Nicole Maines (Aimu)
@aimunicolem.bsky.social
QA Analyst II at Sledgehammer Games & Kingdom Hearts fanatic. All opinions/tweets are my own. She/her/hers
https://nicolemainesgamedev.wordpress.com/
https://nicolemainesgamedev.wordpress.com/
Pinned
ALL RIGHT FINE, FUCK IT!
IF STAR WARS IS IN KINGDOM HEARTS 4 I'LL GET ANOTHER TATTOO!
I WILL DIE ON THE HILL THAT IT'S NOT AN AT-ST FOOT IN THE TRAILER
IF STAR WARS IS IN KINGDOM HEARTS 4 I'LL GET ANOTHER TATTOO!
I WILL DIE ON THE HILL THAT IT'S NOT AN AT-ST FOOT IN THE TRAILER
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
if you watch enough playtests you will find that everyone, no matter how attentive and video game literate, will sometimes fail to notice important things. and also some people are just beyond saving. and that's okay. you gotta let it go, man. you gotta let it go!
November 14, 2025 at 11:35 PM
if you watch enough playtests you will find that everyone, no matter how attentive and video game literate, will sometimes fail to notice important things. and also some people are just beyond saving. and that's okay. you gotta let it go, man. you gotta let it go!
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
I'll be honest: dunno that I'm willing to buy a "we HAVE to force tutorialization down players' throats" argument in a period where games like counterstrike, dota, minecraft, roblox et al are some of the most popular games in the world
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
I'll be honest: dunno that I'm willing to buy a "we HAVE to force tutorialization down players' throats" argument in a period where games like counterstrike, dota, minecraft, roblox et al are some of the most popular games in the world
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
The "player felt a negative emotion for a moment in a playtest, that's now a Pri 1 problem" instinct in AAA prod is a huge tarpit for our industry
November 14, 2025 at 8:44 PM
The "player felt a negative emotion for a moment in a playtest, that's now a Pri 1 problem" instinct in AAA prod is a huge tarpit for our industry
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
friday soapbox: as a designer, if you want something to be a skillful action for players, and you want growth in this skill to be very deep/meaningful, then you need to also let players be bad at it. sometimes horrendously bad. players hate this pain, and designers often want to mitigate it away.
November 14, 2025 at 8:42 PM
friday soapbox: as a designer, if you want something to be a skillful action for players, and you want growth in this skill to be very deep/meaningful, then you need to also let players be bad at it. sometimes horrendously bad. players hate this pain, and designers often want to mitigate it away.
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
Protests continued today outside Take Two's offices in London, but also in Paris, where Le Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (@stjv.fr) came out to show their international solidarity with the fired Rockstar workers.
November 14, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Protests continued today outside Take Two's offices in London, but also in Paris, where Le Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (@stjv.fr) came out to show their international solidarity with the fired Rockstar workers.
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
here’s my info for any job leads:
linkedin.com/in/bgmaguid
belindabwriting (at) gmail dot com
bgmaguid.com (website will be back online later today)
linkedin.com/in/bgmaguid
belindabwriting (at) gmail dot com
bgmaguid.com (website will be back online later today)
linkedin.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:39 PM
here’s my info for any job leads:
linkedin.com/in/bgmaguid
belindabwriting (at) gmail dot com
bgmaguid.com (website will be back online later today)
linkedin.com/in/bgmaguid
belindabwriting (at) gmail dot com
bgmaguid.com (website will be back online later today)
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
absolutely heartbroken to announce that i was part of the crystal layoffs today 💔
if y’all spot any openings for a soft, dedicated, smiley games writer — please send them my way 💫
i was on the most perfect narrative team on an exciting, ambitious project. i will cherish it all forever. 💖
if y’all spot any openings for a soft, dedicated, smiley games writer — please send them my way 💫
i was on the most perfect narrative team on an exciting, ambitious project. i will cherish it all forever. 💖
November 13, 2025 at 11:39 PM
absolutely heartbroken to announce that i was part of the crystal layoffs today 💔
if y’all spot any openings for a soft, dedicated, smiley games writer — please send them my way 💫
i was on the most perfect narrative team on an exciting, ambitious project. i will cherish it all forever. 💖
if y’all spot any openings for a soft, dedicated, smiley games writer — please send them my way 💫
i was on the most perfect narrative team on an exciting, ambitious project. i will cherish it all forever. 💖
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
“Don’t post publicly about Geoff or you’ll be blacklisted from the industry.” Listen I truly understand why anyone would say that, but being an old man who lived through gamergate and was told by my superior to STFU about it online and refused to: I’m still here and making games.
November 13, 2025 at 11:25 PM
“Don’t post publicly about Geoff or you’ll be blacklisted from the industry.” Listen I truly understand why anyone would say that, but being an old man who lived through gamergate and was told by my superior to STFU about it online and refused to: I’m still here and making games.
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
Hey so “underage girls” are…children. The word you’re looking for is children. They’re not like, women-in-waiting or women-lite or whatever. They’re children. I think some of you are very uncomfortable with what that means for you but it is still true.
November 12, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Hey so “underage girls” are…children. The word you’re looking for is children. They’re not like, women-in-waiting or women-lite or whatever. They’re children. I think some of you are very uncomfortable with what that means for you but it is still true.
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
The Hades II Original Soundtrack, featuring nearly four hours of blood-pumping music by @darrenkorb.bsky.social and various special guests, is now also available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, and more.🎶🌖
Thank you for listening!
Thank you for listening!
November 13, 2025 at 12:31 AM
The Hades II Original Soundtrack, featuring nearly four hours of blood-pumping music by @darrenkorb.bsky.social and various special guests, is now also available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal, and more.🎶🌖
Thank you for listening!
Thank you for listening!
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
Shout out to everyone completely demoralized about the state of the world who still manages to get out of bed each morning.
And shout out to you, too if you’re still in bed. This shit is hard. Talk to your friends and neighbors. They’re going though it too, which is both terrifying and comforting.
And shout out to you, too if you’re still in bed. This shit is hard. Talk to your friends and neighbors. They’re going though it too, which is both terrifying and comforting.
November 12, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Shout out to everyone completely demoralized about the state of the world who still manages to get out of bed each morning.
And shout out to you, too if you’re still in bed. This shit is hard. Talk to your friends and neighbors. They’re going though it too, which is both terrifying and comforting.
And shout out to you, too if you’re still in bed. This shit is hard. Talk to your friends and neighbors. They’re going though it too, which is both terrifying and comforting.
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
We don’t use generative AI at Strange Scaffold and I can confirm that a *lot* of other studios are not—whether indie or AAA.
Get outta here with this normalization bullshit.
Get outta here with this normalization bullshit.
“It’s important to assume every game company is now using AI.” Nexon CEO comments on role of human creativity as AI tools become the norm
automaton-media.com/en/news/its-...
automaton-media.com/en/news/its-...
“It’s important to assume every game company is now using AI.” Nexon CEO comments on role of human creativity as AI tools become the norm - AUTOMATON WEST
In an interview following the launch of ARC Raiders, the CEO of Embark Studios' parent company Nexon shares his views on AI.
automaton-media.com
November 12, 2025 at 3:25 AM
We don’t use generative AI at Strange Scaffold and I can confirm that a *lot* of other studios are not—whether indie or AAA.
Get outta here with this normalization bullshit.
Get outta here with this normalization bullshit.
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
A big reason proc gen feels so different to AI in spite of superficial similarities is exactly this!!
Proc Gen systems reflect the interests and creative preferences of the tool makers, whereas AI is catch-all sludge that reflects no specific point of view. It’s not remotely the same!
Proc Gen systems reflect the interests and creative preferences of the tool makers, whereas AI is catch-all sludge that reflects no specific point of view. It’s not remotely the same!
In case anyone ever asks, I *have* written a material generator and a music generator for Eldritch 2, but that's not AI. That's me taking all the things I personally know about those things, and writing my own tools to make the process a little faster and easier for myself. It's still 100% me, baby.
November 12, 2025 at 7:36 AM
A big reason proc gen feels so different to AI in spite of superficial similarities is exactly this!!
Proc Gen systems reflect the interests and creative preferences of the tool makers, whereas AI is catch-all sludge that reflects no specific point of view. It’s not remotely the same!
Proc Gen systems reflect the interests and creative preferences of the tool makers, whereas AI is catch-all sludge that reflects no specific point of view. It’s not remotely the same!
State of Play let's see if this happens
ALL RIGHT FINE, FUCK IT!
IF STAR WARS IS IN KINGDOM HEARTS 4 I'LL GET ANOTHER TATTOO!
I WILL DIE ON THE HILL THAT IT'S NOT AN AT-ST FOOT IN THE TRAILER
IF STAR WARS IS IN KINGDOM HEARTS 4 I'LL GET ANOTHER TATTOO!
I WILL DIE ON THE HILL THAT IT'S NOT AN AT-ST FOOT IN THE TRAILER
November 11, 2025 at 10:14 PM
State of Play let's see if this happens
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
“Don’t gather some of the most brilliant activists in the industry, treat us like crap, and then expect us to do nothing about it.” After the Game Awards cancelled its Future Class programme, @alyssamerc.bsky.social talked to its former honorees
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
“We were effectively props”: young stars of game development feel let down by the ‘gaming Oscars’
Announced in 2020 by the Game Awards as an inclusive programme for the industry’s next generation, the Future Class initiative has now been discontinued. Inductees describe clashes with organisers and...
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
“Don’t gather some of the most brilliant activists in the industry, treat us like crap, and then expect us to do nothing about it.” After the Game Awards cancelled its Future Class programme, @alyssamerc.bsky.social talked to its former honorees
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/n...
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
if speaking out and being loud about TGA and its gross mishandling of the Future Class makes me less employable, that says more about our industry and the people in positions of power than it does me. i have a platform, i'm privileged that i feel safe to speak up. think about folks who might not.
November 11, 2025 at 6:05 PM
if speaking out and being loud about TGA and its gross mishandling of the Future Class makes me less employable, that says more about our industry and the people in positions of power than it does me. i have a platform, i'm privileged that i feel safe to speak up. think about folks who might not.
God the Future Class stuff pisses me off. I had a similar experience being a scholarship recipient for the ESA and hell even my college (woo Santa Cruz -.-). To continue to see the industry use people as props and then dump them it just disgusting
November 11, 2025 at 6:43 PM
God the Future Class stuff pisses me off. I had a similar experience being a scholarship recipient for the ESA and hell even my college (woo Santa Cruz -.-). To continue to see the industry use people as props and then dump them it just disgusting
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 not getting a Grammy nomination is an ABSOLUTE TRAVESTY, WHAT DO YOU MEEEEEEANNNNNNN
November 10, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 not getting a Grammy nomination is an ABSOLUTE TRAVESTY, WHAT DO YOU MEEEEEEANNNNNNN
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
November 10, 2025 at 3:10 PM
You ever just rewatch the live recording of the KH3 announcement trailer just to feel something?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtLk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtLk...
Kingdom Hearts III Reveal Trailer - E3 2013 Sony Conference
YouTube video by IGN
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 12:33 AM
You ever just rewatch the live recording of the KH3 announcement trailer just to feel something?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtLk...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtLk...
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
A documentary on the legendary Brenda Romero is around the corner! ➡️ www.gameonthemovie.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:32 PM
A documentary on the legendary Brenda Romero is around the corner! ➡️ www.gameonthemovie.com
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
November 10, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Reposted by Nicole Maines (Aimu)
