James Youngman
@jyoungman.bsky.social
He/him Game Designer, composer, writer
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/ten-lessons-over-ten-years
http://jamesyoungman.bandcamp.com
https://jyoungman.itch.io
Senior Tech Designer at Elsewhere. All opinions my own.
#gamedev | #gamedesign
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/ten-lessons-over-ten-years
http://jamesyoungman.bandcamp.com
https://jyoungman.itch.io
Senior Tech Designer at Elsewhere. All opinions my own.
#gamedev | #gamedesign
Reposted by James Youngman
So every part of this is dumb but the idea that the Iliad is about 'fighting for princesses' is such a vapid take on a work that tells you exactly what it is about in the first (and last) lines.
You can tell the poem isn't really about Bryseis because her return does not resolve the conflict.
You can tell the poem isn't really about Bryseis because her return does not resolve the conflict.
*maximum alpha at 1.25x speed* continuously lives on in my head, unfortunately.
November 11, 2025 at 2:22 AM
So every part of this is dumb but the idea that the Iliad is about 'fighting for princesses' is such a vapid take on a work that tells you exactly what it is about in the first (and last) lines.
You can tell the poem isn't really about Bryseis because her return does not resolve the conflict.
You can tell the poem isn't really about Bryseis because her return does not resolve the conflict.
Their profits shared by the people who worked on them, regardless of their present relationships with the studio where they were developed
November 10, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Their profits shared by the people who worked on them, regardless of their present relationships with the studio where they were developed
Reposted by James Youngman
Someone should run in 2028 on a platform of claiming this entire term illegitimate because of the insurrection clause, thereby nullifying every piece of shit legislation and EO he's signed, all judicial appointments, and every pardon.
November 10, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Someone should run in 2028 on a platform of claiming this entire term illegitimate because of the insurrection clause, thereby nullifying every piece of shit legislation and EO he's signed, all judicial appointments, and every pardon.
Reposted by James Youngman
i cannot stress enough that if you want to primary anybody then you have to join something instead of shitposting from your couch. zohran happened because nyc-dsa was running local races and often eating shit on election night for close to a decade.
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
i cannot stress enough that if you want to primary anybody then you have to join something instead of shitposting from your couch. zohran happened because nyc-dsa was running local races and often eating shit on election night for close to a decade.
Every time you use generative AI, you make the world a little bit worse, and harm yourself in so doing. Of course I've never used it.
Hands up if you've never used Chat GPT ✋
(I feel like Dozer and Tank in The Matrix right now - at first I didn't use it because, rather ironically, I'm lazy and stubborn (peak Taurus energy there) - literally no, don't make me use the new thing I don't wanna. Now I'm glad I didn't 😅)
(I feel like Dozer and Tank in The Matrix right now - at first I didn't use it because, rather ironically, I'm lazy and stubborn (peak Taurus energy there) - literally no, don't make me use the new thing I don't wanna. Now I'm glad I didn't 😅)
Probably a good way to tell right now if the job you’re applying for is run by absolute dumbfucks is to ask if they’re using AI.
November 9, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Every time you use generative AI, you make the world a little bit worse, and harm yourself in so doing. Of course I've never used it.
Reposted by James Youngman
This is actually the original definition of emotional labor, as defined by Arlie Hochschild, the sociologist who coined the term. It refers to the labor of performing emotions in order to do your job. It is not enough to just do your job, you have to put on a performance
There is something really wrong with people who need workers to be not just competent, but slavishly fake-happy. "Slavishly" used on purpose, bc that's where this grotesquerie comes from.
"Store employees are now required to smile if they are within 10 feet of a shopper.
They also must make eye contact with and wave to or greet the customer.
If they’re within four feet, the employee should ask how the customer’s day is going or if they need help."
🙄 Won't stop the boycott, y'all.
They also must make eye contact with and wave to or greet the customer.
If they’re within four feet, the employee should ask how the customer’s day is going or if they need help."
🙄 Won't stop the boycott, y'all.
November 9, 2025 at 12:23 AM
This is actually the original definition of emotional labor, as defined by Arlie Hochschild, the sociologist who coined the term. It refers to the labor of performing emotions in order to do your job. It is not enough to just do your job, you have to put on a performance
Reposted by James Youngman
Got S rank on the final Once Upon a Katamari level and the King told me to go outside and touch grass lol
November 8, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Got S rank on the final Once Upon a Katamari level and the King told me to go outside and touch grass lol
Reposted by James Youngman
Alright everybody its time to start collecting nominations.
Who should be included in nominations for the award for BEST "LITTLE GUY" introduced in a game in 2025?
Nominations close end of November.
For a refresher you can see some of last year's nominations here; bsky.app/profile/raji...
Who should be included in nominations for the award for BEST "LITTLE GUY" introduced in a game in 2025?
Nominations close end of November.
For a refresher you can see some of last year's nominations here; bsky.app/profile/raji...
Who should be included in nominations for the award for best "little guy" introduced in a game in 2024?
November 7, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Alright everybody its time to start collecting nominations.
Who should be included in nominations for the award for BEST "LITTLE GUY" introduced in a game in 2025?
Nominations close end of November.
For a refresher you can see some of last year's nominations here; bsky.app/profile/raji...
Who should be included in nominations for the award for BEST "LITTLE GUY" introduced in a game in 2025?
Nominations close end of November.
For a refresher you can see some of last year's nominations here; bsky.app/profile/raji...
Reposted by James Youngman
all of this is also true for sexism. you tell me you think women are biologically less smart and i’ll suspect that i could probably convince you to drink your own piss
November 7, 2025 at 9:01 PM
all of this is also true for sexism. you tell me you think women are biologically less smart and i’ll suspect that i could probably convince you to drink your own piss
Reposted by James Youngman
bring back maligning racism as the mark of a stupid person. prejudice is the mark of an idiot. if you believe that shit i bet you also don’t wipe your ass
November 7, 2025 at 8:55 PM
bring back maligning racism as the mark of a stupid person. prejudice is the mark of an idiot. if you believe that shit i bet you also don’t wipe your ass
Reposted by James Youngman
As a designer with scripting but not coding experience, this is an informative thread. And if your reaction—like mine!—is "but I don't wanna learn frame timing and rendering", that's fine! Just hire/collaborate with someone who can. Or make a game that will still feel good without that precision.
If muscle-memory/skill-ceiling is a goal for your game, I think it's good to learn to "Think In Frames"(tm) rather than seconds... 🧵
November 7, 2025 at 7:09 PM
As a designer with scripting but not coding experience, this is an informative thread. And if your reaction—like mine!—is "but I don't wanna learn frame timing and rendering", that's fine! Just hire/collaborate with someone who can. Or make a game that will still feel good without that precision.
Annual reminder that the Oscars matter to filmmakers because they are voted on by filmmakers. Until games have an Academy, we can't have our Academy Awards.
i've seen some people say "the game awards are obviously rigged" and it's not that they are rigged, its that they are not actually real awards
November 7, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Annual reminder that the Oscars matter to filmmakers because they are voted on by filmmakers. Until games have an Academy, we can't have our Academy Awards.
Reposted by James Youngman
I think what really needs to happen re: The Game Awards is we all need to boycott it. it goes beyond Future Class; the game awards exist to push marketing at people. it's not a real award show and it's not produced by people who care about gamedevs at all. we're just props.
November 7, 2025 at 3:56 PM
I think what really needs to happen re: The Game Awards is we all need to boycott it. it goes beyond Future Class; the game awards exist to push marketing at people. it's not a real award show and it's not produced by people who care about gamedevs at all. we're just props.
Reposted by James Youngman
A new deal program where people get employment to help build their communities would solve so many problems in our society I am not joking.
you ever think about the works progress administration? I sure do. I wish that was a thing now. I would be so glad to contribute my labor to like. A random ass local bridge
November 7, 2025 at 6:12 AM
A new deal program where people get employment to help build their communities would solve so many problems in our society I am not joking.
Reposted by James Youngman
"World's first potential trillionaire has killed 600,000 people, including 400,000 children" is the only headline that anyone should ever read about Elon Musk
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 1:33 AM
"World's first potential trillionaire has killed 600,000 people, including 400,000 children" is the only headline that anyone should ever read about Elon Musk
Reposted by James Youngman
If you aren’t already on Nebula, this is a cool opportunity to gorge yourself. Link in reply!
November 6, 2025 at 9:18 PM
If you aren’t already on Nebula, this is a cool opportunity to gorge yourself. Link in reply!
Reposted by James Youngman
Everything about making video games is harder than you think.
November 6, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Everything about making video games is harder than you think.
A reminder to my fellow game developers, as we fill out the GDC survey
I don't get how people don't realize that a technology that replaces junior and entry level positions in a field destroys that field.
There's no skipping steps. You have to be a junior before you can be a senior, and if you don't have senior people, you don't have a field.
There's no skipping steps. You have to be a junior before you can be a senior, and if you don't have senior people, you don't have a field.
Remember, kids: A real big goal of "AI" is to entirely sever capital from labor, and no, there will be no universal basic income, you can all just starve and die, thanks
www.axios.com/2025/08/26/a...
www.axios.com/2025/08/26/a...
November 6, 2025 at 12:21 AM
A reminder to my fellow game developers, as we fill out the GDC survey
Reposted by James Youngman
Folks who make video games! @officialgdc.bsky.social is running the annual State of the Industry survey again. You should take the chance to weigh in!
The survey's gone through a major overhaul this year and your voice will matter even more: gdconf.typeform.com/SOTI26
The survey's gone through a major overhaul this year and your voice will matter even more: gdconf.typeform.com/SOTI26
2026 State of the Game Industry
The gaming industry's most comprehensive annual survey is back, and we're casting a wider net than ever before. Whether you're a developer, executive, investor, marketer, educator, or any other profes...
gdconf.typeform.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Folks who make video games! @officialgdc.bsky.social is running the annual State of the Industry survey again. You should take the chance to weigh in!
The survey's gone through a major overhaul this year and your voice will matter even more: gdconf.typeform.com/SOTI26
The survey's gone through a major overhaul this year and your voice will matter even more: gdconf.typeform.com/SOTI26
Reiterating that this is a golden opportunity for @fairvote.bsky.social and third parties in the state. We still have a two party system; Prop 50 doesn't change that.
California passes proposition 50, which will mean multiple anti-LGBTQ+ Republican congress people will likely lose their seat.
A continual bloodbath for anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans tonight.
A continual bloodbath for anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans tonight.
November 5, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Reiterating that this is a golden opportunity for @fairvote.bsky.social and third parties in the state. We still have a two party system; Prop 50 doesn't change that.
Reposted by James Youngman
mamdani is human. he'll fuck up and fail, especially with a hostile press and the giant mess that is nyc's politics. but today is a great day for the brave women who told what cuomo did, and for those of us who care that it should matter. that power shouldn't go to those who hurt the poweless.
I'm happy that Mamdani won. But I won't let that get in the way of my celebrating Cuomo losing.
November 5, 2025 at 2:53 AM
mamdani is human. he'll fuck up and fail, especially with a hostile press and the giant mess that is nyc's politics. but today is a great day for the brave women who told what cuomo did, and for those of us who care that it should matter. that power shouldn't go to those who hurt the poweless.
Increasingly inspired to run for office on an "every phone works with every SIM" platform for reasons that rhyme with "horizon"
November 5, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Increasingly inspired to run for office on an "every phone works with every SIM" platform for reasons that rhyme with "horizon"
Reposted by James Youngman
same problem in indie lol. there are some genuine horror stories I could tell about people hailed as geniuses.
seriously how do you get to a lead role in the games industry without understanding concepts such as "greyboxing" or "bugs not yet fixed in this version". like what is the career path, for these people?
November 4, 2025 at 8:15 PM
same problem in indie lol. there are some genuine horror stories I could tell about people hailed as geniuses.
Reposted by James Youngman
So many people were detained extrajudicially, were tortured, or died because of Dick Cheney. You can't get to the danger we're in now without everything he did. The weapons he helped forge are ones we need to take away from U.S. presidents forever.
November 4, 2025 at 12:52 PM
So many people were detained extrajudicially, were tortured, or died because of Dick Cheney. You can't get to the danger we're in now without everything he did. The weapons he helped forge are ones we need to take away from U.S. presidents forever.
Reposted by James Youngman
“He was never prosecuted” there is still time to prosecute the war criminals George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice
November 4, 2025 at 2:52 PM
“He was never prosecuted” there is still time to prosecute the war criminals George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice