Tristan J. Tarwater
@backthatelfup.bsky.social
Writer, producer, maker of video games. Nuyorican/Black. Wrote some comics in some Eisner award winning anthologies. Linguist-ish. They/them. Making "Vampire The Taskerade." Website: https://www.backthatelfup.com
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
New from 404 Media: Flock exposed some of its AI-powered cameras to the internet. We know because we tracked ourselves with them. These cameras zoom in on passersby, sometimes so close we could read a random person's phone screen. Required no login to view cameras
www.404media.co/flock-expose...
www.404media.co/flock-expose...
December 22, 2025 at 4:11 PM
New from 404 Media: Flock exposed some of its AI-powered cameras to the internet. We know because we tracked ourselves with them. These cameras zoom in on passersby, sometimes so close we could read a random person's phone screen. Required no login to view cameras
www.404media.co/flock-expose...
www.404media.co/flock-expose...
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
time to boycott Fortnite on top of everything else!
spend that Fortnite skins cash on your local trans charity instead, just to spite Joanne
spend that Fortnite skins cash on your local trans charity instead, just to spite Joanne
"Rowling will undoubtedly receive substantial royalties from the Fortnite skins… That money will likely be funneled into her hate campaign against trans people.
"… over a third of… funding for the [U.K.] case came directly from Rowling…"
www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/12/fort...
"… over a third of… funding for the [U.K.] case came directly from Rowling…"
www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/12/fort...
Fortnite dragged for collaborating with JK Rowling after canceling Pride celebration - LGBTQ Nation
An upcoming Harry Potter x Fortnite collab got leaked.
www.lgbtqnation.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:56 PM
time to boycott Fortnite on top of everything else!
spend that Fortnite skins cash on your local trans charity instead, just to spite Joanne
spend that Fortnite skins cash on your local trans charity instead, just to spite Joanne
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
the epstein files as rick owens fall/winter 2024
December 19, 2025 at 10:43 PM
the epstein files as rick owens fall/winter 2024
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
if you want to support visual novel devs:
- wishlist our games on Steam
- leave reviews / ratings for them on store platforms
- tell friends about our games
- recommend them to streamers to play
- share posts on social media
- tell a developer you enjoy their work
- wishlist our games on Steam
- leave reviews / ratings for them on store platforms
- tell friends about our games
- recommend them to streamers to play
- share posts on social media
- tell a developer you enjoy their work
December 19, 2025 at 10:53 PM
if you want to support visual novel devs:
- wishlist our games on Steam
- leave reviews / ratings for them on store platforms
- tell friends about our games
- recommend them to streamers to play
- share posts on social media
- tell a developer you enjoy their work
- wishlist our games on Steam
- leave reviews / ratings for them on store platforms
- tell friends about our games
- recommend them to streamers to play
- share posts on social media
- tell a developer you enjoy their work
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Do you write about comics? If you do, you should consider applying to the Comics Criticism Mini Grant. All you need are two clips published over the past year. It is a very simple application!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
2026 Comics Criticism Mini Grant
This project will be awarding four mini grants of $250 to comics critics.
To apply, please provide 2 links to comics criticism work of at least 500 words published within the last year (blogs and YouT...
docs.google.com
December 19, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Do you write about comics? If you do, you should consider applying to the Comics Criticism Mini Grant. All you need are two clips published over the past year. It is a very simple application!
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
That's us!!! 😭💖
Tanat Boozayaangool, C. Bedford, and Remy Siu introduce our 2025 Industry Impact recipient, Game Devs of Color.
Game Devs of Color Receives the Industry Impact Award 2025
YouTube video by Six One Indie
youtu.be
December 19, 2025 at 12:57 AM
That's us!!! 😭💖
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Ahh! I love love love Amano’s work! This year I made a tiny Over the Garden Wall fan game, with the help of @patrickmchale.bsky.social, @forkfrenzy.bsky.social, @blastingcompany.bsky.social & Elijah Wood! It’s free to play in browser on itch.io! juliaminamata.itch.io/otgw
December 18, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Ahh! I love love love Amano’s work! This year I made a tiny Over the Garden Wall fan game, with the help of @patrickmchale.bsky.social, @forkfrenzy.bsky.social, @blastingcompany.bsky.social & Elijah Wood! It’s free to play in browser on itch.io! juliaminamata.itch.io/otgw
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
i stand by this statement every year
December 12, 2025 at 1:27 AM
i stand by this statement every year
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Wow! This is very commendable. This is what honest people do when they encounter information that they didn't have before.
Good on Penn Jillette. Having to come to terms with your entire political identity and philosophy being wrong is not easy and most people could never do it.
December 8, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Wow! This is very commendable. This is what honest people do when they encounter information that they didn't have before.
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
please mask up in shared air, too. the current vaccines only protect kids about 40%, at peak efficacy, from #LongCovid, which is why it’s now the most common childhood disease (even over asthma).
After you read the Prasad memo, read this.
Covid-19 vaccines protect children from severe disease. Here is the evidence
“Over and over again, Covid-19 has shown it can cause severe disease in children, disease that is preventable by a safe and effective vaccine,” writes former CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.
www.statnews.com
November 30, 2025 at 5:31 AM
please mask up in shared air, too. the current vaccines only protect kids about 40%, at peak efficacy, from #LongCovid, which is why it’s now the most common childhood disease (even over asthma).
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
If this looks like something you'd be interested in, I can highly recommend!
A bit late into Black Friday but hey I got three courses worth of Narrative Design lessons up on sale for half price.
That's right I've published lessons from Narrative Crash Course and Strangened Narratives course online. Plus Dialogue Design!
itch.io/s/171366/nar...
#narrativedesign #indiedev
That's right I've published lessons from Narrative Crash Course and Strangened Narratives course online. Plus Dialogue Design!
itch.io/s/171366/nar...
#narrativedesign #indiedev
November 30, 2025 at 5:31 AM
If this looks like something you'd be interested in, I can highly recommend!
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
CRIMINAL: please, I have a family
BATMAN: [starts beating the shit out of him even harder]
BATMAN: [starts beating the shit out of him even harder]
November 27, 2025 at 7:24 AM
CRIMINAL: please, I have a family
BATMAN: [starts beating the shit out of him even harder]
BATMAN: [starts beating the shit out of him even harder]
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Democrats need to campaign on destroying meta as a lesson and example
Instagram’s former head of safety and well-being Vaishnavi Jayakumar testified the company had a “17x” strike policy for accounts that engaged in the trafficking of humans for sex.
“You could incur 16 violations and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended"
time.com/7336204/meta...
“You could incur 16 violations and upon the 17th violation, your account would be suspended"
time.com/7336204/meta...
7 Allegations Against Meta in Newly Unsealed Filings
Court filings allege Meta tolerated sex trafficking, hid harms to teens, and prioritized growth over user safety for years.
time.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Democrats need to campaign on destroying meta as a lesson and example
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Estamos súper contentos con cómo se ve, se escucha y se siente GSG.
Pero estoy un poco frustrado porque nos está costando mucho obtener wishlists. El juego va a salir pronto y no sé en qué estamos fallando. Si te gusta el juego ayudanos, cualquier difusión nos sirve.
Pero estoy un poco frustrado porque nos está costando mucho obtener wishlists. El juego va a salir pronto y no sé en qué estamos fallando. Si te gusta el juego ayudanos, cualquier difusión nos sirve.
A precision platformer with accessible controls filled with surprises and easter eggs on every level.
Players seem to love it, and we've already received several awards and nominations, including Best Indie Game from Argentina and two awards for the audio.
Overview Trailer:
Players seem to love it, and we've already received several awards and nominations, including Best Indie Game from Argentina and two awards for the audio.
Overview Trailer:
November 23, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Estamos súper contentos con cómo se ve, se escucha y se siente GSG.
Pero estoy un poco frustrado porque nos está costando mucho obtener wishlists. El juego va a salir pronto y no sé en qué estamos fallando. Si te gusta el juego ayudanos, cualquier difusión nos sirve.
Pero estoy un poco frustrado porque nos está costando mucho obtener wishlists. El juego va a salir pronto y no sé en qué estamos fallando. Si te gusta el juego ayudanos, cualquier difusión nos sirve.
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Excuse to post a classic?
November 20, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Excuse to post a classic?
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
she’s a hero
A U.S. postal worker on Long Island is accused of trying to help a man escape from ICE custody earlier this month, according to a federal criminal complaint: https://gothamist.visitlink.me/YNagDp
US postal worker charged with breaking man out of ICE custody on Long Island
Police arrested the worker and the man she tried to free.
gothamist.visitlink.me
November 21, 2025 at 1:40 AM
she’s a hero
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
long ziti.
November 21, 2025 at 2:04 AM
long ziti.
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Remember: they used thousands of academic books too! If you’re a scholar, check for your books too. This isn’t just novelists and pop writers, it’s academic books too!
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
Authors celebrate “historic” settlement coming soon in Anthropic class action
Advocates fear such settlements will “financially ruin” the AI industry.
arstechnica.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Remember: they used thousands of academic books too! If you’re a scholar, check for your books too. This isn’t just novelists and pop writers, it’s academic books too!
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
Reminder that the vast majority of indie artists/super small businesses cannot afford to discount their work for Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday.
Do not complain about it.
Buy from them anyway!
Do not complain about it.
Buy from them anyway!
November 18, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Reminder that the vast majority of indie artists/super small businesses cannot afford to discount their work for Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday.
Do not complain about it.
Buy from them anyway!
Do not complain about it.
Buy from them anyway!
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
After more than 1,000 unionized Starbucks workers went on strike at 65 U.S. stores Thursday, the fight continued Saturday as Portland-area workers protested a lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company.
Portland-area Starbucks workers continue strike for a fair contract
After more than 1,000 unionized Starbucks workers went on strike at 65 U.S. stores Thursday, the fight continued Saturday as Portland-area workers protested a lack of progress in contract negotiati…
www.koin.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:30 AM
After more than 1,000 unionized Starbucks workers went on strike at 65 U.S. stores Thursday, the fight continued Saturday as Portland-area workers protested a lack of progress in contract negotiations with the company.
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
I had the pleasure to meet Tanya last year and if anyone deserves a break from the universe, it's her. The universe doesn't provide, so we pick up the slack. They're a treasure and should be treasured.
So I did the thing before I chickened out (or came to my senses) and threw up a GFM as a stop gap measure. I hate doing it more than anyone will hate seeing another fund raiser.
gofund.me/f5615787f
gofund.me/f5615787f
Donate to Chip in to help with the cost of existence while I job hunt., organized by Tanya DePass
Like many of those in the games industry, I was laid off back… Tanya DePass needs your support for Chip in to help with the cost of existence while I job hunt.
gofund.me
November 15, 2025 at 11:49 PM
I had the pleasure to meet Tanya last year and if anyone deserves a break from the universe, it's her. The universe doesn't provide, so we pick up the slack. They're a treasure and should be treasured.
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
steam is apparently allowing "this game had AI in it that it didn't disclose" as a valid return statement, so if you or anyone you know actually paid $70 for slop, get that money back
Insulting to the players, insulting to the IP, insulting to the medium, the developers. And the craft itself. Fuck you executives who pushed this garbage.
frvr.com/blog/call-of...
frvr.com/blog/call-of...
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is littered with AI art slop, because your $70 means nothing anymore
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is littered with AI generated artwork which makes the $70 feel like a complete rip-off.
frvr.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:10 AM
steam is apparently allowing "this game had AI in it that it didn't disclose" as a valid return statement, so if you or anyone you know actually paid $70 for slop, get that money back
Reposted by Tristan J. Tarwater
My sound effect libraries are on sale for 75% off!
There's gore and a crazy chihuahua. Check them out!
www.asoundeffect.com/shop/sound-d...
There's gore and a crazy chihuahua. Check them out!
www.asoundeffect.com/shop/sound-d...
November 15, 2025 at 11:21 PM
My sound effect libraries are on sale for 75% off!
There's gore and a crazy chihuahua. Check them out!
www.asoundeffect.com/shop/sound-d...
There's gore and a crazy chihuahua. Check them out!
www.asoundeffect.com/shop/sound-d...