xeneth.design
@xeneth.design
A Quixotic Game Designer in Exile
xeneth.design - He/Him
xeneth.design - He/Him
GenAI video ad future is now!
Nobody would think to gift a chrome digital watch ring with a red LED alarm clock built into the rim and a microscopic microSD card slot and headphone jack bay jutting into the finger space, because it's got DUAL DRONE FANS for... cooling your hand off or something?
Nobody would think to gift a chrome digital watch ring with a red LED alarm clock built into the rim and a microscopic microSD card slot and headphone jack bay jutting into the finger space, because it's got DUAL DRONE FANS for... cooling your hand off or something?
November 19, 2025 at 2:14 AM
GenAI video ad future is now!
Nobody would think to gift a chrome digital watch ring with a red LED alarm clock built into the rim and a microscopic microSD card slot and headphone jack bay jutting into the finger space, because it's got DUAL DRONE FANS for... cooling your hand off or something?
Nobody would think to gift a chrome digital watch ring with a red LED alarm clock built into the rim and a microscopic microSD card slot and headphone jack bay jutting into the finger space, because it's got DUAL DRONE FANS for... cooling your hand off or something?
Had a small epiphany thanks to @ccharnul.bsky.social's #Hypogea and @aleksandraht.bsky.social's #MetalGarden happening to share "Megastructure Vibes."
Both short games I adore, but perhaps felt like were missing something I couldn't pout a finger on at the time I played them...
🧵1/5
Both short games I adore, but perhaps felt like were missing something I couldn't pout a finger on at the time I played them...
🧵1/5
November 18, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Had a small epiphany thanks to @ccharnul.bsky.social's #Hypogea and @aleksandraht.bsky.social's #MetalGarden happening to share "Megastructure Vibes."
Both short games I adore, but perhaps felt like were missing something I couldn't pout a finger on at the time I played them...
🧵1/5
Both short games I adore, but perhaps felt like were missing something I couldn't pout a finger on at the time I played them...
🧵1/5
"Despite the oppressive post-apocalyptic vibes and run down remnants of a mechanical mining empire, Hypogea manages to maintain a lovely atmosphere by gesturing very softly in the direction of narrative without getting bogged down in capital-W Worldbuilding."
steamcommunity.com/id/xeneth/re...
steamcommunity.com/id/xeneth/re...
Steam Community :: Xeneth :: Review for Hypogea
Fans of platforming and brutalist megastructures take note! Despite the oppressive post-apocalyptic vibes and run down remnants of a mechanical mining empire, Hypogea manages to maintain a lovely atmo...
steamcommunity.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:36 PM
"Despite the oppressive post-apocalyptic vibes and run down remnants of a mechanical mining empire, Hypogea manages to maintain a lovely atmosphere by gesturing very softly in the direction of narrative without getting bogged down in capital-W Worldbuilding."
steamcommunity.com/id/xeneth/re...
steamcommunity.com/id/xeneth/re...
Archie winter fit check!
November 17, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Archie winter fit check!
Finally getting around to playing #Röki and ran into this contraption...
@kanaratron.bsky.social The odds that this is a reference to Kled from League of Legends seems remote, right?
@kanaratron.bsky.social The odds that this is a reference to Kled from League of Legends seems remote, right?
November 16, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Finally getting around to playing #Röki and ran into this contraption...
@kanaratron.bsky.social The odds that this is a reference to Kled from League of Legends seems remote, right?
@kanaratron.bsky.social The odds that this is a reference to Kled from League of Legends seems remote, right?
Man, if it isn't Eastern studios conceptualizing Samus as some sort of matronly PTSD power armor mahoujo, it's Western studios getting all hung up on the world building and placing importance on galactic governments and societies, new AND ancient.
Metroid has ONLY 2 important elements...
Metroid has ONLY 2 important elements...
I'm sure I will still like Metroid Prime 4, but it's good to be reminded that the same people who pushed for stuff like Federation Force and 3's focus of expanding the lore of the federation are involved.
The obvious continued disconnect with a large section of the audience there is kinda funny.
The obvious continued disconnect with a large section of the audience there is kinda funny.
November 16, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Man, if it isn't Eastern studios conceptualizing Samus as some sort of matronly PTSD power armor mahoujo, it's Western studios getting all hung up on the world building and placing importance on galactic governments and societies, new AND ancient.
Metroid has ONLY 2 important elements...
Metroid has ONLY 2 important elements...
It's clear that despite Fortnite, the cultural memory of Simpsons apocrypha has dulled, given you can freely market dairy substitutes as "MALK" without a significant percentage of customers being forced to think about rat milk...
November 15, 2025 at 1:57 PM
It's clear that despite Fortnite, the cultural memory of Simpsons apocrypha has dulled, given you can freely market dairy substitutes as "MALK" without a significant percentage of customers being forced to think about rat milk...
With the closure of almost all arcades and incidental cabinet spots, video games lost one of their most powerful viral tools; incidental spectatorship.
To see each other play is to visualize and consider our own participation.
Monkey see, monkey do...
To see each other play is to visualize and consider our own participation.
Monkey see, monkey do...
November 10, 2025 at 10:54 PM
With the closure of almost all arcades and incidental cabinet spots, video games lost one of their most powerful viral tools; incidental spectatorship.
To see each other play is to visualize and consider our own participation.
Monkey see, monkey do...
To see each other play is to visualize and consider our own participation.
Monkey see, monkey do...
The context of one's current task is capable of warping all reason.
I need to REMEMBER how angry I got about a simple packaging trick like having 1 of 3 random back-of-box treatments.
Fun for the consumer and packaging designer alike!
...But the person stocking the shelves...
I need to REMEMBER how angry I got about a simple packaging trick like having 1 of 3 random back-of-box treatments.
Fun for the consumer and packaging designer alike!
...But the person stocking the shelves...
November 7, 2025 at 2:21 PM
The context of one's current task is capable of warping all reason.
I need to REMEMBER how angry I got about a simple packaging trick like having 1 of 3 random back-of-box treatments.
Fun for the consumer and packaging designer alike!
...But the person stocking the shelves...
I need to REMEMBER how angry I got about a simple packaging trick like having 1 of 3 random back-of-box treatments.
Fun for the consumer and packaging designer alike!
...But the person stocking the shelves...
Broken mirrors are a relatively common find.
They're euclidean and perfectly safe, so long as the weather is clear and you aren't carrying any Labubus on your person...
#5amFrequency
They're euclidean and perfectly safe, so long as the weather is clear and you aren't carrying any Labubus on your person...
#5amFrequency
November 1, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Broken mirrors are a relatively common find.
They're euclidean and perfectly safe, so long as the weather is clear and you aren't carrying any Labubus on your person...
#5amFrequency
They're euclidean and perfectly safe, so long as the weather is clear and you aren't carrying any Labubus on your person...
#5amFrequency
...I keep tripping over examples of YouTube script writers deploying "if I do say so myself" outside of self-congratulatory contexts.
"The level design in this game I'm reviewing and didn't help make is mighty impressive, IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF!" sounds extremely silly to me.
"The level design in this game I'm reviewing and didn't help make is mighty impressive, IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF!" sounds extremely silly to me.
October 28, 2025 at 9:38 PM
...I keep tripping over examples of YouTube script writers deploying "if I do say so myself" outside of self-congratulatory contexts.
"The level design in this game I'm reviewing and didn't help make is mighty impressive, IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF!" sounds extremely silly to me.
"The level design in this game I'm reviewing and didn't help make is mighty impressive, IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF!" sounds extremely silly to me.
I sincerely hope that remaking Halo CE in a new engine is the exercise that team needs to get a handle on what Bungie used to be, so that they can chart a course forward that results in something that actually feels new and interesting...
October 28, 2025 at 1:59 AM
I sincerely hope that remaking Halo CE in a new engine is the exercise that team needs to get a handle on what Bungie used to be, so that they can chart a course forward that results in something that actually feels new and interesting...
"...there's nothing WRONG with the size of your average unlocking world platformer; exploring huge maps for dozens of hours has been a part of the formula for longer than we've been calling them metroidvanias!
However, if you play more than 2 of these a year I think you've noticed some patterns..."
However, if you play more than 2 of these a year I think you've noticed some patterns..."
Steam Community :: Xeneth :: Review for Microvania
Listen, there's nothing WRONG with the size of your average unlocking world platformer; exploring huge maps for dozens of hours has been a part of the formula for longer than we've been calling them m...
steamcommunity.com
October 28, 2025 at 12:09 AM
"...there's nothing WRONG with the size of your average unlocking world platformer; exploring huge maps for dozens of hours has been a part of the formula for longer than we've been calling them metroidvanias!
However, if you play more than 2 of these a year I think you've noticed some patterns..."
However, if you play more than 2 of these a year I think you've noticed some patterns..."
On night four, the figure inside the broken screen manifested in earnest...
#5AMfrequency
#5AMfrequency
October 27, 2025 at 12:23 PM
On night four, the figure inside the broken screen manifested in earnest...
#5AMfrequency
#5AMfrequency
Few urban artifacts last a single night undisturbed, let alone the THREE this television has survived!
Highly suspicious.
The concave dent might simply make it undesirable, but I could've sworn I saw another figure reflected in that warped darkness...
#5AMfrequency
Highly suspicious.
The concave dent might simply make it undesirable, but I could've sworn I saw another figure reflected in that warped darkness...
#5AMfrequency
October 26, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Few urban artifacts last a single night undisturbed, let alone the THREE this television has survived!
Highly suspicious.
The concave dent might simply make it undesirable, but I could've sworn I saw another figure reflected in that warped darkness...
#5AMfrequency
Highly suspicious.
The concave dent might simply make it undesirable, but I could've sworn I saw another figure reflected in that warped darkness...
#5AMfrequency
Be glad the tech bros are obsessed with high fidelity Modern WarPorn aesthetics and shooter play so this feels as silly as it does.
The tech looks like it's ALMOST in a place where it could generate a whimsical non-sequitur AdventureTime-esque choose your own adventure here...
The tech looks like it's ALMOST in a place where it could generate a whimsical non-sequitur AdventureTime-esque choose your own adventure here...
Oh my god some fucking tech dingdong posted this on Twitter with the caption "AI games are going to be amazing" totally seriously, you have to watch it. You have to. In full screen.
October 24, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Be glad the tech bros are obsessed with high fidelity Modern WarPorn aesthetics and shooter play so this feels as silly as it does.
The tech looks like it's ALMOST in a place where it could generate a whimsical non-sequitur AdventureTime-esque choose your own adventure here...
The tech looks like it's ALMOST in a place where it could generate a whimsical non-sequitur AdventureTime-esque choose your own adventure here...
@ass.golf Big dumb re-read, (no idea why) and ran into the following panel with a certain amount of story foresight... (I'm nowhere close to caught up on QC)
Immediately wondered if this coincided with the moment you planned that direction, or if later on you just leaned way into the callback?
Immediately wondered if this coincided with the moment you planned that direction, or if later on you just leaned way into the callback?
October 22, 2025 at 7:37 PM
@ass.golf Big dumb re-read, (no idea why) and ran into the following panel with a certain amount of story foresight... (I'm nowhere close to caught up on QC)
Immediately wondered if this coincided with the moment you planned that direction, or if later on you just leaned way into the callback?
Immediately wondered if this coincided with the moment you planned that direction, or if later on you just leaned way into the callback?
Not sure it's my #1 but "The Bellhop Effect" is catchy/powerful.
Framing the player experience like a hotel stay in your game, the bellhop contextualizes future interactions; the room/view can be 5 stars, but how you initially handle their luggage acts like a multiplier on everything afterward...
Framing the player experience like a hotel stay in your game, the bellhop contextualizes future interactions; the room/view can be 5 stars, but how you initially handle their luggage acts like a multiplier on everything afterward...
What's your number one personal game design principle? And even better - does it have a cool name?
October 22, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Not sure it's my #1 but "The Bellhop Effect" is catchy/powerful.
Framing the player experience like a hotel stay in your game, the bellhop contextualizes future interactions; the room/view can be 5 stars, but how you initially handle their luggage acts like a multiplier on everything afterward...
Framing the player experience like a hotel stay in your game, the bellhop contextualizes future interactions; the room/view can be 5 stars, but how you initially handle their luggage acts like a multiplier on everything afterward...
It's nearly impossible to communicate with far-right extremists; there's this vehement insistence against the use of pronouns, meaning it's very difficult to refer to anyone in particular regardless of context.
October 21, 2025 at 6:22 PM
It's nearly impossible to communicate with far-right extremists; there's this vehement insistence against the use of pronouns, meaning it's very difficult to refer to anyone in particular regardless of context.
I can see how all the legends of house elves and capricious domestic spirits got rolling...
Are we slowly filling apartments with specific items like scissors; when kitchen shears vanish, and aren't turning up even after the replacements have dulled?
Are there scissors in the walls, wild and free?
Are we slowly filling apartments with specific items like scissors; when kitchen shears vanish, and aren't turning up even after the replacements have dulled?
Are there scissors in the walls, wild and free?
October 21, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I can see how all the legends of house elves and capricious domestic spirits got rolling...
Are we slowly filling apartments with specific items like scissors; when kitchen shears vanish, and aren't turning up even after the replacements have dulled?
Are there scissors in the walls, wild and free?
Are we slowly filling apartments with specific items like scissors; when kitchen shears vanish, and aren't turning up even after the replacements have dulled?
Are there scissors in the walls, wild and free?
When in doubt, stress the obvious I suppose...
Was just exposed to this MASTERFUL bit of ad slogan copy on a package of ice cream bars:
"A Life Without Anything Good Is Bad."
vanleeuwenicecream.com/our-story/
Was just exposed to this MASTERFUL bit of ad slogan copy on a package of ice cream bars:
"A Life Without Anything Good Is Bad."
vanleeuwenicecream.com/our-story/
Our Story | Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
GOOD-GOOD, NOT GOOD-BAD We started Van Leeuwen Ice Cream in a yellow truck on the streets of NYC in 2008 with a mission to make good ice cream that makes you feel good. Nowadays, people can spend so m...
vanleeuwenicecream.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:34 AM
When in doubt, stress the obvious I suppose...
Was just exposed to this MASTERFUL bit of ad slogan copy on a package of ice cream bars:
"A Life Without Anything Good Is Bad."
vanleeuwenicecream.com/our-story/
Was just exposed to this MASTERFUL bit of ad slogan copy on a package of ice cream bars:
"A Life Without Anything Good Is Bad."
vanleeuwenicecream.com/our-story/
Kiba is basically a kaiju that happens to be the size of your hand...
October 17, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Kiba is basically a kaiju that happens to be the size of your hand...
How does this keep happening?
MASSIVE budgets continue to be poured into almost decade-old snapshots of what the games market looks like.
Imagine how hype this would look in 2018, (almost certainly around the time it was greenlit, right?)
I mean, it's like 3v3 Smite but you can fly.
It is 2025!
MASSIVE budgets continue to be poured into almost decade-old snapshots of what the games market looks like.
Imagine how hype this would look in 2018, (almost certainly around the time it was greenlit, right?)
I mean, it's like 3v3 Smite but you can fly.
It is 2025!
Spellcasters Chronicles: Gameplay With Developer Commentary (Quantic Dream's New Game)
YouTube video by IGN
www.youtube.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:28 PM
How does this keep happening?
MASSIVE budgets continue to be poured into almost decade-old snapshots of what the games market looks like.
Imagine how hype this would look in 2018, (almost certainly around the time it was greenlit, right?)
I mean, it's like 3v3 Smite but you can fly.
It is 2025!
MASSIVE budgets continue to be poured into almost decade-old snapshots of what the games market looks like.
Imagine how hype this would look in 2018, (almost certainly around the time it was greenlit, right?)
I mean, it's like 3v3 Smite but you can fly.
It is 2025!
Starting to think that most indie devs have some built up immunity to seeing letter-by-letter instantiating text "bounce" to a new line as word wrap kicks in.
The "reveal letters instead of printing them" solution is widely known and tutorialized in every engine, near as I can tell...
The "reveal letters instead of printing them" solution is widely known and tutorialized in every engine, near as I can tell...
October 15, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Starting to think that most indie devs have some built up immunity to seeing letter-by-letter instantiating text "bounce" to a new line as word wrap kicks in.
The "reveal letters instead of printing them" solution is widely known and tutorialized in every engine, near as I can tell...
The "reveal letters instead of printing them" solution is widely known and tutorialized in every engine, near as I can tell...
Think about how eager animators would be for a commission to reprise stuff in a branded context; they'd probably even quote great rates to iterate on existing work!
I don't buy that it's actually that much cheaper/easier, ordering artists to poorly imitate other artists from scratch.
I don't buy that it's actually that much cheaper/easier, ordering artists to poorly imitate other artists from scratch.
So, I stumbled across this animation (left) that a professional studio made for a commercial client last year and a lot of it seems VERY familiar to my 2023 'PEAS' animation (right)...
October 15, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Think about how eager animators would be for a commission to reprise stuff in a branded context; they'd probably even quote great rates to iterate on existing work!
I don't buy that it's actually that much cheaper/easier, ordering artists to poorly imitate other artists from scratch.
I don't buy that it's actually that much cheaper/easier, ordering artists to poorly imitate other artists from scratch.