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Jack Norris

@jackno.bsky.social

450 followers 140 following 4.8K posts

Game designer, writer, consultant, attorney, scholar on various topics, and all around professional nerd. (Apologies if sometimes my phone decides real words needs changing and I don't catch it)

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Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 26d

Osprey put together a fun package to go with my blog on character generation in Untamed Worlds.

Osprey Games ➡️ Essen SPIEL 3.M600 @ospreygames.bsky.social · 27d

▶️▶️ Learn all about character creation for our new anthro sci-fi RPG Untamed Worlds - out this week - in the author Jack Norris's design diary on our website blog: bit.ly/46JN2Ov

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 6h

And Boris Karloff!

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 7h

With Lon Chaney Jr. and Richard "Robin Hood" Greene, plus Henry "Fred Flinstone" Corden and others.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 7h

Sola is ready for tonight's spooky movie offering, 1952's The Black Castle.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 10h

But I have zero interest at fighting about this or defending a comment just because it got a much bigger reaction than I expected and apparently that means random people I don't know need to take that ridiculous challenging stance with me as the OP.

So that's all I've got to say. Have a good one.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 10h

Normative? No. Practical? I can see it. They're not in a financial place to risk money on a project that will certainly put them in MAGA's cross hairs for a market on the left that only sometimes shows up to commercially support things.

But if they took that risk? I'd have supported it.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

Well that and how in Dishonored it got darker the more folks Corvus killed. So like combine those two.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

That was actually what made me think of it, but maybe more over the top. Like if faintly in the background there's various instrumental Southern war songs as much of the soundtrack and they slowly change to Northern ones plus blues and such. Birds singing happily as plantations burn. Stuff like that

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

I'm sure some dude used John Carter to run Gor or whatever. And as long as they don't claim that's what the game is for or that I endorse that? Whelp... some folks are unfortunately like that.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

And yes that means I can't actually stop someone who takes one of my games and says "women here are slaves, there are no gays or trans people, everyone is white."

All I can do is say canonically that's actually antithetical to the work and I hate that idea.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

I may be a mean bastard in various ways but I've never aspired to be the sort of bastard who insists other people's fun needs to for my or other's enrichment. Just don't be a fucking tool about how you have fun and don't make it hard on others. Then have fun.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

I've seen stuff like that and yeah. I once corrected a film reviewer who used the image from the wrong film. I believe it's still up and incorrect.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

If a gay guy just wants to play a wandering warrior who likes other dudes and nobody ever bothers him about it? I don't need to tell him he needs to face shit he deals with in real life for...I dunno, reasons.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

Likewise in Tianxia I have a part where I say LGBT folks exist in the setting and are a part of the history of the world and such. And I also say I'm not going to tell anyone how to represent that in play beyond being inclusive and not offending anyone. Why? Because often it otherwise doesn't work.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

And of course I'm not gonna go argue with those reviewers because... no. That's not a good idea at all. But I can still have opinions about it.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah one review I saw admitted something worked and then cut the rating down with the only real reason being they didn't want it that way.

That's fine for you as a consumer. But reviewers should do better or otherwise be really upfront about their preferences.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

If anyone thinks that's because I lack conviction or opinions. Lol. I mean... I'm gonna need some oxygen after the laughing fits.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

And I get that there are games where the designers are Very Invested (tm) in it being played "correctly." Unless you mean using the rules well and making sure folks enjoy the game? I'm sure I'm not that invested in that.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

Yep. And I wouldn't want to. Maybe someone uses this to play Space Ninja Turtles with their kids and it's a great family moment. Even if that's not my plan, my ego doesn't need to prevent that.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

Nope I give you the tools, present my preferences, ask that fascists don't use it to act like fuckers, and hope folks have fun.

Beyond that? I can't make things happen without restrictive design I don't like.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

Untamed Worlds can pretty easily do both so the game says "you can do both." I don't need to feed my...whatever... by insisting you do it "right."

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

I'm not a mind reader and ultimately I'm an entertainer, albeit indirectly. I can't tell what maximizes player fun at any given table. Some folks might find playing rebellious uplift soldiers fun. Others might want an escape from real life struggles and just want to play apes with lasers v. pirates.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

So while I (wisely) don't engage with reviewers? I take some issue with people who think it's a flaw I lay out expected play paths in Untamed Worlds but admit you don't have to follow them. I've seen that described as weak or wishy washy and... yeah no.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 1d

Too much modern business is based on whining nobody wants to work and customers aren't loyal while only favoring new hires and customers.

You should never be training new hires making more than you. You should never be treated like a cheat for wanting a promo deal as a yrs long customer. And yet...

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 2d

Yeah but I'm sure he thinks it means something. Maybe just "I'm a classy classy boy" or whatever. But something. He's too lazy to type that out repeatedly if it doesn't.

Jack Norris @jackno.bsky.social · 2d

Because he constantly does it, it's weird AF, and I pretty much never see anyone talking about it.