development at Falmouth University! 🎮 The past two years has been an incredible experience of creativity, collaboration, and personal growth. From concept to execution, I've delved deep into the world of game design- honing my skills in game mechanics, visual design, coding and more, and embracing the challenges along the way. For my final Major Project of my degree, I delved into research of how video games can enhance our mental health and emotional well-being. This led me to create an emotional adventure game (developed in Unity game engine) focused on mindfulness. This was my biggest project yet, designed to immerse players in a world that evokes positive emotions and fosters a sense of well-being. I aimed to demonstrate the profound impact that games can have on our lives. This project was not just an academic pursuit; it was a labor of love—an opportunity to contribute to a growing body of knowledge while also wishing to inspire others to explore the therapeutic potential of gaming. Through countless late nights of coding, testing, and iterating, I've learned that game development is not just about crafting immersive experiences—it's about storytelling, empathy, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. I'm so very grateful for the guidance of my professors at Falmouth University, the support of my peers, and the opportunity to be part of such a vibrant community. They've been like ‘POWER-UPS’ scattered throughout my academic journey, providing ‘BOOSTS’ of motivation and knowledge. I've conquered the challenges and earned my Masters degree… Now, armed with my degree and a healthy dose of caffeine addiction, I'm ready to tackle the next ‘LEVEL’ - because in this game called life, there’s always another ‘BOSS’ waiting to be defeated! Here's to the endless possibilities that lie ahead, and to the countless worlds waiting to be explored. And finally, here’s to the next level of my life and career - and to never running out of Extra Lives! (Pun intended)🌟🎮 #IndieGameDevelopment #FalmouthUniversity #MastersJourney #GameChanger #GameDevelopment #GameDesign #Unity #UnityDeveloper #GameDeveloper
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As I reflect on my journey in game development, I've encountered both rewarding and challenging experiences. Over the past few months, I've been part of a project that has tested my limits in ways I never anticipated 🫧 One of the most significant takeaways from this experience has been the opportunity to dive into new areas of game development. I've learned to work with particle systems, VFX graphs, Shader graphs (even creating textures for cool visual effects), an intensive amount of redesigning documentation, and I even picked up some FMOD — skills I didn't expect to acquire during our final project. These experiences have been invaluable to me, and I'm proud of the progress I've made in these areas, especially since it wasn't something that I was taught but had to pick up at a moments notice 🌱 However, this journey hasn't been without it's difficulties. Working with a diverse team has highlighted the importance of clear communication and mutual respect. Unfortunately, there were times when this alignment was missing, leading to frustration, setbacks and cut content. One of the hardest parts has been dealing with unprofessional behavior. It's been a test of my patience, empathy and my usual quiet demeanor, but I've learned to stand up for myself and address issues head-on; something I would have never been able to do a year ago if I'm being honest. So I'm glad for the difficulties as well as the successes, as they've been helping me not only grow as a designer and a problem solver but also to become someone who speaks up when things were frustrating or uncomfortable. There were many late nights and early mornings, often working until 3am and starting again at 5am, to help my team get ahead when we were behind. This experience has reinforced the importance of adaptability for me. The late nights, so I could learn a new skill or overcome a challenge, and the early mornings to prep for the day and assign tasks based on the progress of the previous days. I also want to highlight the invaluable support of my level designer, Cole Webster. His level-headedness and unwavering support helped me feel grounded and reassured during many challenging moments. He always made me feel like I wasn't going through this alone. I really want to thank him and will always appreciate him as a friend but also as an incredible designer (Seriously he has cool ideas and always delivers!! 💫). As we approach our graduation, I carry with me newfound knowledge and skills that feel rewarding and give me a sense of success and direction. I'm proud of my personal growth and the new skills I've developed. ~~~ And to anyone facing similar challenges, remember that your own personal growth and dedication, are what truly matters. Keep pushing forward, embrace new learning opportunities, and be proud of your achievements; because through the midst of everything, it'll shine through. There's merit there in your hard work and people will see it, so own it! ✨️
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Ready to advance your career? We have essential tips for aspiring game designers! 😁 Curious about other professions? Let us know in the comments which careers you want more tips on! Your feedback helps us bring the best content to you.😉 👉 Don't forget to tag your friends and follow us for more insights and opportunities in the gaming world! Swipe to learn how to start your journey and make your mark in the gaming industry. 😆 #GameDesign #GamingIndustry #CareerTips #GameDevelopment #MundoGamerJobs #LevelUp #StayInTheGame
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🌟 Project 2: Ball Collector - Another step forward in my game development journey! 🎮 In this project, I worked on a fun and challenging concept: 🎨Ball Collector: - Players must collect balls and place them in baskets of the same color. - If the colors match, points are awarded, but if they don’t, the player's health decreases. - I implemented color recognition, health management, and point-scoring systems to enhance gameplay dynamics. This project gave me deeper insights into player interaction mechanics and UI design. Looking forward to applying these skills in future projects! #GameDevelopment #Unity3D #InternshipExperience #BallCollector #GameMechanics
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🎮 The "Experience Paradox" in Game Development 💼 As a designer applying for AAA positions, I’ve often come across a familiar challenge—the request for "AAA experience" in roles that are meant to help us gain that very experience. It’s a frustrating catch-22, especially for skilled designers who are eager to make their mark in the industry. This cycle of needing experience to gain experience can be a significant barrier, particularly for those of us who have put in the work, but might not yet have that coveted "AAA title" on our résumés. One of the biggest frustrations comes when AAA studios call on universities and trade schools to train more talent, while at the same time turning down hundreds of applicants for lack of AAA experience. In my career, I’ve led game projects from concept to release, balancing technical and creative challenges, and delivering high-quality experiences—whether in indie spaces or personal projects. Working outside the AAA industry hasn’t limited my skills—it’s expanded them. With smaller budgets and leaner teams, I’ve taken on a broader range of responsibilities, gaining a deeper understanding of how all the elements of game development fit together. 🗨 What can the industry do to solve this "experience paradox?" I’d love to hear your thoughts and connect with others who’ve faced similar challenges. Looking forward to learning, sharing, and growing alongside this amazing community! 🚀 #GameDevelopment #GameDesign #ExperienceParadox #AAA #IndieDev #CareerGrowth #OpenToWork #Networking #LevelUp
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Uh... in the past couple weeks I lost my adoptive mother. So now I am a legal orphan, and I will probably be losing my home back in Mississippi soon. I don't usually ask my network about this stuff, but if I don't get an internship this year then I'm probably not going to be able to finish my degree and there might be a possibility of me ending up homeless because of that. Soooooo... to anyone reading this. If you have some form of ability in getting people seen by recruiters by referral or something, and the job listing is for anything related to Game Production, Game Design, Gameplay Programming, or Software Engineering I would greatly appreciate it. Here are some Cool Achievements I have to help show my Qualifications: - I have built a game demo that has raised over $15,000 dollars in public funding from Kickstarter and led to the start of my Limited Liability Company, Team Broke Kids. - I've made multiple award-winning games. Mushroom Kid's Big Grass Sword being my most prominent, winning the Grand Prize at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Gamefest and an Excellence in Aesthetics Award at Rochester Institute of Technology's EDGE Event. - I've launched a mobile game with over 5,000 downloads on the Apple and Google app stores. - I have experience working in the PS5 Devkit as well as several game engines like Unity, Godot, and Unreal Engine. - I have developed multiple experimental games using XR technology and Neurotechnology. You can read more of my work on my portfolio here: https://lnkd.in/gFiBX8Nj Sorry if this post is weird, I just wanted to give it a shot. My circumstances are so bad right now that I might as well try to leverage my network to see if I can't get some help.
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Recently, I had the privilege of engaging in an in-depth conversation with a senior game designer involved in the development of an upcoming open-world fantasy game. As an aspiring game design and development scholar, this discussion not only offered valuable insights into the daily tasks and responsibilities of a game designer but also prompted a thoughtful reflection on their journey of entering the field of game development. During our discussion, we delved into the recurring "paradox" often faced when entering professional fields across various industries. Much like other disciplines where gaining experience is a prerequisite for obtaining experience, game design requires the creation of a game to truly understand the craft. However, this requirement extends further when transitioning into a professional environment. While the foundational knowledge acquired through college courses is invaluable, it differs significantly from the practical experience gained while working on a team within the industry. The developer emphasized the importance of team collaboration, referring to it as an aspect they wished they had experienced during the earlier stages of their career. The value derived from working on team projects is immeasurable, as it sprouts not only practical and technical skills, but also communication and problem-solving abilities. Consequently, even developers with impressive resumes and portfolios may find themselves overlooked for positions if they lack effective collaboration and communication skills, despite demonstrating clear proficiency in game design concepts. In conclusion, while academic training provides a solid foundation, true mastery in game design often comes from hands-on experience through collaborative team environments. Therefore, aspiring game designers should seek opportunities to engage in team-based projects to further cultivate the diverse skill sets required for success in entering the industry. Regardless of whether your task involved developing an entire game or just several systems or parts of the project, any experience involving collaboration is worth being highlighted. #gamedesign #gamedev #gaming #gamecareers #videogames
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# Weekly update - Week 38# Hey all, this is week we focused on all the feedback we received from various publishers. One of the big changes was to add features that would link with each other to tie up the progression and always feel like the player is working on the next big and best thing. This was so rewarding already we have a mind map to show the plans. We also have some exciting news to share with you all! We have signed another intern this time for the position of Game Designer Intern. Welcome Tim to the team he will be starting with our other intern Rafael on the 30th of September. 🙌 🎉 On the development side of things for Arcanus Legends a lot happened. Here are some of the changes : - Added magic crystal system which will be the currency in the game, this currency is now a possible loot from quests, chests and enemies. - Added Ruins to the village, when you first start your game the village will be filled with ruins, you must acquire magic crystals to remove those ruins to be able to place buildings down. - Added quests and UI to support viewing main quests, side quests and completed quests as well as a ui in the main interface for tracked quests. - Made wand functional with stats being applied during damage calculations. - Added a character screen to see your character and all it's stats. Useful links YouTube : https://lnkd.in/ePrt6sUZ Discord : https://lnkd.in/eCW3_36W Website : https://lnkd.in/ecC9MWtZ
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