Matthew Hanlon
@thebag1981.bsky.social
🏴 •Lead coder at Playsport Games •Co-founder of Bit By Bit Games •ex-Lionhead gameplay & AI coder (B&W2, Fable 2 3 & H) #BAFTAGames he/him
Pinned
In July 2004 I joined #Lionhead in my first pro game dev job as a coder of Black & White 2. I've just found some screenshots from dev, so have at it.
One of the first things I did was add a villager behaviour so they'd go to the cathedral under the guidance of
@MrFlabyo (not on here)
One of the first things I did was add a villager behaviour so they'd go to the cathedral under the guidance of
@MrFlabyo (not on here)
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
I would watch the fuck out of Ken Burns' From Software
A solid eight hours before you even get to Demon's Souls....
A solid eight hours before you even get to Demon's Souls....
November 25, 2025 at 3:54 AM
I would watch the fuck out of Ken Burns' From Software
A solid eight hours before you even get to Demon's Souls....
A solid eight hours before you even get to Demon's Souls....
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Recent discussion about the perils of doors in gamedev reminded me of a bug caused by a door in a game you may have heard of called "Half Life 2".
I wrote it up over on Mastodon (I find it's better at long threads):
mastodon.gamedev.place/@TomF/115589...
I wrote it up over on Mastodon (I find it's better at long threads):
mastodon.gamedev.place/@TomF/115589...
Tom Forsyth (@[email protected])
Attached: 1 image
Recent discussion about the perils of doors in gamedev reminded me of a bug caused by a door in a game you may heard of called "Half Life 2". Are you sitting comfortably? Then I sha...
mastodon.gamedev.place
November 21, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Recent discussion about the perils of doors in gamedev reminded me of a bug caused by a door in a game you may have heard of called "Half Life 2".
I wrote it up over on Mastodon (I find it's better at long threads):
mastodon.gamedev.place/@TomF/115589...
I wrote it up over on Mastodon (I find it's better at long threads):
mastodon.gamedev.place/@TomF/115589...
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
don’t talk to me
November 21, 2025 at 1:45 PM
don’t talk to me
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
I've opened up my Blood Money article where I talk about the multiplexor used in it. Based on the wonderful Armalyte multiplexor, it made it super flexible and quick.
#C64 #Commodore #gamedev #retrodev #DMADesign #Psygnosis
lemmings.info/c64-blood-mo...
#C64 #Commodore #gamedev #retrodev #DMADesign #Psygnosis
lemmings.info/c64-blood-mo...
C64 Blood Money – Part 3 - Sprites - THE LIFE OF A GAME DEVELOPER
In this post, we take a look at the Sprite multiplexor used in C64's Blood Money,
lemmings.info
November 21, 2025 at 10:57 AM
I've opened up my Blood Money article where I talk about the multiplexor used in it. Based on the wonderful Armalyte multiplexor, it made it super flexible and quick.
#C64 #Commodore #gamedev #retrodev #DMADesign #Psygnosis
lemmings.info/c64-blood-mo...
#C64 #Commodore #gamedev #retrodev #DMADesign #Psygnosis
lemmings.info/c64-blood-mo...
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
If you scroll on X, you are only being shown what Elon wants you to see. If you create content on X, no one will see it unless Elon wants them to.
November 21, 2025 at 1:23 AM
If you scroll on X, you are only being shown what Elon wants you to see. If you create content on X, no one will see it unless Elon wants them to.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
November 20, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Before the midterms of 1866, President Andrew Johnson called his congressional opponents traitors and said they should be hanged.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Voters were so profoundly moved by his words... that they gave his opponents a supermajority in Congress, and the nation got the Fourteenth Amendment.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Absolute psychic damage for me seeing Xbox 360 on the cover of Retro Gamer. I was reviewing new games for the former when I was first writing for the latter.
Retro Gamer 279 celebrates 20 years of the Xbox 360! The magazine also includes a 2026 Mario calendar.
Also inside: Stormbringer, Pipe Mania, Mega Man X, Real Bout Fatal Fury 2, Brian Shea, Terminator games and much more.
Grab it in shops or buy it online: www.magazinesdirect.com/uk/retro-gam...
Also inside: Stormbringer, Pipe Mania, Mega Man X, Real Bout Fatal Fury 2, Brian Shea, Terminator games and much more.
Grab it in shops or buy it online: www.magazinesdirect.com/uk/retro-gam...
November 20, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Absolute psychic damage for me seeing Xbox 360 on the cover of Retro Gamer. I was reviewing new games for the former when I was first writing for the latter.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Elon Musk Nominated For “Most Divorced Gamer” At The Game Awards
Elon Musk Nominated For “Most Divorced Gamer” At The Game Awards - Hard Drive
“He just plays Elden Ring and retweets anyone who gets closest to saying the 14 words”
hard-drive.net
November 19, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Elon Musk Nominated For “Most Divorced Gamer” At The Game Awards
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
"One of the most brilliant programmers around" - tributes pour in as Interplay co-founder Rebecca Heineman passes away www.eurogamer.net/one-of-the-m...
November 18, 2025 at 11:50 AM
"One of the most brilliant programmers around" - tributes pour in as Interplay co-founder Rebecca Heineman passes away www.eurogamer.net/one-of-the-m...
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Not everyone is unhappy about the Government's descent into anti-refugee politics
November 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Not everyone is unhappy about the Government's descent into anti-refugee politics
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
We have to kick these Nazis out at all costs.
Refugees’ jewellery could be seized to pay for asylum costs, says Home Office minister
Refugees’ jewellery could be seized to pay for asylum costs, says Home Office minister
Idea borrowed from Denmark is latest attempt to reduce number of refugees coming to UK
Refugees could have jewellery or other valuables taken to pay for the costs of processing their cases, a Home Office minister has said, in another detail of changes to migration policy likely to cause worries among Labour MPs.
Speaking to broadcasters before the formal announcement of sweeping changes to asylum policy on Monday, the Home Office minister Alex Norris said while this would not involve seizing wedding rings, jewellery without sentimental value could be taken. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:57 AM
We have to kick these Nazis out at all costs.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
This rancid trash understands the significance of Labour's anti-refugee policies.
November 16, 2025 at 10:43 AM
This rancid trash understands the significance of Labour's anti-refugee policies.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
New article: one thing from every inkle game that we failed to explain clearly enough, and how often we've been made to regret it.
You can’t underestimate everyone
Here is a quick list of features in inkle games which we failed to tutorialise or remind players of enough. The data is empirically backed…
medium.com
November 15, 2025 at 12:57 PM
New article: one thing from every inkle game that we failed to explain clearly enough, and how often we've been made to regret it.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
When a major story beat in Ghost of Yotei was labeled "The Cost of Revenge," I felt relief because I am glad a Playstation game is finally covering this topic. I hope we can get some answers re: revenge, and whether it is a bad thing, and maybe even causes a cycle of violence
November 13, 2025 at 4:29 PM
When a major story beat in Ghost of Yotei was labeled "The Cost of Revenge," I felt relief because I am glad a Playstation game is finally covering this topic. I hope we can get some answers re: revenge, and whether it is a bad thing, and maybe even causes a cycle of violence
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
If you have to get permission to teach in your area of expertise from people who are definitionally not qualified to adjudicate your expertise then you are no longer working at a university.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M adopts policy requiring professors to get OK from school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.
November 13, 2025 at 11:48 PM
If you have to get permission to teach in your area of expertise from people who are definitionally not qualified to adjudicate your expertise then you are no longer working at a university.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 AM
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
The fact that this person remains Health Secretary is objectively one of the most significant British political scandals of the post-Covid era. But because he's doing something the media barons like, everyone has decided it's fine.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting says that the British Medical Association, which represents Britain's doctors, is a threat to the NHS. Streeting took a record £225k from private healthcare-related donors in just two years.
British Medical Association ‘threat to future of NHS’, says Streeting ahead of doctors’ strike
Health secretary accuses doctors’ union of ‘cartel-like behaviour’ and tells it to ‘get real’ over pay demands
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:46 AM
The fact that this person remains Health Secretary is objectively one of the most significant British political scandals of the post-Covid era. But because he's doing something the media barons like, everyone has decided it's fine.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Thanks to the team at MCV for carrying a piece about our new #HelloWorld! Scottish Students Startup Summit event…
mcvuk.com/business-new...
mcvuk.com/business-new...
[From the industry] “Hello World!”: Scottish Students Startup Summit Aims To Ignite The Next Generation of Games and Tech Entrepreneurs - MCV/DEVELOP
The Scottish Games Network Ltd is thrilled to announce the inaugural Hello World! Scottish Students Startup Summit
mcvuk.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Thanks to the team at MCV for carrying a piece about our new #HelloWorld! Scottish Students Startup Summit event…
mcvuk.com/business-new...
mcvuk.com/business-new...
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
It's funny how "powered by Steam" seems to have different connotations these days
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhTv...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhTv...
Steam - Official Hardware Announcement Trailer
YouTube video by IGN
www.youtube.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:49 PM
It's funny how "powered by Steam" seems to have different connotations these days
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhTv...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhTv...
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Be careful what you share, Ivanka.
Some of us actually read the rest of the story.👇
Some of us actually read the rest of the story.👇
November 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Be careful what you share, Ivanka.
Some of us actually read the rest of the story.👇
Some of us actually read the rest of the story.👇
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
Business rent is way too high on Mag (not Miracle) Mile so companies are just shuffling around. H&M moved two blocks down the road to save cash.
He's blaming "murder and crime" in one of the safest parts of the city because the real problem is "landlords." Almost like that's the whole gambit.
He's blaming "murder and crime" in one of the safest parts of the city because the real problem is "landlords." Almost like that's the whole gambit.
Call in the troops to solve the commercial real estate crisis in our swanky downtown cores
You can’t make this shit up, folks
You can’t make this shit up, folks
November 11, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Business rent is way too high on Mag (not Miracle) Mile so companies are just shuffling around. H&M moved two blocks down the road to save cash.
He's blaming "murder and crime" in one of the safest parts of the city because the real problem is "landlords." Almost like that's the whole gambit.
He's blaming "murder and crime" in one of the safest parts of the city because the real problem is "landlords." Almost like that's the whole gambit.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
I've never had that deep relationship with Lumines that so many peers have written about brilliantly - but Arise definitely feels like an amazing environment to learn to love it. Another stunning Hydelic score, too. Almost feels wrong playing something this funky in my drab living room.
🎉 Lumines Arise Available Now for PS5 and Steam 🚀
Light, sound and haptics unite your senses. Feel the good vibes. Puzzle differently.
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2370000/Lumines_Arise
PS5: store.playstation.com/concept/10011885
lumines.game #LuminesArise
Light, sound and haptics unite your senses. Feel the good vibes. Puzzle differently.
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2370000/Lumines_Arise
PS5: store.playstation.com/concept/10011885
lumines.game #LuminesArise
November 11, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I've never had that deep relationship with Lumines that so many peers have written about brilliantly - but Arise definitely feels like an amazing environment to learn to love it. Another stunning Hydelic score, too. Almost feels wrong playing something this funky in my drab living room.
Reposted by Matthew Hanlon
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
The Rockstar Workers Fired Before They Could Finish GTA 6
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I went to meet the 'Rockstar 31', the developers who were suddenly fired from their work on GTA 6 for what the studio has described as gross misconduct.
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...
That's not what the workers call it though. They have another couple of words they prefer to use: union busting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9nO...