Dan Johnson (hire me)
@coil.bsky.social
Schipperke owner @PNW
Game Systems Designer, dangerously unsupervised (prev Big Blue Sky Games, Blizzard, Bungie, Irrational, etc)
Hire me!
#GameDev
he/him
Game Systems Designer, dangerously unsupervised (prev Big Blue Sky Games, Blizzard, Bungie, Irrational, etc)
Hire me!
#GameDev
he/him
Pinned
Dan Johnson (hire me)
@coil.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Hello newskies! I'm Dan, a game designer currently hailing from the Seattle area. I have lots of schipperkes, ADHD, and many (mostly crafty) hobbies in varying states of hyperfocus or neglect.
Favorite game: Journey
Color: Aqua
Album: Paul Simon - Graceland
Cocktail: Red Hook
Dinosaur: Amargasaurus
Favorite game: Journey
Color: Aqua
Album: Paul Simon - Graceland
Cocktail: Red Hook
Dinosaur: Amargasaurus
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
If you wanted to participate in #nanowrimo but writing a whole ass novel is too daunting and you'd like to focus on short stories - I'm working on a thing with my friend centered around just that. Let me know if you'd like a beta invite!
November 11, 2025 at 7:08 AM
If you wanted to participate in #nanowrimo but writing a whole ass novel is too daunting and you'd like to focus on short stories - I'm working on a thing with my friend centered around just that. Let me know if you'd like a beta invite!
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
I haven't fully read it (i tried at least!) but like, I feel like the whole thing of narrative in games constantly being devalued and on the AI chopping block is a bigger and root problem, you can't have better narrative choices it it's the lowest priority being shuffled around art/programming/etc
November 11, 2025 at 6:54 AM
I haven't fully read it (i tried at least!) but like, I feel like the whole thing of narrative in games constantly being devalued and on the AI chopping block is a bigger and root problem, you can't have better narrative choices it it's the lowest priority being shuffled around art/programming/etc
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
November 11, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Good thread.
If your game has a narrative *and* roguelike gameplay, you owe it to yourself and your players to make the two make sense together. Or dump the one that is getting in the way.
If your game has a narrative *and* roguelike gameplay, you owe it to yourself and your players to make the two make sense together. Or dump the one that is getting in the way.
i think even in roguelikes that do great storytelling, like hades, you can feel how the narrative is bent around the game structure. i think it's great to see games push forward in a highly systemic space, but i feel a lot of indie games targeting this genre are cutting themselves short
November 11, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Good thread.
If your game has a narrative *and* roguelike gameplay, you owe it to yourself and your players to make the two make sense together. Or dump the one that is getting in the way.
If your game has a narrative *and* roguelike gameplay, you owe it to yourself and your players to make the two make sense together. Or dump the one that is getting in the way.
Go Seattle go!
LEAD CHANGE: Katie Wilson is now ahead of Mayor Harrell by... 91 votes.
That's out of ≈270K!
Seattle counted roughly 39K ballots today, & they broke in favor of Wilson by 11.4%, erasing the entirety of the incumbent's lead.
That's out of ≈270K!
Seattle counted roughly 39K ballots today, & they broke in favor of Wilson by 11.4%, erasing the entirety of the incumbent's lead.
November 11, 2025 at 2:18 AM
Go Seattle go!
I'm liminally performative: maybe THIS is the post that will go viral. Maybe not?
I'm performatively liminal, which means I'm standing on a cliff going "OOOOH MAYBE I'LL JUMP, MAYBE I'M A REPRESENTATION OF CROSSING A THRESHOLD THAT CANNOT BE UNCROSSED, OOOOOOH"
Has “performative” become the new “liminal” in that it’s a term that is very useful but its misuse on social media is rendering it difficult to use
November 10, 2025 at 10:14 PM
I'm liminally performative: maybe THIS is the post that will go viral. Maybe not?
I've seen animations get choppy (every other frame or lower) for far-away elements, but do any engines use LOD tech for bones? Like, at long distance
* Detail elements get no bones, or
* A tail with 10 bones in it only has 3, or
* A secret third thing
* Detail elements get no bones, or
* A tail with 10 bones in it only has 3, or
* A secret third thing
November 10, 2025 at 9:52 PM
I've seen animations get choppy (every other frame or lower) for far-away elements, but do any engines use LOD tech for bones? Like, at long distance
* Detail elements get no bones, or
* A tail with 10 bones in it only has 3, or
* A secret third thing
* Detail elements get no bones, or
* A tail with 10 bones in it only has 3, or
* A secret third thing
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
update - there are enough responses to believe that this will probably happen, after taking into account the no-shows.
(You can still put your name down if you want to! There will be no shows, and if we need to make 2+ volumes, we can also do that.)
(You can still put your name down if you want to! There will be no shows, and if we need to make 2+ volumes, we can also do that.)
okay, seriously: if we were to corral this, would anyone be interested in contributing? Here is the google form:
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
November 10, 2025 at 7:30 PM
update - there are enough responses to believe that this will probably happen, after taking into account the no-shows.
(You can still put your name down if you want to! There will be no shows, and if we need to make 2+ volumes, we can also do that.)
(You can still put your name down if you want to! There will be no shows, and if we need to make 2+ volumes, we can also do that.)
AI is going to replace me? I'd like to see it be this unemployed.
No for real, that would rock.
No for real, that would rock.
AI is going to replace me? AI cant even eat a taco lol
November 10, 2025 at 8:21 PM
AI is going to replace me? I'd like to see it be this unemployed.
No for real, that would rock.
No for real, that would rock.
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
Hey all you gamers claiming to "want shorter games made by fewer people who are paid more to work less" here's your chance to put your $15 where your mouth is: a spooky & elegiac exploration game made by ex-Bethesda & Ubi devs. It's excellent. Buy it & prove there's a market for games like this!
There'll be a new pinned post this week, but for now: Ambrosia Sky: Act One is *out* now!
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
EGS: store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
EGS: store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
Save 15% on Ambrosia Sky on Steam
You left. Now they’re dead. Ambrosia Sky: Act One is an immersive sim about exploring an asteroid colony devastated by a mysterious contamination. Survive and harvest strains of aggressive alien fungi...
store.steampowered.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Hey all you gamers claiming to "want shorter games made by fewer people who are paid more to work less" here's your chance to put your $15 where your mouth is: a spooky & elegiac exploration game made by ex-Bethesda & Ubi devs. It's excellent. Buy it & prove there's a market for games like this!
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
There'll be a new pinned post this week, but for now: Ambrosia Sky: Act One is *out* now!
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
EGS: store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
EGS: store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
Save 15% on Ambrosia Sky on Steam
You left. Now they’re dead. Ambrosia Sky: Act One is an immersive sim about exploring an asteroid colony devastated by a mysterious contamination. Survive and harvest strains of aggressive alien fungi...
store.steampowered.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:18 PM
There'll be a new pinned post this week, but for now: Ambrosia Sky: Act One is *out* now!
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
EGS: store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/3580160/...
EGS: store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/ambr...
The best part is, you can "provide feedback" and do Meta's work for them.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse Meta AI has now started critiquing my work on Facebook.
And its critique is… well, it’s something…
Stop the world, I want to get off.
And its critique is… well, it’s something…
Stop the world, I want to get off.
November 10, 2025 at 6:33 PM
The best part is, you can "provide feedback" and do Meta's work for them.
I love how genAI "products" aren't even bothering to paint over the "actually we just need the data for training" any more.
November 10, 2025 at 2:51 AM
I love how genAI "products" aren't even bothering to paint over the "actually we just need the data for training" any more.
My dog finally pooped after like six trips outside and my dinner gone cold, so at least she's less disappointing than @schumer.senate.gov.
November 10, 2025 at 2:37 AM
My dog finally pooped after like six trips outside and my dinner gone cold, so at least she's less disappointing than @schumer.senate.gov.
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
It sucks that the "okay" uses are just so poisoned. It's never "we found a really good application for the tech", it's always "hey take this little bite so we feel validated using it, then we can go ahead and just steal everyone's work and literally destroy the industry"
November 10, 2025 at 1:00 AM
It sucks that the "okay" uses are just so poisoned. It's never "we found a really good application for the tech", it's always "hey take this little bite so we feel validated using it, then we can go ahead and just steal everyone's work and literally destroy the industry"
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
I really look forward to the day when Americans stop homogenizing Native people and see us as different people from different families, cultures, and tribes.
The Seneca in New York are 2,000 miles from the Diné in New Mexico. This is like comparing the people of Portugal to the people of Denmark.
The Seneca in New York are 2,000 miles from the Diné in New Mexico. This is like comparing the people of Portugal to the people of Denmark.
November 10, 2025 at 12:27 AM
I really look forward to the day when Americans stop homogenizing Native people and see us as different people from different families, cultures, and tribes.
The Seneca in New York are 2,000 miles from the Diné in New Mexico. This is like comparing the people of Portugal to the people of Denmark.
The Seneca in New York are 2,000 miles from the Diné in New Mexico. This is like comparing the people of Portugal to the people of Denmark.
How did we go from a historic election performance and "more than 100 Republicans planning to vote alongside Democrats" over the Epstein files three days ago to Senate Democrats lining up to Charlie Brown yet another empty promise?
DOJ Admits to Republicans That Epstein Files Are Even Worse for Trump
Details in the files are reportedly even more damning for Donald Trump than previously indicated—and it was already bad.
newrepublic.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:13 AM
How did we go from a historic election performance and "more than 100 Republicans planning to vote alongside Democrats" over the Epstein files three days ago to Senate Democrats lining up to Charlie Brown yet another empty promise?
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
Hey friendos,
Looking for an illustrator to do a cover image for the book I have been working on, paid of course. I have done several passes and am looking to get it uploaded, but I don't have the ability to do what I am looking for, and would sooner be caught dead using GenAI.
Please reach out!
Looking for an illustrator to do a cover image for the book I have been working on, paid of course. I have done several passes and am looking to get it uploaded, but I don't have the ability to do what I am looking for, and would sooner be caught dead using GenAI.
Please reach out!
November 9, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Hey friendos,
Looking for an illustrator to do a cover image for the book I have been working on, paid of course. I have done several passes and am looking to get it uploaded, but I don't have the ability to do what I am looking for, and would sooner be caught dead using GenAI.
Please reach out!
Looking for an illustrator to do a cover image for the book I have been working on, paid of course. I have done several passes and am looking to get it uploaded, but I don't have the ability to do what I am looking for, and would sooner be caught dead using GenAI.
Please reach out!
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
SLOP FOR THE SLOP GODS
November 9, 2025 at 6:51 PM
SLOP FOR THE SLOP GODS
@puzzmo.com I contend "paper trail" would have been a valid circuit.🤔
I wonder if a dual-grid clue (ie find two words that match all circuit connections - or maybe a rebus?) would be a fun challenge... Maybe just for the constructor. 😁
I wonder if a dual-grid clue (ie find two words that match all circuit connections - or maybe a rebus?) would be a fun challenge... Maybe just for the constructor. 😁
November 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
@puzzmo.com I contend "paper trail" would have been a valid circuit.🤔
I wonder if a dual-grid clue (ie find two words that match all circuit connections - or maybe a rebus?) would be a fun challenge... Maybe just for the constructor. 😁
I wonder if a dual-grid clue (ie find two words that match all circuit connections - or maybe a rebus?) would be a fun challenge... Maybe just for the constructor. 😁
Me: Alexa, what's the weather tomorrow?
Alexa: Tomorrow will be partly cloudy with a high of 63°.
Alexa: <turns chair around backwards, slings a leg over> By the way, you know who else worried about the weather?
Alexa: Tomorrow will be partly cloudy with a high of 63°.
Alexa: <turns chair around backwards, slings a leg over> By the way, you know who else worried about the weather?
November 9, 2025 at 6:48 AM
Me: Alexa, what's the weather tomorrow?
Alexa: Tomorrow will be partly cloudy with a high of 63°.
Alexa: <turns chair around backwards, slings a leg over> By the way, you know who else worried about the weather?
Alexa: Tomorrow will be partly cloudy with a high of 63°.
Alexa: <turns chair around backwards, slings a leg over> By the way, you know who else worried about the weather?
Mamdani is going to implement Scaramucci law. It should take about ten days.
Mamdani is going to implement Skibidi law
Mamdani is going to implement Scaramouche law. Everyone will have to do the Fandango.
November 9, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Mamdani is going to implement Scaramucci law. It should take about ten days.
Reposted by Dan Johnson (hire me)
rambling about "physical feedback"/positive friction as anchors to help preserve your sense of embodiment
tactility
jennfrank.bearblog.dev/tactility/
jennfrank.bearblog.dev/tactility/
November 8, 2025 at 9:22 PM
rambling about "physical feedback"/positive friction as anchors to help preserve your sense of embodiment