Mike Cook
@mtrc.bsky.social
AI, creativity and procedural generation researcher. No, not that kind of AI. I write and make games and take photographs of cities. Senior Lecturer at King's College London.
A prototype for a much larger system
http://www.possibilityspace.org | he/they
A prototype for a much larger system
http://www.possibilityspace.org | he/they
Pinned
Mike Cook
@mtrc.bsky.social
· Dec 14
New Post: Magpie (Part One) 🐦⬛
Magpie is my tool for livecoding visuals, made inside #picotron! This post explains what livecoding is (briefly), what Picotron is (also briefly), and shows a bit of what Magpie can do.
www.possibilityspace.org/blog/posts/m...
Magpie is my tool for livecoding visuals, made inside #picotron! This post explains what livecoding is (briefly), what Picotron is (also briefly), and shows a bit of what Magpie can do.
www.possibilityspace.org/blog/posts/m...
slay the spire 2 teasers looking good
January 24, 2026 at 1:45 PM
slay the spire 2 teasers looking good
Reposted by Mike Cook
This week on The Bathysphere, inspired by Grapefruit Games' manifesto, I argue that Heated Rivalry is a Sportslike:
buttondown.com/Bathysphere/...
buttondown.com/Bathysphere/...
January 22, 2026 at 1:12 PM
This week on The Bathysphere, inspired by Grapefruit Games' manifesto, I argue that Heated Rivalry is a Sportslike:
buttondown.com/Bathysphere/...
buttondown.com/Bathysphere/...
Hey! I think this'll probably be one of the games of the year. It's been described as being 'relatable millennial content' and it kind of is? But if that doesn't sell the game to you, you should know there's a bunch of other reasons to love this game, I thought I'd mention a couple quickly.
January 22, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Hey! I think this'll probably be one of the games of the year. It's been described as being 'relatable millennial content' and it kind of is? But if that doesn't sell the game to you, you should know there's a bunch of other reasons to love this game, I thought I'd mention a couple quickly.
Reposted by Mike Cook
Friends, I am BACK and urgently looking for some contract work with 12 years of software/game dev experience with a formal background in classical music/musicology,
previous clients include Apple, ZA/UM, Gatsby, Travis CI, Soundminer etc
Currently looking for work in THREE main areas (see thread)
previous clients include Apple, ZA/UM, Gatsby, Travis CI, Soundminer etc
Currently looking for work in THREE main areas (see thread)
My Portfolio
berrak.neocities.org
January 20, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Friends, I am BACK and urgently looking for some contract work with 12 years of software/game dev experience with a formal background in classical music/musicology,
previous clients include Apple, ZA/UM, Gatsby, Travis CI, Soundminer etc
Currently looking for work in THREE main areas (see thread)
previous clients include Apple, ZA/UM, Gatsby, Travis CI, Soundminer etc
Currently looking for work in THREE main areas (see thread)
How many times do you think you can describe yourself as humble in an academic paper before it stops being true? My feeling is any number more than zero.
January 22, 2026 at 10:01 AM
How many times do you think you can describe yourself as humble in an academic paper before it stops being true? My feeling is any number more than zero.
Reposted by Mike Cook
Wow, what a story
The US granted visas to Jews but only allowed 30,000 in from Germany a year. You had to wait for your number to come up.
Meet Robert Smallbones. An unassuming British diplomat who 'hacked' this system so effectively (saving 48 THOUSAND Jews) the UK government kept his scheme secret for decades /1 🧵
Meet Robert Smallbones. An unassuming British diplomat who 'hacked' this system so effectively (saving 48 THOUSAND Jews) the UK government kept his scheme secret for decades /1 🧵
January 21, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Wow, what a story
Superb politics chat on here today.
January 21, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Superb politics chat on here today.
Reposted by Mike Cook
Ah shit they're saying our days as the global hegemon are over. I was really materially benefiting from that. :(
January 21, 2026 at 1:27 PM
Ah shit they're saying our days as the global hegemon are over. I was really materially benefiting from that. :(
Reposted by Mike Cook
I guess anyone can be a terrorist, if you think about it.
January 21, 2026 at 3:15 PM
I guess anyone can be a terrorist, if you think about it.
Reposted by Mike Cook
Gaming doesn’t count as screen time. Gaming is books. Unless it’s on your phone - that is screen time. Movies are books unless they are Marvel, who produce screen time. Television is screen time.
January 20, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Gaming doesn’t count as screen time. Gaming is books. Unless it’s on your phone - that is screen time. Movies are books unless they are Marvel, who produce screen time. Television is screen time.
Reposted by Mike Cook
Italian voice actor Carlo Bononi was the voice of all of the characters on Pingu. A trained clown by trade, he used a theater technique called grammelot, which consists of "speaking" in a mix of babbled gibberish noises. He improvised all the voices live and unscripted.
January 20, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Italian voice actor Carlo Bononi was the voice of all of the characters on Pingu. A trained clown by trade, he used a theater technique called grammelot, which consists of "speaking" in a mix of babbled gibberish noises. He improvised all the voices live and unscripted.
Reposted by Mike Cook
Here's a thread, in no particular order, of interesting academic work on games that I've encountered as I write my thesis:
1.
"If physical walking relationships can become heritage, as is the central argument in this volume, could the same be true for walking in virtual worlds?"
1.
"If physical walking relationships can become heritage, as is the central argument in this volume, could the same be true for walking in virtual worlds?"
January 20, 2026 at 5:31 PM
Here's a thread, in no particular order, of interesting academic work on games that I've encountered as I write my thesis:
1.
"If physical walking relationships can become heritage, as is the central argument in this volume, could the same be true for walking in virtual worlds?"
1.
"If physical walking relationships can become heritage, as is the central argument in this volume, could the same be true for walking in virtual worlds?"
Reposted by Mike Cook
Important news for our Patreon! ⚠️
We're no longer making monthly games. We're still making games though. Patreon will now give you early access to those, and also (at the 10€ tier) to our engine SUGAR!
Details here: patreon.com/posts/148684064 📰
We're no longer making monthly games. We're still making games though. Patreon will now give you early access to those, and also (at the 10€ tier) to our engine SUGAR!
Details here: patreon.com/posts/148684064 📰
January 20, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Important news for our Patreon! ⚠️
We're no longer making monthly games. We're still making games though. Patreon will now give you early access to those, and also (at the 10€ tier) to our engine SUGAR!
Details here: patreon.com/posts/148684064 📰
We're no longer making monthly games. We're still making games though. Patreon will now give you early access to those, and also (at the 10€ tier) to our engine SUGAR!
Details here: patreon.com/posts/148684064 📰
Reposted by Mike Cook
These are all demos for Magpie, as I’m getting it into a shape where I can release a bad first version of it. I wrote a bit about it here www.possibilityspace.org/blog/posts/m...
January 19, 2026 at 11:48 PM
These are all demos for Magpie, as I’m getting it into a shape where I can release a bad first version of it. I wrote a bit about it here www.possibilityspace.org/blog/posts/m...
Reposted by Mike Cook
I just woke up from a nap and somehow while I was asleep, everyone on the bus has figured out we are not going to the right place
January 20, 2026 at 1:57 AM
I just woke up from a nap and somehow while I was asleep, everyone on the bus has figured out we are not going to the right place
These are all demos for Magpie, as I’m getting it into a shape where I can release a bad first version of it. I wrote a bit about it here www.possibilityspace.org/blog/posts/m...
January 19, 2026 at 11:48 PM
These are all demos for Magpie, as I’m getting it into a shape where I can release a bad first version of it. I wrote a bit about it here www.possibilityspace.org/blog/posts/m...
Reposted by Mike Cook
This week, you'll finally be able to play the magnificent Perfect Tides: Station to Station.
But first, you should listen to this interview with the game's creator @meredithgran.com about the rise of memoir games, recreating the lost NYC of 2003, and, of course, Ecks vs. Sever.
Spoiler-free!
But first, you should listen to this interview with the game's creator @meredithgran.com about the rise of memoir games, recreating the lost NYC of 2003, and, of course, Ecks vs. Sever.
Spoiler-free!
Adapting Life into a Video Game (Meredith Gran)
Perfect Tides: Station to Station recaptures life in New York in 2003
postgame.substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 6:55 PM
This week, you'll finally be able to play the magnificent Perfect Tides: Station to Station.
But first, you should listen to this interview with the game's creator @meredithgran.com about the rise of memoir games, recreating the lost NYC of 2003, and, of course, Ecks vs. Sever.
Spoiler-free!
But first, you should listen to this interview with the game's creator @meredithgran.com about the rise of memoir games, recreating the lost NYC of 2003, and, of course, Ecks vs. Sever.
Spoiler-free!
Martim is a fantastic researcher doing lots of exciting work - this is a really good opportunity as PhD funding becomes rarer!
King's has several funded PhD projects in Safe, Trusted and Responsible AI. If you're a UK/home student, please check them out!
www.findaphd.com/phds/program...
I'm involved in 3 of the projects, links below.
www.findaphd.com/phds/program...
I'm involved in 3 of the projects, links below.
January 19, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Martim is a fantastic researcher doing lots of exciting work - this is a really good opportunity as PhD funding becomes rarer!
Reposted by Mike Cook
Reposted by Mike Cook
Here’s a friendly reminder about the conference we are running at the ITU in May: playingfutures.today
Deadline for abstracts is February 16th, and the conference will take place May 20th to 22nd in Copenhagen. Look at our call for papers for more details: playingfutures.today/call-for-pap...
Deadline for abstracts is February 16th, and the conference will take place May 20th to 22nd in Copenhagen. Look at our call for papers for more details: playingfutures.today/call-for-pap...
Playing Futures
Playing Futures is a conference about the role of games and play during and after the impending climate and energy catastrophes. The goal of the conference is to serve as a meeting point for the commu...
playingfutures.today
January 19, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Here’s a friendly reminder about the conference we are running at the ITU in May: playingfutures.today
Deadline for abstracts is February 16th, and the conference will take place May 20th to 22nd in Copenhagen. Look at our call for papers for more details: playingfutures.today/call-for-pap...
Deadline for abstracts is February 16th, and the conference will take place May 20th to 22nd in Copenhagen. Look at our call for papers for more details: playingfutures.today/call-for-pap...
Reposted by Mike Cook
really nice and grim today
January 18, 2026 at 8:22 PM
really nice and grim today
Reposted by Mike Cook
Reposted by Mike Cook
This photo was taken in 1911 using glass plate technology by Herbert Ponting who was part of Scott's Antarctic expedition,
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
January 17, 2026 at 7:12 AM
This photo was taken in 1911 using glass plate technology by Herbert Ponting who was part of Scott's Antarctic expedition,
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
Reposted by Mike Cook
How hard is it to make a good detective video game? The story behind the excellent The Seance of Blake Manor, whose developers were changing integral parts of the design six months before release, might help answer that question.
New column: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
New column: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Making a Great Detective Video Game Is Really Hard
The makers of ‘The Seance of Blake Manor’ say it took years of iteration for their game to work
www.bloomberg.com
January 16, 2026 at 6:15 PM
How hard is it to make a good detective video game? The story behind the excellent The Seance of Blake Manor, whose developers were changing integral parts of the design six months before release, might help answer that question.
New column: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
New column: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...