Tom Shea
@thristhart.bsky.social
pixel-pusher at Valve. I make things you click on. he/him
Pinned
Tom Shea
@thristhart.bsky.social
· Apr 22
Contact Tom Shea - Valve Corporation
We make games, Steam, and hardware. Join Us.
www.valvesoftware.com
this is something of a personal passion of mine and I'm really happy that we're making progress in this direction. As part of that, if you use Steam and have disabilities, I'd love to hear from you about what we can do better: www.valvesoftware.com/en/contact?c...
Reposted by Tom Shea
If you want to start making games, instead of trying to make your magnum opus on your first go, please do some game jams. Ludum Dare. Something short with a fixed time limit and specs you need to follow. Learn about developing under restrictions, how to get creative in them, how to scope smartly.
November 15, 2025 at 4:37 PM
If you want to start making games, instead of trying to make your magnum opus on your first go, please do some game jams. Ludum Dare. Something short with a fixed time limit and specs you need to follow. Learn about developing under restrictions, how to get creative in them, how to scope smartly.
Reposted by Tom Shea
i can’t believe a good thing happened we should do this more often
November 5, 2025 at 2:26 AM
i can’t believe a good thing happened we should do this more often
Reposted by Tom Shea
“Eating candy corn feels like eating wax”
Yes! Good! Exactly! Do you know how many scented candles I’ve had that I’ve desperately wanted to eat?
Yes! Good! Exactly! Do you know how many scented candles I’ve had that I’ve desperately wanted to eat?
November 1, 2025 at 2:10 AM
“Eating candy corn feels like eating wax”
Yes! Good! Exactly! Do you know how many scented candles I’ve had that I’ve desperately wanted to eat?
Yes! Good! Exactly! Do you know how many scented candles I’ve had that I’ve desperately wanted to eat?
Reposted by Tom Shea
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my works and let me know if you have any questions! 🤗
October 29, 2025 at 9:16 PM
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings. Look on my works and let me know if you have any questions! 🤗
Reposted by Tom Shea
Did a game jam with friends this weekend! I did the music. Page for it is here: ldjam.com/events/ludum...
direct link to game: thristhart.github.io/ld58/
direct link to game: thristhart.github.io/ld58/
ldjam.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Did a game jam with friends this weekend! I did the music. Page for it is here: ldjam.com/events/ludum...
direct link to game: thristhart.github.io/ld58/
direct link to game: thristhart.github.io/ld58/
Reposted by Tom Shea
So I started watching this streamer whose schtick is he dresses up as a scarecrow.
It's pretty good but a little repetitive - he starts every show with hay guise
It's pretty good but a little repetitive - he starts every show with hay guise
September 5, 2025 at 8:48 PM
So I started watching this streamer whose schtick is he dresses up as a scarecrow.
It's pretty good but a little repetitive - he starts every show with hay guise
It's pretty good but a little repetitive - he starts every show with hay guise
Reposted by Tom Shea
BREAKING: Silksong will be out on September 4. Two weeks from today. Really.
Often, games that take 7+ years to make are plagued by mismanagement and painful burnout. But for Silksong? Team Cherry was having a blast. They still are.
This is their story: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Often, games that take 7+ years to make are plagued by mismanagement and painful burnout. But for Silksong? Team Cherry was having a blast. They still are.
This is their story: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Why ‘Silksong’ Took Seven Years to Make
The highly anticipated indie game has been in production for so long that it’s become an internet meme
www.bloomberg.com
August 21, 2025 at 2:35 PM
BREAKING: Silksong will be out on September 4. Two weeks from today. Really.
Often, games that take 7+ years to make are plagued by mismanagement and painful burnout. But for Silksong? Team Cherry was having a blast. They still are.
This is their story: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Often, games that take 7+ years to make are plagued by mismanagement and painful burnout. But for Silksong? Team Cherry was having a blast. They still are.
This is their story: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Reposted by Tom Shea
opening your new game announcement with this is so fucking funny and real
August 19, 2025 at 1:01 PM
opening your new game announcement with this is so fucking funny and real
Reposted by Tom Shea
I left little critiques on lots of game trailers so here's a thread with the most common issues (and additional reading) 🧵
1. Don't put logos at the start. It's just dead air that could be gameplay, which is 100000000X more interesting.
www.derek-lieu.com/blog/2021/3/...
1. Don't put logos at the start. It's just dead air that could be gameplay, which is 100000000X more interesting.
www.derek-lieu.com/blog/2021/3/...
August 17, 2025 at 1:14 PM
I left little critiques on lots of game trailers so here's a thread with the most common issues (and additional reading) 🧵
1. Don't put logos at the start. It's just dead air that could be gameplay, which is 100000000X more interesting.
www.derek-lieu.com/blog/2021/3/...
1. Don't put logos at the start. It's just dead air that could be gameplay, which is 100000000X more interesting.
www.derek-lieu.com/blog/2021/3/...
Reposted by Tom Shea
new for game devs:
w i d e s t o r e
plus a big improvement if you like putting GIFs into your game description.
steamcommunity.com/groups/steam...
w i d e s t o r e
plus a big improvement if you like putting GIFs into your game description.
steamcommunity.com/groups/steam...
Steam :: Steamworks Development :: Beta: Wider store pages; Video support for written game descriptions
Store pages are getting wider and now support uploading video files for your written description
steamcommunity.com
August 16, 2025 at 12:16 AM
new for game devs:
w i d e s t o r e
plus a big improvement if you like putting GIFs into your game description.
steamcommunity.com/groups/steam...
w i d e s t o r e
plus a big improvement if you like putting GIFs into your game description.
steamcommunity.com/groups/steam...
Reposted by Tom Shea
Earlier this year, @steampowered.com started work to make it easier for players to find games with accessibility features. If you haven't yet, take a look at our documentation highlighting how you can display accessibility options your game supports:
partner.steamgames.com/doc/accessib...
partner.steamgames.com/doc/accessib...
Accessibility Features (Steamworks Documentation)
partner.steamgames.com
July 22, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Earlier this year, @steampowered.com started work to make it easier for players to find games with accessibility features. If you haven't yet, take a look at our documentation highlighting how you can display accessibility options your game supports:
partner.steamgames.com/doc/accessib...
partner.steamgames.com/doc/accessib...
Reposted by Tom Shea
I feel like not enough of you heard me tell you that you must read The Tainted Cup so I’m saying it again. two weird detectives in a quasi-Roman fantasy setting with the most interesting magic system I’ve seen in a while uncover murder plot while beset by… fine I’ll call them kaiju
sigh I should really write a Newsletter of Why You Should Read The Tainted Cup but if I do that then I really ought to actually publish my GOTY list from last year first.
July 21, 2025 at 2:53 AM
I feel like not enough of you heard me tell you that you must read The Tainted Cup so I’m saying it again. two weird detectives in a quasi-Roman fantasy setting with the most interesting magic system I’ve seen in a while uncover murder plot while beset by… fine I’ll call them kaiju
Reposted by Tom Shea
Kaizen: A Factory Story is now available on Steam!
Build assembly lines to make toys, electronics, appliances, and more in 1980s Japan. Impress your bosses with your innovative solutions.
store.steampowered.com/app/2275490/...
Look out for weekly bonus puzzles coming your way soon!
Build assembly lines to make toys, electronics, appliances, and more in 1980s Japan. Impress your bosses with your innovative solutions.
store.steampowered.com/app/2275490/...
Look out for weekly bonus puzzles coming your way soon!
Save 10% on Kaizen: A Factory Story on Steam
Kaizen is an open-ended puzzle automation game from the original Zachtronics team, set in 1980s Japan. Design, build, and optimize production lines to create iconic products, like calculators, camcord...
store.steampowered.com
July 14, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Kaizen: A Factory Story is now available on Steam!
Build assembly lines to make toys, electronics, appliances, and more in 1980s Japan. Impress your bosses with your innovative solutions.
store.steampowered.com/app/2275490/...
Look out for weekly bonus puzzles coming your way soon!
Build assembly lines to make toys, electronics, appliances, and more in 1980s Japan. Impress your bosses with your innovative solutions.
store.steampowered.com/app/2275490/...
Look out for weekly bonus puzzles coming your way soon!
18/28, and that was a hard earned score from my long time in the javascript mines. this is a tough one
July 11, 2025 at 6:58 PM
18/28, and that was a hard earned score from my long time in the javascript mines. this is a tough one
The latest steam client beta adds UI Scale, Reduce Motion and High Contrast accessibility settings in the desktop client! Now you can make your UI big and clear on desktop as well as SteamOS. There's still more work to be done but I'm really happy we're doing it. Let me know what you think!
July 9, 2025 at 1:04 AM
The latest steam client beta adds UI Scale, Reduce Motion and High Contrast accessibility settings in the desktop client! Now you can make your UI big and clear on desktop as well as SteamOS. There's still more work to be done but I'm really happy we're doing it. Let me know what you think!
never feel more alienated from my neighbors than on the fourth of july. i am trying to sleep how is it possible that so many people think hours of explosions are acceptable
July 5, 2025 at 6:22 AM
never feel more alienated from my neighbors than on the fourth of july. i am trying to sleep how is it possible that so many people think hours of explosions are acceptable
Reposted by Tom Shea
it’s that time of year again
July 3, 2025 at 11:06 PM
it’s that time of year again
Reposted by Tom Shea
I hate footnotes, especially on the web, and hopefully by the end of this, you will too.
jakearchibald.com/2025/give-fo...
jakearchibald.com/2025/give-fo...
Give footnotes the boot
I hate footnotes, and hopefully by the end of this, you will too.
jakearchibald.com
July 1, 2025 at 3:22 PM
I hate footnotes, especially on the web, and hopefully by the end of this, you will too.
jakearchibald.com/2025/give-fo...
jakearchibald.com/2025/give-fo...
Reposted by Tom Shea
Reposted by Tom Shea
introducing the "puzzle compass," a certifiably correct and statistically proven chart of my infallible opinion
what games need added? let me know, because i am the authority on this purely objective study
#gamedev #indiedev #indiegames #gamestudies
what games need added? let me know, because i am the authority on this purely objective study
#gamedev #indiedev #indiegames #gamestudies
June 24, 2025 at 7:44 PM
introducing the "puzzle compass," a certifiably correct and statistically proven chart of my infallible opinion
what games need added? let me know, because i am the authority on this purely objective study
#gamedev #indiedev #indiegames #gamestudies
what games need added? let me know, because i am the authority on this purely objective study
#gamedev #indiedev #indiegames #gamestudies
I've been working real hard on this for a long time, and there's still more to come. If there's anything Steam can do to be more accessible for you, I want to hear about it! store.steampowered.com/news/app/593...
Steam News - New accessibility settings in Beta - Steam News
Today's Steam Beta update includes new accessibility options in Big Picture Mode, and on devices running SteamOS
store.steampowered.com
June 19, 2025 at 12:52 AM
I've been working real hard on this for a long time, and there's still more to come. If there's anything Steam can do to be more accessible for you, I want to hear about it! store.steampowered.com/news/app/593...
These features are now visible on store pages and as filters in search! store.steampowered.com/news/app/593...
I've been delighted to see how many developers are filling out these tags, and I'm looking forward to sharing more about how we're improving things for users with disabilities on Steam.
I've been delighted to see how many developers are filling out these tags, and I'm looking forward to sharing more about how we're improving things for users with disabilities on Steam.
June 12, 2025 at 9:12 PM
These features are now visible on store pages and as filters in search! store.steampowered.com/news/app/593...
I've been delighted to see how many developers are filling out these tags, and I'm looking forward to sharing more about how we're improving things for users with disabilities on Steam.
I've been delighted to see how many developers are filling out these tags, and I'm looking forward to sharing more about how we're improving things for users with disabilities on Steam.
blue prince is surprising in many delightful ways but I think the thing that is most surprising to me is how good the writing is. I am used to reading correspondence in a puzzle game that is just a vehicle for clues, but the worldbuilding and characterization in blue prince is really good!
May 29, 2025 at 3:52 AM
blue prince is surprising in many delightful ways but I think the thing that is most surprising to me is how good the writing is. I am used to reading correspondence in a puzzle game that is just a vehicle for clues, but the worldbuilding and characterization in blue prince is really good!
Reposted by Tom Shea
ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN | Bring Me to Life Trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot6j...
"When your allies have fallen and all seems lost, dig deep down inside and summon the strength of early 2000’s alternative metal. WAKE ME UP."
"When your allies have fallen and all seems lost, dig deep down inside and summon the strength of early 2000’s alternative metal. WAKE ME UP."
May 28, 2025 at 11:52 PM
ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN | Bring Me to Life Trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot6j...
"When your allies have fallen and all seems lost, dig deep down inside and summon the strength of early 2000’s alternative metal. WAKE ME UP."
"When your allies have fallen and all seems lost, dig deep down inside and summon the strength of early 2000’s alternative metal. WAKE ME UP."
I really like VS Code, but the all-in on LLM junk has made it increasingly clear that the corporate priorities are entirely different from what I want out of a text editor. Refactoring copilot into vscode core is the exact opposite of what I'd prefer. Maybe time to go back to vim
Today, we're announcing plans to make VS Code an open source AI editor.
We believe AI development should stay true to VS Code's core principles: open, collaborative, and community-driven. Let's build the future of software development together.
aka.ms/open-source-...
We believe AI development should stay true to VS Code's core principles: open, collaborative, and community-driven. Let's build the future of software development together.
aka.ms/open-source-...
May 19, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I really like VS Code, but the all-in on LLM junk has made it increasingly clear that the corporate priorities are entirely different from what I want out of a text editor. Refactoring copilot into vscode core is the exact opposite of what I'd prefer. Maybe time to go back to vim