In this GDC 2011 talk, Valve’s Mike Ambinder explores how the company is making use of biofeedback (the measurement, display, analysis modification, manipulation, and response of psychological signals) to both explore new avenues of gameplay and improve in-house playtesting processes.

Using Valve’s own Portal 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and Alien Swarm as examples, Ambinder explains how the studio measured players’ skin conductance response, heart rate, and eye movements to design titles that effectively toy with player’s psychological limits.

It was an insightful talk that’s definitely still worth watching, so developers shouldn’t miss the opportunity to do so now that it’s freely available on the official GDC YouTube channel!

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its accompanying YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC or VRDC already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent company Informa

This holiday season, give the gift of thrills to your loved ones with Xbox One so they can join in on Holiday fun, or to jump into gaming yourself.  And to make that a bit easier on the wallet, for a limited time we’re offering our deepest discounts on Xbox One bundles.

Starting today, save $100 on any Xbox One bundle, including Xbox One X, the world’s most powerful console, and Xbox One S, the best value in gaming and entertainment this Holiday. And there’s no shortage of amazing bundles to choose from at a participating retailer near you.

Join the worldwide Fortnite phenomenon with $100 off the Xbox One S Fortnite Bundle and get ready to battle to be the last one standing. This bundle includes a full-game download of Fortnite Battle Royale plus the Eon cosmetic set download and 2,000 V-bucks. Fortnite Battle Royale is the 100-player PVP mode where you fight to the end. Build and destroy environments and join intense PVP combat on Xbox Live, the fastest, most reliable gaming network

Or enter mankind’s greatest conflict: World War II. Join the ranks with a full-game download of Battlefield V Deluxe Edition containing paratrooper apparel for your Company of soldiers, special assignments, and weekly Airlifts. Plus, enjoy an outstanding Battlefield experience with full-game downloads of Battlefield 1943, Battlefield 1 Revolution, and one-month of EA Access.

For those of you looking for the ultimate experience with true 4K gaming, smoother gameplay, and faster load times, save $100 on Xbox One X, the world’s most powerful console. Choose from the Xbox One X Fallout 76 bundle where you can experience the largest, most dynamic world ever created in the legendary Fallout universe; or join the ranks on the unique Xbox One X Gold Rush special edition console with full-game downloads of Battlefield V Deluxe Edition, Battlefield 1943, and Battlefield 1 Revolution, one month of EA Access, plus a matching wireless controller.

This Holiday during this limited time promotion is the best time to get into gaming or to give the thrills of gaming with Xbox One. Enjoy 100 games right out of the box with Xbox Game Pass, and access all your favorite entertainment through apps like YouTube, Netflix, and more. Watch 4K Blu-ray movies and stream 4K video on both Xbox One consoles and experience immersive true 4K gaming on Xbox One X—the world’s most powerful console. Whether you’re playing games, watching your favorite shows or streaming gameplay, Xbox One delivers brilliant graphics with HDR technology, premium audio, and the fastest, most reliable gaming network.  Visit Xbox.com to find the perfect console for you or a loved one!

One of the most requested features for Fortnite on Switch, ever since it came to the console earlier this summer, has been to include the missing Career tab. This menu screen, which is present in other editions of the game, tracks your stats, playtime, account level, and crucially those tasty Victory Royales, but Switch owners have been missing out on the bragging rights fun thanks to the tab being frustratingly absent.

Today brings both fantastic, and utterly confusing news, as the Career tab has finally arrived in the Switch version of the game. That’s right, if you boot up your game right now (after downloading the most recent update), you’ll see the Career option towards the right-hand side of the tabs at the top of your screen.

Unfortunately, though, the system doesn’t seem to be working. We’ve put countless hours into the game, yet our stats have 0% statistics across the board, and even jumping into games now that the feature is live doesn’t have any effect. We decided to try things out with a festive Battle Royale showdown just a few moments ago, securing a position in the top 25, but that big 0 just won’t budge.

Strangely, developer Epic Games hasn’t posted anything about the tab coming to the Switch version, with no communication being shared either online or via a press release. Could this be a mistake, with the feature not set to launch just yet? Or is it simply having a little bit of trouble in these early stages? We’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Have you been waiting for the Career tab to arrive in Fortnite on Switch? Are you hoping that it will work as intended as soon as possible? Share your thoughts with us below.

Anthony started Nintendo Life way back in late 2005 and has remained at the helm ever since. He loves Nintendo but sometimes gets confused and starts telling everyone that F-Zero X is the best F-Zero game. We’ve tried getting him help, but alas…

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Happy Holidays! And welcome to Pocket Tactics’ annual Boxing Day Guide, where I endeavor to point you to some of this year’s greatest games to pick up with the gift cards Santa left you. Games are sorted by iOS non-sale price (Android prices vary but usually not by much), and I have tried to include quality titles at a variety of prices. Enjoy, and happy gaming!

Hexologic (iOS Universal and Android) is a quick and clever puzzle game that offers loads of challenging and fun levels for fans of Sudoku and anybody that doesn’t mind a little simple addition. It’s just the right amount of tactical thinking for a relaxing experience, and I’d recommend it to puzzle fans of any kind.

Rogue Hearts (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) didn’t get a very good review here at Pocket Tactics, but despite having some issues, I don’t think it’s a bad game — certainly not for a buck. It’s a turn-based, tactically-oriented RPG with good character-power progression.

Minesweeper Genius (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) is a new take on one of the oldest digital video games. The graphics are attractive, and the gameplay, while familiar, is spiced up by special mechanics. Minesweeper Genius a lot of fun, a great nostalgia trip, and a delightful puzzle game in its own right.

Startup Grave (iOS Universal) is a solitaire card game played with a deck of 48 monster cards. There are good and bad monsters, and the goal is to keep them balanced until you can play through the entire deck. It’s simple, fun, and it works well to kill a few minutes here and there.

Meteorfall (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) is not just one of the top games of the year, but also one of the best roguelike deckbuilders ever. It’s well-designed, attractive, and a ton of fun to play. Best of all, its vertical orientation and swipe-to-choose gameplay make it easy to play one handed.

Sir Questionnaire (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) is a roguelike dungeon crawler that takes place in fast-paced turns, each of which presents you with two options: fight a monster or flee, search a room or move on to the next. As you delve deeper, you level up, improve your skills, get new gear, and become a bigger badass.

Holedown (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) is an arcade-style ball shooter from the developer of rymdkapsel. You are a space-miner that must dig deep into asteroids, moons, planets, and more to find valuable gems. You mine by firing balls that ricochet and chip away at rocks,  allowing you to delve deeper and deeper. As you earn gems, you can unlock upgrades like more balls or a larger cargo hold, allowing you to grab even more precious stones. It’s a well executed clever design,  and it is rather hard to put down.

Motorsport Manager Mobile 3 (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) is the year’s best simulation game, and arguably the best motorsports game on mobile, as well. I know absolutely nothing about racing cars, but was quickly and thoroughly engrossed in my role as the chief of a racing team. The depth of the game is great, as you really do manage every aspect of the sport.

Pocket City (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) is the closest you can come to SimCity on a mobile device. The visuals are attractive and its touch controls intuitive. Gameplay is more casual and laid back than challenging, but will feel right for those looking for a relaxing gaming experience.

Teen Titans Go! Figure (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) is the sequel to one of 2016’s best games, and one of the most successful premium games on the App Store, Teeny Titans Go. It keeps what’s great about the original—you run around Jump City collecting figures, completing quests, and taking on opponents in real-time figurine battles—but adds a new main story line, side quests, city layout, new figures and powers, and new tofu battle effects. If you enjoyed the original or like real-time battlers in general definitely pick this one up.

Antihero (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) lets you build your own criminal empire in the seedy underbelly of a city meant to evoke Victorian London. It’s a turn-based game featuring a single-player campaign and online matches against other criminal masterminds, and it’s all about making your move for power through thievery, bribery, and outright assassination.

Card Quest (Android and iOS Universal, REVIEW) is graphically unpolished with some poor user-interface choices, and it’s easy to look at screenshots and dismiss it immediately — which would be a mistake. The game is indisputably a five-star title thanks to its remarkable game design,  which rewards smart tactical thinking and creates impressive depth.

Fidel Dungeon Rescue (iOS Universal) is a clever pick-your-path puzzle/dungeon crawler featuring Fidel, a puppy protagonist. You must guide Fidel through grid-based levels, defeating monsters, grabbing gold, and ultimately getting to the exit intact.

Grimvalor (iOS Universal, REVIEW) is an action-RPG-platformer inspired by Dark Souls, set in a gloomy fantasy world. It features fast-paced combat with plenty of jumping, dodging, rolling, and exploitation of your enemies attack patterns. It also includes plenty of dying, at least for me. It’s a fun game, looks great, and the controls are rock solid — if you’re good at these skill-intensive action-RPGs, you should definitely pick this one up.

Stardew Valley (iOS Universal, REVIEW) is a farming-simulation game where you step into the shoes of a disgruntled office worker who leaves their job in favor of restoring their deceased grandfather’s farm. There’s a ton to do, both on the farm and in terms of the town’s social scene, and the game is a big sandbox where you really can do whatever you desire.

Barbearian (iOS Universal, REVIEW) is a frenetic hack-and-slash fest against overwhelming hordes of foes. It’s about as real-time as it gets without requiring ninja-like reflexes to succeed, and it offers highly customizable controls and difficulty settings.

Chaos Reborn: Adventures (iOS Universal and Android, REVIEW) is a tactical turn-based combat game from the creator of the original X-COM that plays a lot like CCG games Duelyst and Faeria, but in a premium pay-once-and-play-forever package. Combat is turn-based, tactical, and fun, and the game features a single-player campaign mode as well as online duels against another real-life human where you can choose live or asynchronous action.

One Deck Dungeon (iPad  and Android, REVIEW) is my favorite tabletop-to-digital conversion of the year. Handelabra did a fantastic job capturing both the crunch and flavor of the game, and about the only thing better about the tabletop version is the tactile feel of rolling a handful of dice. One Deck Dungeon is ideal for fans of single-player games full of strategic depth and replay value.

Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind (iOS Universal, REVIEW) is the spiritual successor to King of Dragon Pass, an iOS classic, and features the same mix of RPG, tribal management, turn-based tactics, and interactive fiction. There’s plenty of mythology, top-notch artwork, and meaningful choices.