Flintlock but scary or something dunno not feeling it this year
@flintlock.bsky.social
stupid people think it's cool, smart people think it's a joke, also cool
Thinking back I'm probably understating how "scene famous" I actually was, tbh. 150 people at the party for my/my best mate's 21st birthdays, at a club we'd been given use of for free as a "favour". That level of celebrity was kinda fun but I'm not sure I'd ever have wanted it to go further.
And celebrity, even micro celebrity, does come with benefits. Being able to get into the club without paying, stick your coat in the DJ booth and have the first hour of songs as what you and your mates request doesn't mean much at 52. But I'm not going to pretend I didn't absolutely eat it up at 20
November 11, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Thinking back I'm probably understating how "scene famous" I actually was, tbh. 150 people at the party for my/my best mate's 21st birthdays, at a club we'd been given use of for free as a "favour". That level of celebrity was kinda fun but I'm not sure I'd ever have wanted it to go further.
And celebrity, even micro celebrity, does come with benefits. Being able to get into the club without paying, stick your coat in the DJ booth and have the first hour of songs as what you and your mates request doesn't mean much at 52. But I'm not going to pretend I didn't absolutely eat it up at 20
November 11, 2025 at 1:17 PM
And celebrity, even micro celebrity, does come with benefits. Being able to get into the club without paying, stick your coat in the DJ booth and have the first hour of songs as what you and your mates request doesn't mean much at 52. But I'm not going to pretend I didn't absolutely eat it up at 20
Celebrity is an odd one and I think the internet has made microcelebrity even more common. My brush with the concept has been the most micro of micros ("face" in music scenes, national student politics) but it still has the "people knowing who I am and I have no idea who they are" thing.
when discussing parasociality & harassment, I refer to myself as a kinda-sorta public figure, or a half-assed or niche public figure
my therapist hit me with: bitch* you were profiled in The New Yorker, strangers discuss your work, you are a public figure full stop
(*"bitch" implied not literal) 🧵
my therapist hit me with: bitch* you were profiled in The New Yorker, strangers discuss your work, you are a public figure full stop
(*"bitch" implied not literal) 🧵
November 11, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Celebrity is an odd one and I think the internet has made microcelebrity even more common. My brush with the concept has been the most micro of micros ("face" in music scenes, national student politics) but it still has the "people knowing who I am and I have no idea who they are" thing.
I can believe that Elon has read sci fi books. But only John Norman and Piers Anthony.
this was the most hilariously bad defense of Elon I saw in her responses
November 11, 2025 at 12:55 AM
I can believe that Elon has read sci fi books. But only John Norman and Piers Anthony.
Permadeath mode.
November 11, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Permadeath mode.
Someone in the OSR should cut out the middle man and just license a "Blue Öyster Cult RPG" with the world based entirely on BOC lyrics.
It's not even that radical an idea; it's the same model the (actually pretty good) Airship Pirates: The Abney Park RPG follows.
It's not even that radical an idea; it's the same model the (actually pretty good) Airship Pirates: The Abney Park RPG follows.
November 11, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Someone in the OSR should cut out the middle man and just license a "Blue Öyster Cult RPG" with the world based entirely on BOC lyrics.
It's not even that radical an idea; it's the same model the (actually pretty good) Airship Pirates: The Abney Park RPG follows.
It's not even that radical an idea; it's the same model the (actually pretty good) Airship Pirates: The Abney Park RPG follows.
I accept that one major reason for the resistance to a narrower description of "RPG" is that it's historically an argument that has been illserved by having some utterly awful people promote it, but I can't help feeling that babies and bathwaters are at play now.
November 10, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I accept that one major reason for the resistance to a narrower description of "RPG" is that it's historically an argument that has been illserved by having some utterly awful people promote it, but I can't help feeling that babies and bathwaters are at play now.
We're honestly not going to move anywhere on this until people get over their fear of any level of prescriptivism in defining RPGs.
The eternal struggle with rules discourse is trying to get a majority of people to understand rules are the medium. Rules. Are. The. Medium.
We are an artform where we're still discussing if a movie needs to be a series of sequential images.
We are an artform where we're still discussing if a movie needs to be a series of sequential images.
November 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
We're honestly not going to move anywhere on this until people get over their fear of any level of prescriptivism in defining RPGs.
As I've been talking about IP law/TTRPGs recently, this is an earlier thread I did on the subject. (Still not a lawyer, but I have at least studied IP law academically a bit)
1/ Copyright law post (IANAL, but I do know a fair bit about this).
I *really* wish the RPG world hadn't come across the concept "mechanics can't be copyrighted". Because it's true but dangerously misleading and people don't understand what "expression of those mechanics" means in practice.
I *really* wish the RPG world hadn't come across the concept "mechanics can't be copyrighted". Because it's true but dangerously misleading and people don't understand what "expression of those mechanics" means in practice.
November 10, 2025 at 12:43 PM
As I've been talking about IP law/TTRPGs recently, this is an earlier thread I did on the subject. (Still not a lawyer, but I have at least studied IP law academically a bit)
He'd find me overly jaded and burnt out. And I have a horrible feeling the reaction would be pity, not hostility.
And I am not willing to take this shit from a lad who thinks speed is one of the five food groups.
And I am not willing to take this shit from a lad who thinks speed is one of the five food groups.
What do you like now that 16 year old you would hate you for?
November 10, 2025 at 11:55 AM
He'd find me overly jaded and burnt out. And I have a horrible feeling the reaction would be pity, not hostility.
And I am not willing to take this shit from a lad who thinks speed is one of the five food groups.
And I am not willing to take this shit from a lad who thinks speed is one of the five food groups.
I am intrigued to find that I became a school librarian because it would gain me the adulation and respect of my peers. (I thought it was because I liked books and didn't like going outside during break).
Men finally do something hot and everyone starts scolding them.
Oh fuck off
November 10, 2025 at 11:25 AM
I am intrigued to find that I became a school librarian because it would gain me the adulation and respect of my peers. (I thought it was because I liked books and didn't like going outside during break).
Inherently better, no. But the difference between 2d6 and a d12 is critical if probability matters to a game at *all*
Game mechanics aren't that special.
There is nothing inherently better about rolling 2d6 vs a d12, rolling over or under a stat for a skill check, or using tokens.
The special part is when you, the designer, noticing how a particular mechanic lets you share a part of the human experience
There is nothing inherently better about rolling 2d6 vs a d12, rolling over or under a stat for a skill check, or using tokens.
The special part is when you, the designer, noticing how a particular mechanic lets you share a part of the human experience
November 10, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Inherently better, no. But the difference between 2d6 and a d12 is critical if probability matters to a game at *all*
I notice an increasing amount of people complaining about rules light RPGs on my timeline.
Phase one complete.
Now to move onto operation "300 entry skill lists".
Phase one complete.
Now to move onto operation "300 entry skill lists".
November 9, 2025 at 11:32 PM
I notice an increasing amount of people complaining about rules light RPGs on my timeline.
Phase one complete.
Now to move onto operation "300 entry skill lists".
Phase one complete.
Now to move onto operation "300 entry skill lists".
My new RPG will have you turning into a "slimy little toad" while the other players laugh and try and loot all the possession you left on the board. Then after that I'm going to make a boardgame/RPG hybrid where you play cars in some kind of warfare, but I can't think of what to call it.
November 9, 2025 at 11:12 PM
My new RPG will have you turning into a "slimy little toad" while the other players laugh and try and loot all the possession you left on the board. Then after that I'm going to make a boardgame/RPG hybrid where you play cars in some kind of warfare, but I can't think of what to call it.
Ian Bone for new BBC chair.
the right winger who was appointed to lead the BBC in the hope of appeasing right wingers has been driven out by right wingers for not appeasing right wingers enough and the BBC has the chance to do the funniest thing ever
November 9, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Ian Bone for new BBC chair.
It's kinda cute to see people rediscovering the fuzzy line between "boardgaming" and "RPGs" that was the case for much of the 80s (it was all "hobby gaming" back then) and getting all excited about this radical new design idea.
I think they'll have invented the megagame by 2030.
I think they'll have invented the megagame by 2030.
November 9, 2025 at 11:05 PM
It's kinda cute to see people rediscovering the fuzzy line between "boardgaming" and "RPGs" that was the case for much of the 80s (it was all "hobby gaming" back then) and getting all excited about this radical new design idea.
I think they'll have invented the megagame by 2030.
I think they'll have invented the megagame by 2030.
1/ Bringing this discussion of copyright and the legality of APs onto my own timeline as it's something of a tangent! Check the original for context. I agree it's largely academic at the moment.
strictures on 3rd party creators, I think publishers, for now, are probably very hesitant to demand more out a nascent entertainment industry that likely helps the publishers' sales. And how would licensing work? Sure, they could demand some sort of residual for published campaign performances, 3/
November 9, 2025 at 10:43 PM
1/ Bringing this discussion of copyright and the legality of APs onto my own timeline as it's something of a tangent! Check the original for context. I agree it's largely academic at the moment.
Has anybody done a deep dive into how likely art is to increase the value of a RPG? Ideally a comparative look at no-art, public domain, stock and commissioned, although I suspect that's unlikely.
Apologies in advance to my artist friends, but I'm looking at this purely commercially.
Apologies in advance to my artist friends, but I'm looking at this purely commercially.
November 9, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Has anybody done a deep dive into how likely art is to increase the value of a RPG? Ideally a comparative look at no-art, public domain, stock and commissioned, although I suspect that's unlikely.
Apologies in advance to my artist friends, but I'm looking at this purely commercially.
Apologies in advance to my artist friends, but I'm looking at this purely commercially.
Post a non-religious photo you think of as holy.
November 9, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Post a non-religious photo you think of as holy.
Worth noting that one belief that the courts have found *isn't* protected is Trotskyism on the grounds that Trots are willing to "engage in unlawful strikes" and that they allow for “the deprivation of home and property from the individual”.
This is how transphobia's right wing fuckery blew open basic respect in the UK, there is absolutely no reason to expect now that being "women critical" is not also a protected belief, if you truly do not believe that women should just be reproductive slaves for cis men.
This will be used to abuse.
This will be used to abuse.
November 9, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Worth noting that one belief that the courts have found *isn't* protected is Trotskyism on the grounds that Trots are willing to "engage in unlawful strikes" and that they allow for “the deprivation of home and property from the individual”.
On the recent polling, I think what's notable is that despite a transphobic hate campaign from politicians, the media and the rest of the establishment, they're still unable to get a majority for the idea that trans rights have gone too far
November 9, 2025 at 1:06 PM
On the recent polling, I think what's notable is that despite a transphobic hate campaign from politicians, the media and the rest of the establishment, they're still unable to get a majority for the idea that trans rights have gone too far
Honestly if you want to know whether anyone from any generation is a decent person or a wrong 'un there's two simple tests.
Were they involved in some kind of radical activism back then when they had less to lose?
Have they kept those values rather than putting them down to "youthful idealism"?
Were they involved in some kind of radical activism back then when they had less to lose?
Have they kept those values rather than putting them down to "youthful idealism"?
November 9, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Honestly if you want to know whether anyone from any generation is a decent person or a wrong 'un there's two simple tests.
Were they involved in some kind of radical activism back then when they had less to lose?
Have they kept those values rather than putting them down to "youthful idealism"?
Were they involved in some kind of radical activism back then when they had less to lose?
Have they kept those values rather than putting them down to "youthful idealism"?
Thinking of a 80s School rpg where all the school myths are true. So there is a permanent record that will ruin your entire life, regular fights with the school down the road and possibly a school ghost that fell out of a window "and that's why they have locks now". Watch out for the Chelsea Smilers
November 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Thinking of a 80s School rpg where all the school myths are true. So there is a permanent record that will ruin your entire life, regular fights with the school down the road and possibly a school ghost that fell out of a window "and that's why they have locks now". Watch out for the Chelsea Smilers
Just got my first ever "Bluesky are suspending my account" scam message. Are they only sending this to Bluesky elders or have some of you little people got one as well?
November 8, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Just got my first ever "Bluesky are suspending my account" scam message. Are they only sending this to Bluesky elders or have some of you little people got one as well?
1/ I've been thinking about perceptions of what the "old" RPG hobby was like and I've come to wondering how much of it is based on hazy and inaccurate childhood memories.
A good example is campaign length.
I *remember* that I was in one of those epic year spanning AD&D campaigns.
A good example is campaign length.
I *remember* that I was in one of those epic year spanning AD&D campaigns.
November 8, 2025 at 7:57 PM
1/ I've been thinking about perceptions of what the "old" RPG hobby was like and I've come to wondering how much of it is based on hazy and inaccurate childhood memories.
A good example is campaign length.
I *remember* that I was in one of those epic year spanning AD&D campaigns.
A good example is campaign length.
I *remember* that I was in one of those epic year spanning AD&D campaigns.