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Reposted by Tom Smith

Yes, THAT Steven Grant... @yesthatstevengrant.bsky.social · 9h

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 16h

Thousands gather at 2600 protests? Do they think each protest is going to be one person?

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Reposted by Tom Smith

Imani Gandy Corn 🎃 @angryblacklady.blacksky.app · 10d

"Black people are tired. Not metaphorically tired—actually tired. The kind of tired that turns every group chat into a mix of gallows humor and emotional triage."

I write about white ignorance and how exhausting it is to hear white ppl insist "this isn't who we are, when it's ALWAYS who we've been.

White People’s Performative Ignorance Is Exhausting—Opinion

Disbelief over authoritarianism in America isn’t a cutesy personality trait. It’s a confession: You haven’t been paying attention.

rewirenewsgroup.com

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 1d

Good thread that gets into hidden details.

Max Nichols @maxnichols.bsky.social · 1d

I saw some folks thinking that voice acting in games was objectively good, always a positive. "What kind of game doesn't have voice acting in 2025?!" sorta thing

I say that there are positive reasons why one would choose NOT to have VO.

How many design justifications we can come up with?

Join me

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 1d

Surprise? I thought it was pretty clear when the films first came out. D&D clarified it for later generations.

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 1d

I thought everyone knew Vader was Padme.

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Reposted by Tom Smith

happy_homhom @happy-homhom.bsky.social · 1d

This tiny stage is free and easy to play. Works on mobile or desktop. Let me know if it’s fun for you!

🕹 https://beep8.org/b8/beep8.html?b8rom=883f1f5ab00a9a8105b860bc19a9206b.b8&bsky=1

#MarketingMonday #indiedevhour #pixelart #gamedev #indiegame

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Reposted by Tom Smith

Bruno Dias @brunodias.bsky.social · 1d

An odd feature of the English language is that terms like 'absolute' and 'utter' will render a large subset of English nouns into an insult, but not all. "You absolute microwave" and "you utter spandrel" obviously work, but not, say, "you complete cleavage".

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Reposted by Tom Smith

TinyGaming @tiny-gaming.net · 1d

>>> www.tiny-gaming.net/posts/the-ki... - THE KING IS WATCHING might be a bit of a grindfest, but the core gameplay loop is stellar. Guiding your kingdom with your vigilant gaze, planning your own demise with Prophecy system and wide variety of game plans make this lil' roguelike shine!
#indiegames

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 1d

Cowboy hat / archeologist is the first one my eye was drawn to, which is often a good sign for character variety.

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 1d

Some games have distinct phases that can be mapped. Catan’s phases aren’t so strict, but players can tell the difference from early game strategies and late game strategies. #catan #gaming #gamedesign

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 1d

A great game that deserves more attention, preferably without related news stories!

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Reposted by Tom Smith

Aunt Mrgladys @mrgan.com · 2d

I don’t get a ton of opportunities to promote my video game, but any time redaction is in the news…

◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️ ◼️

mrgan.com/blackbar/

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Reposted by Tom Smith

d/Dev 🔞 🌀 @ddev.games · 2d

I have heard it phrased thus:

The player is always right about how they feel.
They are usually wrong about the reason.
They are always wrong about the solution.

Mr. Hands is making SuccuDeck 😈🃏 @mrhands31.bsky.social · 2d

When it comes to player feedback, always take problems seriously, but disregard any proposed solutions

Yes, even from other designers!!

BoringKate @boringkate.com · 3d

Seeing game devs take a "the customer is always right" approach to feedback is so sad because like I get it from a PR perspective, but...

1) The customer is always wrong

2) Your customers are gamers, so they're twice as wrong

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Reposted by Tom Smith

Mr. Hands is making SuccuDeck 😈🃏 @mrhands31.bsky.social · 2d

When it comes to player feedback, always take problems seriously, but disregard any proposed solutions

Yes, even from other designers!!

BoringKate @boringkate.com · 3d

Seeing game devs take a "the customer is always right" approach to feedback is so sad because like I get it from a PR perspective, but...

1) The customer is always wrong

2) Your customers are gamers, so they're twice as wrong

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Reposted by Tom Smith

logspixels.bsky.social @logspixels.bsky.social · 2d

Decided to make a rogue like mixed with RTS elements and now it’s store page is live on Steam!?!?!?!!??!

Go wishlist!! store.steampowered.com/app/4073470/...

#game #indiedev #indie #gamedev #steam #roguelike #pixelart #bugs #programming #rts #newgame

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 2d

When using randomness, it’s important to think about how often the random element is going to come up. Rolling a die once to determine anything important isn’t fun, but when the dice are rolled many time the probabilities average out better. #catan #gaming #gamedesign

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 2d

True for games, too. I use a similar quote from him in my class.

Gerard Beirne @gerardbeirne.bsky.social · 3d

“When your story is ready for rewrite, cut it to the bone. Get rid of every ounce of excess fat. This is going to hurt; revising a story down to the bare essentials is always a little like murdering children, but it must be done.”
— Stephen King

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 3d

I enjoy games with a large helping of decision-making AND a large helping of randomness. When used correctly, this can be lots of fun. #catan #gaming #gamedesign

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Reposted by Tom Smith

404 Forge @404forge.bsky.social · 3d

Here’s one thing most devs won’t tell you — the game you finish is never the one you started.
Mine began as a WoW Paladin homage called A Twist of Seals… and evolved into Oathguard. ⚔️
#oathguard #indiegame #indiedev #roguelike #gamedev #storytime

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 4d

Sometimes resources are used to diversify an experience, like having five resources to collect with different roles. But points are usually used to unify different concepts together. #catan #gaming #gamedesign

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 5d

Dollars per bushels for games are not looking this good

🐔 Brian Bucklew 🐔 ₑͤ＞∿＜ₑͤ ∞🌮 @unormal.bsky.social · 5d

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Reposted by Tom Smith

Thomas Lecaque @tlecaque.bsky.social · 5d

ALSO. ALSO. Needing us to find Europeans who condemned him for his actions at the time--and there are many! So many! My God so many!--is also some white supremacist bullshit, because the TAINO PEOPLE HE WAS MURDERING CERTAINLY CONDEMNED HIM FOR IT AND THEY WERE HUMAN BEINGS OF HIS TIME TOO.

Thomas Lecaque @tlecaque.bsky.social · 5d

Christopher Columbus was dragged back to Spain in chains by a crusading knight, convicted of tyranny and immeasurable cruelty, pardoned by Isabella but banned from returning to Hispaniola.

Fuck Columbus.

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 5d

I like to think of verb types in a chronological sequence. Mental verbs lead to interface verbs which lead to action verbs, and have consequences in reaction verbs. My book has a diagram. #catan #gaming #gamedesign

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Tom Smith @thegamedesigndad.bsky.social · 6d

Thoughtful analysis

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 6d

This two-parter below is exactly why it's hard to make clothes in the United States.

Let's look at how much it costs to produce a button-up shirt in the US. 🧵