Dunstan Lowe
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ancientplay.bsky.social
Dunstan Lowe
@ancientplay.bsky.social
Classical Studies academic, gamer, enthusiast.
Read around and find out
Reposted by Dunstan Lowe
May 2026 👀

My monograph "Characters and Characterization in Mythological Video Games" will be out next year in @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social's IMAGINES series!

Many thanks to @ubisoft.com for the #ImmortalsFenyxRising art ⚡

More information (soon!) on www.bloomsbury.com/uk/character...
October 1, 2025 at 2:46 PM
I’ve been meticulously rotoscoped, that’s why my movements are so realistic
August 20, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Any sufficiently open videogame world is indistinguishable from tourism:

“the player takes a left in Piazza Venezia and enters the Colosseum. After a spiral loop with Swoops ending with a ramp, the player enters the Roman Forum, littered with fallen columns that can be used to obtain Jump Boosts”
July 3, 2025 at 11:39 PM
In the Bitmap Brothers game The Chaos Engine, “The Mercenary” looks to me a lot like Peter Lorre as Dr Gogol in Mad Love (1935). (Especially since Lorre was completely bald under the hat)
July 2, 2025 at 8:46 PM
In Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, which Greek mythical creatures are these supposed to be? Clue in background
June 25, 2025 at 9:55 AM
1960s: invention of gashapon capsule toys
1986: invention of Samus Aran's Morph Ball
2000: invention of Pokeballs
June 10, 2025 at 10:52 AM
There’s a special place in videogames I like to call Greco-Rome. Marisa’s stage in Street Fighter 6 has Spartan warriors in a ruined colosseum. It’s in south central Greco-Rome
May 27, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Pre-AI: pics or it didn’t happen
Post-AI: pics and it didn’t happen
May 26, 2025 at 8:46 AM
In under 90 minutes from now, I'm chairing Panel 4 of #MythGames2025: "Deep Dive: Supergiant's Hades". Looking forward to it!
a drawing of a woman sitting on a rock with a dragon
ALT: a drawing of a woman sitting on a rock with a dragon
media.tenor.com
May 22, 2025 at 1:59 PM
This ancient image of a Roman gladiator, accompanied by graffiti, has been dated to August 1983
May 13, 2025 at 9:31 AM
I think old videogames might be why isometric images of Chinese ports do not register in my brain as real photos.
May 12, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Reposted by Dunstan Lowe
So very tempted to support this kickstarter game for the GameBoy: Orpheus, To Hell and Back.
Puzzle game with music mechanic. It looks really nice. Have you seen it @alexvandewalle.bsky.social @katexe.bsky.social @ancientplay.bsky.social

www.kickstarter.com/projects/stu...
ORPHEUS: TO HELL AND BACK Game Boy cartridge retrogame
🕹️A puzzle adventure Game Boy game🔥Relive Orpheus' ordeal to the Hades | 🆓demo https://studioloading.itch.io/orpheus | April 27th 🔚
www.kickstarter.com
April 18, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Question about Delphi in popular culture: can anyone help?

The Oracle famously inhaled fumes, but when is the first time that these were imagined as green?
Image is from Call of Duty Black Ops 4 (2018), Zombies mode, Chaos story
February 20, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Christopher Nolan's Odysseus (for the summer 2026 movie) is Matt Damon with standard-issue manly cheekbone scratch.

I've already got a lot of notes, and this is just a helmet
February 17, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I know you’ve Ben Hur.
An Endless Ocean of Horrible Histories can make you so Quraishy, it’s Touch & Go.
But Jewel Master The Dream, for a Wonderful Life that Will Rock.
February 17, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Satō wa amakute
aishiteimasu
February 13, 2025 at 12:01 PM
“A skeuomorph is a derivative object that retains ornamental design cues (attributes) from structures that were necessary in the original.” Best DOOM mod ever
DOOM: The Gallery Experience (2025) | 4K/60
YouTube video by Dosgamert
youtu.be
February 8, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Ad for computer camp for children aged 10-16, aimed at girls. It comes SO CLOSE to getting it right...but it was still 1983.
atari computer camps, print ad (1983) 2warpstoneptune.com/2012/10/23/w...
February 7, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Corrected post (thanks pavelpeychev.bsky.social!)

Paradox have bought Haemimont, Bulgaria's excellent games studio, makers of many historical strategy games (Europa Universalis, Glory of the Roman Empire, Imperium Romanum, Grand Ages: Rome).

www.paradoxinteractive.com/media/press-...
Paradox Interactive acquires Haemimont Games - Paradox Interactive
Paradox Interactive is a world leading PC games publisher known for games such as Cities: Skylines, Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings.
www.paradoxinteractive.com
February 6, 2025 at 3:49 PM
AI explained with bread:
In France, bakeries do not use AI (Chorleywood process) in most outputs (baguettes) because clients (customers) insisted on quality. In the UK and US, bakeries use AI in most outputs, and only clients who spend a lot get the kind they call artisanal.
AI = Chorleywood process
February 6, 2025 at 11:06 AM
I have seen a lot of launch trailers for strategy games and I think this is the best.
HUMANKIND™ - "LUCY" Official Trailer
YouTube video by HUMANKIND
www.youtube.com
February 5, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Reposted by Dunstan Lowe
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord composer Winifred Phillips wins Grammy award

www.gamedeveloper.com/audio/wizard...
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord composer Winifred Phillips wins Grammy award
Phillips has previously worked on franchises including Little Big Planet, Assassin's Creed, and God of War.
www.gamedeveloper.com
February 3, 2025 at 10:52 AM
When life gives you Elon, make Elonade.
January 27, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Homer may be the ultimate dead white European male, except that people have seriously disputed the white, the European, and even the male. In this paper on the lack of evidence for Homer's death I will
January 20, 2025 at 9:11 AM
I think Dreamlight Valley: The Storybook Vale is trying to start a war with this recipe:
Greek Potatoes: Salt Crystal, Potato, Garlic, Any Fruit, Any Spice
January 20, 2025 at 8:58 AM