News

Fears of Apple's Paid Search Plans
Fears of Apple's Paid Search Plans
A recent report from Bloomberg claims that Apple is investigating adding paid search to the App Store. Here, I react with some fears for how paid search will affect rank and file game devs and the mobile game ecosystem.
May 5, 2016
The making of mobile game 'Photo Finish Horse Racing', part 1
The making of mobile game 'Photo Finish Horse Racing', part 1
After being laid off in a studio closure, industry veteran Ian Cummings set out to make a game for fun in his spare time. That little side project has now grown into the top horse racing game on mobile, and this blog explains what happened along the way.
May 5, 2016
Emotional Connection Through Gameplay
Emotional Connection Through Gameplay
Discussing how we have and can build up emotional connections between the player and AI through game play. Is taken from my portfolio http://maxpears.com/
May 5, 2016
Trust your gut when raising money
Trust your gut when raising money
How to choose investors, what to be careful of and how to keep your eyes open. Tips and tricks of fundraising.
May 5, 2016
The Risks of Long-Term Game Development
The Risks of Long-Term Game Development
Long-Term game development is becoming more common these days, and today's post looks at the pros and cons for everybody involved.
May 5, 2016
Applying old-school sports game design to a modern multiplayer game
Applying old-school sports game design to a modern multiplayer game
OutOfTheBit is working on a different sort of football [aka soccer, yanks!] game. "FIFA is great, but I realize that there is probably space in the market for a fun and easy to pick up football game."
May 4, 2016
Video: Designing Crusader Kings II to generate strange, emergent stories
Video: Designing Crusader Kings II to generate strange, emergent stories
Few games foster emergent storytelling better than Crusader Kings II, and Paradox's Henrik Fåhraeus explains how the game was designed to do just at (and how you can do it too) in this GDC 2014 talk.
May 4, 2016
Get a job: Be a Creative Director at Nix Hydra
Get a job: Be a Creative Director at Nix Hydra
The studio responsible for Egg Baby is looking to hire an experienced game designer to take a lead role on the creative team in Nix Hydra's Los Angeles, CA studio.
May 4, 2016
Game Design Deep Dive: Situational awareness and player frustration in GRIP
Game Design Deep Dive: Situational awareness and player frustration in GRIP
The blinding speed of the Rollcage racing franchise left some players feeling disoriented or frustrated by unexpected crashes. Caged Element vowed to fix these issues in their spiritual successor GRIP.
May 4, 2016
Steam user reviews updated to better reflect changing game experiences
Steam user reviews updated to better reflect changing game experiences
"By listing recently posted reviews more prominently and by defaulting to recent helpful reviews, Steam can now show a more current idea of what it's like to play the game now."
May 4, 2016
Almost twice as many UK games now supported by Games Tax Relief
Almost twice as many UK games now supported by Games Tax Relief
"While today’s figures demonstrate Game Tax Relief’s continued and greatly-needed boost to the UK games industry, there is still more to be done."
May 4, 2016
The first 5 years of VR 'are going to be madness', says CCP chief
The first 5 years of VR 'are going to be madness', says CCP chief
"We had the expectation of the first five years of VR are going to be madness," CCP Games CEO Hilmar Pétursson told Polygon. "It's going to take five years from this year to sort itself out."
May 4, 2016