liam liwanag burke
@thoughtfulemoji.bsky.social
Author of Dog Eat Dog. Filipino-American. Doctoral student at UH Mānoa. Your favorite game designer’s favorite game designer. He/him
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
November 17, 2025 at 7:20 PM
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
🧵
Our new QUEER AS… website
Exploring queer Indigenous creativity.
With:
Blaqademics/Indigiqueers
Queer as…a podcast (Jazz Money is first up).
Indigenous Creatives
Queer Museums
Queer Tv - deep dive
Our pubs and info
queer-as.org
Our new QUEER AS… website
Exploring queer Indigenous creativity.
With:
Blaqademics/Indigiqueers
Queer as…a podcast (Jazz Money is first up).
Indigenous Creatives
Queer Museums
Queer Tv - deep dive
Our pubs and info
queer-as.org
Queer As...
Exploring Queer Indigenous Creativity
queer-as.org
November 7, 2025 at 10:07 AM
🧵
Our new QUEER AS… website
Exploring queer Indigenous creativity.
With:
Blaqademics/Indigiqueers
Queer as…a podcast (Jazz Money is first up).
Indigenous Creatives
Queer Museums
Queer Tv - deep dive
Our pubs and info
queer-as.org
Our new QUEER AS… website
Exploring queer Indigenous creativity.
With:
Blaqademics/Indigiqueers
Queer as…a podcast (Jazz Money is first up).
Indigenous Creatives
Queer Museums
Queer Tv - deep dive
Our pubs and info
queer-as.org
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
friday soapbox: as a designer, if you want something to be a skillful action for players, and you want growth in this skill to be very deep/meaningful, then you need to also let players be bad at it. sometimes horrendously bad. players hate this pain, and designers often want to mitigate it away.
November 14, 2025 at 8:42 PM
friday soapbox: as a designer, if you want something to be a skillful action for players, and you want growth in this skill to be very deep/meaningful, then you need to also let players be bad at it. sometimes horrendously bad. players hate this pain, and designers often want to mitigate it away.
salmon is best cooked steamed
Do you have a firmest belief?
I’m texting a friend who just said “X is my firmest belief,” and I don’t mind telling you he sent me into an existential vortex of disbelief and non-meaning because I do not know what the hell my firmest belief is.
I’m texting a friend who just said “X is my firmest belief,” and I don’t mind telling you he sent me into an existential vortex of disbelief and non-meaning because I do not know what the hell my firmest belief is.
November 6, 2025 at 5:57 AM
salmon is best cooked steamed
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
Good things are possible and we don’t have to settle.
November 5, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Good things are possible and we don’t have to settle.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
We have progressed from data collection to data analysis.
November 1, 2025 at 12:31 AM
We have progressed from data collection to data analysis.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
ALL PLACES ARE NEIGHBOURHOODS
Last night, for @newnaratif.bsky.social , I ran a workshop about what we need to think about, when we tell stories of the environment. Did some conceptual & ideological framing.
The point of this slide is simple: there is no such thing as a land without people.
1/
Last night, for @newnaratif.bsky.social , I ran a workshop about what we need to think about, when we tell stories of the environment. Did some conceptual & ideological framing.
The point of this slide is simple: there is no such thing as a land without people.
1/
October 31, 2025 at 1:25 AM
ALL PLACES ARE NEIGHBOURHOODS
Last night, for @newnaratif.bsky.social , I ran a workshop about what we need to think about, when we tell stories of the environment. Did some conceptual & ideological framing.
The point of this slide is simple: there is no such thing as a land without people.
1/
Last night, for @newnaratif.bsky.social , I ran a workshop about what we need to think about, when we tell stories of the environment. Did some conceptual & ideological framing.
The point of this slide is simple: there is no such thing as a land without people.
1/
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
Just under THREE HOURS left to pledge for your copy of Dog Eat Dog, Princess with a Cursed Sword, and/or The Mountain Witch before our BackerKit campaign closes! https://bit.ly/4mIpcbG
October 30, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Just under THREE HOURS left to pledge for your copy of Dog Eat Dog, Princess with a Cursed Sword, and/or The Mountain Witch before our BackerKit campaign closes! https://bit.ly/4mIpcbG
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
something weird I've noticed over the past couple of years: college students used to be adults, but are now children. it's strange. I'm even seeing grad students, who used to be adults, now be children. whereas people who used to be old, like postdocs, are now normal? maybe TikTok is to blame.
October 30, 2025 at 3:52 PM
something weird I've noticed over the past couple of years: college students used to be adults, but are now children. it's strange. I'm even seeing grad students, who used to be adults, now be children. whereas people who used to be old, like postdocs, are now normal? maybe TikTok is to blame.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
This was just posted by a CBS News producer on their Instagram stories.
October 29, 2025 at 9:44 PM
This was just posted by a CBS News producer on their Instagram stories.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
We need a Special Legislative Session in Hawaii! Sign!!!
The Leg + the Gov must protect Hawaiʻi by immediately pass:
● NO Masking/NO Secret Police
● NO Closing of Community Health Centers & Hospitals
● NO Hungry Keiki, Kupuna & Families. We need state funding to help fill the gap left by Trump.
The Leg + the Gov must protect Hawaiʻi by immediately pass:
● NO Masking/NO Secret Police
● NO Closing of Community Health Centers & Hospitals
● NO Hungry Keiki, Kupuna & Families. We need state funding to help fill the gap left by Trump.
This campaign needs you now
Call for a Special Session of the Hawai‘i State Legislature
c.org
October 29, 2025 at 6:56 PM
We need a Special Legislative Session in Hawaii! Sign!!!
The Leg + the Gov must protect Hawaiʻi by immediately pass:
● NO Masking/NO Secret Police
● NO Closing of Community Health Centers & Hospitals
● NO Hungry Keiki, Kupuna & Families. We need state funding to help fill the gap left by Trump.
The Leg + the Gov must protect Hawaiʻi by immediately pass:
● NO Masking/NO Secret Police
● NO Closing of Community Health Centers & Hospitals
● NO Hungry Keiki, Kupuna & Families. We need state funding to help fill the gap left by Trump.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
Only TWO DAYS LEFT to make your pledge for Art & System: Games for Expanded Play! Back it for your hardcover copy of Dog Eat Dog, Princess with a Cursed Sword, and The Mountain Witch: https://bit.ly/4mIpcbG
October 28, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Only TWO DAYS LEFT to make your pledge for Art & System: Games for Expanded Play! Back it for your hardcover copy of Dog Eat Dog, Princess with a Cursed Sword, and The Mountain Witch: https://bit.ly/4mIpcbG
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
Went back to Santa Cruz on October 17 and picked up the 2025 UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award! Back in September they sent a camera crew to @unhresearch.bsky.social to interview me. Here's the video they made about my journey as a physicist/astronomer and my time as a banana slug.
UCSC 2025 Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award: Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
YouTube video by UC Santa Cruz
www.youtube.com
October 25, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Went back to Santa Cruz on October 17 and picked up the 2025 UC Santa Cruz Distinguished Graduate Alumni Award! Back in September they sent a camera crew to @unhresearch.bsky.social to interview me. Here's the video they made about my journey as a physicist/astronomer and my time as a banana slug.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
one of the interesting thing i have seen in the platner discourse is a refusal to confront a thing on its own terms. to his pundit supporters, platner isn’t a novice candidate with perhaps questionable judgment to be evaluated on his ability to win, but a symbol to wield against rivals
October 22, 2025 at 8:14 PM
one of the interesting thing i have seen in the platner discourse is a refusal to confront a thing on its own terms. to his pundit supporters, platner isn’t a novice candidate with perhaps questionable judgment to be evaluated on his ability to win, but a symbol to wield against rivals
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
Periodically over ~25 years I’ve seen concern erupt over one variety of structured, playful interaction or another, questioning whether some kinds of “gameplay” might be inherently flawed (regardless of context or ends). Even after much thought I’ve never found these critiques cogent or accurate
October 21, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Periodically over ~25 years I’ve seen concern erupt over one variety of structured, playful interaction or another, questioning whether some kinds of “gameplay” might be inherently flawed (regardless of context or ends). Even after much thought I’ve never found these critiques cogent or accurate
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
Six percent of *all children* in the United States—all people in America under 18—are US citizens with at least one parent who is an unauthorized immigrant.
Mass deportation is a vast military action against *millions of US citizens*.
Mass deportation is a vast military action against *millions of US citizens*.
November 2, 2024 at 1:46 AM
Six percent of *all children* in the United States—all people in America under 18—are US citizens with at least one parent who is an unauthorized immigrant.
Mass deportation is a vast military action against *millions of US citizens*.
Mass deportation is a vast military action against *millions of US citizens*.
cars should be illegal
Do you have any extremely niche, but serious, ethical stances?
October 20, 2025 at 12:35 AM
cars should be illegal
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
More fun on reddit.
My fellow game designers do not like this answer.
I wonder why.
My fellow game designers do not like this answer.
I wonder why.
October 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
More fun on reddit.
My fellow game designers do not like this answer.
I wonder why.
My fellow game designers do not like this answer.
I wonder why.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
so the idea is the inversion of the magic circle. to talk about this i have to define what the magic circle is so please be kind to me and my cursory definition. when you play a game, you enter a space where certain rules apply and others are suspended. it is not a wall, it is a soft demarcation.
October 18, 2025 at 2:15 AM
so the idea is the inversion of the magic circle. to talk about this i have to define what the magic circle is so please be kind to me and my cursory definition. when you play a game, you enter a space where certain rules apply and others are suspended. it is not a wall, it is a soft demarcation.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
I think this is a pretty lukewarm take but it’s instructive:
ME2 has the better narrative design; ME1 has the better writing.
ME2 has the better narrative design; ME1 has the better writing.
ME2 is such a quantum leap forward in terms of graphics and gameplay that it really disguises how much worse it is at worldbuilding and narrative coherence
October 17, 2025 at 11:49 PM
I think this is a pretty lukewarm take but it’s instructive:
ME2 has the better narrative design; ME1 has the better writing.
ME2 has the better narrative design; ME1 has the better writing.
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
We are looking for panels for Metatopia Online 2025 which will be taking place on December 6 and possibly December 7, 2025. If you can't attend Metatopia in person this year for any reason, please join us at this online event and spread the word! forms.gle/aTqCs7bBJpfC...
METATOPIA ONLINE 2025 Panel Proposal Form
METATOPIA is Double Exposure, Inc.'s Game Design Festival, an event for people who are passionate about the design, publishing, selling, or playing games of all types.
This year, the Double Exposure...
forms.gle
October 12, 2025 at 8:04 PM
We are looking for panels for Metatopia Online 2025 which will be taking place on December 6 and possibly December 7, 2025. If you can't attend Metatopia in person this year for any reason, please join us at this online event and spread the word! forms.gle/aTqCs7bBJpfC...
explain your username:
🤔
🤔
explain your username:
all capoeiristas formally receive an insulting nickname based on their idiosyncrasies. my wrestling background led to several awkward in-game grappling situations, so mine is "lula" ("squid"). b/c that username's often taken online i further specified it to my favorite squid.
all capoeiristas formally receive an insulting nickname based on their idiosyncrasies. my wrestling background led to several awkward in-game grappling situations, so mine is "lula" ("squid"). b/c that username's often taken online i further specified it to my favorite squid.
explain your username:
short version: it’s my author pen name
long version: I was going by the initials “CM” on a message board for writers, because it stood for “Chicken Mafia.” People knew me as CM and then suddenly I needed a real name for human interaction purposes.
short version: it’s my author pen name
long version: I was going by the initials “CM” on a message board for writers, because it stood for “Chicken Mafia.” People knew me as CM and then suddenly I needed a real name for human interaction purposes.
October 8, 2025 at 5:53 AM
explain your username:
🤔
🤔
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
Do you find yourself at the intersection of performance, games, and design? Do you want to work with world class artists in research, pedagogy, and games? Then maybe apply to work with me at UCSC! We're hiring a Assistant Professor of Interactive Art, Performance & Games
recruit.ucsc.edu/JPF01998
recruit.ucsc.edu/JPF01998
Assistant Professor of Interactive Art, Performance & Games (Initial Review Date 11/14/25)
University of California, Santa Cruz is hiring. Apply now!
recruit.ucsc.edu
October 6, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Do you find yourself at the intersection of performance, games, and design? Do you want to work with world class artists in research, pedagogy, and games? Then maybe apply to work with me at UCSC! We're hiring a Assistant Professor of Interactive Art, Performance & Games
recruit.ucsc.edu/JPF01998
recruit.ucsc.edu/JPF01998
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
I promise your torture will end once you realize that the long-play "numbers go up" game which reliably tickles your dopamine receptors and the long-play "unfair probability" game that lifts and crashes your anguished frustration are in fact different faces of the same game
October 6, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I promise your torture will end once you realize that the long-play "numbers go up" game which reliably tickles your dopamine receptors and the long-play "unfair probability" game that lifts and crashes your anguished frustration are in fact different faces of the same game
Reposted by liam liwanag burke
Dog Eat Dog is my pick for the best designed TRPG, full stop.
RPG nerds, this is worth keeping an eye on. The physical reprint of Dog Eat Dog in particular. Not been in print for ages, and it's a well designed and confronting framework for role-playing the shitty ass power balance of colonialism.
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/c...
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/c...
Art & System: Games for Expanded Play
A new indie game series from Central Michigan University Press launching with a lineup of three games: Princess with a Cursed Sword, Dog Eat Dog, and the Mountain Witch
www.backerkit.com
October 4, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Dog Eat Dog is my pick for the best designed TRPG, full stop.