Xandot Oaster
@xandotoaster.bsky.social
(He/They) Scrabble for the Sony Playstation is genuinely an extremely fun speedrun, and I feel sad that more people don't appreciate that
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
November 26, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
Spoke to my source familiar with internal workings at Mastercard. The holiday call campaign re payment processor censorship is working, there is a lot of pressure being felt from your calls. This is resulting in increased response times at a core moment for Mastercard due to the holiday season
November 24, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Spoke to my source familiar with internal workings at Mastercard. The holiday call campaign re payment processor censorship is working, there is a lot of pressure being felt from your calls. This is resulting in increased response times at a core moment for Mastercard due to the holiday season
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
I did a Scrabble speedrunning thing the other day that I am still baffled and amazed by
PAL PS1 Scrabble has several languages you can play in (English, French, Spanish, and German), and I've wanted to do speedruns in every language
Well I finally did my last one, and look at my non-English times
PAL PS1 Scrabble has several languages you can play in (English, French, Spanish, and German), and I've wanted to do speedruns in every language
Well I finally did my last one, and look at my non-English times
November 22, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I did a Scrabble speedrunning thing the other day that I am still baffled and amazed by
PAL PS1 Scrabble has several languages you can play in (English, French, Spanish, and German), and I've wanted to do speedruns in every language
Well I finally did my last one, and look at my non-English times
PAL PS1 Scrabble has several languages you can play in (English, French, Spanish, and German), and I've wanted to do speedruns in every language
Well I finally did my last one, and look at my non-English times
Obviously everything this article gets into is bad, but I'm sharing this for something mostly unrelated.
Where did this cover picture with the Scrabble tiles come from? Why is it using a German set of tiles?
Where did this cover picture with the Scrabble tiles come from? Why is it using a German set of tiles?
BREAKING: The HHS has re-released a May document purporting to review the evidence in youth gender medicine. The re-release includes authors from SEGM and the Manhattan Institute.
Read our story here:
www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
Read our story here:
www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-new...
HHS Re-releases Document Claiming to Review Youth Gender Medicine — Assigned
The original release did not include the names of the authors, who include conservative and anti-trans activists.
www.assignedmedia.org
November 20, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Obviously everything this article gets into is bad, but I'm sharing this for something mostly unrelated.
Where did this cover picture with the Scrabble tiles come from? Why is it using a German set of tiles?
Where did this cover picture with the Scrabble tiles come from? Why is it using a German set of tiles?
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
And we have a new world champion - well played Adam Logan
November 16, 2025 at 4:57 PM
And we have a new world champion - well played Adam Logan
There's something that I think more people really need to understand
November 14, 2025 at 11:45 PM
There's something that I think more people really need to understand
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
New Paper: "We Call This Controller Skip: AI For Speedrunning" by me, @mastermilkx.bsky.social, M Awiszus, F Carnovalini, A Dockhorn for #exag25
ceur-ws.org/Vol-4090/pap...
What is speedrunning? Why is it interesting for AI researchers? What fun, silly, playful things could we make together?
ceur-ws.org/Vol-4090/pap...
What is speedrunning? Why is it interesting for AI researchers? What fun, silly, playful things could we make together?
November 12, 2025 at 3:58 PM
New Paper: "We Call This Controller Skip: AI For Speedrunning" by me, @mastermilkx.bsky.social, M Awiszus, F Carnovalini, A Dockhorn for #exag25
ceur-ws.org/Vol-4090/pap...
What is speedrunning? Why is it interesting for AI researchers? What fun, silly, playful things could we make together?
ceur-ws.org/Vol-4090/pap...
What is speedrunning? Why is it interesting for AI researchers? What fun, silly, playful things could we make together?
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
I wrote more words about how it feels to be a translator watching the games press report on AI and labor, coming from a field that's fought these battles for decades. It may look like I'm beating up on one outlet, but it's not about them; I've been trying to write this for me and my peers all year.
You Can't Report on Hunger While Taking Bread Off the Table
On the proliferation of machine translation in video game outlets covering the effects of AI on labor.
dateemups.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:13 AM
I wrote more words about how it feels to be a translator watching the games press report on AI and labor, coming from a field that's fought these battles for decades. It may look like I'm beating up on one outlet, but it's not about them; I've been trying to write this for me and my peers all year.
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
A Spyro the Dragon artwork disc has been uploaded as part of @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social's GamePro collection. There's some lovely concept art in here that I don't think I've seen before!
archive.gamehistory.org/folder/34988...
archive.gamehistory.org/folder/34988...
November 10, 2025 at 10:07 PM
A Spyro the Dragon artwork disc has been uploaded as part of @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social's GamePro collection. There's some lovely concept art in here that I don't think I've seen before!
archive.gamehistory.org/folder/34988...
archive.gamehistory.org/folder/34988...
It's not that any one chair is particularly funny or incredible. It's that you see fifteen or twenty of these chairs, and start thinking, "But surely this account will run out soon. There can only be so much variety in the world of Spider-Man chairs."
But sure enough, we see a new chair every day.
But sure enough, we see a new chair every day.
November 7, 2025 at 8:33 PM
It's not that any one chair is particularly funny or incredible. It's that you see fifteen or twenty of these chairs, and start thinking, "But surely this account will run out soon. There can only be so much variety in the world of Spider-Man chairs."
But sure enough, we see a new chair every day.
But sure enough, we see a new chair every day.
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
We got Lego Batman 3 Hundo into Reallyreallylongathon lets GO!! Always wanted to showcase a LB Hundo run at a marathon
November 6, 2025 at 8:03 AM
We got Lego Batman 3 Hundo into Reallyreallylongathon lets GO!! Always wanted to showcase a LB Hundo run at a marathon
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
Just 5 days to the WESPAC world championship tournament from Ghana. Early Bird (Monday) and Last Chance (Tuesday) , followed by 4 days of the Main Event.
Don't forget to tune into LetsPlayScrabble for live streaming coverage
www.youtube.com/@letsplayscr...
Don't forget to tune into LetsPlayScrabble for live streaming coverage
www.youtube.com/@letsplayscr...
LetsPlayScrabble
At LetsPlayScrabble.com we create awesome Scrabble tournaments in upstate New York and Ontario, Canada.
We apply our professional skills, use the latest technology, and seek to continually improve o...
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Just 5 days to the WESPAC world championship tournament from Ghana. Early Bird (Monday) and Last Chance (Tuesday) , followed by 4 days of the Main Event.
Don't forget to tune into LetsPlayScrabble for live streaming coverage
www.youtube.com/@letsplayscr...
Don't forget to tune into LetsPlayScrabble for live streaming coverage
www.youtube.com/@letsplayscr...
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
So, today I'm announcing a new book project... and doing a call for papers: crpgbook.wordpress.com/2025/10/31/t...
It's an anthology of video game history outside the usual US perspective - an accessible & exciting panorama of different realities - and I'll pay 300 USD per article.
Please share :)
It's an anthology of video game history outside the usual US perspective - an accessible & exciting panorama of different realities - and I'll pay 300 USD per article.
Please share :)
The Video Game History Expansion Pack – Pitch your story
Today I’m putting my money where my mouth is and launching a new project — a book focused on game history outside of the usual North American perspectives.
crpgbook.wordpress.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:11 PM
So, today I'm announcing a new book project... and doing a call for papers: crpgbook.wordpress.com/2025/10/31/t...
It's an anthology of video game history outside the usual US perspective - an accessible & exciting panorama of different realities - and I'll pay 300 USD per article.
Please share :)
It's an anthology of video game history outside the usual US perspective - an accessible & exciting panorama of different realities - and I'll pay 300 USD per article.
Please share :)
bug yeah
A Bug's Life - Any% [PC] in 16:47 (No Loads) by Destabilize
A Bug's Life - Any% [PC] in 16:47 (No Loads) by Destabilize
www.speedrun.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:40 PM
bug yeah
Please let's all add "I can't understand these programmers who spend a year on their games" to the great canon of gamedev quotes
Ocean's game of Rambo: First Blood Part II was, like many a Christmas hit, made in a hurry. "I can't understand these programmers who sepnd a year on their games" said programmer Tony Pomfret.
www.superchartisland.com/rambo-first-blood-part-ii
www.superchartisland.com/rambo-first-blood-part-ii
October 27, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Please let's all add "I can't understand these programmers who spend a year on their games" to the great canon of gamedev quotes
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
Over the last two months on my blog, I've written about the history of each of the nine computer games to reach #1 in UK sales charts during 1985.
Here is a thread with links to those posts, plus one thing I learned for each of them
www.superchartisland.com
Here is a thread with links to those posts, plus one thing I learned for each of them
www.superchartisland.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Over the last two months on my blog, I've written about the history of each of the nine computer games to reach #1 in UK sales charts during 1985.
Here is a thread with links to those posts, plus one thing I learned for each of them
www.superchartisland.com
Here is a thread with links to those posts, plus one thing I learned for each of them
www.superchartisland.com
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
Trying to make a sequel that is "everything from the first game but better" feels like a really risky move. If anything, I think it might be good to purposely leave in some reasons for people to prefer one over the other.
October 18, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Trying to make a sequel that is "everything from the first game but better" feels like a really risky move. If anything, I think it might be good to purposely leave in some reasons for people to prefer one over the other.
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
how do spyro 100% runners do it, man. if I did a whole level and was a single gem short I would be apoplectic. i would set a hex upon the insomniac offices that consigns them to an even worse fate than making marvel shit for all eternity
but those guys just handle it. it's so easy to miss a gem too
but those guys just handle it. it's so easy to miss a gem too
October 17, 2025 at 11:29 PM
how do spyro 100% runners do it, man. if I did a whole level and was a single gem short I would be apoplectic. i would set a hex upon the insomniac offices that consigns them to an even worse fate than making marvel shit for all eternity
but those guys just handle it. it's so easy to miss a gem too
but those guys just handle it. it's so easy to miss a gem too
I got a Japanese copy of Final Fantasy 7 last weekend, and tried playing a little bit of it yesterday
It's really fun to play a game where you can't understand anything that's going on, forcing all your focus onto the things you can understand, like the environment and music
What a beautiful game
It's really fun to play a game where you can't understand anything that's going on, forcing all your focus onto the things you can understand, like the environment and music
What a beautiful game
October 17, 2025 at 4:49 AM
I got a Japanese copy of Final Fantasy 7 last weekend, and tried playing a little bit of it yesterday
It's really fun to play a game where you can't understand anything that's going on, forcing all your focus onto the things you can understand, like the environment and music
What a beautiful game
It's really fun to play a game where you can't understand anything that's going on, forcing all your focus onto the things you can understand, like the environment and music
What a beautiful game
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
It's time! Today we're celebrating N++'s 10th Anniversary, aka TEN++, with style -- a fancy free update to the game and a Daily Deal on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/230270/N...
Save 75% on N++ (NPLUSPLUS) on Steam
N++ is a fast-paced, momentum-based platformer about darting around obstacles, narrowly evading enemies and collecting gold in a beautiful minimalist landscape.
store.steampowered.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
It's time! Today we're celebrating N++'s 10th Anniversary, aka TEN++, with style -- a fancy free update to the game and a Daily Deal on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/230270/N...
Wild to think this game came out more than a decade ago. Even if I don't play it much anymore, my life would look very different if I hadn't ever gotten into it. My time speedrunning would have been totally different. I wouldn't have met many of my closest friends. Complete alternate timeline.
TEN++ is a big thank you to everyone who has played the game and supported us over the years -- you rock! Check out this amazing video community member abho made for us to help celebrate: www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8gs...
Happy 10th Anniversary, N++!
YouTube video by metanetsoftware
www.youtube.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Wild to think this game came out more than a decade ago. Even if I don't play it much anymore, my life would look very different if I hadn't ever gotten into it. My time speedrunning would have been totally different. I wouldn't have met many of my closest friends. Complete alternate timeline.
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
WHEN THERE’S TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Oh wow. Yes, very clever! Waterfall treasure! No one’s ever done that before. Lazy jackass
WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you
WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you
October 15, 2025 at 1:04 AM
WHEN THERE’S TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Oh wow. Yes, very clever! Waterfall treasure! No one’s ever done that before. Lazy jackass
WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you
WHEN THERE’S NO TREASURE BEHIND THE WATERFALL: Wow. Too stuck-up to put treasure there huh? Too much of a fucking ICONOCLAST for that? Piece of shit. FUCK you
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
Check out Fall Fest from the @slightlyfurry.bsky.social Taproom in Seattle this Thurs-Sat to watch the event and participate in their charity drive to help us support Trans Lifeline! As a bonus, on Saturday, they will be hosting @killingpepsi.bsky.social 's run of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts LIVE!
October 11, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Check out Fall Fest from the @slightlyfurry.bsky.social Taproom in Seattle this Thurs-Sat to watch the event and participate in their charity drive to help us support Trans Lifeline! As a bonus, on Saturday, they will be hosting @killingpepsi.bsky.social 's run of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts LIVE!
Reposted by Xandot Oaster
Did some content editing for the wonderful Righteous Vow series of books for #Shadowdark. If you want to pick up a copy you can pre-order here! righteous-vow-3.backerkit.com/hosted_preor...
Or if you want to pick up some of the prior volumes, you can do so here! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
Or if you want to pick up some of the prior volumes, you can do so here! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
Pre-order Righteous Vow 3: A RPG Zine for Old School Gaming on BackerKit
170+ page, oversized zine packed with monsters, magic, & mercenaries, and compatible with Shadowdark RPG!
Get your orders in now to receive stretch goals from the Kickstarter! (While supplies last)
righteous-vow-3.backerkit.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Did some content editing for the wonderful Righteous Vow series of books for #Shadowdark. If you want to pick up a copy you can pre-order here! righteous-vow-3.backerkit.com/hosted_preor...
Or if you want to pick up some of the prior volumes, you can do so here! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
Or if you want to pick up some of the prior volumes, you can do so here! www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...