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Ben Taels

@bentaels.bsky.social

1.2K followers 2.1K following 2.2K posts

Kiwi, Dad, Human Factors Psychology PhD, & Games User Experience Research. Formerly Epic Games, Player Research, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Te Manatū Waka, & Hamilton Zoo.

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Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · Jan 3

Some talks that I have given:

Reward in games (without the dopamine neurotrash): youtu.be/xkg9ocYDLr8?...

Human Error and game design: youtu.be/JyuR2fKvQ20?...

What road safety can teach us about reducing toxicity in games: youtu.be/WMYoCuZ3Fa8?...

Throwing Out the Dopamine Shots: Reward Psychology Without the Neurotrash

YouTube video by GDC 2025

youtu.be

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Reposted by Ben Taels

the Juice Media @thejuicemedia.com · 5h

The Government of New Zealand has made a new tourism ad and it's surprsingly honest and informative!

Honest Government Ad | Visit New Zealand!

YouTube video by thejuicemedia

www.youtube.com

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Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 9h

It has its ups and downs

Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 10h

Also, and this is important, I actually fucking like doing research and learning things!

Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 10h

I know we are supposed to be dunking on this bad AI take with stories of how we did things last minute, but when I was in school I did things like plan ahead & get work done early so I wouldn't have to stress & would have more time for other things

Nerd I know. But also, GenAI could fucking never.

Dane 🔜 NYCC AA L-34 @monkeyminion.com · 1d

I wrote a 15 page report on heraldic symbolism in medieval armor and weapon design for my art history class the night before it was due (8am class). Made up 90% of it (only found one book for reference) and got an A. GenAI could fucking never.

wrote 20 pages on Faulkner's The Bear four hours before final papers were due on trucker pills and coffee and cigarettes and got an A, fuck you.
You people couldn't hang with real slackers.
finn
wokeupchic • 4d
It's fuck Al till your homework due in 25 minutes

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Reposted by Ben Taels

NZ Game Developers Association @nzgda.bsky.social · 11h

Oh yes they are! Just in time for the weekend - presentations from NZGDC 2025 are now available on the NZGDA YouTube channel. If you were looking for a reason to stay in your pj's for a day - here it is! Enjoy!

NZGDC 2025

Panels and presentations from the 2025 New Zealand Game Developers Conference (25 - 27 September 2025, Wellington, NZ)

www.youtube.com

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Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 12h

At NZGDC25 I was lucky enough to be on a panel about the value of data and research in games with Emma Procter & Laura White (hosted by Jiet Chong)

We talked about how Data Analytics, Market Research, & UX Research can be used to deliver actionable insights

www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0AU...

Panel: From Wild Guesses to Winning Games | Emma Procter | NZGDC 2025

YouTube video by NZGDA

www.youtube.com

Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 12h

From Wild Guesses to Winning Games: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0AU...

Biometrics: Beyond the Hype: gdcvault.com/play/1020847...

UX Testing in VR: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW--...

Panel: From Wild Guesses to Winning Games | Emma Procter | NZGDC 2025

YouTube video by NZGDA

www.youtube.com

Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 13h

PAX Australia starts today! (@paxaus.bsky.social)

If you are there don't forget to check out these sweet as @nz-code.nz supported kiwi games! (and even if you aren't there check them out online anyway)

www.nz-code.nz/post/18-nz-m...

18 of NZ's Best New Indie Games Coming to PAX AUS

For the fourth year running, CODE brings together some of Aotearoa New Zealand's latest indie games to showcase at PAX Australia 2025.

www.nz-code.nz

Reposted by Ben Taels

The Spinoff @thespinoff.bsky.social · 17h

Nation upset at the inevitable result of its own actions

Step one: push people out of work and onto the streets. Step two: get mad at people being out of work or on the streets...

thespinoff.co.nz

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Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 16h

The image above is from QuestionPro, but a range of survey software has Max Diff as an option with Sawtooth Software generally considered to be the most powerful Max Diff survey software

One example of Max Diff in gaming is the Fortnite Cosmetic survey; fortnite.fandom.com/wiki/Cosmeti...

Cosmetic Surveys

Every few months, Epic Games will send a survey to the players, featuring concept art for possible future cosmetic items. They can take weeks, months, or even years to be added. On each page you will ...

fortnite.fandom.com

Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 16h

A friend sent me this today & if you run surveys where you want to know players preferences for a range of options I encourage you to look into Max Diff methodology!

It really is a super powered method compared to rating scales or ranking & can be used with a relatively large number of items!

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Reposted by Ben Taels

Chloé Stawski (Spooky Edition 🎃🦇) @chlowski.bsky.social · Oct 17

o̶n̶e̶ ̶f̶l̶e̶s̶h̶,̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶e̶n̶d̶

colored piece, fanart of Harrow from Harrow the Ninth
she's floating into the black space, holding a giant sword close to her chest, frowning in anger and sadness, tear rolling down her face painted as a skull
she's surrounded by many skulls with "IX" on their forehead, and ribcages, and bones

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Reposted by Ben Taels

Chris 🎃 DevPods.gg gamedev community @chrisdeleon.bsky.social · 1d

Portland protestor frog costume: What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge pepper balls?

Morpheus from Matrix movie: No, Frog. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to.

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Reposted by Ben Taels

Queen Olivia III @queenoliviaiii.com · 1d

Wellington. please vote, the city needs you.
According to "Inner-City Wellington" it looks like only around 1 in 5 people have voted! I know you voted, but have you checked on your friends? Link to voting drop box locations.
Maybe a cheeky re-post too.

wellington.govt.nz/your-council...

Places to drop off your vote

Locations for orange voting bins and post boxes in Wellington.

wellington.govt.nz

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Reposted by Ben Taels

Noodle Cat Games - Wishlist Cloudheim! 🌥️ @noodlecatgames.com · 1d

📢 Cloudheim's Next Fest Demo is NOW AVAILABLE! 📢

Now's the time to jump in and start your adventure. Let us know if you're playing solo or with friends!

Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/4017410/...
Epic Games: store.epicgames.com/p/cloudheim-...

Cloudheim Demo on Steam

Ragnarok shattered the world, the gods have chosen you to shape the next one. Cloudheim is a 1-4 player action adventure that blends crafting with chaotic physics-based combat. Awaken forgotten deitie...

store.steampowered.com

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Reposted by Ben Taels

René Otto @aceottorney.bsky.social · 2d

Proud to announce Deviant Legal’s Game Developer’s Guide to Publishing Agreements: a free resource for developers wanting to learn about publishing deals. Publicly accessible, without requiring to provide your data: deviantlegal.com/guide/game-d...

An image about the game developer's guide to publishing agreements feauturing otto the otter

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Reposted by Ben Taels

AHHH! real meghan!! 나영지 🇵🇸 @ruemcclammyhand.bsky.social · 1d

cowards!!!

Stephen Totilo @stephentotilo.bsky.social · 1d

SCOOP: Last year, Ubisoft cancelled an Assassin's Creed game set during Reconstruction. Was to feature a Black Assassin who, among other things, fought the rise of the Klan

Sources: Leadership nixed it over concerns re: U.S. political climate, backlash to Yasuke

www.gamefile.news/p/scoop-ubis...

Scoop: Ubisoft cancelled a post-Civil War Assassin’s Creed last year

Company leadership deemed the project too controversial for the moment, sources tell Game File

www.gamefile.news

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Ben Taels @bentaels.bsky.social · 1d

If you are sharing password secured files with folks (such as a UX Report or videos from a test) there are websites online that can be used to generate messages that expire when read

This is not only a nice secure way to share, but also you get to feel like you are in Mission Impossible

Reposted by Ben Taels

Stephanie... In New Zealand @bootstheory.bsky.social · 2d

This has been the vicious fucking thing about the "Jobseeker Benefit" ever since Paula Bennett coined it in 2013

In addition to keeping people in poverty it's been a term of propaganda forcing us all to accept the frame of welfare as economic obligation instead of social support

Russell Brown @publicaddress.bsky.social · 2d

Fucksake. It's quite clear now that they only looked at this benefit policy as political marketing and took no advice on who it would impact – which includes young people with serious health issues and disabilities. Just feckless and cynical. Shame on them. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Hundreds of teens with a health condition, disability may be cut from Jobseeker benefit

The government is ending Jobseeker payments to 18- and 19 year olds whose parents earn more than $65,000.

www.rnz.co.nz

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