Matt Hill
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matthill.co
Matt Hill
@matthill.co
180 followers 230 following 530 posts
Making digital things since 1993. Works on gov.uk, previously nhm.ac.uk, futurelearn.com and many more. Loves books, art, and the art of books. Old buildings enthusiast. Quake doodler. No GenAI. matthill.co
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matthill.co
"Regulating kids’ smartphone usage doesn’t work – they shouldn’t have one in the first place." This is the stance we're going to take with our young lad when it's time. I'm hoping by then the "no smartphones for kids" movement will be normalised!

archive.ph/Lf19e
A cropped image of a young girl holding a smartphone and staring at it intently. We can't see her face except for her nose, mouth and chin and her expression appears slack-jawed.
January 9, 2026 at 9:07 AM
matthill.co
It's amazing how some considered edge trims really elevate modern Quake maps. Just look at that start map for the new Quake brutalist jam: all those defined edges make the concrete texture feel like the genuine material. #qbj3 #quake #quakeart
Quake Brutalist Jam start map screenshot showing strange concrete architecture with pillars, skylights, a carpeted area and some wooden furniture. Quake Brutalist Jam start map screenshot showing concrete architecture with pillars, windows, a carpeted area, the skill level doors and a huge TV with "No Signal" displayed on it. Quake Brutalist Jam start map screenshot showing strange concrete architecture with pillars, skylights, and some wooden furniture against a metal railing. Quake Brutalist Jam start map screenshot showing strange concrete architecture with pillars, skylights, and concrete waffles and baffles receding upwards. Some stairs lead to a carpeted area with some wooden furniture.
January 5, 2026 at 11:20 AM
matthill.co
I just started the freshly released Quake Brutalist Jam #3. The start map alone is nuts: found the single secret, explored a bit more and then became completely *unraveled*. An absolute banger of a start and I've not even tried any of the maps yet! @makkon.bsky.social #qbj3 #quake #quakejam
Inside the main atrium of the Quake Brutalist Jam #3 start map. A vast concrete octagonal cylinder with galleries leading off to portals for each user map.
January 4, 2026 at 10:30 PM
matthill.co
I was able to identify Embden's style as I'm currently researching all his book covers for a project. The way the rocks are painted is quite the giveaway: he used this approach to shading rocks on many other covers. And the way he suggests mist/clouds is quite distinctive.🧵/2
The wrap-around book cover art of Gordon R. Dickson's "Masters of Everon" showing a pride of lions resting on orange coloured mountain rocks, against a lurid backdrop of a yellow/green sky with a planet and distant mountains. The wrap-around cover art of "Darkchild" by Sydney J. Van Scyoc, showing a castle and mountains in the midground and background with mist rolling in the foothills. A young man with dark hair wearing a blue shirt and cloak is looking up at a spaceship that seems to be firing a yellow laser at him. The image is toned in warm yellows/browns and cool aqua blue/green.
December 19, 2025 at 2:55 AM
matthill.co
I finally solved a long standing mystery with this cover of The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. It was mis-attributed to both Ian Miller and Tim White. It's neither of them, it is in fact by Michael Embden. 🧵/1 #bookcovers #scifi #coverart #vintagebookcovers #vintageillustration
The cover of the 1984 edition of The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, depicting the surface of Mars with strange rock formations, an atmosphere and some humans without spacesuits looking away at the landscape. It is toned in orange, yellow and green.
December 19, 2025 at 2:55 AM
matthill.co
Google's search AI has no love for its owner. I wanted to know if could buy the ITC Johnston font from "You work for them" and this is what it told me:
Screenshot of a Google search query for "itc johnston you work for them", with the AI response starting with a disclaimer: "I am an AI, a large language model trained by Google, and I do not work for any specific company or individual, including ITC Johnston.
December 4, 2025 at 4:35 PM
matthill.co
This little detail is wonderful. That overlapping wall. Just great!
A detail of a game level showing two concrete walls overlapping and intersecting with a square concrete bollard, with a lawn on one side and a path on the other.
November 11, 2025 at 4:43 PM
matthill.co
Fun fact: This experiment was loosely based on a ladder-and-platform structure as part of a swimming pool complex, now abandoned. "Central Aquatic Sports Complex" in Tibilisi, Georgia.
Central Aquatic Sports Complex named after Lenin Komsomol. ( Now: Laguna Vere Aquatic Sports Complex) Tbilisi, Georgia, Built in 1978 Architect Sh.Kavalashvili,G.Abuladze, R.Kiknadze. (c) BACU
November 10, 2025 at 11:40 AM
matthill.co
As an addendum to the above, I found some old screenshots of that Blowport level, wow it looks quaint!
Screenshot from an old multiplayer Duke Nukem level I made in 1996/97 called Blowport, featuring some warehouse style buildings and a little dock. Most of the buildings can be blown up in some fashion. Screenshot from an old multiplayer Duke Nukem level I made in 1996/97 called Blowport, featuring some warehouse style buildings and a little dock. Most of the buildings can be blown up in some fashion. This image shows a cheesy credit I added into a light wall panel. Screenshot from an old multiplayer Duke Nukem level I made in 1996/97 called Blowport, featuring some warehouse style buildings and a little dock. Most of the buildings can be blown up in some fashion as can be seen here after the player has shot a rocket propelled grenade into an upper window and the whole thing blows up. Screenshot from an old multiplayer Duke Nukem level I made in 1996/97 called Blowport, featuring some warehouse style buildings and a little dock. Most of the buildings can be blown up in some fashion.
November 10, 2025 at 11:24 AM
matthill.co
Nice curved curves! I had a similar nightmare trying to do these ones for a now abandoned experiment. Took a bit of messing about in Trenchbroom but they came out OK I think.
An experimental Quake map of a brutalist building full of oval windows that curve around the curve of the concrete walls. An experimental Quake map of a brutalist building full of oval windows that curve around the curve of the concrete walls.
November 10, 2025 at 11:12 AM
matthill.co
This map helped me learn more about #TrenchBroom linked groups. Use them to build repetitive architecture quickly. They can be nested and transformed. All the windows and pillars are linked nested groups. And the entire cathedral is half built on one side then linked and mirrored for the other side.
A screenshot from an unfinished Quake map in TrenchBroom, showing a cathedral interior. Half the interior is built from various shaped brushes which are grouped together, then duplicated and mirrored to complete the other side. The grouped elements are shown in red wireframe.
November 5, 2025 at 11:07 AM
matthill.co
I dropped out of this years Quake brutalist jam for a few reasons, the main one being that I finally learned I'm not good at Quake gameplay... I just enjoy the architectural design. And my concrete cathedral was veering into the gothic. I might use it for another project one day. #quake #qbj3
An unfinished Quake level, the inside of a concrete cathedral showing vast concrete columns and beams with diamond shaped windows framed in black concrete. The scene is lit with a purple tint in the shadows and the highlights are in a soft yellow. An unfinished Quake level, the inside of a concrete cathedral showing vast concrete columns and beams with diamond shaped windows framed in black concrete. The scene is lit with a purple tint in the shadows and the highlights are in a soft yellow. An unfinished Quake level, the inside of a concrete cathedral showing vast concrete columns and beams with diamond shaped windows framed in black concrete. The scene is lit with a purple tint in the shadows and the highlights are in a soft yellow. Lilac twilight enters the main window and paints the window shapes on the floor. An unfinished Quake level, an aerial exterior shot of a roughly T-shaped concrete cathedral, showing some concrete columns and roofs, with spiky diamond shaped windows.
November 5, 2025 at 10:37 AM
matthill.co
Experimenting with the retro urban texture set from @strideh.bsky.social. If you use the '-Glow' texture as a specular map for glass, you can get a cool metallic effect (looks better in motion). This was quickly built in TrenchBroom and rendered in Sketchfab. #3d #lowpoly #trenchbroom #sketchfab
An unfinished low-poly 3D model of a brownstone tenement block, showcasing some metallic looking windows that reflect the colours of the environment map.
November 5, 2025 at 9:07 AM
matthill.co
This is the sort of thing I mean. It's not a great example, because these particular images probably shouldn't have their colour removed, given the context, but you get the idea:
A screenshot of a work-in-progress website design, showing images of birds in full colour when displayed in the system's "light mode". A screenshot of a work-in-progress website design, showing images of birds in grayscale and lowered brightness when displayed in the system's "dark mode".
October 31, 2025 at 12:15 PM
matthill.co
A bit more progress on the vibe of my Quake brutalist jam map (qbj3). Might be going a bit too gothic and not enough brutalist. Plenty of time to experiment though. Will stop posting progress for now, tons of blockout still to do. #quake #blocktober #levedesign #qbj3
A work in progress Quake level with lots of concrete pillars and concrete framed windows, looks a bit like like the inside of a concrete cathedral. A work in progress Quake level with lots of concrete pillars and concrete framed windows, looks a bit like like the inside of a concrete cathedral. A work in progress Quake level with lots of concrete pillars and concrete framed windows, looks a bit like like the inside of a concrete cathedral.
October 30, 2025 at 5:07 PM
matthill.co
A little more progress. #quake #leveldesign #blocktober #qbj3 #quakebrutalistjam
A work in progress Quake level inside a concrete structure. There are huge windows with concrete frames, concrete pillars and supports, and some candles. The scene is lit with lilac twilight from the windows and a warmer yellow light somewhere within. A work in progress Quake level inside a concrete structure. There are huge windows with concrete frames, concrete pillars and supports, and some candles. The scene is lit with lilac twilight from the windows and a warmer yellow light somewhere within.
October 28, 2025 at 1:51 AM
matthill.co
Blocking out my Quake Brutalist Jam map, with some rough texture and lighting for mood. #quake #leveldesign #blocktober #qbj3
A work in progress Quake level inside an unknown structure with lots of concrete pillars and supporting beams. Scene is lit with lilac twilight entering huge windows and a warmer yellow light somewhere within.
October 27, 2025 at 2:42 AM
matthill.co
A while back I started a possible entry into Quake Brutalist Jam #3. It was a compact concrete cube based on the works of sculptor David Umemoto. It looked kinda cool but I couldn't work out good gameplay (too many stairs). Abandoned for now, might revisit... #quake #quakeart #qbj3
An incomplete Quake level, made as a concrete structure, roughly cube shaped with steep stairs, archways, circular openings and set on a platform floating in the sky. Based on the works of sculptor David Umemoto. An incomplete Quake level, made as a concrete structure, roughly cube shaped with steep stairs, archways, circular openings and set on a platform floating in the sky. Based on the works of sculptor David Umemoto. An incomplete Quake level, made as a concrete structure, roughly cube shaped with steep stairs, archways, circular openings and set on a platform floating in the sky. Based on the works of sculptor David Umemoto. This view shows some vertical pipes coming through a circular hole in the roof and vanishing into an unseen basement. An incomplete Quake level, made as a concrete structure, roughly cube shaped with steep stairs, archways, circular openings and set on a platform floating in the sky. Based on the works of sculptor David Umemoto. This view shows some vertical pipes coming through a circular hole in the roof but currently leading to nothing.
October 25, 2025 at 2:52 PM
matthill.co
Seeing the cool worlds that @makkon.bsky.social, @strideh.bsky.social and others have made over the years has been a huge inspiration. I'm using that inspiration to see how far I can push this low-fi aesthetic. So I guess I'll sign off for now with "Watch this space"... #Quake #QuakeArt 🧵/end
An unfinished interior of a supposed medieval inn, with wood pillars and beams supporting a wooden ceiling, with stone floors and arched stone windows and wooden window frames. Built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Ironwail Quake engine.
September 25, 2025 at 9:15 AM
matthill.co
However: it turns out that making a coherent, playable #QuakeMap is more difficult than it looks. I've abandoned every map I've started. I now only doodle the environments, which as a lover of old buildings is enormous fun. I'll continue to do that and maybe post them here. #QuakeDoodles 🧵/3
An attempt to build a map for the second Quake Brutalist Jam, showing some kind of concrete tower with diamond shaped windows and a triangular arched doorway. The scale was all wrong, much too small, and I'd started texturing much too early so it wasn't really salvageable without a ton of work. Built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Ironwail Quake engine. Textures by Ben Hale (Makkon). Part of a medieval castle originally intended to be a fully playable Quake level, but now will end up a doodle if it's completed. This shot shows the interior of a stone tower, with wooden ladders connecting each floor. A door is open on the right, leading outside to an observation area surrounded with battlements. Built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Ironwail Quake engine. Textures by Ben Hale (Makkon). Red-brick warehouses, shipping containers and a small storage hut in a dockside area set against a coudy, dusky sumer sky. Built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Ironwail Quake engine. Textures by Ben Hale (Makkon). An attempt to build a playabale level for the third Quake Brutalist Jam. This is the interior of some kind of military outpost, styled like a post-war European concrete installation with oval concrete windows, a spiral staircase and jutting supports. Built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Ironwail Quake engine. Textures by Ben Hale (Makkon).
September 25, 2025 at 9:15 AM
matthill.co
Building things in #Quake is fun: that retro style captures an era of great technical & artistic progress in games. I didn't play Quake back then but the aesthetic is hugely nostalgic for me. I've been enjoying building things after discovering #Trenchbroom two years ago. And it's like therapy! 🧵/2
The entrance gate to Percy's park, from the Percy the Park keeper kids books, built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Ironwail Quake engine. An attempt to build a cellar with a vaulted ceiling supported by columns. Built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Ironwail Quake engine. A stone gazebo, an attempt to build something that looked classically Italian within the limits of Quake's brushwork. There are tall stone arches and small arched widows looking out towards a golden sunset with orange and purple clouds. . Built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Ironwail Quake engine. An unfinished cutaway diorama of a medieval chapel with a wooden roof supported by hammerbeam trusses. Built in low-fidelity 3D using Trenchbroom and rendered in the Quakespasm Spiked Quake engine.
September 25, 2025 at 8:43 AM
matthill.co
Finally got the MacOS versions of Trenchbroom, VKQuake and all the ericw compilation tools setup on the M4 MacMini. Dusted off something I was working on with the old PC. It all worked and compiled perfectly, and plays just as well as it did before. Nice. #Quake #QuakeMap #RetroGames #LevelDesign
A work in progress screenshot of a castle gatehouse, part of a custom level for Quake. An arched entrance with a half open portcullis surmounted by a crenellated tower is set against a dusky summer sky with fluffy clouds.
September 24, 2025 at 11:03 PM
matthill.co
Here's a report for a PNG I created from the TGA of "{conc_d01_brwn" which has a full alpha channel. If you look at 2nd row at the color type, it says "RGBA (6)". This means it has a true alpha channel. If Substance can create PNGs like this, you should be good to release as PNG.
August 28, 2025 at 10:49 AM
matthill.co
I also wanted to only use typefaces that were available in 1982. Anyway here's a few of the covers that I mocked up in Affinity. I'm still playing with the overall design (the title text should be smaller) but what do you think? Should I do all of them!? 4/4 #FightingFantasy #BookArt #BookCoverArt
A mockup cover design of Fighting Fantasy gamebook "The Warlock of Firetop Mountain" using original art by Peter Andrew Jones. A mockup cover design of Fighting Fantasy gamebook "The Citadel of Chaos" using original art by Ian Miller. A mockup cover design of Fighting Fantasy gamebook "City of Thieves" using original art by Iain McCaig. A mockup cover design of Fighting Fantasy gamebook "Deathtrap Dungeon" using original art by Iain McCaig.
August 4, 2025 at 4:46 PM
matthill.co
A better shot of the Speckled Wood butterfly. I wonder if it escaped a hungry bird, or that is just daily damage. It's lost most of its 'eye' shapes on the lower wings.
A brown and yellow spotted Speckled Wood butterfly with torn wings alighted on a shiny evergreen leaf.
July 18, 2025 at 1:52 PM