Simon Cutajar
LightNews LightNews
banner
sc.mt
Simon Cutajar
@sc.mt
290 followers 240 following 140 posts
Programmer, gamedev, Maltese 🇲🇹 immigrant in Sweden 🇸🇪. (Previously 🇬🇧🇩🇰)
VR/AR game programmer @resolutiongames.bsky.social
PhD in procedurally generated music for games.
Talk to me about games, TTRPGs, folklore, music, film, writing, ice-cream
simon.com.mt
Posts Replies Media Videos
sc.mt
After so much time, blood, sweat, and tears poured into the game, we finally launched @battlemarked.bsky.social yesterday!

I'm a massive fan of D&D and TTRPGs so it was an honour and a privilege to work with an IP so close to my heart.

I hope players enjoy the game as much as we enjoyed making it!
Cover art for the game Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked. The art depicts Ash, tiefling rogue, Jessix, human ranger, and Bolthrax, dragonborn paladin in various heroic poses standing in the foreground. A dragon appears menacingly in the background. Screenshot of a section of the credits from the game Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked. The screenshot showcases various programmers that worked on the game. My name is among the list Photo of the Stockholm team who worked on the game Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked. Photo of the Linköping team who worked on the game Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked.
November 21, 2025 at 6:08 PM
sc.mt
The question by @sean.cutajar is "Do you ever regret leaving Malta or was your passion for gamedev to want to remain in Malta". The background is the clouds as seen from the window of a plane. The answer is: No, I don't regret it at all. I had wanted to leave Malta when I was 21, after finishing my degree. I moved to Denmark for my MSc in Game Development. Back then, I was tired of what Malta was turning into, and it was my best chance of leaving the country. I also wanted to meet new people and expand my network. While there are definitely opportunities for gamedev now in Malta, I don't regret leaving when I did. Stockholm is a fantastic hub for game development and I'm happy to have made it here!
October 17, 2025 at 12:24 PM
sc.mt
The question "What are the best parts about being a 'new' parent?" asked by @ciwiel. The background is a picture of my kid with their back facing me, looking out of a window watching the rain. My answer is: For me, the best part is watching them learn and understand the world around them. Kids this age are so happy to be involved in what their parents are doing, and to mimic their actions, and it's such a delight! ❤️
October 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM
sc.mt
Ask me anything! Curious about life in Stockholm (or Malta, UK, or Denmark?) What it's like working working as a gamedev? Parenting life in Sweden? Something about books/games/music/RPGs/film/ice-cream? Wanna learn more about me, hopes and dreams, fears and regrets, or affirmations?

Ask away!
Photo of a nearby park in Stockholm early in the morning. The leaves on the trees are turning orange and yellow, as autumn is approaching.
October 17, 2025 at 7:21 AM
sc.mt
Finally managed to sort out the latest pile of Maltese books that I brought back with me to Sweden!
Photo of a pile of books on top of a table. From top to bottom, the books are titled as follows: Kitba W Kittieba tal-Malti - II.2 by Ġużè Cassar Pullicino, Dawl Ġdid fuq Vassalli edited by Olvin Vella, Qwiel u Qaddisin by Victor J. Galea, Gozo: The Island of Joy by Thomas Freller, Spies and Renegades in Hospitaller Malta by Thomas Freller, Il Mezzo Vocabolario Maltese-Italiano del 700 by Arnold Cassola, Maltin u l-Inkiżizzjoni by Alexander Bonnici, A Trial in front of an Inquisitor of Malta (1562-1798) by Alexander Bonnici, Society, Culture and Identity in Early Modern Malta by Carmel Cassar, The Houses of Valletta by Victor F. Denaro, Musical Culture and the Chitarraro: Mattheo Morales in 17th Century Malta by Anna Borg Cardona, Diaspora: Maltese Overseas Settlement by Henry Frendo, Ponta Reale and Environs by MIchael Ellul, Dictionary for Specific Purposes by Charles Briffa, Id-Dar Maltija: Aspetti Soċjali Ekonomiċi u Kulturali bejn il-perjodu Medjevali sa Żminijietna by George A. Said Zammit, Knights in Durance: A Record of the Carvings and Inscriptions in the Dungeon of the Castle of St Angelo in Malta by Denis Calnan, and Malta and the Czars 1697-1802 by Andrew P. Vella.
August 26, 2025 at 7:05 AM
sc.mt
Back in Stockholm, and back to my regular routine on parental leave. You can see a snippet of my trip back home in Malta in the quoted thread.
Photo of the view of Malta from the airplane. The land is a mixture of green and brown, and most of it is built up. The sea is a deep blue, and the sky is clear and a bright blue. The airplane's wing is visible, and the livery indicates that this is a Ryanair plane.
August 24, 2025 at 12:49 PM
sc.mt
A selection of food eaten in Malta!

After hearing the donut man shout about his donuts for several days, we couldn't not buy some!
Photo of a pastizz in a paper bag marked with the logo of Sphinx Pastizzeria. Photo of a slice of Maltese ice-cream (ġelat tan-nanna from Elia) in a bowl. Photo of two slices of Maltese ftira in a plate, with a napkin marked with the logo from the Valletta Food Market. Photo of three donuts, two chocolate and one jam, in a cardboard box. Purchased from the donut man.
August 23, 2025 at 2:27 PM
sc.mt
Found a poor lizard trapped in our carpet this morning. No idea how they got there, but they're now living their best life away from purple carpets.
Photo of a lizard trapped within the strands of a purple shag carpet
August 22, 2025 at 7:32 AM
sc.mt
More photos from Valletta
Photo of the houses at St. Barbara Bastions in Valletta, with iconic blue wooden balconies Photo of the busy steps down Triq San Ġwann in Valletta. The sea can be seen in the background. Photo of Fort Saint Angelo, as seen from Valletta. The sky is clear and the sea is calm and blue. Photo of a picturesque street in Valletta with steps
August 21, 2025 at 1:21 PM
sc.mt
This might be familiar to anyone in the game AI space, or anyone who's played Creatures 2!
Photo of a green Norn doll plushie, a character from the game Creatures 2
August 21, 2025 at 8:43 AM
sc.mt
Post a non-religious photo you think of as Holy
Photo of red ochre patterns and spirals drawn on the ceiling of the Ħal-Saflieni Hypogeum. Photo taken from Heritage Malta's website at https://heritagemalta.mt/news/a-subterranean-neolithic-masterpiece-the-hal-saflieni-hypogeum/
August 21, 2025 at 7:39 AM
sc.mt
I'll never get tired of this view.
Photo of a sunrise over the sea, making the sky glow orange. Photo of the moon over the sea during the evening. Photo of an ominous cloud in the sky over the sea. Photo of a sunrise turning the sky pink/purple over the sky. The sky is cloudy.
August 19, 2025 at 9:13 AM
sc.mt
Good times. Simpler times.
Picture of a floppy disk. The label reads "Treasure Hunt Maths, A:\THM\SETUP" and "Prince of Persia, A:\PRINCE\INSTALL"
August 17, 2025 at 6:53 AM
sc.mt
Got up early to watch the sunrise
Photo of the sunrise over the sea. The sky above the horizon is orange.
August 12, 2025 at 4:04 AM
sc.mt
Third and final day at the National Library is done! I didn't manage to find everything I wanted, but I found a lot of super interesting stuff that I can't wait to properly dig through.
Photo in a selfie format of myself in front of the entrance National Library of Malta. The sign behind me is in Maltese and says Bibljoteka Nazzjonali.
August 11, 2025 at 10:17 AM
sc.mt
This is probably the weirdest flavour idea for a savoury snack that I've seen, but it's not terrible?
Photo of a light blue packet of Twistees Minty Fresh, with several boxes in the background containing more packets
August 11, 2025 at 7:09 AM
sc.mt
Playing tourist in Valletta
Photo of the Triton Fountain in Valletta Photo of a door leading to the inside of the Palace of the Grandmasters Photo of the exterior of the National Library of Malta Photo of Valletta and steps leading down towards Victoria Gate, taken from the bridge
August 8, 2025 at 11:16 AM
sc.mt
Taking the opportunity to read books in Maltese while I'm on the island! Especially if I have a bus to catch
Photo of the interior of the bus in Malta. It's half empty, with seats upholstered in blue. Photo of the book Ix-Xitan Wasal fit-Tlettax by Joseph Attard, which I'm reading on the bus
August 6, 2025 at 7:45 AM
sc.mt
Back on the rock! Hello Malta! 🇲🇹
Photo of the clouds and the blue sky out of the airplane window. The Ryanair logo is visible on the plane's wing. Photo of Gozo, Comino, and Malta in the distance, as visible from the plane.
July 31, 2025 at 7:53 AM
sc.mt
I thought I'd try an experiment, so I made imqaret ice-cream this weekend! Imqaret are a Maltese street food/dessert consisting of fried date pastries. I took the date filling and turned it into an ice-cream. It certainly has potential!
Photo of the imqaret filling in a saucepan, consisting of dates, orange blossom water, cloves, cinnamon, and aniseed. Photo of the imqaret ice-cream mixture churning away in the ice-cream machine. Photo of imqaret ice-cream
July 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
sc.mt
Not many chances to dress up while on parental leave, but attending a wedding is as good a reason as any!
Photo of myself wearing a blue waistcoat and suit jacket, together with a light blue tie and pocket square. I'm holding a floral umbrella due to the rain.
July 5, 2025 at 2:19 PM
sc.mt
Here's something custom written for you! Apologies for the delay; being on parental leave with a toddler means that I don't get as much time to write (or think) as I'd like!
We turn now to the golfu, one of the more dangerous avians in this bestiary. Though there are conflicting accounts of its physical description (see Lanfranco & Lanfranco 1977 for a full list), the golfu can be described as a large bird of prey. It is often known to attack dovecotes in search of food (see Schembri 1985 for a description of the golfu's diet). Its most notable feature is a high-pitched screech which can turn enemies into dust (see Fenech 1984 discussing an eyewitness account by local hunter Salvu Mgħawweġ), and is therefore considered highly dangerous.
June 19, 2025 at 8:06 AM
sc.mt
Today, on Sweden's national day, we went to the Stockholm City Hall to join 6900 brand new citizens and celebrate becoming Swedish in an afternoon of speeches, music, and fika. We were even given free museum tickets and a kid's book about nature for our son!

Proud to be dual Maltese-Swedish! 🇲🇹🇸🇪
Photo of a celebration for new Swedish citizens inside the Stockholm City Hall. Lots of people are waving Swedish flags while singing the national anthem.
June 6, 2025 at 5:37 PM
sc.mt
I don't have as much time to make ice-cream anymore with a toddler on the loose in the house, but everything lined up this weekend so I could make homemade strawberry ice-cream! 🍓🍦
Photo of homemade strawberry ice-cream mixture churning away in an ice-cream maker.
June 1, 2025 at 7:04 AM
sc.mt
This is how your email finds me
A warning sign in Swedish that says "Klämrisk vid transport av gods", which means "Risk of crushing when transporting goods". There is an image of a person with a wheelie bin in a lift, followed by an image of a person being crushed by a wheelie bin in a lift.
May 18, 2025 at 5:12 PM