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Alan Zucconi

@alanzucconi.com

2.5K followers 117 following 128 posts

Director of Studies at Goldsmiths, UoL • Senior Lecturer • Game AI • Game Developer • Shader Master • Content Creator

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Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 12/01/2026

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 26/12/2025

Once you’ve finished binging Stranger Things, why not use the holiday break to learn game AI programming? 😎 If you’re up for the challenge, I made a 20+ hour course covering everything from theory to practice! 🧑‍💻 (Oh, and there’s a cheeky 50% discount in the next tweet! 🎁👇)

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 25/12/2025

Let me introduce you to Drew's Campfire's channel, about elusive and interesting science and math concepts. ✨ Their video on the chaotic nature of double pendulum features some REALLY good animations! 😎

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 25/11/2025

My documentary about the World Generation of #Minecraft has reached 2M views. For a small channel like mine, this feels such a big achievement. ✨ Thank you so much for all the love and support! 🤗

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 05/09/2025

A not-so gentle introduction to Orbital Mechanics! 🪐 My longest article is finally out! 📜 80 pages of interactive diagrams, for a deep dive into the fascinating topic of gravity simulations, Keplerian orbits, and orbital elements! 🚀 www.alanzucconi.com/2025/09/04/o...

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 28/08/2025

And being able to see different planetary systems side-to-side helps SOOO! much! 👇📏

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 28/08/2025

If you're interested in exoplanets, I've just update the catalogue on my site! 🪐 Where you can see *ALL* the confirmed exoplanetary systems in their full glory! 😎 📏 Up to scale 🌡️ Planet temperatures 💧 Habitable zones ☀️ Stellar types 🪐 Orbit shapes www.alanzucconi.com/2016/01/20/e...

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 09/08/2025

I'm working on a new explorable article! 🤩 It will cover one of the topics I'm most passionate about: orbital mechanics. 🚀 Get ready for a full derivation of the equations that govern the Keplerian orbits, with full code! 🪐 Is there anything you'd like to see covered? 📃

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 26/01/2025

So I've heard you're at the @globalgamejam.bsky.social... but does your local site have ACTUAL bubbles? 😏🫧🫧🫧 #GGJ25

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 19/01/2025

GUYS IT'S REAL!!!

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 01/01/2025

New year, new tutorial. Can you guess what I'm working? 🤓

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 23/12/2024

Make learning Game AI your New Year's resolution. 🎮 This online course covers everything you need to know about classical Game AI, from theory to practice. 🤖 And it's 50% until January! 🎟️👇 alanzucconi.thinkific.com/courses/game...

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 22/12/2024

"UK government considering allowing tech companies to train AI on copyrighted content"

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 09/12/2024

There's a horror game that's impossible to screenshot! 📸 Branta Games used a clever noise shader to ensure that the relevant part of their games can only be perceived while the game is being actively played. If you screenshot it, it'll just look like random noise!

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 08/12/2024

A gentle reminder that Johnathon Selstad has compiled one of the best libraries of mathematical tools for Unity. 📊 Inverse kinematics, Bézier functions, Kalman filters, soft bodies, and much more. If you are a game developer, this is a game-changer! 👇 github.com/zalo/MathUti...

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 06/12/2024

software engineering is my passion ✨

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 30/11/2024

There's no more doubt that braintruffle is one of my favourite creators right now. 🪐 The level of detail that goes into any of their videos is simply insane. If you are fascinated by space and gravity like I am, I'd highly suggesting subscribing to their channel! 👇

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 29/11/2024

If you're looking to learn Game AI, I published a course which covers both theory and practice. 🤖🎮 From Behaviour Trees to Neural Networks, including two coding assignments and eight C#/Unity libraries free for your projects! 📦 Oh, and it's 50% off for Black Friday! 🖤🛒🛍️

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 23/11/2024

If you know you know 🥹✨ #Arcane

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 19/11/2024

Uncovering the 2b2t server spawn in Minecraft ⛏️

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 18/11/2024

#Arcane is one of the most innovative series I've seen in recent years. Its exquisite technical execution blends both 2D and 3D elements to perfection. 🤩 And after seeing how a lot of the references were made, I have an even deeper respect for its animators. ✨ (link to the full article below 👇)

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 17/11/2024

Uncovering a Trail Chamber in Minecraft 🗝️

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 16/11/2024

I honestly wished I had the chance to attend more talks! If you attend the AI and Games Conference 2024, what were your favourite talks? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 😊 (Bonus pic: my favourite pic of the entire event, featuring @georgeosborn.bsky.social bringing energy to the event! 💪)

George Osborn at the AI and Games Conference 2024

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 16/11/2024

Quentin Theillaud and Martina Johannesson talked about @unity3d.bsky.social's new direction in Generative AI, with the introduction of Muse. ✨ It's a promising approach, and I would love to see how Unity overcomes the many challenges posed by GenAI.

Quentin Theillaud and Martina Johannesson talking about Unity Muse at the AI and Games Conference 2024.

Martina Johannesson talking about Unity Muse at the AI and Games Conference 2024.

A panel about the future of AI in videogames, at the AI and Games Conference 2024

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 16/11/2024

Christoph Salge, one of the academics behind the Generative Design in Minecraft Competition (GDMC), talked about how AI has been used over the years to create realistic, functional, and story-driven settlements in Minecraft.

Christoph Salge speaking at the AI and Games Conference 2024

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Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 16/11/2024

Rachel Dong from Riot Games gave one of the most accessible talks at the AI and Games Conference. She explained how Large Language Models can be used to power narrative-driven games, clearly showing not just what they excel at, but also what they should not be used for.

Rachel Dong at the AI and Games Conference 2024

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 16/11/2024

As one of @videocultmedia.bsky.social's oldest fan, my number one talk was the one about "Rainworld"! 🐌😺 Joar and James were very passionate and entertaining, honestly covering both the extasy and agony of emergent behaviours. This is what peak indie game development should be. 👏

A talk about Rainworld at the AI and Games Conference 2024

Joar Jakobsson and James Therrien talking about Rainworld at the AI and Games Conference 2024

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 16/11/2024

Last week I helped organising the first "AI and Games Conference" with @aiandgames.bsky.social & friends. It was such an incredible experience, and I'm really glad we had a chance to make it! Unfortunately I couldn't attend all the talks, but these are some of my highlights... 🧵👇

Tommy Thompson opening the AI and Games Conference 2024

The AI and Games Conference 2024

The organisers at the end of the AI and Games Conference 2024

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 15/11/2024

The atmosphere of my game.

A broken shader

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 15/11/2024

Between 1996 and 2001, the Creatures series had three major releases, one expansion and two children’s games. “Docking Station”, the latest to be released, connected all players’ worlds via portals that the creatures themselves could use freely, travelling from world to world, across the Internet.

A norn going through a portal in Docking Station

The room in Docking Station that allows players to configure portals.

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 15/11/2024

The decision making of each creature was performed by a primitive neural network, which loosely maps to a modern feed-forward multilayer perceptron. Creatures used experienced-based learning to strengthen useful connections, such as "When I am HUNGRY and FOOD is NEAR ME, I should EAT".

The brain structure of a Norn.

The brain of a Creatures, seen a as a modern feed-forward multilayer percepton.

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 15/11/2024

"Creatures 4" made an attempt at introducing a living Shee as part of its tutorial. Later renamed to "Creatures Online", the project was eventually put on hold on 2015. Probably for the best, since it was planned to be a free-to-play game. 😬

Art box for Creatures 4

A living Shee, as seen in Creatures 4/Creatures Online

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 15/11/2024

Technically, the game hints at a fourth race: the Shee. According to the game lore, they were the creators of all other species, and their entire technology was based on bioengineering.

Art box for Creatures 3

The Shee Statue from Creatures 2

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 15/11/2024

Creatures featured three unique species: the cute Norns, the e̶v̶i̶l̶ misunderstood Grendels, and the laborious Ettins. Each one with their own artificial DNA and biochemistry, controlling everything from their brain structure to their basics instincts.

The cover of Creatures 2, showing all main species of creatures in the game.

Box art for a norn and a grendel.

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 15/11/2024

It's undeniable that the "Creatures" series had a massive impact on many of the young kids who played it. 🐻 In case you missed this forgotten gem from the late 90s, the best way to describe it is a "Tamagotchi on steroids". 🐣 But if you want to learn more, stick with me for this thread! 🧵👇

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 12/11/2024

Last Friday we hosted the first #AIandGames Conference in London. With over 200 attendees, it was an absolute blast! 🤩 A big thanks to @aiandgames.bsky.social for helping making this possible, to @goldsmithsuol.bsky.social for hosting us, and to all the other good folks involved! 💖

Alan Zucconi @alanzucconi.com · 11/11/2024

It's been NINE years since I started making educational content. 📚 📄 200+ articles 📹 50+ videos 🎮 50+ gigs 📢 15+ events If anything I've done helped you on your gamedev journey, please consider supporting me! 💖👇