Allison Allain

It's TONIGHT! 6:30 pm at the Northeastern University, we'll host our PVP Entertainment Guild Hilarious Improv Pitching Night! The video game industry is facing challenging times and the layoffs across the board are devastating, but our mission of sharing knowledge and empowering the community stands strong. That's why we decided to put a spin on it and host a fun evening to raise funds for the Trevor Project where anyone can pitch a game project generated on the spot. That's it, no preparation necessary, no NDAs, and no pressure! Only laughs! Get tickets at our event page: https://lnkd.in/g7tBuP6d Frequently Asked Questions: What if I've been recently laid off and/or can't buy tickets? - DM me! We've got Industry Support tickets for those who want to join, but cannot afford them. 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. Do I have to pitch at the event? - No! You can come to just watch and learn, but we bet you'll have a lot of fun if you decide to pitch! #gamesindustry #event #comedy

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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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Paradox Interactive announced today that Double Eleven, the developer behind Prison Architect 2, will be stepping away from the project after nine years with the Prison Architect franchise. Good news first, construction on Prison Architect 2 isn't being halted! Co-development studio Kokku, who's been working on the game since 2023 and previously collaborated with Double Eleven, will take the lead in bringing the sequel to completion. The news comes with a hint of complication. While Prison Architect 2 passed certification, negotiations between Paradox and Double Eleven for continued development reached an impasse. Technical hurdles, particularly with memory usage and minimum specifications, emerged during final testing. Paradox, likely wary of past performance issues (think Cities: Skylines 2), emphasizes their commitment to delivering a high-quality sequel that honors the Prison Architect legacy. Kokku, a Brazilian studio with a history of co-development and outsourcing on major titles like Horizon Forbidden West and Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War, is now at the helm to ensure Prison Architect 2's smooth launch. The Prison Architect series, which began in 2015 with the original simulation/management game, is still on track for a 2024 release with Prison Architect 2. While the development team has shifted, fans can rest assured that work on this highly anticipated sequel continues. (source: https://lnkd.in/dWtBvDhN)

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GPT4o + OUR MARKET EXPERTS’ INPUTS= The future of game ideation is now available on the Supersonic platform Supersonic from Unity Unity Grow

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Last night, Boston Post Mortem hosted a Fireside Production chat with Oleg Brodskiy, a development director with experience ranging from Lord of the Rings Online to the new Civ VII who shared some key takeaways. Here are three that I think apply to indies and solo devs: 1. The needs of a game cannot be predicted using yes or no questions (like in app development). → Predict end goals, work backwards placing check-ins, then start. Check-ins are your green flags in your development marathon. 2. Whack-a-moling problems becomes firefighting and makes you lose perspective. → Slow down this dopamine loop by adding friction to the problem-solving context. Only the reviewer may approve if the assigned goal is done. 3. We succeed when we work together more often than when we don’t. → How might indie and solo teams collaborate for production-like accountability?

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Time for an impromptu meetup of the #GameDev Executive Support Discord group! If you're an #Executive or C-Suite in the #games industry, with #VC funding or consistent revenue, and small to medium sized team, then come and join us! We're targeting a quick late afternoon meetup either on Thursday or Friday, south of the Koelnmesse. If you'd like to attend, then please reach out! The GDES is a place for leaders of game #developers to support each other, offer support, mentorship, teaching, or lend an ear! Want to rant about the current state of #funding or the lack of diversity in the #industry? Maybe you need a #coach, someone to provide a second opinion, or a beat on current #game market trends. GDES is your place!

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Really looking forward to speaking at Boston Indies tonight! Many indie developers tend to fall into a trap of building in highly saturated, "red ocean" markets, thinking it's the safer route. We did this for years. But as we all know, these spaces are incredibly competitive and it's difficult to stand out. Over the past few years, we've gradually shifted our focus toward becoming an XR focused studio. I'll share why we made that pivot and highlight some of the strategies we found useful that can help when evaluating any emerging platform, not just XR. https://lnkd.in/e9yMeuCa

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ICYMI Tales of Kenzera: ZAU received a patch that includes a couple accessibility improvements. Additional difficulty options are available and can be adjusted at any point, and players can skip chase sequences. Check out the Electronic Arts (EA) Accessibility Portal to learn more. Proud of game developers at Surgent Studios for considering accessibility often. It's a journey where there is always room for improvement. Let's keep making games more accessible together 🤟❤️ #GameAccessibility #InclusiveDesign #AccessibilityMatters https://lnkd.in/gpqGw8XB

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Now that Timbre is officially closed -- and my heart goes out to all those affected -- I think someone should ask WTF Sumo Digital Ltd was thinking in making this drastic cull. You have a team of about 100 folks who -- just based on the outpouring of support and collective love between them; I know nothing about the studio itself -- seem to have been a high-functioning group of developers who had worked together for up to 2 years (obviously some of them were newish, as the median time employed was about a year; I saw some layoff notices from people who'd been hired within the past 2-3 months, so this suggests the leadership team had no idea the closure was coming, unless they are just evil...). Anyone who has built a team understands the value of having folks across many different disciplines who work well together. There is significant value in this, and you don't just throw it away. I understand Sumo decided they needed to make 15% cuts to save costs, but then why not cut 15% uniformly (more or less) across all your studios and the parent org? If you are cutting 250 people worldwide across multiple studios (I count 14 studios: https://lnkd.in/gxmRTJcz), why then cut 100 of them in one place? 250 people across 14 studios is less than 20 people per studio (some of the Sumo studios have 100s of people). You could have cut 15 from Timbre and kept 85 employed. Could they not have sold the studio to another publisher? Or found a buyer from outside games? Both Relic and Phoenix were bought by non-game buyers (private equity in Relic's case, a blockchain company in Phoenix's case), so there's clearly money from outside the industry looking to invest and own a piece of the games business, even in super expensive Vancouver. This doesn't seem like just another "oh whoops we overhired during COVID" story. What, did you set up an entire new studio from scratch and hire 100 people between 2022 and 2024 by mistake? Tencent bought Sumo a while ago. Tencent has more money than anyone. Did Tencent not want this studio? They could have spun it out from Sumo. Microsoft? Ubisoft (they used to have a Vancouver studio...)? Anyone? Nobody out there wanted a team of 100 folks who knew how to work together and had built some amount (maybe a lot?) of a game together before they were unceremoniously shut down? No publisher wanted to pick up the game and continue to float the studio until it shipped? There's been a lot of love being generated from the demise and aftermath of this studio. But where's the rage?

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🎨 Nvidia CEO says there will *ALWAYS* be a role for HUMAN artists in video games! 👩‍🎨 🎮🎮🎮🎮 Huang was discussing using ML/AI to interpolate frames, objects, and animations. (This could speed-up rendering!) 🤖 ⏩⏩⏩⏩ He pointed out interpolation only functions in TANDEM with the work of *human* game artists, designers, and devs! 👩‍🎨👩‍💻 🖌️🖌️🖌️🖌️ "...out of four frames, 33 million pixels, we only rendered two [million pixels]..." (That's only 6%!) 👾👾👾👾 In other words, ML/Gen-AI is a tool to potentially make HUMAN work faster/better, it is NOT a *replacement* for HUMAN work! 👩‍🎨 🌟🌟🌟🌟 QUOTE: “But it took [this] long for everybody to now realize that generative AI is really the future, but...you need to ground with the author, the artists, [and the] intention.” 🎨🎨🎨🎨 What do you think? Is interpolation an ethical use of Gen-AI that can support the HUMAN work of game artists/devs? [Article link in comments]

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‘Yummy Sings The INFO 6205 Syllabus (with Beary) (R&B Version 1)’ is on #SoundCloud https://lnkd.in/ehPfw-WJ From the album "Yummy and Beary Sing about Algorithms." Dive into the melodic world of algorithms with "Yummy and Beary Sing about Algorithms," a unique musical exploration composed by the talented Liam Bear Brown. Featuring the captivating vocals of Yummy and Beary, this track is a harmonious blend of education and entertainment. Crafted with lyrical genius by Nik Bear Brown, the song weaves complex concepts of algorithms into catchy, engaging tunes. Whether you're a student tackling the intricacies of algorithmic theory, a professional brushing up on your technical skills, or simply a music enthusiast looking for something out of the ordinary, this song is for you. It's not just a track; it's a learning experience that resonates with the vibes of an academic journey, specifically inspired by the INFO 6205 course on Coursera. So, tune in, turn up the volume, and enjoy a musical take on the fundamentals of programming structures and algorithms! 🎵 #Algorithms #Programming #Education #Coursera #INFO6205 #DataStructures #PythonCoding #NortheasternUniversity #LiamBearBrown #YummyAndBeary #NikBearBrown

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Want your XR app to have the best user experience? Performance monitoring tools are key to identifying bottlenecks & optimizing performance. Here's how to leverage them effectively 🧵 1/ First, establish KPIs to track for your XR app. Frame rate, GPU utilization, memory usage, load times are all critical metrics. The right tool will monitor these in real-time as users interact with your app. 2/ For VR, aim for a stable 90 FPS to avoid motion sickness. AR apps should target 60 FPS. Monitor frame rates under various conditions (low power mode, heavy usage) to gauge real-world performance. Tools like Intel GPA are ideal for this. 3/ GPU utilization is another key metric, especially for graphics-heavy XR apps. You want the GPU working hard but not constantly maxed out. Tools like Unity Profiler or Unreal Insights identify GPU-intensive areas to optimize. 4/ Memory management is crucial in XR to avoid crashes & stutters. Track memory usage/leaks over time with tools like Visual Studio or Xcode. Look for assets/areas using excessive memory and optimize resource loading. 5/ Don't forget to monitor load times, especially for asset-rich XR apps. Use profiling tools to see what's causing long loads - large textures, unoptimized models, too many objects, etc. Optimize based on these insights. 6/ Regularly test on a range of devices to gauge real-world performance. Automated performance tests help identify regressions. Many tools can test XR apps on farms of physical devices for comprehensive insights. 7/ Lastly, don't just rely on tools - actively seek user feedback on app performance. Prompt users to report any slowdowns, stutters, or instability they encounter. Combine this qualitative data with quantitative metrics for the full picture. 8/ Optimization is a pain and a half. But, the upfront effort pays dividends in user experience and engagement. Work on it until no-one mentions stutters or frame drops.

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The presentation we gave at GDC about Meta Quest for game developers is now available on YouTube. If you develop for Meta Quest we give a good overview on what to look for to have a great developer experience. https://lnkd.in/ezQwnqyM

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Today on GamesIndustry.biz... (Wednesday, October 9th 2024) 1. Hindenburg Research released a report on Roblox, claiming the company has been massively inflating key metrics (e.g. DAU, engagement hours) to mislead investors, and that it is failing to protect minors from sexual predators. Roblox has refuted these claims, suggesting Hindenburg has its own agenda https://lnkd.in/eqAD9fk5 2. A few lawsuits today. First, Ubisoft is facing a class action suit for allegedly sharing customer data with Meta https://lnkd.in/enm7s_Dh 2b. Meanwhile, an author is suing Bungie after claiming the studio copied some of his work for Destiny 2 https://lnkd.in/e4xhKtk8 3. Our big interview today is my chat with Arnaud Muller about the new risks and challenges publishers face today https://lnkd.in/eW_QZCx9 4. Turkey and Russia have both blocked Discord, a platform frequently used by games developers to interact with their community https://lnkd.in/eVw8YgFR 4b. In contrast, Brazil has lifted its ban on X/Twitter after Elon and his team have complied with the country's laws https://lnkd.in/eKs9bKeX

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I just left a video call with yet another game studio executive trying to navigate having secured initial funding and now running out of cash with a potential closure of their studio looming. In addition to sadness, I can’t help feeling as though both the investors and the studio headed down an unnecessarily dangerous path from the start. Investors can play a critical role in the success of a game studio by providing capital and expertise. However, applying traditional investment models may cause developers to pivot from best practices in order to secure the investment. The unintended consequence is that risks can be added instead of mitigated, and it is important for both parties to navigate together carefully to avoid common pitfalls. Examples of these risks include making a game larger to increase potential returns, hiring a big internal team to maximize enterprise value, setting unmovable deadlines to keep the dates of future returns in place and, as faced by the studio I just spoke with, providing only initial funding. These decisions may lead to a riskier project to manage and one that is not attuned to the challenging reality that finding fun cannot be promised by a given date. Starting full production too soon is a recipe for the studio to risk cost overruns while piloting a battleship when the agility of a speedboat is still required. Without a clear funding path, a studio can end up burning investment capital intended for development on pitching and demos. Games are not well suited to ‘build ten things fast, expect nine to fail and one to skyrocket’. They need to be nurtured by oversight which advances step by step towards success. This doesn’t mean a game should be finished at all costs, it just allows the investor and developer to pull the plug on a project that is not coming together before full production, so that the team can focus on the next opportunity while there is money left in the bank. The good news is that digital games sell forever, and game franchises are strong platforms to build upon with sequels and additional content. For investors open to long term cash generation, games are a great match. If a fund has a maturation date, successful IP can be sold based on future revenues. Fundamentally, rather than pressing for a quick home run, the most consistent returns come from supporting quality studios making games iterated through feedback from the team, testing with consumers and learnings from the industry. This approach lays the groundwork for developing “singles and doubles” into powerhouse franchises. The greatest investor impact comes from adapting fund structures and return models to account for development best practices. Success hinges on a strong partnership of developers and investors together forging new ground that is aligned to the unique dynamics of the game industry.

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I finally got around to checking out "Blood, Sweat, and Pixels" by Jason Schreier. Fantastic read! It's fascinating to learn how, despite all console/PC games coming down to keys, buttons, and thumbsticks, each one's development trials and triumphs couldn't be more different. I took down a concise takeaway from each chapter that I aim to look back on during my game development journey: ⚔ Pillars of Eternity: This is for the players, so let's listen! 🌍 Uncharted 4: High quality = high sacrifice. 👨‍🌾 Stardew Valley: Resilience, perfectionism, and the costs of creative freedom as an indie dev. (We’re 3 core devs at Castle Pixel!) 💀 Diablo III: The importance of restoring your community’s faith in you. 👾Halo Wars: Few in this world get to make games for a living, and even fewer get to make games they actually want to make. 🐲 Dragon Age: Inquisition: Great games are rewritten, redesigned, reprogrammed, re... 🏰 Shovel Knight: Although no game is easy to make, good team chemistry, integrity, and a focused core idea can go a long way. 🌗 Destiny: Sometimes, it’s best to stick to your guns. 🐺 Witcher 3: Funny how when “everything begins in the writer’s room,” you get more compelling quests and narrative content. ;) 🌃 Star Wars 1313: With so many things that can go wrong, it’s a miracle any game gets shipped at all.

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Another big publisher set to fire 600 employees. This post is intended to support those who were recently laid off. Please share it within your community and tag studios and recruiters who are actively hiring. "We'll hear troubling news from the offices of Zynga, Gearbox, 2K, and even Rockstar—a far cry from earlier statements about layoffs from Take-Two's CEO." To combat, I am adding 5 resources below for all impacted professionals : 1) Our flagship Full-stack game programming bootcamp worth $11,000. We're giving course content out on 100% scholarship for anyone who's willing to transition into game programming or upskill in programming. (Mail: community@outscal.com) 2) Join our Discord Community and help professionals who are asking questions related to portfolio building, job seeking, interviews, and broadly their next career step. We have added help roles for programming, Unity, Unreal, DSA, Careers. Pick these roles and only get notified when someone asks questions related to your expertise. 3) Your team is hiring? Here's a list of 900+ professionals who were laid off recently: https://bit.ly/49Ah2vT Do them a favor by sharing this list with your 1st degree connections who're hiring. 4) We now have 14368 gamedev jobs from all over the world. https://lnkd.in/gerWUkc5 5) Become a volunteer: If you're a senior professional, you can mentor these professionals, conduct mock interviews, assess their portfolios and give feedback on what would work for them and what wouldn't. Join by adding your name here: https://lnkd.in/gwPhHen4 Get more out of Game Dev community on LinkedIn 🍄 Amir Satvat is back on LinkedIn with the OG list of resources. 💼 Caitlin Cooke is the fastest source of fresh jobs in the industry (yes, remote jobs too) 🎤 Follow Jordan Mazer for greatest tips and pointers around game jobs & interviews. 🔥 Hailey's feed will keep you updated with everything that's happening in the gaming world. 🔝 Connect with Arin Goldsmith and be part of her amazing #SocialSunday initiative. #games #gamedev #jobs #layoffs

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This podcast is chock full of design approaches and great marketing tips for self-published indies. Adam did his research and came prepared with super insightful questions. It was a really fun discussion! #indiedev #indiegames #gamedev #gamedevelopment

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