e517 — Where Every AI Knows Your Name

Published 9 June 2025

e517 with Michael, Michael and Andy – stories about Atarino microcomputing, AI through movie and television metaphor, AR running, screens and zombies, Skyrim Grandma, and a whole lot more.

Michael, Michael and Andy start off with another teeny tiny computer after last week’s Pico Mac Nano.  This coin-sized “Atarino” computer is the size of a postage stamp! 

Next, the co-hosts take a look at a Wall Street Journal article on the current state of AI through movie and television metaphor.  Then, they consider an IGN article predicting AI prompting providing the capability of creating a game like Breath of the Wild with a small development team.

The Sightful Spacetop AR display prompts an interesting discussion about how cramped spaces like airline coach seats could actually be made productive.  A Runner’s World article continues the AR crossover, using examples such as Can You See Me Now and Zombies, Run! 

The team turns the crank to wrap up this episode with i-Zombie, Skyrim Grandma and the excitement of the new Playdate games.

What do you think the next micro computer might be?  Have your bots 🤖 drop our bots 🤖 a line at @gamesatwork_biz (our home for now) and let us know! 

These show notes were lovingly hand crafted by a real human, and not by a bot.  All rights reserved.  That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.

Selected Links

Microcomputing Hardware

Ars Technica article: Polish engineer creates postage stamp-sized 1980s Atari computer

Retrododo article: Polish Engineer Creates Atari Computer The Size Of A Coin

Wikipedia entry: Atari 8-bit computers

AI

Wall Street Journal article: The AI Experience Is Going From ‘50 First Dates’ to ‘Cheers’

IMDb entry: 50 First Dates

IMDb entry: Cheers

Wikipedia entry: grok

Dextero article: AI company files for bankruptcy after being exposed as 700 Indian engineers

IGN article: AI Prompts Will Soon Let a 10-Person Team Build a Game Like Breath of the Wild Where the AI Is Doing All the Dialogue and You Just Write Character Synopsis, Tim Sweeney Predicts

Games at Work e515: Seeing Through Walls for AI NPCs

AR

PC World article: Sightful Spacetop review: Impressive AR display… until the bugs show up

Sightfult

Runner’s World (Apple News Link) article: Adventures in the Running Metaverse

Blast Theory post: Can You See Me Now?

Zombies, Run!

Games

Novelty Automation

Tim Hunkin post: i-Zombie

Tim Hunkin post: Making i-Zombie

GameSpot post: Skyrim Grandma Ends Streaming Retirement To Play Oblivion Remastered

Playdate post: Season Two, OUT NOW.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:07 — 47.5MB) | Embed

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