Nick Carver
@nickcarver.bsky.social
Artist & developer making a cool thing with cool people. Prev: Riot, Blizzard, Epic, Heart Machine, Phoenix Labs, Wildlife, FRD. Inventor of the Crumpwich.
Pinned
Nick Carver
@nickcarver.bsky.social
· Jul 8
Hey #PortfolioDay
I do concepts, assets, art direction and real-time look dev for games &animation.
I do concepts, assets, art direction and real-time look dev for games &animation.
Reposted by Nick Carver
Reposted by Nick Carver
Grim Fandango (LucasArts) was released 28 years ago today.
A masterpiece.
A masterpiece.
Grim Fandango Manny Calavera
Alt: Grim Fandango Manny Calavera
static.klipy.com
October 30, 2026 at 10:24 AM
Grim Fandango (LucasArts) was released 28 years ago today.
A masterpiece.
A masterpiece.
Reposted by Nick Carver
Trying to work through feeling pretty rotten today (can't seem to get out of a slump/flare/crash) so here are some pictures to look at while I slog at the brain mines.
Huts I have loved before... etc
#Photography
Huts I have loved before... etc
#Photography
October 27, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Trying to work through feeling pretty rotten today (can't seem to get out of a slump/flare/crash) so here are some pictures to look at while I slog at the brain mines.
Huts I have loved before... etc
#Photography
Huts I have loved before... etc
#Photography
Reposted by Nick Carver
Last I'll post about this, but Elon Musk disagrees with me. This means I am onto something, and I feel more valid in my opinion than ever.
October 19, 2026 at 8:43 AM
Last I'll post about this, but Elon Musk disagrees with me. This means I am onto something, and I feel more valid in my opinion than ever.
Reposted by Nick Carver
You've seen fireworks that look like jellyfish, but what about a jellyfish that looks like fireworks?
The E/V Nautilus filmed this rare Halitrephes maasi jellyfish glowing like a firework at a depth of 4,019 feet (1,225 meters) off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.
(📷: Ocean Exploration Trust)
The E/V Nautilus filmed this rare Halitrephes maasi jellyfish glowing like a firework at a depth of 4,019 feet (1,225 meters) off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.
(📷: Ocean Exploration Trust)
October 1, 2026 at 12:48 PM
You've seen fireworks that look like jellyfish, but what about a jellyfish that looks like fireworks?
The E/V Nautilus filmed this rare Halitrephes maasi jellyfish glowing like a firework at a depth of 4,019 feet (1,225 meters) off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.
(📷: Ocean Exploration Trust)
The E/V Nautilus filmed this rare Halitrephes maasi jellyfish glowing like a firework at a depth of 4,019 feet (1,225 meters) off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.
(📷: Ocean Exploration Trust)
Reposted by Nick Carver
I've switched tactics from calling "llms are sentient beings" nitwits stupid to agreeing with them and saying "yeah!! Furbies too!!!" and they get so much madder lmao
October 15, 2026 at 8:47 PM
I've switched tactics from calling "llms are sentient beings" nitwits stupid to agreeing with them and saying "yeah!! Furbies too!!!" and they get so much madder lmao
Reposted by Nick Carver
Another landscape study, photo by @krasgar.com
October 8, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Another landscape study, photo by @krasgar.com
Reposted by Nick Carver
vehicles, mecha and other stuff for #portfolioday
October 14, 2026 at 10:50 AM
vehicles, mecha and other stuff for #portfolioday
Reposted by Nick Carver
I also find it incredibly useful to write a crucial scene with a new character’s dialogue in it to find their voice, or to write phrases that they’d say into their bio. Once you have the flavour of how they speak, it’s so much easier to find them as a person
The Cartoon Network leak revealed that the team actually wrote fake interviews for the Powerpuff Girls in-house so that the writers could understand them better and honestly this is incredibly useful for learning how to characterize your characters holy shit
October 13, 2026 at 9:58 PM
I also find it incredibly useful to write a crucial scene with a new character’s dialogue in it to find their voice, or to write phrases that they’d say into their bio. Once you have the flavour of how they speak, it’s so much easier to find them as a person
Reposted by Nick Carver
Hello! I will be available for game direction, writing and design work from next month for the first time in a very long time. If you enjoy any of the games listed in my portfolio here, please do get in touch at caraellison at gmail caraellison.co.uk/divebar/about/
C:\Cara Ellison\about\
caraellison.co.uk
October 6, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Hello! I will be available for game direction, writing and design work from next month for the first time in a very long time. If you enjoy any of the games listed in my portfolio here, please do get in touch at caraellison at gmail caraellison.co.uk/divebar/about/
Reposted by Nick Carver
the stupid thing was: the consumer games press DID have unethical marketing mouthpiece relationships with the industry. the e3 / spike tv / actiblizz / doritogate conglomerate and the payola-dominated masculine corporate culture had a stranglehold on what got made and how it could be discussed --
October 13, 2026 at 9:13 PM
the stupid thing was: the consumer games press DID have unethical marketing mouthpiece relationships with the industry. the e3 / spike tv / actiblizz / doritogate conglomerate and the payola-dominated masculine corporate culture had a stranglehold on what got made and how it could be discussed --
Reposted by Nick Carver
Reposted by Nick Carver
NEW: Unity is automatically opting Asset Store creators into supporting its generative AI platform, Unity Spark, via a process called 'itemisation.'
One dev told Vertical Slice the process should be "opt-in instead of opt-out" and said they are firmly against genAI.
One dev told Vertical Slice the process should be "opt-in instead of opt-out" and said they are firmly against genAI.
Unity opting Asset Store creators into new generative AI platform by default
"I'm firmly against AI and I won't use Unity Spark ever, so I am not okay with them using my assets for this."
www.verticalslice.news
October 12, 2026 at 10:11 AM
NEW: Unity is automatically opting Asset Store creators into supporting its generative AI platform, Unity Spark, via a process called 'itemisation.'
One dev told Vertical Slice the process should be "opt-in instead of opt-out" and said they are firmly against genAI.
One dev told Vertical Slice the process should be "opt-in instead of opt-out" and said they are firmly against genAI.
Reposted by Nick Carver
New working paper: the Norwegian wealth tax was a huge success. The "exodus" of wealthy people never happened (less than 100 individuals left). Tax revenue increased by 71.5%. No changes in business activity or investment.
www.nber.org/papers/w35854
www.nber.org/papers/w35854
October 9, 2026 at 4:54 PM
New working paper: the Norwegian wealth tax was a huge success. The "exodus" of wealthy people never happened (less than 100 individuals left). Tax revenue increased by 71.5%. No changes in business activity or investment.
www.nber.org/papers/w35854
www.nber.org/papers/w35854
Reposted by Nick Carver
Reposted by Nick Carver
environment studies
October 7, 2026 at 5:43 PM
environment studies
Every single one of these 'Made By Humans' videos from Laika is an absolute delight. I encourage everyone to check them out:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po6x...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po6x...
Using Visual Effects in the World of Stop Motion Animation
YouTube video by LAIKA Studios
www.youtube.com
October 5, 2026 at 9:17 AM
Every single one of these 'Made By Humans' videos from Laika is an absolute delight. I encourage everyone to check them out:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po6x...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po6x...
Reposted by Nick Carver
- "I Saw a Flying Saucer" demo (a slightly older version)
- no new merchandise; clearance sale
- free flyers
- hands-on experience where you can take photos of in-game scenery
- no new merchandise; clearance sale
- free flyers
- hands-on experience where you can take photos of in-game scenery
October 2, 2026 at 5:52 AM
- "I Saw a Flying Saucer" demo (a slightly older version)
- no new merchandise; clearance sale
- free flyers
- hands-on experience where you can take photos of in-game scenery
- no new merchandise; clearance sale
- free flyers
- hands-on experience where you can take photos of in-game scenery
Someone saying they're doing a 'totally blind playthrough' of a game when it's blatantly not the case is one of my most pettest of peeves.
Bloke playing Bloodborne and fighting a boss for the 'first' time: 'Almost at the second phase!'🤔
Bloke playing Bloodborne and fighting a boss for the 'first' time: 'Almost at the second phase!'🤔
September 30, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Someone saying they're doing a 'totally blind playthrough' of a game when it's blatantly not the case is one of my most pettest of peeves.
Bloke playing Bloodborne and fighting a boss for the 'first' time: 'Almost at the second phase!'🤔
Bloke playing Bloodborne and fighting a boss for the 'first' time: 'Almost at the second phase!'🤔
Reposted by Nick Carver
We're hiring! We're looking for a Writer and Narrative Designer to join the Fallen London team at a senior or mid level.
This position is permanent, remote, and full time, which for us means 35 hours a week.
#GamesJobs
This position is permanent, remote, and full time, which for us means 35 hours a week.
#GamesJobs
September 30, 2026 at 9:31 AM
We're hiring! We're looking for a Writer and Narrative Designer to join the Fallen London team at a senior or mid level.
This position is permanent, remote, and full time, which for us means 35 hours a week.
#GamesJobs
This position is permanent, remote, and full time, which for us means 35 hours a week.
#GamesJobs
Reposted by Nick Carver
in the age of AI, making art is a radical act
September 24, 2026 at 7:11 AM
in the age of AI, making art is a radical act
Reposted by Nick Carver
In recent years, the media has quietly begun to change the way in which it writes about Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard.
PMG investigates how Kotick used the threat of defamation to reshape his legacy in the games business, one article at a time.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwp...
PMG investigates how Kotick used the threat of defamation to reshape his legacy in the games business, one article at a time.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwp...
Inside Bobby Kotick's Campaign Against the Press
YouTube video by People Make Games
www.youtube.com
September 24, 2026 at 2:30 PM
In recent years, the media has quietly begun to change the way in which it writes about Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard.
PMG investigates how Kotick used the threat of defamation to reshape his legacy in the games business, one article at a time.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwp...
PMG investigates how Kotick used the threat of defamation to reshape his legacy in the games business, one article at a time.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwp...
Reposted by Nick Carver
Hey there friends! Unfortunately, I was among those impacted by layoffs at Heart Machine last week. If you or someone you know is looking for an experienced Unreal Engine Technical Artist, I'm available for full time, part time, or contract opportunities.
September 23, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Hey there friends! Unfortunately, I was among those impacted by layoffs at Heart Machine last week. If you or someone you know is looking for an experienced Unreal Engine Technical Artist, I'm available for full time, part time, or contract opportunities.
Reposted by Nick Carver
Grey Eagle Street, London E1
Red brick building with former shop front with gated windows and graffiti and murals.
#reference #materialreference #buildingreference
Red brick building with former shop front with gated windows and graffiti and murals.
#reference #materialreference #buildingreference
September 22, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Grey Eagle Street, London E1
Red brick building with former shop front with gated windows and graffiti and murals.
#reference #materialreference #buildingreference
Red brick building with former shop front with gated windows and graffiti and murals.
#reference #materialreference #buildingreference
Reposted by Nick Carver
Stephen King. Born today in 1947.
September 21, 2026 at 10:51 AM
Stephen King. Born today in 1947.