@ZacEmer

Technical Game Designer. Lecturer at UCSC GPM. Dancer, VGC player, improviser, and juggler. He/Him.

Joined January 2018
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After 2+ years of evening and weekend work, I finally get to fully release the game I originally made for the 2021 GMTK Jam: Side by Size! It's a top down puzzle game with 100+ levels, so if that sounds up your alley, then check it out here: store.steampowered.com/app/2… #gamedev

Side by Size on Steam

Side by Size is a puzzle game where taking damage and healing changes the puzzle layout. Purposefully get hurt to open the way to the exit in 100 hand crafted puzzles!

store.steampowered.com
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I think I had an interesting 2026 season. Enough to write way too many words about it. docs.google.com/document/d/1…

2026 Season Review

2026 Season Review Finding Throughlines Between Four Formats and Two Games The Teams, Struggles, and Lessons Hello everyone! If you don’t know me, my name is Zac Emerzian. I’m a VGC player from San...

docs.google.com
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I had resigned myself to not doing well in Reg F, so I'm really pleased I got to play good Pokemon this weekend (and fight for my life on steam). I never thought 11-1 was in the cards for me. Thank you for the support, everyone.
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Congratulations to the only player at 10-0, guaranteeing a spot in Top Cut of the Houston Regional after Round 10! 🇺🇸🏆 #PlayPokemon 🇺🇸 Zac Emerzian (@ZacEmer) 2 more rounds to go! 🎮 📖 Pairings: rk9.gg/pairings/HO02w2PgpC7m…
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Zac Emerzian retweeted
Nyphus@Nyphus15 Jun 2025
Absolutely psyched to have made day two and top 128 at NAIC with this Iron Bundle Moth team! Surprised that Bundle isn't more common, it was insanely good. Team was great and super fun. Kinda hoping reg I continues after Worlds now. We'll see!
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The aforementioned lion.
Grimmsnarl, Calyrex-Shadow, Landorus-Incarnate, Ogerpon-Wellspring, Incineroar, Solgaleo.

ALT Grimmsnarl, Calyrex-Shadow, Landorus-Incarnate, Ogerpon-Wellspring, Incineroar, Solgaleo.

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5-0 to 5-3 was rough, but it was super fun and a good learning experience.
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Solgaleo shines in Portland 🌞 With a big boost from its Weakness Policy, Zac Emerzian's Solgaleo swings for massive damage with Rock Slide, completely dominating game 1! #PokemonVGC
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I WORSHIP AT THE TEMPLE OF SOLGALEO @ZacEmer 🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️ #PlayPokemon
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Zac Emerzian retweeted
Ryan Coomes@chryco424 May 2025
Replying to @unironicpanda
The Lion does not concern himself with the opinion of the flinched
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Day 2 with BFFs Dusk Mane & Frosmoth
A team with Frosmoth, Single Strike Urshifu, Incarnate Landorus, Raging Bolt, Hearthflame Ogerpon, and Dusk Mane Necrozma.

ALT A team with Frosmoth, Single Strike Urshifu, Incarnate Landorus, Raging Bolt, Hearthflame Ogerpon, and Dusk Mane Necrozma.

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I made a short FAQ to preempt some questions: docs.google.com/document/d/1…

Dusk Mane FAQ

FAQ Why Dusk Mane Necrozma? Overall, Steel is a pretty poor typing in Reg G. The big offensive threats either operate orthogonally to Steel’s defensive profile (eg. Shadow Rider, Miraidon, etc.) or...

docs.google.com
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I can't believe this was just a year ago! I'm still very pleased with all the positive remarks I've gotten about it this past year. Check it out if you like puzzle games!
Zac Emerzian@ZacEmer6 Sep 2023
After 2+ years of evening and weekend work, I finally get to fully release the game I originally made for the 2021 GMTK Jam: Side by Size! It's a top down puzzle game with 100+ levels, so if that sounds up your alley, then check it out here: store.steampowered.com/app/2… #gamedev

Side by Size on Steam

Side by Size is a puzzle game where taking damage and healing changes the puzzle layout. Purposefully get hurt to open the way to the exit in 100 hand crafted puzzles!

store.steampowered.com
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Another year, another #gmtkjam submission. This time it's a Sokoban game with Russian nesting dolls. psiguygw.itch.io/grandcestry #GMTK2024

Grandcestry by Zac E, Jai Dodechani

Solve an ancient maze with 4 magical statues. Play in your browser

psiguygw.itch.io
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This is slightly more relevant thanks to Reg H, but I always thought it was unfortunate that we never got any Top 12 graphics for Reg A, so I went ahead and made ones for San Diego and Liverpool.
2023 San Diego Regionals: Meowscarada at 41.81%, Gholdengo at 41.81%, Hydreigon at 38.79%, Amoonguss at 32.96%, Murkrow at 32.96%, Garchomp at 30.51%, Annihilape at 25.24%, Sylveon at 23.16%, Maushold at 21.66%, Armarouge at 19.96%, Dondozo + Tatsugiri at 18.08%, and Kingambit at 17.70%.

ALT 2023 San Diego Regionals: Meowscarada at 41.81%, Gholdengo at 41.81%, Hydreigon at 38.79%, Amoonguss at 32.96%, Murkrow at 32.96%, Garchomp at 30.51%, Annihilape at 25.24%, Sylveon at 23.16%, Maushold at 21.66%, Armarouge at 19.96%, Dondozo + Tatsugiri at 18.08%, and Kingambit at 17.70%.

2023 Liverpool Regionals: Gholdengo at 48.87%, Meowscarada at 47.84%, Amoonguss at 36.76%, Kingambit at 25.05%, Hydreigon at 21.77%, Sylveon at 20.33%, Pelipper at 19.92%, Dondozo + Tatsugiri at 17.25%, Annihilape at 16.43%, Palafin at 16.22%, Tauros Aqua Breed at 15.81%, and Maushold at 15.81%.

ALT 2023 Liverpool Regionals: Gholdengo at 48.87%, Meowscarada at 47.84%, Amoonguss at 36.76%, Kingambit at 25.05%, Hydreigon at 21.77%, Sylveon at 20.33%, Pelipper at 19.92%, Dondozo + Tatsugiri at 17.25%, Annihilape at 16.43%, Palafin at 16.22%, Tauros Aqua Breed at 15.81%, and Maushold at 15.81%.

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Zac Emerzian retweeted
Zac Emerzian@ZacEmer22 Oct 2020
Marvel vs Capcom 2's then-unprecedented roster of 56 characters was the culmination of more than six years of judicious sprite creation and reuse by Capcom. This is the road each character sprite took to get to #MvC2. #FGC #pixelart
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It's really simple, but I'm quite pleased with this little background effect. #gamedev
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All of them are just using a render texture from this little orthographic camera pointed at a tiny particle effect of the dots. The trick to make sure the dots particle effect is only visible to this camera and none of the other ones.
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While I suspect there might be a better way to do this, I still like the result and how easily modifiable it is. Enough to post something for the first time in months 😅
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