Lóa Gunnars
@loa-gunnars.bsky.social
🏳️⚧️🇮🇸 Game designer - lecturer - NYU Game Center ‘15 - creator of: Triple Agent, Out of the Loop and Sumer
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
completely forgot to post this Phantom Spark commission I did a while ago, extremely neat game
July 15, 2025 at 3:18 PM
completely forgot to post this Phantom Spark commission I did a while ago, extremely neat game
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
Today’s @puzzmo.com crossword is an example of how puzzles express the identity of the constructor. I was so happy to see it’s the work of @loa-gunnars.bsky.social and Auđur Ákadóttir. Clues like “advanced degree of a game designer” and “surface of many games” show the personal imprint. Congrats!❤️❤️❤️
June 17, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Today’s @puzzmo.com crossword is an example of how puzzles express the identity of the constructor. I was so happy to see it’s the work of @loa-gunnars.bsky.social and Auđur Ákadóttir. Clues like “advanced degree of a game designer” and “surface of many games” show the personal imprint. Congrats!❤️❤️❤️
I made a crossword that’s available for just today!
Celebrate Iceland National Day by trying it 😄
Also check out all of Puzzmo if you haven’t already!
Celebrate Iceland National Day by trying it 😄
Also check out all of Puzzmo if you haven’t already!
very special crossword today by @loa-gunnars.bsky.social and Auđur Ákadóttir! 🇮🇸
puzzmo.com/puzzle/2025-...
puzzmo.com/puzzle/2025-...
June 17, 2025 at 7:34 PM
I made a crossword that’s available for just today!
Celebrate Iceland National Day by trying it 😄
Also check out all of Puzzmo if you haven’t already!
Celebrate Iceland National Day by trying it 😄
Also check out all of Puzzmo if you haven’t already!
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
The heartbreaking statement from Jonathan Joss’s husband about his death.
June 2, 2025 at 6:53 PM
The heartbreaking statement from Jonathan Joss’s husband about his death.
Had an incredible time at @amazefest.bsky.social. It was my first time and I’m encouraging all indie developers to make this their conference of choice next year over GDC.
May 18, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Had an incredible time at @amazefest.bsky.social. It was my first time and I’m encouraging all indie developers to make this their conference of choice next year over GDC.
I accidentally wrote an article yesterday about coming to terms with being trans and some of the facts I discovered in my years of research.
It was originally on Facebook but I wanted to share it with my connections here.
It was originally on Facebook but I wanted to share it with my connections here.
Trans day of visibility
I started writing a small post about Trans Day of Visibility on Facebook but ended up accidentally writing a full article!
It’s about…
medium.com
April 2, 2025 at 12:34 AM
I accidentally wrote an article yesterday about coming to terms with being trans and some of the facts I discovered in my years of research.
It was originally on Facebook but I wanted to share it with my connections here.
It was originally on Facebook but I wanted to share it with my connections here.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
I've taught many people new to gamedev from kids to adult, from a practical educator lens I believe the main difference people credit to kids learning faster or easier than adults is they aren't yet consciously trying to avoid temporarily looking like a beginner at something
adding alt text to help
adding alt text to help
March 30, 2025 at 10:48 AM
I've taught many people new to gamedev from kids to adult, from a practical educator lens I believe the main difference people credit to kids learning faster or easier than adults is they aren't yet consciously trying to avoid temporarily looking like a beginner at something
adding alt text to help
adding alt text to help
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
I’m seeing a lot of negative reviews on games along the lines of “this isn’t exactly what I wanted, even though it was exactly what was promised”.
I can’t overstate how much more joy you will have if you allow art to unfurl in front of you, instead of demanding it be what you imagine you want.
I can’t overstate how much more joy you will have if you allow art to unfurl in front of you, instead of demanding it be what you imagine you want.
March 29, 2025 at 10:30 PM
I’m seeing a lot of negative reviews on games along the lines of “this isn’t exactly what I wanted, even though it was exactly what was promised”.
I can’t overstate how much more joy you will have if you allow art to unfurl in front of you, instead of demanding it be what you imagine you want.
I can’t overstate how much more joy you will have if you allow art to unfurl in front of you, instead of demanding it be what you imagine you want.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
Maybe people think the first trans person in Congress was going to get to operate like the first gay dudes that came out? Having established themselves already and gotten buddy-buddy with some Republicans, they could use their clout to advocate for gay rights
March 22, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Maybe people think the first trans person in Congress was going to get to operate like the first gay dudes that came out? Having established themselves already and gotten buddy-buddy with some Republicans, they could use their clout to advocate for gay rights
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
So proud of this bunch. Congratulations!! 🎉 ❤️❤️❤️
HUGE congrats to these NYU Game Center alumni for their wins at the 2025 IGF Awards last night!
EXCELLENCE IN AUDIO
Julián Cordero (BFA '19) for @despelote.game
WINGS AWARD
NUOVO AWARD
SEUMAS MCNALLY GRAND PRIZE
@qdork.bsky.social (BFA '16) and @apthomson.bsky.social (MFA '15) for playconsume.me
EXCELLENCE IN AUDIO
Julián Cordero (BFA '19) for @despelote.game
WINGS AWARD
NUOVO AWARD
SEUMAS MCNALLY GRAND PRIZE
@qdork.bsky.social (BFA '16) and @apthomson.bsky.social (MFA '15) for playconsume.me
March 20, 2025 at 9:39 PM
So proud of this bunch. Congratulations!! 🎉 ❤️❤️❤️
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
😬
March 19, 2025 at 10:33 PM
😬
Got a notification on my phone that my flight was about to board and suddenly all the bad feelings of cancelling my GDC trip hit me.
I had somehow packaged them neatly away as a normal thing, but after all the convos I’ve had this week I finally realized I’m in the right to be pissed/sad about it.
I had somehow packaged them neatly away as a normal thing, but after all the convos I’ve had this week I finally realized I’m in the right to be pissed/sad about it.
March 15, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Got a notification on my phone that my flight was about to board and suddenly all the bad feelings of cancelling my GDC trip hit me.
I had somehow packaged them neatly away as a normal thing, but after all the convos I’ve had this week I finally realized I’m in the right to be pissed/sad about it.
I had somehow packaged them neatly away as a normal thing, but after all the convos I’ve had this week I finally realized I’m in the right to be pissed/sad about it.
I had to cancel GDC plans this year along with many other game devs. It’s surreal that the US just isn’t safe enough anymore.
Appreciate the international perspective of devs cancelling going to GDC due to hostile US policies and political upheaval in @nathangrayson.bsky.social's article. Thank you for interviewing @garyjkings.bsky.social and I - and many other devs weighing such concerns.
aftermath.site/gdc-2025-tra...
aftermath.site/gdc-2025-tra...
International Game Developers Cancel GDC Plans As US Government Snatches A Pro-Palestine Student, Threatens Canada - Aftermath
"It seems insane to travel to a country that has all but declared you its enemy"
aftermath.site
March 15, 2025 at 1:23 AM
I had to cancel GDC plans this year along with many other game devs. It’s surreal that the US just isn’t safe enough anymore.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
Hyun Sook and I have officially canceled our 4 month trip to the US.
We have planned this trip for years, I was about to announce events across the country, and Hyun Sook resigned from the job she loved and held for a decade so she'd be available.
But the US is no longer a safe place to travel.
We have planned this trip for years, I was about to announce events across the country, and Hyun Sook resigned from the job she loved and held for a decade so she'd be available.
But the US is no longer a safe place to travel.
March 13, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Hyun Sook and I have officially canceled our 4 month trip to the US.
We have planned this trip for years, I was about to announce events across the country, and Hyun Sook resigned from the job she loved and held for a decade so she'd be available.
But the US is no longer a safe place to travel.
We have planned this trip for years, I was about to announce events across the country, and Hyun Sook resigned from the job she loved and held for a decade so she'd be available.
But the US is no longer a safe place to travel.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
To me, "tuning" describes the tweaking of numbers and other design dials to create the desired game dynamics. And it feels like fully 50% of my job as a game designer. It just feels so critical. I've had prototypes where the system itself appeared to be a failure but the issue was actually tuning.
February 26, 2025 at 3:55 PM
To me, "tuning" describes the tweaking of numbers and other design dials to create the desired game dynamics. And it feels like fully 50% of my job as a game designer. It just feels so critical. I've had prototypes where the system itself appeared to be a failure but the issue was actually tuning.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
Maybe the title is clickbait but I think Leap Year, Vampire Survivors, etc. are far from "about rectangles".
IMO it's far from clear that scaling up leads to better games, if anything just the opposite. SokPop, Punkcake, and the Minit crew are the model for indies to follow; real, *special* games.
IMO it's far from clear that scaling up leads to better games, if anything just the opposite. SokPop, Punkcake, and the Minit crew are the model for indies to follow; real, *special* games.
yet another issue with the “indies will save us” narrative outlined (and debunked) on the latest you are error
aftermath.site/you-are-erro...
aftermath.site/you-are-erro...
January 23, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Maybe the title is clickbait but I think Leap Year, Vampire Survivors, etc. are far from "about rectangles".
IMO it's far from clear that scaling up leads to better games, if anything just the opposite. SokPop, Punkcake, and the Minit crew are the model for indies to follow; real, *special* games.
IMO it's far from clear that scaling up leads to better games, if anything just the opposite. SokPop, Punkcake, and the Minit crew are the model for indies to follow; real, *special* games.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
a good game can turn into a great game if it sucks a little bit in an interesting way
January 14, 2025 at 9:26 PM
a good game can turn into a great game if it sucks a little bit in an interesting way
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
Cannot stop thinking about how Octavia Butler wrote a book in 1993 about climate change. It opens with deadly fires in LA in 2025. In the story, a fascist President has just won office with the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
January 9, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Cannot stop thinking about how Octavia Butler wrote a book in 1993 about climate change. It opens with deadly fires in LA in 2025. In the story, a fascist President has just won office with the campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
She was a modern day Nostradamus. If only we'd listened.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
*loading a pistol and reopening netscape navigator* net's haunted
January 3, 2025 at 9:32 PM
*loading a pistol and reopening netscape navigator* net's haunted
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
Musk’s wealth in 2012: $2 Billion
Musk’s wealth in 2024: $447 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2012: $18 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2024: $249 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2012: $44 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2024: $224 Billion
Minimum wage in 2012: $7.25
Minimum wage in 2024: $7.25
Musk’s wealth in 2024: $447 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2012: $18 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2024: $249 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2012: $44 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2024: $224 Billion
Minimum wage in 2012: $7.25
Minimum wage in 2024: $7.25
December 19, 2024 at 11:19 PM
Musk’s wealth in 2012: $2 Billion
Musk’s wealth in 2024: $447 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2012: $18 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2024: $249 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2012: $44 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2024: $224 Billion
Minimum wage in 2012: $7.25
Minimum wage in 2024: $7.25
Musk’s wealth in 2024: $447 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2012: $18 Billion
Bezos’s wealth in 2024: $249 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2012: $44 Billion
Zuckerberg’s wealth in 2024: $224 Billion
Minimum wage in 2012: $7.25
Minimum wage in 2024: $7.25
Five years ago @torfi.bsky.social and I published Out of the Loop.
The game's popularity has grown year by year (I think probably 10 million people have played it by now) and we have wanted to finally update it with more content.
Today we added four new categories to the game!
The game's popularity has grown year by year (I think probably 10 million people have played it by now) and we have wanted to finally update it with more content.
Today we added four new categories to the game!
December 19, 2024 at 9:42 PM
Five years ago @torfi.bsky.social and I published Out of the Loop.
The game's popularity has grown year by year (I think probably 10 million people have played it by now) and we have wanted to finally update it with more content.
Today we added four new categories to the game!
The game's popularity has grown year by year (I think probably 10 million people have played it by now) and we have wanted to finally update it with more content.
Today we added four new categories to the game!
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
20 years ago we were suing teenagers for millions of dollars because they were torrenting a single Metallica album and now billionaires are demanding the free right to every work in history, so that they can re-sell it.
The law only ever serves capital.
The law only ever serves capital.
‘Impossible’ to create AI tools like ChatGPT without copyrighted material, OpenAI says
‘Impossible’ to create AI tools like ChatGPT without copyrighted material, OpenAI says
Pressure grows on artificial intelligence firms over the content used to train their productsBusiness live – latest updatesThe developer OpenAI has said it would be impossible to create tools like its groundbreaking chatbot ChatGPT without access to copyrighted material, as pressure grows on artificial intelligence firms over the content used to train their products.Chatbots such as ChatGPT and image generators like Stable Diffusion are “trained” on a vast trove of data taken from the internet, with much of it covered by copyright – a legal protection against someone’s work being used without permission. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2024 at 4:34 PM
20 years ago we were suing teenagers for millions of dollars because they were torrenting a single Metallica album and now billionaires are demanding the free right to every work in history, so that they can re-sell it.
The law only ever serves capital.
The law only ever serves capital.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
Listen to Ann, she’s one of the smartest, most experienced people in writing for games, and she’s seen a lot.
Yeah ok, I’m doing this.
Here is some advice for aspiring game writers.
Do not come into games wanting to be a game writer with the attitude that all you are going to write are the cinematics.
Fact: a game’s story is not about the cinematics.
🧵
Here is some advice for aspiring game writers.
Do not come into games wanting to be a game writer with the attitude that all you are going to write are the cinematics.
Fact: a game’s story is not about the cinematics.
🧵
December 18, 2024 at 12:08 AM
Listen to Ann, she’s one of the smartest, most experienced people in writing for games, and she’s seen a lot.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
More to say on burnout and I'm probably going to boost it a few times because folks need to hear it:
Burnout is a form of brain damage. It happens when stress conditions persist until they damage our brains.
It's an injury that needs to heal, not a weakness that needs to be pushed through.
Burnout is a form of brain damage. It happens when stress conditions persist until they damage our brains.
It's an injury that needs to heal, not a weakness that needs to be pushed through.
Man burnout can mess you up for a very long time.
And it can sneak up on you: things can seem stressful but mostly manageable until suddenly they're not manageable.
Self care and vacation are great, but they're guardrails: they don't help when you've already fallen in.
And it can sneak up on you: things can seem stressful but mostly manageable until suddenly they're not manageable.
Self care and vacation are great, but they're guardrails: they don't help when you've already fallen in.
December 13, 2024 at 2:14 PM
More to say on burnout and I'm probably going to boost it a few times because folks need to hear it:
Burnout is a form of brain damage. It happens when stress conditions persist until they damage our brains.
It's an injury that needs to heal, not a weakness that needs to be pushed through.
Burnout is a form of brain damage. It happens when stress conditions persist until they damage our brains.
It's an injury that needs to heal, not a weakness that needs to be pushed through.
Reposted by Lóa Gunnars
I love discussing #gamedev stuff, but the conversation that is meaningful to me has replies that:
- ask questions, not just statements.
- respect my truth, not just straight up disagree.
- suggest a shared interest in finding the truth, not just arguing for sake of it.
🙏🏼
- ask questions, not just statements.
- respect my truth, not just straight up disagree.
- suggest a shared interest in finding the truth, not just arguing for sake of it.
🙏🏼
December 12, 2024 at 8:18 AM
I love discussing #gamedev stuff, but the conversation that is meaningful to me has replies that:
- ask questions, not just statements.
- respect my truth, not just straight up disagree.
- suggest a shared interest in finding the truth, not just arguing for sake of it.
🙏🏼
- ask questions, not just statements.
- respect my truth, not just straight up disagree.
- suggest a shared interest in finding the truth, not just arguing for sake of it.
🙏🏼