io NECA Legislative Top Three 2/21/20: Take Action to Prohibit Reverse Auctions By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 19:51:48 Z 1. Senate to Vote on America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act On February 12, 2020, NECA joined dozens of other organizations and sent a letter to Senate leadership urging quick action on the NECA-supported America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act (ATIA) (S. 2302). NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA has long believed that we must find a sustainable solution to our nation’s surface transportation. We were encouraged last summer when the bill passed out of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and was the largest highway bill ever passed, authorizing $287 billion over five years. We will be continuing to urge the swift passage of this important legislation. 2. Take Action: Tell Your Representative to Support H.R. 5644 to Prohibit Reverse Auctions The Construction Consensus Procurement Improvement Act of 2020 (H.R. 5644) would prohibit the use of reverse auctions on federal construction projects. The Senate already passed this important legislation, and NECA remains optimistic that this sensible reform can pass the House and be enacted into law. Tell your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 5644 today! NECA’s Look Ahead: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a report stating that using reverse auctions to procure construction services did not guarantee the lowest price nor did it establish any clear benefits over the traditional sealed-bid approach. Awarding contracts solely on price requires contractors to cut costs in materials and labor, ignoring the importance of quality construction and the consideration of life-cycle costs. 3. Recess Weeks are for In-District Visits Congress was in recess this week, which is the perfect opportunity to set up a meeting with your Member of Congress at home in your districts. In-district visits are a great opportunity for your congressman to tour your company, jobsite, or training center to learn about NECA and the electrical contracting industry. Visit NECA’s Congressional Visit Toolkit to learn how to set up your meeting today! NECA’s Look Ahead: Remember, you can earn 5 points for your NECA chapter with each in-district visit in the Chairman’s Challenge. You can also earn points for sending a letter through our Legislative Action Center or attending the upcoming National Legislative Conference. Full Article Advocacy Advocacy Issues
io NECA Legislative Top Three 3/6/20: Congress Looks to Modernize National Apprenticeship Act By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 05 Mar 2020 20:03:18 Z 1. Hearing Held to Reauthorize the National Apprenticeship Act On Wednesday, March 4, 2020, the Higher Education and Workforce investment Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss reauthorizing the National Apprenticeship Act. The National Apprenticeship Act, originally passed in 1937, will be amended to expand the apprenticeship system to include broader forms of apprenticeship programs. This discussion is centered around how to modernize the Act and bring apprenticeships into the 21st century. NECA’s Look Ahead: Preserving these valued apprenticeship programs is a priority. NECA continues to work closely with legislators while this bill is being shaped. 2. NLRB Chairman and General Counsel to Testify Regarding Funding Next week, the Chairman and General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board are scheduled to testify before the House Appropriations committee. This hearing is anticipated to be contentious with lawmakers inquiring as to the reasons behind the Trump Administration’s request to lower the board’s funding by 10%. At the same time, the NLRB’s regional offices are plagued with under-employment and the board itself is dogged with hearings and legal challenges over ethical conflicts of interest. NECA’s Look Ahead: While historically the National Labor Relations Board has been a contentious and often politicized place, this hearing is expected to highlight the new level of dysfunction that now riddles the Board. NECA believes that lawmakers should continue to fully fund the NLRB and encourage their leadership to expedite the hiring of their regional offices. 3. Congress Passes Coronavirus Funding Bill On Wednesday, March 4, 2020, Congress passed a NECA-supported bill, H.R. 6074, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. NECA’s Look Ahead: This bill addresses the critical funding issues surrounding the U.S. response to the Coronavirus outbreak. The bill includes the following: $4 billion to make diagnostic tests more broadly available $2.2 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a robust response, including: $1 billion exclusively for state and local response efforts $300 million for CDC’s Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund $20 million to administer disaster assistance loans for small businesses impacted by the virus. $1.25 billion for the State Department and (USAID) $264 million to evacuate Americans and maintain consular operations overseas Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
io NECA Legislative Top Three 3/13/20: USDOL Preserves Gold Standard Construction Apprenticeships By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:26:07 Z 1. NECA Helps Secure Construction Industry Exemption in Final IRAP Rule On March 10, 2020, the Department of Labor released the final rule of the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAP) regulation. The final rule contains a permanent construction industry exemption, thereby protecting our industry from participation in IRAPs. NECA released a statement thanking the Administration for recognizing that the construction industry has longstanding expertise in the creation and execution of apprenticeships. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA strongly advocated for the construction industry’s exemption, with thousands of NECA contractors sending comments to the Department of Labor. By securing this exemption, the long-established, gold standard apprenticeship model that NECA Contractors utilize will remain intact and not be subjected to these parallel programs which will operate with less scrutiny and limited educational requirements. 2. The House Introduces Legislation to Address COVID-19 Outbreak Washington D.C., like the rest of the nation and world, is responding to the outbreak of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus). On the evening of March 11, President Trump addressed the nation live from the Oval Office. On Capitol Hill, negotiators continue to work to find a compromise between competing coronavirus response bills. NECA’s Look Ahead: In response to the crisis, the Senate plans to cancel a previously scheduled recess week. The House will gavel out today and will return to Washington D.C. on March 23, 2020 to finish the negotiations on a final response package. NECA CEO, David Long, released the following statement in response to the legislative and regulatory negotiations: “ NECA government affairs remains fully engaged with Members of Congress, the Department of Labor, and OSHA on how to best handle the COVID-19 outbreak with safety being a top concern for our contractors and their employees. We continue to monitor legislation coming out of Congress to address the economic impact of this outbreak and will inform our contractors on how to best work with the new regulations when they are finalized.” 3. NLRB Chairman Testifies Regarding Funding On March 11, 2020, the House Committee on Appropriations held a hearing on the National Labor Relations Board Budget Request for FY 2021. Testifying on behalf of the NLRB was the Honorable John Ring, Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB budget request and justification documents can be found here. NECA’s Look Ahead: The NLRB’s FY 2021 budget request funds their mission to protect the rights of employees, unions, and employers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). NECA believes that lawmakers should continue to fully fund the NLRB and encourage their leadership to expedite the hiring of their regional offices. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
io NECA Legislative Top Story 3/27/20: CARES Act Phase III Provisions Bring Benefits to NECA Contractors By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 27 Mar 2020 17:22:26 Z On March 26, 2020, the Senate passed “Phase III” of the Coronavirus Response Package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in a 96-0 vote. Full Article Advocacy Advocacy Issues
io NECA Legislative Top Three 4/10/20: NECA Secures Paycheck Protection Program Qualifications and Additional Funding By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 20:32:44 Z 1. Administration Calls for Additional Funding for PPP One of the most popular programs created in the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), has released over $70 billion to small businesses to help them remain viable during this pandemic. Due to the large demand, the Administration has requested additional funding for that program in a letter to Congressional leaders. NECA’s look Ahead: Senate Democrats requested an additional $250 billion for hospitals and local governments in addition to funding for the PPP while Republican leaders argued that funding for the PPP is the only account that requires additional immediate funding at this time. The Senate adjourned on April 9, 2020 unable to pass additional funding for the PPP under unanimous consent. 2. Treasury Guidance Clarifies Qualifications for PPP Borrowers With the passage of the CARES Act, many agencies have been scrambling to enact the reforms and programs developed in rapid time. One such program, the Paycheck Protection Program, which allows substantial loans to be granted under favorable terms by the Small Business Administration, came under scrutiny for potentially requiring businesses to meet both size and revenue requirements instead of just the size requirements (under 500 employees) originally required. While this scrutiny came from an over-cautious interpretation of an earlier guidance, the Treasury Department offered additional guidance to make it clear to borrowers that they may meet either the revenue standards listed under a given NAICS code or qualify by having less than 500 employees. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA worked with key leaders once the CARES Act was signed into law to attain greater clarity on this issue for our contractors. This new change will give NECA contractors the predictability they need to move forward with the new SBA loan program. We will continue to monitor the implementation of the CARES Act and continue to maintain in constant conversation with Congressional staff and agency officials to communicate the needs of our members. 3. DOD Releases Rule on Payment to Small Business Contractors Earlier this week the Department of Defense (DOD) released a final rule on the defining and implementation of accelerated payments to classified small businesses under DOD contracts. The rule (DFARS Case 2018–D068) which finalizes the implementation of a section from 2019’s National Defense Authorization Act urges the federal government to pay small business contractors within 15 days of the receipt of a proper invoice. While this is only a goal for the federal government and not a direct mandate, which NECA advocated for in the past, we view this final rule and its upcoming full implementation as a positive step forward. NECA’s Look Ahead: We encourage NECA contractors to read the final rule and monitor its implementation on DOD contracts. With your feedback and on-the-ground experiences, we will be better able to make lawmakers and agency officials aware of its progress. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
io NECA Legislative Top Three 4/17/20: Paycheck Protection Program Loan Funds Run Dry By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 21:06:45 Z 1. OSHA Issues Additional Guidance on COVID as Recordable Illness On April 10, 2020, OSHA released updated enforcement guidance for recording cases of COVID-19. The guidance clarifies that OSHA’s recordkeeping requirement for COVID-19 as a recordable illness applies to those in the healthcare industry and emergency response organizations. OSHA will not enforce its recordkeeping requirements to employers outside of these sectors. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA has been working with OSHA to make this clarification to ensure that NECA contractors are not responsible for recording COVID-19 on their OSHA 300 logs on the basis that it is impossible to prove COVID-19 was contracted on the jobsite. 2. GSA Issues Order Allowing Electronic Signatures for Bonding NECA Government Affairs has worked with allied groups in the construction industry to push the General Services Administration (GSA) to issue an order allowing bonding vendors and sureties to use electronic signatures instead of the typically required ‘wet’ signatures. By doing so, our contractors can receive bonding, necessary on a majority of jobs, sooner and with less unnecessary contact during these challenging times. We are pleased to announce that this reform was recently issued. While this strictly applies to only GSA contracts, NECA government affairs, along with others, is working to spread this reform to the entirety of the federal government. NECA’s Look Ahead: Our contractors commend the GSA for their prompt response and reasonable revision. NECA will continue to work with the GSA and other construction industry groups to push for responsible reform and the removing of barriers to our industry’s reinvigoration. 3. NECA Calls for Additional Funding for Paycheck Protection Program NECA and many of its Chapters joined over two hundred trade associations in sending a letter to Congress to urge emergency funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP has been very successful and widely utilized by the construction industry according to the Small Business Administration. The program ran out of funding on April 16, 2020. NECA’s Look Ahead: With both the House and the Senate officially out of session until May, it seems unlikely that Congress will be able to agree to and pass by unanimous consent, NECA remains committed to urging Congress to continue to fund this important program and return to Washington D.C. to start critical negotiations for Phase IV COVID-19 legislation. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
io NECA Legislative Top Three 5/8/20: NECA Makes Additional COVID-19 Advances By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 12:47:39 Z 1. PPP Safe Harbor Deadline Extended On May 5, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department extended the safe harbor date for those that applied for a PPP loan prior to April 24, 2020. The original date, May 7, 2020, has been pushed back to May 14, 2020. Borrowers will not need to apply for the extension and additional guidance on how the SBA will review the certification will be provided shortly. NECA released the following alert pertaining to the extension and forthcoming guidance. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA is pleased by this extension after sending a letter to the Treasury department last week. We continue to advocate for NECA contractors as we move forward during this time. 2. Bill Introduced to Make 501(c)(6) organizations Eligible for PPP Loans On May 5, 2020, Representatives Chris Papas (D-NH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Greg Steube (R-FL) introduced H.R.6697 – “Local Chamber, Tourism, and 501(c)(6) Protection Act of 2020”. This NECA supported legislation would expand the Paycheck Protection Program by allowing 501(c)(6) organizations, such as NECA Chapters, to access the Paycheck Protection Program to meet payroll and other necessary expenses during this crisis. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA will encourage the inclusion of this bill in any future COVID-19 relief package along with additional PPP reforms such as: Extending the PPP to more than eight weeks or allow companies to apply again after the first eight-week period ends. Increasing the qualified expenses covered under the Paycheck Protection Program to include nonpayroll expenses. 3. NECA Requests Infrastructure Support in Next COVID-19 Bill NECA joined 71 trade associations and labor unions in a coalition letter to President Trump to encourage continued support for infrastructure in the next Phase of COVID-19 legislation. NECA’s Look Ahead: NECA continues to advocate before the Administration and Congressional leaders for the inclusions of major infrastructure investment as a corner stone for the next phase of COVID-19 legislation, often referred to as Phase IV. Full Article Advocacy Issues Advocacy
io Microsoft Changes OneDrive Storage Plans, Removes Unlimited Option By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 3 Nov 2015 15:55:00 EST Microsoft is changing its OneDrive storage plan. The changes include the removal of the unlimited storage plan. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article microsoft
io Hooda Math Provides Educational Math Games By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 31 May 2018 11:52:00 EST Hooda Math is a provider of free educational math games.The games include Day Trader, Transformation Golf 2 and many more. It is free with ads or you can purchase a membership. Read more on howtoweb.com Full Article math games
io Fortnite surpasses 350 million registered players By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 16:24:00 -0400 The milestone comes as Epic doubles down on the social elements of Fortnite with additions like the combat-free Party Royale mode and last month's in-game Travis Scott concert. ... Full Article
io Riot wants to curb toxicity in Valorant without putting the burden on targeted players By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 17:15:00 -0400 Valorant executive producer Anna Donlon offers a refreshing take on how toxicity needs to be dealt with in online games, and explores why a perfect solution is so difficult to create. ... Full Article
io Building the AI of F.E.A.R. with goal oriented action planning By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 09:52:00 -0400 First Encounter Assault Recon proved a breakthrough moment for game AI. So let's revisit what made it so special and explore how it works in detail. ... Full Article
io Nintendo files lawsuit barrage to take down Super Mario 64 PC port By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 13:54:00 -0400 Nintendo is making sure that a fan-made Super Mario 64 PC port cannot in fact, be found in another castle ... Full Article
io Video: Behind the beautiful audio of PSVR game Paper Beast By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 18:10:00 -0400 In this 2020 GDC Virtual Talk, Pixel Reef's Clement Duquesne shares how they crafted the detailed systems that breathe aural life into Paper Beast's animated creatures and dynamic landscapes. ... Full Article
io GAAP Financial Reporting Considerations Related to the COVID-19 Crisis By anderscpa.com Published On :: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:00:38 +0000 There’s no doubt that businesses have been thrown into a “new normal”. For the past few weeks, business owners have worked to understand the aspects of the CARES Act, and the FFCRA, while trying to rework budgets, cash flow projections,… Read More The post GAAP Financial Reporting Considerations Related to the COVID-19 Crisis appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured covid going concern
io Anders CARES Act Team Answers Viewer Questions on KSDK By anderscpa.com Published On :: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 18:30:34 +0000 The Anders CARES Act Team, made up of Anders advisors across different departments of the firm, has teamed up with KSDK 5 on Your Side to answer questions from viewers about CARES Act benefits. From stimulus check updates to SBA… Read More The post Anders CARES Act Team Answers Viewer Questions on KSDK appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured covid
io New $484 Billion Stimulus Package Replenishes PPP and Offers Relief for Hospitals and Businesses By anderscpa.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:55:12 +0000 President Trump recently signed a new coronavirus relief bill into law that will help replenish the depleted Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), among other initiatives. Below are the details of the relief package. Details of the New Bill The new relief… Read More The post New $484 Billion Stimulus Package Replenishes PPP and Offers Relief for Hospitals and Businesses appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured covid
io Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculator By anderscpa.com Published On :: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 14:49:46 +0000 Tracking expenses is an important part of maximizing PPP loan forgiveness. Once you identify which expenses are eligible for PPP forgiveness, it’s time to start keeping track of these expenses and calculate your potential forgiveness amount. The Anders CARES Act… Read More The post Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Calculator appeared first on Anders CPAs. Full Article Anders COVID-19 Featured News covid
io Mid to Senior Worldbuilder - Unreal Engine: Airship Syndicate By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-04 We're currently working on an unannounced PC/console title (with an exciting pedigree), and need help bringing the game world to life. If you love building levels and bringing worlds to life for players, read on!Responsibilities Creating interesting, lived-in worlds with clever world building in Unreal Engine. Placing environment assets, VFX, lighting, and so on Establishing and maintaining technical requirements for environment assets and levels Working closely with designers to iterate on and finalize level layouts Utilization of 3DS Max or Maya, Photoshop, and other related tools to author environment assets Working with art leadership to review, critique and iterate on work Required Familiarity with the usual tools of the trade: modeling tools, game engines, source control, and so on. A keen willingness to adapt work as design iterates or evolves A do-whatever-it-takes mindset: flexibility to learn and grow to fill the needs of a small team Good understanding of how to create believable and visually memorable levels Good understanding optimization needs and other technical requirements regarding performance 5+ years of experience, demonstrating the above responsibilities in action Must be immediately eligible to work in the United States Pluses Titles shipped using Unreal Titles shipped across major platforms Affinity to learning new tools and techs Proficiency creating hand-painted textures Please note, due to a high volume of applicants we cannot reply to each individually. Only those in consideration for a position will receive a reply. Thank you! Full Article
io Senior Software Engineer - Gaming: Skydance By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-04 Skydance Interactive – developers of the hit game The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners –is looking for Senior Software Engineers with specialties in AI, graphics, and low-level systems to help develop our next generation of groundbreaking games. Duties include, but are not limited to: Direct development of major game systems and engine architecture Create efficient systems to deliver top tier experiences across a range of established and emerging platforms Research and implement new technologies to push the boundaries of what our engine can achieve Collaborate with the art and design teams to plan features and extend the overall vision of the game Advise and mentor other members of the engineering team Promote strong code discipline and engineering practice throughout the organization Work with other leads and producers to establish game related tasks and schedules Provide critical analysis of development practices with the goal of improving game quality, team efficiency, and cultivating a positive working environment Help drive the product to completion with the highest standards of quality, performance, and polish Requirements: BS/MS in Computer Science or related fields, or equivalent experience Mastery of C++11 Minimum of 5 years’ experience in AAA game development Previous leadership experience or demonstrated leadership potential Experience working with Unreal Engine 4 Shipped at least one PC/Console or VR game using UE4 Experience with code and data optimization Experience in the design and architecture of game systems Comfortable working within (and extending) an established code framework Full Article
io Senior Designer: Moon Studios By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-05 Moon Studios - award-winning creators of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps - are looking for Senior Game Designers. After redefining the Metroidvania genre with the Ori series, our next goal is to revolutionize the ARPG genre. Join our family, help us create some of the best games the industry has ever seen and work with some of the most talented individuals in the world! Please note that Moon Studios is a distributed development studio: Everyone at Moon works remotely and we accept job applications from participants all over the world! We're looking for: Individuals who can work autonomously - We don't count your hours, we won't babysit you. Your job is to enchant us with your raw talent and professionalism! Individuals who want to have a voice - Unhappy with the current state of the industry? Every person at Moon Studios has a voice and can help shape the games we're making. Individuals who believe in collaboration - We work together as a team, as a family, to challenge the status quo and raise the bar! Individuals who want to grow - Contrary to other AAA studios, our goal is to remain a comparatively small studio made of elite talent. We strive to only hire the absolute best talent in the industry and encourage them to further grow their skills with us. Tired of being the smartest gal or guy in the room? Join our community, inspire us, and be inspired! Since Moon Studios is a distributed game development studio, we work with talent from all around the world. To keep things personal and foster communication, we hold annual Team Retreats to touch base and figure out what challenges we want to tackle next. Drinks, dinners, flights, accommodations, and an overall swell time all included! We want you to be: A Designer by heart: While playing games, you just intuitively know how to improve upon the weaker aspects of a title. You indulge in analyzing things that don’t quite work and love to think about how this or that aspect could have been perfected. Experienced: You've worked in the industry before and know the ropes. You're looking for a no-bullshit studio to call home where you can voice your opinions and work with the best talent this industry has to offer! Passionate: You’ve played and studied RPGs your whole life and you still can’t get enough of them. You have a love for all things Diablo, Zelda, Dark Souls and other games in the genre. You’d love the opportunity to work on an RPG that dares to innovate and go far beyond what the genre has offered players thus far. Open to new challenges: We're constantly striving to raise the bar here at Moon Studios. We're not looking for specialists in one field or genre, we want you to be open to help wherever help is needed and be the well-rounded multi-talented creative genius you are. A cool dude / dudette: Life is too short to deal with Prima Donnas: You're cool, open-minded and always willing to learn new things. Simply send your Resume + Portfolio to jobs@moongamestudios.com Moon Studios is an independent video game development studio, founded in 2010 by Thomas Mahler (former Cinematic Artist at Blizzard Entertainment) and Gennadiy Korol (former Senior Graphics Engineer at Animation Lab). The company focuses on highly refined gameplay mechanics and prides itself on an excessive ‘iterative polish’ process. Moon Studios is a distributed development house: Our team members are spread throughout the world, allowing Moon to work with the best and most talented people in the games industry. In 2014, Moon announced it was working on Ori and the Blind Forest, which was released on March 11th, 2015 for Xbox One and PC via Steam, quickly followed up by the Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition a year later. Ori and the Blind Forest received overwhelmingly high praise, a fantastic debut for Moon Studios. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is slated to be released on March 11th, 2020. Moon Studios is simultaneously also working on a yet uannounced title. Full Article
io Senior Character TD: Moon Studios By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-05 Moon Studios - award-winning creators of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps - are looking for Senior Character TD's. After redefining the Metroidvania genre with the Ori series, our next goal is to revolutionize the ARPG genre. Join our family, help us create some of the best games the industry has ever seen and work with some of the most talented individuals in the world! Please note that Moon Studios is a distributed development studio: Everyone at Moon works remotely and we accept job applications from participants all over the world! We're looking for: Individuals who can work autonomously - We don't count your hours, we won't babysit you. Your job is to enchant us with your raw talent and professionalism! Individuals who want to have a voice - Unhappy with the current state of the industry? Every person at Moon Studios has a voice and can help shape the games we're making. Individuals who believe in collaboration - We work together as a team, as a family, to challenge the status quo and raise the bar! Individuals who want to grow - Contrary to other AAA studios, our goal is to remain a comparatively small studio made of elite talent. We strive to only hire the absolute best talent in the industry and encourage them to further grow their skills with us. Tired of being the smartest gal or guy in the room? Join our community, inspire us, and be inspired! Since Moon Studios is a distributed game development studio, we work with talent from all around the world. To keep things personal and foster communication, we hold annual Team Retreats to touch base and figure out what challenges we want to tackle next. Drinks, dinners, flights, accommodations, and an overall swell time all included! Reach out to us if you... Are a top notch Character TD who has production experience in creating character rigs and developing tools, pipelines, etc. Are extremely experienced with rigging in Maya and developing tools with Python. Have a solid understanding of animation principles and processes, know what animators need and can help create friendly and intuitive rigs and tools. Have at least a basic knowledge of game production, game engines and real-time limitations. Are knowledgeable in more than just rigging. We want as many multi-talented creative geniuses as possible in our studio! Simply send your Resume + Portfolio to jobs@moongamestudios.com Moon Studios is an independent video game development studio, founded in 2010 by Thomas Mahler (former Cinematic Artist at Blizzard Entertainment) and Gennadiy Korol (former Senior Graphics Engineer at Animation Lab). The company focuses on highly refined gameplay mechanics and prides itself on an excessive ‘iterative polish’ process. Moon Studios is a distributed development house: Our team members are spread throughout the world, allowing Moon to work with the best and most talented people in the games industry. In 2014, Moon announced it was working on Ori and the Blind Forest, which was released on March 11th, 2015 for Xbox One and PC via Steam, quickly followed up by the Ori and the Blind Forest Definitive Edition a year later. Ori and the Blind Forest received overwhelmingly high praise, a fantastic debut for Moon Studios. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is slated to be released on March 11th, 2020. Moon Studios is simultaneously also working on a yet uannounced title. Full Article
io Senior Combat Designer: Visual Concepts By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-05 Who We Are: At Visual Concepts, we believe great games are made by diverse and empowered teams with a shared passion for play. As one of the world’s top game development studios, we have shipped over 100 mullti-sku titles to critical acclaim and commercial success. Our teams are independent and entrepreneurial. Our studios in Agoura Hills, Novato, Orange County, Budapest, Shanghai, and Seoul are committed to artistry and technical innovation, offering top candidates the opportunity to learn and grow with some of the smartest and most creative minds in the industry. What We Need: Do you live and breathe combat design? Do you decode games into strikes, blocks, reversals, range, damage and combos the moment you pick up the controller? Do you love designing archetypes, inventing amazing signature moves and infusing combat with personality and spectacle? If so, we’d love to have you join us to help deliver amazing experiences for our players. Our Agoura Hills studio is looking for a Senior Combat Designer for the next iteration of the WWE 2K franchise. In this role, you’ll help define core combat philosophy as we translate the amazing spectacle of the WWE into the arsenal of moves our players will take into the ring. You’ll script movement trees, architecting advantage and vulnerability into range, combinations, setups, baits and throws. You’ll dream up signatures and spectacular finishers, differentiate archetypes, and balance a massive roster of Superstars to help deliver accessible, deep, spectacular combat. You’ll work in a creative environment with a diverse team of designers, artists and engineers, touching everything from combat to camera to the emotion and spectacle of one of the greatest shows on Earth. What You Will Do: Develop a combat vision integrating intuitive control, kinetic move sets, meaningful differentiation and strategic depth Work with design, animation and engineering teams to conceive, implement and polish character vs. character combat Play and reference both classics and contemporaries to build on what works while driving new innovations in combat design Design and implement systems for combat depth, strategy and spectacle Identify and document tools and systems that make creating character vs. character combat more efficient Who We Think Will Be A Great Fit: 4 or more years of game design experience, 2 or more in a combat designer role Experience implementing and tuning animation and timing windows for attacks, blocks, branching actions, hit reactions and other related combat actions Experience scripting combat in LUA or similar framework Experience conceiving and differentiating characters, developing signature moves, and balancing asymmetrical fighter types Experience working across disciplines, including animation, art, VFX, audio and engineering to produce a great result Outstanding written and verbal communication and collaboration skills Advanced Qualifications: Experience and love of combat driven by character stats and role-playing elements Experience designing and improving gameplay editing tools Direct experience and understanding of key distinctions of wrestling games Programming/technical experience Full Article
io Senior Game Engineer: Game Closure By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-05 Game Closure San Francisco, Mountain View, Tokyo, Remote - Full Time Game Closure is on the hunt for Senior Game Engineers to help us build the social games that will be tomorrow’s biggest hits on Facebook and other social media platforms. We are a growing team with offices in San Francisco and Mountain View, California, Tokyo, Japan and also some possibilities for remote work. If you want to join us to make great games on our cutting edge technology and truly make an impact, then we want to talk to you! Game Closure game engineers make polished, high-performance HTML5 mobile games. We want people who are proficient with JavaScript and who are passionate about making fun social games to be played by millions! As a Game Engineer at Game Closure, you will build games internally on top of our cutting-edge and open source devkit. In addition to building kickass instant games, you will play a pivotal role in creating a platform which will revolutionize the future of game development. It's always a bonus if you know more than JavaScript! We write cross-compilers, GPU shaders, NodeJS backends, JavaScript game APIs and tools, and whatever else it takes. You will work with the best engineers in the world; we have top talent in every part of our stack. The Role: Be responsible for designing, developing and deploying major game features Own game feature areas from end-to-end Be the champion for the user! Insist on the highest standards and create functional and engaging features that will delight our users Be part of a tight game development team looking to iterate fast on a fun concept and then building it out Have real input on end-user product Be a key member of a high performing software engineering team Collaborate with design, engineering and production teams to devise optimal engineering solutions to game requirements Hands on architect and coder for sophisticated client/server systems for mobile gaming Innovate and iterate on process, systems and technology to deliver world-class social games Be a leader; Identify and articulate technical and production risks and obstacles, as well as generate solutions! Desired Skills: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience. 3+ years of professional software engineering experience, working on cross functional teams. Proven effectiveness in directing or delivering production software for high quality games with at least one shipped game product of which you were a primary contributor (self published titles are acceptable). Capable of JavaScript + HTML5 to create custom, interactive, user experiences that are enjoyable on all HTML5 browsers. Proficient at using script debuggers like Chrome Debugger. Strong Computer Science fundamentals in object-oriented design, algorithms, and data structures. Advanced software engineering skills, including the ability to write maintainable and robust code in a p popular object oriented language. Solid familiarity with analytics and A/B testing in mobile games Familiarity with git, svn or other VCS. Self starter, analytical and creative Strong team player with a positive attitude. Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively on shared projects with designers, artists, testers, product managers and other developers. Check out Everwing on Facebook Instant Games in Messenger. Can you build this game? Understanding of the reactive UI paradigm and experience building UIs using reactive UI frameworks (such as React, and state management Utilities like Redux). Bonus: Canvas animation work 2+ years of game development experience with multiple shipped titles Specialized skills in a particular area of game development (for example: UI, Physics, graphics, multiplayer, game logic, etc.) Expert knowledge of TypeScript GC Perks: Medical, Dental, & Vision: Top quality insurance options with 100% of premiums covered Social Events: Weekly team dinners, quarterly team excursions, game nights, karaoke, and more Commuter Pass + Free Parking: Your commute and parking to the office is on us! PTO: Unlimited vacation policy Meals: Free daily lunches, well stocked kitchen, healthy snacks and drinks Pet-Friendly Office: Bring your pets to work to foster a friendlier and happier workplace Play our games! www.gameclosure.com Full Article
io Senior Systems Designer: Visual Concepts By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-07 Who We Are: Visual Concepts is one of the world’s top game development studios with a flat, entrepreneurial, and non-corporate work environment. We have a proven track record having shipped over 100 multi-SKU titles to great critical acclaim. Our studio in Foothill Ranch, CA is committed to gaming and technical innovation and offers top candidates the opportunity to learn and grow with some of the smartest and most creative minds in the industry. What We Need: We are seeking a Senior Systems Designer to join our development efforts on an exciting new game! Within this role, you’ll be focused on creating, maintaining, and balancing engaging gameplay systems. You’ll work with engineers, artists, and other designers to build innovative mechanics and economies that form the backbone of our new project. What You Will Do: Document, build, implement, bug-fix and “own” your ideas, overseeing them from concept through to final release Design, write, and prototype new systems and some of the meta-game such as player progression, character creation, game balance, economies, and other related systems Evangelize core gameplay features to the rest of the team and help develop best practices Collaborate with game and world designers, gameplay engineers, artists, and animators to implement, tune and balance gameplay systems Prototype and pitch your own design ideas to the team Analyze, validate, and incorporate feedback from the team, as well as from external user testing, as needed Who We Think Will Be A Great Fit: 5+ years’ experience within the video game industry Shipped at least 1 AAA game within a Game Designer role Experience in system design for console or online games, such as player progression and advancement, social mechanics, rewards, economy, or customization/in-game editors Experience with scripting (proprietary or third party) Strong understanding of development processes, workflows, and tools Experience working in-engine, either prototyping or implementing your ideas Comfortable with a development that is playtest-driven and focused on iteration and polish Ability to find new opportunities for improvements and additions within a game Ability to work in a team and collaborate with engineers, artists, and other designers Good communication and presentation skills Self-motivated and proactive What Will Help You Shine: Experience working with analytical data sets for balancing and fine-tuning Experience with Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) and working knowledge of UE4’s Blueprint system Experience with programming (C++, Python) Full Article
io Mid to Senior Programmer: Airship Syndicate By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-08 We're currently working on an unannounced PC/console title featuring a new and original IP, and need a veteran gameplay programmer to help bring it to life. If you've got the experience and enjoy working with a focused group of talented and passionate game devs, then we're the place for you. RESPONSIBILITIES: Gather requirements based on stakeholder input Provide reasonable time estimates, and communicate when adjustments are needed Collaborate iteratively with designers, artists and other team members to deliver polished gameplay Create internal tools as needed to improve and support workflow Deliver clean, efficient and well-documented code Fearlessly and relentlessly debug difficult problems REQUIREMENTS: Experience on at least one commercial game title At least 3-5 years commercial game development experience Solid knowledge and experience using C++ Motivated self-starter; complete tasks without intense supervision Good oral and written communication skills Proof of eligibility to work in the United States PLUSES: Experience working with Unreal 4 Experience working on a live-service game Multiplayer programming experience in Unreal 4 Latest generation console development experience Recent time travel SOME OF THE BENEFITS WE OFFER: Full health benefits including medical, dental and vision Profit sharing Generous PTO PLUS... Office movie lunches Snacks on snacks on snacks Ping Pong with a leaderboard One sick mame cabinet Please note, due to a high volume of applicants we cannot reply to each individually. Only those in consideration for a position will receive a reply. Thank you! Full Article
io Senior VFX Artist: Airship Syndicate By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-08 Airship is currently seeking a Senior VFX artist to help drive the creation and quality of VFX across the studio on multiple projects. If you have the experience and enjoy working with a focused group of talented and passionate game devs, then we're the place for you!Responsibilities Creation of stylized, hand-crafted 3D VFX for characters, action combat, and supernatural environments Implementation of, and technical setup of all work using Unreal and related tools Troubleshooting work and optimization of effects for performance on multiple platforms (PC and consoles) Collaboration with art leads to collect feedback and iterate on work Collaboration with other disciplines to ensure timelines and coverage across the game Self-regulation of time and resources to keep pace with project needs Oversight on outsource VFX resources, including direction, feedback, and integration Required Experience building 3D VFX in Unreal 5+ years of commercial game development experience At least one notable shipped title, demonstrating the ability to take a project to completion Proficiency with all tools necessary to create (from scratch) stylized, hand-painted 3D VFX assets Knowledge of modern 3D game engines and the tools required to implement VFX in-game, including the creation and use of shaders and/or scripting A demo reel that shows significant relevant work Pluses Shipped titles on PC and consoles Airship is located in sunny, thriving Austin, Texas. If you have experience making games and want to work on compelling, creative multi-platform titles, this might be the place for you.Some of the benefits we offer: Full health benefits including medical, dental and vision Profit sharing Generous PTO 401k plan Relocation packages Plus... Office movie lunches Snacks on snacks on snacks Work on a small team of experienced devs with a lively atmosphere Please note, due to a high volume of applicants we cannot reply to each individually. Only those in consideration for a position will receive a reply. Thank you! Full Article
io Environment Artist: Deep Silver Volition By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-08 Volition is looking for an experienced Environment Artist to help us build the world for the next Saints Row title! You will work with a tight, collaborative team of artists and designers to create environments that are both beautiful and fun to play in. You will be making major contributions to our world using our unique approach to world building with our proprietary world editor. Responsibilities: Create environments from initial rough layout to completed polished spaces Build urban, interior, and natural spaces using our in-house world editor Author game ready assets that work well within given technical limitations Collaborate closely with level designers to create spaces that adhere to gameplay requirements Focus on the "big picture." Understand when details matter, and when broad strokes are more important Qualifications: 3+ years of experience in game development creating environments Strong communication skills. Must be able to be a master collaborator Ability to work with a library of assets to build visually interesting, dynamic gameplay spaces Strong understanding of form, shape, structure, and silhouette in regards to scene composition A keen eye for developing a visual mood as it relates to storytelling Comfortable working within technical limitations such as vertex and object counts, materials (draw calls), streaming conditions, etc. Fluent knowledge of at least one major 3d package (3dsmax preferred) Experience building environments in a game engine (Unreal4, Unity) Well-versed in PBR workflow Pluses: Strong foundation in the traditional arts, including but not limited to figure drawing, environmental development and/or architectural illustration Familiarity with procedural content authoring tools (Substance Designer, World Machine, Houdini) Basic Level Design Knowledge Sample Work Required: Portfolio should demonstrate ability to build fully realized environments. Fully fleshed out spaces are more helpful than examples of individual assets To apply, please send your resume, portfolio/sample work, and a cover letter to jobs@dsvolition.com with “Environment Artist” in the subject line. At Deep Silver Volition we believe in fostering an open, collaborative and diverse environment, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We will consider all qualified applicants without attention to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, veteran status, or military status. Full Article
io Small Businesses Cut 6 Million Jobs from March to April By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 20:00:16 +0000 Franchises lost the fewest jobs, but overall the unemployment number was unprecedented. Full Article Small Business News
io When Employee Evaluations Become Subjective (CARTOON) By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 11:30:36 +0000 Are your employee reviews focused on improving your company and your team? Full Article Humor
io In the News: Small Business Protections in Place for New PPP Loans By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 18:00:36 +0000 Small businesses should have better access to PPP funding after new protections put in place by Treasury Sec. Steve Mnuchin. Full Article Small Business News
io Preparing for the third wave of innovation with intelligent automation By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Wed, 07 Aug 2019 09:00:00 EST Creating an intelligent digital workforce through automation Full Article
io Search, data, and presentation management: Untangling the web of enterprise PowerPoints By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Aug 2019 09:00:00 EST Presentation management puts a strategic workflow process around presentation files, such as: PowerPoint, video, images, PDFs, and any other file types you use in business Full Article
io Observations on KMWorld 2019 By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Thu, 21 Nov 2019 09:00:00 EST At?KMWorld 2019,?three themes emerged with much greater emphasis than in previous years Full Article
io Knowledge management predictions for 2020 By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Mon, 09 Dec 2019 09:00:00 EST As we approach a new year?and a new decade?executives from multiple industry sectors offer predictions on the intertwined areas of CX, information governance and compliance, and automation and AI Full Article
io Your new year's resolution: Get serious about your consumer data privacy strategy By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Thu, 02 Jan 2020 09:00:00 EST How an organization responds to CCPA and future-proofs itself against additional laws will dictate how well it will perform for years to come Full Article
io Why low-code solutions are critical to optimize digital transformation strategies By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Fri, 03 Jan 2020 12:00:00 EST One of the most impactful innovations in IT is the democratization of the application development process Full Article
io Up-leveling customer communications infrastructure?with RPA By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 02:10:00 EST With RPA, AI-powered robots observe humans using software and then learn to use the software themselves Full Article
io New Research: Businesses face a 'digital ceiling' in their transformation progress By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Mon, 02 Mar 2020 04:50:00 EST Companies have a difficult challenge breaking through to the most advanced levels of digital maturity Full Article
io David Weinberger's new book, Everyday Chaos, is honored with Axiom Award By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Mon, 09 Mar 2020 04:30:00 EST When you try to develop a machine learning application that affects people, you quickly learn that fairness is far more complex than we usually think, and also that fairness almost always requires us to make difficult trade-offs Full Article
io The 'Interaction of Things' is coming of age By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Wed, 08 Apr 2020 02:35:00 EST IoT devices are starting to impact the personal lives of consumers, but the part of the economy likely to be most affected in the 2020s will be the industrial sector Full Article
io Creating an intelligent automation toolkit By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Wed, 22 Apr 2020 02:00:00 EST When deployed separately, robotic process automation and digital process automation technologies add immense business value, but when they are strategically combined, an entirely new level of business optimization is possible Full Article
io Humble's Conquer COVID-19 bundle raises $6.5 million for pandemic relief By www.gamasutra.com Published On :: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 13:39:00 -0400 Humble's latest charitable bundle has ended its run, and raised over $6.5 million for COVID-19 relief efforts in the process. ... Full Article
io New collaboration targets medical research By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Wed, 30 Oct 2019 09:00:00 EST Analysis of a secure, cloud-based electronic health records dataset of more than 30,000 patients will help uncover hidden trends that will lead to new treatment strategies Full Article
io RCBC Bankard improves fraud detection with voice biometrics By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Fri, 06 Dec 2019 12:00:00 EST Faster authentication can reduce contact center costs, help eliminate the need for security questions, and contribute to an enhanced customer experience Full Article
io Alliance Bank improves CX with Ephesoft?s intelligent capture solution By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:00:00 EST Financial services organizations typically have high-volume, high-value documents, which can be manually intensive if processes are not automated Full Article
io Mapping and geospatial analytics software company future-proofs digital foundation By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Wed, 29 Jan 2020 09:00:00 EST With Adobe Experience Manager as a Cloud Service, Esri's development time has improved by 20%-50% Full Article
io U.S. Air Force selects Fluree?s data management platform to support global communications By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Mon, 02 Mar 2020 10:25:00 EST Fluree platform was selected to provide secure communications using an encrypted, distributed, blockchain-backed graph database shared between partners Full Article
io Active Navigation helps strengthen Equifax?s cybersecurity footprint By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Thu, 05 Mar 2020 09:00:00 EST Investments in new technologies help Equifax protect sensitive data? Full Article
io New York City Department of Transportation relies on Mindbreeze InSpire ? By www.kmworld.com Published On :: Thu, 26 Mar 2020 01:45:00 EST NYCDOT's objective is to deliver widely scattered but valuable information to the appropriate users and departments at the right time and in the right context Full Article