Latest Comments by Johnologue
Open source RTS game Beyond All Reason signs publishing deal with Hooded Horse
17 Jun 2026 at 9:27 pm UTC
17 Jun 2026 at 9:27 pm UTC
I saw this after having not checked in on BAR for a while. Was surprised, but their reasoning made sense and I'm looking forward to what they make.
Not exactly the same situation, but the Dwarf Fortress Steam version with Kitfox has given me a lot of hope for deals like this, so long as the devs are careful/picky, the terms are well-planned, and the publisher is respectful. That seems to be what's happening here.
I haven't checked, but I'd expect that the community is still allowed to make their own single-player campaign based on the open source base game.
Not exactly the same situation, but the Dwarf Fortress Steam version with Kitfox has given me a lot of hope for deals like this, so long as the devs are careful/picky, the terms are well-planned, and the publisher is respectful. That seems to be what's happening here.
I haven't checked, but I'd expect that the community is still allowed to make their own single-player campaign based on the open source base game.
SteamVR 2.16 arrives with a number of Linux fixes for VR fans
3 Jun 2026 at 9:23 am UTC Likes: 5
3 Jun 2026 at 9:23 am UTC Likes: 5
Quoting: GerarderloperStream Frame is going to be real expensive!I can't wait to find out how affordable it might've been. You know. If we were allowed to have RAM.
The owners of Fandom and Gamespot want to acquire Balatro publisher Playstack
31 May 2026 at 12:20 am UTC
31 May 2026 at 12:20 am UTC
I will add that I didn't even realize Fandom was on that list. Fandom is a plague, and I don't doubt for a second that this will be terrible for Playstack. Remember and tell people that there are browser extensions that provide redirects to better indie wikis if they exist.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney throws shade at Valve / Gabe Newell for Steam Deck pricing
29 May 2026 at 5:52 pm UTC Likes: 2
29 May 2026 at 5:52 pm UTC Likes: 2
As always, Tim Sweeny has an advantage in criticizing Valve's products and services by simply not attempting to make anything at all.
"Guess what Ford, my company DOESN'T sell overpriced SUVs! Jim Farley? More like Jim Fartley, am I right gamers?"
Yeah Tim, we know. Now go back to giving out free games that people don't play and laying off people who might've caused your products and services to improve someday when you realize you're losing money for some reason.
"Guess what Ford, my company DOESN'T sell overpriced SUVs! Jim Farley? More like Jim Fartley, am I right gamers?"
Yeah Tim, we know. Now go back to giving out free games that people don't play and laying off people who might've caused your products and services to improve someday when you realize you're losing money for some reason.
Flathub moves to ban nearly all apps and submissions made with generative AI
29 May 2026 at 5:44 pm UTC
My current leaning is that it seems like LLM-based coding systems have a useful future. The problem is social/human. Corporations using it to gain power in extremely harmful ways...and individuals who have decided that simply using AI makes them superior to people with genuine skill/practice. They're more an extension of "AI artists" than they are "AI coders".
It is sensible and necessary to filter out AI submissions as a whole at this time.
I suppose this is also a good opportunity for Flatpak as a format. If an AI-based project distinguishes itself, people don't need to wait for Flathub to package/access it as a Flatpak, because they can be distributed outside of that centralized "app store". It raises a social barrier, but one that can be overcome.
29 May 2026 at 5:44 pm UTC
I know it's an unpopular opinion on the Fediverse, but I do think LLMs are inevitable, and the reality is that you can expect less organically grown code as time goes on. I believe it can be a useful tool in and outside FOSS; I hoped we will see a larger number of apps where authors made some effort beyond prompting an agent. Meanwhile, the number of unpleasant interactions I've had with entitled submitters acting as if they were bestowing their brilliant software upon us idiots who are rejecting it went through the roof in the last month. I'm tired.I think "LLMs are inevitable" is a terrible phrasing for a lot of reasons (it's like the "communism is great on paper, but..." thing - not about the stance, it's that people repeat this generic phrasing that doesn't actually make sense!), but I basically agree.
My current leaning is that it seems like LLM-based coding systems have a useful future. The problem is social/human. Corporations using it to gain power in extremely harmful ways...and individuals who have decided that simply using AI makes them superior to people with genuine skill/practice. They're more an extension of "AI artists" than they are "AI coders".
It is sensible and necessary to filter out AI submissions as a whole at this time.
I suppose this is also a good opportunity for Flatpak as a format. If an AI-based project distinguishes itself, people don't need to wait for Flathub to package/access it as a Flatpak, because they can be distributed outside of that centralized "app store". It raises a social barrier, but one that can be overcome.
The owners of Fandom and Gamespot want to acquire Balatro publisher Playstack
29 May 2026 at 5:12 pm UTC Likes: 14
29 May 2026 at 5:12 pm UTC Likes: 14
Nooooo!
Another damn acquisition to ruin something.
Another damn acquisition to ruin something.
...this is a change in ownership rather than a change in who we are.Yes, but a change in ownership means that someone else now has the authority to change who you are. This step is not the only part where change can happen.
Colorado and California age verification bills exempt open source operating systems
25 May 2026 at 6:07 pm UTC
25 May 2026 at 6:07 pm UTC
Mixed news, and it will definitely quiet/reduce urgency for free software advocates.
Slightly good for us (who were probably going to fight/break it at every opportunity anyways), but more good for age verification.
Slightly good for us (who were probably going to fight/break it at every opportunity anyways), but more good for age verification.
Valve attempt to get the New York lootbox lawsuit dismissed as "People enjoy surprises"
22 May 2026 at 6:55 pm UTC Likes: 7
22 May 2026 at 6:55 pm UTC Likes: 7
"People love surprises"
Yeah, there's actually a name for entertainment based on spending money to receive a surprise reward. It's called gambling, and every tech company likes pretending they invented it.
Yeah, there's actually a name for entertainment based on spending money to receive a surprise reward. It's called gambling, and every tech company likes pretending they invented it.
Valve make adjustments to Steam tags, and they settled the Vampire Survivor-like argument with Bullet Heaven
19 May 2026 at 7:38 am UTC Likes: 1
19 May 2026 at 7:38 am UTC Likes: 1
Seems like a good list of changes to me.
EVE Online developer goes independent as Fenris Creations, partners up with Google DeepMind
7 May 2026 at 6:38 pm UTC Likes: 3
7 May 2026 at 6:38 pm UTC Likes: 3
I've said that AI people have more to learn from game developers than game developers have to learn from AI people. Sounds like the relationship is at least in the correct direction.