Alan Au
@alanau.bsky.social
Trickster disciple. 🦊 Game developer. 🎲️✂ Emeritus data generalist. 📊 Delightfully imperfect. ☁️ Not that kind of doctor. 🎓 [E] Itsatrap 🎮 He/Him
Pinned
Alan Au
@alanau.bsky.social
· Nov 13
Days since uttering "what the actual fuck?": 0
The "problem" with trying to do Knives Out as a Muppet movie is that all of the characters are fantastically entertaining human actors. I want to keep all of them! But then who ends up being replaced by Muppets? 🤔
Am I a hypocrite for wanting this after giving a hard no to muppet knives out
Okay, I'm making my case for the only Muppet I want to see on Broadway right now...
November 20, 2025 at 7:59 AM
The "problem" with trying to do Knives Out as a Muppet movie is that all of the characters are fantastically entertaining human actors. I want to keep all of them! But then who ends up being replaced by Muppets? 🤔
Reposted by Alan Au
Periodic reminder that correlation is not causation.
Importantly, you cannot properly test causation without a counterfactual to rule out confounding factors. It's why clinical trials have control groups, and why people use A/B tests. #databs 📈📊
Importantly, you cannot properly test causation without a counterfactual to rule out confounding factors. It's why clinical trials have control groups, and why people use A/B tests. #databs 📈📊
November 19, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Periodic reminder that correlation is not causation.
Importantly, you cannot properly test causation without a counterfactual to rule out confounding factors. It's why clinical trials have control groups, and why people use A/B tests. #databs 📈📊
Importantly, you cannot properly test causation without a counterfactual to rule out confounding factors. It's why clinical trials have control groups, and why people use A/B tests. #databs 📈📊
Reposted by Alan Au
Soup is round.
Duet with mitchandpaige on tiktok!
Duet with mitchandpaige on tiktok!
November 19, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Soup is round.
Duet with mitchandpaige on tiktok!
Duet with mitchandpaige on tiktok!
Reposted by Alan Au
TBH, I'm still kind of annoyed that Stargate Universe was canceled just when was starting to find its footing.
November 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM
TBH, I'm still kind of annoyed that Stargate Universe was canceled just when was starting to find its footing.
Reposted by Alan Au
I need to opt out of learning new things about Olivia Nuzzi immediately
November 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM
I need to opt out of learning new things about Olivia Nuzzi immediately
AAAAAAA where did the morning go? 😱
November 19, 2025 at 8:14 PM
AAAAAAA where did the morning go? 😱
TBH, I'm still kind of annoyed that Stargate Universe was canceled just when was starting to find its footing.
November 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM
TBH, I'm still kind of annoyed that Stargate Universe was canceled just when was starting to find its footing.
The relentless push to replace human workers with automated tools is bad at a surface level, but the real disaster is that it has interrupted the training pipeline. There's so much undocumented institutional knowledge that will be lost. It can be relearned, but mistakes will be made along the way. 🙃
November 19, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The relentless push to replace human workers with automated tools is bad at a surface level, but the real disaster is that it has interrupted the training pipeline. There's so much undocumented institutional knowledge that will be lost. It can be relearned, but mistakes will be made along the way. 🙃
Periodic reminder that correlation is not causation.
Importantly, you cannot properly test causation without a counterfactual to rule out confounding factors. It's why clinical trials have control groups, and why people use A/B tests. #databs 📈📊
Importantly, you cannot properly test causation without a counterfactual to rule out confounding factors. It's why clinical trials have control groups, and why people use A/B tests. #databs 📈📊
November 19, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Periodic reminder that correlation is not causation.
Importantly, you cannot properly test causation without a counterfactual to rule out confounding factors. It's why clinical trials have control groups, and why people use A/B tests. #databs 📈📊
Importantly, you cannot properly test causation without a counterfactual to rule out confounding factors. It's why clinical trials have control groups, and why people use A/B tests. #databs 📈📊
Reposted by Alan Au
Story time: when I was working in a lab one summer, the research office would regularly send random people into our lab. The goal was to train folks in the lab to challenge strangers who had wandered in, and you would get scolded if you didn't. This is a useful mindset but with caveats ...
November 19, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Story time: when I was working in a lab one summer, the research office would regularly send random people into our lab. The goal was to train folks in the lab to challenge strangers who had wandered in, and you would get scolded if you didn't. This is a useful mindset but with caveats ...
I have a small amount of PAX Unplugged FOMO right now because I miss my friends.
But also it's reminding me to try and get more of my game designs to a playtestable state. I have three that are close, and I need to pick one or none of them will get done.
But also it's reminding me to try and get more of my game designs to a playtestable state. I have three that are close, and I need to pick one or none of them will get done.
November 19, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I have a small amount of PAX Unplugged FOMO right now because I miss my friends.
But also it's reminding me to try and get more of my game designs to a playtestable state. I have three that are close, and I need to pick one or none of them will get done.
But also it's reminding me to try and get more of my game designs to a playtestable state. I have three that are close, and I need to pick one or none of them will get done.
Reposted by Alan Au
Re-upping for the morning crowd: I'm organising a Jubensha Convention in London for 8-9th May 2026!
Come and play jubensha, meet top game designers, and learn how it's designed. It's *probably* the first jubensha English-language convention in the world...
Tickets will be around £15!
Come and play jubensha, meet top game designers, and learn how it's designed. It's *probably* the first jubensha English-language convention in the world...
Tickets will be around £15!
Pre-announcing my Jubensha Convention
Come to my Jubensha convention in London on 8-9th May 2026!
mssv.net
November 19, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Re-upping for the morning crowd: I'm organising a Jubensha Convention in London for 8-9th May 2026!
Come and play jubensha, meet top game designers, and learn how it's designed. It's *probably* the first jubensha English-language convention in the world...
Tickets will be around £15!
Come and play jubensha, meet top game designers, and learn how it's designed. It's *probably* the first jubensha English-language convention in the world...
Tickets will be around £15!
Story time: when I was working in a lab one summer, the research office would regularly send random people into our lab. The goal was to train folks in the lab to challenge strangers who had wandered in, and you would get scolded if you didn't. This is a useful mindset but with caveats ...
November 19, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Story time: when I was working in a lab one summer, the research office would regularly send random people into our lab. The goal was to train folks in the lab to challenge strangers who had wandered in, and you would get scolded if you didn't. This is a useful mindset but with caveats ...
Reposted by Alan Au
Everything's coming up Milhouse
November 19, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Everything's coming up Milhouse
Fuck it, activating the Afternoon Nap Contingency.
November 18, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Fuck it, activating the Afternoon Nap Contingency.
Reposted by Alan Au
A few months ago, Alan Shen, Alister Lee and I answered entry-level questions from junior and aspiring #gameUX folks. The video is now live on youtube:
youtu.be/ZrW0mIYMxh0
Apologies for the delay, those past months have been extremely hectic!
#ux #gamedev
youtu.be/ZrW0mIYMxh0
Apologies for the delay, those past months have been extremely hectic!
#ux #gamedev
Game UX online meetup - April 25, 2025
YouTube video by Celia Hodent
youtu.be
November 18, 2025 at 6:29 PM
A few months ago, Alan Shen, Alister Lee and I answered entry-level questions from junior and aspiring #gameUX folks. The video is now live on youtube:
youtu.be/ZrW0mIYMxh0
Apologies for the delay, those past months have been extremely hectic!
#ux #gamedev
youtu.be/ZrW0mIYMxh0
Apologies for the delay, those past months have been extremely hectic!
#ux #gamedev
Reposted by Alan Au
Whenever I see "use AI or get left behind" I remember this children's poem by Grigori Oster:
If you ever want to get
ahead of your peers,
Never chase after those
Who are currently leading.
In five minutes, disappointed,
they will run back this way,
Not having moved,
you will be in the lead.
If you ever want to get
ahead of your peers,
Never chase after those
Who are currently leading.
In five minutes, disappointed,
they will run back this way,
Not having moved,
you will be in the lead.
November 18, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Whenever I see "use AI or get left behind" I remember this children's poem by Grigori Oster:
If you ever want to get
ahead of your peers,
Never chase after those
Who are currently leading.
In five minutes, disappointed,
they will run back this way,
Not having moved,
you will be in the lead.
If you ever want to get
ahead of your peers,
Never chase after those
Who are currently leading.
In five minutes, disappointed,
they will run back this way,
Not having moved,
you will be in the lead.
20 years! 🎉🎉🎉
.
.
.
Anyway, pardon me while I turn to dust. 🪦
.
.
.
Anyway, pardon me while I turn to dust. 🪦
Guild Wars launched 20 years ago, starting a franchise that's helped shape the #MMORPG genre. On Dec 3, Guild Wars Reforged launches!
✅ Steam Deck verified 🎮 Controller support ✨ Visual updates and more!
🔗 www.guildwars2.com/news/announc...
#GuildWarsReforged #GuildWars20
✅ Steam Deck verified 🎮 Controller support ✨ Visual updates and more!
🔗 www.guildwars2.com/news/announc...
#GuildWarsReforged #GuildWars20
November 18, 2025 at 4:55 PM
20 years! 🎉🎉🎉
.
.
.
Anyway, pardon me while I turn to dust. 🪦
.
.
.
Anyway, pardon me while I turn to dust. 🪦
Hmm. I was just thinking I hadn't been to an escape room in a while. And then I thought "hmm, that could be a fun thing to do as a date activity." And then I immediately realized "no no no no no, definitely not a good idea." Well, maybe as a ... 4th date?
Also, do escape rooms still exist?
Also, do escape rooms still exist?
November 18, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Hmm. I was just thinking I hadn't been to an escape room in a while. And then I thought "hmm, that could be a fun thing to do as a date activity." And then I immediately realized "no no no no no, definitely not a good idea." Well, maybe as a ... 4th date?
Also, do escape rooms still exist?
Also, do escape rooms still exist?
I should be sleeping: morning edition. Now I'm thinking about puzzle hints and how some designers make the mistake of giving hints that only make sense if you already know the answer. These sorts of hints can confirm guesses, but otherwise, good hints should make sense despite a lack of context.
November 18, 2025 at 12:26 PM
I should be sleeping: morning edition. Now I'm thinking about puzzle hints and how some designers make the mistake of giving hints that only make sense if you already know the answer. These sorts of hints can confirm guesses, but otherwise, good hints should make sense despite a lack of context.
Ugh. I should definitely be sleeping instead of stressing about what to do about my tech-heavy investments. And yeah, it's definitely a "lucky to have such problems" thing, but I don't exactly have "fuck you money" so I need to make it last. 😭
November 18, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Ugh. I should definitely be sleeping instead of stressing about what to do about my tech-heavy investments. And yeah, it's definitely a "lucky to have such problems" thing, but I don't exactly have "fuck you money" so I need to make it last. 😭
Reposted by Alan Au
To search the database of stolen work and file a claim, see:
www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
Homepage | Bartz v Anthropic Settlement Site
www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:14 AM
To search the database of stolen work and file a claim, see:
www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
Video games are a multi-billion dollar industry, but somehow parts of it are controlled by the least qualified people possible.
November 18, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Video games are a multi-billion dollar industry, but somehow parts of it are controlled by the least qualified people possible.
Fuck cancer. 😠
The problem with being a member of the old guard is that my friends and mentors are slowly dying, and it sucks a lot. 😢
November 17, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Fuck cancer. 😠
Reposted by Alan Au
I have about 4.5 hours of driving left, I cannot play podcasts or the radio in this rental car, and I need to stay awake. If we are mutuals and you are available for a long-ish phone call about special interests or something else that will help keep me awake, please DM.
(Currently at a rest stop.)
(Currently at a rest stop.)
November 17, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I have about 4.5 hours of driving left, I cannot play podcasts or the radio in this rental car, and I need to stay awake. If we are mutuals and you are available for a long-ish phone call about special interests or something else that will help keep me awake, please DM.
(Currently at a rest stop.)
(Currently at a rest stop.)