steven z
@stevenzwahl.bsky.social
Pinned
steven z
@stevenzwahl.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Hi, I'm Steven! A software developer working in fire safety who struggles to make games on the side. I also like to paint, draw, and play guitar, and my blog has some ok essays on ecology in games.
I grew up and live in the lower Missouri watershed in the great plains, which I love dearly. :)
I grew up and live in the lower Missouri watershed in the great plains, which I love dearly. :)
I want to live in a creek so bad it's not even funny
November 15, 2025 at 12:35 AM
I want to live in a creek so bad it's not even funny
"the only ""koan"" *i* know is SATOSHI 'kon', director and animator of 'Perfect Blue' (1997) + 'Paprika' (2006), in addition to several other poignant deep cuts" - a person in your life suffering from the infinite cycle of death and rebirth but familiar with respectable japanese animated features
November 14, 2025 at 6:33 PM
"the only ""koan"" *i* know is SATOSHI 'kon', director and animator of 'Perfect Blue' (1997) + 'Paprika' (2006), in addition to several other poignant deep cuts" - a person in your life suffering from the infinite cycle of death and rebirth but familiar with respectable japanese animated features
Reposted by steven z
Felt compelled to write about what malice, block towers, and the parakeets mean ahead of its rerelease. Had to make it into a blog. Hope people still read it.
Reading The Boy and The Heron: autumnwright.bearblog.dev/reading-the-...
Reading The Boy and The Heron: autumnwright.bearblog.dev/reading-the-...
November 14, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Felt compelled to write about what malice, block towers, and the parakeets mean ahead of its rerelease. Had to make it into a blog. Hope people still read it.
Reading The Boy and The Heron: autumnwright.bearblog.dev/reading-the-...
Reading The Boy and The Heron: autumnwright.bearblog.dev/reading-the-...
Reposted by steven z
networking is an incredibly important part of maintaining a professional presence in your creative industry, but it can be daunting. have you tried being completely fucking ridiculous online
November 13, 2025 at 8:18 PM
networking is an incredibly important part of maintaining a professional presence in your creative industry, but it can be daunting. have you tried being completely fucking ridiculous online
Reposted by steven z
technology that makes people more productive is inherently used to perpetuate capitalism, that’s why I make videogames, technology that makes people less productive
November 11, 2025 at 6:20 PM
technology that makes people more productive is inherently used to perpetuate capitalism, that’s why I make videogames, technology that makes people less productive
good thread. IMO if you are one of the people on this website making a slot machine indie game, you must delete it.
In a post-Balatro world it feels like we've been seeing a ton of "this game is literally just a slot machine but it's sorta ironic about it so it's ok" or "1/3rd of this game is literally a system where you gamble on blackjack" and I just think it's a little fucked up we're just like...doing that.
November 10, 2025 at 10:48 PM
good thread. IMO if you are one of the people on this website making a slot machine indie game, you must delete it.
Reposted by steven z
listening to my team in a meeting today
November 10, 2025 at 8:05 PM
listening to my team in a meeting today
Reposted by steven z
I think the storyline of "LGBTQIA+ voters made the difference for Mamdani" (and then extrapolating that to the future, Everywhere) is a bit fraught when you consider that New York is one of the most diverse cities in America and exit polls still show more white people voted for Cuomo
November 5, 2025 at 11:14 PM
I think the storyline of "LGBTQIA+ voters made the difference for Mamdani" (and then extrapolating that to the future, Everywhere) is a bit fraught when you consider that New York is one of the most diverse cities in America and exit polls still show more white people voted for Cuomo
Reposted by steven z
youtu.be/ciIa0usT7wM?...
FIGHT WITH PLAYING CARDS. Introducing 52 Duels, a 1 or 2 player duelling game coming to kickstarter next month.
Sign up to get notified when we launch! www.kickstarter.com/projects/pos...
FIGHT WITH PLAYING CARDS. Introducing 52 Duels, a 1 or 2 player duelling game coming to kickstarter next month.
Sign up to get notified when we launch! www.kickstarter.com/projects/pos...
52 DUELS - A fight with playing cards for 1-2 players
YouTube video by Roll Them Bones
youtu.be
November 6, 2025 at 2:39 PM
youtu.be/ciIa0usT7wM?...
FIGHT WITH PLAYING CARDS. Introducing 52 Duels, a 1 or 2 player duelling game coming to kickstarter next month.
Sign up to get notified when we launch! www.kickstarter.com/projects/pos...
FIGHT WITH PLAYING CARDS. Introducing 52 Duels, a 1 or 2 player duelling game coming to kickstarter next month.
Sign up to get notified when we launch! www.kickstarter.com/projects/pos...
Reposted by steven z
You can now WISHLIST my game HEART DRIVE on Steam, a driving 'n' fishing game!
Every wishlist helps 🙏 looking forward to share more about this project over the next year :)
store.steampowered.com/app/4026760/...
Every wishlist helps 🙏 looking forward to share more about this project over the next year :)
store.steampowered.com/app/4026760/...
Heart Drive on Steam
Catch giant fish from the top of your car, upgrade your equipment and uncover the mystery behind the legendary „Heart Drive“. Embark on a journey of action, friendship and letting go, in this fast-pac...
store.steampowered.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:44 PM
You can now WISHLIST my game HEART DRIVE on Steam, a driving 'n' fishing game!
Every wishlist helps 🙏 looking forward to share more about this project over the next year :)
store.steampowered.com/app/4026760/...
Every wishlist helps 🙏 looking forward to share more about this project over the next year :)
store.steampowered.com/app/4026760/...
hope I live to see every car turn to rust and every asphalt lot break down and burst forth with green
October 29, 2025 at 2:49 PM
hope I live to see every car turn to rust and every asphalt lot break down and burst forth with green
Reposted by steven z
nothing would revitalize the halo brand like another 9/11
October 24, 2025 at 9:38 PM
nothing would revitalize the halo brand like another 9/11
went on a haunted trolley tour and the 19 year old guide sounded exactly like a youtuber
October 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
went on a haunted trolley tour and the 19 year old guide sounded exactly like a youtuber
Reposted by steven z
Parents, please check your kids' candy, this Halloween. Within a Snickers Mini I've just found the Furtive Pygmy, so easily forgotten
October 23, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Parents, please check your kids' candy, this Halloween. Within a Snickers Mini I've just found the Furtive Pygmy, so easily forgotten
"interesting" "design" is player-forward servicing, one hundred miles away from artistry. you should just focus on expression and not care about who plays it.
What's your number one personal game design principle? And even better - does it have a cool name?
October 22, 2025 at 2:36 PM
"interesting" "design" is player-forward servicing, one hundred miles away from artistry. you should just focus on expression and not care about who plays it.
I practice self-care by piping loud music directly into my ears for a couple of hours and then switching to BEST Tinnitus Relief Sound Therapy Treatment | 10 Hours of Tinnitus Masking which is also at max volume
October 20, 2025 at 7:05 PM
I practice self-care by piping loud music directly into my ears for a couple of hours and then switching to BEST Tinnitus Relief Sound Therapy Treatment | 10 Hours of Tinnitus Masking which is also at max volume
decided to not use lighting near the beginning of this project and now that I'm doing an art pass, i am reaping the benefits of this restriction. to make a sunset without light, i must invite the Color Demons.
October 20, 2025 at 3:21 AM
decided to not use lighting near the beginning of this project and now that I'm doing an art pass, i am reaping the benefits of this restriction. to make a sunset without light, i must invite the Color Demons.
Reposted by steven z
It would take a million years of evolution – or a total reversal in the condition of the world – for your pain to end.
October 9, 2025 at 11:35 PM
It would take a million years of evolution – or a total reversal in the condition of the world – for your pain to end.
Reposted by steven z
I have put my old comic "Ward" on gumroad. It's still the longest thing I have drawn. I have been out of the Riso printed edition for quite a while so I thought I might as well put it up.
56 pages, $2+
vulgarirex.gumroad.com/l/kpqxu
56 pages, $2+
vulgarirex.gumroad.com/l/kpqxu
August 14, 2025 at 7:34 PM
I have put my old comic "Ward" on gumroad. It's still the longest thing I have drawn. I have been out of the Riso printed edition for quite a while so I thought I might as well put it up.
56 pages, $2+
vulgarirex.gumroad.com/l/kpqxu
56 pages, $2+
vulgarirex.gumroad.com/l/kpqxu
Reposted by steven z
Made a little forest idler, out on steam 🌲
store.steampowered.com/app/3689060
store.steampowered.com/app/3689060
August 1, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Made a little forest idler, out on steam 🌲
store.steampowered.com/app/3689060
store.steampowered.com/app/3689060
Reposted by steven z
Re-body is out. explore a dilapidated world while uncovering real personal confessions focusing on queer bodies darionmccoy.itch.io/re-body
July 3, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Re-body is out. explore a dilapidated world while uncovering real personal confessions focusing on queer bodies darionmccoy.itch.io/re-body
we should bring back villages. we had a really good thing going on there. i would thrive in a village.
July 27, 2025 at 3:24 PM
we should bring back villages. we had a really good thing going on there. i would thrive in a village.