For a true toe dip, there's also journaling and solo TTRPG podcasts like A Game of One's Own by @maddyisabstract.bsky.social and Alone at the Table by Lady Tabletop. I personally find actual play an easier entree, and they are both very listenable.

Fair!

We could probably set up a paradigm of Mechanical <> Lyrical and High Output <> Low Output, or something like that. Probably looking for Mechanical + Low Output here?

I haven't actually read/played Eleventh Beast by @exeunt.press, but I suspect it also fits the bill for a puzzly journaling game. He also has my favorite plant journaling game, Exclusion Zone Botanist, which is a hexcrawl into an Annihilation type environment, less puzzly and more press your luck

... bridge if they like puzzle games. Maybe try Necromancer Heretic (blackjack) or Moon Rings (card maze) by @junkfoodgames.bsky.social.

I see Paul in this thread, but he didn't tout his own Balsam Lake Unmurders which is has some clever interactions among cards to build a detective story.

As we often discussed in several spaces, you don't have to write to play journaling games -- just imagining is "play." Might be something to mention if the obstacle is self-consciousness or disinterest in the writing aspect of journaling.

Something with more gamey mechanics might be a good...

Can't wait to see what kids have to say about my midlife crisis game!

Anyway, so happy to see you and thanks for assembling Voltron (the one with 10,000 ships not the lions). That was awesome!

Yeah that's pretty chaotic evil

Oh the EATING part for sure! Unless you're, um, Bulbosaur if I have the lore correct?

That's some good stuff from @exeunt.press, @riseupcomus.bsky.social, @dvcgames.bsky.social, and many others! wooo!

I like this take

On the theory that "Cure Light Wounds" is necromancy, I guess so!
"Cure Light Hunger"

If I made video games I'd make this a shitpost Thanksgiving fighting game

Chicken shoots eggs at you from their butt

Night of the Living Turducken when

@emilykeepskitties.bsky.social has a great framework that rejects SMART goals, which I detect in that story. You can't know everything before you start a creative endeavor.

www.pinkhawkgames.com/post/stupid-...

I love this!

I keep promising to create story prompts for Candyland as an imagination aid for parents (or kids, e.g., 4yo me) who don't get that it's actually a story game

Huh, I guess that's true. I did try to browse, but then I also didn't want to be a tease, being on limited budget and all

I got there late because I was working Unpub so I missed quite a few people 😔

I don't know how it felt for designers to see huge lines for some and almost none for others