Most of the time, we start by setting a target time we think the game experience should take for a first-time player to feel what we want them to feel, and then add about 50% to that. A long fight should feel like a protracted fight and the time limit …
How is LOD calculated in game engines? I guess a simple Vector Distance Calculation would be bad for performance. How do game engines calculate that?
You can figure out a vector distance pretty fast if you use the dot product. The dot product of two vectors A and B is the Length(A) x Length(B) x Cos (angle between them). If you dot a vector with itself, then you get Length(A) x Length(A) x Cos(0). C…
Follow-up to the hiring question, why don’t companies reconsider already rejected candidates when they lower standards? That seems like they would be spending extra money and time when they could check to see if any candidate meets the now lower standard then starting the hunt anew, and could settle for a lower rated candidate than one they previously rejected.
For mid-level and junior positions, it usually isn’t worth it — we typically get so many applicants that we just grab the next batch of resumes and sift through it, rather than go back and try to remember who was close and who wasn’t. It’s also why we …
On the issue of external versus internal promotions, why do you think game developers (and many other kinds of companies in general) are so reluctant to promote an internal person they know but hand it out freely to some outsider they don’t?
There are some various theories on this floating around and they seem like they could be reasonable, but I am genuinely not sure. Theory A: Hiring Entry Level is more of a gambleWhen you promote someone, you leave a lower-level position empty that need…
Introducing GameAnalytics Pro – Your Gateway to Deeper Insights
We’re excited to share news about a new initiative we’re rolling out – GameAnalytics Pro. This step towards a paid offering comes from a place of necessity and aspiration. Our aim has always been to provide reliable, insightful tools to help your studio thrive. And to continue improving and expanding our offerings, we are introducing this new premium tier. With GameAnalytics Pro, we intend to augment our service via new tools tailored to meet the evolving needs of your studio. The new premium offer is completely optional. We remain fully committed to our free offering, ensuring every studio, big or small, continues to have access to solid analytics tools at no cost. GameAnalytics Pro is an extra option for those wanting to dive deeper into their data. Why are we launching Pro? The introduction of Pro is a significant move…
How do you get (or work towards) a promotion as a game designer?
Getting a promotion in the game industry usually requires the designer to take two steps.The first step is to level up one’s skill set to the next level. This means taking on more difficult responsibilities and tasks, the sort that the mid or senior le…
An official release of the Kotor 2 missing content DLC/patch had been promised, then pulled back. It had been enough of the promise that a free game was offered to people who had bought the Kotor 2 rerelease. Why does that kind of rollback on an official plan happen? How is the decision to stop weighed against free stuff and bad PR?
I think it would help to provide a little more context as to what is going on. Way back in 2004, a game called KOTOR 2 shipped and was played by a lot of players. Many players did not like the ending, but the game had been in development for less than …
Insights in Action: VRMonkey’s Rise Fueled by GameAnalytics
VRMonkey, formerly known as Naked Monkey Games, embarked on a journey into VR a decade ago. Although their activities initially evolved around developing smartphone games, in 2015, after encountering Oculus Rift DK1, they decided to pivot fully into VR and AR development. Today, this indie studio comprises 40 dedicated team members who work on their own IPs and collaborate with renowned VR studios worldwide, including The Munky – creators of Drunkn Bar Fight. Among VRMonkey’s portfolio, their co-development of Drunkn Bar Fight stands out as one of their most successful ventures. This game is among the top 20 selling VR Games of all time, and it maintains a steady audience, with more than 100,000 MAU. During peak seasons and featured store placements, this number rises to 200,000 MAU. Harnessing the Power of Analytics VRMonkey recognized that they must fuel their…
Different anon but I wanna follow up on the last question for your personal opinion. What’s a genre or series that fell out of AAA grace that you think wasn’t nearly tapped out of design potential but withered due to low sales? In a perfect world, what’s a specific style of game that you think could absolutely have gone much further with overwhelming innovation through modern tools and principals? Anything you especially lament seeing fall to the wayside in your career?
I really think that asymmetric games have a lot of untapped potential. We saw some of this through games like Evolve, Among Us, Dead by Daylight, Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes, and cancelled games like Fable Legends, Breach, or Shadow Realms. I thin…
Several genres have gone extinct in the AAA space. Point and click adventure games, plastic instrument rythme games, and others are on life support like RTSes. What other genres do you think are next of being unprofitable at AAA production values?
I think it’s likely to be regularly released titles that are in danger of slipping under the radar already, especially franchises that are losing steam. For example, I think fighting games that aren’t Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat have little chance …
