Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

nate @grinningrat.itch.io · 6h

Likewise! 🫡

nate @grinningrat.itch.io · 8h

AND WE HAVE A WHOLE THREE WEEKS LEFT????

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nate @grinningrat.itch.io · 8h

One of the craziest things about #OVER/UNDER is that I'm never going to see any you folks the same way again.

Every time I read @keftiu.bsky.social's work I'm going to think of Melody McGinn. Same for @lukegearing.bsky.social and beefstink, @discodan.bsky.social and Vor, and so many others.

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Nicholas Kole @nicholaskole.bsky.social · 22h

Recent Lorcana pieces have been feelin good to me- it's always such a boost to get to work on characters you're excited about

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Exeunt Press 💀 @exeunt.press · 22h

In case you missed it...

Exeunt Press 💀 @exeunt.press · 1d

The first update about Epsilon — a solo adventure game about exploring a dark and corrupting forest. Choosing a Kickstarter launch date and progress so far: omnes.exeunt.press/p/epsilon-oc...

#solorpg #ttrpg #adventure #ezb #epsilon

Exclusion Zone Botanist: Epsilon October update

The first update about Epsilon — a solo adventure game about exploring a dark and corrupting forest. Choosing a Kickstarter launch date and progress so far.

omnes.exeunt.press

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Thursday Garreau @keftiu.bsky.social · 2d

I finally dusted off my poor, neglected, Mothership-focused blog to talk about one of the wildest gaming experiments I've ever experienced: injectorseat.wordpress.com/2025/10/16/m...

Mothership: the first 2 days of OVER/UNDER

For one month only, Prospero’s Dream is real and full of life.

injectorseat.wordpress.com

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Alfred Valley @alfredvalley.bsky.social · 15h

#valley100 #over/under

Photo of little girl in car with her father:
“Dad, why is my brother’s name Baron?”
“Because your mother and I named you both after bosses everyone loves to hate in massive online play-by-post games from 2025”
“Thanks Dad”
“No problem big dog beef stink”

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David Blandy makes games sometimes @davidblandyrpgs.bsky.social · 17h

Well that’s nice.

A screenshot from Island of Weirdhope’s Backerkit page showing “Join 369 other people!”

A screenshot from Island of Weirdhope’s Backerkit page showing “Launching in 17 days ISLANDS OF WEIRDHOPE - ECO MOFOS!! sets sail!!
ROLE-PLAYING GAMES
by Copy/Paste Co-op
369 followers”

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nate @grinningrat.itch.io · 16h

#OVER/UNDER is the apotheosis of the aughts forum RP channels - not in that there haven't been others capturing that essence but that this is the first one I am fully, scarily addicted to checking and engaging with.

I have to write about this next week. Pray a Tempest Co boss survives that long.

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Chris Bissette 🐻🌈 @loottheroom.bsky.social · 1d

One really interesting thing about #over/under is that the deeper you get into it the less you see, in a lot of ways. I've barely left private chats in three days. I have no idea what's going on in the wider game.

MeatCastle GameWare @meatcastlegameware.com · 2d

Something so cool about #OVER/UNDER is how faction asymmetry leads to players leading totally different lives. Today, I heard about folks preparing powerpoints for their boss, the church is organizing art grants, the union is holding internal elections, and the hackers are shitposting.

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nate @grinningrat.itch.io · 22h

literally every morning I wake up to play #OVER/UNDER and I have 50 messages that have me like

a man in a blue shirt is looking at a screen

ALT: a man in a blue shirt is looking at a screen

media.tenor.com

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nate @grinningrat.itch.io · 23h

#OVER/UNDER

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Sean McCoy @sean.tuesdayknightgames.com · 4d

Alright gang, #MothershipMonth25 is now live. These 26 other creators have done a phenomenal job bringing the setting of Prospero's Dream to life. Give them a look.

Oh also, no big deal but OVER/UNDER has over 1,200 players right now.

www.backerkit.com/c/collection...

MOTHERSHIP MONTH on BackerKit

Mothership Month returns October 14, 2025 with even more creators, nightmares, and community events. Whether you're an old teamster or a fresh recruit, you're invited to the largest Mothership even...

www.backerkit.com

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Luke Gearing @lukegearing.bsky.social · 4d

i wrote for the book for the thing for the space station for your game for mothership for fun for friends

Sean McCoy @sean.tuesdayknightgames.com · 4d

Alright gang, #MothershipMonth25 is now live. These 26 other creators have done a phenomenal job bringing the setting of Prospero's Dream to life. Give them a look.

Oh also, no big deal but OVER/UNDER has over 1,200 players right now.

www.backerkit.com/c/collection...

MOTHERSHIP MONTH on BackerKit

Mothership Month returns October 14, 2025 with even more creators, nightmares, and community events. Whether you're an old teamster or a fresh recruit, you're invited to the largest Mothership even...

www.backerkit.com

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Reposted by nate

The Amanda Lee Mystery House @amandalee.bsky.social · 4d

tiny discord avatars for over\under players (the big mothership game that is starting tomorrow)

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nate @grinningrat.itch.io · 20d

Here I am just impressed at having played 101 ttrpgs!

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nate @grinningrat.itch.io · 23d

I genuinely cannot wait to tilt people on magic arena today

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Exeunt Press 💀 @exeunt.press · 26d

Tumulus 04 includes contributions by @grinningrat.itch.io and @junkfoodgames.bsky.social!

In this issue
Welcome to this issue of TUMULUS 04
Assignment: Lifeboat
Create a game about being lost at sea using a deck of playing cards 05
Flexible inland sea harvesting system (FISH)
A modular rod and reel fishing mini-game by Nate Whittington 16
Maximalist sub hunting
Considering two different approaches for games with the same core concept 21
Ship, captain, and crew
Spend a coin and win a prize box at the Angry Crab with this traditional dice game 27
D6+D6: Unfortunate shipwrecks and found items
Sunken ships, rusty bells, a fish idol, and an odd spyglass to spark your imagination 28
Desperate depths
Dive into the waters and grasp in the darkness for treasures by Junk Food Games 32
Builder: A thousand pirate islands
Create a random, uncharted, mystery pirate island filled with treasure and danger 39
Tracking ocean madness
Exploring linear trackers, narrative, and madness in Deep Regrets 47
The problem of naval games
How wind, weather, and an ocean of hexes make sailing games hard to design 07

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Eryk ☭ (but make it Red Scare for Halloween) @peregrinecoast.press · Sep 17

🚨 Announcing: Rites of Renewal, a neo-pagan folk horror sandbox crowdfunding during Mothership Month.

With words by @jlcable.bsky.social, fully illustrated with lino art by @pickledpennies.bsky.social, and published by Peregrine Coast Press.

The Solstice is Coming. Will you join the festivities?

The Solstice is Coming

From Peregrine Coast Press - The Solstice is Coming

www.backerkit.com

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Joshua Kramer @joshua-kramer.itch.io · Sep 9

Pleased to announce my next project, part of MOTHERSHIP MONTH 2025 - introducing GRIM MERCHANTS! Four new vendors aboard Prospero's Dream. Make and spend your credits in new, sometimes fucked-up ways. Follow to learn more! www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...

Prepare for Grim Merchants - A Suite of Vendors for Mothership RPG

From Joshua Kramer - Prepare for Grim Merchants - A Suite of Vendors for Mothership RPG

www.backerkit.com

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Almost Bedtime Theater 🔜Gamehole Con @almostbedtime.bsky.social · Sep 11

Hip hip hooray, it’s TUMULUS day!

If you’re a fan of the gaming inspiration, design theory, and playable #TTRPG content of @exeunt.press, the Tumulus zine has all that and more, including guest pieces. (@junkfoodgames.bsky.social and @grinningrat.itch.io contributed to this one!)

A copy of the TUMULUS zine, with tentacles on the cover.

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Watch Well Games @watchwellgames.com · Sep 11

Sometimes you meet some quintessentially interesting folk, and create something amazing together. At Watch Well Games we want to make that alacritous collaborative magic so much more common.

The Quintessential Curios vol. 1. Coming Soon.

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Watch Well Games @watchwellgames.com · Sep 9

We're looking forward to Nate's Mothership module Certain Fathoms! @grinningrat.itch.io is also the multi-talented game designer doing the layout our zine The Quintessential Curios. Follow him, follow us, and enjoy some keen games. #indiettrpg #ttrpg #mothership

bsky.app/profile/grin...

nate @grinningrat.itch.io · Sep 9

Hi all!

Certain Fathoms is my next big Mothership module. Part of Mothership Month 2025, the module is a depth-crawl through the sunken ruins of an AI research megacorp packed with experimental tech, weird factions, and even weirder secrets.

Give it a follow!

www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...

Descend into Certain Fathoms: a depth-crawl of a long-forgotten artificial intelligence R&D megacomplex.

From Grinning Rat Publications - Descend into Certain Fathoms: a depth-crawl of a long-forgotten artificial intelligence R&D megacomplex.

www.backerkit.com

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nate @grinningrat.itch.io · Sep 9

Hi all!

Certain Fathoms is my next big Mothership module. Part of Mothership Month 2025, the module is a depth-crawl through the sunken ruins of an AI research megacorp packed with experimental tech, weird factions, and even weirder secrets.

Give it a follow!

www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...

Descend into Certain Fathoms: a depth-crawl of a long-forgotten artificial intelligence R&D megacomplex.

From Grinning Rat Publications - Descend into Certain Fathoms: a depth-crawl of a long-forgotten artificial intelligence R&D megacomplex.

www.backerkit.com

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Reposted by nate

Kwisatz Chodorek 🇨🇦 @mchodorek.bsky.social · Sep 9

Stoked about this upcoming creation from @grinningrat.itch.io : www.backerkit.com/call_to_acti...

Descend into Certain Fathoms: a depth-crawl of a long-forgotten artificial intelligence R&D megacomplex.

From Grinning Rat Publications - Descend into Certain Fathoms: a depth-crawl of a long-forgotten artificial intelligence R&D megacomplex.

www.backerkit.com

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