Ryan Thompson
@bardicknowledge.bsky.social
Game audio professor and radio host (Monday 7:00 PM, wkar.org) at Michigan State. Husband, father of two. Go green! [email protected]
Watch me and my best friends stream Thursday evenings 9-11 PM Eastern at Twitch.tv/BardicKnowledge
Watch me and my best friends stream Thursday evenings 9-11 PM Eastern at Twitch.tv/BardicKnowledge
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
![Comic. Panels up to the 10-year point are grayed out. New panels since the Ten Years comic, which chronicles the first ten years of PERSON 1's journey with cancer: (1) [two people in bed] PERSON 1 (woman): One more chapter? PERSON 2 (man): Don’t we both have to get up early? PERSON 1: Nnnnnggggh PERSON 2: Sure, good point. (2) [many people wearing masks, walking while looking at graphs on their phones] (3) [birds landing on people] PERSON 2 in beanie and scarf: Hah! They like *my* seeds best. PERSON 1 in scarf holding phone with a bird sitting on it: Wait, how do I take a picture of this one? (4) [two people rowing boats with tree landscape] (5) [Person 1 carries overflowing stack of things to Person 2 in bed] PERSON 1: I brought you honey lemon tea, more pillows, a cinnamon roll, Tylenol, another blanket, a– PERSON 2: It was just Appendicitis, I’m really– PERSON 1: *It is my turn to take care of you and I am going to do it right!* (6) [Two people in car] (7) [still in car) PERSON 1: Oh my god. PERSON 2: Oh my god. (8) [car driving] PERSON 1: Pull over! PERSON 2: I am! (9) [both people get out of car] (10) [Large colored panel of aurora borealis over water with both people looking on] (11) [Person 1 sits against tree while Person 2 lies on the ground] PERSON 1: Fifteen years. No sign of the cancer. (12) I *am* having some weird symptoms. Joint pain. Fatigue. I think I’m losing my close-up vision. PERSON 2: Yeah. Me too. (13) PERSON 2: I think we’re getting old. (14) PERSON 1: I guess that’s okay. PERSON 2: It’s all I wanted.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihwhjblp5lyiwp63ouar7ocfea7evmckytoeo7rkfuoo4gw5rnrra@jpeg)
November 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
Huh. Looks like Cleared Hot - a modern successor to EA's old Strike series of helicopter shooters - is doing great. 1000 user reviews in a few days, 98% positive.
Right now it's just Episode 1 (defending Texas against corporate technocrat takeover), shareware style, with the others coming later.
Right now it's just Episode 1 (defending Texas against corporate technocrat takeover), shareware style, with the others coming later.
Save 10% on Cleared Hot on Steam
CLEARED HOT is a nostalgic helicopter shooter with satisfying physics and light tactical elements. Shoot, dodge, move your squad around the battlefield, and pick up almost anything with your rope and ...
store.steampowered.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Huh. Looks like Cleared Hot - a modern successor to EA's old Strike series of helicopter shooters - is doing great. 1000 user reviews in a few days, 98% positive.
Right now it's just Episode 1 (defending Texas against corporate technocrat takeover), shareware style, with the others coming later.
Right now it's just Episode 1 (defending Texas against corporate technocrat takeover), shareware style, with the others coming later.
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
My public service announcement for today is that America’s Test Kitchen, which is infinitely better then NYTimes Cooking, has introduced a new gift link option that has no limit on how many you can share and each link lasts 30 days.
November 25, 2025 at 10:05 PM
My public service announcement for today is that America’s Test Kitchen, which is infinitely better then NYTimes Cooking, has introduced a new gift link option that has no limit on how many you can share and each link lasts 30 days.
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
Pleased to say that I'll be at SCMS again next year, this time presenting on a panel with @kategalloway.bsky.social, @hoagietime.bsky.social, and @oscarmoralde.com!
November 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Pleased to say that I'll be at SCMS again next year, this time presenting on a panel with @kategalloway.bsky.social, @hoagietime.bsky.social, and @oscarmoralde.com!
This piece by @dialacina.com hits so hard?! Maybe the best thing I’ve read about the remade Erdrick trilogy and gosh the paragraph about the DQ overture alone is an all-timer for ludomusicology friends.
The HD-2D remakes of Dragon Quest might modernize these ancient RPGs, but could anything recreate the experience of playing them on the NES? www.avclub.com/dragon-quest...
A quest for relevance: Dragon Quest’s remakes search for the impact it had in the ‘80s
The HD-2D remakes of Dragon Quest might modernize these ancient RPGs, but could anything recreate the experience of playing Dragon Warrior on the NES?
www.avclub.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:23 PM
This piece by @dialacina.com hits so hard?! Maybe the best thing I’ve read about the remade Erdrick trilogy and gosh the paragraph about the DQ overture alone is an all-timer for ludomusicology friends.
See also lumpia, the correct amount is me eating until I have to leave the table
my problem with gyoza is that they normally come in an order of about 6, but what I really need is 100 of them
November 24, 2025 at 11:27 PM
See also lumpia, the correct amount is me eating until I have to leave the table
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
Heads up: New Thief 2 level by one of Arkane's senior level designers and director of The Black Parade for Thief 1.
If he says it's his most ambitious work to date, you KNOW it's going to be amazing.
If he says it's his most ambitious work to date, you KNOW it's going to be amazing.
My new Thief 2 Fan Mission, Reflection in Red, is out! I am very proud of this one, and it is by far my most ambitious work in the Dark Engine to date. www.ttlg.com/forums/showt...
November 23, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Heads up: New Thief 2 level by one of Arkane's senior level designers and director of The Black Parade for Thief 1.
If he says it's his most ambitious work to date, you KNOW it's going to be amazing.
If he says it's his most ambitious work to date, you KNOW it's going to be amazing.
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
hello 🤠 AMERICANS!! 🤠
it looks like my book is 25% off on your Amazon for what I assume is your upcoming Black Friday sales~
treat yourself to some knowledge, buy it as a gift, and/or use it as kindling for a cozy fire idk
👉 buy now: www.amazon.com/Mastering-Co...
it looks like my book is 25% off on your Amazon for what I assume is your upcoming Black Friday sales~
treat yourself to some knowledge, buy it as a gift, and/or use it as kindling for a cozy fire idk
👉 buy now: www.amazon.com/Mastering-Co...
November 22, 2025 at 7:16 PM
hello 🤠 AMERICANS!! 🤠
it looks like my book is 25% off on your Amazon for what I assume is your upcoming Black Friday sales~
treat yourself to some knowledge, buy it as a gift, and/or use it as kindling for a cozy fire idk
👉 buy now: www.amazon.com/Mastering-Co...
it looks like my book is 25% off on your Amazon for what I assume is your upcoming Black Friday sales~
treat yourself to some knowledge, buy it as a gift, and/or use it as kindling for a cozy fire idk
👉 buy now: www.amazon.com/Mastering-Co...
@thehashtagonist.bsky.social Thought you might enjoy hearing that I had a student this term respond _immediately_ with @abioticfactor.com when I asked them which game I should add to MSU’s game literacy course next term as we begin winding down the fall semester here.
November 21, 2025 at 1:07 AM
@thehashtagonist.bsky.social Thought you might enjoy hearing that I had a student this term respond _immediately_ with @abioticfactor.com when I asked them which game I should add to MSU’s game literacy course next term as we begin winding down the fall semester here.
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
Children’s and consumer advocacy groups are urging parents not to buy AI-powered toys during the holiday season.
Advocacy groups urge parents to avoid AI toys this holiday season
Children’s and consumer advocacy groups are urging parents not to buy AI-powered toys during the holiday season.
bit.ly
November 20, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Children’s and consumer advocacy groups are urging parents not to buy AI-powered toys during the holiday season.
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
@slowlycrushed.bsky.social’s “Ash”, a post-rock take on two pieces from @marksparling.bsky.social’s score for A Short Hike, was recently posted to @ocremix.org.
I took the opportunity to do the write-up that accompanies the mix post: ocremix.org/remix/OCR04921
I took the opportunity to do the write-up that accompanies the mix post: ocremix.org/remix/OCR04921
A Short Hike "Ash" OC ReMix
OC ReMix presents a FREE video game remix MP3: A Short Hike "Ash" by Slowly Crushed
ocremix.org
October 16, 2025 at 2:41 PM
@slowlycrushed.bsky.social’s “Ash”, a post-rock take on two pieces from @marksparling.bsky.social’s score for A Short Hike, was recently posted to @ocremix.org.
I took the opportunity to do the write-up that accompanies the mix post: ocremix.org/remix/OCR04921
I took the opportunity to do the write-up that accompanies the mix post: ocremix.org/remix/OCR04921
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
Video game music with lyrics added to it is ***JUST FINE***
It'll be OK.
RELAX! :-P
ocremix.org/tag/lyrics-o...
bsky.app/profile/whit...
It'll be OK.
RELAX! :-P
ocremix.org/tag/lyrics-o...
bsky.app/profile/whit...
November 19, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Video game music with lyrics added to it is ***JUST FINE***
It'll be OK.
RELAX! :-P
ocremix.org/tag/lyrics-o...
bsky.app/profile/whit...
It'll be OK.
RELAX! :-P
ocremix.org/tag/lyrics-o...
bsky.app/profile/whit...
Quick reminder to submit your NACVGM abstract by 11:59 PM on Friday the 21st of November two days from now!
Full details at nacvgm.org
Full details at nacvgm.org
November 19, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Quick reminder to submit your NACVGM abstract by 11:59 PM on Friday the 21st of November two days from now!
Full details at nacvgm.org
Full details at nacvgm.org
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
I'm sure many people have mentioned this, but I think it needs to be mentioned again: women do not have yearbooks. Children do. Because yearbooks contain photos of high school students. Or younger.
This is a nuts story. An AI chatbot and image platform left millions of images exposed. They show what people are actually using the AI for: taking random women's yearbook, graduation, and social media photos and making super realistic hardcore porn with them
www.404media.co/ai-porn-secr...
www.404media.co/ai-porn-secr...
Massive Leak Shows Erotic Chatbot Users Turned Women’s Yearbook Pictures Into AI Porn
Chatbot roleplay and image generator platform SecretDesires.ai left cloud storage containers of nearly two million of images and videos exposed, including photos and full names of women from social me...
www.404media.co
November 19, 2025 at 5:40 PM
I'm sure many people have mentioned this, but I think it needs to be mentioned again: women do not have yearbooks. Children do. Because yearbooks contain photos of high school students. Or younger.
oooh, I want a roundtable on this topic sometime. @hoagietime.bsky.social’s writing on audio affordances has some overlap here…
Audio (sound effects, music, and dialogue) has a weird relationship with temp assets, mostly because of issues revolving around human psychology.
Problem #1: How do you communicate that something you're hearing is temp?
Problem #1: How do you communicate that something you're hearing is temp?
The annoying thing about the "oh we left a placeholder" generative AI slop excuse is that that is EXACTLY NOT how you should be using placeholders. Anything "not obviously terrible with a panicked hurried half-awake glance" is getting shipped.
November 19, 2025 at 5:50 PM
oooh, I want a roundtable on this topic sometime. @hoagietime.bsky.social’s writing on audio affordances has some overlap here…
My ten year-old child knows the correct response to this dinner invitation:
November 19, 2025 at 2:04 AM
My ten year-old child knows the correct response to this dinner invitation:
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
Opinion | Jamal Khashoggi: What the Arab world needs most is free expression
The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so citizens can be informed about global events.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:48 PM
I will never forget having to edit Jamal’s final, posthumous piece for the Washington Post, after he was murdered.
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
He was calling for free expression in the Arab world. You can read it here :
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/glo...
This shot of the player looking into a mirror from the new release of Dragon Quest II has tenor energy (thanks to @doodlyroses.com for the core concept).
Also I cannot recommend this collection enough. Every note the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra circa 1988-1990. It is the realization of a dream.
Also I cannot recommend this collection enough. Every note the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra circa 1988-1990. It is the realization of a dream.
November 18, 2025 at 4:04 AM
This shot of the player looking into a mirror from the new release of Dragon Quest II has tenor energy (thanks to @doodlyroses.com for the core concept).
Also I cannot recommend this collection enough. Every note the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra circa 1988-1990. It is the realization of a dream.
Also I cannot recommend this collection enough. Every note the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra circa 1988-1990. It is the realization of a dream.
I am approaching the end of Dragon Quest 1 on the new 2D-HD collection and there is enough new content added that it feels like a new experience.
I _highly_ recommend playing in chronological order btw; start with DQ3 if at all possible. Cannot wait to see DQ2’s glowup…
I _highly_ recommend playing in chronological order btw; start with DQ3 if at all possible. Cannot wait to see DQ2’s glowup…
November 17, 2025 at 1:22 PM
I am approaching the end of Dragon Quest 1 on the new 2D-HD collection and there is enough new content added that it feels like a new experience.
I _highly_ recommend playing in chronological order btw; start with DQ3 if at all possible. Cannot wait to see DQ2’s glowup…
I _highly_ recommend playing in chronological order btw; start with DQ3 if at all possible. Cannot wait to see DQ2’s glowup…
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
Just hit 2,900 video game music fans on the OC ReMix Discord!
discord.gg/ocremix
Can we not get to 3,000 before our 25th anniversary year ends??
Join in! Come talk VGM! :-)
discord.gg/ocremix
Can we not get to 3,000 before our 25th anniversary year ends??
Join in! Come talk VGM! :-)
Join the OC ReMix Discord Server!
OC ReMix believes video game music is an art form. 4,500+ FREE VGM fan mixes since 1999! Open to all VGM fans! JOIN US! | 2900 members
discord.gg
November 15, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Just hit 2,900 video game music fans on the OC ReMix Discord!
discord.gg/ocremix
Can we not get to 3,000 before our 25th anniversary year ends??
Join in! Come talk VGM! :-)
discord.gg/ocremix
Can we not get to 3,000 before our 25th anniversary year ends??
Join in! Come talk VGM! :-)
He’s on a mission…
What's from Chicago, hates Illinois Nazis, and is holy as fuck?
It's the Pope in 1982.
It's the Pope in 1982.
November 15, 2025 at 3:02 PM
He’s on a mission…
Reposted by Ryan Thompson
today is the 85th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz, the night when St. Michaels, Coventry was bombed and destroyed. i thought i would share my remarks on Coventry from the speech i gave at the Battle of Britain Dinner this past September ❤️
November 15, 2025 at 2:03 AM
today is the 85th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz, the night when St. Michaels, Coventry was bombed and destroyed. i thought i would share my remarks on Coventry from the speech i gave at the Battle of Britain Dinner this past September ❤️
Just had the opportunity to say some nice things at the Esports Research Network Conference about the team that makes the EVO albums, led by @zaidtmusic.bsky.social -- in 100 characters, I highly value the emphasis on community and engagement in those videos / albums.
The FGC is doing it right.
The FGC is doing it right.
November 14, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Just had the opportunity to say some nice things at the Esports Research Network Conference about the team that makes the EVO albums, led by @zaidtmusic.bsky.social -- in 100 characters, I highly value the emphasis on community and engagement in those videos / albums.
The FGC is doing it right.
The FGC is doing it right.
Hey programming friends: come work with me! I am awesome and so is my entire department.
DMs open for questions, and please feel free to reach out even if you don't know me well.
careers.msu.edu/jobs/special...
DMs open for questions, and please feel free to reach out even if you don't know me well.
careers.msu.edu/jobs/special...
Specialist - Teacher-Fixed Term - East Lansing, Michigan, United States
Working/Functional Title
Professor of Practice - Games & Interactive Media
Position Summary
The Department of Media and Information (M&I) at Michigan State University (MSU) seeks to hire an in...
careers.msu.edu
November 13, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Hey programming friends: come work with me! I am awesome and so is my entire department.
DMs open for questions, and please feel free to reach out even if you don't know me well.
careers.msu.edu/jobs/special...
DMs open for questions, and please feel free to reach out even if you don't know me well.
careers.msu.edu/jobs/special...
Spending some time coming to terms with the notion that an unreasonable percentage of real news stories that matter are being shared to my feed by @bencollins.bsky.social, who is most known for running The Onion.
Ben is great, incidentally! I just wish mainstream press was also. We deserve it.
Ben is great, incidentally! I just wish mainstream press was also. We deserve it.
November 13, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Spending some time coming to terms with the notion that an unreasonable percentage of real news stories that matter are being shared to my feed by @bencollins.bsky.social, who is most known for running The Onion.
Ben is great, incidentally! I just wish mainstream press was also. We deserve it.
Ben is great, incidentally! I just wish mainstream press was also. We deserve it.