Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
@etgoat.bsky.social
Biotech scientist and game designer. Game Makers Guild Philadelphia. Eat Tasty Games. he/him
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 11/16 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
Note that this is a week earlier due to PAX Unplugged - hope to see you there too!
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Note that this is a week earlier due to PAX Unplugged - hope to see you there too!
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November 12, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 11/16 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
Note that this is a week earlier due to PAX Unplugged - hope to see you there too!
fb.me/e/6oD4NTUDq
Note that this is a week earlier due to PAX Unplugged - hope to see you there too!
fb.me/e/6oD4NTUDq
Metatopia was excellent as usual. I had 3 very productive playtests of Smash Dash and got to play an interesting variety of games, the best of which was Look Into My Eyes from @nickmajorbowden.bsky.social. Elegant 2-player battle of wits with multiple juicy decisions every turn. Incredible game.
November 11, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Metatopia was excellent as usual. I had 3 very productive playtests of Smash Dash and got to play an interesting variety of games, the best of which was Look Into My Eyes from @nickmajorbowden.bsky.social. Elegant 2-player battle of wits with multiple juicy decisions every turn. Incredible game.
Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
"Game designers will routinely fail at making something fun. When the game of making games is played right, it is always right outside the edge of what the designers know how to do."
Incredible quote from an amazing article. Something I'm only beginning to understand 10+ years in to designing.
Incredible quote from an amazing article. Something I'm only beginning to understand 10+ years in to designing.
Game design is simple, actually. Except when it isn't. Here are the 12 things you need to know.
Game design is simple, actually
So, let’s just walk through the whole thing, end to end. Here’s a twelve-step program for understanding game design. One: Fun There are a lot of things people call “fun.” But most of them are not useful for getting better at making games, which is usually why people read articles like this. The fun of a bit of confetti exploding in front of you, and the fun of excruciating pain and risk to life and limb as you free climb a cliff are just not usefully paired together.
www.raphkoster.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:40 PM
"Game designers will routinely fail at making something fun. When the game of making games is played right, it is always right outside the edge of what the designers know how to do."
Incredible quote from an amazing article. Something I'm only beginning to understand 10+ years in to designing.
Incredible quote from an amazing article. Something I'm only beginning to understand 10+ years in to designing.
Once again, woke up way before my alarm at Metatopia with my brain buzzing with game ideas.
November 7, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Once again, woke up way before my alarm at Metatopia with my brain buzzing with game ideas.
“Somebody once told me
His works he’d like to show me
He said they’d fill me with fear and dread.
He was looking kind of dumb
With two legs out in the sun
And nearby, a shattered stone head.”
Please someone tell me they have screenshots of PateraQuetzaI’s epic Twitter thread that I’m quoting here.
His works he’d like to show me
He said they’d fill me with fear and dread.
He was looking kind of dumb
With two legs out in the sun
And nearby, a shattered stone head.”
Please someone tell me they have screenshots of PateraQuetzaI’s epic Twitter thread that I’m quoting here.
Have you ever traveled off in an antique land
And encountered two legs of stone in the sand?
Let me tell you a story of lifeless things
Of the trunk of Ozymandias, King of Kings.
And encountered two legs of stone in the sand?
Let me tell you a story of lifeless things
Of the trunk of Ozymandias, King of Kings.
October 31, 2025 at 1:36 AM
“Somebody once told me
His works he’d like to show me
He said they’d fill me with fear and dread.
He was looking kind of dumb
With two legs out in the sun
And nearby, a shattered stone head.”
Please someone tell me they have screenshots of PateraQuetzaI’s epic Twitter thread that I’m quoting here.
His works he’d like to show me
He said they’d fill me with fear and dread.
He was looking kind of dumb
With two legs out in the sun
And nearby, a shattered stone head.”
Please someone tell me they have screenshots of PateraQuetzaI’s epic Twitter thread that I’m quoting here.
Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
My first of two reminders on this, I promise:
Ferret Frenzy, the light push-your-luck card game I co-designed about the best pets in the world, is only up on Kickstarter for the next few days.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sha...
Ferret Frenzy, the light push-your-luck card game I co-designed about the best pets in the world, is only up on Kickstarter for the next few days.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sha...
FERRET FRENZY: A Party Game of Risk, Reward & Ridiculousness
Unleash the push-your-luck thrill of Exploding Kittens, Blackjack & Uno, with the SPEED & GREED of Spoons in this wild new Party Game.
www.kickstarter.com
October 28, 2025 at 1:46 PM
My first of two reminders on this, I promise:
Ferret Frenzy, the light push-your-luck card game I co-designed about the best pets in the world, is only up on Kickstarter for the next few days.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sha...
Ferret Frenzy, the light push-your-luck card game I co-designed about the best pets in the world, is only up on Kickstarter for the next few days.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sha...
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 10/26 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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October 23, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 10/26 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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Cocoon is free on #PSPlus and I’ve been really digging it. Weird puzzles, one button, no jumping, no enemies (except bosses), and a unique and alien visual style.
October 15, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Cocoon is free on #PSPlus and I’ve been really digging it. Weird puzzles, one button, no jumping, no enemies (except bosses), and a unique and alien visual style.
Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
Hey board game designers I made a list of Pax Unplugged publishers: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
"Would need to ask", means website and maybe contact, but their site doesn't mention submissions.
Leave a comment if I need to fix something up.
"Would need to ask", means website and maybe contact, but their site doesn't mention submissions.
Leave a comment if I need to fix something up.
Pax Unplugged Publisher List 2025
docs.google.com
September 28, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Hey board game designers I made a list of Pax Unplugged publishers: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
"Would need to ask", means website and maybe contact, but their site doesn't mention submissions.
Leave a comment if I need to fix something up.
"Would need to ask", means website and maybe contact, but their site doesn't mention submissions.
Leave a comment if I need to fix something up.
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 9/28 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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September 25, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 9/28 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
Hey friends! I have two games on KS right now! Please check out Making Monsters here www.kickstarter.com/projects/mak...
And Dinosaur Island here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/pan...
And Dinosaur Island here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/pan...
Making Monsters
Making Monsters: A laugh-out-loud bag-building board game of monster mayhem.
www.kickstarter.com
September 16, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Hey friends! I have two games on KS right now! Please check out Making Monsters here www.kickstarter.com/projects/mak...
And Dinosaur Island here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/pan...
And Dinosaur Island here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/pan...
Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
Game Designers! We will be hosting our monthly in person playtest w/ @breakmygame.com at Redcaps Corner tonight at 6:30pm. Designers! Sign up with the link below!
www.eventbrite.com/e/break-my-g...
Testers! Come support your local design community!
www.eventbrite.com/e/break-my-g...
Testers! Come support your local design community!
Break My Game Playtesting - Philadelphia, PA - Redcap's Corner
Come playtest board games designed by local independent game designers!
www.eventbrite.com
September 15, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Game Designers! We will be hosting our monthly in person playtest w/ @breakmygame.com at Redcaps Corner tonight at 6:30pm. Designers! Sign up with the link below!
www.eventbrite.com/e/break-my-g...
Testers! Come support your local design community!
www.eventbrite.com/e/break-my-g...
Testers! Come support your local design community!
Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
Hey y’all don’t sleep on Eric’s playtesting event at The Board and Brew this Thursday! I’ll be there testing my new lane control game and you should be too!
Designers sign up with the link below - testers just walk in!
www.eventbrite.com/e/break-my-g...
Designers sign up with the link below - testers just walk in!
www.eventbrite.com/e/break-my-g...
Break My Game Playtesting - Philadelphia, PA - The Board & Brew
Come playtest board games designed by local independent game designers!
www.eventbrite.com
September 2, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Hey y’all don’t sleep on Eric’s playtesting event at The Board and Brew this Thursday! I’ll be there testing my new lane control game and you should be too!
Designers sign up with the link below - testers just walk in!
www.eventbrite.com/e/break-my-g...
Designers sign up with the link below - testers just walk in!
www.eventbrite.com/e/break-my-g...
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 8/24 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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August 20, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 8/24 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 7/27 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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July 22, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 7/27 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
Wow! Scientists engineered E. coli to convert plastic waste (PET) into pain medicine paracetamol (acetaminophen or Tylenol) in under 24 hours with up to 92% yield.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
#medsky #pharmsky 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
#medsky #pharmsky 🧪
Everyday painkiller made from plastic — by E. coli
Study highlights potential for sustainable synthesis of paracetamol.
www.nature.com
June 29, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Wow! Scientists engineered E. coli to convert plastic waste (PET) into pain medicine paracetamol (acetaminophen or Tylenol) in under 24 hours with up to 92% yield.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
#medsky #pharmsky 🧪
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
#medsky #pharmsky 🧪
Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
Firefox extension for those who are interested.
June 29, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Firefox extension for those who are interested.
Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
With this budget, ICE alone would have nearly as large a detention operation as all 50 states' prison systems combined. Bigger budget than the Marine Corps. Police-state levels of spending
If the GOP reconciliation bill passes, ICE gets through FY2029:
- $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion
- $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million
- $8 billion for hiring/retention
- Billions more.
- $45 billion for detention, on top of the current annual budget of $3.4 billion
- $14.4 billion for transportation and removal, on top of the current annual budget of $750 million
- $8 billion for hiring/retention
- Billions more.
‼️‼️
June 29, 2025 at 11:33 AM
With this budget, ICE alone would have nearly as large a detention operation as all 50 states' prison systems combined. Bigger budget than the Marine Corps. Police-state levels of spending
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 6/22 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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June 18, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 6/22 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 5/25 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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May 21, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 5/25 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 4/27 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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April 22, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 4/27 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
Hey folks! My newest game Stealing the Horizons is up on Kickstarter! It could use some love! I think it's something pretty special, in an interview they used the term "Weaponized Problem Solving" and I love that so much! Check it out here please! www.kickstarter.com/projects/ste...
Stealing the Horizons - Unique Tabletop Skirmish Game
A different kind of skirmish game, stretch your strategic mind with unique efficiency puzzles requiring complex solutions for victory!
www.kickstarter.com
March 25, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Hey folks! My newest game Stealing the Horizons is up on Kickstarter! It could use some love! I think it's something pretty special, in an interview they used the term "Weaponized Problem Solving" and I love that so much! Check it out here please! www.kickstarter.com/projects/ste...
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 3/23 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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March 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 3/23 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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Reposted by Jay Vowles 🔜 PAX Unplugged
this ‘jurassic park’ story 😭
March 1, 2025 at 8:42 PM
this ‘jurassic park’ story 😭
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 3/2 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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February 28, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Come join Game Makers Guild Philadelphia for playtesting this Sunday 3/2 5-10pm at The Philly Game Shop 🎲✂️
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