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NSoft story: Passion and motivation behind Virtual Penalty Shootout
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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Basketball Federation of Ukraine
GGBET UA and FBU Host “Media Slam”: A Landmark Open Media Event for Ukrainian Basketball
In a historic move for Ukrainian sports, the Basketball Federation of Ukraine (FBU) and title sponsor GGBET UA recently hosted Media Slam in Kyiv. This inaugural open media event served as a high-level forum to analyze the regular season results of the GGBET SuperLeague and the recent performances of Ukraine’s men’s and women’s national teams.
Since becoming the league’s title sponsor in January 2026, GGBET UA has prioritized transparency and engagement. The event highlighted a significant milestone: the return of fans to stadiums despite the ongoing challenges of martial law, signaling a resilient recovery for the domestic game.
Highlights and Recognition
The “Media Slam” wasn’t just about statistics; it was a celebration of the sport’s current momentum:
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MVP Honors: The regular season’s top five players were officially recognized for their outstanding contributions.
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Kyiv-Basket Victory: The Ukrainian Cup winners received a formal check in honor of their championship win.
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Market Discussion: Stakeholders engaged in a candid dialogue regarding the increasing competitiveness of the league.
Sergii Mishchenko, CEO of GGBET UA, commented:
“We didn’t get involved in Ukrainian basketball just to have our logo on a banner. This is a systematic approach. We see the increasing interest in basketball and want to be a part of that growth. The tougher the competition, the stronger Ukrainian basketball becomes.”
A Strategic Expansion
Basketball marks a major pillar in GGBET UA’s diversifying sports portfolio. Following high-profile partnerships with FC Dynamo Kyiv, FC Polissya Zhytomyr, and the Usyk vs. Dubois 2 rematch, the brand is now cementing its status as a cornerstone of the Ukrainian basketball ecosystem.
The post GGBET UA and FBU Host “Media Slam”: A Landmark Open Media Event for Ukrainian Basketball appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BiS Awards 2026
EGT and EGT Digital have been honored with the Best VLT Solution prize at the BiS Awards 2026
EGT, in collaboration with EGT Digital, has been distinguished for their joint video lottery product for Brazil at the prestigious BiS Awards 2026, highlighting excellence in the country’s rapidly growing gaming and betting industry. The companies took the accolade in the Best VLT Solution category at an official ceremony held on April 7 in Sao Paulo as part of the BiS SiGMA South America event.
The award comes in recognition of the successful debut of VLT terminals in the regulated state of Paraíba, where they had their first large-scale installation at the beginning of this year, generating strong player interest and demonstrating impressive results ever since.
In addition, EGT’s VLT product has been approved in a Proof of Concept (PoC) process under the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery, and will soon be available to the gaming audience in this state as well.
The omnichannel solution, delivered jointly by EGT and EGT Digital, provides a complete Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) ecosystem, featuring land-based equipment, a technological platform, and a rich library of gaming content. Developed according to the international standards, it has been adapted to meet the specific requirements of the Brazilian market and its regulatory framework.
Celina Guedes, Regional Director Brazil at EGT, commented: “It is an honor to us to be acknowledged by the BiS Awards competition, which is a benchmark for outstanding achievements in the sector. Our complete omnichannel VLT solution is designed to perform across different industry segments and is about to unleash its enormous potential in the near future. The prize is proof that we are able to fulfil the ever-increasing demands placed on providers and even set new higher standards in the extremely competitive gaming ecosystem in Brazil and the Latin American region as a whole.”
The post EGT and EGT Digital have been honored with the Best VLT Solution prize at the BiS Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
8bit Binks
S8UL Esports Triumphs in VCSA 2026 Split 1: A Grand Final Masterclass
In a heart-pounding display of tactical precision and mental fortitude, S8UL Esports has been crowned the VALORANT Challengers South Asia (VCSA) 2026 Split 1 Champions. The victory came after an intense five-map Grand Final against Revenant Xspark, where S8UL emerged victorious with a 3-2 scoreline, solidifying their dominance in the regional VCT ecosystem.
With this win, S8UL takes home the lion’s share of the prize pool—INR ₹9,00,000—and sets a high benchmark for the remainder of the 2026 season.
The Road to the Trophy
S8UL’s journey through Split 1 was a testament to their growth following the 2025 season. Their path to the podium included:
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League Phase Dominance: Consistent performance against seven of South Asia’s elite teams.
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Semifinal Sweep: A commanding 2-0 victory over Asterisk, showcasing a roster peaking at the perfect moment.
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The 5-Map Thriller: A back-and-forth Grand Final against Revenant Xspark that tested the limits of both skill and composure.
Strategic Growth and Leadership
The victory highlights the successful vision of Mithul “8bit Binks” Nayak, the driving force behind this revamped roster. Under the leadership of veteran captain Ganesh “SkRossi” Gangadhar, the team displayed evolved coordination and the ability to clutch out decisive rounds under immense pressure.
“Winning Split 1 gives us confidence, but we know the season is long,” said SkRossi. “I’m proud of how the team stayed focused in the crucial moments.”
Impact on the VCT Ecosystem
VCSA Split 1 serves as the critical pathway for South Asian teams to climb into the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT). By securing the first title of the year, S8UL not only establishes themselves as the team to beat but also positions themselves favorably for international qualification opportunities in Split 2 and beyond.
Animesh ‘Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of S8UL, noted: “The team showed incredible composure in a high-pressure final. This result is a testament to the work they’ve been putting in behind the scenes. We’ve always believed in this roster.”
The post S8UL Esports Triumphs in VCSA 2026 Split 1: A Grand Final Masterclass appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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