Florence Smith Nicholls
@florencesn.bsky.social
Video game archaeologist + game dev//
PhD on archaeogaming as play preservation + procgen//
Prev: Story Tech @gutefabrik.bsky.social, Planning Archaeologist at Museum of London Archaeology
they/them
💾 florencesmithnicholls.com
PhD on archaeogaming as play preservation + procgen//
Prev: Story Tech @gutefabrik.bsky.social, Planning Archaeologist at Museum of London Archaeology
they/them
💾 florencesmithnicholls.com
Pinned
~Thread of my past publications~
"Virtual Dark Tourism in The Town of Light"
2018, Routledge
In this book chapter I argue that video games marketing a setting associated with historical suffering can be considered dark tourism experiences.
www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edi...
"Virtual Dark Tourism in The Town of Light"
2018, Routledge
In this book chapter I argue that video games marketing a setting associated with historical suffering can be considered dark tourism experiences.
www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edi...
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
ICYMI: "The ruins hold no clear narrative to be understood, but similar to many archaeological sites, the tale to be told is fragmentary, indeterminate and especially open to interpretation."
Justin Reeve analyzes Breath of the Wild's Thyphlo Ruins from an archeological perspective:
Justin Reeve analyzes Breath of the Wild's Thyphlo Ruins from an archeological perspective:
Illuminating the Unknown - Unwinnable
The Thyphlo Ruins ask what we can expect from the past, and what we’re willing to accept when the past refuses our understanding.
buff.ly
February 13, 2026 at 6:03 PM
ICYMI: "The ruins hold no clear narrative to be understood, but similar to many archaeological sites, the tale to be told is fragmentary, indeterminate and especially open to interpretation."
Justin Reeve analyzes Breath of the Wild's Thyphlo Ruins from an archeological perspective:
Justin Reeve analyzes Breath of the Wild's Thyphlo Ruins from an archeological perspective:
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
💾The Games & Storage special issue of Critical Studies in Media Communication is officially out!
📚Thanks to editors @nickttaylor.bsky.social, @thechristinet.bsky.social, and Robyn Hope for putting this together.
📡Be sure to check out my article on Satellaview restoration, 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴!
📚Thanks to editors @nickttaylor.bsky.social, @thechristinet.bsky.social, and Robyn Hope for putting this together.
📡Be sure to check out my article on Satellaview restoration, 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴!
Critical Studies in Media Communication
Games & Storage. Volume 42, Issue 5 of Critical Studies in Media Communication
www.tandfonline.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:18 PM
💾The Games & Storage special issue of Critical Studies in Media Communication is officially out!
📚Thanks to editors @nickttaylor.bsky.social, @thechristinet.bsky.social, and Robyn Hope for putting this together.
📡Be sure to check out my article on Satellaview restoration, 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴!
📚Thanks to editors @nickttaylor.bsky.social, @thechristinet.bsky.social, and Robyn Hope for putting this together.
📡Be sure to check out my article on Satellaview restoration, 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴!
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
In case you missed it, I wrote a blog post to introduce people to the concept of procedural narrative!
Today on Hidden Door's not-so-hidden blog, we talk about procedural narrative + procedural generation (or procgen if you're COOL). You've probably seen procgen before, whether you know it or not. But where?! Secrets revealed, procedures explained:
www.hiddendoor.co/blog/procedu...
www.hiddendoor.co/blog/procedu...
Blog | Procedural Narrative: An Introduction · Hidden Door
This is the first in a series of posts explaining how our narrative systems work. As I (Rourke, narrative systems designer here at Hidden Door) was outlining what the series would look like I realized...
www.hiddendoor.co
February 13, 2026 at 4:43 PM
In case you missed it, I wrote a blog post to introduce people to the concept of procedural narrative!
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
Sorry I can’t this weekend man I have to wander around my home like a tormented ghost for a couple days
February 13, 2026 at 12:07 PM
Sorry I can’t this weekend man I have to wander around my home like a tormented ghost for a couple days
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
🌼My new game is here!🥀
"She danced in the wind like a holographic dream before the world died."
alienmelon.itch.io/flower
A game poem and interactive fiction about The End.
You play the very last flower left on Earth, bringing peace to long dead soil.
#IndieGame #VideoGame #GamePoem #Game
"She danced in the wind like a holographic dream before the world died."
alienmelon.itch.io/flower
A game poem and interactive fiction about The End.
You play the very last flower left on Earth, bringing peace to long dead soil.
#IndieGame #VideoGame #GamePoem #Game
February 13, 2026 at 1:20 PM
🌼My new game is here!🥀
"She danced in the wind like a holographic dream before the world died."
alienmelon.itch.io/flower
A game poem and interactive fiction about The End.
You play the very last flower left on Earth, bringing peace to long dead soil.
#IndieGame #VideoGame #GamePoem #Game
"She danced in the wind like a holographic dream before the world died."
alienmelon.itch.io/flower
A game poem and interactive fiction about The End.
You play the very last flower left on Earth, bringing peace to long dead soil.
#IndieGame #VideoGame #GamePoem #Game
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
⚔️💀 POINT FROMSOFTWARE 💀⚔️
Chaque jour jusqu'à la parution de "L'Histoire de FromSoftware" chez @thirdeditions.bsky.social le 19 février, je posterai ici une image d'archives faisant écho à l'un des passages du livre, dans l'ordre des chapitres.
Chaque jour jusqu'à la parution de "L'Histoire de FromSoftware" chez @thirdeditions.bsky.social le 19 février, je posterai ici une image d'archives faisant écho à l'un des passages du livre, dans l'ordre des chapitres.
February 5, 2026 at 12:58 PM
⚔️💀 POINT FROMSOFTWARE 💀⚔️
Chaque jour jusqu'à la parution de "L'Histoire de FromSoftware" chez @thirdeditions.bsky.social le 19 février, je posterai ici une image d'archives faisant écho à l'un des passages du livre, dans l'ordre des chapitres.
Chaque jour jusqu'à la parution de "L'Histoire de FromSoftware" chez @thirdeditions.bsky.social le 19 février, je posterai ici une image d'archives faisant écho à l'un des passages du livre, dans l'ordre des chapitres.
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
You will not like this but Persephone and Hades were the same person. Demeter can't stop mourning a daughter who is still alive. This, too, is about transmasculinity
August 16, 2025 at 6:31 PM
You will not like this but Persephone and Hades were the same person. Demeter can't stop mourning a daughter who is still alive. This, too, is about transmasculinity
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
we live in the ruins of a greater civilization
February 13, 2026 at 3:12 AM
we live in the ruins of a greater civilization
Wasn't expecting a trailer for a new Silent Hill game to make my day
February 13, 2026 at 10:13 AM
Wasn't expecting a trailer for a new Silent Hill game to make my day
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
The demo for this is out now and really all you had to tell me is "brutalist parkour" and I was hooked the fuck in.
February 12, 2026 at 10:43 PM
The demo for this is out now and really all you had to tell me is "brutalist parkour" and I was hooked the fuck in.
Ahhhh I love fictional game screenshots
Lost media archivist on tumblr named robindaydream found these screenshots from the canceled NES port of Caves of Qud
February 12, 2026 at 6:33 PM
Ahhhh I love fictional game screenshots
This week on The Bathysphere we have a lovely essay by Chris on the brutalist parkour game VHOLUME:
buttondown.com/Bathysphere/...
buttondown.com/Bathysphere/...
February 12, 2026 at 5:41 PM
This week on The Bathysphere we have a lovely essay by Chris on the brutalist parkour game VHOLUME:
buttondown.com/Bathysphere/...
buttondown.com/Bathysphere/...
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
Neolithic Pig Cauldron floating in the woods
February 12, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Neolithic Pig Cauldron floating in the woods
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
secret late night announcement. I'm launching later this month, in collaboration with illustrator @supercoolspyclub.bsky.social, JANUARY : a postcard writing game for two people, set in a kaiju-filled alternate history, about distant but persistent friendships.
February 10, 2026 at 4:48 AM
secret late night announcement. I'm launching later this month, in collaboration with illustrator @supercoolspyclub.bsky.social, JANUARY : a postcard writing game for two people, set in a kaiju-filled alternate history, about distant but persistent friendships.
Me and who
February 12, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Me and who
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
This Special Issue seeks to provide a space in which academics and practitioners can share scholarship, reviews and articles centred around the complex and wide-ranging field of video games intersecting with horror.
Deadline: 1 April 2026
Find out more 👉https://ow.ly/Ufx250Y9g6V
Deadline: 1 April 2026
Find out more 👉https://ow.ly/Ufx250Y9g6V
February 12, 2026 at 12:00 PM
This Special Issue seeks to provide a space in which academics and practitioners can share scholarship, reviews and articles centred around the complex and wide-ranging field of video games intersecting with horror.
Deadline: 1 April 2026
Find out more 👉https://ow.ly/Ufx250Y9g6V
Deadline: 1 April 2026
Find out more 👉https://ow.ly/Ufx250Y9g6V
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
This evening I'm starting my SIXTH sold-out workshop on Writing for Video Games for the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social - I really like teaching writing for games, and get great reports back from students, so if your studio or university would like to hire me for a workshop, please reach out! ❤️
February 12, 2026 at 2:22 PM
This evening I'm starting my SIXTH sold-out workshop on Writing for Video Games for the @irishwriterscentre.bsky.social - I really like teaching writing for games, and get great reports back from students, so if your studio or university would like to hire me for a workshop, please reach out! ❤️
Had an interesting morning
February 12, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Had an interesting morning
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Rome by @jordancollver.bsky.social and me is out Thursday!
February 9, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Pets Tell Tales: Ancient Rome by @jordancollver.bsky.social and me is out Thursday!
Oh I think I'm gonna have to cite this in my thesis
finding a good place for this in my Dwarf Fortress headline scrapbook
February 11, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Oh I think I'm gonna have to cite this in my thesis
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
experimenting with proportionally accurate longswords. this actually worked better than i thought. you can do either odd or even height, which have different pros and cons.
making extensive use of the relatively new u+1fb00-u+1fbff symbols for legacy computing.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbols...
making extensive use of the relatively new u+1fb00-u+1fbff symbols for legacy computing.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbols...
February 11, 2026 at 9:45 PM
experimenting with proportionally accurate longswords. this actually worked better than i thought. you can do either odd or even height, which have different pros and cons.
making extensive use of the relatively new u+1fb00-u+1fbff symbols for legacy computing.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbols...
making extensive use of the relatively new u+1fb00-u+1fbff symbols for legacy computing.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbols...
Reposted by Florence Smith Nicholls
https://gacha.o0o0.jp/gp/archives/24277
『ふっくら 福福土偶と埴輪』3月再販予定。頭くるくる 体ゆらゆら 可愛さ国宝級！？
"Plump Fukufuku Clay Figurines and Haniwa" will be re-released in March. Their heads spin and their bodies sway, making them so cute they're a national treasure!
#ガチャポン #gachapon
『ふっくら 福福土偶と埴輪』3月再販予定。頭くるくる 体ゆらゆら 可愛さ国宝級！？
"Plump Fukufuku Clay Figurines and Haniwa" will be re-released in March. Their heads spin and their bodies sway, making them so cute they're a national treasure!
#ガチャポン #gachapon
February 11, 2026 at 2:00 AM
https://gacha.o0o0.jp/gp/archives/24277
『ふっくら 福福土偶と埴輪』3月再販予定。頭くるくる 体ゆらゆら 可愛さ国宝級！？
"Plump Fukufuku Clay Figurines and Haniwa" will be re-released in March. Their heads spin and their bodies sway, making them so cute they're a national treasure!
#ガチャポン #gachapon
『ふっくら 福福土偶と埴輪』3月再販予定。頭くるくる 体ゆらゆら 可愛さ国宝級！？
"Plump Fukufuku Clay Figurines and Haniwa" will be re-released in March. Their heads spin and their bodies sway, making them so cute they're a national treasure!
#ガチャポン #gachapon
Exciting to see more discussion of the go-along methodology in different contexts!
A lovely Radio 4 Thinking Allowed episode about the ‘go along’ research method.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
@florencesn.bsky.social @jennycromwell.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
@florencesn.bsky.social @jennycromwell.bsky.social
BBC Radio 4 - Thinking Allowed, The go-along research method
Laurie Taylor explores the value of research done in informal settings and on the move.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 10, 2026 at 10:34 PM
Exciting to see more discussion of the go-along methodology in different contexts!