Mikko Rautalahti
@mikkihel.bsky.social
I do game narrative stuff. Also some other narrative stuff! Also just stuff.
This thing about how they're struggling with how to bring James Bond back is bizarre. It's not like there's a firm James Bond continuity. Casino Royale was an obvious reboot. You just cast a new Bond and do a new Bond movie like it was his first adventure.
Or the tenth.
No one will give a shit.
Or the tenth.
No one will give a shit.
November 12, 2025 at 7:02 AM
This thing about how they're struggling with how to bring James Bond back is bizarre. It's not like there's a firm James Bond continuity. Casino Royale was an obvious reboot. You just cast a new Bond and do a new Bond movie like it was his first adventure.
Or the tenth.
No one will give a shit.
Or the tenth.
No one will give a shit.
The concept of government shutdowns as seen in America is just weird.
You know what happens in Finland if they can't get the budget through? The government falls. They're done. It's a huge political failure that will affect your career.
So you better believe they're very motivated to solve it.
You know what happens in Finland if they can't get the budget through? The government falls. They're done. It's a huge political failure that will affect your career.
So you better believe they're very motivated to solve it.
November 10, 2025 at 6:47 AM
The concept of government shutdowns as seen in America is just weird.
You know what happens in Finland if they can't get the budget through? The government falls. They're done. It's a huge political failure that will affect your career.
So you better believe they're very motivated to solve it.
You know what happens in Finland if they can't get the budget through? The government falls. They're done. It's a huge political failure that will affect your career.
So you better believe they're very motivated to solve it.
Reposted by Mikko Rautalahti
FREE STUFF FREE STUFF FREE STUFF
Email crossroad@crossroadpress.com to get a code for a free download of the audiobook of my modern non-traditional ghost story GHOST OF A MARRIAGE.
Did I mention it's FREE?
Of course I did. But it's FREE!
Email crossroad@crossroadpress.com to get a code for a free download of the audiobook of my modern non-traditional ghost story GHOST OF A MARRIAGE.
Did I mention it's FREE?
Of course I did. But it's FREE!
November 10, 2025 at 2:51 AM
FREE STUFF FREE STUFF FREE STUFF
Email crossroad@crossroadpress.com to get a code for a free download of the audiobook of my modern non-traditional ghost story GHOST OF A MARRIAGE.
Did I mention it's FREE?
Of course I did. But it's FREE!
Email crossroad@crossroadpress.com to get a code for a free download of the audiobook of my modern non-traditional ghost story GHOST OF A MARRIAGE.
Did I mention it's FREE?
Of course I did. But it's FREE!
This is one of my favorite RPGs. Partly because of nostalgia -- it hit just right back in the day -- and partly because it's just a really cool game.
Happy #N7Day!
If you're looking for a sci-fi tabletop RPG set in the 22nd century, where humans are just starting to settle the galaxy, your heroes have psychic powers, and use jumpships build by a human/alien coalition, I have a suggestion:
theonyxpath.com/trinity-cont...
If you're looking for a sci-fi tabletop RPG set in the 22nd century, where humans are just starting to settle the galaxy, your heroes have psychic powers, and use jumpships build by a human/alien coalition, I have a suggestion:
theonyxpath.com/trinity-cont...
November 7, 2025 at 7:02 PM
This is one of my favorite RPGs. Partly because of nostalgia -- it hit just right back in the day -- and partly because it's just a really cool game.
When I was a kid, we'd sing some Russian songs in school. We'd also sing Swedish, French, American and English songs, among other. That wasn't particularly significant as such.
But context matters. With an Ukrainian student, it suddenly becomes very significant. This teacher was a fucking idiot.
But context matters. With an Ukrainian student, it suddenly becomes very significant. This teacher was a fucking idiot.
November 6, 2025 at 7:44 PM
When I was a kid, we'd sing some Russian songs in school. We'd also sing Swedish, French, American and English songs, among other. That wasn't particularly significant as such.
But context matters. With an Ukrainian student, it suddenly becomes very significant. This teacher was a fucking idiot.
But context matters. With an Ukrainian student, it suddenly becomes very significant. This teacher was a fucking idiot.
I've had these experiences. It is shocking how bad some people are at understanding intent or imagining what something is supposed to look like, but doesn't yet.
A little anecdote about that...
A little anecdote about that...
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 9:58 PM
I've had these experiences. It is shocking how bad some people are at understanding intent or imagining what something is supposed to look like, but doesn't yet.
A little anecdote about that...
A little anecdote about that...
My sister’s trying to figure out Christmas presents for my nephews and subtly probed the boys for what they might want.
One of them wants a toy truck. Classic. Easy enough.
The other wants a ”new shirt with sausages and potatoes and kettles on it.” Highly specific. Possibly hallucinatory.
One of them wants a toy truck. Classic. Easy enough.
The other wants a ”new shirt with sausages and potatoes and kettles on it.” Highly specific. Possibly hallucinatory.
November 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
My sister’s trying to figure out Christmas presents for my nephews and subtly probed the boys for what they might want.
One of them wants a toy truck. Classic. Easy enough.
The other wants a ”new shirt with sausages and potatoes and kettles on it.” Highly specific. Possibly hallucinatory.
One of them wants a toy truck. Classic. Easy enough.
The other wants a ”new shirt with sausages and potatoes and kettles on it.” Highly specific. Possibly hallucinatory.
Reposted by Mikko Rautalahti
I spotted this on Mastodon and I find it horrible, not least for the speed with which this has happened.
November 4, 2025 at 9:56 AM
I spotted this on Mastodon and I find it horrible, not least for the speed with which this has happened.
Oh, for SURE this is going to happen. One million people will definitely leave New York over this, that is absolutely a realistic thing to say and definitely reflects their true intentions, it's not at all performative bullshit.
I'm reminded of this other thing for no particular reason...
I'm reminded of this other thing for no particular reason...
November 3, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Oh, for SURE this is going to happen. One million people will definitely leave New York over this, that is absolutely a realistic thing to say and definitely reflects their true intentions, it's not at all performative bullshit.
I'm reminded of this other thing for no particular reason...
I'm reminded of this other thing for no particular reason...
Reposted by Mikko Rautalahti
It’s a good day to buy Tactical Breach Wizards.
Tactical Breach Wizards is 40% off in today's Daily Deal! The cheapest the wizards have ever allowed us to price them.
To celebrate, we've added a community missions pack, featuring some great ones players have made since launch.
store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/... .
To celebrate, we've added a community missions pack, featuring some great ones players have made since launch.
store.steampowered.com/app/1043810/... .
Save 40% on Tactical Breach Wizards on Steam
In Tactical Breach Wizards, you lead a team of renegade wizards in kevlar through turn-based battles to unravel a modern conspiracy plot. Combine their unique spells in clever ways, or rewind time to ...
store.steampowered.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:17 PM
It’s a good day to buy Tactical Breach Wizards.
Reposted by Mikko Rautalahti
The unique thing about larp is that as an artform, its participatory and low-cost, meaning that it can be done even by people in adverse conditions. This has been particularly important with Palestinian childrens' larp, to give children joy in the midst of catastrophe.
November 1, 2025 at 5:16 PM
The unique thing about larp is that as an artform, its participatory and low-cost, meaning that it can be done even by people in adverse conditions. This has been particularly important with Palestinian childrens' larp, to give children joy in the midst of catastrophe.
Reposted by Mikko Rautalahti
Palestinian larp needs our help. During the last 15 years, a vibrant larp culture has grown in Palestine, together with the Palestinian larp organization Bait Byout. Israeli repression affects all areas of Palestinian larp, including larp. Donate if you can
birthoflarp.wordpress.com/support-larp...
birthoflarp.wordpress.com/support-larp...
Support larp in Palestine!
The ongoing occupation places a severe strain on all aspects of Palestinian life and freedom. Needless to say, the situation has deteriorated severly during the recent years of active war in the Ga…
birthoflarp.wordpress.com
November 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Palestinian larp needs our help. During the last 15 years, a vibrant larp culture has grown in Palestine, together with the Palestinian larp organization Bait Byout. Israeli repression affects all areas of Palestinian larp, including larp. Donate if you can
birthoflarp.wordpress.com/support-larp...
birthoflarp.wordpress.com/support-larp...
Reposted by Mikko Rautalahti
POSTER: In my post I invented the Don’t Misunderstand the Torment Nexus Metaphor as a cautionary tale
CTO: At long last, I have misunderstood the Torment Nexus Metaphor from the classic post Don't Misunderstand The Torment Nexus Metaphor
CTO: At long last, I have misunderstood the Torment Nexus Metaphor from the classic post Don't Misunderstand The Torment Nexus Metaphor
"Torment Nexus" comes from this tweet and is often used now to describe the kind of negative experiences you can have with social networks, like getting dogpiled or harassed or being pushed into conflict
November 1, 2025 at 3:02 PM
POSTER: In my post I invented the Don’t Misunderstand the Torment Nexus Metaphor as a cautionary tale
CTO: At long last, I have misunderstood the Torment Nexus Metaphor from the classic post Don't Misunderstand The Torment Nexus Metaphor
CTO: At long last, I have misunderstood the Torment Nexus Metaphor from the classic post Don't Misunderstand The Torment Nexus Metaphor
Reposted by Mikko Rautalahti
Little hand drawn animation and banjo theme I made. It's been a year since my brother's passing, it's hard to type stuff so l'll just let the video speak for itself. Thank you for watching. Keep going, enjoy the sandwiches.
September 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Little hand drawn animation and banjo theme I made. It's been a year since my brother's passing, it's hard to type stuff so l'll just let the video speak for itself. Thank you for watching. Keep going, enjoy the sandwiches.
Just saw some concept art for a thing. Seeing concept art is always the coolest thing, it's genuinely like a little moment of magic in my day.
October 30, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Just saw some concept art for a thing. Seeing concept art is always the coolest thing, it's genuinely like a little moment of magic in my day.
There's another thing I want to say about this in particular: it's not that it's wrong to want profits, but that whole speculator mindset is so skewed that it makes it impossible for a game studio to operate with any longevity. The demands for return on investment are just so out of proportion.
But the audience doesn't want products. The audience wants meaningful and significant experiences.
I dunno. It's depressing, the way these people have wrecked so many studios -- and so many lives -- and are now picking the carcass apart, eternally questing for their profits.
I dunno. It's depressing, the way these people have wrecked so many studios -- and so many lives -- and are now picking the carcass apart, eternally questing for their profits.
October 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM
There's another thing I want to say about this in particular: it's not that it's wrong to want profits, but that whole speculator mindset is so skewed that it makes it impossible for a game studio to operate with any longevity. The demands for return on investment are just so out of proportion.
Reposted by Mikko Rautalahti
Soon we're going to have movies where the hero's montage is not them going through arcane and brutal physical training so they can win the fight, but them sitting down and scribbling their own thoughts with a pencil grasped in both hands
October 30, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Soon we're going to have movies where the hero's montage is not them going through arcane and brutal physical training so they can win the fight, but them sitting down and scribbling their own thoughts with a pencil grasped in both hands
A lot of the business failures of the games industry are really rooted in this desire to create a product that dominates the market. The recent Amazon thing really highlights that: they wanted to create a product that outperformed Steam, but they didn't understand Steam or what the audience wanted.
October 30, 2025 at 10:24 AM
A lot of the business failures of the games industry are really rooted in this desire to create a product that dominates the market. The recent Amazon thing really highlights that: they wanted to create a product that outperformed Steam, but they didn't understand Steam or what the audience wanted.
It's not very surprising that Danon can't respond to the substance of her findings. The only real response he could possibly give is variations of "but we really want to murder Palestinians." Israel can say that internally (and they do, all the time), but not in a U.N. context.
So witchcraft it is.
So witchcraft it is.
October 30, 2025 at 8:40 AM
It's not very surprising that Danon can't respond to the substance of her findings. The only real response he could possibly give is variations of "but we really want to murder Palestinians." Israel can say that internally (and they do, all the time), but not in a U.N. context.
So witchcraft it is.
So witchcraft it is.
Big "the suspect was reaching for what we thought was a gun but later turned out to be a doorknob" energy.
the biker bar sequence from Terminator 2 but Arnie’s POV keeps getting everything confidently wrong. A biker is “Volvo Estate”.
A knife is “Old Lady”.
A knife is “Old Lady”.
October 27, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Big "the suspect was reaching for what we thought was a gun but later turned out to be a doorknob" energy.
Seeing a lot of "how could I/they/anybody possibly know that this was a Nazi symbol" talk again. Here's a handy little primer for how to deal with it for those who are genuinely confused. I mean, no one is genuinely confused by that, but hey, I'll play along.
Here we go:
Here we go:
October 25, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Seeing a lot of "how could I/they/anybody possibly know that this was a Nazi symbol" talk again. Here's a handy little primer for how to deal with it for those who are genuinely confused. I mean, no one is genuinely confused by that, but hey, I'll play along.
Here we go:
Here we go:
Jesus Christ. It’s not even that it’s the sloppiest slop that would obviously suck to play, it’s that classic ”this is the best thing ever” reaction. That complete lack of care for quality and consistency is the hallmark of the AI dumbass. That’s always there, the breathless praise for utter shit.
Oh my god some fucking tech dingdong posted this on Twitter with the caption "AI games are going to be amazing" totally seriously, you have to watch it. You have to. In full screen.
October 24, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Jesus Christ. It’s not even that it’s the sloppiest slop that would obviously suck to play, it’s that classic ”this is the best thing ever” reaction. That complete lack of care for quality and consistency is the hallmark of the AI dumbass. That’s always there, the breathless praise for utter shit.
I just saw that Titanfall 2 is 90% off on Steam.
A terrific game, and it's dirt cheap. The single-player campaign is great, and it features That One Level, of which I will say nothing but if you've played it, you will know of which I speak.
Go get it!
store.steampowered.com/app/1237970/...
A terrific game, and it's dirt cheap. The single-player campaign is great, and it features That One Level, of which I will say nothing but if you've played it, you will know of which I speak.
Go get it!
store.steampowered.com/app/1237970/...
Save 90% on Titanfall® 2 on Steam
Respawn Entertainment gives you the most advanced titan technology in its new, single player campaign & multiplayer experience. Combine & conquer with new titans & pilots, deadlier weapons...
store.steampowered.com
October 23, 2025 at 10:13 PM
I just saw that Titanfall 2 is 90% off on Steam.
A terrific game, and it's dirt cheap. The single-player campaign is great, and it features That One Level, of which I will say nothing but if you've played it, you will know of which I speak.
Go get it!
store.steampowered.com/app/1237970/...
A terrific game, and it's dirt cheap. The single-player campaign is great, and it features That One Level, of which I will say nothing but if you've played it, you will know of which I speak.
Go get it!
store.steampowered.com/app/1237970/...
The chain of people from those giving the orders to those pulling the trigger are all murderers. I expect most of them will never have to face any kind of justice for their actions, and so do they. This has been the norm for a long time. That enables these activities to creep closer to home.
34 people killed in 50 days. Their guilt or innocence unknown, for an alleged crime that doesn't carry a death sentence. That's a lot of death.
adamisacson.com/boat-strikes/
adamisacson.com/boat-strikes/
October 23, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The chain of people from those giving the orders to those pulling the trigger are all murderers. I expect most of them will never have to face any kind of justice for their actions, and so do they. This has been the norm for a long time. That enables these activities to creep closer to home.
Yet another comic from an age before terrible woke people made them all POLITICAL, from the extremely politically neutral year of 1979, featuring famously apolitical President Jimmy Carter. (Marvel Team-Up #85, written by Chris Claremont, art by Sal Buscema and Steve Leialoha.)
October 21, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Yet another comic from an age before terrible woke people made them all POLITICAL, from the extremely politically neutral year of 1979, featuring famously apolitical President Jimmy Carter. (Marvel Team-Up #85, written by Chris Claremont, art by Sal Buscema and Steve Leialoha.)