Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
@matthewcmiel.bsky.social
Composer, Conductor, Guitarist. Aspiring TTRPG creator. Professional GM.
VanishXZone#9397
VanishXZone#9397
Reposted by Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe: I am a certified fantasy hater but this fucking rules. It's also devoid of the stuff I hate about fantasy though (no elves or orcs or halflings or whatever). The hero being a disgraced member of an evil bureaucracy also deeply endearing to me
February 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe: I am a certified fantasy hater but this fucking rules. It's also devoid of the stuff I hate about fantasy though (no elves or orcs or halflings or whatever). The hero being a disgraced member of an evil bureaucracy also deeply endearing to me
Reposted by Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
“Here I pause. If you wish to walk no farther with me, reader, I do not blame you. It is no easy road.”
-Gene Wolfe
-Gene Wolfe
February 23, 2025 at 6:18 AM
“Here I pause. If you wish to walk no farther with me, reader, I do not blame you. It is no easy road.”
-Gene Wolfe
-Gene Wolfe
Reposted by Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
I've learned (and I am still learning) how to run a game studio for the last seven years doing both creative and biz. Here's a list of guidelines that work for us and might be useful for others that were lessons I've incorporated with our experience and guidance from others. 🧵
February 23, 2025 at 9:26 PM
I've learned (and I am still learning) how to run a game studio for the last seven years doing both creative and biz. Here's a list of guidelines that work for us and might be useful for others that were lessons I've incorporated with our experience and guidance from others. 🧵
Ok! Gonna share my latest!
Here is a piece of music I wrote. Two pianos. It's called "So Live!" and is about the moment when you have a turning point in your life towards doing something better, more positive. It is a short song of rebirth
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzdd...
Check it out!
Here is a piece of music I wrote. Two pianos. It's called "So Live!" and is about the moment when you have a turning point in your life towards doing something better, more positive. It is a short song of rebirth
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzdd...
Check it out!
So Live! by Matthew Cmiel
YouTube video by After Everything
www.youtube.com
February 22, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Ok! Gonna share my latest!
Here is a piece of music I wrote. Two pianos. It's called "So Live!" and is about the moment when you have a turning point in your life towards doing something better, more positive. It is a short song of rebirth
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzdd...
Check it out!
Here is a piece of music I wrote. Two pianos. It's called "So Live!" and is about the moment when you have a turning point in your life towards doing something better, more positive. It is a short song of rebirth
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzdd...
Check it out!
What #ttrpg is making your brain light up in happiness right now?
Tell me why! What story, or mechanic, or character is getting you jazzed?
I genuinely want to know!
Tell me why! What story, or mechanic, or character is getting you jazzed?
I genuinely want to know!
February 22, 2025 at 4:54 AM
What #ttrpg is making your brain light up in happiness right now?
Tell me why! What story, or mechanic, or character is getting you jazzed?
I genuinely want to know!
Tell me why! What story, or mechanic, or character is getting you jazzed?
I genuinely want to know!
Ok, I'm gonna start posting on social media again. Apparently.
Probably games (ttrpgs), movies, and music (classical).
The trick is to find the right balance of posting and not getting too sucked in.
Probably games (ttrpgs), movies, and music (classical).
The trick is to find the right balance of posting and not getting too sucked in.
February 22, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Ok, I'm gonna start posting on social media again. Apparently.
Probably games (ttrpgs), movies, and music (classical).
The trick is to find the right balance of posting and not getting too sucked in.
Probably games (ttrpgs), movies, and music (classical).
The trick is to find the right balance of posting and not getting too sucked in.
Reposted by Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
Buckle up, buttercups. Tomorrow, we bring Eat the Reich from @rowanrookanddecard.bsky.social to the channel. This game is a self-contained fever dream of Inglorious Bastards, Kill Bill, Suicide Squad, Where Eagles Dare, and The Dirty Dozen. It may be the perfect no-prep one-shot game.
February 21, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Buckle up, buttercups. Tomorrow, we bring Eat the Reich from @rowanrookanddecard.bsky.social to the channel. This game is a self-contained fever dream of Inglorious Bastards, Kill Bill, Suicide Squad, Where Eagles Dare, and The Dirty Dozen. It may be the perfect no-prep one-shot game.
Reposted by Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
Went to Powell’s Books in Portland and didn’t expect to find so many of me and my codesigners’ games there 😭 @senfoonglim.bsky.social @sadiabies.bsky.social @timdevine.bsky.social
February 22, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Went to Powell’s Books in Portland and didn’t expect to find so many of me and my codesigners’ games there 😭 @senfoonglim.bsky.social @sadiabies.bsky.social @timdevine.bsky.social
I think there is a tension between designing and reading #ttrgs for me. Essentially since I started focusing on design, I have only read games I’m running, which is unusual for me.
I’m wondering if this is true of others? Will I get back to reading when my game is complete?
I’m wondering if this is true of others? Will I get back to reading when my game is complete?
January 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
I think there is a tension between designing and reading #ttrgs for me. Essentially since I started focusing on design, I have only read games I’m running, which is unusual for me.
I’m wondering if this is true of others? Will I get back to reading when my game is complete?
I’m wondering if this is true of others? Will I get back to reading when my game is complete?
BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES I'VE SEEN:
What are your favorites?
#ChristmasMovie
Miracle on 34th street (1947)
Muppet's Christmas Carol (1992)
It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
White Christmas (1954)
What are your favorites?
#ChristmasMovie
Miracle on 34th street (1947)
Muppet's Christmas Carol (1992)
It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
White Christmas (1954)
December 7, 2024 at 5:16 AM
BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES I'VE SEEN:
What are your favorites?
#ChristmasMovie
Miracle on 34th street (1947)
Muppet's Christmas Carol (1992)
It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
White Christmas (1954)
What are your favorites?
#ChristmasMovie
Miracle on 34th street (1947)
Muppet's Christmas Carol (1992)
It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
White Christmas (1954)
You know I stopped tweeting a while ago with any consistency and now that I'm interested in doing so again, I find that my thought don't really feet this format super well. They USED to, and they probably will again, but the format is not natural to me right now.
December 6, 2024 at 1:15 AM
You know I stopped tweeting a while ago with any consistency and now that I'm interested in doing so again, I find that my thought don't really feet this format super well. They USED to, and they probably will again, but the format is not natural to me right now.
#TTRPGs that are good understand that there need to be stakes in scenes.
They do NOT have to be the end of the world, of course! It can be "Can I make a new friend?" or "will these waffles make my colleagues happy", but it can't be nothing.
They do NOT have to be the end of the world, of course! It can be "Can I make a new friend?" or "will these waffles make my colleagues happy", but it can't be nothing.
November 21, 2023 at 6:56 PM
#TTRPGs that are good understand that there need to be stakes in scenes.
They do NOT have to be the end of the world, of course! It can be "Can I make a new friend?" or "will these waffles make my colleagues happy", but it can't be nothing.
They do NOT have to be the end of the world, of course! It can be "Can I make a new friend?" or "will these waffles make my colleagues happy", but it can't be nothing.
This is why I suggest you play Mouseguard! And Mausritter!
They are very different takes on this same aesthetic
They are very different takes on this same aesthetic
November 15, 2023 at 6:27 AM
This is why I suggest you play Mouseguard! And Mausritter!
They are very different takes on this same aesthetic
They are very different takes on this same aesthetic
Reposted by Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
Reposted by Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings
November 10, 2023 at 8:02 PM
immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings
Most online discourse about how TTRPGs work are actually best solved by playing ttrpgs together. People (including me) get way to abstract, and if you just play, much disappears.
November 6, 2023 at 2:02 AM
Most online discourse about how TTRPGs work are actually best solved by playing ttrpgs together. People (including me) get way to abstract, and if you just play, much disappears.
So many TTRPGs are just vibe dice and art.
Sigh.
Sigh.
November 5, 2023 at 6:41 PM
So many TTRPGs are just vibe dice and art.
Sigh.
Sigh.
This play through of BG3, there is 0 reason to go to Raphael's House of Hope. I have no incentive, nor interest. Lae'zel is dead, I'm partnering with the Emperor to the end, and Mol is dead.
....
But I kinda wanna fight Raphael....
....
But I kinda wanna fight Raphael....
November 3, 2023 at 11:52 PM
This play through of BG3, there is 0 reason to go to Raphael's House of Hope. I have no incentive, nor interest. Lae'zel is dead, I'm partnering with the Emperor to the end, and Mol is dead.
....
But I kinda wanna fight Raphael....
....
But I kinda wanna fight Raphael....
Reposted by Matthew Cmiel (VanishXZone)
Joined a Dungeon World game organized on the subreddit, and a player drop because they thought it was D&D. I also saw it happen with Monster of the Week, which surprised me even more.
TTRPG players, I beg you, even if you don't learn other rulesets, please be aware other games than yours exist.
TTRPG players, I beg you, even if you don't learn other rulesets, please be aware other games than yours exist.
November 2, 2023 at 12:40 PM
Joined a Dungeon World game organized on the subreddit, and a player drop because they thought it was D&D. I also saw it happen with Monster of the Week, which surprised me even more.
TTRPG players, I beg you, even if you don't learn other rulesets, please be aware other games than yours exist.
TTRPG players, I beg you, even if you don't learn other rulesets, please be aware other games than yours exist.
every time I see people talking about Morkborg positively, a small part of me dies inside.
November 2, 2023 at 8:30 PM
every time I see people talking about Morkborg positively, a small part of me dies inside.
Everyday I see TikTok’s and posts that are against rules in ttrpgs,and usually they create a false divide between cis hetero rules lawyers and queer role players. And the divide is arbitrary and false and detrimental and it makes me sad to see it so commonly from otherwise cool humans.
November 1, 2023 at 9:55 AM
Everyday I see TikTok’s and posts that are against rules in ttrpgs,and usually they create a false divide between cis hetero rules lawyers and queer role players. And the divide is arbitrary and false and detrimental and it makes me sad to see it so commonly from otherwise cool humans.