Peter de Jong

Game-based learning 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 again: what do 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐒 think about hydronic balancing immersive digital training? 💻🎮 Today, Ruud Dullens and I traveled from BlueTea, The EdTech Engineers to visit Vakwijs B.V. experts for another testing session. 💻 This is one of the projects I worked on (including the game design concept and game scenario design) with our team of developers. We collected a lot of great feedback from professionals who used our innovative practical virtual training made in collaboration with Marijn Zaal from Wij Techniek! 💡 💧 The subject matter experts were testing our game-based learning solution which uses personalized approach to teach the principles and procedures relevant for hydronic balancing. We didn’t leave empty-handed: 🔎 we collected observational feedback 📊 we collected learning analytics 📝 we collected quantitative feedback 🗣️ we had a discussion Some of the elements included in the immersive learning simulation: ✅ exploring and analyzing the heating system parts 🧰 ✅ switching the heating system between statically and dynamically balanced ⚙️ ✅ manipulating the entire heating system to observe its principles 💡 ✅ talking to customers with real case-scenario issues 🧍🏼‍♀️ ✅ investigating the customers’ heating system issues 🔍 ✅ fixing the heating system issues ⚒️ ✅ delivering the work to the customers 🎤 Based on the quantitative and qualitative feedback collected from our target group, we’ll make iterative improvements, to make sure the end result is suited for their needs and preferences. 📈 Music credits: Track: Warriyo - Mortals (feat. Laura Brehm) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds. Watch: https://lnkd.in/dMr5EDGH Free Download / Stream: http://ncs.io:Mortals #GameBasedLearning #SeriousGames #EdTech #Innovation #LearningAndDevelopment

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📰Mind Control Games, the team behind🤑Cash Cleaner Simulator💸is looking for a publisher.❓Ask: $280k - more ℹ below: I had the pleasure of meeting Leonid at INDIGO in Utrecht. As devs, you naturally show each other what you're working on and get to know each other. I was immediately hooked on Cash Cleaner Simulator and would like to help Leonid and his team as much as I can. 🔍 Looking for: Dev Budget & Publishing Services (more in the pitch deck link) 😍 Traction built: 6.4k wishlists on Steam, biggest YT video with 320k views, more than 500 people on Discord You can find more information in their pitch deck (comments 👀 ). 🤗If you're a publisher and don't provide a dev budget, but can help in other ways, that could be a possibility too. Please ask Leo directly, since he's actively looking. 📽 It's a super intuitive game and attracts people visually in an instant. Love this kind of game! Let's help Leo find contacts on LinkedIn! 🔃Share or comment if you have people in your network who would love to publish/play Cash Cleaner Simulator! 🙏 Thank you, and best of luck to you and your team Leonid! #games #gamesindustry #gamesdevelopment #publisher #gamespublisher #pitch #pitchgame #lookingforpublisher

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Been a long time since my last update. But the game Necrotic Nightmare is inching it's way to release and very soon our demo of the game will be out on steam. Being the lead level and systems designer for this project, taught me ways so be more efficient and using techniques I haven't used before to have a better optimized experience when it comes to streaming levels and rendering objects. Also finding ways to encourage and lead players through various locations in the game. And as taking the lead role for level designer. I would review all level designers work and provide thorough feedback on how to create good player pathing and ways to keep the player engaged with the levels. When it came to systems, I created the lighting system. It would be a blueprint actor with different variables to alter that the level designers can toggle and adjust to match each level environment. I also assisted in creating a loot box system that would spawn Random consumables or ammunition for the player to acquire. Also created the many doors that is used through out the game and their many functions that they would have. Also assisted in creating the collectibles and consumables that are found through out the game. Also creating puzzles that have boss fights and the players health and mental bars. Found here:

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Horrible news to hear about KeokeN Interactive having laid off their entire team today. In a statement published on X, CEO Koen Deetman and managing director Paul Deetman said the Netherlands-based studio was forced into the decision after exhausting all possible options for completing planned projects or taking on other work. To those affected, please find a comprehensive list of resources, below: 🥇First, Discipline Games Jobs Resources: Over the past weeks I have created 9 (at time of writing) Games Jobs Resources to find jobs in a wide range of disciplines: 🎨 Art, Animation, VFX and UI: This resource contains around 1,000 jobs worldwide across all links. Link: https://lnkd.in/eKAHK7VF ⚙ Engineering and Programming This resource lists just over 1,800 jobs worldwide across all links. It also talks about interview tips and questions to practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/eYdxANFM 🕹 Quality Assurance: This resource lists over 450 QA jobs worldwide. This post also talks about the craft of QA and contains tips and interview practice. Link: https://lnkd.in/dwwVjZuc 📑 Game Production: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also contains info about game production as a whole and GDC talks. Link: https://lnkd.in/gxDvFM-Z 📢 Marketing & Community: This resource lists around 400 jobs worldwide. It also gives an intro into game marketing and community management. Link: https://lnkd.in/e5MuViug 🎶 Audio and Sound Design: This resource lists around 190 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/eSkPSsWf 📠 Studio Support, HR, Recruitment and BizDev: This resource lists around 290 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/ePG57_7v ⚙ IT, Helpdesk and DevOps: This resource lists around 140 jobs worldwide. Link: https://lnkd.in/e8ZsuiZh 🎮 Game Design: This resource lists around 440 jobs worldwide. https://lnkd.in/dCv_hQXv 🥈 Second, the Ultimate list of Video Games Career Resources: This should be your one-stop shop for all information. My dear friend Amir Satvat maintains these documents, he is a legend for doing this - please check them out: https://amirsatvat.com/ 🥉 Third, do not give up. Ever. No matter how dark things may look right now, I KNOW you will get through this, you have got this! 👊 Remember you are not alone. If you need help, advice, or even an ear to listen, we're here for you. Always! ➡ A request to my community, please can I ask you to repost this post to your colleagues and friends, so that we can get as many into jobs as possible! And please comment if you or your studio are currently hiring - let's help each other! Much love ❤️ #layoffs #gamesindustry #jobsingames #keokeninteractive (source: https://lnkd.in/eWK2PgvX)

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My Mum and her friends always ask me what I do for work. I explain that I work in games for a Backend Game Engine. But what's a Backend Game Engine, they ask? 🤔 Our latest Pragma article explains all of this: https://lnkd.in/eZ7D2Mmj 🔎 ▶ Game development is challenging, especially for online games. While game engines have standardised many aspects of game creation, backend services remain a challenge, even more so at significant scale ▶ Pragma is the first "backend game engine," providing a flexible foundation for online game services that allows studios to customise and extend their functionality ▶ By offering pre-built solutions for common backend needs and tools for customisation, Pragma reduces development costs, speeds up feature implementation, and minimises launch day risks for game studios of all sizes. Love you, Mum.

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Unreal Engine has very powerful material authoring tools that I used to create this river and waterfall shader for the game project at Breda University of applied sciences. See more about how I did it on my Artstation. Games | Breda University of Applied Sciences Epic Games Unreal Engine

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I started SLAQ Games with the philosophy that there are three principles that drive a healthy game studio: 1️⃣ Success: Is the game visible and accessible to players? Do players buy/play it? Does it make your studio money? 2️⃣ Love: Is it evident you wanted to make this game, or does it look like a game cynically turned out to meet the right keywords in an algorithm? Do players feel like an afterthought to a business strategy, or do they feel like the game was made for them with their preferences and enjoyment in mind? Does the project inspire enough passion in you that you will continue developing it when setbacks arise? 3️⃣ Quality: Is it a well-made product? Are there obvious or necessary features missing? Is attention to detail shown in the UI, the level design, the balancing? Or is it rushed, sloppy, and bug-ridden? 🔹 Without success, you can wind up creating what is essentially a vanity project only for yourself at best, or a failure that loses the time and money invested into it at worst. Success is what allows a studio to keep making games 🔹 Without love, you can wind up creating soulless games that don't move the industry forward. It can cause burnout in staff and lead to long-term failure as profit or technical engineering become the sole priority over making games you want to make and that people want to play 🔹 Without quality, it will be hard to maintain a reputation as a studio that creates products consumers will keep coming back for. You might experience some growth from a title that overperforms but can't sustain scaling or future projects. Or, you might have great ideas you're passionate about but can't implement fully or correctly ➡ I believe all three of these principles need to be considered as core by any studio (solo, indie, or AAA) to truly survive and grow

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"How Culture Shapes a studio" podcast is out - I was a guest on this along with two fab game industry thinkers Ido Naim and Daksha Sharma. Thanks to Jordan Lound for hosting it. We covered some interesting questions about game industry working culture, from our very different backgrounds. Here's the spotify link: https://lnkd.in/eazkGQBE

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It's incredibly painful to watch two Dutch Games Industry behemoths, KeokeN Interactive & Paladin Studios, shut down in the span of a single week for lack of funding. The Dutch games industry has been far more resilient than many due to its generally smaller scale, but this week emphasizes that we've really been working in the margins of where surrounding countries are right now. We are a proud and stubborn industry that has traditionally 'gone it alone' a little - but it might be time to reconsider that. If the Netherlands want to actually play and benefit from the STEM-enthusiasm, digitalisation efforts, and technological resiliency that the games industry affords countries on a European level, we have to make sure scale-ups and mid-sized companies in the tech, innovation, and cultural space have realistic ways to compete with the funds, investments, and government support structures that exist in our neighbouring countries. The games industry checks all these boxes, but we have a long way ahead in properly communicating these strengths. Ecosystems are incredibly resilient until they're not, and losing two major players in the entertainment segment of the Dutch Games Industry shows that we are more vulnerable than we'd all like to believe. As I'm taking inventory of the industry as part of my new role as Government Relations at the Dutch Games Association, I hope I can count on the Dutch industry's support as we try to create better and more sustainable conditions and ensure that every part of the Dutch Games Industry continues to function and feed into each other - education, independent, research, service providers, entertainment, & applied games all serve as critical parts of this incredible ecosystem. My mission is to ensure clear communication of the fundamental advantages of a strong and competitive Dutch Games Industry built on the stubborn foundation of what is already there. For now, I grieve for the loss of two incredible studios, Paladin - which was an inspiration to me for the entirety of my games career, and KeokeN, a brave new face of ambitious independent game development in the Netherlands. If you have any jobs available for those laid off, please check on the KeokeN and Paladin LinkedIn pages or reach out to folks there that are coordinating the layoffs.

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🌟 Monday Query Quest 🌟 🎮 Imagine you have a fully funded Game Studio to manage and lead: What game would you create? Describe your dream project in the comments below! 🚀 💬 Engage with your peers and share your vision! The comment with the most likes by the end of the week will receive a special shoutout in next week's post as the winner of the best game design idea! 🌟 👇 Let's get creative and inspire each other! Drop your game idea in the comments! 👇 #MondayQueryQuest #GameDesign #DreamProject #GameStudio #Creativity #Innovation P.S. The image below is AI generated, and I do not own or share ownership of this image in any way.

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🎬 Behind the Art: Making of "ROBO DUDE" keyart! Discover how we blend creativity and coffee to create captivating visuals in our latest project in Essential Studio. Interested in collaborating on unique key art or dynamic animations? 🤗 📩 Reach out for projects at office@essentialstudio.com 🎥 Watch the video here 👇 #RoboDude #DigitalArt #Animation #CreativeProcess #GameDev #Blender #Photoshop

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I invite you to hear the first originally composed track for Unleashed Games's first title: Haven. Teaser trailer coming soon! Follow us to stay up to date. (Also, did you know we stream? Join us live on Friday at 2pm ET!)

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"The main barrier to playing video games has not been computer technology, but game design." - Jesper Juul, A Casual Revolution (2012) In 2012, Jesper Juul highlighted this crucial insight. Today, we see how this has played out with the dominance of mobile gaming in the market. The evolution of game design has made gaming more accessible and popular than ever. I look forward to sharing more insights as I continue reading Joost van Dreunen's book, "One Up: Creativity, Competition, and the Global Business of Video Games." #GamingIndustry #GameDesign #MobileGaming

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I'm very excited to announce that on May 2, we will bring our already super popular social stealth VR multiplayer game 'Mannequin' to Early Access on Meta Quest! After conducting closed playtests during the end of 2023, we are currently running a highly succesful Open Alpha where Mannequin became the most downloaded game on SideQuest of all the 2024 titles. Now, the game is ready to enter official Early Access on Meta Quest next week, followed by SteamVR in the near future. The Early Access version of Mannequin includes: 👽FOUR levels with updated visuals 👽Improved Friends Support 👽Party Play 👽Better Performance & New Features like left-handed mode. Mannequin will cost $19.99 in Early Access, HOWEVER: For a very short period of 72 hours you will be able to get a 'First Responder discount' of 50% by following any of our official game channels and claiming a discount code there as the game goes live on May 2. Note though, that we still have lots of exciting work left to do on the game before it hits official store fronts later this year. We plan to spend the time in Early Access to gather as many ideas and suggestions from the players as possible in order to improve the already fantastic foundation of Mannequin. Read more and join the fight on www.mannequingame.com Pose and Oppose! #VR #VrGaming #VRGame #AppLab #EarlyAccess #MetaQuest #SteamVR #VirtualReality #GamingIndustry #GamesIndustry #Game #Games #GameDev #GameDeveloper

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Game Development is Simple. 👇 Purely looking at pretty Social Posts it might seem that way. But behind every post there is someone trying their absolute hardest to make what they believe in a reality. And often that is anything but easy... So it's time to share some of my own hardships I faced during development of my VR game RAMEN4ROBOTS. To hopefully help others out! What parts of Game Development do you struggle with? Feel free to leave a comment and I might talk about it in the next video! https://lnkd.in/e_UfjeSh #VirtualReality #GameDev #XR #IndieGame #Game #IndieDev #Advice #Experience

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NEW RELEASES & TRANSFERS “HEXABLAST” AND ”THROW BLOCKS” BY VOODOO With a high market share in the 🇺🇸 and addictive gameplay, "Hexa Sort" (published by Lion Studios and developed by gamebra.in and Mindstorm Studios) has become the puzzle of 2024 to beat. 🎯 Since January, the game has accumulated almost US$6MM in IAP revenue and more than 18MM downloads (cf. AppMagic). For this reason, several studios and publishers have been releasing iterations of “Hexa”, looking for a new hit. 🚀 Among them is the French 🇫🇷 giant Voodoo. NextBigGames published an analysis yesterday of “Stack N Sort”, a mix between "Hexa" and the 2048 puzzle. But Voodoo didn't stop there and launched 2️⃣ more iterations. ✅ “HexaBlast” - Developed by Oreon Studios, it has a “blast” feeling when you match the pieces. ✅ “Throw Blocks” - Developed by Rootcraft Game Technologies, "Throw" is an iteration of "Stack N Sort", whose main change is the inclusion of the number of pieces in each stack (a difficulty in “Hexa”). 👇 See below for a glimpse of the gameplay. 👇 The question is not "if", but "when" a new hit inspired by "Hexa Sort" will appear. 👀 - x - This research was supported by Cost Center. Cost Center is a tech company that offers a powerful suite of tools for Mobile Publishers to optimize UA campaigns. 💪 Its portfolio includes amazing clients such as Amanotes and Lihuhu. 🏆 Do you like it? 🤩 Call my friend Yi Ting Ho. She'll show you a demo. 😉 #gaming #gamedevelopment #HypercasualByCarlosPereira

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So first good news: One of my favorite games is coming to the cinema on Aug 9th. Now the interesting news: this (Movie) industry is the same industry which used to ask millions of $$$ of #MG (Minimum Guarantee) and an entirely skewed rev share, sometimes hitting 3 digits millions. I remember reaching out to one of India's most loved characters and asked to license it for my game and the publication didn't shy away from asking for a 70% revenue cut and a huge MG. Fast forward to now when movie guys are paying millions of dollars to game studios. The Last of Us, Fallout, Super Mario Bros, The Witcher, The Return To Silent Hill to name a few. Studios are realizing the power of games now and that has started reflecting in the #MG culture for using movie IPs in games. You need an already engaged audience, you need a captive audience or as simple as you want to make money...just games and nothing else. Rajiv Chilaka Astha O. Shivam Dhoot Sarvag Kalari Apoorv Sharma S. Abhilash Gamitronics https://lnkd.in/g7N9tERb

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Last week, it was time for another teambuilding! 😎 We headed to The Park Playground for a spooky VR experience 👻 From dodging virtual zombies to solving puzzles together, we strengthened our teamwork and had a lot of laughs along the way. Moments like these remind us of the importance of building bonds beyond the office walls. Here's to more exciting adventures and teambuilding activities! 🚀 #theSecurityFactory #teambuilding #cybersecurity

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