joannes
@playthroughline.com
• "Experimental DM" of https://neurocracy.site
• I've peaked and I'm kidding myself
• https://playthroughline.com
• he/they
• I've peaked and I'm kidding myself
• https://playthroughline.com
• he/they
Pinned
joannes
@playthroughline.com
· Sep 19
🌐 NEUROCRACY 🌐
An episodic sci-fi hypertext game
✅ Fall into a wiki hole from the future
✅ Solve a murder across article edits
✅ Your investigation affects the outcome [citation needed]
⭐ "Ambitious" - The Guardian
⭐ "Brilliant" - Eurogamer
▶️ Dive in: omnipedia.app
▶️ More info: neurocracy.site
An episodic sci-fi hypertext game
✅ Fall into a wiki hole from the future
✅ Solve a murder across article edits
✅ Your investigation affects the outcome [citation needed]
⭐ "Ambitious" - The Guardian
⭐ "Brilliant" - Eurogamer
▶️ Dive in: omnipedia.app
▶️ More info: neurocracy.site
Reposted by joannes
Missing from this imo is how drastically it all changes with the scale of the numbers involved. If you aren't likely to sell big numbers in the first place you're better off pricing out the people who only buy at low prices since they're also the ones who aggressively refund and write shit reviews
Any advice Tom has on making indie games is worth listening to, but I really want to highlight his thoughts on price point - it's well explained.
I do think that the movement to get indies to charge more mostly just hurt new indies - with fewer players, fewer/worse reviews, and lower sales.
I do think that the movement to get indies to charge more mostly just hurt new indies - with fewer players, fewer/worse reviews, and lower sales.
January 9, 2026 at 7:07 AM
Missing from this imo is how drastically it all changes with the scale of the numbers involved. If you aren't likely to sell big numbers in the first place you're better off pricing out the people who only buy at low prices since they're also the ones who aggressively refund and write shit reviews
Reposted by joannes
I've been running an indie games studio for 15 years now, and it felt like a good time to boil down what I've learned into 4 pieces of advice:
www.pentadact.com/2026-01-08-1...
I hope it's of use, not least because goddamn I forgot how long blog posts take to write.
www.pentadact.com/2026-01-08-1...
I hope it's of use, not least because goddamn I forgot how long blog posts take to write.
January 8, 2026 at 6:02 PM
I've been running an indie games studio for 15 years now, and it felt like a good time to boil down what I've learned into 4 pieces of advice:
www.pentadact.com/2026-01-08-1...
I hope it's of use, not least because goddamn I forgot how long blog posts take to write.
www.pentadact.com/2026-01-08-1...
I hope it's of use, not least because goddamn I forgot how long blog posts take to write.
Reposted by joannes
Hey folks,
I'm looking to speak to a developer who has previously made a game/games through Steam early access, and decided NOT to make their next/current project through early access. If that's you, get in touch at rick@ricklane.co.uk. Reposts appreciated.
I'm looking to speak to a developer who has previously made a game/games through Steam early access, and decided NOT to make their next/current project through early access. If that's you, get in touch at rick@ricklane.co.uk. Reposts appreciated.
January 7, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Hey folks,
I'm looking to speak to a developer who has previously made a game/games through Steam early access, and decided NOT to make their next/current project through early access. If that's you, get in touch at rick@ricklane.co.uk. Reposts appreciated.
I'm looking to speak to a developer who has previously made a game/games through Steam early access, and decided NOT to make their next/current project through early access. If that's you, get in touch at rick@ricklane.co.uk. Reposts appreciated.
Reposted by joannes
I'm wrapping up a major contract this month, so: hire me! I'm a writer/narrative designer/systems designer with a decade of industry experience and a lot of experience taming the complexity of intricate systems. Let me build your storylet system or write disquieting prose for you!
January 6, 2026 at 3:31 PM
I'm wrapping up a major contract this month, so: hire me! I'm a writer/narrative designer/systems designer with a decade of industry experience and a lot of experience taming the complexity of intricate systems. Let me build your storylet system or write disquieting prose for you!
Reposted by joannes
Hey! Do you need a highly technical character artist who's great at optimization and building pipelines?
WELL GUESS WHO'S THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU
WELL GUESS WHO'S THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU
Gamedevs in 2026 trying to develop games for $6000 potato PCs with 256MB of RAM
January 6, 2026 at 2:23 AM
Hey! Do you need a highly technical character artist who's great at optimization and building pipelines?
WELL GUESS WHO'S THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU
WELL GUESS WHO'S THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU
Reposted by joannes
"...part of the dynamism of Alexander as an interlocuter is the extent to which her personal biography is braided into the trajectory of gaming’s twisting twenty-first-century form."
THANK YOU @lainenooney.bsky.social for this interview.
romchip.org/index.php/ro...
THANK YOU @lainenooney.bsky.social for this interview.
romchip.org/index.php/ro...
Actor, Writer, Technology Spirit
| ROMchip
romchip.org
January 5, 2026 at 2:09 PM
"...part of the dynamism of Alexander as an interlocuter is the extent to which her personal biography is braided into the trajectory of gaming’s twisting twenty-first-century form."
THANK YOU @lainenooney.bsky.social for this interview.
romchip.org/index.php/ro...
THANK YOU @lainenooney.bsky.social for this interview.
romchip.org/index.php/ro...
I implore you to listen to Venezuelans about what's happening, and what's BEEN happening, to their country. Unchecked US imperialism should be condemned, but there is a reason that Venezuelans, especially the millions of them who were driven abroad, are cheering on this potential for change (1/2)
January 4, 2026 at 12:58 PM
I implore you to listen to Venezuelans about what's happening, and what's BEEN happening, to their country. Unchecked US imperialism should be condemned, but there is a reason that Venezuelans, especially the millions of them who were driven abroad, are cheering on this potential for change (1/2)
Reposted by joannes
Instead of condescendingly telling us Venezuelans that we dont know history (we Venezuelans are not illiterate and a lot of us including me probably know way more history than you do), ask yourself why are we willing to take our chances with this than keeping the status quo in Venezuela.
January 4, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Instead of condescendingly telling us Venezuelans that we dont know history (we Venezuelans are not illiterate and a lot of us including me probably know way more history than you do), ask yourself why are we willing to take our chances with this than keeping the status quo in Venezuela.
Reposted by joannes
had to wait until the servers weren't so overloaded, but I'm proud to announce that Quake Brutalist Jam 3 is out now!
there's a standalone version that works like a game for those who don't own quake too!
www.slipseer.com/index.php?re...
this was a tremendous group effort, I couldn't be happier!
there's a standalone version that works like a game for those who don't own quake too!
www.slipseer.com/index.php?re...
this was a tremendous group effort, I couldn't be happier!
Jam - Quake Brutalist Jam III
Quake Brutalist Jam III is a megalithic community project more than a year in the making. It features an entirely new arsenal, a set of new monsters, new powerups, and a complete visual overhaul of Qu...
www.slipseer.com
January 4, 2026 at 1:39 AM
had to wait until the servers weren't so overloaded, but I'm proud to announce that Quake Brutalist Jam 3 is out now!
there's a standalone version that works like a game for those who don't own quake too!
www.slipseer.com/index.php?re...
this was a tremendous group effort, I couldn't be happier!
there's a standalone version that works like a game for those who don't own quake too!
www.slipseer.com/index.php?re...
this was a tremendous group effort, I couldn't be happier!
Reposted by joannes
I will repeat this ad nauseam or ad infinitum, whichever comes first, but I will keep repeating this.
We Venezuelans did *everything* to remove Maduro, and he kept his ass on his chair.
We Venezuelans did *everything* to remove Maduro, and he kept his ass on his chair.
As tragic as this is remember that Maduro could have avoided this if he didnt steal the election that he lost last year.
January 3, 2026 at 9:22 AM
I will repeat this ad nauseam or ad infinitum, whichever comes first, but I will keep repeating this.
We Venezuelans did *everything* to remove Maduro, and he kept his ass on his chair.
We Venezuelans did *everything* to remove Maduro, and he kept his ass on his chair.
Reposted by joannes
Reposted by joannes
unlike my old laptop, i have only hostility towards my phone. when it's slow, i get mad... like a manager having to deal with a high employee
December 15, 2025 at 10:59 PM
unlike my old laptop, i have only hostility towards my phone. when it's slow, i get mad... like a manager having to deal with a high employee
Reposted by joannes
Reposted by joannes
my first recommendation: the long-awaited return of one of old-school weird twitter’s best writers. uel’s work is strange and luminous and I am looking forward to it
THE GREATER REALITY AREA begins 1/3! Three pieces a month free, one more for those who want to subscribe. There is no such thing as fiction, but there might as well be, so you can find it here. BACK TO REALITY, FRONT TOWARD ENEMY. www.greaterrealityarea.net
THE GREATER REALITY AREA
There is no such thing as fiction. Even so, you may find it here.
www.greaterrealityarea.net
January 1, 2026 at 9:32 PM
my first recommendation: the long-awaited return of one of old-school weird twitter’s best writers. uel’s work is strange and luminous and I am looking forward to it
Reposted by joannes
Kicking off the new year in uplifting fashion with @hollynielsen.bsky.social's reflective piece on Winter and Death in Harvest Moon for our next Archetype, Seasons.
Art by the fantastic @helcovell.bsky.social
Art by the fantastic @helcovell.bsky.social
Though sad and uncomfortable, winter - and death - are often necessary to prevent game worlds from feeling stagnant.
In our first article on Seasons, @hollynielsen.bsky.social explores how winter provides vital friction in the Harvest Moon series:
vist.ly/4kb34
In our first article on Seasons, @hollynielsen.bsky.social explores how winter provides vital friction in the Harvest Moon series:
vist.ly/4kb34
Winter and Death in Harvest Moon
While letting go of a beloved pet is hard, death plays an essential role in preventing farming sims from feeling stagnant.
vist.ly
January 1, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Kicking off the new year in uplifting fashion with @hollynielsen.bsky.social's reflective piece on Winter and Death in Harvest Moon for our next Archetype, Seasons.
Art by the fantastic @helcovell.bsky.social
Art by the fantastic @helcovell.bsky.social
Reposted by joannes
Happy new year! Today on PAPER LABYRINTHS, we talk with board game designer Non-Breaking Space @nbsp1618.bsky.social about expressive design, play artifacts, and challenging players to think about what "victory conditions" mean. Out now where-ever you get podcasts!
sites.libsyn.com/568595/site/...
sites.libsyn.com/568595/site/...
January 1, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Happy new year! Today on PAPER LABYRINTHS, we talk with board game designer Non-Breaking Space @nbsp1618.bsky.social about expressive design, play artifacts, and challenging players to think about what "victory conditions" mean. Out now where-ever you get podcasts!
sites.libsyn.com/568595/site/...
sites.libsyn.com/568595/site/...
Reposted by joannes
Can you solve a puzzle without knowing the rules?
For the first week of January, I'm publicly sharing the experimental beta of Scriddle - a daily puzzle where the rules are kept secret. I'd love to know how many guesses it took you to solve it.
🔴 SCRIDDLE #24
▶️ scriddle.net?d=MDEtMDEtMj...
For the first week of January, I'm publicly sharing the experimental beta of Scriddle - a daily puzzle where the rules are kept secret. I'd love to know how many guesses it took you to solve it.
🔴 SCRIDDLE #24
▶️ scriddle.net?d=MDEtMDEtMj...
January 1, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Can you solve a puzzle without knowing the rules?
For the first week of January, I'm publicly sharing the experimental beta of Scriddle - a daily puzzle where the rules are kept secret. I'd love to know how many guesses it took you to solve it.
🔴 SCRIDDLE #24
▶️ scriddle.net?d=MDEtMDEtMj...
For the first week of January, I'm publicly sharing the experimental beta of Scriddle - a daily puzzle where the rules are kept secret. I'd love to know how many guesses it took you to solve it.
🔴 SCRIDDLE #24
▶️ scriddle.net?d=MDEtMDEtMj...
Reposted by joannes
thank you so much for your time and response. this is my favorite thing i wrote this year i think.
Read @leighalexander.bsky.social's The Hunger today - a haunted long read that has the poetic pacing of being told a folk tale at a fireplace; A story about being loved as a possession, but not being known or cared for. Well worth your time.
medium.com/@leighalexan...
medium.com/@leighalexan...
The Hunger
A horror
medium.com
December 26, 2025 at 7:40 PM
thank you so much for your time and response. this is my favorite thing i wrote this year i think.
Reposted by joannes
Deus Ex: Invisible War (2003).
Resolving my ambivalence this playthrough — there are so many compelling notions and a rich ambiance also present in say DeLillo's Cosmopolis (2003) with their mutual anxieties of globalization, terrorism and ideology... but it's so self-sabotaged. In myriad ways.
Resolving my ambivalence this playthrough — there are so many compelling notions and a rich ambiance also present in say DeLillo's Cosmopolis (2003) with their mutual anxieties of globalization, terrorism and ideology... but it's so self-sabotaged. In myriad ways.
December 28, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Deus Ex: Invisible War (2003).
Resolving my ambivalence this playthrough — there are so many compelling notions and a rich ambiance also present in say DeLillo's Cosmopolis (2003) with their mutual anxieties of globalization, terrorism and ideology... but it's so self-sabotaged. In myriad ways.
Resolving my ambivalence this playthrough — there are so many compelling notions and a rich ambiance also present in say DeLillo's Cosmopolis (2003) with their mutual anxieties of globalization, terrorism and ideology... but it's so self-sabotaged. In myriad ways.
Reposted by joannes
I'm running a play test for my LARP, Ruin The Game, between 1-5pm at King's College London on January 2nd. Let me know if you're interested! No previous LARP experience needed.
You can find the blurb for the LARP in the Smoke's programme on pages 43-44:
thesmoke.org/programme/
You can find the blurb for the LARP in the Smoke's programme on pages 43-44:
thesmoke.org/programme/
Programme - The Smoke
thesmoke.org
December 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM
I'm running a play test for my LARP, Ruin The Game, between 1-5pm at King's College London on January 2nd. Let me know if you're interested! No previous LARP experience needed.
You can find the blurb for the LARP in the Smoke's programme on pages 43-44:
thesmoke.org/programme/
You can find the blurb for the LARP in the Smoke's programme on pages 43-44:
thesmoke.org/programme/
Reposted by joannes
Hi new followers!
I'm Joannes, sci-fi writer and game designer, best known for peaking early with NEUROCRACY, a murder mystery set in the Wikipedia of the year 2049 🕵️♀️🌐
Check it out for zero money at omnipedia.app, or buy the companion app over at itch.io so you can make your own conspiracy board!
I'm Joannes, sci-fi writer and game designer, best known for peaking early with NEUROCRACY, a murder mystery set in the Wikipedia of the year 2049 🕵️♀️🌐
Check it out for zero money at omnipedia.app, or buy the companion app over at itch.io so you can make your own conspiracy board!
NEUROCRACY 2.049 by pyrofoux, Playthroughline
Solve a murder by diving in the Wikipedia of the future. Available for Windows, macOS
pyrofoux.itch.io
September 19, 2024 at 3:17 PM
Hi new followers!
I'm Joannes, sci-fi writer and game designer, best known for peaking early with NEUROCRACY, a murder mystery set in the Wikipedia of the year 2049 🕵️♀️🌐
Check it out for zero money at omnipedia.app, or buy the companion app over at itch.io so you can make your own conspiracy board!
I'm Joannes, sci-fi writer and game designer, best known for peaking early with NEUROCRACY, a murder mystery set in the Wikipedia of the year 2049 🕵️♀️🌐
Check it out for zero money at omnipedia.app, or buy the companion app over at itch.io so you can make your own conspiracy board!
Reposted by joannes
Everybody is saying that you should hire me to absolutely nail the look of your characters in 2026
Hey!
Do you need a highly technical character artist with almost 15 years of individual contributor and leadership experience? Looking for someone to wrangle your shaders? Or perhaps you need a person to assemble your character art pipeline?
That's me!
🎨 www.xavierck.com
📫 xavierck.3d@gmail.com
Do you need a highly technical character artist with almost 15 years of individual contributor and leadership experience? Looking for someone to wrangle your shaders? Or perhaps you need a person to assemble your character art pipeline?
That's me!
🎨 www.xavierck.com
📫 xavierck.3d@gmail.com
December 25, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Everybody is saying that you should hire me to absolutely nail the look of your characters in 2026
Reposted by joannes
something I learned this year is you should invite people to things even if you know they can’t come. instead of it making them feel bad it actually makes them feel good
December 22, 2025 at 5:55 PM
something I learned this year is you should invite people to things even if you know they can’t come. instead of it making them feel bad it actually makes them feel good