Alec Austin
@alecaustin.bsky.social
Game systems designer at Netflix, reader, occasional writer. He/Him. Looking for book recs and nuanced discussions.
Reposted by Alec Austin
say what you will about nancy pelosi but her caucus didn’t DARE vote against her wishes or they knew she’d shank them
I don’t believe it’s his doing but he certainly doesn’t have a full hold of his caucus.
November 9, 2025 at 11:00 PM
say what you will about nancy pelosi but her caucus didn’t DARE vote against her wishes or they knew she’d shank them
Reposted by Alec Austin
D&D is a lot like a boardgame in that it's more popular than RPGs.
November 7, 2025 at 7:44 AM
D&D is a lot like a boardgame in that it's more popular than RPGs.
Reposted by Alec Austin
Something worth noting: Rockstar is leaning HEAVILY on the excuse that the unionising employees were "leaking private company information"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
"Rockstar, Rockstar, you're disgusting, we charge you with union busting," the protesters declared.
'All you had to do was follow the damn law, Rockstar!': Workers are protesting outside Take-Two after GTA 6 dev's alleged 'brazen' union-busting
"They can get used to seeing us on their doorstep."
www.pcgamer.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Something worth noting: Rockstar is leaning HEAVILY on the excuse that the unionising employees were "leaking private company information"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
They want people to assume this means game info or assets.
But I will bet you CASH MONEY this translates to:
'they were comparing salaries and work contracts"
Reposted by Alec Austin
i got some rhyolite that looks like pork belly
November 3, 2025 at 1:18 AM
i got some rhyolite that looks like pork belly
Reposted by Alec Austin
I worked at Friendster when we had an n-dimensional graph, and mostly what we discovered at vast expense was... After 2 degrees, you are strangers.
Off the top of my head, in terms of degrees of separation I managed to get from myself to *Jimi Hendrix* in "three hops," this is a WILD assertion to make
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
November 2, 2025 at 3:02 AM
I worked at Friendster when we had an n-dimensional graph, and mostly what we discovered at vast expense was... After 2 degrees, you are strangers.
Reposted by Alec Austin
This game is my favorite in the "puzzle game but masquerading as turn-based-tactics" genre (is that a genre? Who cares, it's great).
Tactical Breach Wizards is 40% off in today's Daily Deal! The cheapest the wizards have ever allowed us to price them.
To celebrate, we've added a community missions pack, featuring some great ones players have made since launch.
store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/... .
To celebrate, we've added a community missions pack, featuring some great ones players have made since launch.
store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/... .
Save 40% on Tactical Breach Wizards on Steam
In Tactical Breach Wizards, you lead a team of renegade wizards in kevlar through turn-based battles to unravel a modern conspiracy plot. Combine their unique spells in clever ways, or rewind time to ...
store.steampowered.com
November 2, 2025 at 7:41 PM
This game is my favorite in the "puzzle game but masquerading as turn-based-tactics" genre (is that a genre? Who cares, it's great).
Reposted by Alec Austin
On the left, the refurbished Lincoln bathroom. On the right, picture I took in Saddam Hussein's palace in Basra in 2005.
October 31, 2025 at 5:57 PM
On the left, the refurbished Lincoln bathroom. On the right, picture I took in Saddam Hussein's palace in Basra in 2005.
Reposted by Alec Austin
i agree that the "being a doomer is just REALISM" tendency is extremely seductive, which is why it's dangerous
There is nothing more dangerous for a smart person in high anxiety/depression mode than the thought, "but why should I get help? I am the one being realistic." If you feel isolated in your realism and you know you're clever? Red flag. Been there, done that, help will help.
October 27, 2025 at 8:25 PM
i agree that the "being a doomer is just REALISM" tendency is extremely seductive, which is why it's dangerous
Reposted by Alec Austin
“We hate tutorials, we hate yellow paint”. Exactly 30 seconds later in the Steam reviews: “this game sucks we got lost and it’s hard to play because we didn’t understand a core mechanic”
One of the most important jobs of a designer is understanding that there are some things that everyone says they want, but then absolutely hate if they get it
October 24, 2025 at 7:53 AM
“We hate tutorials, we hate yellow paint”. Exactly 30 seconds later in the Steam reviews: “this game sucks we got lost and it’s hard to play because we didn’t understand a core mechanic”
Reposted by Alec Austin
i am sorry if you think it's "icky" that america is a superpower. we're gonna go on being a superpower whether you feel good about it or not. as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. the question is how well we discharge that responsibility.
October 24, 2025 at 8:31 PM
i am sorry if you think it's "icky" that america is a superpower. we're gonna go on being a superpower whether you feel good about it or not. as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. the question is how well we discharge that responsibility.
Reposted by Alec Austin
“oh so you think the east wing being demolished is worse than-“ it’s a synecdoche, man. a visual metaphor. there’s a reason the aliens in Independence Day don’t aim a huge laser at SNAP benefits
October 23, 2025 at 6:04 PM
“oh so you think the east wing being demolished is worse than-“ it’s a synecdoche, man. a visual metaphor. there’s a reason the aliens in Independence Day don’t aim a huge laser at SNAP benefits
Reposted by Alec Austin
"Oxford commas are a sign you write with ai" I will find such a unique way to rip out your spine that they'll make a movie about it
October 23, 2025 at 4:50 PM
"Oxford commas are a sign you write with ai" I will find such a unique way to rip out your spine that they'll make a movie about it
Reposted by Alec Austin
Parents, please check your kids’ candy this Halloween. I’ve just found an ancient metal whistle with the inscription “QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT" inside a Snickers bar. I blew it and heard a note of infinite distance, and now I’m haunted by a figure in pale, fluttering draperies. Be safe.
October 22, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Parents, please check your kids’ candy this Halloween. I’ve just found an ancient metal whistle with the inscription “QUIS EST ISTE QUI VENIT" inside a Snickers bar. I blew it and heard a note of infinite distance, and now I’m haunted by a figure in pale, fluttering draperies. Be safe.
Reposted by Alec Austin
October 21, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Reposted by Alec Austin
extremely important low stakes pear drama
pleased to announce that there seems to be a passive-aggressive conflict roiling the august pages of Cooks Illustrated, Fall Harvest recipes edition. allow me to explain:
October 20, 2025 at 4:25 PM
extremely important low stakes pear drama
Reposted by Alec Austin
‘The exceptionally limited edition book.’ (My cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com books)
October 19, 2025 at 4:03 PM
‘The exceptionally limited edition book.’ (My cartoon for this week’s @theguardian.com books)
Reposted by Alec Austin
CHOTINER: So you're attending a No Kings protest today.
ME: That's right.
CHOTINER: But according to Steam, you've played over 450 hours of Crusader Kings 3.
ME: Okay, well- Now hold on. That's sort of unfair.
CHOTINER: Oh?
ME: Sometimes I play as a duke or a count.
CHOTINER: I see.
ME: That's right.
CHOTINER: But according to Steam, you've played over 450 hours of Crusader Kings 3.
ME: Okay, well- Now hold on. That's sort of unfair.
CHOTINER: Oh?
ME: Sometimes I play as a duke or a count.
CHOTINER: I see.
October 18, 2025 at 5:04 PM
CHOTINER: So you're attending a No Kings protest today.
ME: That's right.
CHOTINER: But according to Steam, you've played over 450 hours of Crusader Kings 3.
ME: Okay, well- Now hold on. That's sort of unfair.
CHOTINER: Oh?
ME: Sometimes I play as a duke or a count.
CHOTINER: I see.
ME: That's right.
CHOTINER: But according to Steam, you've played over 450 hours of Crusader Kings 3.
ME: Okay, well- Now hold on. That's sort of unfair.
CHOTINER: Oh?
ME: Sometimes I play as a duke or a count.
CHOTINER: I see.
Reposted by Alec Austin
They should have just had Amber Midthunder kill more Predators, man. We had a good thing there
October 17, 2025 at 12:31 AM
They should have just had Amber Midthunder kill more Predators, man. We had a good thing there
Reposted by Alec Austin
The game in which the premise is "the odds are real but gamers struggle to conceptualize or even believe them" has negative reviews from gamers who don't believe the odds are real (game: Unfair Flips)
October 5, 2025 at 12:02 AM
The game in which the premise is "the odds are real but gamers struggle to conceptualize or even believe them" has negative reviews from gamers who don't believe the odds are real (game: Unfair Flips)
Reposted by Alec Austin
This is like the AI researchers going ‘why can’t we make the NPCs smarter’ and everyone on the GTA floor is like ‘because players cannot interpret complex behaviours and they look like bugs’
October 5, 2025 at 1:10 AM
This is like the AI researchers going ‘why can’t we make the NPCs smarter’ and everyone on the GTA floor is like ‘because players cannot interpret complex behaviours and they look like bugs’
Reposted by Alec Austin
super cool study found human artifacts in Bearded vulture nests, incl. "weaponry like a crossbow bolt and wooden lance, decorated sheep leather, and parts of a slingshot....a shoe made from twigs and grass is ~675-years-old." link to paper: doi.org/10.1002/ecy..... www.popsci.com/environment/... 🧪🌍🦉
Multi-generational vulture nests hold 700 years of human artifacts
Crossbow bolts, sandals, slingshots, and more.
www.popsci.com
October 3, 2025 at 1:06 PM
super cool study found human artifacts in Bearded vulture nests, incl. "weaponry like a crossbow bolt and wooden lance, decorated sheep leather, and parts of a slingshot....a shoe made from twigs and grass is ~675-years-old." link to paper: doi.org/10.1002/ecy..... www.popsci.com/environment/... 🧪🌍🦉
Reposted by Alec Austin
This is THE fundamental point that everyone in aviation knows, and few people writing about air travel seem to understand.
There Are Only So Many Runways.
There Are Only So Many Runways.
There's only so much pavement and you can only land one air carrier on a single runway at a time. Runways are funnel points in and out; no way around it without compromising safety.
5/
5/
October 1, 2025 at 6:47 PM
This is THE fundamental point that everyone in aviation knows, and few people writing about air travel seem to understand.
There Are Only So Many Runways.
There Are Only So Many Runways.
Reposted by Alec Austin
Today's article is about a form of bad-faith speech somewhat akin to bullshit, which I'm calling (because why not) wank. I don't quite think I've focused the ideas down as much as I can, but I think it says some interesting things regardless:
An essay on wank | deadSimpleTech
This captures well the uncomfortable, slightly disorienting feeling that wank creates when you're subjected to it, wherein you're expected to speak about and think about the statement as though it say...
deadsimpletech.com
September 29, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Today's article is about a form of bad-faith speech somewhat akin to bullshit, which I'm calling (because why not) wank. I don't quite think I've focused the ideas down as much as I can, but I think it says some interesting things regardless:
Reposted by Alec Austin
Just make sure that the Pope and the Anti-Pope don't come into contact with each other. They will annihilate in a burst of high-energy photons...
September 27, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Just make sure that the Pope and the Anti-Pope don't come into contact with each other. They will annihilate in a burst of high-energy photons...