Alexander Bruce
@demruth.bsky.social
I made Antichamber. Now I'm making something else.
Reposted by Alexander Bruce
Adam Saltsman just gave the best talk about the process of game design that I’ve ever seen. Bravo.
Incredible investigation of the journey an idea goes through, and smart breakdown of the intrinsic and extrinsic forces tugging on the project. A must watch.
Incredible investigation of the journey an idea goes through, and smart breakdown of the intrinsic and extrinsic forces tugging on the project. A must watch.
@adamatomic.bsky.social has created a *lot* of small games, and we were delighted for him to join us at ThinkyCon 2025 to share how he approaches it.
My approach to making small games - Adam Saltsman (ThinkyCon 2025)
Adam Saltsman joins us at ThinkyCon 2025 to present the talk: "CorgiSpace, or, short legs on purpose, or, my approach to making small games"
Talk description: I've made and released 14 games in the last 12 months, all in my very limited free time, and had a super fun time doing it, even though I al
www.youtube.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Adam Saltsman just gave the best talk about the process of game design that I’ve ever seen. Bravo.
Incredible investigation of the journey an idea goes through, and smart breakdown of the intrinsic and extrinsic forces tugging on the project. A must watch.
Incredible investigation of the journey an idea goes through, and smart breakdown of the intrinsic and extrinsic forces tugging on the project. A must watch.
Reposted by Alexander Bruce
This is a pretty great video, encapsulating a lot of the problems with how things are these days.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4OO...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4OO...
Convenience is Destroying Culture
YouTube video by Design Theory
www.youtube.com
August 17, 2025 at 6:07 PM
This is a pretty great video, encapsulating a lot of the problems with how things are these days.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4OO...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4OO...
A new person came to gymnastics yesterday and was looking lost, so I asked them what they wanted to do. They said a backflip. I asked if they'd ever done a flip before... no. Somersaults? No. Nothing.
I had them landing a front flip in 10 minutes and landing a backflip by the end of the session.
I had them landing a front flip in 10 minutes and landing a backflip by the end of the session.
May 14, 2025 at 4:11 AM
A new person came to gymnastics yesterday and was looking lost, so I asked them what they wanted to do. They said a backflip. I asked if they'd ever done a flip before... no. Somersaults? No. Nothing.
I had them landing a front flip in 10 minutes and landing a backflip by the end of the session.
I had them landing a front flip in 10 minutes and landing a backflip by the end of the session.
Today while practicing double front flips, I threw the worst flip I've ever thrown. The kind of flip that makes people stop in shock and go silent and murmur to each other about whether you're ok.
It was as close as I have ever come to diving straight down onto my head with force.
It was as close as I have ever come to diving straight down onto my head with force.
April 29, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Today while practicing double front flips, I threw the worst flip I've ever thrown. The kind of flip that makes people stop in shock and go silent and murmur to each other about whether you're ok.
It was as close as I have ever come to diving straight down onto my head with force.
It was as close as I have ever come to diving straight down onto my head with force.
Enjoying all of these "commit to a front flip from another move" skills!
April 22, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Enjoying all of these "commit to a front flip from another move" skills!
Found a product on my phone, went to buy it at my computer where it was easier to type, different price. Opened in another browser, same PC price. Opened incognito. Same price.
Different phone browser, my phone price.
Wifes phone? Even cheaper. Saved $800 buying it from my wife's phone instead.
Different phone browser, my phone price.
Wifes phone? Even cheaper. Saved $800 buying it from my wife's phone instead.
April 19, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Found a product on my phone, went to buy it at my computer where it was easier to type, different price. Opened in another browser, same PC price. Opened incognito. Same price.
Different phone browser, my phone price.
Wifes phone? Even cheaper. Saved $800 buying it from my wife's phone instead.
Different phone browser, my phone price.
Wifes phone? Even cheaper. Saved $800 buying it from my wife's phone instead.
I don't have videos to share yet, but just letting y'all know, double front flips are back!
To the point where... when trying to show someone the basics of how to do a regular flip... I accidentally threw one and a half flips and scorpioned myself... TWICE.
To the point where... when trying to show someone the basics of how to do a regular flip... I accidentally threw one and a half flips and scorpioned myself... TWICE.
April 8, 2025 at 1:07 PM
I don't have videos to share yet, but just letting y'all know, double front flips are back!
To the point where... when trying to show someone the basics of how to do a regular flip... I accidentally threw one and a half flips and scorpioned myself... TWICE.
To the point where... when trying to show someone the basics of how to do a regular flip... I accidentally threw one and a half flips and scorpioned myself... TWICE.
Sometimes I listen to a song or watch a show from like 15 - 20 years ago and think "Must be cool to have made a thing people still remember, so many years later."
Then I catch myself, because my relationship to my own work is way more complicated than that.
Then I catch myself, because my relationship to my own work is way more complicated than that.
March 18, 2025 at 5:05 AM
Sometimes I listen to a song or watch a show from like 15 - 20 years ago and think "Must be cool to have made a thing people still remember, so many years later."
Then I catch myself, because my relationship to my own work is way more complicated than that.
Then I catch myself, because my relationship to my own work is way more complicated than that.
When I was younger, I had people telling me I was doing things beyond my age. Now that I'm older, I have people telling me I'm too old for certain things.
How about the consistent factor here is that I am interested in things and therefore I do them, and age is not the significant factor?
How about the consistent factor here is that I am interested in things and therefore I do them, and age is not the significant factor?
March 5, 2025 at 2:05 AM
When I was younger, I had people telling me I was doing things beyond my age. Now that I'm older, I have people telling me I'm too old for certain things.
How about the consistent factor here is that I am interested in things and therefore I do them, and age is not the significant factor?
How about the consistent factor here is that I am interested in things and therefore I do them, and age is not the significant factor?
Using big data to provide predictions only works when you provide inputs into the correct data set.
Don't underestimate the power of the human brain to make the right connections, based on much more subtle information.
Don't underestimate the power of the human brain to make the right connections, based on much more subtle information.
March 1, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Using big data to provide predictions only works when you provide inputs into the correct data set.
Don't underestimate the power of the human brain to make the right connections, based on much more subtle information.
Don't underestimate the power of the human brain to make the right connections, based on much more subtle information.
Love when I say no to random business proposals and people respond with things like "Up to you, but it's your revenue you're leaving on the table."
Mate, you're contacting me about a game released 10+ years ago, seemingly with no idea of how the game did in that time. I'm ok with my choices.
Mate, you're contacting me about a game released 10+ years ago, seemingly with no idea of how the game did in that time. I'm ok with my choices.
February 21, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Love when I say no to random business proposals and people respond with things like "Up to you, but it's your revenue you're leaving on the table."
Mate, you're contacting me about a game released 10+ years ago, seemingly with no idea of how the game did in that time. I'm ok with my choices.
Mate, you're contacting me about a game released 10+ years ago, seemingly with no idea of how the game did in that time. I'm ok with my choices.
Real Estate is the worst game I have ever played. Everything about the game sucks.
I understand the game and how it's played, but I despise it.
I understand the game and how it's played, but I despise it.
February 11, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Real Estate is the worst game I have ever played. Everything about the game sucks.
I understand the game and how it's played, but I despise it.
I understand the game and how it's played, but I despise it.
Have been dealing with people in businesses who give me unrealistic expectations then get upset at me when I hold them to them, and they can't meet them.
Situations that could be avoided entirely if you just did the thing you said you would originally.
Situations that could be avoided entirely if you just did the thing you said you would originally.
January 29, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Have been dealing with people in businesses who give me unrealistic expectations then get upset at me when I hold them to them, and they can't meet them.
Situations that could be avoided entirely if you just did the thing you said you would originally.
Situations that could be avoided entirely if you just did the thing you said you would originally.
I installed Satisfactory, then I ran around for 10 minutes before deciding I don't care about running around mining resources so then I can craft things. I'm pretty sure there's a whole level of game here beyond that, but... there's pretty strong resistance to me actually getting to any of it.
January 11, 2025 at 10:27 AM
I installed Satisfactory, then I ran around for 10 minutes before deciding I don't care about running around mining resources so then I can craft things. I'm pretty sure there's a whole level of game here beyond that, but... there's pretty strong resistance to me actually getting to any of it.
When I read roguelike in a games description now, my brain substitutes it with "Game that is happy to waste hours of your time with arbitrary difficulty spikes and making you repeat shit endlessly"
December 27, 2024 at 6:52 AM
When I read roguelike in a games description now, my brain substitutes it with "Game that is happy to waste hours of your time with arbitrary difficulty spikes and making you repeat shit endlessly"
Having mostly stepped away from social media, online discourse, etc again it gets REALLY apparent how much this stuff brings me down instantly when it creeps back into my days.
A low level sense of dread and anxiety humming in the background that goes away when I'm switched off just doing my thing.
A low level sense of dread and anxiety humming in the background that goes away when I'm switched off just doing my thing.
December 26, 2024 at 1:25 AM
Having mostly stepped away from social media, online discourse, etc again it gets REALLY apparent how much this stuff brings me down instantly when it creeps back into my days.
A low level sense of dread and anxiety humming in the background that goes away when I'm switched off just doing my thing.
A low level sense of dread and anxiety humming in the background that goes away when I'm switched off just doing my thing.
Random things stick with you over the years.
One time someone asked about work I was doing, so I explained a bunch of stuff to them. Then someone else came up and asked the same question, so I gave the same response, and the first person walked away kinda annoyed that I said exactly the same thing.
One time someone asked about work I was doing, so I explained a bunch of stuff to them. Then someone else came up and asked the same question, so I gave the same response, and the first person walked away kinda annoyed that I said exactly the same thing.
December 21, 2024 at 7:02 AM
Random things stick with you over the years.
One time someone asked about work I was doing, so I explained a bunch of stuff to them. Then someone else came up and asked the same question, so I gave the same response, and the first person walked away kinda annoyed that I said exactly the same thing.
One time someone asked about work I was doing, so I explained a bunch of stuff to them. Then someone else came up and asked the same question, so I gave the same response, and the first person walked away kinda annoyed that I said exactly the same thing.
Reading expert predictions on markets often feels the same as reading horoscopes.
"Now is a good time because of X and Y. It is also a bad time because of W and Z. If you consider V and U, no one really knows. Everything changes on a case by case basis. Go with what makes you comfortable."
"Now is a good time because of X and Y. It is also a bad time because of W and Z. If you consider V and U, no one really knows. Everything changes on a case by case basis. Go with what makes you comfortable."
December 9, 2024 at 11:21 PM
Reading expert predictions on markets often feels the same as reading horoscopes.
"Now is a good time because of X and Y. It is also a bad time because of W and Z. If you consider V and U, no one really knows. Everything changes on a case by case basis. Go with what makes you comfortable."
"Now is a good time because of X and Y. It is also a bad time because of W and Z. If you consider V and U, no one really knows. Everything changes on a case by case basis. Go with what makes you comfortable."
Love it when I build some big complicated thing, only to look at it and go "Oh, I built all of the parts I didn't need, I actually only need the inverse of this."
Like shading a complicated image and then realising you actually only needed the simpler negative space part of it instead.
Like shading a complicated image and then realising you actually only needed the simpler negative space part of it instead.
December 3, 2024 at 5:15 AM
Love it when I build some big complicated thing, only to look at it and go "Oh, I built all of the parts I didn't need, I actually only need the inverse of this."
Like shading a complicated image and then realising you actually only needed the simpler negative space part of it instead.
Like shading a complicated image and then realising you actually only needed the simpler negative space part of it instead.
Extended period of time away from design work: "Oh my god I don't have enough interesting stuff, maybe I've been kidding myself..."
After a solid day of design work: "I have too much stuff. Where do I put all of this? Also, what about these other 10 things I just made that need to go somewhere??"
After a solid day of design work: "I have too much stuff. Where do I put all of this? Also, what about these other 10 things I just made that need to go somewhere??"
November 29, 2024 at 3:50 AM
Extended period of time away from design work: "Oh my god I don't have enough interesting stuff, maybe I've been kidding myself..."
After a solid day of design work: "I have too much stuff. Where do I put all of this? Also, what about these other 10 things I just made that need to go somewhere??"
After a solid day of design work: "I have too much stuff. Where do I put all of this? Also, what about these other 10 things I just made that need to go somewhere??"
I've been taking medication for a fungal infection for like 6 months, noticing systemic changes to things that I accepted as "that's just my body I guess" for probably the past 20-30 years?
That's what happens when people keep saying the issue is a different thing, and nothing else you try helps.
That's what happens when people keep saying the issue is a different thing, and nothing else you try helps.
November 29, 2024 at 1:51 AM
I've been taking medication for a fungal infection for like 6 months, noticing systemic changes to things that I accepted as "that's just my body I guess" for probably the past 20-30 years?
That's what happens when people keep saying the issue is a different thing, and nothing else you try helps.
That's what happens when people keep saying the issue is a different thing, and nothing else you try helps.
Hi Bluesky. Here's the full video of the Australian Poetry Slam 2024 National Finals from last month at the Sydney Opera House. Spoiler alert, I came third.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF26...
My first poem "Shame" (Top 20) is at around 1:11:30.
My second poem "Lucky" (Top 5) is at around 2:12:00.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF26...
My first poem "Shame" (Top 20) is at around 1:11:30.
My second poem "Lucky" (Top 5) is at around 2:12:00.
Australian Poetry Slam 2024 National Final – Full Archival Footage
YouTube video by Australian Poetry Slam
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2024 at 10:20 AM
Hi Bluesky. Here's the full video of the Australian Poetry Slam 2024 National Finals from last month at the Sydney Opera House. Spoiler alert, I came third.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF26...
My first poem "Shame" (Top 20) is at around 1:11:30.
My second poem "Lucky" (Top 5) is at around 2:12:00.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF26...
My first poem "Shame" (Top 20) is at around 1:11:30.
My second poem "Lucky" (Top 5) is at around 2:12:00.
Am I making a game, or am I making a sequence of shelf moments, designed to test how much you can tolerate??
November 19, 2024 at 5:55 AM
Am I making a game, or am I making a sequence of shelf moments, designed to test how much you can tolerate??
There are a bunch of game development tasks that I just do way faster when I'm drinking. The less I give a fuck, the faster the work gets.
October 29, 2024 at 3:14 AM
There are a bunch of game development tasks that I just do way faster when I'm drinking. The less I give a fuck, the faster the work gets.
I have started playing Tactical Breach Wizards, and am enjoying it very much. Good job as always @pentadact.bsky.social
October 27, 2024 at 11:50 AM
I have started playing Tactical Breach Wizards, and am enjoying it very much. Good job as always @pentadact.bsky.social