Steve Emberton
@steveembr.bsky.social
Sr. Technical Designer on Fable @ Playground Games
Formerly milsim, formerly education
I enjoy roguelikes, horror movies, and craft beers
Formerly milsim, formerly education
I enjoy roguelikes, horror movies, and craft beers
Reposted by Steve Emberton
America's first ever esports champion was Rebecca Heineman, a trans woman. She went on to found some of your favorite video game studios and worked on your favorite video games. Next time you see somebody rail about 'woke' and 'DEI'
Remember that.
Remember her.
Remember that.
Remember her.
"I code so others can dream."
Gayming Icon and LGBTQ+ video game pioneer, Rebecca Heineman, has sadly passed away after a short, tough fight with aggressive cancer.
Read our obituary to this true industry trailblazer: gaymingmag.com/2025/11/gaym...
Gayming Icon and LGBTQ+ video game pioneer, Rebecca Heineman, has sadly passed away after a short, tough fight with aggressive cancer.
Read our obituary to this true industry trailblazer: gaymingmag.com/2025/11/gaym...
Gayming Icon and LGBTQ+ games pioneer, Rebecca Heineman, has died - Gayming Magazine
Rebecca Heineman, a trailblazing figure in the video game industry and a celebrated icon within the LGBTQ+ gaming community, has died.
gaymingmag.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:11 PM
America's first ever esports champion was Rebecca Heineman, a trans woman. She went on to found some of your favorite video game studios and worked on your favorite video games. Next time you see somebody rail about 'woke' and 'DEI'
Remember that.
Remember her.
Remember that.
Remember her.
Reposted by Steve Emberton
#3157 A helpful tutorial
November 17, 2025 at 11:40 PM
#3157 A helpful tutorial
Reposted by Steve Emberton
Picard management tip: Remember what you liked to play with as a child. Identify the larger, grown-up versions of those toys at work.
November 17, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Picard management tip: Remember what you liked to play with as a child. Identify the larger, grown-up versions of those toys at work.
Reposted by Steve Emberton
This is bullshit.
"absolutely no genAI in games" is the middle ground.
"how many years in jail should Sam Altman get for knowingly stealing all data ever" is the somewhat more extreme stance I personally adopt.
"absolutely no genAI in games" is the middle ground.
"how many years in jail should Sam Altman get for knowingly stealing all data ever" is the somewhat more extreme stance I personally adopt.
"Surely there's a middle ground here?" The CEO of Helldivers 2 studio Arrowhead says people "jump to extreme takes" when debating generative AI, and that there needs to be more nuance in the discussion.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/surely-...
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/surely-...
‘Surely there’s a middle ground here?’ Helldivers studio CEO says people ‘jump to extreme takes’ when debating GenAI | VGC
“This is such a trigger point for big parts of the games industry today”…
www.videogameschronicle.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:49 PM
This is bullshit.
"absolutely no genAI in games" is the middle ground.
"how many years in jail should Sam Altman get for knowingly stealing all data ever" is the somewhat more extreme stance I personally adopt.
"absolutely no genAI in games" is the middle ground.
"how many years in jail should Sam Altman get for knowingly stealing all data ever" is the somewhat more extreme stance I personally adopt.
Reposted by Steve Emberton
Bumping this as a reminder NYT leans hard on revenue from their puzzles, games, Wirecutter etc to fund their billionaire apologist headlines, contrarian Op-Ed take havers, and iffy/yikes livetweeting style of journo
Alternatives to NY Times Games & Puzzles 🧵
If it bothers you that your passive games subscription and clicks to the NYT Games cartel is funding their awful OpEd army and "journalism," there are a wealth of puzzle/game options less iffy/yikes complicit, and many are direct clones to your NYT faves.
If it bothers you that your passive games subscription and clicks to the NYT Games cartel is funding their awful OpEd army and "journalism," there are a wealth of puzzle/game options less iffy/yikes complicit, and many are direct clones to your NYT faves.
November 11, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Bumping this as a reminder NYT leans hard on revenue from their puzzles, games, Wirecutter etc to fund their billionaire apologist headlines, contrarian Op-Ed take havers, and iffy/yikes livetweeting style of journo
Reposted by Steve Emberton
65 years ago on Nov. 14, little Ruby Bridges was escorted into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. Norman Rockwell, renowned for blissful depictions of Americana, did this remarkable painting for Look magazine. Printed as a double page, over-size spread, it's his masterpiece.
November 15, 2025 at 3:02 PM
65 years ago on Nov. 14, little Ruby Bridges was escorted into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. Norman Rockwell, renowned for blissful depictions of Americana, did this remarkable painting for Look magazine. Printed as a double page, over-size spread, it's his masterpiece.
Reposted by Steve Emberton
I made a joke in my main Discord server about DOOM E1M1 being in a major key and @abigbagofkeys.sickonedude.com actually made it. Jesus fucking Christ listen to this hahahaha
November 14, 2025 at 1:47 PM
I made a joke in my main Discord server about DOOM E1M1 being in a major key and @abigbagofkeys.sickonedude.com actually made it. Jesus fucking Christ listen to this hahahaha
Reposted by Steve Emberton
I’m sorry I just found out that in 1379, as in, 650 years ago, a baby girl was born in Yorkshire and named Diot Coke
history is a fucking joke lmao
history is a fucking joke lmao
November 13, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I’m sorry I just found out that in 1379, as in, 650 years ago, a baby girl was born in Yorkshire and named Diot Coke
history is a fucking joke lmao
history is a fucking joke lmao
Reposted by Steve Emberton
If you have to get permission to teach in your area of expertise from people who are definitionally not qualified to adjudicate your expertise then you are no longer working at a university.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M adopts policy requiring professors to get OK from school president to discuss certain race and gender issues.
November 13, 2025 at 11:48 PM
If you have to get permission to teach in your area of expertise from people who are definitionally not qualified to adjudicate your expertise then you are no longer working at a university.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
You’re working at a state propaganda factory.
Reposted by Steve Emberton
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
November 13, 2025 at 11:33 AM
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Reposted by Steve Emberton
A rare interview with the creators of the always-funny, always-brilliant, and *usually*-sexy—or occasionally anti-sexy—OGLAF!
Cooper has kept a low profile over the years, but is legitimately one of the very best artists in comics today. Read OGLAF if you're old enough to drive!
Cooper has kept a low profile over the years, but is legitimately one of the very best artists in comics today. Read OGLAF if you're old enough to drive!
Talking Oglaf with Trudy Cooper and Doug Bayne: 'We'd stay up all night drawing stuff to make each other laugh' - The Comics Journal
Other than some time off every year for Christmas, Trudy Cooper and Doug Bayne have delivered a new Oglaf comic, skewering fantasy tropes with absolutely not safe for work humor, every week since 2008...
www.tcj.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:42 PM
A rare interview with the creators of the always-funny, always-brilliant, and *usually*-sexy—or occasionally anti-sexy—OGLAF!
Cooper has kept a low profile over the years, but is legitimately one of the very best artists in comics today. Read OGLAF if you're old enough to drive!
Cooper has kept a low profile over the years, but is legitimately one of the very best artists in comics today. Read OGLAF if you're old enough to drive!
Reposted by Steve Emberton
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."
Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫
James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers
James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.
www.statnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:55 AM
pre-writing a devastating obituary for your enemy is god-tier hating of a kind you don’t often see anymore. renaissance haterism. beautiful stuff.
Reposted by Steve Emberton
"this is your last chance to dodge a block" I tell my orange cat after our twentieth disagreement of the day over whether it's okay to bite when you get excited. I am still communicating more effectively to greater purpose than this.
November 8, 2025 at 1:43 AM
"this is your last chance to dodge a block" I tell my orange cat after our twentieth disagreement of the day over whether it's okay to bite when you get excited. I am still communicating more effectively to greater purpose than this.
Reposted by Steve Emberton
Reposted by Steve Emberton
On BBC news this morning this was framed as "disabled people are going to cause a recession" and talking about how to make disabled people get jobs.
There was no mention of how the govt has restricted covid vaccinations so most of us have to pay £100 if we want one.
There was no mention of how the govt has restricted covid vaccinations so most of us have to pay £100 if we want one.
The number of people aged between 16 and 34 who are out of work due to long-term sickness increased by 76% between 2019 and 2024
UK ‘sliding into avoidable crisis’, major review into workplace sickness warns
The number of people aged between 16 and 34 who are out of work due to long-term sickness increased by 76% between 2019 and 2024
www.independent.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 7:29 AM
On BBC news this morning this was framed as "disabled people are going to cause a recession" and talking about how to make disabled people get jobs.
There was no mention of how the govt has restricted covid vaccinations so most of us have to pay £100 if we want one.
There was no mention of how the govt has restricted covid vaccinations so most of us have to pay £100 if we want one.
Reposted by Steve Emberton
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
BATTLE PASS!
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
November 2, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
BATTLE PASS!
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
Lisa needs braces
BATTLE PASS!
Reposted by Steve Emberton
there's about a ten-year arc after a site whose brand was established by its users gets injected with rot spores by its owners under cover of "innovation" et al. in this ten-year arc those users pretend they can will the good old days back into being. we're in year one over here
The funniest part is when the blue sky team announced something dumb and the entire community's reaction en masse is that it's dumb and bluesky just pretends like it's not seeing any of that until one of the team members has a crashout from the stress of pretending to be eternally correct
November 2, 2025 at 12:39 PM
there's about a ten-year arc after a site whose brand was established by its users gets injected with rot spores by its owners under cover of "innovation" et al. in this ten-year arc those users pretend they can will the good old days back into being. we're in year one over here
Reposted by Steve Emberton
Nintendo Power's September/October '88 issue featured Konami's Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, an action RPG for the NES
The controversial and creepy cover has an armored Simon Belmont holding the decapitated head of Dracula; a nod to the game's quest to recover the vampire's dismembered body parts!
The controversial and creepy cover has an armored Simon Belmont holding the decapitated head of Dracula; a nod to the game's quest to recover the vampire's dismembered body parts!
October 31, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Nintendo Power's September/October '88 issue featured Konami's Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, an action RPG for the NES
The controversial and creepy cover has an armored Simon Belmont holding the decapitated head of Dracula; a nod to the game's quest to recover the vampire's dismembered body parts!
The controversial and creepy cover has an armored Simon Belmont holding the decapitated head of Dracula; a nod to the game's quest to recover the vampire's dismembered body parts!
Reposted by Steve Emberton
I think video games discourse online would improve markedly if saying "bad game design" when you mean "I personally experienced frustration" got you a six month timeout from posting
October 29, 2025 at 4:57 AM
I think video games discourse online would improve markedly if saying "bad game design" when you mean "I personally experienced frustration" got you a six month timeout from posting
Reposted by Steve Emberton
Yong people are broke bc they buy Starbucks daily ($42)
Became
bc they buy avocado toast in a sitdown restaurant weekly ($20)
Became
bc of a weekly to-go pastry ($6)
Will soon be
You're broke bc you buy one non-gruel item EVERY month
Even the inequality-absolving caricature is shrinkflating
Became
bc they buy avocado toast in a sitdown restaurant weekly ($20)
Became
bc of a weekly to-go pastry ($6)
Will soon be
You're broke bc you buy one non-gruel item EVERY month
Even the inequality-absolving caricature is shrinkflating
“At the same time, more than half of Gen Z members say they are struggling to make ends meet, yet a majority buy themselves a small treat, such as a pastry, coffee, or sweet, at least once a week. That can lead to overspending…”
archive.ph/2TI8J
archive.ph/2TI8J
October 31, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Yong people are broke bc they buy Starbucks daily ($42)
Became
bc they buy avocado toast in a sitdown restaurant weekly ($20)
Became
bc of a weekly to-go pastry ($6)
Will soon be
You're broke bc you buy one non-gruel item EVERY month
Even the inequality-absolving caricature is shrinkflating
Became
bc they buy avocado toast in a sitdown restaurant weekly ($20)
Became
bc of a weekly to-go pastry ($6)
Will soon be
You're broke bc you buy one non-gruel item EVERY month
Even the inequality-absolving caricature is shrinkflating
Reposted by Steve Emberton
i wish dead rising was ahead of its time. but its 19 years later and i look around and i dont see any risinglikes. we have failed
October 31, 2025 at 1:01 PM
i wish dead rising was ahead of its time. but its 19 years later and i look around and i dont see any risinglikes. we have failed
Reposted by Steve Emberton
I think this is bang on, and gets at a sense of what I see in play with stuff from Dwarf Fortress and Qud to Rimworld to Crusader Kings and the Sims: a desire to understand the world, whether a familiar or an alien one, through play
"'The more we try to understand what's going on in the world around us—the more we don't just withdraw into a hermitude of my family and I as a nuclear unit, the more we try to understand our society—I think the more these kinds of games speak to us,' Short said."
Founder of Dwarf Fortress and Caves of Qud publisher Kitfox Games says its procgen sims for sickos are 'giving storytelling tools back to the people when games and passive media took them away'
Streets of Fortuna, Kitfox's own in-development "megasim," is chasing that same systems-driven storytelling.
pcgamer.com
October 7, 2025 at 11:17 PM
I think this is bang on, and gets at a sense of what I see in play with stuff from Dwarf Fortress and Qud to Rimworld to Crusader Kings and the Sims: a desire to understand the world, whether a familiar or an alien one, through play
Reposted by Steve Emberton
was just reminded of an old great thread on Doomworld: the Doom level progress diagram. it was created to address the age old question about when a map should be considered linear or non-linear www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/...
October 29, 2025 at 7:40 PM
was just reminded of an old great thread on Doomworld: the Doom level progress diagram. it was created to address the age old question about when a map should be considered linear or non-linear www.doomworld.com/forum/topic/...
Reposted by Steve Emberton
This appropriation of gaming imagery and culture to push authoritarianism is, as @alyssamerc.bsky.social points out here, the natural extension of what Gamergate began
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/o...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/o...
Why Trump’s White House is using video game memes to recruit for ICE
A recent spate of posts has garnered attention, but Trump and his allies have long been using gaming imagery to mobilise a toxic subculture of ‘rootless white males’
www.theguardian.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:40 AM
This appropriation of gaming imagery and culture to push authoritarianism is, as @alyssamerc.bsky.social points out here, the natural extension of what Gamergate began
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/o...
www.theguardian.com/games/2025/o...
Reposted by Steve Emberton
Dodonpachi (1995, CAVE)
October 28, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Dodonpachi (1995, CAVE)