Robert Zubek
@rzubek.bsky.social
Making games for longer than seems advisable.
AI lead at Take-Two; earlier at SomaSim, Zynga, EA etc.
Doctor of AI, under the hippocratic oath bound to help all game AIs.
Author: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262043915/
Hello from Chicago!
AI lead at Take-Two; earlier at SomaSim, Zynga, EA etc.
Doctor of AI, under the hippocratic oath bound to help all game AIs.
Author: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262043915/
Hello from Chicago!
Yes, exactly this:
I have a theory that when designing a social simulation / generator, it can be useful to keep in mind a story you’d like your system to be able to organically generate. not every system should generate the same story but I have a short list of high-salience interesting stories I reach for. (1/2)
October 11, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Yes, exactly this:
Reposted by Robert Zubek
We'll be announcing the AIIDE'25 keynotes in the next couple of weeks and our first one to announce is this really exciting look at applying research work in industry from @luked.bsky.social and Nadine Perez!
AIIDE 2025 is fast approaching and it’s time to start announcing this year’s keynote speakers! First up are Dr. Luke Dicken and Nadine Perez from Take-Two Interactive. In this session the Take-Two AI team will discuss how to put theory into practice.
October 6, 2025 at 8:28 PM
We'll be announcing the AIIDE'25 keynotes in the next couple of weeks and our first one to announce is this really exciting look at applying research work in industry from @luked.bsky.social and Nadine Perez!
Reposted by Robert Zubek
To celebrate over 20 years of AAIDE we want to highlight our Best Paper winners so far!
Every week we will add one to this thread until we've caught up 👾
Every week we will add one to this thread until we've caught up 👾
July 21, 2025 at 7:19 PM
To celebrate over 20 years of AAIDE we want to highlight our Best Paper winners so far!
Every week we will add one to this thread until we've caught up 👾
Every week we will add one to this thread until we've caught up 👾
"Oh what's this on Steam, a Wholesome Games Celebration of games that 'inspire hope, joy, and introspection'? Don't mind if I do!" he said to himself, and booted up Crusader Kings III.
August 9, 2025 at 1:25 AM
"Oh what's this on Steam, a Wholesome Games Celebration of games that 'inspire hope, joy, and introspection'? Don't mind if I do!" he said to himself, and booted up Crusader Kings III.
Ok this was kind of a wild game, and an unexpected collaboration between Firaxis and EA.
Basically you built golf courses for little computer people, and they walked around, played, and judged your designs.
It was great. :)
Basically you built golf courses for little computer people, and they walked around, played, and judged your designs.
It was great. :)
August 3, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Ok this was kind of a wild game, and an unexpected collaboration between Firaxis and EA.
Basically you built golf courses for little computer people, and they walked around, played, and judged your designs.
It was great. :)
Basically you built golf courses for little computer people, and they walked around, played, and judged your designs.
It was great. :)
#GenCon2025: Oh wow, Elements of Game Design is in absolutely stunning company at the MIT Press booth - right between @chaimg.bsky.social 's Building SimCity and @rich-lem.bsky.social 's Playful Production Process, both amazing.
And such a great selection of RPG / D&D books on the upper shelf!
And such a great selection of RPG / D&D books on the upper shelf!
Alright, @mitpress.bsky.social is all set up for the first day of #GenCon2025! Stop by and get a copy of our Ennie nominated book, Playing at the World by @increment.bsky.social and come back on Saturday at 2 and get it signed!
August 1, 2025 at 3:43 AM
#GenCon2025: Oh wow, Elements of Game Design is in absolutely stunning company at the MIT Press booth - right between @chaimg.bsky.social 's Building SimCity and @rich-lem.bsky.social 's Playful Production Process, both amazing.
And such a great selection of RPG / D&D books on the upper shelf!
And such a great selection of RPG / D&D books on the upper shelf!
Reposted by Robert Zubek
the actual experts: “it can do at best 20% of the things you’re asking for and of the actual interesting stuff it CAN do which doesn’t take over existing human work, none of your development processes are set up to incorporate that”
This is an insane thing to write about game development. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/a...
July 29, 2025 at 2:33 AM
the actual experts: “it can do at best 20% of the things you’re asking for and of the actual interesting stuff it CAN do which doesn’t take over existing human work, none of your development processes are set up to incorporate that”
I was at Quimby's randomly on Friday, and decided to buy My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Book One, mainly because of the quote on the cover ("absolutely astonishing") from Chris Ware whose work I've followed for decades... 1/2
www.fantagraphics.com/products/my-...
www.fantagraphics.com/products/my-...
My Favorite Thing Is Monsters
In this debut, which takes the form of a fictional graphic diary, a 10-year-old girl tries to solve a murder. 2025 Whiting Award WINNER in Fiction Kirkus Reviews Best 100 Books of the Century (So Far)...
www.fantagraphics.com
June 23, 2025 at 1:28 AM
I was at Quimby's randomly on Friday, and decided to buy My Favorite Thing is Monsters, Book One, mainly because of the quote on the cover ("absolutely astonishing") from Chris Ware whose work I've followed for decades... 1/2
www.fantagraphics.com/products/my-...
www.fantagraphics.com/products/my-...
Reposted by Robert Zubek
What are the European alternatives to Google Docs and Microsoft 365 for students, writers, and project workers?
I couldn't find any good answers, so I have reviewed the four top packages and provided my recommendations. I hope you find it useful!
www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2...
I couldn't find any good answers, so I have reviewed the four top packages and provided my recommendations. I hope you find it useful!
www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2...
May 20, 2025 at 12:30 PM
What are the European alternatives to Google Docs and Microsoft 365 for students, writers, and project workers?
I couldn't find any good answers, so I have reviewed the four top packages and provided my recommendations. I hope you find it useful!
www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2...
I couldn't find any good answers, so I have reviewed the four top packages and provided my recommendations. I hope you find it useful!
www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2...
Reposted by Robert Zubek
WE ALREADY HIT OUR FIRST STRETCH GOAL!! This is madness!!
Our kickstarter for C.I.G.S. (Chicago Indie Game Showcase) is LIVE and we already blew past our both our goal and first stretch goal in... three hours. Help us build the future of Chicago indie dev and get tix to see a ton of amazing devs.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ind...
#indiedev #indiegame
www.kickstarter.com/projects/ind...
#indiedev #indiegame
Chicago Indie Game Showcase
Chicago Indie Game Showcase (C.I.G.S) is a one-day convention featuring independent games from Chicago and the greater Midwest.
www.kickstarter.com
May 24, 2025 at 8:30 PM
WE ALREADY HIT OUR FIRST STRETCH GOAL!! This is madness!!
Reposted by Robert Zubek
New blog post: Using flow field pathfinding on a voronoi procedurally generated map to simulate 20,000 traders moving around
www.redblobgames.com/blog/2025-05...
www.redblobgames.com/blog/2025-05...
May 15, 2025 at 11:57 PM
New blog post: Using flow field pathfinding on a voronoi procedurally generated map to simulate 20,000 traders moving around
www.redblobgames.com/blog/2025-05...
www.redblobgames.com/blog/2025-05...
Just wanted to share some awesome news - @mitpress.bsky.social published a Turkish edition of Elements of Game Design!
May 4, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Just wanted to share some awesome news - @mitpress.bsky.social published a Turkish edition of Elements of Game Design!
@mitpress.bsky.social there might be something going on with your web server? mitpress.mit.edu intermittently returns "Error 403 Forbidden" and has been all week - same with individual book URLs.
May 1, 2025 at 2:45 AM
@mitpress.bsky.social there might be something going on with your web server? mitpress.mit.edu intermittently returns "Error 403 Forbidden" and has been all week - same with individual book URLs.
Reposted by Robert Zubek
I wrote something up for AI people who want to get into bluesky and either couldn't assemble an exciting feed or gave up doomscrolling when their Following feed switched to talking politics 24/7.
The AI Researcher's Guide to a Non-Boring Bluesky Feed | Naomi Saphra
How to migrate to bsky without a boring feed.
nsaphra.net
April 26, 2025 at 1:31 AM
I wrote something up for AI people who want to get into bluesky and either couldn't assemble an exciting feed or gave up doomscrolling when their Following feed switched to talking politics 24/7.
Ooh, it's Independent Bookstore Day!
If you're in Chicago, there's a nice map here: www.chilovebooks.com
If you're in Chicago, there's a nice map here: www.chilovebooks.com
CHI♥BOOKS
It was my first time attending, and I had so much fun and felt so involved in the community. I'll definitely be attending again next year. -Almudena R. We had a great time, and we were able to...
www.chilovebooks.com
April 26, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Ooh, it's Independent Bookstore Day!
If you're in Chicago, there's a nice map here: www.chilovebooks.com
If you're in Chicago, there's a nice map here: www.chilovebooks.com
Did you know that the ACM now has a games research journal? I didn't. :)
It has a very impressive vision - worth checking out:
It has a very impressive vision - worth checking out:
Heading to #chi2025. Find me at the usual gaming sessions or ping me here if you want to catch up or have an idea for ACM GAMES dl.acm.org/journal/games.
GAMES: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE Home
Games: Research and Practice offers a lighthouse for games research – a central reference point that defines the state of the art on games and playable media across academic research and industry practice. Inclusive in community, discipline, method, and game form, it publishes major reviews, tutorials, and advances on games and playable media that are both practically useful and grounded in robust evidence and argument, alongside case studies, opinions, and dialogues on new developments that will change games. It embraces open science and scholarship and actively champions new and underrepresented voices in games and playable media.
dl.acm.org
April 24, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Did you know that the ACM now has a games research journal? I didn't. :)
It has a very impressive vision - worth checking out:
It has a very impressive vision - worth checking out:
Fellow indie devs at Triple Eye are releasing three games simultaneously (!!!), this Tuesday April 15th.
That's taking "sim-shipping" to a whole new level :)
Check them out here: @tripleeyegames.com
That's taking "sim-shipping" to a whole new level :)
Check them out here: @tripleeyegames.com
The #demos for Null State, Another Round, and One Last Job are available to play NOW on #STEAM
Set in a near-future #cyberpunk #dystopia with crumbling governments and extraterritorial megacorps, it's like today just with powerful AI…
…there IS? But it's the GOOD kind, right??
Set in a near-future #cyberpunk #dystopia with crumbling governments and extraterritorial megacorps, it's like today just with powerful AI…
…there IS? But it's the GOOD kind, right??
April 12, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Fellow indie devs at Triple Eye are releasing three games simultaneously (!!!), this Tuesday April 15th.
That's taking "sim-shipping" to a whole new level :)
Check them out here: @tripleeyegames.com
That's taking "sim-shipping" to a whole new level :)
Check them out here: @tripleeyegames.com
Gamedev friends - this is a great conference to present your work on game AI, procedural content generation, interactive storytelling, and other computational creativity work.
If you're interested in doing a talk or a demo about your work, check it out:
If you're interested in doing a talk or a demo about your work, check it out:
The #AIIDE25 Call for Case Studies is up!
Do you have a case study showcasing AI in digital entertainment? We invite you to come present your findings or demo a prototype. Limited funding is available through AIJ to support registration.
Info in reply!
Do you have a case study showcasing AI in digital entertainment? We invite you to come present your findings or demo a prototype. Limited funding is available through AIJ to support registration.
Info in reply!
AIIDE 2025 - Call for Case Studies
We invite AI practitioners and researchers from across disciplines (including but not limited to art, game development, robotics, teaching, and research) to share their experiences in applying AI prin...
sites.google.com
April 12, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Gamedev friends - this is a great conference to present your work on game AI, procedural content generation, interactive storytelling, and other computational creativity work.
If you're interested in doing a talk or a demo about your work, check it out:
If you're interested in doing a talk or a demo about your work, check it out:
Reposted by Robert Zubek
We're hiring at @mitpress.bsky.social! I'm looking for a new assistant to work on my list and the environmental policy list. You can find more details and apply directly here: careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
Acquisitions Assistant for Environment and Games
MIT - Acquisitions Assistant for Environment and Games - Cambridge MA 02139
careers.peopleclick.com
April 9, 2025 at 7:09 PM
We're hiring at @mitpress.bsky.social! I'm looking for a new assistant to work on my list and the environmental policy list. You can find more details and apply directly here: careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/cl...
Looking forward to this talk!
Despite everything, I’m going to be at GDC talking about building responsive narrative systems in systems-heavy games.
And I’d love to chat with people making these kinds of games who are interested in what dynamic narrative could do for them — let’s make some time to talk!
And I’d love to chat with people making these kinds of games who are interested in what dynamic narrative could do for them — let’s make some time to talk!
Game Narrative Summit: Built in Layers: (Re)Creating History with the Narrative System in 'Civilization VII' | 2025 Schedule | Game Developers Conference (GDC)
Attend 750 sessions for game designers, programmers, artists, producers, audio, business, and marketing professionals over 5 days at GDC.
schedule.gdconf.com
February 20, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Looking forward to this talk!
Reposted by Robert Zubek
In "Too Much Fun," video game theorist @jesperjuul.bsky.social tells the surprising history of the Commodore 64—the best-selling home computer of all time. Join him for an AMA at r/IAmA on Tuesday, Feb. 18th, at 10 am ET!
February 17, 2025 at 12:28 AM
In "Too Much Fun," video game theorist @jesperjuul.bsky.social tells the surprising history of the Commodore 64—the best-selling home computer of all time. Join him for an AMA at r/IAmA on Tuesday, Feb. 18th, at 10 am ET!
Having a great time with Civ VII.
It adds a lot of interesting new ideas, and clearly riffs on the Civ IV/V-era design, and that is very much my thing :)
It adds a lot of interesting new ideas, and clearly riffs on the Civ IV/V-era design, and that is very much my thing :)
February 9, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Having a great time with Civ VII.
It adds a lot of interesting new ideas, and clearly riffs on the Civ IV/V-era design, and that is very much my thing :)
It adds a lot of interesting new ideas, and clearly riffs on the Civ IV/V-era design, and that is very much my thing :)
Reposted by Robert Zubek
New starter pack! Game developers and researchers doing novel work in AI for games and interactive entertainment.
go.bsky.app/9tfZAm
go.bsky.app/9tfZAm
December 8, 2024 at 10:33 PM
New starter pack! Game developers and researchers doing novel work in AI for games and interactive entertainment.
go.bsky.app/9tfZAm
go.bsky.app/9tfZAm
This is the Doom sequel we truly need: fewer monster closets and jump scares, and more cheese and crackers and sauntering.
Gen X is here for this.
Gen X is here for this.
January 12, 2025 at 6:59 PM
This is the Doom sequel we truly need: fewer monster closets and jump scares, and more cheese and crackers and sauntering.
Gen X is here for this.
Gen X is here for this.