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Games

Trump Jump

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Categories
Games

Pokémon Black & Blue

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Categories
GDC

GDC 2016 Notes: No Hit Wonder

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Notes

” md_text_title2=”Typography Shortcode” md_text_title3=”Typography Shortcode” md_text_title4=”Typography Shortcode” md_text_title5=”Typography Shortcode” md_text_content_size=”14″ md_text_content_color=”rgba(20,20,20,1)” md_text_button_style=”fade-oval” md_text_button_text=”READ MORE” md_text_button_icon_class=”icon-angle-right” md_text_button_color=”rgba(0,0,0,1)” md_text_button_text_color=”rgba(255,255,255,1)” md_text_button_bg_hover_color=”rgb(0,0,0)” md_text_button_hover_color=”rgb(255,255,255)” md_text_button_size=”standard” left_right_padding=”0″ md_text_button_url=”#” md_text_button_target=”_self” md_text_animation_speed=”400″ md_text_animation_delay=”0.0″ md_text_animation_position=”center” md_text_animation_show=”once”]

  • Jake Birkett @greyalien
  • 2005 cofounded Full Indie
  • shipped 10+ games. all made a profit
  • survived over 11 years
  • focus on your own games!!
  • long tail is vital to success
  • adaptability and determination is KEY
  • build a sustainable business
  • “nobody knows anything” – Jeff Vogel
  • magic formula = good game + PR + contacts + magic
  • PR -> shows/youtube
  • connect w/ yourself
  • don’t try to be other indie devs
  • how do you define success?
  • ship game, continue making games
  • plan for sustainability
  • abandoned first title Iron Fist. no market, going to take too long
  • START SMALL!!
  • stock art, stock photos, stock music
  • christmas themed Xmas Bonus
  • easter themed same engine
  • 18 months $0
  • lived frugally
  • IT consultancy + science writing. side jobs
  • low income tax credits
  • just get started!
  • sold match-3 engine
  • SPEND $ on ART & AUDIO!
  • wonderful wizard of oz match 3 $90k long tail
  • another match 3 holiday bonus
  • seasonal title spikes
  • repromotion every year
  • ask for promotions
  • new portals – casual game portals
  • localized
  • 2x levels + GOLD label
  • KEEP YOUR GAME ALIVE!
  • THINK LONG TAIL!
  • contract work w/ Big Fish Games
  • Fairway Solitaire
  • Unwell Mel
  • ONLY CHOOSE COOL CONTRACT WORK!
  • SAY YES TO OPPORTUNITIES!
  • LEARN TO SAY NO! ad network, key giveaways, business long term goals
  • networking = make friends
  • game jams, shows, meetups, share information
  • help people out
  • Spring Bonus
  • used social media to recruit artists
  • crowdsourced localization
  • used metrics + testers to balance games
  • log work on every game
  • avoid unhealthy deadlines!
  • mobile ports are shit
  • Eets Munchies
  • MAKE YOUR OWN GAMES!
  • ToastMasters
  • Titan Attacks! port PC to mobile
  • DON’T MAKE DECISIONS OUT OF DESPERATION!
  • Spooky Bonus – best selling game
  • portals take most money
  • small scope -> 3 months
  • no mobile version (focus)
  • localized
  • resonated w/ audience
  • launched at good time
  • spent $ on art
  • Regency Solitaire
  • GET FREE MONEY
  • good pitch to get grant
  • researched market, sales data
  • other funding – savings, tax credits, other indie businesses
  • don’t crowdfund
  • 14% rev on steam
  • press only when on steam
  • Shadow Hand – RPG card game
  • themed match 3 + card games
  • Gamasutra: Indie Sustainability Top Tips
  • “Cultivating Burning Desire” – Steve Pavlina
  • info@greyaliengames.com

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Categories
GDC

GDC 2016 Notes: 3D UI

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Notes

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  • UI is part of the world
  • sometimes too subtle
  • big red button
  • “prosthetic UI”
  • manage attention
  • center of view for readability
  • edges to draw attention
  • audio more important than ever

 

Depth
  • objective markers
  • inverse scaling
  • less 3D
  • focusing on different depths
  • give depth context
  • UI usually unlit
  • use light/shaders
  • fresnel effect for opacity

 

Menus
  • doesn’t have to be too different
  • using world adds a lot
  • global nav not effective
  • transitions are key
  • show controller layout – don’t label buttons
  • have a grounding/orientation
  • pressed vs released is snappier – used in all menus
  • full attention
  • menus = whole environments
  • practically games in their own right
  • good UI can be no UI
  • gameplay info more difficult to deliver consistently

 

Tech
  • alpha blending is tricky
  • UI usually alpha blended
  • painter’s algo
  • set offsets during creation process – just for sorting
  • render to texture
  • box filtering
  • not good at small sizes
  • signed distance fields
  • results are good, text appears rounded
  • more steps to author
  • text mesh rendering
  • needs anti-aliasing solution, best in long run
  • hover detection
  • raycasting usually
  • angle comparison
  • closes element
  • forgiving, no exact hit area, can use proximity based effects, cheaper than raycast
  • not precise, gets tricky w/ crosshair

 

  • anti-aliasing
  • important for menus
  • can cause distracting pixel swimming effect
  • post process anti-aliasing bad for UI

 

Design Workflow
  • sketching
  • pre-visualize w/ hands
  • mockups done in 3D app
  • use CryMannequin – similar to characters
  • use animation and blending
  • FlowGraph

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