Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tommy Thompson

@tommy.aiandgames.com

2.1K followers 270 following 1.1K posts

That Scottish AI and games guy... __ Founder of @aiandgames.com Game AI Programmer & Consultant Public speaker, educator, nuisance GDC Game AI Summit advisor BAFTA Connect He-Him, PhD -- Weekly Newsletter: aiandgames.com YouTube: youtube.com/@aiandgames

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Tommy Thompson @tommy.aiandgames.com · Jan 14

Can we just get back to everyone being annoyed at AI in games because the NPCs won't walk through the damn doors correctly?

I kinda miss those days.

2 14 87

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

Andrew Fray Helps Automate Video Games @andrewfray.dev · 26d

I've now added a workshop on November the 18th!

Andrew Fray Helps Automate Video Games @andrewfray.dev · Aug 29

Game devs!
- want to make big changes closer to launch?
- scared of a buggy launch that might impact discoverability?
- like QA to do more exploratory testing, not repetitive checklists?

Join my virtual workshop on 1st Oct to learn about pragmatic test automation!

andrewfray.dev/workshops.html

Andrew Fray Automation Workshops

Learn about test automation in game development from one of the leading experts in the field

andrewfray.dev

4 6

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 20h

Elevating Mobile Game Experiences With On-Device ML Inference by Yusuf Duman (Arm) dives into local LLMs, smart NPCs & neural graphics in mobile games. Practical, powerful & device-ready. 🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...

1 1

Tommy Thompson @tommy.aiandgames.com · 1d

New video this week?
Yeah. Let's make a video.
Gonna go put on the video goggles...

Tommy Thompson @tommy.aiandgames.com · 1d

I have two books on the go at the moment: one physical, one digital. The latter tends to be read when I'm traveling so I don't have to carry the physical one.

I'm maybe 20% through the physical book and on my second digital book. Finding the time/space when at home can be a challenge sometimes

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

Dr Kat Day (she/her) @chronicleflask.katday.com · 2d

Daughter of Robin Williams, Zelda Williams 💔

zeldawilliams
20m
From Create Mode
••
Please, just stop sending me AI videos of Dad. Stop believing I wanna see it or that I'll understand, I don't and I won't. If you're just trying to troll me, I've seen way worse, i'll restrict and move on. But please, if you've got any decency, just stop doing this to him and to me, to everyone even, full stop. It's dumb, it's a waste of time and energy, and believe me, it's NOT what he'd want.
To watch the legacies of real people be condensed down to 'this vaguely looks and sounds like them so that's enough,
, just so
other people can churn out horrible TikTok slop puppeteering them is maddening. You're not making art, you're making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else's throat hoping they'll give you a little thumbs up and like it.
Gross.

And for the love of EVERYTHING, stop calling it 'the future. Al is just badly recycling and regurgitating the past to be reconsumed. You are taking in the Human Centipede of content, and from the very very end of the line, all while the folks at the front laugh and laugh, consume and consume.

81 6.9K 16K

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games @aiandgames.com · 5d

Here’s a sneak peek at why you need to be at the AI and Games Conference 2025 this November in London by @tommy.aiandgames.com.
For all the detailed updates check out @conference.aiandgames.com.

#AIandGames #Conference2025 #GameAI #GameDev #IndieGames

5 13

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

Matthew Guzdial @matthewguz.bsky.social · 5d

One week left to register (at the cheapest rate) for the best game AI research conference around.

AIIDE @aiide.bsky.social · 5d

📢 One week left! Early bird registration rates are available until October 10th. Early registration is cheaper and helps us get things organized 👾

sites.google.com/ualberta.ca/...

AIIDE 2025 - Registration

sites.google.com

3 4

Tommy Thompson @tommy.aiandgames.com · 6d

This week's issue of AI and Games I'm catching up with all the headlines, but I spend a bit of extra time on the EA situation and concerns over how generative AI is what will save the dodgy financing in the buyout.

AI and Games @aiandgames.com · 7d

In this week’s newsletter @tommy.aiandgames.com rounds up the news we missed last week. And shares a special editorial on the shaky financing behind the EA buyout along with the naïve optimism around generative AI’s ability to recoup those costs.
www.aiandgames.com/p/a-generati...

A Generative AI Gamble for the EA Buyout? | 01/10/25

Plus Nvidia props up Intel, Game Devs worry about Generative AI quality, and the Xbox Rog Ally X costs HOW MUCH?!?!

www.aiandgames.com

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 8d

Good Enough AI: Pragmatic Approaches for Crafting Compelling Player Experiences in Games by Gaetan Soppe Drenjanin (Sports Interactive).
Learn how smart, pragmatic AI design delivers memorable player experiences.
🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #AI

2 9

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 9d

Debugging Across Time and Platforms: The Power of Determinism by Richard Kogelnig (Havok).
Learn how cross-platform determinism makes debugging faster, easier & less painful across consoles & PC.
🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #Determinism

2 13

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 10d

But why is it saying that?? Making LLM powered AI bots a bit more reliable by Batu Aytemiz (Fundamental Labs).
Learn how to turn unpredictable LLM agents into reliable, player-ready bots.
🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev

2 6

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 11d

No API. No Problem: Deploying tiny, fast, fine-tuned models offline by Keith Lia & Kristian Dam Pedersen (Raw Power Labs).
Learn how to embed LLMs directly into games.And do it fast, private, and API-free.
🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #LLM

2 5

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 12d

Supporting thousands of simulated NPCs in the open world of KCD2 by Petr Smrček (Warhorse Studios).
Learn how AI LOD made nearly 2,400 NPCs possible. Balancing scale & performance to create truly living worlds.
🗓️ Nov 3–4 | London
🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #KCD2 #GameDev

5 9

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 13d

How to bully AI into delivering meaningful gameplay by Thomas Keane & Ben Ackland (Meaning Machine).
GenAI isn’t magic—but with the right “bully layer” it can create meaningful gameplay.
🗓️ Nov 3–4 | London
🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #GenerativeAI

2 7

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 14d

Navigating Legal Frontiers: How the Law Applies to AI in 2025 by Rupam Davé (Lewis Silkin LLP) explores IP, data, liability & regulation shaping AI in games. Practical insights for devs & publishers.
🗓️ Nov 3–4, London
🎟️ Tickets: www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #AI #Law

3 7

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 15d

Latent Landscapes: Using ML to Generate Terrain in Prologue: Go Wayback! by Joey Faulkner (Playerunknown Productions). Learn how ML + PCG create resilient, varied worlds — and the pitfalls to avoid.
🗓️ Nov 3–4, London
🎟️ Tickets: www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #AI #PCG

5 9

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 16d

How to Power-Up Unreal Engine Behavior Trees by Antonio Muñoz Gallego (Unknown Worlds) shows how Utility AI & the Gameplay Ability System make NPCs more adaptive, modular & multiplayer-ready.
🗓️ Nov 3–4, London
🎟️ Tickets: www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #UnrealEngine #AI #GameDev

4 9

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 17d

Let the NPCs Fight: Learning Attack Reach from Real Gameplay Data by Vincent Martineau (Ubisoft) shows how Assassin’s Creed used gameplay data & data science to scale fair, reliable combat AI.
🗓️ Nov 3–4, London
🎟️ Tickets: www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #AI #Ubisoft

4 7

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 18d

The Living World AI Recipe Book: Practical Insights for Ambient Character Simulation by Pablo Rodríguez (Avalanche Studios) explores practical, scalable techniques for believable ambient NPCs that make open worlds feel alive.

🎟️ Tickets: www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...

#AIandGames #GameDev #AI

4 8

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 19d

From Cloud to Edge: Optimising Small Language Models for Game Applications on AWS by Patrick Palmer & Andrei Muratov shows how to fine-tune, distil & run LLMs on devices for responsive, private AI.
🗓️ Nov 3–4, London
🎟️ Tickets: www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #AI #AWS

4 9

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 20d

Bringing Research to Life in AAA Game Production by Alessandro Sestini (EA SEED). From RL & LLM prototypes to tools in Battlefield & Plants vs. Zombies, learn how research moves from academia to AAA studios.
🗓️ Nov 3–4, London
🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...
#AIandGames #GameDev #GameAI

1 4 10

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

AI and Games Conference @conference.aiandgames.com · 21d

Panel: Investment Trends at the Intersection of AI and Games with Cassia Curran (Curran Games Agency). AI-driven gameplay or dev tools? Hear what’s hot, what’s risky & what’s next.

🗓️ Nov 3–4 | London

🎟️ www.tickettailor.com/events/gamea...

#AIandGames #GameDev #AI #Conference2025

2 6

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

Mike Bithell @mikebithell.bsky.social · 9d

Cheap games, ger’ your cheap games here

Bithell Games @bithellgames.bsky.social · 9d

Happy Steam Autumn Sale! 🍂

You deserve some new video games, and all of ours are discounted for the next 7 days (with a couple as low as £2.39). Go pick them up for yourself or gift them!

A line-up of Bithell Games' self-published titles, all of which are on sale for Steam's Autumn Sale. Each game's box art has its discount listed beneath it:

Thomas Was Alone - 50% off
Volume - 75% off
Subsurface Circular - 50% off
Quarantine Circular - 50% off
The Solitaire Conspiracy - 50% off
TRON: Catalyst - 66% off
The Banished Vault - 33% off

To the right of the background image sits a robotic Tek, the protagonist in Subsurface Circular.

3 11 51

Tommy Thompson @tommy.aiandgames.com · 15d

As a member of the Game AI Summit advisory board (which is now, maybe, sorta, defunct[?], I don't know) I've had meetings with GDC about their plans for 2026.

I keep learning more from PR announcements than anything said in meetings, and I'm still none the wiser as to what this thing is.

Mitch Dyer @mitchyd.bsky.social · 16d

The vision deck for the new GDC is confounding. I don't know who any of this is for, but it's certainly not game developers eager to learn.

ubm.ent.box.com/v/GDC26-FoG-...

1 11

Reposted by Tommy Thompson

QuangDX @quangdx.com · 18d

Later today at 5pm UK time, I am going to be chatting with the wonderful @pixelcherryninja.bsky.social on their live Youtube stream. Join us ❤️

Pixel Cherry Ninja @pixelcherryninja.bsky.social · Aug 11

One for your diaries. @quangdx.com talks #Gameboy ❤️❤️❤️ and Modern development, and plenty of other exciting stuff. I'm particularly excited about this one, as Quang is local.

youtube.com/live/eBSLw4o...

1 3 6