Hannah Dawson
@fairlysadpanda.bsky.social
Senior backend engineer, CCP Games London. VR games developer and artist. Sometimes do politics, mental health and north London permitting. Liberal Democrat, somewhat hawkish, very pro-Europe.
I use she/her pronouns, and I hope you have a lovely day.
I use she/her pronouns, and I hope you have a lovely day.
Pinned
Hannah Dawson
@fairlysadpanda.bsky.social
· Oct 21
Hey! I'm Hannah, a trans games developer (specializing in gameplay<->server engineering), a hobbyist artist and game designer, a VR enthusiast and sometimes a Liberal Democrat political activist.
If you follow this account, expect a smorgasboard of the above topics and some bad puns.
If you follow this account, expect a smorgasboard of the above topics and some bad puns.
I decided to cancel some subscriptions this evening, and ended up idly running the numbers on the impact of things like "our annual plan is 10% off the cost of monthly" when personal loan rates are about 6.1% APR.
Our tech economy is built on lies, equity is king, I'm building a barricade outside
Our tech economy is built on lies, equity is king, I'm building a barricade outside
February 10, 2026 at 7:34 PM
I decided to cancel some subscriptions this evening, and ended up idly running the numbers on the impact of things like "our annual plan is 10% off the cost of monthly" when personal loan rates are about 6.1% APR.
Our tech economy is built on lies, equity is king, I'm building a barricade outside
Our tech economy is built on lies, equity is king, I'm building a barricade outside
www.ft.com/content/7093...
Unrelated fact: the head of the "anti-trust" CMA is a former executive at the monopolist Amazon.
You'd think that an Amazon man running an anti-trust organization would be one of those Tory-era jobs for business mates gigs, right?
Nope. Starmer appointee.
Unrelated fact: the head of the "anti-trust" CMA is a former executive at the monopolist Amazon.
You'd think that an Amazon man running an anti-trust organization would be one of those Tory-era jobs for business mates gigs, right?
Nope. Starmer appointee.
UK watchdog stops short of imposing EU-style rules on Apple and Google
Competition regulator CMA to accept ‘commitments’ from Big Tech groups that they will treat developers fairly
www.ft.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:01 PM
www.ft.com/content/7093...
Unrelated fact: the head of the "anti-trust" CMA is a former executive at the monopolist Amazon.
You'd think that an Amazon man running an anti-trust organization would be one of those Tory-era jobs for business mates gigs, right?
Nope. Starmer appointee.
Unrelated fact: the head of the "anti-trust" CMA is a former executive at the monopolist Amazon.
You'd think that an Amazon man running an anti-trust organization would be one of those Tory-era jobs for business mates gigs, right?
Nope. Starmer appointee.
The goal of a video game programmer is to write tooling so good you don't need a video game programmer anymore.
February 10, 2026 at 2:23 PM
The goal of a video game programmer is to write tooling so good you don't need a video game programmer anymore.
Every game dev step you can offload from an expensive C++ programmer to a cheaper C#, Go, whatever programmer = good for the game
Every step you can further offload to a tech artist or tech designer? Even better.
Every step you can further offload to a tech artist or tech designer? Even better.
February 10, 2026 at 2:22 PM
Every game dev step you can offload from an expensive C++ programmer to a cheaper C#, Go, whatever programmer = good for the game
Every step you can further offload to a tech artist or tech designer? Even better.
Every step you can further offload to a tech artist or tech designer? Even better.
Always worth thinking about in the context of tools that make game dev more approachable for artists.
The slide, for those who don't know it. The OTT punchline at the end of my section in my teaching comic writing slide where I'm saying that the writer is the god-creator of all comics who all must hail, before I move onto what one should do to be a good collaborator.
February 10, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Always worth thinking about in the context of tools that make game dev more approachable for artists.
Not remotely surprised 2XKO is dead. Riot Games has proven to be a disasterous publisher but 2XKO was also very clearly a dud in terms of fighting game design.
I feel bad for the devs and questions should be asked why such a weak project shipped.
I feel bad for the devs and questions should be asked why such a weak project shipped.
February 10, 2026 at 4:29 AM
Not remotely surprised 2XKO is dead. Riot Games has proven to be a disasterous publisher but 2XKO was also very clearly a dud in terms of fighting game design.
I feel bad for the devs and questions should be asked why such a weak project shipped.
I feel bad for the devs and questions should be asked why such a weak project shipped.
My equivalent to like that meme of people saying "this booze isn't that strong" into "ranting about US actions against socialism in South America" is
Full bottle: "I believe in a mixed economy"
Half bottle: "The state should provide email addresses"
Empty bottle: NATIONALIZE CAR INSURANCE
Full bottle: "I believe in a mixed economy"
Half bottle: "The state should provide email addresses"
Empty bottle: NATIONALIZE CAR INSURANCE
February 9, 2026 at 7:24 PM
My equivalent to like that meme of people saying "this booze isn't that strong" into "ranting about US actions against socialism in South America" is
Full bottle: "I believe in a mixed economy"
Half bottle: "The state should provide email addresses"
Empty bottle: NATIONALIZE CAR INSURANCE
Full bottle: "I believe in a mixed economy"
Half bottle: "The state should provide email addresses"
Empty bottle: NATIONALIZE CAR INSURANCE
Requiring age verification without providing a verification service is like mandating passports to fly but not providing a passport service.
In any industry where the government legally mandates provision, it must also act as the provider.
A great example: car insurance.
In any industry where the government legally mandates provision, it must also act as the provider.
A great example: car insurance.
February 9, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Requiring age verification without providing a verification service is like mandating passports to fly but not providing a passport service.
In any industry where the government legally mandates provision, it must also act as the provider.
A great example: car insurance.
In any industry where the government legally mandates provision, it must also act as the provider.
A great example: car insurance.
Sparkling wine
"bubbly"
"bubbly"
February 9, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Sparkling wine
"bubbly"
"bubbly"
"But Panda-"
Passports. There are a fixed number of UK passports, one per person. They allow UK residents to fly almost anywhere without invasive ID checks. Can you fake them, steal them? Sure. But imagine flying internationally if passports worked like society has decided email should work.
Passports. There are a fixed number of UK passports, one per person. They allow UK residents to fly almost anywhere without invasive ID checks. Can you fake them, steal them? Sure. But imagine flying internationally if passports worked like society has decided email should work.
February 9, 2026 at 5:45 PM
"But Panda-"
Passports. There are a fixed number of UK passports, one per person. They allow UK residents to fly almost anywhere without invasive ID checks. Can you fake them, steal them? Sure. But imagine flying internationally if passports worked like society has decided email should work.
Passports. There are a fixed number of UK passports, one per person. They allow UK residents to fly almost anywhere without invasive ID checks. Can you fake them, steal them? Sure. But imagine flying internationally if passports worked like society has decided email should work.
You give everyone an email address. There is a fixed number, tied to an existent person. You go "ok you wanna go on the naughty websites you gotta prove who you are" and everyone goes "how" and instead of the current situation where you need to use some random third party, a public provider exists.
February 9, 2026 at 5:40 PM
You give everyone an email address. There is a fixed number, tied to an existent person. You go "ok you wanna go on the naughty websites you gotta prove who you are" and everyone goes "how" and instead of the current situation where you need to use some random third party, a public provider exists.
Step one of reclaiming the internet is taking user auth away from monopolies and moving it into government-backed utilities. You want a "digital ID card"? Give everyone an email address. Email is obviously useful to everyone and it's insane that everyone is forced to go to a private provider.
February 9, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Step one of reclaiming the internet is taking user auth away from monopolies and moving it into government-backed utilities. You want a "digital ID card"? Give everyone an email address. Email is obviously useful to everyone and it's insane that everyone is forced to go to a private provider.
The fun thing about the overwhelming majority of apps that are pivoting to use a third-party auth provider for age/ID verification (e.g. Persona) is that users are up in arms with the platform, not with the giant tech companies that captured owning everyone's logins via free email 20 years ago.
February 9, 2026 at 5:22 PM
The fun thing about the overwhelming majority of apps that are pivoting to use a third-party auth provider for age/ID verification (e.g. Persona) is that users are up in arms with the platform, not with the giant tech companies that captured owning everyone's logins via free email 20 years ago.
Gotta respect the hustle of the cabinet ministers posting their support for Kier Starmer on X (the everything app), allowing their consent for his leadership to be theoretically visible to journalists, but algorithmically suppressed in favour of far right conspiracy content and CSAM.
February 9, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Gotta respect the hustle of the cabinet ministers posting their support for Kier Starmer on X (the everything app), allowing their consent for his leadership to be theoretically visible to journalists, but algorithmically suppressed in favour of far right conspiracy content and CSAM.
Someone I know referred to the current situation being as if Starmer was a muppet, only moving via the hands of his spads, but I don't think "a series of increasingly mediocre revival movies, finally being saved by Seth Rogan and Sabrina Carpenter" would be an effective strategy either
February 9, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Someone I know referred to the current situation being as if Starmer was a muppet, only moving via the hands of his spads, but I don't think "a series of increasingly mediocre revival movies, finally being saved by Seth Rogan and Sabrina Carpenter" would be an effective strategy either
Look, it's a Monday in February, the weather's not even bad enough to be interesting anymore, let me lettucepost in peace
February 9, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Look, it's a Monday in February, the weather's not even bad enough to be interesting anymore, let me lettucepost in peace
To be honest the challenge might be to find a pair of googly eyes in time, where do you even buy those locally
Rymans?
Rymans?
February 9, 2026 at 2:15 PM
To be honest the challenge might be to find a pair of googly eyes in time, where do you even buy those locally
Rymans?
Rymans?
The Waitrose one has Kier Starmer's skin cream regime, obviously
February 9, 2026 at 2:13 PM
The Waitrose one has Kier Starmer's skin cream regime, obviously
For anyone buying a lettuce in the next, uh, two hours or so before there is a dangerous risk this opportunity for bantz is lost, the big supermarkets appear to all be price-matched to Aldi at the moment, but the Waitrose lettuce does at least have a nicer photo
February 9, 2026 at 2:12 PM
For anyone buying a lettuce in the next, uh, two hours or so before there is a dangerous risk this opportunity for bantz is lost, the big supermarkets appear to all be price-matched to Aldi at the moment, but the Waitrose lettuce does at least have a nicer photo
We are now firmly in a lettuce boom market. Buy buy buy.
February 9, 2026 at 1:39 PM
We are now firmly in a lettuce boom market. Buy buy buy.
I think the Titanic has hit the iceberg lettuce.
February 9, 2026 at 1:35 PM
I think the Titanic has hit the iceberg lettuce.
I agree, but the government sends him out to the media gauntlet despite him being a, to be polite, treacherous ladder-climbing shitter, because he is viewed at good at it.
My suspicion is that he would do very badly vs an open hall, but thankfully that is what the leadership contest is for.
My suspicion is that he would do very badly vs an open hall, but thankfully that is what the leadership contest is for.
February 9, 2026 at 12:52 PM
I agree, but the government sends him out to the media gauntlet despite him being a, to be polite, treacherous ladder-climbing shitter, because he is viewed at good at it.
My suspicion is that he would do very badly vs an open hall, but thankfully that is what the leadership contest is for.
My suspicion is that he would do very badly vs an open hall, but thankfully that is what the leadership contest is for.
This would have a very bad acronym so I would propose simply calling it the APPG-AAAAAAAAAAARGH
February 9, 2026 at 12:17 PM
This would have a very bad acronym so I would propose simply calling it the APPG-AAAAAAAAAAARGH
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Jesus H Christ Lads I Just Got Back From A Social With My Local Party And They Want Kier's Head On A Plate And Half Of Them Have Joined The Greens And I Just Saw Our Latest Canvas Returns
February 9, 2026 at 12:11 PM
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Jesus H Christ Lads I Just Got Back From A Social With My Local Party And They Want Kier's Head On A Plate And Half Of Them Have Joined The Greens And I Just Saw Our Latest Canvas Returns
For what its worth, maximizing your seat count in FPTP is the electorally correct policy, but Ed Davey's team did it via wetsuits and bungee cords and Starmer's team did it via pretending they were going to run a completely different country to the one they planned to.
February 9, 2026 at 11:23 AM
For what its worth, maximizing your seat count in FPTP is the electorally correct policy, but Ed Davey's team did it via wetsuits and bungee cords and Starmer's team did it via pretending they were going to run a completely different country to the one they planned to.