Ben Schneider
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droctothorpe.bsky.social
Ben Schneider
@droctothorpe.bsky.social
Professor of Practice in Narrative Design for Games at WPI (@WPI_IMGD). Worked on LOTRO, DDO, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Titan Quest, Empire Earth. (he/him)
🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸!!!
November 6, 2025 at 5:43 PM
My kid's middle school is divided into "learning communities" with names like Earth, Fire, Thunder, Sea, Sky, and Sun, and I am seriously concerned this may be a secret scholium of arcane wizardry, teaching our children forbidden magics.
November 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM
What is the best actual name for a weapon and why is it the Bohemian earspoon?
October 9, 2025 at 1:02 AM
But is it really Monday, actually? I'm not sure I buy it.
October 6, 2025 at 8:36 PM
My favorite part running a D&D campaign for middle-graders: when I made them stop and think HARD about whether to save the missing son or just pay the shady character to smuggle them to the next spot.

Their favorite part: when I added a sign saying "Neeps for sale" to the town message board.
September 30, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Voice acting sessions and live performances for like the next 12 months at least:

"Can I get the mic a little higher?"

...

"🎵Gimme your desire - I can be the star you rely on...🎵"
September 25, 2025 at 1:53 PM
What kind of week is it? The Psyduck bandaid on your knuckle kind.
September 24, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Oh right. Happy Hobbit Day, one and all.

'I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.'
September 23, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Rewatched the 1971 Gene Wilder Willy Wonka yesterday. It's as delightfully unhinged as hope and memory said it was. I'd just read the book with my kid, and although there are many changes, it felt entirely in the spirit of the thing.

Gene Wilder's stop, don'ts most especially:
youtu.be/uVdDXeYM4ss
Willy Wonka - No. Don't. Stop.
YouTube video by Steve Summers
youtu.be
September 22, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Overheard on campus:
"For example in the hobbit book - uh, do you mind spoilers?"
"Oh, well I've seen the movie, so..."

Might've been date? Regardless, a mighty nerdsplaining was surely about to ensue.
September 18, 2025 at 8:05 PM
A puzzle game in which you play a logician-exorcist, where you are set against mischievous devils. When you solve the puzzles you DE-DEUCE the problem, chasing the devils out.
September 5, 2025 at 1:32 AM
When the bird on the pirate’s shoulder
Sings a loud satirical song
And you want to sing along
What is it that you need?
Parroty parody parity
September 4, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Uh oh, a work week
A long, daunting work week

We can't skip over it
We can't duck out of it

Oh no
We've got to get through it
August 28, 2025 at 2:32 AM
"But doctor... I am Pagliacci."
August 19, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Wait the rabbits with tentacles* thing is REAL???

(* well “tentacles”, but still)
August 18, 2025 at 3:05 AM
A joyful Saint Nemesis Day to all those who celebrate.
August 14, 2025 at 1:47 PM
D&D hack: to keep my (middle school-aged) players engaged, I asked them to invent a list of tavern names and with the promise that I will sprinkle their choices throughout the world. They are having WAY too much fun with it.
August 13, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Hear me out: Molotov mocktail.
August 6, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Oh wow this looks fantastic.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch August 14th! 🐢🍕

Oh, and, what's that, someone wrote "Remix Mode on Console and as a Free Update for Steam!" on this pizza box?!

More info below ⬇️
August 5, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Well THIS was an unexpected revenance. Only... um... 19 years after we released the original.
August 2, 2025 at 3:00 AM
You’re required to fill the available space, right?
August 1, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Is it cake but it’s a baked ham and if it’s not cake it’s actual ham.
July 28, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Reposted by Ben Schneider
A minimalist logic game. Can you solve for 𝒙?

❓ Infer the rules of each glyph without hints
🧠 Over 300 handcrafted across evolving lands
🎶 Chill, reactive soundtrack as you play

CIPHER ZERO. Out Now.

zpdt.co/playcz

#PlayCipherZero #GameDev #IndieGameDev #IndieDev #SolveForX
July 22, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Reposted by Ben Schneider
Version Control - the kind of lesson you generally only have to learn once.
1 in 5 Godot users are not prepared for the day something unfortunate happens.
July 13, 2025 at 10:00 PM