Oliver Withington
@owithington.bsky.social
Game AI Research, Game Dev & Videos about games. he/they
🌐 owithington.co.uk
📹 youtube.com/@Bard_Hard
🌐 owithington.co.uk
📹 youtube.com/@Bard_Hard
Reposted by Oliver Withington
One of the sweetest moments of the march: a bunch of shop floor staff at a fancy boutique suddenly having a flash of inspiration and rushing to grab plain shirts to make a trans flag at the window.
July 26, 2025 at 3:10 PM
One of the sweetest moments of the march: a bunch of shop floor staff at a fancy boutique suddenly having a flash of inspiration and rushing to grab plain shirts to make a trans flag at the window.
M is one of the most exciting researchers in the game. Whatever they are cooking up will 100% be cool as heck and you should help them make it
Do you play video games? Have you played a LOT of video games? Show your gaming knowledge with this 5 minute survey! 🕹️👾 🔍 👀
We're conducting a study for the development of a video game search engine! If you're interested, please fill out the form at the following link: forms.gle/8F4zes2Q7MMY...
We're conducting a study for the development of a video game search engine! If you're interested, please fill out the form at the following link: forms.gle/8F4zes2Q7MMY...
GameGoogle Search Term Survey
We are building a search engine (called GameGoogle) that searches within the content of video games for relevance to a keyword based on the elements found within the entire gameplay. This is a researc...
forms.gle
July 7, 2025 at 9:42 AM
M is one of the most exciting researchers in the game. Whatever they are cooking up will 100% be cool as heck and you should help them make it
Reposted by Oliver Withington
Well would you believe it. The Horror At Highrook is ON SALE!!!
store.steampowered.com/app/2836860/... So if you have been waiting to see what those 230+ very positive reviews are all about maybe now is the time to check it out! 20% off!
store.steampowered.com/app/2836860/... So if you have been waiting to see what those 230+ very positive reviews are all about maybe now is the time to check it out! 20% off!
Save 20% on The Horror at Highrook on Steam
The Horror at Highrook is an occult card crafting narrative RPG. Explore a haunted mansion with your team of investigators, summon dark entities, craft powerful protections, uncover the fate of the mi...
store.steampowered.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Well would you believe it. The Horror At Highrook is ON SALE!!!
store.steampowered.com/app/2836860/... So if you have been waiting to see what those 230+ very positive reviews are all about maybe now is the time to check it out! 20% off!
store.steampowered.com/app/2836860/... So if you have been waiting to see what those 230+ very positive reviews are all about maybe now is the time to check it out! 20% off!
Reposted by Oliver Withington
glad to see people really liked this one! unfortunately it seems like youtube doesn't really know where to send it so impressions are unusually low, so any shares are appreciated
June 6, 2025 at 8:01 AM
glad to see people really liked this one! unfortunately it seems like youtube doesn't really know where to send it so impressions are unusually low, so any shares are appreciated
Reposted by Oliver Withington
These BioShock beta screens are well worth a look, if just for the 'placeholder atrocity'.
www.reddit.com/r/Bioshock/c...
www.reddit.com/r/Bioshock/c...
June 1, 2025 at 10:02 AM
These BioShock beta screens are well worth a look, if just for the 'placeholder atrocity'.
www.reddit.com/r/Bioshock/c...
www.reddit.com/r/Bioshock/c...
Reposted by Oliver Withington
🏃New blog post!🏃
This time I'm writing about the "triumphal procession" of video games - what gets included in the video game canon? And what makes a video game worthy of study, or even just being remembered?
florencesmithnicholls.com/2025/05/23/f...
This time I'm writing about the "triumphal procession" of video games - what gets included in the video game canon? And what makes a video game worthy of study, or even just being remembered?
florencesmithnicholls.com/2025/05/23/f...
Failing to Escape the Triumphal Procession of Video Games
Have you read Hurricane Season by Brit Bennett? Or perhaps, Nightshade Market by Min Jin Lee? Actually, those are trick questions- I know you haven’t read either because neither of these novels exi…
florencesmithnicholls.com
May 23, 2025 at 12:28 PM
🏃New blog post!🏃
This time I'm writing about the "triumphal procession" of video games - what gets included in the video game canon? And what makes a video game worthy of study, or even just being remembered?
florencesmithnicholls.com/2025/05/23/f...
This time I'm writing about the "triumphal procession" of video games - what gets included in the video game canon? And what makes a video game worthy of study, or even just being remembered?
florencesmithnicholls.com/2025/05/23/f...
Reposted by Oliver Withington
🎉 YARN SPINNER 3 IS OUT NOW 🎉
for Unity, Godot, VSCode + try.yarnspinner.dev
Including:
- Storylets, enums, simple "run this bit only once" syntax
- Better variables, easier-to-customise views
- Bugfixes + QoL improvements galore
- All-new docs + guides
Check it out at yarnspinner.dev/v3 💚
for Unity, Godot, VSCode + try.yarnspinner.dev
Including:
- Storylets, enums, simple "run this bit only once" syntax
- Better variables, easier-to-customise views
- Bugfixes + QoL improvements galore
- All-new docs + guides
Check it out at yarnspinner.dev/v3 💚
May 16, 2025 at 6:31 AM
🎉 YARN SPINNER 3 IS OUT NOW 🎉
for Unity, Godot, VSCode + try.yarnspinner.dev
Including:
- Storylets, enums, simple "run this bit only once" syntax
- Better variables, easier-to-customise views
- Bugfixes + QoL improvements galore
- All-new docs + guides
Check it out at yarnspinner.dev/v3 💚
for Unity, Godot, VSCode + try.yarnspinner.dev
Including:
- Storylets, enums, simple "run this bit only once" syntax
- Better variables, easier-to-customise views
- Bugfixes + QoL improvements galore
- All-new docs + guides
Check it out at yarnspinner.dev/v3 💚
Reposted by Oliver Withington
new blog post: turned my gdc 2025 level design theory talk into a blog post www.blog.radiator.debacle.us/2025/05/spac...
Space is not a wall: toward a less architectural level design
Maybe video game level design theory needs less focus on architecture? And maybe I'm part of the problem? My bad.
www.blog.radiator.debacle.us
May 10, 2025 at 8:12 PM
new blog post: turned my gdc 2025 level design theory talk into a blog post www.blog.radiator.debacle.us/2025/05/spac...
Any time anyone points out a pun I'd never spotted it makes me paranoid for ages. Like I'm surrounded by an invisible alien threat who's goal is to make me feel foolish when I least expect it
I like Blue Prince, even the pun name. But it wouldn't succeed in an era without guides. That and the limited story-puzzle interaction emphasises what an absolute work of genius The Outer Wilds was.
May 6, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Any time anyone points out a pun I'd never spotted it makes me paranoid for ages. Like I'm surrounded by an invisible alien threat who's goal is to make me feel foolish when I least expect it
Reposted by Oliver Withington
Absolutely delighted that the first episode of the podcast I’ve been making with Ubisoft and HistoryHit is now out wherever you get your podcasts!
We discuss creating Victorian London in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, featuring an interview with the lead writer ✍️
open.spotify.com/episode/0kTv...
We discuss creating Victorian London in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, featuring an interview with the lead writer ✍️
open.spotify.com/episode/0kTv...
How Victorian London Was Brought To Life In Assassin's Creed Syndicate
Echoes of History · Episode
open.spotify.com
May 5, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Absolutely delighted that the first episode of the podcast I’ve been making with Ubisoft and HistoryHit is now out wherever you get your podcasts!
We discuss creating Victorian London in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, featuring an interview with the lead writer ✍️
open.spotify.com/episode/0kTv...
We discuss creating Victorian London in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, featuring an interview with the lead writer ✍️
open.spotify.com/episode/0kTv...
#FDG2025 was an absolute blast! 3rd year attending, 3rd year of it being the highlight of my PhD. Inspiring talks, cool new projects and the most welcoming and exciting community I've encountered.
To all who attended and especially the organisers, sending all of my love. Cannot wait for FDG2026!
To all who attended and especially the organisers, sending all of my love. Cannot wait for FDG2026!
April 24, 2025 at 12:49 PM
#FDG2025 was an absolute blast! 3rd year attending, 3rd year of it being the highlight of my PhD. Inspiring talks, cool new projects and the most welcoming and exciting community I've encountered.
To all who attended and especially the organisers, sending all of my love. Cannot wait for FDG2026!
To all who attended and especially the organisers, sending all of my love. Cannot wait for FDG2026!
Reposted by Oliver Withington
You can find the impressive (and free) BBC sound effects archive here: sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk
BBC Sound Effects
BBC Sound Effects
sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk
April 24, 2025 at 7:31 AM
You can find the impressive (and free) BBC sound effects archive here: sound-effects.bbcrewind.co.uk
I really try and finish games before moving onto new ones, but the Blue Prince FOMO I'm getting from all of y'all is getting to be too much to bear
April 13, 2025 at 9:24 PM
I really try and finish games before moving onto new ones, but the Blue Prince FOMO I'm getting from all of y'all is getting to be too much to bear
Reposted by Oliver Withington
I just found out about this periodic table of game mechanics that is fun to experiment with for brainstorming and game jams.
determined-clams.static.domains/chipped
#gamejam #brainstorm #gamedev #indiedev
determined-clams.static.domains/chipped
#gamejam #brainstorm #gamedev #indiedev
Comprehensive Interactive Periodic Table of Game Mechanics (Indie Focus)
determined-clams.static.domains
April 12, 2025 at 12:27 PM
I just found out about this periodic table of game mechanics that is fun to experiment with for brainstorming and game jams.
determined-clams.static.domains/chipped
#gamejam #brainstorm #gamedev #indiedev
determined-clams.static.domains/chipped
#gamejam #brainstorm #gamedev #indiedev
Buddy of mine is trying to use genAI to make assets for his game. Sent me a mesh he'd generated for a basic targeting arrow and asked if I could give it a quick tidy up in Blender.
Opened it up and...lol
Opened it up and...lol
April 11, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Buddy of mine is trying to use genAI to make assets for his game. Sent me a mesh he'd generated for a basic targeting arrow and asked if I could give it a quick tidy up in Blender.
Opened it up and...lol
Opened it up and...lol
Reposted by Oliver Withington
Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen
April 9, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen
Reposted by Oliver Withington
New Game: Mike Cook Presents SQORP! A Digital Puzzle Game
It's a quick little game about laying tiles in a grid, inspired by a mathematical puzzle.
Play free on itch, in the browser: illomens.itch.io/sqorp #pico8
It's a quick little game about laying tiles in a grid, inspired by a mathematical puzzle.
Play free on itch, in the browser: illomens.itch.io/sqorp #pico8
April 7, 2025 at 10:38 AM
New Game: Mike Cook Presents SQORP! A Digital Puzzle Game
It's a quick little game about laying tiles in a grid, inspired by a mathematical puzzle.
Play free on itch, in the browser: illomens.itch.io/sqorp #pico8
It's a quick little game about laying tiles in a grid, inspired by a mathematical puzzle.
Play free on itch, in the browser: illomens.itch.io/sqorp #pico8
Reposted by Oliver Withington
What game had an overall bigger negative impact on singleplayer game design because people took the wrong lessons from it: Half-Life 2 or Dark Souls? — neospring.org/+r/168016012...
April 8, 2025 at 3:18 PM
What game had an overall bigger negative impact on singleplayer game design because people took the wrong lessons from it: Half-Life 2 or Dark Souls? — neospring.org/+r/168016012...
Reposted by Oliver Withington
‘An overwhelmingly negative and demoralizing force’: what it’s like working for a company that’s forcing AI on its developers
aftermath.site/ai-video-game-...
aftermath.site/ai-video-game-...
April 7, 2025 at 11:17 PM
‘An overwhelmingly negative and demoralizing force’: what it’s like working for a company that’s forcing AI on its developers
aftermath.site/ai-video-game-...
aftermath.site/ai-video-game-...
After 2+ decades of it being hyped up I've finally been playing Planescape: Torment and fair play, its amazing. I especially love how it lets you add your intent to dialogue choices. Feels so cool every time and i'm shocked I've not seen that ripped off more in other RPGs
April 7, 2025 at 4:27 PM
After 2+ decades of it being hyped up I've finally been playing Planescape: Torment and fair play, its amazing. I especially love how it lets you add your intent to dialogue choices. Feels so cool every time and i'm shocked I've not seen that ripped off more in other RPGs
Reposted by Oliver Withington
It's trans day of visibility so I'm going to yell more about all the games I make outside of my day job
My main project is a lesbian post apocalyptic road trip visual novel that I started as a way to make a visual novel in an engineering department (also Rika is trans <3)
My main project is a lesbian post apocalyptic road trip visual novel that I started as a way to make a visual novel in an engineering department (also Rika is trans <3)
Tracks in Snow (In Development Version) by Nic June
A post-apocalyptic roadtrip
quakefultales.itch.io
March 31, 2025 at 9:27 PM
It's trans day of visibility so I'm going to yell more about all the games I make outside of my day job
My main project is a lesbian post apocalyptic road trip visual novel that I started as a way to make a visual novel in an engineering department (also Rika is trans <3)
My main project is a lesbian post apocalyptic road trip visual novel that I started as a way to make a visual novel in an engineering department (also Rika is trans <3)
Reposted by Oliver Withington
brutalist bloki
a thread with an accumulation of screenshots from all the modeling i've been doing for my procedural city
. . giant abandoned structures . .
#gamedev
a thread with an accumulation of screenshots from all the modeling i've been doing for my procedural city
. . giant abandoned structures . .
#gamedev
March 26, 2025 at 11:17 AM
brutalist bloki
a thread with an accumulation of screenshots from all the modeling i've been doing for my procedural city
. . giant abandoned structures . .
#gamedev
a thread with an accumulation of screenshots from all the modeling i've been doing for my procedural city
. . giant abandoned structures . .
#gamedev
Reposted by Oliver Withington
Absolutely delighted to be writing for Amberspire!!
When Nic approached me I jumped at the opportunity to work on such a brilliant project and with a ridiculously talented team 💫
So excited for people to see what we’re creating… I think it’s really special
When Nic approached me I jumped at the opportunity to work on such a brilliant project and with a ridiculously talented team 💫
So excited for people to see what we’re creating… I think it’s really special
News! Thrilled to announce @hollynielsen.bsky.social has joined the Amberspire team!
Holly is already off to a fantastic start writing events to drive the politics your city is embroiled in, deepening the world and factions, and bringing a historian's lens to making a world more alive and complex.
Holly is already off to a fantastic start writing events to drive the politics your city is embroiled in, deepening the world and factions, and bringing a historian's lens to making a world more alive and complex.
March 25, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Absolutely delighted to be writing for Amberspire!!
When Nic approached me I jumped at the opportunity to work on such a brilliant project and with a ridiculously talented team 💫
So excited for people to see what we’re creating… I think it’s really special
When Nic approached me I jumped at the opportunity to work on such a brilliant project and with a ridiculously talented team 💫
So excited for people to see what we’re creating… I think it’s really special
Finally watched Alien Romulus on the flight home and it was...fine. But introducing a door that looks like this and at no point having it chop anyone or anything in half is an Art Crime.
March 25, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Finally watched Alien Romulus on the flight home and it was...fine. But introducing a door that looks like this and at no point having it chop anyone or anything in half is an Art Crime.