Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The votes are in and the decision has been made. Join me Friday night for my first ever Silent Hill playthrough.
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'AI and Games Plus' is our second channel dedicated to Artificial Intelligence in video games.
Check out all of our content:
AI and Games: youtube.com/@AIandGames
AI and Games Plus: youtube.com/@AIandGamesPlus
Branching Factor Podcast: shows.acast.com/branchingfactor
Livestreams on Twitch: twitch.tv/aiandgames
Website with Weekly Newsletter: aiandgames.com
Join our Discord Community: discord.aiandgames.com
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You can support 'AI and Games' via Patreon, YouTube memberships, and on our website. In return, you get bonus rewards!
patreon.com/aiandgames
aiandgames.com
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If you're interested in working with us, check out the following:
Sponsorship Enquiries: passionfroot.me/aiandgames
Consultancy Enquiries: calendly.com/aiandgames
The votes are in and the decision has been made. Join me Friday night for my first ever Silent Hill playthrough.
--
'AI and Games Plus' is our second channel dedicated to Artificial Intelligence in video games.
Check out all of our content:
AI and Games: youtube.com/@AIandGames
AI and Games Plus: youtube.com/@AIandGamesPlus
Branching Factor Podcast: shows.acast.com/branchingfactor
Livestreams on Twitch: twitch.tv/aiandgames
Website with Weekly Newsletter: aiandgames.com
Join our Discord Community: discord.aiandgames.com
--
You can support 'AI and Games' via Patreon, YouTube memberships, and on our website. In return, you get bonus rewards!
patreon.com/aiandgames
aiandgames.com
--
Follow 'AI and Games' on social media.
TikTok: tiktok.com/@aiandgames
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/aiandgames.bsky.social
--
If you're interested in working with us, check out the following:
Sponsorship Enquiries: passionfroot.me/aiandgames
Consultancy Enquiries: calendly.com/aiandgames





![Reaching the Next Level with Mike Cook | AI and Games Podcast #02
We welcome our first guest to the AI and Games podcast: Dr Michael Cook is a senior lecturer at King’s College London and has over a decade’s experiences as a researcher in procedural content generation and generative design for video games. Earlier this year he published ‘Next Level’, a book designed to be an introductory text for people new to PCG in games, and provides a fun and accessible entry point for people who don’t have a background in computer science to understand what’s happening.
Tommy sits down with Mike for a right good natter about the process of bringing ‘Next Level’ to life. From the challenges of introducing complex subject matter to a general audience, deciding on what topics to cover, and why you can’t talk about Dwarf Fortress without also bringing up Caves of Cud.
Catch Tommy’s review of ‘Next Level’ on the AI and Games newsletter:
https://www.aiandgames.com/p/next-level-a-warm-and-encouraging
Chapters
[00:00] Were all Stupid
[00:55] Intro
[04:12] Kicking Off
[08:22] Origins of Next Level
[14:06] Finding the Voice of the Book
[19:03] Ordering the Topics
[23:09] The Line Between Textbook and Pop Science
[25:35] Feeling Out PCG
[29:14] Deciding on the Games
[32:57] Dwarf Fortress & Caves of Cud
[36:44] Sponsor Message: AWS
[37:52] Defining Worlds Through Generative Systems
[44:52] Generative AI vs Generative Design
[54:57] Next Level 2?
[01:03:49] Wrapping Up
[01:04:46] Credits
The AI and Games Podcast is presented by AWS for Games.
http://www.aws.com
All of our work including the AI and Games YouTube series, newsletter, and this here podcast is fan-funded by our community. You can support our work and get access to bonus content by visiting http://www.aIandgames.com.
Follow AI and Games on social media.
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aiandgames
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/aiandgames.bsky.social
If youre interested in working with us, check out the following:
Sponsorship Enquiries: https://www.passionfroot.me/aiandgames
Business Enquiries: https://www.aiandgames.com/p/professional-services Reaching the Next Level with Mike Cook | AI and Games Podcast #02](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KJNoLluJCss/mqdefault.jpg)

![The System Shock Remake is as Faithful as it is Frustrating [Sponsored Review]
This episode was sponsored by System Shock, with a promotional copy of the game provided for this review. Naturally, this is important to disclose, but as youll hear in the video itself, I have full creative control over my review and am happy to highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of the game.
Check out System Shock over at GoG:
https://af.gog.com/en/game/system_shock?as=1780316966
You can follow NightDiveStudios to find out more about System Shock:
Twitter: @SystemShockGame
Facebook: @OfficialSystemShock
Instagram: @nightdivestudios
Twitter Nightdive: @NightDiveStudio
FB Nightdive: @NightdiveStudios
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nightdivestudios
#SystemShock #SHODAN #ad #sponsored
AI and Games Plus is the second channel for AI and Games: a series on research and applications of Artificial Intelligence in video games.
Follow AI and Games for educational videos and essays:
http://www.youtube.com/@AIandGames
Follow AI and Games Plus is dedicated to bonus content, deep-dive analysis, revisiting old topics and more:
http://www.youtube.com/@AIandGamesPlus
Listen to my podcast Branching Factor, as I discuss game development and research with my co-hosts and guests:
https://shows.acast.com/branchingfactor
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You can support AI and Games via Patreon and YouTube memberships, and in return, you get bonus rewards!
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https://www.youtube.com/@AIandGames/join
Follow AI and Games on social media.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AIandGames
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If youre interested in working with us, check out the following:
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Arrange Meeting: https://calendly.com/aiandgames The System Shock Remake is as Faithful as it is Frustrating [Sponsored Review]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KgQzsSCSvT4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Marvel SNAP Did Cyclops Dirty! [REVIEW] | Smoke & Mirrors
The new Marvel SNAP card game is surprisingly addictive, and certainly makes good use of the license!
AI and Games Plus is the second channel for AI and Games: a series on research and applications of Artificial Intelligence in video games.
Follow AI and Games for educational videos and essays:
http://www.youtube.com/@AIandGames
Follow AI and Games Plus is dedicated to bonus content, deep-dive analysis, revisiting old topics and more:
http://www.youtube.com/@AIandGamesPlus
Listen to my podcast Branching Factor, as I discuss game development and research with my co-hosts and guests:
https://shows.acast.com/branchingfactor
Watch Livestreams: http://www.twitch.tv/aiandgames
Join our Community: https://aiandgames.com/discord
Buy our Merch: https://aiandgames.com/store
You can support AI and Games via Patreon and YouTube memberships, and in return, you get bonus rewards!
http://www.patreon.com/aiandgames
https://www.youtube.com/@AIandGames/join
Follow AI and Games on social media.
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AIandGames
Mastodon: https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@AIandGames
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aiandgames
If youre interested in working with us, check out the following:
Business Enquiries: contact@aiandgames.com
Arrange Meeting: https://calendly.com/aiandgames Marvel SNAP Did Cyclops Dirty! [REVIEW] | Smoke & Mirrors](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KqSuSmkJWsw/mqdefault.jpg)

