Jonathan Tweet
@jonathantweet.bsky.social
Grandmother Fish (Macmillan 2016), the first book to teach #evolution to preschoolers, plus science games for kids (www.grandmotherfish.com). Over the Edge, #TTRPG of surreal urban danger (atlas-games.com/overtheedge). D&D 3E, Ars Magica, Everway, etc.
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Jonathan Tweet
@jonathantweet.bsky.social
· Jan 11
Grandmother Fish is the first book to teach evolution to preschoolers. Kids love learning that they are part of the great family of life on Earth, and they love wiggling like Grandmother Fish and hooting like Grandmother Ape. Now in Chinese, Japanese, and Italian.
www.powells.com/book/grandmo...
www.powells.com/book/grandmo...
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
A new card game I designed is coming out from Upper Deck in the next couple weeks! tinyurl.com/2vp4yevb
Legendary: Game of Thrones, Releasing Soon as a Cutthroat Card Game
I love the Legendary deck-building game designed by Devin Low! Lisa and I were in the same city as Devin when he made the original edition,...
tinyurl.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:03 AM
A new card game I designed is coming out from Upper Deck in the next couple weeks! tinyurl.com/2vp4yevb
It’s nice to see that the game recognizes this word, although I suspect that it’s not referring to a warrior employed by the magi in Ars Magica (a _custos_)
November 18, 2025 at 3:23 PM
It’s nice to see that the game recognizes this word, although I suspect that it’s not referring to a warrior employed by the magi in Ars Magica (a _custos_)
One fun part about working on D&D minis was doing minis for huge monsters. I’m fond of metal figures, but plastic lets you do really big models. These are official D&D minis from 2004, and I'm partial to the Nightwalker.
These & lots more from my collection on eBay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
These & lots more from my collection on eBay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
November 18, 2025 at 2:45 PM
One fun part about working on D&D minis was doing minis for huge monsters. I’m fond of metal figures, but plastic lets you do really big models. These are official D&D minis from 2004, and I'm partial to the Nightwalker.
These & lots more from my collection on eBay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
These & lots more from my collection on eBay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
Here's an interesting blog post about RPGs other the D&D, what they do, and how different systems support and demand different sorts of play. Thirty years ago, this is what I wanted to see one day: lots of story-oriented RPGs on the shelves.
sagaofthejasonite.wordpress.com/2025/07/24/b...
sagaofthejasonite.wordpress.com/2025/07/24/b...
Beyond D&D: A Complete RPG Guided Tour Through Tabletop Design Philosophies
I’ve created this guided tour for GMs and players who’ve played D&D and want to explore what else tabletop RPGs can do. It features 12 games arranged in a specific sequence, designed to show th…
sagaofthejasonite.wordpress.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Here's an interesting blog post about RPGs other the D&D, what they do, and how different systems support and demand different sorts of play. Thirty years ago, this is what I wanted to see one day: lots of story-oriented RPGs on the shelves.
sagaofthejasonite.wordpress.com/2025/07/24/b...
sagaofthejasonite.wordpress.com/2025/07/24/b...
The kids’ evolution apps we do are free & ad-free. Clades Solo lets you play Clades & Clades Prehistoric on your devices. It includes a new way to play, and you can play the two decks together or separately. Featuring Karen Lewis’s lovely art. #kidsgame #evolution
www.ideategames.org/Clades/
www.ideategames.org/Clades/
November 17, 2025 at 4:56 PM
The kids’ evolution apps we do are free & ad-free. Clades Solo lets you play Clades & Clades Prehistoric on your devices. It includes a new way to play, and you can play the two decks together or separately. Featuring Karen Lewis’s lovely art. #kidsgame #evolution
www.ideategames.org/Clades/
www.ideategames.org/Clades/
Got my 10-sided die to stand on edge. I don't care enough to get good at it, but I'm pretty happy with myself.
November 17, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Got my 10-sided die to stand on edge. I don't care enough to get good at it, but I'm pretty happy with myself.
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
The world itself is so weird & well-realized. Imagine a blend of X-Files, Twin Peaks, Deus Ex, Naked Lunch, Stranger Things, & Community. And even that's not doing the setting justice.
If you like collaborative storytelling that can go in any direction, Over The Edge is a must have.
🙏4⏳, 💜🐼Z
If you like collaborative storytelling that can go in any direction, Over The Edge is a must have.
🙏4⏳, 💜🐼Z
November 16, 2025 at 10:52 PM
The world itself is so weird & well-realized. Imagine a blend of X-Files, Twin Peaks, Deus Ex, Naked Lunch, Stranger Things, & Community. And even that's not doing the setting justice.
If you like collaborative storytelling that can go in any direction, Over The Edge is a must have.
🙏4⏳, 💜🐼Z
If you like collaborative storytelling that can go in any direction, Over The Edge is a must have.
🙏4⏳, 💜🐼Z
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
Over the Edge (1E). The idea that characters could be described with freeform traits rathe than a set list of attributes, that a system could be that simple, totally blew me away (1992).
October 13, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Over the Edge (1E). The idea that characters could be described with freeform traits rathe than a set list of attributes, that a system could be that simple, totally blew me away (1992).
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
I'm pretty sure the first designer other than Gygax that I recognized was Mark Rein-Hagen, because I saw the continuity from Ars Magica to Vampire: The Masquerade (and bought the latter on that name recognition).
Also @jonathantweet.bsky.social , though Over the Edge was a year later.
Also @jonathantweet.bsky.social , though Over the Edge was a year later.
Conversation with @deadlyfredly.bsky.social has me trying to remember the first time I consciously remembered the name of an RPG designer who wasn’t Gygax. Embarrassingly, I am pretty sure it wasn’t until college, after I’d been playing for years and had been exposed to many games.
November 14, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I'm pretty sure the first designer other than Gygax that I recognized was Mark Rein-Hagen, because I saw the continuity from Ars Magica to Vampire: The Masquerade (and bought the latter on that name recognition).
Also @jonathantweet.bsky.social , though Over the Edge was a year later.
Also @jonathantweet.bsky.social , though Over the Edge was a year later.
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
Any RPG-heads recognise this quote and know who originally said it (we think a game designer)?
"Just because D&D is behind me does not mean it's beneath me."
"Just because D&D is behind me does not mean it's beneath me."
November 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Any RPG-heads recognise this quote and know who originally said it (we think a game designer)?
"Just because D&D is behind me does not mean it's beneath me."
"Just because D&D is behind me does not mean it's beneath me."
Here's a WP article about Tolkien's efforts to square his pagan-inspired fantasy world with Christian theology
Tolkien wrote racist themes into "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of The Rings"; which he himself acknowledged and then tried to retcon in his later books.
Being a devout Catholic, Tolkien phrased the problem in religious terms: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien...
Being a devout Catholic, Tolkien phrased the problem in religious terms: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien...
Tolkien's moral dilemma - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 13, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Here's a WP article about Tolkien's efforts to square his pagan-inspired fantasy world with Christian theology
Karen & I did a sister game to Clades: Clades Prehistoric. It's the same game but with extinct animals, such as pterosaurs as "sauropsids of the air" instead of birds. Kids love dinosaurs! You can play both versions separately or together. #evolution #kidsgame
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25...
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25...
Clades Prehistoric
A "clade" is a branch of the evolutionary family tree such as mammals, arthropods, and sauropsids that are thought to have evolved from a common ancestor.
In Clades Prehistoric, players mus...
boardgamegeek.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Karen & I did a sister game to Clades: Clades Prehistoric. It's the same game but with extinct animals, such as pterosaurs as "sauropsids of the air" instead of birds. Kids love dinosaurs! You can play both versions separately or together. #evolution #kidsgame
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25...
boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25...
The feral minotaur & the unspeakable demon were no problem, but the badass elf archer with more drow scimitar sisters were a tough fight. The paladin went down with no resolves left to come back up. Luckily a fighter had joined the party. 1/2
November 11, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The feral minotaur & the unspeakable demon were no problem, but the badass elf archer with more drow scimitar sisters were a tough fight. The paladin went down with no resolves left to come back up. Luckily a fighter had joined the party. 1/2
TIL that "oval" means "egg-ish", which is should have been obvious all along
November 10, 2025 at 7:17 PM
TIL that "oval" means "egg-ish", which is should have been obvious all along
D&D minis have gone back & forth between being licensed to third parties and being produced in-house. When I worked on D&D minis, they were in-house. Here are some in-house TSR monster minis from 1989 & 1995. These and a lot more gems from my basement now on eBay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
November 10, 2025 at 6:48 PM
D&D minis have gone back & forth between being licensed to third parties and being produced in-house. When I worked on D&D minis, they were in-house. Here are some in-house TSR monster minis from 1989 & 1995. These and a lot more gems from my basement now on eBay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
In this game, a character is...
...A person with needs and desires that'll inevitably bring them into conflict with others, because there ultimately isn't enough to go around, who's capable and prepared to fight for what they need.
...A person with needs and desires that'll inevitably bring them into conflict with others, because there ultimately isn't enough to go around, who's capable and prepared to fight for what they need.
November 10, 2025 at 5:12 PM
In this game, a character is...
...A person with needs and desires that'll inevitably bring them into conflict with others, because there ultimately isn't enough to go around, who's capable and prepared to fight for what they need.
...A person with needs and desires that'll inevitably bring them into conflict with others, because there ultimately isn't enough to go around, who's capable and prepared to fight for what they need.
Greg Porter's EABA deserves a lot more attention than it's gotten, so I'm happy to see this and looking forward to listening to the episode. As a rule I don't listen to podcasts, but I break that rule for Ludonarrative Dissidents.
Heads up Dissidents! We've just put episode 17 of the podcast live, covering Greg Porter's incredibly complete END ALL BE ALL set of RPG rules (aka EABA), a fascinating look at generic systems and their uses. We had a lot of fun with this one.
www.ludonarrativedissidents.com/season-3-epi...
(1/2)
www.ludonarrativedissidents.com/season-3-epi...
(1/2)
November 10, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Greg Porter's EABA deserves a lot more attention than it's gotten, so I'm happy to see this and looking forward to listening to the episode. As a rule I don't listen to podcasts, but I break that rule for Ludonarrative Dissidents.
Apocalypse World taught me a lot about RPG design, and I'm excited to try the new edition. @lumpley.bsky.social has taught me many things over the years, and it's thrilling to see the success that he and @megueyb.bsky.social have achieved.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Apocalypse World: Burned Over
The 3rd edition of the groundbreaking original.
www.kickstarter.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Apocalypse World taught me a lot about RPG design, and I'm excited to try the new edition. @lumpley.bsky.social has taught me many things over the years, and it's thrilling to see the success that he and @megueyb.bsky.social have achieved.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
TIL
November 8, 2025 at 4:52 PM
TIL
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
Sexual selection driven by direct benefits leads to the erosion of direct benefits https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.07.687154v1
November 8, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Sexual selection driven by direct benefits leads to the erosion of direct benefits https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.07.687154v1
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
I’ve had my copy of grandmother fish waiting in my house for quite some time, and finally got to read it to my little one.
Thanks Tweet for this wonderful book!
Thanks Tweet for this wonderful book!
Grandmother Fish is the first book to teach evolution to preschoolers. Kids love learning that they are part of the great family of life on Earth, and they love wiggling like Grandmother Fish and hooting like Grandmother Ape. Now in Chinese, Japanese, and Italian.
www.powells.com/book/grandmo...
www.powells.com/book/grandmo...
November 7, 2025 at 10:02 PM
I’ve had my copy of grandmother fish waiting in my house for quite some time, and finally got to read it to my little one.
Thanks Tweet for this wonderful book!
Thanks Tweet for this wonderful book!
This article is surprisingly good, and if I were still teaching my yearly into-to-game-design class I would assign it
www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/g...
www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/g...
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 7:48 PM
This article is surprisingly good, and if I were still teaching my yearly into-to-game-design class I would assign it
www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/g...
www.raphkoster.com/2025/11/03/g...
Reposted by Jonathan Tweet
I am still incredibly proud to have worked on this RPG at @atlasgames.bsky.social with @jonathantweet.bsky.social and now you can grab the books at a fantastic price as well as James Semple’s amazing soundtrack. Check it out!
bundleofholding.com/presents/OTE3E
bundleofholding.com/presents/OTE3E
Over the Edge 3E Bundle
Adventurer! This all-new Over the Edge 3E Bundle presents the Third Edition (2019) of Over the Edge, the tabletop roleplaying game from Atlas Games of fringe science and hyper-reality. Unleash wild co...
bundleofholding.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:09 PM
I am still incredibly proud to have worked on this RPG at @atlasgames.bsky.social with @jonathantweet.bsky.social and now you can grab the books at a fantastic price as well as James Semple’s amazing soundtrack. Check it out!
bundleofholding.com/presents/OTE3E
bundleofholding.com/presents/OTE3E
The elf is off to confront his traitorous twin sister, hopefully before she desecrates a sacred shrine. The party made short work of the death's-head toad and the drow scimitar sisters. The spider stag & dark fairy archers didn't do so well against the party, either. From my "Mighty Ones" game.
November 4, 2025 at 3:34 PM
The elf is off to confront his traitorous twin sister, hopefully before she desecrates a sacred shrine. The party made short work of the death's-head toad and the drow scimitar sisters. The spider stag & dark fairy archers didn't do so well against the party, either. From my "Mighty Ones" game.
Who wants to play a minotaur? Maybe a minotrice huntress or a tattooed albino maze mage. What I love about the OGL is creators sharing their weird ideas in an accessible format. I collected lots of OGL stuff back in the day. This book & more now on eBay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
November 4, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Who wants to play a minotaur? Maybe a minotrice huntress or a tattooed albino maze mage. What I love about the OGL is creators sharing their weird ideas in an accessible format. I collected lots of OGL stuff back in the day. This book & more now on eBay.
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_...