Ralph
@ralphanumeric.bsky.social
Principal Software Engineer for BossAlien/Natural Motion/Zynga/Take2 Interactive.
Also a husband, dad, geek, AFOL and historical train enthusiast.
Also a husband, dad, geek, AFOL and historical train enthusiast.
Reposted by Ralph
(UK) Parliamentary Petition: Require generative AI watermarks & ban using people’s likeness without consent
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/736690
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/736690
December 1, 2025 at 8:55 AM
(UK) Parliamentary Petition: Require generative AI watermarks & ban using people’s likeness without consent
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/736690
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/736690
Watching Veritasium's latest episode about power laws and can't help but think how it applies to the games industry hit driven model. Think GTA vs the many indies. Publishers need to place many bets to land a hit.
November 27, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Watching Veritasium's latest episode about power laws and can't help but think how it applies to the games industry hit driven model. Think GTA vs the many indies. Publishers need to place many bets to land a hit.
I'll be displaying a bunch of my custom Lego trains at this week's Bristol Brick Show. You can pre book online or pay on the door. Hope to see you there!
gertlug.yapsody.com/event/index/...
gertlug.yapsody.com/event/index/...
November 10, 2025 at 9:29 AM
I'll be displaying a bunch of my custom Lego trains at this week's Bristol Brick Show. You can pre book online or pay on the door. Hope to see you there!
gertlug.yapsody.com/event/index/...
gertlug.yapsody.com/event/index/...
Reposted by Ralph
It’s funny catching wind that my posts against generative ai have raised a few eyebrows and pissed a few people off. I’d love to be able to give a fuck, but first I’d need to steal a million fucks from other people, and have a machine randomly assemble small parts of those fucks together for me
November 7, 2025 at 4:05 PM
It’s funny catching wind that my posts against generative ai have raised a few eyebrows and pissed a few people off. I’d love to be able to give a fuck, but first I’d need to steal a million fucks from other people, and have a machine randomly assemble small parts of those fucks together for me
Second, and more complicated board etched and also a success! I'd say applying vinyl cut from a Circuit direct to copper and then etching is successful and dare I say reasonably easy! No toner, no UV, etc.
Let's hope I just designed it as well as I etched .... 🤣
Let's hope I just designed it as well as I etched .... 🤣
November 3, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Second, and more complicated board etched and also a success! I'd say applying vinyl cut from a Circuit direct to copper and then etching is successful and dare I say reasonably easy! No toner, no UV, etc.
Let's hope I just designed it as well as I etched .... 🤣
Let's hope I just designed it as well as I etched .... 🤣
Holy **** I think this worked way better than I expected. The layout is probably a crime against PCB design humanity. But for my first attempt and doing this with a technique barely mentioned on the internet I'm extremely happy with this. Now I just need to drill some tiny holes ....
November 2, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Holy **** I think this worked way better than I expected. The layout is probably a crime against PCB design humanity. But for my first attempt and doing this with a technique barely mentioned on the internet I'm extremely happy with this. Now I just need to drill some tiny holes ....
Me: I'm going to start to make a modular synth as a little project, using Arduino so it can be digital and utilise my software engineering skills instead of having to make circuits I don't understand.
November 1, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Me: I'm going to start to make a modular synth as a little project, using Arduino so it can be digital and utilise my software engineering skills instead of having to make circuits I don't understand.
First steps in synth audio and it turns out I'm not going to be able to avoid some circuitry! I want to create a Voltage Controlled Oscillator as my first module so that I have some sound for my sound project! But that means I need a control voltage for testing.
October 26, 2025 at 6:40 PM
First steps in synth audio and it turns out I'm not going to be able to avoid some circuitry! I want to create a Voltage Controlled Oscillator as my first module so that I have some sound for my sound project! But that means I need a control voltage for testing.
Probably a bad idea to start yet another side project, but I've fallen down a rabbit hole of DIY modular synth projects on YouTube and now I want one. Probably going to go the route I know best which means mostly using Arduino(s) rather than circuit electronics, so we shall see how well it goes!
October 24, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Probably a bad idea to start yet another side project, but I've fallen down a rabbit hole of DIY modular synth projects on YouTube and now I want one. Probably going to go the route I know best which means mostly using Arduino(s) rather than circuit electronics, so we shall see how well it goes!
Oooh new Orbit Culture album!
*Excitedly puts it straight on*
*Excitedly puts it straight on*
October 4, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Oooh new Orbit Culture album!
*Excitedly puts it straight on*
*Excitedly puts it straight on*
Reposted by Ralph
Lunch Rush is out now: sireel.itch.io/lunch-rush
Make burgers, as fast as you can!
Free to play, in your browser. PC, and mobile browsers are both supported
Make burgers, as fast as you can!
Free to play, in your browser. PC, and mobile browsers are both supported
Lunch Rush by SirEel
Make burgers, as fast as you can
sireel.itch.io
October 1, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Lunch Rush is out now: sireel.itch.io/lunch-rush
Make burgers, as fast as you can!
Free to play, in your browser. PC, and mobile browsers are both supported
Make burgers, as fast as you can!
Free to play, in your browser. PC, and mobile browsers are both supported
Reposted by Ralph
I cannot yell about this enough. So many times I've seen an idea with lots of potential get thrown out because it wasn't "perfect" initially, only to be replaced with another underbaked idea, when we could have taken the same amount of time to reflect upon, tighten up and grow the first idea more.
The reason?
Game development regularly mistakes 'change' for 'iteration'.
Iteration is a constructive process of development where ideas develop and refine over time. In game development, far too often the process is not iteration, but wholesale change, often without notice.
3/9
Game development regularly mistakes 'change' for 'iteration'.
Iteration is a constructive process of development where ideas develop and refine over time. In game development, far too often the process is not iteration, but wholesale change, often without notice.
3/9
September 16, 2025 at 10:00 AM
I cannot yell about this enough. So many times I've seen an idea with lots of potential get thrown out because it wasn't "perfect" initially, only to be replaced with another underbaked idea, when we could have taken the same amount of time to reflect upon, tighten up and grow the first idea more.
Accidentally drove Hardknott Pass yesterday. Definitely 'an experience'.
Took the long way back. 🤣
www.bbc.co.uk/travel/artic...
Took the long way back. 🤣
www.bbc.co.uk/travel/artic...
The Hardknott Pass: Britain's wildest road
Built by the Romans and considered one of Britain's most "outrageous" roads, it's filled with sharp hairpin turns and is the width of a bridleway.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 22, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Accidentally drove Hardknott Pass yesterday. Definitely 'an experience'.
Took the long way back. 🤣
www.bbc.co.uk/travel/artic...
Took the long way back. 🤣
www.bbc.co.uk/travel/artic...
I have started playing Overcooked with my daughter. The game is both a recipe for huge fun but also potential arguments. 🤣
(Pun intended)
(Pun intended)
August 9, 2025 at 7:56 PM
I have started playing Overcooked with my daughter. The game is both a recipe for huge fun but also potential arguments. 🤣
(Pun intended)
(Pun intended)
This thread is amazing.
You know, if enough of us say on the internet that it's important to wash your cybertruck with saltwater and lemon juice to preserve the finish, eventually ChatGPT will start telling cybertruck owners that.
July 30, 2025 at 7:36 PM
This thread is amazing.
Reposted by Ralph
My next game is in a playable if rough state. I'm hoping I can find some decent puzzle game players to test it before I'm ready to release as its very hard to gauge difficulty!
#ScreenshotSaturday
#ScreenshotSaturday
July 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
My next game is in a playable if rough state. I'm hoping I can find some decent puzzle game players to test it before I'm ready to release as its very hard to gauge difficulty!
#ScreenshotSaturday
#ScreenshotSaturday
First time doing a proper display at a Lego show, setup done, show tomorrow. And what a venue!
Supersonic Brick Show if you are interested and in the Bristol Area!
Supersonic Brick Show if you are interested and in the Bristol Area!
July 11, 2025 at 7:31 PM
First time doing a proper display at a Lego show, setup done, show tomorrow. And what a venue!
Supersonic Brick Show if you are interested and in the Bristol Area!
Supersonic Brick Show if you are interested and in the Bristol Area!
Reposted by Ralph
Reposted by Ralph
the thing about gamedev (or any development really) is that there will always be a million ways that you could have done it better, and a million ways that your way is bad… but the point is that you actually ship something.
perfection means it never gets done.
so just make it! who cares how.
perfection means it never gets done.
so just make it! who cares how.
April 16, 2025 at 3:26 AM
the thing about gamedev (or any development really) is that there will always be a million ways that you could have done it better, and a million ways that your way is bad… but the point is that you actually ship something.
perfection means it never gets done.
so just make it! who cares how.
perfection means it never gets done.
so just make it! who cares how.
Reposted by Ralph
Somebody please explain why trade deficits are considered a bad thing by some?
I run a huge trade deficit with my local supermarket. They have never bought a single one of my goods. But charging my wife 25% of the grocery bill is not the answer to this "problem".
I run a huge trade deficit with my local supermarket. They have never bought a single one of my goods. But charging my wife 25% of the grocery bill is not the answer to this "problem".
April 3, 2025 at 1:30 AM
Somebody please explain why trade deficits are considered a bad thing by some?
I run a huge trade deficit with my local supermarket. They have never bought a single one of my goods. But charging my wife 25% of the grocery bill is not the answer to this "problem".
I run a huge trade deficit with my local supermarket. They have never bought a single one of my goods. But charging my wife 25% of the grocery bill is not the answer to this "problem".
So my 11 year old asked why red was red. So of course I attempted to explain how light works (probably badly) through 'light is like waves on an ocean, different light is different wave types and red is just how our brain interprets the waves reaching our eyes.'
April 1, 2025 at 9:23 PM
So my 11 year old asked why red was red. So of course I attempted to explain how light works (probably badly) through 'light is like waves on an ocean, different light is different wave types and red is just how our brain interprets the waves reaching our eyes.'
Reposted by Ralph
We’ve gone bridgetastic for Bricktastic! This 8m long model of the Forth Bridge is part of our largest layout ever and features around 100,000 bricks.
#lego #legotrains #legotrain #modelrailway #lgauge #legophotography #legostagram #legofans #bricktastic #bricktastic2025
#lego #legotrains #legotrain #modelrailway #lgauge #legophotography #legostagram #legofans #bricktastic #bricktastic2025
February 21, 2025 at 8:53 PM
We’ve gone bridgetastic for Bricktastic! This 8m long model of the Forth Bridge is part of our largest layout ever and features around 100,000 bricks.
#lego #legotrains #legotrain #modelrailway #lgauge #legophotography #legostagram #legofans #bricktastic #bricktastic2025
#lego #legotrains #legotrain #modelrailway #lgauge #legophotography #legostagram #legofans #bricktastic #bricktastic2025
I feel like this is missing a zero column.
Chris Zukowski published this chart in one of his recent blogs. It helped me really conceptualize how hard games are to get done. Our current model is small games, with deep gameplay loops -- and whacky mechanics. Make smaller games and MORE GAMES DEVS!
#indiedev #indiegames #gamedev
#indiedev #indiegames #gamedev
February 20, 2025 at 10:10 PM
I feel like this is missing a zero column.
Reposted by Ralph
I hope America is as lucky as the delta jet - everyone survives but the right wing explodes
February 18, 2025 at 3:49 PM
I hope America is as lucky as the delta jet - everyone survives but the right wing explodes