Joshua
@elvenmonk.bsky.social
I'm a blogger, ESL teacher, and beginner indie dev.
I'm working on a new game, a donation based ESL website, and a new blog.
I'm working on a new game, a donation based ESL website, and a new blog.
Reposted by Joshua
If you need really high quality reference material of clothing from any historical era and you want to make sure the data is captured by human people who want to use it ethically, @render-ready.com is literally right here
This is a bad excuse for lazy craftsmanship
This is a bad excuse for lazy craftsmanship
Cmon man maybe you should double check your posts before towing the company line.
December 16, 2025 at 9:14 PM
If you need really high quality reference material of clothing from any historical era and you want to make sure the data is captured by human people who want to use it ethically, @render-ready.com is literally right here
This is a bad excuse for lazy craftsmanship
This is a bad excuse for lazy craftsmanship
Reposted by Joshua
This Larian genAI bullshit really reminds me of all the gamedev stories I've heard where management doesn't understand what in-development games *actually look like* when their employees show them.
They're the ones *creating* the problem of needing "placeholder" assets to look like finished art!
They're the ones *creating* the problem of needing "placeholder" assets to look like finished art!
December 16, 2025 at 5:49 PM
This Larian genAI bullshit really reminds me of all the gamedev stories I've heard where management doesn't understand what in-development games *actually look like* when their employees show them.
They're the ones *creating* the problem of needing "placeholder" assets to look like finished art!
They're the ones *creating* the problem of needing "placeholder" assets to look like finished art!
Reposted by Joshua
If I had known the two paragraphs about genAI in my article today would be so controversial, I would have expanded them a bit! Here's a rough transcript of the relevant portion of my interview with Swen Vincke, so everyone has all the context. (Full article here: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...)
December 16, 2025 at 11:52 PM
If I had known the two paragraphs about genAI in my article today would be so controversial, I would have expanded them a bit! Here's a rough transcript of the relevant portion of my interview with Swen Vincke, so everyone has all the context. (Full article here: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...)
Not even surprised. I've heard this before from friends about other studios stealing their work ( art, translations, and writing) with everyone being too afraid to speak out because it'll blacklist them from the industry
Larian's horrible hirring process is an open secret in the industry – insane amounts of unpaid work in "writing tests", excessive numbers of interviews, months and months of back and forth, etc. Everyone in games narrative circles has heard the stories at this point, probably from multiple people.
I know this because they tried to recruit me and I strongly considered it but they’re also a “do an unpaid writing test where you have to also make it playable” company so that’s not something I vibe with
December 17, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Not even surprised. I've heard this before from friends about other studios stealing their work ( art, translations, and writing) with everyone being too afraid to speak out because it'll blacklist them from the industry
Reposted by Joshua
Larian's horrible hirring process is an open secret in the industry – insane amounts of unpaid work in "writing tests", excessive numbers of interviews, months and months of back and forth, etc. Everyone in games narrative circles has heard the stories at this point, probably from multiple people.
I know this because they tried to recruit me and I strongly considered it but they’re also a “do an unpaid writing test where you have to also make it playable” company so that’s not something I vibe with
December 16, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Larian's horrible hirring process is an open secret in the industry – insane amounts of unpaid work in "writing tests", excessive numbers of interviews, months and months of back and forth, etc. Everyone in games narrative circles has heard the stories at this point, probably from multiple people.
Reposted by Joshua
well, not just that, but “make it perfectly fit to our style guide (which we don’t provide) and also fulfil some sort of secret criteria (which we also don’t provide)”
my exp with it almost pushed me out of the industry, I was only a few years in and the rejection felt awful!
my exp with it almost pushed me out of the industry, I was only a few years in and the rejection felt awful!
December 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM
well, not just that, but “make it perfectly fit to our style guide (which we don’t provide) and also fulfil some sort of secret criteria (which we also don’t provide)”
my exp with it almost pushed me out of the industry, I was only a few years in and the rejection felt awful!
my exp with it almost pushed me out of the industry, I was only a few years in and the rejection felt awful!
Reposted by Joshua
YUP they offered little to no actual success criteria and I made myself sick with stress over it for like a week because I wanted it so bad until I stopped and went “wait why am I letting a company I don’t even work for do this to me”
December 16, 2025 at 5:54 PM
YUP they offered little to no actual success criteria and I made myself sick with stress over it for like a week because I wanted it so bad until I stopped and went “wait why am I letting a company I don’t even work for do this to me”
Since Larian made those comments about AI allow me to say something as a solo dev who can't draw a straight line:
I've been learning how to model with clay and draw so I can create the games I want. Fuck gen AI. I wish I had the money to hire artists.
This is also why I've been learning music too
I've been learning how to model with clay and draw so I can create the games I want. Fuck gen AI. I wish I had the money to hire artists.
This is also why I've been learning music too
December 17, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Since Larian made those comments about AI allow me to say something as a solo dev who can't draw a straight line:
I've been learning how to model with clay and draw so I can create the games I want. Fuck gen AI. I wish I had the money to hire artists.
This is also why I've been learning music too
I've been learning how to model with clay and draw so I can create the games I want. Fuck gen AI. I wish I had the money to hire artists.
This is also why I've been learning music too
It's the portfolio rape scene from Silicon Valley, and just about every tech company does it.
finding out so many companies use art/writing tests to get weeks of free work from people genuinely makes me so infuriated I can't see straight. I will never patronize any company that does this.
December 17, 2025 at 1:47 AM
It's the portfolio rape scene from Silicon Valley, and just about every tech company does it.
I'm going to stop you right there. No corporation should be beloved. When you love a company you let them abuse you and get away with tons of shit.
i understand that these corporations are beloved by many, but as soon as you start defending their use of AI, even if it's "a little bit", i need you to understand that you are being used as a corporate tool to normalize AI. reject it with all your might. corporations arent your friend.
December 17, 2025 at 1:22 AM
I'm going to stop you right there. No corporation should be beloved. When you love a company you let them abuse you and get away with tons of shit.
You do not hate ad agencies enough
Australia’s Social Media Ban Was Pushed By Ad Agency Focused On Gambling Ads It Didn’t Want Banned
We’ve talked about the Australian social media ban that went into effect last week, how dumb it is, and why it’s already a mess. But late last week, some additional news broke that makes the whole…
We’ve talked about the Australian social media ban that went into effect last week, how dumb it is, and why it’s already a mess. But late last week, some additional news broke that makes the whole…
Australia’s Social Media Ban Was Pushed By Ad Agency Focused On Gambling Ads It Didn’t Want Banned
We’ve talked about the Australian social media ban that went into effect last week, how dumb it is, and why it’s already a mess. But late last week, some additional news broke that makes the whole thing even more grotesque: turns out the campaign pushing hardest for the ban was run by an ad agency that makes gambling ads.
www.techdirt.com
December 17, 2025 at 1:19 AM
You do not hate ad agencies enough
This ain't even new lore. 3rd literally has a black man on the cover.
I believe 4th introduced women into IG too and 2nd had PoCs as well. Cadians had women, and PoC women, in 4th ed lore.
I believe 4th introduced women into IG too and 2nd had PoCs as well. Cadians had women, and PoC women, in 4th ed lore.
December 16, 2025 at 8:01 AM
This ain't even new lore. 3rd literally has a black man on the cover.
I believe 4th introduced women into IG too and 2nd had PoCs as well. Cadians had women, and PoC women, in 4th ed lore.
I believe 4th introduced women into IG too and 2nd had PoCs as well. Cadians had women, and PoC women, in 4th ed lore.
This is also weird because after about 15-30 minutes you can tell if a game isn't for you AKA "sucks ass". People that try to claim you can't experience a game within 30 minutes are lying to you, or the devs have outrageously fucked up the pacing of the game. Which doesn't bode well for the rest
We put a lot of emphasis on “beating” games as a standard to experiencing them. This is strange when you think about it. I want to “beat” or complete the games I truly love. Games I enjoy I can not see the end and still feel like I completed them for their purpose.
December 16, 2025 at 5:38 AM
This is also weird because after about 15-30 minutes you can tell if a game isn't for you AKA "sucks ass". People that try to claim you can't experience a game within 30 minutes are lying to you, or the devs have outrageously fucked up the pacing of the game. Which doesn't bode well for the rest
It's funny how the years go on we're all realizing that the internet actually sucks and we're now stuck in a sunk cost.
the reason why youtube and streaming platform ads suck so much worse than tv commercials is that tv programming is structured with commercial breaks in mind. sure commercial breaks suck but they never disrupted the flow of what you were watching the way streaming ads do by popping in mid sentence
December 16, 2025 at 1:43 AM
It's funny how the years go on we're all realizing that the internet actually sucks and we're now stuck in a sunk cost.
Reposted by Joshua
"Only 15 hours? That game's not worth $60!"
"Only 15 hours" doesn't mean squat when it comes to the value of a game. I can beat Super Castlevania IV in one sitting. I paid $60 in 1991 for SCIV... and yet I get my money's worth because it's *replayable*, not *disposable* like most modern stuff.
"Only 15 hours" doesn't mean squat when it comes to the value of a game. I can beat Super Castlevania IV in one sitting. I paid $60 in 1991 for SCIV... and yet I get my money's worth because it's *replayable*, not *disposable* like most modern stuff.
December 15, 2025 at 5:05 PM
"Only 15 hours? That game's not worth $60!"
"Only 15 hours" doesn't mean squat when it comes to the value of a game. I can beat Super Castlevania IV in one sitting. I paid $60 in 1991 for SCIV... and yet I get my money's worth because it's *replayable*, not *disposable* like most modern stuff.
"Only 15 hours" doesn't mean squat when it comes to the value of a game. I can beat Super Castlevania IV in one sitting. I paid $60 in 1991 for SCIV... and yet I get my money's worth because it's *replayable*, not *disposable* like most modern stuff.
Are we able to finally admit that the Imagination Land episodes of South Park actually suck ass?
For the longest while people defended them like they were in a holy war.
For the longest while people defended them like they were in a holy war.
December 15, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Are we able to finally admit that the Imagination Land episodes of South Park actually suck ass?
For the longest while people defended them like they were in a holy war.
For the longest while people defended them like they were in a holy war.
Reposted by Joshua
Making computers unaffordable for the masses to create a technology that runs exclusively on computers and needs the masses to adopt it in order to be profitable enough to survive
Are these companies fucking stupid
Are these companies fucking stupid
December 15, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Making computers unaffordable for the masses to create a technology that runs exclusively on computers and needs the masses to adopt it in order to be profitable enough to survive
Are these companies fucking stupid
Are these companies fucking stupid
Reposted by Joshua
I'm sorry, woke up this morning to the horrible news about Rob Reiner so there will ne no meatsock monday. Absolutely gutted, was a huge fan of many of his films and the story is monsterous. Rest in Peace, i hope they find the subhuman monsters that did this
Director Rob Reiner and his wife found dead in Los Angeles home, AP source says | CBC News
Homicide detectives were investigating Sunday after two people were found dead at director-actor Rob Reiner's Los Angeles home, authorities said.
www.cbc.ca
December 15, 2025 at 10:56 AM
I'm sorry, woke up this morning to the horrible news about Rob Reiner so there will ne no meatsock monday. Absolutely gutted, was a huge fan of many of his films and the story is monsterous. Rest in Peace, i hope they find the subhuman monsters that did this
Reposted by Joshua
Pro Tip: Instead of looking for an anime with a "90s aesthetic", just watch a 90s anime. HUGE time saver.
December 14, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Pro Tip: Instead of looking for an anime with a "90s aesthetic", just watch a 90s anime. HUGE time saver.
Power Puff Girls Toffee Pies in China.
December 14, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Power Puff Girls Toffee Pies in China.
I related to the airhead at Home Depot debating on which can of paint smells better and if blue will get you higher than purple
There's little that's more relatable than watching someone in a bookstore negotiate with themselves over a fat stack of books
December 14, 2025 at 12:34 PM
I related to the airhead at Home Depot debating on which can of paint smells better and if blue will get you higher than purple
I have no interest in the Switch 2 but I still want to buy Nintendo Force magazine because of how well they are written. However, it is wasting money
December 13, 2025 at 7:17 PM
I have no interest in the Switch 2 but I still want to buy Nintendo Force magazine because of how well they are written. However, it is wasting money
Gmail marks a play asia order as spam but all of those "hey sexy let's fuck by the way I've sent you a malware excel sheet" emails it doesn't register as spam and it uploads them to my Google cloud automatically!
December 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Gmail marks a play asia order as spam but all of those "hey sexy let's fuck by the way I've sent you a malware excel sheet" emails it doesn't register as spam and it uploads them to my Google cloud automatically!
God why can't a company, other than MS, release a tablet without android or iOS?
I hate how tied to the internet these OSes are, and that I can't run code natively. Surface is ungodly expensive.
I hate how tied to the internet these OSes are, and that I can't run code natively. Surface is ungodly expensive.
December 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
God why can't a company, other than MS, release a tablet without android or iOS?
I hate how tied to the internet these OSes are, and that I can't run code natively. Surface is ungodly expensive.
I hate how tied to the internet these OSes are, and that I can't run code natively. Surface is ungodly expensive.
The library was closed when I got off of work and was a pretty far drive from my home for a small selection of DVDs.
Mine was redesigned to be a "local hangout" spot. So they got rid of tons of inventory
Mine was redesigned to be a "local hangout" spot. So they got rid of tons of inventory
“I miss blockbuster video” the library has every dvd totally untouched and I never see you there
December 13, 2025 at 2:34 AM
The library was closed when I got off of work and was a pretty far drive from my home for a small selection of DVDs.
Mine was redesigned to be a "local hangout" spot. So they got rid of tons of inventory
Mine was redesigned to be a "local hangout" spot. So they got rid of tons of inventory