Ben Swithen, a person
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benjamilian.bsky.social
Ben Swithen, a person
@benjamilian.bsky.social
76 followers 41 following 48 posts
I make computer games, music, videos and audio drama. New game Trans Theft Horso is coming July 15th.
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Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
ratqueen.bsky.social
One of the funniest trailers for the #AdventureX was Trans Theft Horso. Especially thanks to @benjamilian.bsky.social 's excellent rhyming. The melody is so catchy, the songs of the game will follow you around for days. Thanks.

🦨 www.youtube.com/watch?v=22mG...
Trans Theft Horso gameplay trailer
YouTube video by Ben Swithen
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:34 PM
benjamilian.bsky.social
I love the Geneva translation's use of 'shalbe' as one word (like 'maybe'), and I especially like Biblical acknowledgement of my bosome.
It is a blessed thing indeed to give generously.
Screenshot of Luke chapter 6 verse 38 in the Geneva translation, an archaicly spelt one which turns the phrase 'shall be' into a single word, 'shalbe' and describes generous gifts given 'into your bosome', which is 'bosom' spelt with an 'e' on the end as it was 500 years ago.
November 25, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
eikebentley.bsky.social
The @adventurex.bsky.social stall is up and running!! Trans Theft Horsooooooooo (🎶 all wests are wild, but this one's even moreso 🎶)
Colourful game developer Ben Swithen sitting behind a stall adorned with indie game accoutrements. They wear a hat resembling a skunk. Two screens show scenes from the Trans Theft Horso demo, and a player sits at one. The trans flag is suspended betwixt desk and suitcase.
November 22, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
eikebentley.bsky.social
I'm gonna be at @adventurex.bsky.social in London tomorrow and Sunday, helping Ben exhibit their masterpiece Trans Theft Horso! I went in 2019 and it was an absolute blast. Very excited to spend a weekend raving about this game and playing a bunch of demos ✨️ Come and say hi if you're going too!!
benjamilian.bsky.social Ben Swithen, a person @benjamilian.bsky.social · 5d
I'm taking Trans Theft Horso to AdventureX narrative gaming convention tomorrow where I'll get to exhibit demos for the game, plus let people pet some plush animal friends.

Here are some visuals I made for the demo menu today #AdvX25
November 21, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
kateri.bsky.social
Trans Theft Horso is everything indie games should be. A brilliant and unique experience, made by a singular weirdo with a dream.
benjamilian.bsky.social Ben Swithen, a person @benjamilian.bsky.social · 5d
I'm taking Trans Theft Horso to AdventureX narrative gaming convention tomorrow where I'll get to exhibit demos for the game, plus let people pet some plush animal friends.

Here are some visuals I made for the demo menu today #AdvX25
November 22, 2025 at 12:26 AM
benjamilian.bsky.social
I'm taking Trans Theft Horso to AdventureX narrative gaming convention tomorrow where I'll get to exhibit demos for the game, plus let people pet some plush animal friends.

Here are some visuals I made for the demo menu today #AdvX25
November 21, 2025 at 12:17 AM
benjamilian.bsky.social
If the chicken crows at the crack of dawn to wake everyone up, what wakes the chicken? Do they just have more efficient body-clocks, or do they just get a sensible bedtime?
November 11, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
natalan.bsky.social
halloween has the right idea being on the 31st. you can look forward to it for the month, then move on. i propose we move bonfire night to the end of november, christmas to the end of december, and delay new year's eve until the end of january so it's not such a bust
November 1, 2024 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
misterabk.bsky.social
I write middle-grade whodunnits, so you might want to dismiss my opinion out of hand. But I think cosy games/crime sometimes miss the fact that blankets are only cosy when it's cold outside. A world without conflict / a story without stakes isn't cosy, it's just safe.
santaragione.com Santa Ragione @santaragione.com · Nov 27
We need to talk about the cozyfication of games because it’s a serious disease, possibly as bad as the edgyfication of the 90s and the grittyfication of the 00s.
October 27, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
wohyeahwohyeah.bsky.social
Doctor Who is back.... next year.
October 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM
benjamilian.bsky.social
Bring it all back now!
October 26, 2025 at 11:20 PM
benjamilian.bsky.social
I'm sorry to hear Patricia Routledge has died. She was one of my very favourite performers. Great gusto! Amazing at character work, and a powerful singing voice too.
October 3, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
josiehypatia.bsky.social
All transgender art should be this joyous and weird. Thumbs up for loins!
benjamilian.bsky.social Ben Swithen, a person @benjamilian.bsky.social · Oct 1
Happy New Loin! A free EP which celebrates gender-affirming surgery. swithen.bandcamp.com/album/happy-...
I have a few friends who have new loins or refurbished torsos this year, so here is a joyful noise to mark the occasion.
Happy New Loin!, by Ben Swithen
11 track album
swithen.bandcamp.com
October 1, 2025 at 10:57 AM
benjamilian.bsky.social
Happy New Loin! A free EP which celebrates gender-affirming surgery. swithen.bandcamp.com/album/happy-...
I have a few friends who have new loins or refurbished torsos this year, so here is a joyful noise to mark the occasion.
Happy New Loin!, by Ben Swithen
11 track album
swithen.bandcamp.com
October 1, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
emauxstylo.bsky.social
BBC News captures Doctor Who himself Sylvester McCoy at the Trump protest seemingly unaware of who they're interviewing.
September 17, 2025 at 6:29 PM
benjamilian.bsky.social
Trans Theft Horso's September patch is out.

Small tweaks pertaining to fishes, bees, a duck, fish and chips and a battenberg cake.

store.steampowered.com/app/2268550/...
Trans Theft Horso on Steam
A colourful western fantasy adventure, to save trans joy! Adric Belfonte embarks on a happy nightmare into the wild and bewaffling West. Explore the maddening desert, defy the admirals, ride the anima...
store.steampowered.com
September 16, 2025 at 9:25 AM
benjamilian.bsky.social
I was interviewed for an article on the indie game dev scene here, games as an art-form, and Trans Theft Horso: nowthenmagazine.com/articles/doe...
Does Sheffield have an indie games scene?
Video games are mega – both very good and economically gigantic – but we have very little awareness of where they come from. Sean Morley speaks with local indie developers and asks why games aren’t co...
nowthenmagazine.com
September 11, 2025 at 5:30 PM
benjamilian.bsky.social
Buzz buzz, boop boop!
September 7, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
gfsc.community
Meet Ben (@benjamilian.bsky.social), a person with a tale of transphobia, excommunication, lost hope, and the secret joy of failure. How does all this lead to gender gladness, to hyacinths, and to a game called Trans Theft Horso?

gfsc.community/hope-then-ex...
Hope, then Excommunication, and then Hope Again
Meet Ben, a person with a tale of transphobia, excommunication, lost hope, and the secret joy of failure. How does all this lead to gender gladness, to hyacinths, and to a game called Trans Theft Hors...
gfsc.community
September 4, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
adventurex.bsky.social
Less than 1/3rd of all tickets left!

#AdvX25 is back on 22-23 November in Central London with a stacked lineup of games and talks.

Tickets are selling out fast, so secure yours before it’s too late! adventurexpo.org

Regular 1-day tickets & weekend concession tickets are almost entirely gone... 😱
September 1, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
lisasevern.uk
“Trans people being denied the very same medication that cis people are given without question. Many of the refusals are for people that are already on HRT"

✅ Restricting legal recognition
✅ Restricting freedoms
✅ Restricting health care

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Campaigners warn of ‘staggering increase’ in GPs denying trans care
Mr Lyon had been receiving testosterone treatment for a decade until he moved to a new practice, as more GPs are halting trans care
www.independent.co.uk
August 31, 2025 at 2:54 PM
benjamilian.bsky.social
Skunkus Amunkus! Music for when you're being pursued by inquisitive skunks - from the Trans Theft Horso soundtrack.
Skunkus Amunkus
Music to listen to while being chased by energetic skunks, from the Trans Theft Horso soundtrack.
on.soundcloud.com
August 30, 2025 at 10:40 PM
benjamilian.bsky.social
Amazing verb choice in Young's Literal Translation.
Proverbs 16:3 - Roll unto Jehovah thy works and established are thy purposes - YLT98
August 28, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
hannahvardit.bsky.social
hi this is my favorite writing advice, it's from former simpsons writer john swartzwelder (i think about the crappy little elf all the time) www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
screengrab of a portion of new yorker interview with former simpson's writer john swartzwelder: Mike Sacks: How much time and attention did you spend on these scripts? Another “Simpsons” writer once compared your scripts to finely tuned machines—if the wrong person mucked with them, the whole thing could blow up. Swartzwelder: All of my time and all of my attention. It’s the only way I know how to write, darn it. But I do have a trick that makes things easier for me. Since writing is very hard and rewriting is comparatively easy and rather fun, I always write my scripts all the way through as fast as I can, the first day, if possible, putting in crap jokes and pattern dialogue—“Homer, I don’t want you to do that.” “Then I won’t do it.” Then the next day, when I get up, the script’s been written. It’s lousy, but it’s a script. The hard part is done. It’s like a crappy little elf has snuck into my office and badly done all my work for me, and then left with a tip of his crappy hat. All I have to do from that point on is fix it. So I’ve taken a very hard job, writing, and turned it into an easy one, rewriting, overnight. I advise all writers to do their scripts and other writing this way. And be sure to send me a small royalty every time you do it.
August 16, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Reposted by Ben Swithen, a person
amybrown.xyz
this iconic advertising copywriter named Kathy Hepinstall Parks died over the weekend and I wanted to share something from her website I thought Bluesky would like
Why should I write better when a machine can do it for me? Because actually no one can do it for you, because your voice is unique among all the people on earth. Siri never petted a horse's neck. Alexa has never been ghosted by the captain of the football team. But you have lived, your heart is beating, you have suffered, and you have something important to say. It's a human's job, to use words, and whatever job you give to a machine, that part of your brain goes dark. Maybe it's worth it when it comes to remembering phone numbers and directions, but when that part of your brain that uses words goes dark, that's a vast area that's very close to your soul. Don't let some internet platform convince you that what you have to say and create isn't worthwhile. Words are the echo of your soul. Honing that echo matters.
August 22, 2025 at 2:20 PM