Gillian Smith
@codingcrafter.bsky.social
Director of IMGD at WPI. Game design, generative AI, computational craft, generative design, feminist tech, mom stories. she/they
Reposted by Gillian Smith
I was asked to supply a title for my December talk at Stanford. I've settled on: "Nobody Wants This: Please Stop Ruining Everything."
November 13, 2025 at 2:06 AM
I was asked to supply a title for my December talk at Stanford. I've settled on: "Nobody Wants This: Please Stop Ruining Everything."
Reposted by Gillian Smith
very excited to share this story about an emerging video game genre: games that live on bottom of your desktop screen. my first story in the NYT, featuring @mistermorrisgames.bsky.social, @toadzillart.itch.io, and more!
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/a...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/a...
These Video Games Want Only Some of Your Attention
www.nytimes.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:04 PM
very excited to share this story about an emerging video game genre: games that live on bottom of your desktop screen. my first story in the NYT, featuring @mistermorrisgames.bsky.social, @toadzillart.itch.io, and more!
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/a...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/a...
Reposted by Gillian Smith
Proud papa moment: my son J published a letter in the @nytimes.com today (in print tomorrow) on the need to think our definitions of autism.
October 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Proud papa moment: my son J published a letter in the @nytimes.com today (in print tomorrow) on the need to think our definitions of autism.
Reposted by Gillian Smith
The OTHER project at CDPR's Boston studio is hiring a Lead Writer. (FT, onsite preferred) Come work with a very chill and creative team on Project Sirius ✨️
jobs.smartrecruiters.com/CDPROJEKTRED...
jobs.smartrecruiters.com/CDPROJEKTRED...
Lead Writer
Company Description: To create revolutionary, story-driven RPGs which go straight to the hearts of gamers — this is our mission. Want to dive deeper into our company’s culture? Explore our social medi...
jobs.smartrecruiters.com
October 8, 2025 at 3:41 PM
The OTHER project at CDPR's Boston studio is hiring a Lead Writer. (FT, onsite preferred) Come work with a very chill and creative team on Project Sirius ✨️
jobs.smartrecruiters.com/CDPROJEKTRED...
jobs.smartrecruiters.com/CDPROJEKTRED...
We're hiring!! WPI IMGD seeks a new Assistant Teaching Professor to support and grow our multidisciplinary, project-based curriculum in technical and design areas of our undergrad (BS, BA) and graduate (MS, MFA, PhD) degrees.
More details here: wpi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/WPI_External...
More details here: wpi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/WPI_External...
Assistant Teaching Professor
JOB TITLE Assistant Teaching Professor LOCATION Worcester DEPARTMENT NAME Interactive Media & Game Development - IMGD DIVISION NAME Worcester Polytechnic Institute - WPI JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY In...
wpi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com
September 29, 2025 at 8:59 PM
We're hiring!! WPI IMGD seeks a new Assistant Teaching Professor to support and grow our multidisciplinary, project-based curriculum in technical and design areas of our undergrad (BS, BA) and graduate (MS, MFA, PhD) degrees.
More details here: wpi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/WPI_External...
More details here: wpi.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/WPI_External...
Reposted by Gillian Smith
Friendly Reminder: If you're planning to apply to the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant, you have until 23:59 PST TODAY to get your application in ⏰‼️
grants.draknek.org
grants.draknek.org
September 28, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Friendly Reminder: If you're planning to apply to the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant, you have until 23:59 PST TODAY to get your application in ⏰‼️
grants.draknek.org
grants.draknek.org
Reposted by Gillian Smith
The "using AI to generate concept art early in the process to quickly iterate ideas" thing is so absurd to me because like. You don't know what concept art is. You don't know what concept art *does*.
August 23, 2025 at 4:30 PM
The "using AI to generate concept art early in the process to quickly iterate ideas" thing is so absurd to me because like. You don't know what concept art is. You don't know what concept art *does*.
Reposted by Gillian Smith
I'll admit, I was skeptical when they said Gemini was just like a bunch of PhDs. But I gotta admit they nailed it.
August 17, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I'll admit, I was skeptical when they said Gemini was just like a bunch of PhDs. But I gotta admit they nailed it.
Reposted by Gillian Smith
Reminder that the best conference for understanding generative systems, and how people play them, is full of kind people, online and you can go to it.
We have a preview event on September 7, 2025 at 3 PM Pacific! Tickets are free here:
ti.to/roguelike-ce...
ti.to/roguelike-ce...
Roguelike Celebration: Preview Event 2025
Roguelike games have been part of gaming culture for over 30 years and they have a deep and special place in our hearts. We'd love to get to spend some time with you all learning about roguelikes and ...
ti.to
August 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Reminder that the best conference for understanding generative systems, and how people play them, is full of kind people, online and you can go to it.
Check out this game I worked on!
Breath Checkers is designed to provoke both playfulness and relaxation. Developed at Dagstuhl Seminar 25292 with @curseofremy.bsky.social.
Meeting and working with Rémy was such a wonderful experience. I learned a whole lot more about design in that short time.
Breath Checkers is designed to provoke both playfulness and relaxation. Developed at Dagstuhl Seminar 25292 with @curseofremy.bsky.social.
Meeting and working with Rémy was such a wonderful experience. I learned a whole lot more about design in that short time.
New pen-&-paper game! Breath Checkers! 🌬️▚▚
✍️ A relaxing 2-player drawing and breathing game
😌 by @codingcrafter.bsky.social and myself.
Download the rules here!
📜 trasevol-dog.itch.io/breath-check... ❤️
✍️ A relaxing 2-player drawing and breathing game
😌 by @codingcrafter.bsky.social and myself.
Download the rules here!
📜 trasevol-dog.itch.io/breath-check... ❤️
July 31, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Check out this game I worked on!
Breath Checkers is designed to provoke both playfulness and relaxation. Developed at Dagstuhl Seminar 25292 with @curseofremy.bsky.social.
Meeting and working with Rémy was such a wonderful experience. I learned a whole lot more about design in that short time.
Breath Checkers is designed to provoke both playfulness and relaxation. Developed at Dagstuhl Seminar 25292 with @curseofremy.bsky.social.
Meeting and working with Rémy was such a wonderful experience. I learned a whole lot more about design in that short time.
Reposted by Gillian Smith
you're asking chatGPT, im conducting a seance with inky, blinky, pinky and clyde. we are not the same
This is an insane thing to write about game development. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/a...
July 29, 2025 at 7:08 AM
you're asking chatGPT, im conducting a seance with inky, blinky, pinky and clyde. we are not the same
Reposted by Gillian Smith
people love to say "platforms are not your friends", and someone on cohost got especially real big mad at me for "going to bat" for itch before
but you bet your ass i have sympathy for an indie project. that's the whole fucking thing we're doing here
but you bet your ass i have sympathy for an indie project. that's the whole fucking thing we're doing here
July 29, 2025 at 1:35 AM
people love to say "platforms are not your friends", and someone on cohost got especially real big mad at me for "going to bat" for itch before
but you bet your ass i have sympathy for an indie project. that's the whole fucking thing we're doing here
but you bet your ass i have sympathy for an indie project. that's the whole fucking thing we're doing here
Reposted by Gillian Smith
This itch.io NSFW policy change is unfortunately nothing new, the problem isn't the platforms themselves but rather Visa/MC strong-arming these services into revising their NSFW policies.
So if you're eligible I invite you to sign this ACLU petition: action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
So if you're eligible I invite you to sign this ACLU petition: action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
Mastercard: Sex Work is Work. End Your Unjust Policy.
Mastercard's new policy unfairly targets the adult content industry, making sex workers more vulnerable, especially Black trans women. It must be stopped.
action.aclu.org
July 24, 2025 at 10:35 AM
This itch.io NSFW policy change is unfortunately nothing new, the problem isn't the platforms themselves but rather Visa/MC strong-arming these services into revising their NSFW policies.
So if you're eligible I invite you to sign this ACLU petition: action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
So if you're eligible I invite you to sign this ACLU petition: action.aclu.org/petition/mas...
Reposted by Gillian Smith
Really disheartening to see people going after Itch when they clearly didn't have a better choice, and are taking steps to restore as much of the content as possible.
The whole situation sucks, obviously, but how could you think Itch doesn't care after all it did for creators in the last 12 years?
The whole situation sucks, obviously, but how could you think Itch doesn't care after all it did for creators in the last 12 years?
July 24, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Really disheartening to see people going after Itch when they clearly didn't have a better choice, and are taking steps to restore as much of the content as possible.
The whole situation sucks, obviously, but how could you think Itch doesn't care after all it did for creators in the last 12 years?
The whole situation sucks, obviously, but how could you think Itch doesn't care after all it did for creators in the last 12 years?
Reposted by Gillian Smith
I know I’m preaching to the choir here but building a world in which sex and sexuality is seen as inherently harmful but violence is normal and often good actually seems… bad. It seems like we could do better.
July 24, 2025 at 8:03 AM
I know I’m preaching to the choir here but building a world in which sex and sexuality is seen as inherently harmful but violence is normal and often good actually seems… bad. It seems like we could do better.
Reposted by Gillian Smith
If because of itch.io, you're looking to understand how obscenity law in the US came to be functionally obsolete in favor of payment card standards, may I recommend the piece I wrote about this a couple of years ago?
yjolt.org/imagine-comm...
yjolt.org/imagine-comm...
Imagine A Community: Obscenity’s History and Moderating Speech Online
| Yale Journal of Law & Technology
yjolt.org
July 24, 2025 at 11:39 AM
If because of itch.io, you're looking to understand how obscenity law in the US came to be functionally obsolete in favor of payment card standards, may I recommend the piece I wrote about this a couple of years ago?
yjolt.org/imagine-comm...
yjolt.org/imagine-comm...
Reposted by Gillian Smith
The postcard I made for @emilyhalina.bsky.social as part of @annetropy.bsky.social 's postcard keepsake game.
The elden ring pope turtle visits Dagstuhl seminar 25292
The elden ring pope turtle visits Dagstuhl seminar 25292
July 20, 2025 at 4:47 PM
The postcard I made for @emilyhalina.bsky.social as part of @annetropy.bsky.social 's postcard keepsake game.
The elden ring pope turtle visits Dagstuhl seminar 25292
The elden ring pope turtle visits Dagstuhl seminar 25292
Reposted by Gillian Smith
The Bird Oracle is up for an Best Writing Ennie, and you can vote for us now! Yazeba's is in our category and a truly magnificent book, and you can vote for it too! Like the NYC mayoral primary, the Ennies also have ranked choice voting.
vote.ennie-awards.com/vote/2025/in...
vote.ennie-awards.com/vote/2025/in...
July 12, 2025 at 8:38 PM
The Bird Oracle is up for an Best Writing Ennie, and you can vote for us now! Yazeba's is in our category and a truly magnificent book, and you can vote for it too! Like the NYC mayoral primary, the Ennies also have ranked choice voting.
vote.ennie-awards.com/vote/2025/in...
vote.ennie-awards.com/vote/2025/in...
Reposted by Gillian Smith
hey who wants to see the worlds most sinister hotel sink
July 12, 2025 at 9:06 PM
hey who wants to see the worlds most sinister hotel sink
Reposted by Gillian Smith
Trump funding cuts 'devastate' video game research and development
Trump funding cuts 'devastate' video game research and development
'By limiting research in this industry, it is limiting science as a whole.'
www.gamedeveloper.com
July 10, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Trump funding cuts 'devastate' video game research and development
Reposted by Gillian Smith
"Men who sell machines that mimic people want us to become people who mimic machines. They want techno feudal subjects who will believe and do what they’re told. We, as people, are being strategically simplified. This is a fascist process."
organizingmythoughts.org/some-thought...
organizingmythoughts.org/some-thought...
Some Thoughts on Techno-Fascism From Socialism 2025
"This is the endgame of our isolation."
organizingmythoughts.org
July 5, 2025 at 10:24 AM
"Men who sell machines that mimic people want us to become people who mimic machines. They want techno feudal subjects who will believe and do what they’re told. We, as people, are being strategically simplified. This is a fascist process."
organizingmythoughts.org/some-thought...
organizingmythoughts.org/some-thought...
Reposted by Gillian Smith
good comedy here is the MS engineer saying "not a .net issue, please contact our more annoying issue tracker" versus OP having "if you need to reach me, I'll be on the osu! Discord server" in their report hahaha
July 2, 2025 at 11:05 AM
good comedy here is the MS engineer saying "not a .net issue, please contact our more annoying issue tracker" versus OP having "if you need to reach me, I'll be on the osu! Discord server" in their report hahaha
Reposted by Gillian Smith
there is a fundamental incuriosity about and even disdain for what liberal arts fields can offer a life, both for the people who study them and the people who later interact with their work. it’s such an infuriating loss.
July 1, 2025 at 12:12 AM
there is a fundamental incuriosity about and even disdain for what liberal arts fields can offer a life, both for the people who study them and the people who later interact with their work. it’s such an infuriating loss.