Daniel Cook
@danctheduck.bsky.social
Chief Creative Officer: http://Spryfox.com
Blog: http://lostgarden.home.blog
@[email protected]
Game Design: Triple Town, Alphabear, Road Not Taken, Cozy Grove, etc
Blog: http://lostgarden.home.blog
@[email protected]
Game Design: Triple Town, Alphabear, Road Not Taken, Cozy Grove, etc
I have a lot of difficult days. Making games is hard. Balancing the needs of everyone trying to just make a game is also hard. And the universe keeps tossing planet-sized meteors.
But the little moments of kindness makes it worth it.
But the little moments of kindness makes it worth it.
Happy World Kindness Day. 🧡
While working on Spirit Crossing, we often discuss how we can encourage both kindness and a sense of community.
Today, we're looking to our Alpha players to share their favorite moments of kindness found in-game!
Here are some of the things they had to say. 🧵
While working on Spirit Crossing, we often discuss how we can encourage both kindness and a sense of community.
Today, we're looking to our Alpha players to share their favorite moments of kindness found in-game!
Here are some of the things they had to say. 🧵
November 14, 2025 at 12:26 AM
I have a lot of difficult days. Making games is hard. Balancing the needs of everyone trying to just make a game is also hard. And the universe keeps tossing planet-sized meteors.
But the little moments of kindness makes it worth it.
But the little moments of kindness makes it worth it.
We finally added the most important gender to our game: Tired Lines and Wrinkles
November 13, 2025 at 10:46 PM
We finally added the most important gender to our game: Tired Lines and Wrinkles
The devil is in the details, so never let the devil near the details
November 13, 2025 at 9:47 PM
The devil is in the details, so never let the devil near the details
Reposted by Daniel Cook
Announcing my pagan trading game Prophet Margin
Wishlist now on Steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3624110/...
Sharing appreciated!
Wishlist now on Steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3624110/...
Sharing appreciated!
Prophet Margin on Steam
The Gods hunger for tribute! Build settlements and weave trade routes, feed temples and earn divine boons in this Eurogame-inspired strategy game.
store.steampowered.com
November 13, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Announcing my pagan trading game Prophet Margin
Wishlist now on Steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3624110/...
Sharing appreciated!
Wishlist now on Steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3624110/...
Sharing appreciated!
Ever have one of those days where you can feel your brain burning like candle wax?
November 13, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Ever have one of those days where you can feel your brain burning like candle wax?
Reposted by Daniel Cook
Spirit Crossing now has a Witchy Decor Set! 👻
From skull candles and potions to witchy brooms and mummy bears, now you can decorate your space with a touch of spooky class!
playspiritcrossing.com
From skull candles and potions to witchy brooms and mummy bears, now you can decorate your space with a touch of spooky class!
playspiritcrossing.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Spirit Crossing now has a Witchy Decor Set! 👻
From skull candles and potions to witchy brooms and mummy bears, now you can decorate your space with a touch of spooky class!
playspiritcrossing.com
From skull candles and potions to witchy brooms and mummy bears, now you can decorate your space with a touch of spooky class!
playspiritcrossing.com
Reposted by Daniel Cook
I've got three unique postcard images I created for the P.S. 10 exhibition at @nucleusportland that's happening right now! There are a ton of incredible artists all taking part in the show! If you're in the Portland, OR area go check it out! #grickledoodle #vampire #horror #art #funny #portland
November 10, 2025 at 5:08 PM
"Burdened by the weight of family obligation, I shall provide assistance just this once. Understand, however, that these proceeds are taken directly from your future inheritance."
- A letter sent to cats, early morning in the year 2025
- A letter sent to cats, early morning in the year 2025
November 10, 2025 at 5:36 PM
"Burdened by the weight of family obligation, I shall provide assistance just this once. Understand, however, that these proceeds are taken directly from your future inheritance."
- A letter sent to cats, early morning in the year 2025
- A letter sent to cats, early morning in the year 2025
Reposted by Daniel Cook
Sat down for a lovely chat with @clert.bsky.social over @eurogamer.bsky.social To talk about my games and how I'd like to keep making and improving them sustainably. To step away from the launch, meme and hype driven madness that has taken root in games.
www.eurogamer.net/as-viral-hit...
www.eurogamer.net/as-viral-hit...
As viral hits like Escape from Duckov and Megabonk change the industry, Falconeer developer Tomas Sala has found another way to survive
What if you didn't have to spin the roulette wheel every time you released a new game, hoping for it to find an audience? What if there was a better way?
www.eurogamer.net
November 9, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Sat down for a lovely chat with @clert.bsky.social over @eurogamer.bsky.social To talk about my games and how I'd like to keep making and improving them sustainably. To step away from the launch, meme and hype driven madness that has taken root in games.
www.eurogamer.net/as-viral-hit...
www.eurogamer.net/as-viral-hit...
Brainslop
also sorry I am never going to call deduction games “metroidbrainias”. sorry. I am open to other terms but not to that one
November 9, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Brainslop
Reposted by Daniel Cook
There are more replacements possible: Tetroidbrainiasims is the next hot genre
November 9, 2025 at 12:29 AM
There are more replacements possible: Tetroidbrainiasims is the next hot genre
Reposted by Daniel Cook
very upsetting to see my culture appropriated at Medieval Times. We didn’t even have turkeys here then
November 8, 2025 at 10:45 PM
very upsetting to see my culture appropriated at Medieval Times. We didn’t even have turkeys here then
What are the problems to the solutions to the problems to the solutions to the problems? 😵💫
November 8, 2025 at 9:00 PM
What are the problems to the solutions to the problems to the solutions to the problems? 😵💫
Reposted by Daniel Cook
The biggest day in esports has arrived. Q-UP is out. store.steampowered.com/app/3730790/...
Save 10% on Q-UP on Steam
Sick of long queues, unfair matchups, and arbitrary reflex tests? Try Q-UP, the coin flipping eSport. It's one part clicker, one part multiplayer strategy game, one part demented capitalism simulator,...
store.steampowered.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:19 PM
The biggest day in esports has arrived. Q-UP is out. store.steampowered.com/app/3730790/...
You thought the best selling car was boring? Introducing the new...
Civic.
WTF Honda.
Civic.
WTF Honda.
November 8, 2025 at 4:29 AM
You thought the best selling car was boring? Introducing the new...
Civic.
WTF Honda.
Civic.
WTF Honda.
Reposted by Daniel Cook
Ambrosia Sky: “it’s mainly out of spite”
"To some degree, I have been able to leverage my experience, reputation, or resume -- which is like maybe 10% deserved and 90% circumstantial -- to create opportunities for other people."
@joelburgess.bsky.social on the eve of Ambrosia Sky's release.
www.patreon.com/posts/what-i...
@joelburgess.bsky.social on the eve of Ambrosia Sky's release.
www.patreon.com/posts/what-i...
November 7, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Ambrosia Sky: “it’s mainly out of spite”
One of the more interesting merge games I've come across. Adds in a strong narrative layer. And has merging mechanic as part of more open RPG-like levels.
Also there's an interesting real-time aspect to the merging that I hadn't seen before.
Also there's an interesting real-time aspect to the merging that I hadn't seen before.
Hey #PitchYaGame!
Mythmatch is a Greek myth anti-capitalist merge game about the power of community over authority.
💪 Recruit and Empower the Mortals
🏠 Build and Upgrade Ithaca
⚡️ Challenge the Gods
🐐 Create Cute Creatures
Wishlist Now!
store.steampowered.com/app/1778050/...
Mythmatch is a Greek myth anti-capitalist merge game about the power of community over authority.
💪 Recruit and Empower the Mortals
🏠 Build and Upgrade Ithaca
⚡️ Challenge the Gods
🐐 Create Cute Creatures
Wishlist Now!
store.steampowered.com/app/1778050/...
November 7, 2025 at 6:15 PM
One of the more interesting merge games I've come across. Adds in a strong narrative layer. And has merging mechanic as part of more open RPG-like levels.
Also there's an interesting real-time aspect to the merging that I hadn't seen before.
Also there's an interesting real-time aspect to the merging that I hadn't seen before.
Huh. I've gained like 20lbs over the last couple of years. Hopefully mostly muscle? (Insert anakin-padme meme)
November 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Huh. I've gained like 20lbs over the last couple of years. Hopefully mostly muscle? (Insert anakin-padme meme)
2025. The year that was simultaneously way too long and way too short. 😵
November 7, 2025 at 5:13 PM
2025. The year that was simultaneously way too long and way too short. 😵
Reposted by Daniel Cook
Game Design is Simple, Actually: "fun is basically about making progress on prediction" and the nature of good problems
www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/g... by the enlightening @raphkoster.bsky.social
www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/g... by the enlightening @raphkoster.bsky.social
Game design is simple, actually
So, let’s just walk through the whole thing, end to end. Here’s a twelve-step program for understanding game design. One: Fun There are a lot of things people call “fun.” But most of them are not u…
www.raphkoster.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Game Design is Simple, Actually: "fun is basically about making progress on prediction" and the nature of good problems
www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/g... by the enlightening @raphkoster.bsky.social
www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/g... by the enlightening @raphkoster.bsky.social
Reposted by Daniel Cook
Have Netflix and want to check out the game I'm working on? Download the app at playspiritcrossing.com and sign into your Netflix account, it's free with your subscription and there's an all new starting tutorial as of TODAY which is what I've been working on for the last month+! #gamedev #cozyGames
November 7, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Have Netflix and want to check out the game I'm working on? Download the app at playspiritcrossing.com and sign into your Netflix account, it's free with your subscription and there's an all new starting tutorial as of TODAY which is what I've been working on for the last month+! #gamedev #cozyGames
Player fantasies are one form of player contract. If only someone was writing a giant-ass paper on player contracts... @polarisgamedesign.com
Weigh in nerds!
Do you find it helpful to discuss "player fantasies"? Does the term fill you with disgust? Do you have a good handle on what it means?
Do you find it helpful to discuss "player fantasies"? Does the term fill you with disgust? Do you have a good handle on what it means?
I am writing something about "fulfilling player fantasies" in games. I would appreciate any thoughts people have on the subject (positive or negative - is this a valuable concept?), talks or papers discussing or popularizing this sort of rhetoric, etc etc
November 7, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Player fantasies are one form of player contract. If only someone was writing a giant-ass paper on player contracts... @polarisgamedesign.com
This is really shaping up! Everyone is just so helpful and kind.
Where all the nice people on the internet go.
Where all the nice people on the internet go.
Spirit Crossing 14.5 is now live!
Introducing new:
🎩 Clothing
🪄 Decor
🖌️ Events
🐟 Co-op Activities
.. and much more!
Live now, full patch notes below ↓
spryfox.com/2025/10/29/spirit-crossing-patch-notes-for-version-14-5/
You can download + start playing the update today!
⛅ playspiritcrossing.com
Introducing new:
🎩 Clothing
🪄 Decor
🖌️ Events
🐟 Co-op Activities
.. and much more!
Live now, full patch notes below ↓
spryfox.com/2025/10/29/spirit-crossing-patch-notes-for-version-14-5/
You can download + start playing the update today!
⛅ playspiritcrossing.com
Spirit Crossing | Patch Notes for Version 14.5
Hello wanderers!With the arrival of 14.5, we have a brand new round of patch notes for you to read. If something in particular brings you joy from this update, we always enjoy reading your feedback…
spryfox.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:07 AM
This is really shaping up! Everyone is just so helpful and kind.
Where all the nice people on the internet go.
Where all the nice people on the internet go.