Ben Taels
@bentaels.bsky.social
Kiwi, Dad, Human Factors Psychology PhD, & Games User Experience Research.
Formerly Epic Games, Player Research, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Te Manatū Waka, & Hamilton Zoo.
Formerly Epic Games, Player Research, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Te Manatū Waka, & Hamilton Zoo.
Pinned
Ben Taels
@bentaels.bsky.social
· Jan 3
Throwing Out the Dopamine Shots: Reward Psychology Without the Neurotrash
YouTube video by GDC 2025
youtu.be
Some talks that I have given:
Reward in games (without the dopamine neurotrash): youtu.be/xkg9ocYDLr8?...
Human Error and game design: youtu.be/JyuR2fKvQ20?...
What road safety can teach us about reducing toxicity in games: youtu.be/WMYoCuZ3Fa8?...
Reward in games (without the dopamine neurotrash): youtu.be/xkg9ocYDLr8?...
Human Error and game design: youtu.be/JyuR2fKvQ20?...
What road safety can teach us about reducing toxicity in games: youtu.be/WMYoCuZ3Fa8?...
Reposted by Ben Taels
December 14, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Reposted by Ben Taels
This is such patronising bullshit. We’re not aspiring to “unrealistic” things like a three-day work week, a holiday house and a pony. We want kids fed, a health system, a role in life for everyone. Those things aren’t unrealistic, they’re a *choice* successive governments are making to deny us.
"We've had a series of governments now who have encouraged people to be aspirational for New Zealand and have promised things that have been completely unrealistic. ... I'm not going to fall into that trap."
#NzPol
#NzPol
'Opportunity to stamp my own mark': Chris Hipkins promises a different Labour
The last election saw Labour's six years in government come to an end, and Hipkins returning to the opposition benches just 10 months after becoming prime minister.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 14, 2025 at 6:18 AM
This is such patronising bullshit. We’re not aspiring to “unrealistic” things like a three-day work week, a holiday house and a pony. We want kids fed, a health system, a role in life for everyone. Those things aren’t unrealistic, they’re a *choice* successive governments are making to deny us.
Reposted by Ben Taels
Introducing DoomScroll - an endless feed of thousands of user-made Doom WADs from the last 32 years, all playable right in your browser.
Our goal was to make decades of work from one of the most creative communities in gaming history more accessible and visible to everyone.
Our goal was to make decades of work from one of the most creative communities in gaming history more accessible and visible to everyone.
December 11, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Introducing DoomScroll - an endless feed of thousands of user-made Doom WADs from the last 32 years, all playable right in your browser.
Our goal was to make decades of work from one of the most creative communities in gaming history more accessible and visible to everyone.
Our goal was to make decades of work from one of the most creative communities in gaming history more accessible and visible to everyone.
After a long time I have some good ideas for my next tattoos AND I am back in NZ where there are such awesome tattoo artists!
Just need to buy a house first...
Just need to buy a house first...
December 13, 2025 at 11:32 PM
After a long time I have some good ideas for my next tattoos AND I am back in NZ where there are such awesome tattoo artists!
Just need to buy a house first...
Just need to buy a house first...
My kids know that Santa isn't real the same way they know Spiderman, Yoda, and Dragons aren't real
That doesn't stop them getting excited when they see Santa/Spiderman/Yoda/a Dragon in media, etc
Stories don't have to be real to have impact
That doesn't stop them getting excited when they see Santa/Spiderman/Yoda/a Dragon in media, etc
Stories don't have to be real to have impact
December 13, 2025 at 7:30 PM
My kids know that Santa isn't real the same way they know Spiderman, Yoda, and Dragons aren't real
That doesn't stop them getting excited when they see Santa/Spiderman/Yoda/a Dragon in media, etc
Stories don't have to be real to have impact
That doesn't stop them getting excited when they see Santa/Spiderman/Yoda/a Dragon in media, etc
Stories don't have to be real to have impact
Reposted by Ben Taels
"RemoveWindowsAI" is a script created by zoicware, available on GitHub, that does exactly what it says: it remove every AI feature in Windows 11. Do what you wish to do with this information. I'm sharing this because some folks are forced to use Win11 at work or other places for any reasons.
December 10, 2025 at 9:56 AM
"RemoveWindowsAI" is a script created by zoicware, available on GitHub, that does exactly what it says: it remove every AI feature in Windows 11. Do what you wish to do with this information. I'm sharing this because some folks are forced to use Win11 at work or other places for any reasons.
I think the signs here are pointing to a more center right, less caring, more National looking Labour next election
Rather than a Labour that is actually taking a stand and willing to do the work needed to undo the damage this current coliation has done
#nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Rather than a Labour that is actually taking a stand and willing to do the work needed to undo the damage this current coliation has done
#nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
'Opportunity to stamp my own mark': Chris Hipkins promises a different Labour
The last election saw Labour's six years in government come to an end, and Hipkins returning to the opposition benches just 10 months after becoming prime minister.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I think the signs here are pointing to a more center right, less caring, more National looking Labour next election
Rather than a Labour that is actually taking a stand and willing to do the work needed to undo the damage this current coliation has done
#nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Rather than a Labour that is actually taking a stand and willing to do the work needed to undo the damage this current coliation has done
#nzpol
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
Reposted by Ben Taels
I cannot express how pathetic you have to be to believe this happened in the TTRPG hobby in the last decade
December 13, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I cannot express how pathetic you have to be to believe this happened in the TTRPG hobby in the last decade
Bundling emails together was such an amazingly useful feature in Google Inbox
It's frustrating it isn't a feature that is in basically any other email client after Google Inbox shut down
It's frustrating it isn't a feature that is in basically any other email client after Google Inbox shut down
December 13, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Bundling emails together was such an amazingly useful feature in Google Inbox
It's frustrating it isn't a feature that is in basically any other email client after Google Inbox shut down
It's frustrating it isn't a feature that is in basically any other email client after Google Inbox shut down
Reposted by Ben Taels
Everywhere I go I meet creative, intelligent, hard working people with great ideas who can't begin to implement them because they don't have the necessary capital. So much wealth has been hoarded and accumulated it prevents any real economic growth. The problem isn't lack of ideas jesus christ.
This column on Vox is the biggest pile of steaming AI crap I've seen this year. Human's aren't running out of ideas. Instead, those with power and money don't want to listen to ideas that threaten their power and money.
Ideas are plentiful. Putting those ideas into action is the hard part.
Ideas are plentiful. Putting those ideas into action is the hard part.
We’re running out of good ideas. AI might be how we find new ones.
What if the best use of AI is restarting the world’s idea machine?
www.vox.com
December 13, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Everywhere I go I meet creative, intelligent, hard working people with great ideas who can't begin to implement them because they don't have the necessary capital. So much wealth has been hoarded and accumulated it prevents any real economic growth. The problem isn't lack of ideas jesus christ.
Reposted by Ben Taels
We're hiring at Arcanaut Studios with our project Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic. Take a look: www.arcanautstudios.com/careers
December 12, 2025 at 5:21 PM
We're hiring at Arcanaut Studios with our project Star Wars Fate of the Old Republic. Take a look: www.arcanautstudios.com/careers
Aesthetics are linked to usability and user experience
The way a UI looks, a weapon in a game sounds, or a new animation plays out can change the usability and user experience of a game dramatically even if the underlying functions and mechanics have not
The way a UI looks, a weapon in a game sounds, or a new animation plays out can change the usability and user experience of a game dramatically even if the underlying functions and mechanics have not
December 13, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Aesthetics are linked to usability and user experience
The way a UI looks, a weapon in a game sounds, or a new animation plays out can change the usability and user experience of a game dramatically even if the underlying functions and mechanics have not
The way a UI looks, a weapon in a game sounds, or a new animation plays out can change the usability and user experience of a game dramatically even if the underlying functions and mechanics have not
The commentary around Larian putting gore and sex in their advert vs games that have gore and sex in gamepkay getting banned reminds me of a distinction in scientific ethics
If you want to do an experiment on mice and their prey reaction to a snake you would need a full ethics board review
If you want to do an experiment on mice and their prey reaction to a snake you would need a full ethics board review
December 13, 2025 at 4:31 AM
The commentary around Larian putting gore and sex in their advert vs games that have gore and sex in gamepkay getting banned reminds me of a distinction in scientific ethics
If you want to do an experiment on mice and their prey reaction to a snake you would need a full ethics board review
If you want to do an experiment on mice and their prey reaction to a snake you would need a full ethics board review
Apart from a few execs and directors whose names get out there? Everyone. Everyone in game dev doesn't get enough appreciation for what they do.
Gamedevs don’t get enough appreciation for what they do, and often the biggest impact comes from people the public never hears about.
Which gamedevs would YOU give an award to, and for what?
Which gamedevs would YOU give an award to, and for what?
December 13, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Apart from a few execs and directors whose names get out there? Everyone. Everyone in game dev doesn't get enough appreciation for what they do.
Generally speaking user interfaces should give players a sense of control. That they have the information they need to take action and that their actions are impacting the world in meaningful ways
However, certain games can subvert this, particularly horror and mystery games
However, certain games can subvert this, particularly horror and mystery games
December 12, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Generally speaking user interfaces should give players a sense of control. That they have the information they need to take action and that their actions are impacting the world in meaningful ways
However, certain games can subvert this, particularly horror and mystery games
However, certain games can subvert this, particularly horror and mystery games
I got an ice cream from a dairy today and when I asked for one scoop they actually literally gave me one scoop?
In NZ? One actual scoop?
What is this country coming to?
In NZ? One actual scoop?
What is this country coming to?
December 12, 2025 at 12:21 AM
I got an ice cream from a dairy today and when I asked for one scoop they actually literally gave me one scoop?
In NZ? One actual scoop?
What is this country coming to?
In NZ? One actual scoop?
What is this country coming to?
Reposted by Ben Taels
Fucking incredible dystopian shit, comparing super rich people risking millions if not billions of lives just to make more money to people that risked their life actually building incredible things that would then make millions of dollars for super rich people.
December 11, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Fucking incredible dystopian shit, comparing super rich people risking millions if not billions of lives just to make more money to people that risked their life actually building incredible things that would then make millions of dollars for super rich people.
Reposted by Ben Taels
This is like paying the guys that robbed your house to also burn it down.
Disney is making a $1 billion investment in OpenAI and will let the AI platform use its characters to make social-media videos.
Disney to Invest $1 Billion in OpenAI, License Characters for Use in ChatGPT, Sora
The three-year licensing deal will let users generate videos of more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar characters.
on.wsj.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
This is like paying the guys that robbed your house to also burn it down.
Make sure to deeply inspect and check any sentiment/meaning coding tools you use or if you can't because they are black box LLMs be very aware of their biases
If they are not well trained specifically on gaming data (and specifically on your game data) they may give you data that can misinform
If they are not well trained specifically on gaming data (and specifically on your game data) they may give you data that can misinform
December 11, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Make sure to deeply inspect and check any sentiment/meaning coding tools you use or if you can't because they are black box LLMs be very aware of their biases
If they are not well trained specifically on gaming data (and specifically on your game data) they may give you data that can misinform
If they are not well trained specifically on gaming data (and specifically on your game data) they may give you data that can misinform
Reposted by Ben Taels
Wirm, Woodworm, Wyrmspace – Weirdly, a lot of games about worms in the Frosty Mini, a showcase of games from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Here's a roundup of all the games that were featured:
Here's a roundup of all the games that were featured:
Frosty Mini 2025 – All the Announcements and Trailers From the ANZ Games Showcase
The second-ever presentation for the Australian and New Zealand indie games showcase featured 26 trailers and four surprise releases.
thisweekinvideogames.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Wirm, Woodworm, Wyrmspace – Weirdly, a lot of games about worms in the Frosty Mini, a showcase of games from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Here's a roundup of all the games that were featured:
Here's a roundup of all the games that were featured:
Reposted by Ben Taels
padre cuing up a sick playlist for this road trip
'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
December 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM
padre cuing up a sick playlist for this road trip
When thinking about seating in your UX Lab consider the range of bodies you will be supporting.
How high or low can the seats go?
Do the arm rests move out and in or come off easily?
Is the back adjustable?
Is there room to move the seat out of the way if someone is in a wheel chair?
How high or low can the seats go?
Do the arm rests move out and in or come off easily?
Is the back adjustable?
Is there room to move the seat out of the way if someone is in a wheel chair?
December 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM
When thinking about seating in your UX Lab consider the range of bodies you will be supporting.
How high or low can the seats go?
Do the arm rests move out and in or come off easily?
Is the back adjustable?
Is there room to move the seat out of the way if someone is in a wheel chair?
How high or low can the seats go?
Do the arm rests move out and in or come off easily?
Is the back adjustable?
Is there room to move the seat out of the way if someone is in a wheel chair?
Reposted by Ben Taels
I have some super exciting news: at the start of 2026, I will be stepping into the role of Chair of the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA).
I’d love to know what you’d like to see from the NZGDA in the coming year. Please come tell me in the comments!
www.linkedin.com/posts/anna-b...
I’d love to know what you’d like to see from the NZGDA in the coming year. Please come tell me in the comments!
www.linkedin.com/posts/anna-b...
#nzgda #gamedev #newzealand #gamingindustry #indiegames #games #aotearoa | Anna Barham | 20 comments
I have some super exciting news: at the start of 2026, I will be stepping into the role of Chair of the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA).
It’s a genuine honour to take on this position...
www.linkedin.com
December 10, 2025 at 6:44 AM
I have some super exciting news: at the start of 2026, I will be stepping into the role of Chair of the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA).
I’d love to know what you’d like to see from the NZGDA in the coming year. Please come tell me in the comments!
www.linkedin.com/posts/anna-b...
I’d love to know what you’d like to see from the NZGDA in the coming year. Please come tell me in the comments!
www.linkedin.com/posts/anna-b...
Reposted by Ben Taels
Some comic things happening in Wellington NZ:
Comic artist meetup at 12pm on Saturday at Southern Cross, come say hi
Live comic reading event at 7pm on Sunday at Fringe Bar, I will be reading Choplet episodes
Comic artist meetup at 12pm on Saturday at Southern Cross, come say hi
Live comic reading event at 7pm on Sunday at Fringe Bar, I will be reading Choplet episodes
December 10, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Some comic things happening in Wellington NZ:
Comic artist meetup at 12pm on Saturday at Southern Cross, come say hi
Live comic reading event at 7pm on Sunday at Fringe Bar, I will be reading Choplet episodes
Comic artist meetup at 12pm on Saturday at Southern Cross, come say hi
Live comic reading event at 7pm on Sunday at Fringe Bar, I will be reading Choplet episodes