Dom Camus
@bateleur.bsky.social
Independent game designer, programmer and artist.
Moose herder without portfolio.
Moose herder without portfolio.
Ellie, talking about character design. I think players often don't realise how much iteration and refinement goes into this stuff behind the scenes. (This is Pieced Together, the game I've been doing dev work for.)
www.tiktok.com/@glowfroggam...
www.tiktok.com/@glowfroggam...
Our game artist @PaintByEls chats about how Connie and Beth’s character designs have transformed over time! #indiegames #indiedev #gameart #gamertiktok #cozygames
TikTok video by Pieced Together Cozy Game
www.tiktok.com
January 19, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Ellie, talking about character design. I think players often don't realise how much iteration and refinement goes into this stuff behind the scenes. (This is Pieced Together, the game I've been doing dev work for.)
www.tiktok.com/@glowfroggam...
www.tiktok.com/@glowfroggam...
We can have these conversations without mentioning money... but I'm disinclined to.
Lately it's almost physically uncomfortable when I to see this stuff: respected people debating which is the best game: The Witcher, or God of War (etc.).
Imagine watching revered food critics debate which is the best burger in the entire world: the Whopper, or the Big Mac.
Painfully embarrassing.
Imagine watching revered food critics debate which is the best burger in the entire world: the Whopper, or the Big Mac.
Painfully embarrassing.
this won’t be contentious
January 17, 2026 at 11:21 PM
We can have these conversations without mentioning money... but I'm disinclined to.
Me (smugly): This will fix it. <makes change>
Pooter: Nnnope, still broken, LOL!
Me: <flips entire table>
Me: Long, ranty explanation about how that couldn't possibly not have worked.
Me: <returns to code>
Me: <saves previously unsaved change>
Pooter: Nnnope, still broken, LOL!
Me: <flips entire table>
Me: Long, ranty explanation about how that couldn't possibly not have worked.
Me: <returns to code>
Me: <saves previously unsaved change>
January 8, 2026 at 12:50 PM
Me (smugly): This will fix it. <makes change>
Pooter: Nnnope, still broken, LOL!
Me: <flips entire table>
Me: Long, ranty explanation about how that couldn't possibly not have worked.
Me: <returns to code>
Me: <saves previously unsaved change>
Pooter: Nnnope, still broken, LOL!
Me: <flips entire table>
Me: Long, ranty explanation about how that couldn't possibly not have worked.
Me: <returns to code>
Me: <saves previously unsaved change>
My new least-favourite coding mishap:
1) Make a one-character typo.
2) Intellicode guesses wrongly what I was trying to type and autocompletes it.
3) Because the autocompleted thing requires a library I'm not using, a 'using' directive is automatically, silently added.
1) Make a one-character typo.
2) Intellicode guesses wrongly what I was trying to type and autocompletes it.
3) Because the autocompleted thing requires a library I'm not using, a 'using' directive is automatically, silently added.
December 19, 2025 at 8:55 AM
My new least-favourite coding mishap:
1) Make a one-character typo.
2) Intellicode guesses wrongly what I was trying to type and autocompletes it.
3) Because the autocompleted thing requires a library I'm not using, a 'using' directive is automatically, silently added.
1) Make a one-character typo.
2) Intellicode guesses wrongly what I was trying to type and autocompletes it.
3) Because the autocompleted thing requires a library I'm not using, a 'using' directive is automatically, silently added.
"Without that, the game just wouldn't exist"
Rami telling the real story of game production. There are always compromises. Players only see the gap between the shipped game and perfection.
Rami telling the real story of game production. There are always compromises. Players only see the gap between the shipped game and perfection.
December 16, 2025 at 12:30 PM
"Without that, the game just wouldn't exist"
Rami telling the real story of game production. There are always compromises. Players only see the gap between the shipped game and perfection.
Rami telling the real story of game production. There are always compromises. Players only see the gap between the shipped game and perfection.
This is a good wording of how I feel about puzzle design too. These days I only 100% about 1/4 of the puzzles I start. Sometimes not finishing is because the game gets very hard at the end and I don't have the time (eg. Gentoo Rescue), but more often... (1/2)
So things I love:
- Games with deep secrets
- Games that have stuff that many players might not see
Things I don't love:
- Puzzles/secrets that are only difficult by being very obscure and underclued.
It's often assumed that to do the first 2 things, you have to do the 3rd, but I don't think so!
- Games with deep secrets
- Games that have stuff that many players might not see
Things I don't love:
- Puzzles/secrets that are only difficult by being very obscure and underclued.
It's often assumed that to do the first 2 things, you have to do the 3rd, but I don't think so!
December 13, 2025 at 3:53 PM
This is a good wording of how I feel about puzzle design too. These days I only 100% about 1/4 of the puzzles I start. Sometimes not finishing is because the game gets very hard at the end and I don't have the time (eg. Gentoo Rescue), but more often... (1/2)
This thread is worth a read. Personally, I'm probably not going to play the game. Not because of the politics of the creative lead, but because I already don't have time to play all the creative and interesting puzzle games that come out.
So, “Order of the Sinking Star” by Thekla was just announced, which takes several small free games (two of which are mine) and gives them a major graphical upgrade and mashes up their rulesets. I haven’t been very involved but it’s a great concept and looks cool.
December 12, 2025 at 10:39 AM
This thread is worth a read. Personally, I'm probably not going to play the game. Not because of the politics of the creative lead, but because I already don't have time to play all the creative and interesting puzzle games that come out.
Update to my review: I think this is now my favourite web game of all time. Just consistently great all the way through.
This is a very good puzzle and you should play it. (Free!)
I've barely posted on this kind of social media anywhere but I have a reason to now. I made a game!!
It's called nuworm and you can play it for free in the browser.
I worked on it over three years, it might take you three hours to experience. cubestudio.itch.io/nuworm
It's called nuworm and you can play it for free in the browser.
I worked on it over three years, it might take you three hours to experience. cubestudio.itch.io/nuworm
December 2, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Update to my review: I think this is now my favourite web game of all time. Just consistently great all the way through.
Part two! Next time some clown tries to tell you that nobody makes interesting games anymore, just send them these articles.
And finished! Another 20 fantastic-looking unknown indie games to play right now or wishlist!
kotaku.com/indie-games-...
Thanks so much to everyone who submitted, and sorry to the hundreds I couldn't include! Very pleased to have managed to get to 40 though!
Please repost far and wide!
kotaku.com/indie-games-...
Thanks so much to everyone who submitted, and sorry to the hundreds I couldn't include! Very pleased to have managed to get to 40 though!
Please repost far and wide!
20 Extraordinary Indie Games To Wishlist This Black Friday
Another incredible selection of unknown games, both out now and coming soon
kotaku.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Part two! Next time some clown tries to tell you that nobody makes interesting games anymore, just send them these articles.
This is what I want the gaming press to be all year round! Wishlisted more games from one article than in the last three months combined!
Hooray! The first of the Thanksgaming 2025 posts is up on Kotaku, with an epic TWENTY unknown indies to check out!
I'm going to put up another 20 tomorrow.
Spread it far and wide!
kotaku.com/indie-games-...
I'm going to put up another 20 tomorrow.
Spread it far and wide!
kotaku.com/indie-games-...
20 Incredible Innovative Indie Games To Wishlist This Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgaming 2025 everybody! Celebrate with a huge pile of unknown indies to put on your radar
kotaku.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:18 PM
This is what I want the gaming press to be all year round! Wishlisted more games from one article than in the last three months combined!
Reposted by Dom Camus
Steam intentionally killing an old, respected, and beloved decade old indie game studio through bullshit policy is fucking wild
Our upcoming game HORSES was preemptively banned from Steam, with no path to appeal. The game will still launch next week on December 2nd and will be available on EGS, GOG, Humble, and Itch for $4.99. Here is a detailed FAQ covering what happened: horses.wtf/BannedFromSt...
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 AM
Steam intentionally killing an old, respected, and beloved decade old indie game studio through bullshit policy is fucking wild
This is a very good puzzle and you should play it. (Free!)
I've barely posted on this kind of social media anywhere but I have a reason to now. I made a game!!
It's called nuworm and you can play it for free in the browser.
I worked on it over three years, it might take you three hours to experience. cubestudio.itch.io/nuworm
It's called nuworm and you can play it for free in the browser.
I worked on it over three years, it might take you three hours to experience. cubestudio.itch.io/nuworm
November 25, 2025 at 4:52 PM
This is a very good puzzle and you should play it. (Free!)
If you know anyone who might be interested, plz send them the link?
I've been doing dev work for this project and it's pretty great! Playtesters so far have loved it.
I've been doing dev work for this project and it's pretty great! Playtesters so far have loved it.
If you're a Content Creator or Reviewer interested in receiving a key for a pre-launch version of Pieced Together, you can express your interest via our form 👉zurl.co/0IGeY
Looking forward to hearing from you! 💗
#cozygames #cozygamecommunity #wholesomegames #twitch #twitchstreamer
Looking forward to hearing from you! 💗
#cozygames #cozygamecommunity #wholesomegames #twitch #twitchstreamer
November 21, 2025 at 4:14 PM
If you know anyone who might be interested, plz send them the link?
I've been doing dev work for this project and it's pretty great! Playtesters so far have loved it.
I've been doing dev work for this project and it's pretty great! Playtesters so far have loved it.
I played a bit of this during testing and it's really good. Andy Duff consistently impresses me as a game designer.
store.steampowered.com/app/3330410/...
store.steampowered.com/app/3330410/...
Save 15% on Spell Slide on Steam
Slide letters to spell words in this inventive puzzle game. Take on handcrafted challenges with word-locked doors, robot allies, diamond-collecting mazes, shifting layouts, and cryptic clue conundrums...
store.steampowered.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I played a bit of this during testing and it's really good. Andy Duff consistently impresses me as a game designer.
store.steampowered.com/app/3330410/...
store.steampowered.com/app/3330410/...
Reposted by Dom Camus
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Submit a Claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Hey authors! Check to see if Anthropic stole your book to train their slop generator on. You’re entitled to $1500 per stolen Work.
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
Look up your work, and if you’re in the database, file a claim
secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup/
In case you weren't able to watch ThinkyCon 2025 live, the helpful folks at Thinky Games have now given my talk its own video. :-)
Dom Camus' talk on how space changes the design of grid-based puzzle games was originally going to be a Discord comment, but we have the character limit to thank for it turning into this fascinating talk!
A Journey Into Space - Dom Camus (ThinkyCon 2025)
Dom Camus joins us at ThinkyCon 2025 to present the talk: "A Journey Into Space"
Talk description: A short discussion of the issue of space in grid-based puzzle games, primarily from a game design perspective. Why might you care about space, in what ways does it change a design and how can understa
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 5:21 PM
In case you weren't able to watch ThinkyCon 2025 live, the helpful folks at Thinky Games have now given my talk its own video. :-)
Today I updated by VS install from 2019 and now it has some kind of AI suggesting autocompletes for all my lines as I type them. It's like having a dim but very enthusiastic undergraduate finishing all my sentences for me.
This lasted less than a day before being switched off.
This lasted less than a day before being switched off.
November 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Today I updated by VS install from 2019 and now it has some kind of AI suggesting autocompletes for all my lines as I type them. It's like having a dim but very enthusiastic undergraduate finishing all my sentences for me.
This lasted less than a day before being switched off.
This lasted less than a day before being switched off.
Urgent help wanted, as mention by Tonda in this talk. One of the lead playtesters really urgently needs a living kidney donor. Read www.iggyland.org and then consider reposting, please.
November 7, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Urgent help wanted, as mention by Tonda in this talk. One of the lead playtesters really urgently needs a living kidney donor. Read www.iggyland.org and then consider reposting, please.
My talk is in one hour, here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eb-...
November 6, 2025 at 9:23 PM
My talk is in one hour, here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eb-...
The nice people at ThinkyCon made me a poster! Also, don't forget ThinkyCon starts on Wednesday 5th - I'm on day two.
November 3, 2025 at 8:43 PM
The nice people at ThinkyCon made me a poster! Also, don't forget ThinkyCon starts on Wednesday 5th - I'm on day two.
Reposted by Dom Camus
This is the most ruthless act of union busting in the history of the UK games industry. Yesterday, @rockstargames.com unfairly fired over 30 employees for union activity.
We won't back down, and we're not scared - we will fight for every member to be reinstated.
We won't back down, and we're not scared - we will fight for every member to be reinstated.
BREAKING: Yesterday Grand Theft Auto VI maker Rockstar Games fired dozens of people, all of whom were involved in union efforts. A British union calls it "blatant and ruthless" union-busting. Take-Two Interactive says it was due to misconduct.
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Here's the scoop: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
‘Grand Theft Auto’ Studio Accused of Union Busting After Firings
Union says 30 and 40 people were terminated. Rockstar Games’ parent company cites ‘gross misconduct’
www.bloomberg.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:01 PM
This is the most ruthless act of union busting in the history of the UK games industry. Yesterday, @rockstargames.com unfairly fired over 30 employees for union activity.
We won't back down, and we're not scared - we will fight for every member to be reinstated.
We won't back down, and we're not scared - we will fight for every member to be reinstated.
ThinkyCon last year was pretty great, so mark your diary!
Also, I'm giving a talk again... actually live this time. :-)
Also, I'm giving a talk again... actually live this time. :-)
Announcing the line-up for ThinkyCon 2025! 🎉 Tune in for 3 days of amazing talks from the makers of your favorite puzzly games!
thinkygames.com/even...
thinkygames.com/even...
October 29, 2025 at 7:55 PM
ThinkyCon last year was pretty great, so mark your diary!
Also, I'm giving a talk again... actually live this time. :-)
Also, I'm giving a talk again... actually live this time. :-)
Don't tell the Git illuminatii I told you, but you can just type this into a shell:
git config --global alias.uncommit "reset --soft HEAD^"
...and then when you want to reverse your last commit before you've pushed it, it's just:
git uncommit
...which you might have a chance of remembering!
git config --global alias.uncommit "reset --soft HEAD^"
...and then when you want to reverse your last commit before you've pushed it, it's just:
git uncommit
...which you might have a chance of remembering!
October 26, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Don't tell the Git illuminatii I told you, but you can just type this into a shell:
git config --global alias.uncommit "reset --soft HEAD^"
...and then when you want to reverse your last commit before you've pushed it, it's just:
git uncommit
...which you might have a chance of remembering!
git config --global alias.uncommit "reset --soft HEAD^"
...and then when you want to reverse your last commit before you've pushed it, it's just:
git uncommit
...which you might have a chance of remembering!
This game is so well made. Just a pleasure to play.
Spooky Express is OUT NOW on PC and Mobile! 🚂🎃
All the passengers are dying to ride the Spooky Express! Don’t let them miss their stops: they may be monsters, but they still have places to be and people to eat – er, we mean meet!
spooky.express
All the passengers are dying to ride the Spooky Express! Don’t let them miss their stops: they may be monsters, but they still have places to be and people to eat – er, we mean meet!
spooky.express
October 21, 2025 at 4:26 PM
This game is so well made. Just a pleasure to play.
"iPhone build only bug"
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
October 13, 2025 at 3:04 PM
"iPhone build only bug"