Bashfluff
@dorkydonkeyboy.bsky.social
Happily married. I write about good games and occasionally make bad games. Abolish copyright and radicalize the internet! 18+
Reposted by Bashfluff
Larian's horrible hirring process is an open secret in the industry – insane amounts of unpaid work in "writing tests", excessive numbers of interviews, months and months of back and forth, etc. Everyone in games narrative circles has heard the stories at this point, probably from multiple people.
I know this because they tried to recruit me and I strongly considered it but they’re also a “do an unpaid writing test where you have to also make it playable” company so that’s not something I vibe with
December 16, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Larian's horrible hirring process is an open secret in the industry – insane amounts of unpaid work in "writing tests", excessive numbers of interviews, months and months of back and forth, etc. Everyone in games narrative circles has heard the stories at this point, probably from multiple people.
Reposted by Bashfluff
folks audition writers like they're training kpop stars
December 16, 2025 at 7:55 PM
folks audition writers like they're training kpop stars
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if you see narrative people being meaner about larian than it sounds like they deserve, trust me, we've been waiting for this one
December 16, 2025 at 7:51 PM
if you see narrative people being meaner about larian than it sounds like they deserve, trust me, we've been waiting for this one
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So yeah, don't use Generative AI even if it seems like it's a harmless task. Doing things is good. Thinking about things is good. Friction is good. THE PROCESS IS IMPORTANT.
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
So yeah, don't use Generative AI even if it seems like it's a harmless task. Doing things is good. Thinking about things is good. Friction is good. THE PROCESS IS IMPORTANT.
Reposted by Bashfluff
Larian is setting themselves up to make something in GenAI for prototyping that looks "good enough" for production and accidentally letting it slip through the cracks.
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Larian is setting themselves up to make something in GenAI for prototyping that looks "good enough" for production and accidentally letting it slip through the cracks.
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He said one of the biggest lessons he learned from making that game was to make sure that placeholder assets LOOK placeholder. They need to look bad and low fidelity so that they are unacceptable to leave in the final product.
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
He said one of the biggest lessons he learned from making that game was to make sure that placeholder assets LOOK placeholder. They need to look bad and low fidelity so that they are unacceptable to leave in the final product.
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IGA has said in interviews that that menu screen was originally meant to be a placeholder. But, it didn't stick out as a "placeholder" or something that needed to be fixed down the line; it was too high fidelity. So replacing was constantly de-prioritized until it just never happened.
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
IGA has said in interviews that that menu screen was originally meant to be a placeholder. But, it didn't stick out as a "placeholder" or something that needed to be fixed down the line; it was too high fidelity. So replacing was constantly de-prioritized until it just never happened.
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It is a solid blue wall, ontop of which sits ugly white text. Basically no design or aesthetic thought has been put into it at all. There is weird information provided to you like how many unique rooms you have entered.
Why?
Why?
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
It is a solid blue wall, ontop of which sits ugly white text. Basically no design or aesthetic thought has been put into it at all. There is weird information provided to you like how many unique rooms you have entered.
Why?
Why?
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On the flipside of things, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
This game is absolutely beautiful, stylish, and filled to the brim with creativity and a wide variety of ideas. Truly the pinnacle of 2D game design at the time. And then there is the menu screen and system...
This game is absolutely beautiful, stylish, and filled to the brim with creativity and a wide variety of ideas. Truly the pinnacle of 2D game design at the time. And then there is the menu screen and system...
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
On the flipside of things, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
This game is absolutely beautiful, stylish, and filled to the brim with creativity and a wide variety of ideas. Truly the pinnacle of 2D game design at the time. And then there is the menu screen and system...
This game is absolutely beautiful, stylish, and filled to the brim with creativity and a wide variety of ideas. Truly the pinnacle of 2D game design at the time. And then there is the menu screen and system...
Reposted by Bashfluff
If they hadn't thrown that Adol sprite into the game and made it some Ys spinoff, would it even be remembered today? The process of creation is as important as the final piece itself. And the decisions we make along the way are vital to that final piece.
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
If they hadn't thrown that Adol sprite into the game and made it some Ys spinoff, would it even be remembered today? The process of creation is as important as the final piece itself. And the decisions we make along the way are vital to that final piece.
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And despite being wildly different, it still feels very much like an Ys game. It's familiar but different, tries new things but brings back old familiar ones. And it didn't land for everyone, as is often the case with experimentation. But it laid the ground work for Falcom to do a lot more.
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
And despite being wildly different, it still feels very much like an Ys game. It's familiar but different, tries new things but brings back old familiar ones. And it didn't land for everyone, as is often the case with experimentation. But it laid the ground work for Falcom to do a lot more.
Reposted by Bashfluff
As a placeholder they put an Adol (the protagonist from Ys 1 + 2) sprite in for the player character.
Development continued, they decided more and more that they liked what they were doing and that it actually could be a mainline Ys game.
Ys systems were added to the game (equipment screen, rings)
Development continued, they decided more and more that they liked what they were doing and that it actually could be a mainline Ys game.
Ys systems were added to the game (equipment screen, rings)
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
As a placeholder they put an Adol (the protagonist from Ys 1 + 2) sprite in for the player character.
Development continued, they decided more and more that they liked what they were doing and that it actually could be a mainline Ys game.
Ys systems were added to the game (equipment screen, rings)
Development continued, they decided more and more that they liked what they were doing and that it actually could be a mainline Ys game.
Ys systems were added to the game (equipment screen, rings)
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This Larian studios stuff keeps making me think about a few anecdotes from gaming, specifically
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
🧵
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
🧵
December 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
This Larian studios stuff keeps making me think about a few anecdotes from gaming, specifically
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
🧵
Ys III: Wanderers from Ys and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
🧵
Reposted by Bashfluff
this isn't to blame the players for once, either. if a company is willing to compromise their own output for a goal that's pretty intertwined with profit, of course they're gonna fall for the AI trap. be for real.
December 16, 2025 at 4:22 PM
this isn't to blame the players for once, either. if a company is willing to compromise their own output for a goal that's pretty intertwined with profit, of course they're gonna fall for the AI trap. be for real.
Reposted by Bashfluff
"i can't believe they're pushing towards making mass-market slop with no creative voice or intent!" is a funny thing to say about a company that lobotomized their own game in early access and in subsequent patches so as to cushion the playerbase's feelings. this is not a surprising development.
December 16, 2025 at 4:17 PM
"i can't believe they're pushing towards making mass-market slop with no creative voice or intent!" is a funny thing to say about a company that lobotomized their own game in early access and in subsequent patches so as to cushion the playerbase's feelings. this is not a surprising development.
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When I look at the tv and my husband is playing my favorite game wrong
December 10, 2025 at 10:44 PM
When I look at the tv and my husband is playing my favorite game wrong
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they don't tell you about the part of fascism where the people who were initially the most plugged in end up just sort of competing to be the least bothered or surprised when the next fascist thing happens
December 10, 2025 at 9:32 AM
they don't tell you about the part of fascism where the people who were initially the most plugged in end up just sort of competing to be the least bothered or surprised when the next fascist thing happens
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guy who fell into a coma in 2015: why is the president directly implying people should murder new york times journalists and why is this barely a news story
2025 guy: ha ha james franco lynching meme
2015 guy: what the fuck is wrong with you people
2025 guy: ha ha james franco lynching meme
2015 guy: what the fuck is wrong with you people
December 10, 2025 at 9:30 AM
guy who fell into a coma in 2015: why is the president directly implying people should murder new york times journalists and why is this barely a news story
2025 guy: ha ha james franco lynching meme
2015 guy: what the fuck is wrong with you people
2025 guy: ha ha james franco lynching meme
2015 guy: what the fuck is wrong with you people
Reposted by Bashfluff
Reposted by Bashfluff
consider that your fetish might be a part of your personality that you can express non-sexually
December 2, 2025 at 6:09 PM
consider that your fetish might be a part of your personality that you can express non-sexually
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Just watched "Army of Darkness" end to end for the first time.
Jeepers, what a picture! They sure don't make movies like that too often these days. Comparing it to modern action/comedies calls to mind an old Chaplain quote: "a good comedian does funny things, a great comedian does things funny."
Jeepers, what a picture! They sure don't make movies like that too often these days. Comparing it to modern action/comedies calls to mind an old Chaplain quote: "a good comedian does funny things, a great comedian does things funny."
a man in a brown shirt with a black ring around his waist
Alt: Ash Williams asks you to speak up.
media.tenor.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Just watched "Army of Darkness" end to end for the first time.
Jeepers, what a picture! They sure don't make movies like that too often these days. Comparing it to modern action/comedies calls to mind an old Chaplain quote: "a good comedian does funny things, a great comedian does things funny."
Jeepers, what a picture! They sure don't make movies like that too often these days. Comparing it to modern action/comedies calls to mind an old Chaplain quote: "a good comedian does funny things, a great comedian does things funny."
Reposted by Bashfluff
The most precious commodity you have is your attention. You don’t have to waste it on poor-faith debates or arguments with strangers if you don’t think they’ll be productive. You can prioritize the things that matter to you and make your life richer.
November 30, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The most precious commodity you have is your attention. You don’t have to waste it on poor-faith debates or arguments with strangers if you don’t think they’ll be productive. You can prioritize the things that matter to you and make your life richer.
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i do genuinely loathe the online truism that being willing to defend your positions after being spoken down to directly means you care too much.
November 29, 2025 at 2:51 AM
i do genuinely loathe the online truism that being willing to defend your positions after being spoken down to directly means you care too much.
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You’re gonna see posts that make you think “I agree on principle but you seem unwell.” That’s the bluesky promise.
November 23, 2025 at 9:51 AM
You’re gonna see posts that make you think “I agree on principle but you seem unwell.” That’s the bluesky promise.