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NSoft story: Passion and motivation behind Virtual Penalty Shootout

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Virtual Penalty Shootout celebrated its first birthday. Officially, the game was released on September 30, 2020, and instantly captured the attention of both – operators and players.

The expert community has also recognized the uniqueness and the beauty of the game by shortlisting it for the Global Gaming Award 2021 in the category Product Launch of the Year. Recently NSoft received seven nominations for the SBC Awards Latinoamerica 2021. Among others, we are shortlisted in the category Virtual Sports Supplier. The application for this award has leaned heavily on the Virtual Penalty Shootout game.

To celebrate all those milestones, we decided to tell a different story about Virtual Penalty Shootout game. We will not talk about the RNG, betting markets, how-to-play but let people who created the game say a word or two about passion, excitement and dedication.

By Amela Dedić and Biljana Haljevac, Senior 3D Artists/Animators

The team

Great teams and great ideas are all about people and the working atmosphere. We at NSoft’s former 3D Games Team, now 3D Creative Team were lucky to found each and we just can’t start this story without saying thank-you to former and current team members: Jasmin Ličina – Senior 3D artist/Team lead, Dragan Grbavac – Senior 3D artist, Dejan Boras – Senior Unity dev, Zlatko Vukšić – Senior Unity dev, Adnan Mujkić – Unity Dev, Dragan Rezo – Senior 3D Artist, Stojan Cvitković – Senior 3D Artist, Toni Matej Radoš – Senior 3D Artist. In this story, “we” are Biljana Haljevac –  Senior 3D Animator and Amela Dedić – Senior 3D Animator. We are the one who will take you behind the scene of  Virtual Penalty Shootout. 

Our Team’s job is to develop Virtual betting games such as Virtual greyhound and horse races, Motorcycle Speedway, etc.

New Project – Virtual Penalty Shootout

The virtual penalty shootout was the most challenging project we’ve worked on. It allowed us to learn and try new things such as Motion capture. Our first job was to figure out the best way for our small team to make such a big virtual game. The biggest challenge was the animation process. We needed a large number of highly realistic animations, and the best solution for that problem was a Motion Capture system. Our choice was a company from Sweden named Rokoko and their WiFi motion capture suit – The Smartsuit Pro.

After we placed our order for the suit, the waiting time was used to go “back to school” and research making of other elements of the game such as character and venue design and creation, MoCap animation recording and cleanup, new software, and game rules. Our best friends were Pluralsight and LinkedIn Learning.

The Arrival- Smartsuit Pro is in the town 

The arrival of the Smartsuit Pro was the most joyful occasion. Also, the day when our colleague Toni officially became the resident MoCap test talent.

Since our open office was not suited for a proper MoCap test, our first pick was local park. Awesome place, beautiful weather, but just one problem: electricity was really hard to find. A better-suited place was found for proper test and future motion capture sessions. The Local Futsal field had everything we needed.

MoCap Time! 

Following initial tests, we felt confident enough to start official motion capture sessions. The first step was planning and creating MoCap sheets for each motion capture session.

Our motion capture crew was small but efficient: Toni Matej Radoš – Test talent & Talent Manager, Biljana Haljevac – Reference Cameras and Amela Dedić – Rokoko Studio, MoCap Sheet. And our Talents, real-life football players,  who without this would not be possible: Fedja Kulenić (goalkeeper) and Ivan Arapović (player).

Since we have only one suit, Goalkeeper and Player animations were recorded separately. Because of that, we had to be very careful during the planning process so the respective animations could match. We were a bit worried about the Goalkeeper’s recording sessions, taking into consideration the nature of football goalkeeping movements. To make everything easier we relocated Goalkeeper’s MoCap sessions to the local Judo club with a soft tatami mat surface.  We had 3 recording sessions and each was 3 hours long. That gave us 137 raw animations. We were aware that not every MoCap take will be successful or 100% accurate, we made sure that every take was also recorded with our reference cameras.

Animation Cleanup

The entire process of cleanup was done in Maya and Motionbuilder using the HumanIK system. Most of the work was root motion corrections, foot slides, and arms fixes. The final part of the cleanup was merging the animations of Player and Goalkeeper into one take and making sure that the timing fits perfectly for each take.

The ball movement was a mix of keyframed animation and Unity physics.

Visuals & Final Render

Cleanup done. Next: Dressing up. The entire time of animation cleanup our player and goalkeeper rigs were dressed in nothing but their birthday suit. That caused a lot of funny looks from our other coworkers. But fear not! Our 3D artist Dragan Rezo was on the task of dressing them up for their final render.

Visuals & Final Render

Cleanup done. Next: Dressing up. The entire time of animation cleanup our player and goalkeeper rigs were dressed in nothing but their birthday suit. That caused a lot of funny looks from our other coworkers. But fear not! Our 3D artist Dragan Rezo was on the task of dressing them up for their final render.

Every visual element of the game can be easily changed. Character appearance, jerseys, crowd, banners. All this can be altered according to the client’s requirements. We had a test client request just to see how much time would be needed for all the changes and rendering.

  • Lions on background video banners
  • Goalkeeper jersey with leopard pattern and panther head as front logo
  • Penalty taker with a red jersey and white sun on blue background (Taiwanese flag) as a front logo. Number 88 on the back and name “Tigers” above it
  • Additional but not requested, all resolve screens translated to mandarin

Final words

Almost nobody was injured during the making of the game. Our Goalkeeper had some bruises from the suit’s sensors, and we almost had a heart attack when our suit had a minor malfunction.

All jokes aside, our small team is very proud to have managed to complete such a large project, learn a bunch of new things in the process, and use Motion capture technology. It was an awesome experience from start to finish.

In the end, we would like you to take a look at our little video presentation of the Motion capture animation process.

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WSOP Online Returns to GGPoker This August with 33 Gold Bracelets and $5,000,000 in Special Promotions!

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Play for millions in prizes from August 17 through September 30

GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated return of WSOP Online this August, bringing the thrill and prestige of the World Series of Poker® directly to players’ screens. The six-week festival will run from August 17 to September 30, featuring 33 official WSOP Gold Bracelet events, tens of millions in guaranteed prizes, and a gigantic $5,000,000 in special promotions designed to reward players across the globe.

This year’s WSOP Online series on GGPoker promises an exhilarating journey for players of all skill levels, offering a direct path to poker immortality and a share of millions in guaranteed prize money. The schedule is packed with can’t-miss events, including:

  • August 25: $215 Mystery Millions – Featuring a staggering $1,000,000 top bounty and a $10,000,000 guaranteed prize pool

  • September 8: $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER – With an impressive $1,000,000 guaranteed for first place and a total $5,000,000 guaranteed prize pool

  • September 22: $5,000 WSOP Online MAIN EVENT – The flagship tournament boasting a colossal $25,000,000 guaranteed prize pool

  • September 29: $10,300 GGMillion$ High Rollers – A premier event for high-stakes players with a $10,000,000 guarantee

Adding to the excitement, WSOP Online 2025 will include a suite of innovative promotions offering even more ways to win:

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  • $1,000,000 Super Pass Bonus: Each of the 33 Bracelet winners will receive a coveted $30,000 Super Pass, granting them direct access to the record-breaking WSOP Paradise $60M Super Main Event in the Bahamas this December

  • $1,000,000 Ranking Freeroll: The top 10 countries in the Bracelet Rankings will unlock 10 exclusive freeroll tournaments for their players, with prize pools scaled according to each country’s final rank, adding another layer of national pride to the competition

“WSOP Online is about to deliver another incredible experience,” said Daniel Negreanu, GGPoker Global Ambassador. “With 33 gold bracelets up for grabs, huge prizes, plus millions in special bonuses like the Continental Flipouts and Super Passes to WSOP Paradise, this series is a must-play for any poker enthusiast. It’s a truly global celebration of the game, and I can’t wait to see who takes home the gold!”

The wider poker community can follow the WSOP Online action live at GGPoker.tv, with the final table of the $5K Main Event broadcast on September 23 at 18:45 UTC (hosted by Jeff Gross & special guest) and the final table of the $10K GGMillion$ High Rollers broadcast on September 30 at 18:45 UTC (hosted by Jeff Gross & Daniel Negreanu).

Players can qualify for each monumental WSOP Online event through satellites running around the clock on GGPoker, making the dream of winning a WSOP Gold Bracelet more attainable than ever. New players to GGPoker are also eligible to claim the Welcome Bonus, earn rewards with the Honeymoon for Newcomers promotion, and automatically join the Fish Buffet loyalty program, offering regular cash prizes.

The post WSOP Online Returns to GGPoker This August with 33 Gold Bracelets and $5,000,000 in Special Promotions! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Week 32/2025 slot games releases

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Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming

Spinomenal has released 4 Horsemen III: Inferno to complement the wildly popular Mythology series. 4 Horsemen III: Inferno invites players into an apocalyptic hellscape where the reels are engulfed by a scorched wasteland under burning skies. A relentlessly surging and dark soundtrack creates an atmosphere thick with tension. The Horsemen return, Conquest, War, Famine, and Death, each carrying their own Free Spins feature, which is triggered with three or more full-sized Scattered Free Spins symbols.

Spinomenal presents 4 Horsemen III: Inferno

Following the success of Money Coming and Money Coming – Expanded Bets, leading content provider TaDa Gaming has released Money Coming 2. A straightforward 3×1 grid with a bonus reel for Multipliers and a single payline means Money Coming 2 is all about the numbers. With no symbols, just numbers or blank positions on the first three reels, when the numbers land they are added sequentially to make the payout.

Relax Gaming, the award-winning iGaming aggregator and supplier of unique content, has launched Conquer Babylon, a bold release inspired by the ancient wonders of Mesopotamia. Set amidst the towering structures of Babylon, the high-volatility 6×8 slot offers up to 262,144 ways to win, combining immersive visuals with powerful bonus features and a maximum win of 15,000 times the stake.

Relax Gaming uncovers the riches of Ancient Babylonia in Conquer Babylon

Get your mops out, this ship is one big floating mess! Only the dirtiest of sailors can sail the seven seas aboard Nolimit City’s latest release, Seamen. If you’re 6ft tall, love the open sea and have a taste for working with seamen, then join the White Pearl today! This ship is used to carrying some big loads.

Nolimit City gets its hands dirty in its latest release, Seamen

Gaming Corps – a publicly-listed game development company based in Sweden, has unveiled its latest instant win title: Bass Rewards. Packed with colourful fish and serious prize potential, the game takes players on the fishing trip of a lifetime. In Bass Rewards, every catch counts – inviting players to bait their hook and fish for fortune across a grid swimming with characterful catch.

Amusnet has released its latest video slot game, Tiki Tiki Boo Boo. With a colourful theme and invigorating soundtrack, Tiki Tiki Boo Boo is the perfect summer adventure, complemented by a bunch of special features to guarantee an unforgettable experience. The video slot’s toppling reels mechanics and its 243 ways to pay make the game a fun alternative to slots with standard paylines.

Blueprint Gaming™ has strengthened its long-term partnership with globally renowned operator bet365 through the exclusive release of bet365 Kong 3 Even Bigger Bonus. The 6×4, 4,096-way to win slot provides an intriguing update to the beloved Kong series, with revamped cash harvests and a new-look bonus trail.

Blueprint Gaming bolsters tailored slot rollout with exclusive bet365 launch

Spinomenal has launched its mythology-themed Majestic Zeus slot. Set at the foothills of Mount Olympus, Majestic Zeus welcomes players to a Grecian world where the rewards are potentially as large as the mountains themselves. The 5×3 frame is nestled between two towering columns adorned with Grecian goddesses. A thunderous, powerful musical score evokes the might of Zeus and heightens the entertainment.

Spinomenal launches mythology-themed Majestic Zeus

Just Slots has announced the launch of its latest title, ‘Unholy Mystery’. Building on strong momentum, this marks Just Slots’ fifth release since the breakout success of their debut game, Sugar Heaven. Following the ominous world of their last release, Book of Arcane 100, Unholy Mystery gives the theme a playful twist by blending dark undertones with a party-like atmosphere and a bold visual style that feels like a monster birthday jamboree.

Just Slots Brings the Party with New Game Launch, ‘Unholy Mystery’

TaDa Gaming has released Fortune Gems 500, a thrilling 3+1 reel video slot that dazzles with elegant visuals and dynamic rewards. Its core innovation lies in the special fourth reel, which randomly displays multiplier values up to 500x or a powerful Ex NUDGE symbol.

Playson welcomes the return of its lucky leprechaun in the charming new release, 4 Pots Riches: Hold and Winwith the mischievous figure on hand to elevate wins with a host of enriched features. The highlight is the Super Pot Bonus Game, which is triggered by the Super Clover Bonus Symbol.

Playson casts its lucky charm in 4 Pots Riches: Hold and Win

BGaming puts a fresh spin on the popular fishing genre with the launch of Big Tuna Bonanza. This charming adventure pulls inspiration from some of the most popular titles in the category, inviting players to cast their lines and reel in big wins. Big Tuna Bonanza is bigger and bolder than the fishing games that have come before it.

Reel in Big Wins with BGaming's Big Tuna Bonanza

Play’n GO revives one of its earliest icons with Lady of Fortune Destiny Spins. The Lady steps back into the spotlight with a refreshed presence, ushering in a wave of unpredictability that rewards attention and patience in equal measure. With a glowing crystal ball at her side, the Lady of Fortune transforms missed chances into charged potential.

Lady of Fortune Destiny Spins returns with mystical upgrades

 

The post Week 32/2025 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

GeoLocs and Shufti Join Forces to Streamline Player Onboarding and Compliance

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GeoLocs, the specialist geolocation platform for the iGaming, Sports Betting and iLottery industries, has partnered with identity verification provider Shufti to deliver a seamless and secure user experience for both operators and players in regulated markets worldwide.

The integration of GeoLocs’ precise geolocation technology with Shufti’s robust identity verification solutions allows operators to onboard players faster while maintaining full compliance with local regulations. The partnership reduces friction in the registration and verification process, enabling a smoother journey from sign-up to gameplay.

Will Whitehead, Commercial Director at GeoLocs, commented: “We’re excited to be working with Shufti to bring a more seamless, secure experience to clients and players alike. Both of our technologies have been built with compliance and UX at their core, and this partnership allows us to combine strengths—making onboarding and verification faster, smoother, and more robust for operators in regulated markets.”

With regulatory frameworks tightening in both emerging and established jurisdictions, the collaboration ensures that operators have access to integrated tools that deliver high standards of security, compliance, and user experience.

Roger Redfearn-Tyrzyk, SVP of Sales at Shufti, added: “We’re proud to be teaming up with GeoLocs to support operators in delivering frictionless onboarding and a high level of regulatory compliance. Our joint capabilities mean operators can verify users quickly and accurately while GeoLocs ensures they are playing from permitted locations—creating an end-to-end experience that puts both security and user satisfaction first.”

This partnership underscores both companies’ commitment to innovation and player-centric technology in the fast-evolving iGaming space.

The post GeoLocs and Shufti Join Forces to Streamline Player Onboarding and Compliance appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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