Welcome to LuduStack—a platform born from a deep passion for gamification and an unwavering commitment to empowering developers with the tools they need to bring their ideas to life. I'm Daniel Gomes, a Senior Software Engineer with a love for game development and a drive to create solutions that make a difference. LuduStack is more than just a set of APIs and SDKs; it's the culmination of years of experience, lessons learned, and a vision to bridge the gap between creativity and technology.
The name "LuduStack" has a special history. Years ago, it began as a vibrant game dev community I built to connect indie developers, share knowledge, and foster collaboration. "Ludu," derived from the Latin word for "game," paired with "Stack," representing the essential tools and technologies we rely on, captured the essence of what I wanted to offer—a complete toolkit for game creators. That community laid the groundwork for what LuduStack is today: a powerful platform designed to simplify and enhance the gamification process for developers everywhere.
My passion for gamification stems from a belief that games are more than entertainment—they're a way to engage, inspire, and connect people. Whether you're building a game from scratch, adding gamified elements to an app, or creating interactive experiences, I've always wanted to make that journey easier and more rewarding. LuduStack is my way of sharing that passion with you, providing APIs and SDKs that streamline development and let your creativity shine.
The roots of LuduStack go deeper than this platform. In 2018, I embarked on a bold experiment: building a social network for game developers from the ground up, entirely by myself. Called "IndieVisible," it was a response to the gaps I saw in existing gamedev communities—lack of integrated tools, toxic interactions, and limited resources for newcomers. What started as a personal challenge became a defining moment in my career.
Creating IndieVisible wasn't easy. I wrote over 79,000 lines of code, designed a Domain-Driven architecture with ASP.NET Core, migrated from Microsoft SQL to MongoDB Atlas, and built a CI/CD pipeline with Azure and GitHub. I wore every hat—engineer, designer, marketer, and even comic strip creator (thanks to our mascot, Ludi!). The platform grew into a beast, packed with features like team management, localization tools, game jams, and gamification leaderboards. It was a labor of love, fueled by my drive to support developers and my curiosity to push technical boundaries.
That solo journey taught me more than I could have imagined. I mastered new technologies, tackled complex migrations, and learned the importance of resilience and adaptability. But the biggest lesson? No matter how robust the tech or innovative the features, success hinges on people—users who find value in what you've built. IndieVisible didn't take off as I'd hoped, and financial realities forced me to sunset it. Yet, every line of code, every late night, and every user who joined shaped me into the engineer I am today. It gave me the skills, confidence, and perspective to launch LuduStack with a renewed focus on what matters: delivering practical, developer-friendly tools.
LuduStack is my way of giving back to the developer community that's inspired me for years. With this platform, I'm providing APIs and SDKs that make gamification accessible, efficient, and fun. Whether you're a solo dev, a startup, or an established team, LuduStack is here to help you integrate rewards, leaderboards, challenges, and more—without the headaches. My goal is simple: to equip you with the tools to create engaging experiences while saving you the time and effort I spent learning the hard way.
This isn't just a product—it's a promise. A promise to keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible, to stay humble, and to always prioritize the needs of developers. LuduStack is built on the foundation of my past successes and failures, and I'm excited to see how it can fuel your next big idea.
I'm Daniel Gomes, and I'd love to hear from you. Whether you're exploring LuduStack for your next project or just want to talk gamification, feel free to reach out. Let's turn your vision into something players will love—one line of code at a time.