Robin-Yann Storm
@rystorm.com
Freelance Tool Design Director, Workflow Consultant @ https://rystorm.com/
Previously Hytale, Apple, Guerrilla, IO-Interactive, and more. Organizes the Tool Design & OpenUSD Roundtables at GDC.
I get really excited about workflows!
Previously Hytale, Apple, Guerrilla, IO-Interactive, and more. Organizes the Tool Design & OpenUSD Roundtables at GDC.
I get really excited about workflows!
Pinned
Robin-Yann Storm
@rystorm.com
· Jan 7
Consulting — Robin-Yann Storm, Product & UX Designer for Tools
rystorm.com
Do you hear that your tools are frustrating to use? Do you find it hard to find out what your users want? Do you wonder what low hanging UX fruit your pipeline has?
Let me help you answer all your questions, and teach your team how to build great workflows: Book a free call!
rystorm.com/consulting
Let me help you answer all your questions, and teach your team how to build great workflows: Book a free call!
rystorm.com/consulting
So what does "expand its remit" actually mean? Because the Xbox news says this for a couple of studios, and people are interpreting it as a merging, but the last bullet point explicitly says two studios will merge.
So expanding merit can then not mean merge, right?
news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
So expanding merit can then not mean merge, right?
news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
Continuing Our Reset
This message was just sent to Team XBOX employees globally. Team, I’m writing to share several updates as part of the XBOX reset outlined earlier this year. First, we are eliminating 268 roles across ...
news.xbox.com
September 22, 2026 at 2:39 PM
So what does "expand its remit" actually mean? Because the Xbox news says this for a couple of studios, and people are interpreting it as a merging, but the last bullet point explicitly says two studios will merge.
So expanding merit can then not mean merge, right?
news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
So expanding merit can then not mean merge, right?
news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
Do you prefer reading instead of watching? My video about why your tool UI should be customizable, and how "sensible defaults" and "best practices" do not exist, is now available in text format!
rystorm.com/blog/sensible-defaults-best-practices-tool-ui-customisation
Let me know what you think!
rystorm.com/blog/sensible-defaults-best-practices-tool-ui-customisation
Let me know what you think!
September 21, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Do you prefer reading instead of watching? My video about why your tool UI should be customizable, and how "sensible defaults" and "best practices" do not exist, is now available in text format!
rystorm.com/blog/sensible-defaults-best-practices-tool-ui-customisation
Let me know what you think!
rystorm.com/blog/sensible-defaults-best-practices-tool-ui-customisation
Let me know what you think!
Do you prefer reading instead of watching? My video about why your tool UI should be customizable, and how "sensible defaults" and "best practices" do not exist, is now available in text format!
rystorm.com/blog/sensible-defaults-best-practices-tool-ui-customisation
Let me know what you think!
rystorm.com/blog/sensible-defaults-best-practices-tool-ui-customisation
Let me know what you think!
September 21, 2026 at 2:21 PM
Do you prefer reading instead of watching? My video about why your tool UI should be customizable, and how "sensible defaults" and "best practices" do not exist, is now available in text format!
rystorm.com/blog/sensible-defaults-best-practices-tool-ui-customisation
Let me know what you think!
rystorm.com/blog/sensible-defaults-best-practices-tool-ui-customisation
Let me know what you think!
Everyone knows my hesitantance against ‘more clicks’ and defaults, and I hoped that would keep to the software I use at home, but damn it the new payment terminals in The Netherlands are set up with Americanized defaults that ask for a tip!!
15, 18, and 20% tips?! I have to tap it away every time!
15, 18, and 20% tips?! I have to tap it away every time!
September 21, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Everyone knows my hesitantance against ‘more clicks’ and defaults, and I hoped that would keep to the software I use at home, but damn it the new payment terminals in The Netherlands are set up with Americanized defaults that ask for a tip!!
15, 18, and 20% tips?! I have to tap it away every time!
15, 18, and 20% tips?! I have to tap it away every time!
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
Also, while I’m at it in this thread, this also ties into the problem of copycats: bsky.app/profile/matp...
When copycats appear really fast, folks wonder why all games can’t be made that fast.
It’s because a copycat has no problem with indecision. All decisions are already made.
When copycats appear really fast, folks wonder why all games can’t be made that fast.
It’s because a copycat has no problem with indecision. All decisions are already made.
I do not believe I care for this future of video games.
Meccha Chameleon's Steam success has fueled an entire grey market of knock-offs on Roblox.
A lot of the people on the Roblox platfor...
https://kotaku.com/more-people-are-playing-meccha-chameleon-knock-offs-than-the-original-hit-steam-game-as-the-roblox-clone-machine-goes-into-overdrive-2000715371
A lot of the people on the Roblox platfor...
https://kotaku.com/more-people-are-playing-meccha-chameleon-knock-offs-than-the-original-hit-steam-game-as-the-roblox-clone-machine-goes-into-overdrive-2000715371
July 15, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Also, while I’m at it in this thread, this also ties into the problem of copycats: bsky.app/profile/matp...
When copycats appear really fast, folks wonder why all games can’t be made that fast.
It’s because a copycat has no problem with indecision. All decisions are already made.
When copycats appear really fast, folks wonder why all games can’t be made that fast.
It’s because a copycat has no problem with indecision. All decisions are already made.
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
I keep seeing arguments for games being expensive due to hyper realistic expectations for art, or simply lots of art.
What I don’t see is the actual most costly reason: Indecision
Iteration is good, but the yearly rebuilding of entire characters, storylines, and levels, is the most expensive thing
What I don’t see is the actual most costly reason: Indecision
Iteration is good, but the yearly rebuilding of entire characters, storylines, and levels, is the most expensive thing
Many factors at play here - not the least of which is higher-ups (in their infinite wisdom) not being able to commit to anything, or knowing good from bad
All the while the economy at large expects the profit line go infinitely up, absolutely ignoring its undeniable tendency to do the opposite
All the while the economy at large expects the profit line go infinitely up, absolutely ignoring its undeniable tendency to do the opposite
July 15, 2026 at 3:16 PM
I keep seeing arguments for games being expensive due to hyper realistic expectations for art, or simply lots of art.
What I don’t see is the actual most costly reason: Indecision
Iteration is good, but the yearly rebuilding of entire characters, storylines, and levels, is the most expensive thing
What I don’t see is the actual most costly reason: Indecision
Iteration is good, but the yearly rebuilding of entire characters, storylines, and levels, is the most expensive thing
I’m at the @untitledgamesevent.bsky.social right now, and apparently the Rijksmuseum has nearly 400 boardgames in its collection?! I had no idea, I would’ve loved to have seen some of these on display
(cc @whilhorst.bsky.social)
(cc @whilhorst.bsky.social)
September 20, 2026 at 3:39 PM
I’m at the @untitledgamesevent.bsky.social right now, and apparently the Rijksmuseum has nearly 400 boardgames in its collection?! I had no idea, I would’ve loved to have seen some of these on display
(cc @whilhorst.bsky.social)
(cc @whilhorst.bsky.social)
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
too many people treat the maxim of “game dev is an iterative process” as meaning “we should salt the earth every time we have a new idea” rather than “let’s explore and improve the ideas we already agreed on”
no game dev skill is more important than making up your fuckin mind
September 20, 2026 at 10:21 AM
too many people treat the maxim of “game dev is an iterative process” as meaning “we should salt the earth every time we have a new idea” rather than “let’s explore and improve the ideas we already agreed on”
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
no game dev skill is more important than making up your fuckin mind
September 20, 2026 at 2:37 AM
no game dev skill is more important than making up your fuckin mind
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
Sensible Defaults do not exist, and neither do Best Practices.
New video: youtu.be/deKtxzvf92g
Whenever next anyone asks me what 'Sensible Default' to use, or what the 'Best Practices' are, I will link this video. It explains my arguments, includes examples, and hopefully finally puts it to rest.
New video: youtu.be/deKtxzvf92g
Whenever next anyone asks me what 'Sensible Default' to use, or what the 'Best Practices' are, I will link this video. It explains my arguments, includes examples, and hopefully finally puts it to rest.
Tool Design: Customizing workflows without 'Sensible Defaults'
YouTube video by Robin-Yann Storm
youtu.be
September 14, 2026 at 2:17 PM
Sensible Defaults do not exist, and neither do Best Practices.
New video: youtu.be/deKtxzvf92g
Whenever next anyone asks me what 'Sensible Default' to use, or what the 'Best Practices' are, I will link this video. It explains my arguments, includes examples, and hopefully finally puts it to rest.
New video: youtu.be/deKtxzvf92g
Whenever next anyone asks me what 'Sensible Default' to use, or what the 'Best Practices' are, I will link this video. It explains my arguments, includes examples, and hopefully finally puts it to rest.
GDC acceptance and denial emails have been sent out. I've got 3 acceptances, one denial!
If all goes well with travel, I'll be doing 3 Tool Design Roundtables, 2 OpenUSD Roundtables, and a talk titled: "What is OpenUSD, and why should I care?"
If all goes well with travel, I'll be doing 3 Tool Design Roundtables, 2 OpenUSD Roundtables, and a talk titled: "What is OpenUSD, and why should I care?"
September 18, 2026 at 9:03 PM
GDC acceptance and denial emails have been sent out. I've got 3 acceptances, one denial!
If all goes well with travel, I'll be doing 3 Tool Design Roundtables, 2 OpenUSD Roundtables, and a talk titled: "What is OpenUSD, and why should I care?"
If all goes well with travel, I'll be doing 3 Tool Design Roundtables, 2 OpenUSD Roundtables, and a talk titled: "What is OpenUSD, and why should I care?"
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
Technically a modding team worked on that (Kinggath)
Fund modders and your modders will make you money!
Forever games through UGC are the real winner of the GAAS wars. Retirement homes WILL be an active target audience in a decade or two.
Fund modders and your modders will make you money!
Forever games through UGC are the real winner of the GAAS wars. Retirement homes WILL be an active target audience in a decade or two.
September 18, 2026 at 4:19 PM
Technically a modding team worked on that (Kinggath)
Fund modders and your modders will make you money!
Forever games through UGC are the real winner of the GAAS wars. Retirement homes WILL be an active target audience in a decade or two.
Fund modders and your modders will make you money!
Forever games through UGC are the real winner of the GAAS wars. Retirement homes WILL be an active target audience in a decade or two.
On one hand I hate corporate jargon, on the other hand my job is literally to synergize workflows between cross-functional teams.
September 18, 2026 at 3:46 PM
On one hand I hate corporate jargon, on the other hand my job is literally to synergize workflows between cross-functional teams.
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
When folks say they have 10x'd their productivity with AI, most of the time this is what is actually happening:
May 29, 2026 at 1:30 PM
When folks say they have 10x'd their productivity with AI, most of the time this is what is actually happening:
When I have to upload an image, but now it's no longer just one click to open up a file explorer and find it.
Oh no, no no.
It's a context menu of options now, because they had to fit in the option to 'generate an image' as well, instead of just uploading an existing image.
I hate it so much.
Oh no, no no.
It's a context menu of options now, because they had to fit in the option to 'generate an image' as well, instead of just uploading an existing image.
I hate it so much.
September 18, 2026 at 2:58 PM
When I have to upload an image, but now it's no longer just one click to open up a file explorer and find it.
Oh no, no no.
It's a context menu of options now, because they had to fit in the option to 'generate an image' as well, instead of just uploading an existing image.
I hate it so much.
Oh no, no no.
It's a context menu of options now, because they had to fit in the option to 'generate an image' as well, instead of just uploading an existing image.
I hate it so much.
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
Thank you @rystorm.com for coming and talking to us for our studio's September Lunch and Learn! We learned so much from the tools design masterclass and appreciate your time to answer our questions and help us improve our workflows. 👍
September 18, 2026 at 7:39 AM
Thank you @rystorm.com for coming and talking to us for our studio's September Lunch and Learn! We learned so much from the tools design masterclass and appreciate your time to answer our questions and help us improve our workflows. 👍
Reposted by Robin-Yann Storm
The square eisenhower matrix
The round venn diagram
The project management triangle
The double diamond
Boring. We have all seen these so many times. Why can't we invent some new ones, like:
The torus of timelines
The tesseract of accountability
The octagon of alignment
The cone of product
The round venn diagram
The project management triangle
The double diamond
Boring. We have all seen these so many times. Why can't we invent some new ones, like:
The torus of timelines
The tesseract of accountability
The octagon of alignment
The cone of product
June 13, 2026 at 9:25 AM
The square eisenhower matrix
The round venn diagram
The project management triangle
The double diamond
Boring. We have all seen these so many times. Why can't we invent some new ones, like:
The torus of timelines
The tesseract of accountability
The octagon of alignment
The cone of product
The round venn diagram
The project management triangle
The double diamond
Boring. We have all seen these so many times. Why can't we invent some new ones, like:
The torus of timelines
The tesseract of accountability
The octagon of alignment
The cone of product
Through the grapevine of the very small game industry, I heard that originally people who got interviewed were told Bulkhead was a 4 day workweek studio.
So I checked the wayback machine, and yeah. They used to advertise a 4 day workweek: web.archive.org/web/20250408...
I wonder what happened.
So I checked the wayback machine, and yeah. They used to advertise a 4 day workweek: web.archive.org/web/20250408...
I wonder what happened.
September 16, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Through the grapevine of the very small game industry, I heard that originally people who got interviewed were told Bulkhead was a 4 day workweek studio.
So I checked the wayback machine, and yeah. They used to advertise a 4 day workweek: web.archive.org/web/20250408...
I wonder what happened.
So I checked the wayback machine, and yeah. They used to advertise a 4 day workweek: web.archive.org/web/20250408...
I wonder what happened.
*beededededoop* Sam. It’s me, Deep Heat Man. Wanted to let you know there are Pain Relief Patches in your inventory. You can apply them anytime. Press the shoulder buttons to apply them to your back. You can apply a big patch, or a small patch, depending on how much pain you feel.
September 16, 2026 at 2:37 PM
*beededededoop* Sam. It’s me, Deep Heat Man. Wanted to let you know there are Pain Relief Patches in your inventory. You can apply them anytime. Press the shoulder buttons to apply them to your back. You can apply a big patch, or a small patch, depending on how much pain you feel.
The posts of Kojima's content on bluesky never include any text, which makes it a fun scavenger hunt for context.
He looks happy, there are other people around all giving a thumbs up, there is a miniature door of some kind, and it's related to OD?
I wonder what the door is for.
He looks happy, there are other people around all giving a thumbs up, there is a miniature door of some kind, and it's related to OD?
I wonder what the door is for.
September 16, 2026 at 10:14 AM
The posts of Kojima's content on bluesky never include any text, which makes it a fun scavenger hunt for context.
He looks happy, there are other people around all giving a thumbs up, there is a miniature door of some kind, and it's related to OD?
I wonder what the door is for.
He looks happy, there are other people around all giving a thumbs up, there is a miniature door of some kind, and it's related to OD?
I wonder what the door is for.
There is also a less nefarious one: M&E, Media and Entertainment. Many companies organize their games devrel with that name, and it's no good.
Game development is such a unique beast that it requires its own way of thinking, although the devrels of games and M&E should be in close contact.
Game development is such a unique beast that it requires its own way of thinking, although the devrels of games and M&E should be in close contact.
Everyone who calls the games industry 'gaming industry' is unwittingly adopting the successful strategy of the gambling industry to make it seems digital games and gambling are the same; with the intent to fall under more lax regulations
Stop them from piggybacking on our medium. We're making games
Stop them from piggybacking on our medium. We're making games
September 16, 2026 at 9:10 AM
There is also a less nefarious one: M&E, Media and Entertainment. Many companies organize their games devrel with that name, and it's no good.
Game development is such a unique beast that it requires its own way of thinking, although the devrels of games and M&E should be in close contact.
Game development is such a unique beast that it requires its own way of thinking, although the devrels of games and M&E should be in close contact.
Vampirium 1997 is a game that asks: What if Hitman was a vampire?
And then proceeds to hit everyone over the head with a fire extinguisher
And then proceeds to hit everyone over the head with a fire extinguisher
September 15, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Vampirium 1997 is a game that asks: What if Hitman was a vampire?
And then proceeds to hit everyone over the head with a fire extinguisher
And then proceeds to hit everyone over the head with a fire extinguisher
Behold, the power of UGC
September 14, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Behold, the power of UGC
Sensible Defaults do not exist, and neither do Best Practices.
New video: youtu.be/deKtxzvf92g
Whenever next anyone asks me what 'Sensible Default' to use, or what the 'Best Practices' are, I will link this video. It explains my arguments, includes examples, and hopefully finally puts it to rest.
New video: youtu.be/deKtxzvf92g
Whenever next anyone asks me what 'Sensible Default' to use, or what the 'Best Practices' are, I will link this video. It explains my arguments, includes examples, and hopefully finally puts it to rest.
Tool Design: Customizing workflows without 'Sensible Defaults'
YouTube video by Robin-Yann Storm
youtu.be
September 14, 2026 at 2:17 PM
Sensible Defaults do not exist, and neither do Best Practices.
New video: youtu.be/deKtxzvf92g
Whenever next anyone asks me what 'Sensible Default' to use, or what the 'Best Practices' are, I will link this video. It explains my arguments, includes examples, and hopefully finally puts it to rest.
New video: youtu.be/deKtxzvf92g
Whenever next anyone asks me what 'Sensible Default' to use, or what the 'Best Practices' are, I will link this video. It explains my arguments, includes examples, and hopefully finally puts it to rest.