Io Black
@ioblack.bsky.social
Co-creator of drugsandwires.fail (on hiatus). Tech, gaming, roleplaying, occasional moments of lucidity. Marketing was a mistake.
Pinned
Io Black
@ioblack.bsky.social
· Oct 18
Dates & Wires: Augmented Edition on Steam
The year is 1995, and you're newly single and ready to mingle in Stradania, the dysfunctional micronation whose chief exports are pig iron, human misery, and radioactive souvenir mugs. Sample the nigh...
store.steampowered.com
Hey, new followers - Io here.
I'm a (very) occasional wordslinger best known for creating drugsandwires.fail and its dating sim spinoff Dates & Wires (coming soon!) with @cryodraws.bsky.social, in addition to contributing to @playthroughline.bsky.social's award-winning Neurocracy 2.049.
I'm a (very) occasional wordslinger best known for creating drugsandwires.fail and its dating sim spinoff Dates & Wires (coming soon!) with @cryodraws.bsky.social, in addition to contributing to @playthroughline.bsky.social's award-winning Neurocracy 2.049.
2025 in a nutshell.
can't stop watching this clip of a tesla Optimus teleoperator taking his headset off before properly logging out the robot
December 8, 2025 at 1:34 PM
2025 in a nutshell.
Giving this thread of musical friends and collaborators a quick bump for December’s Bandcamp Friday - if you’re looking for some tracks to add to your carts, check ‘em out!
Since Bandcamp Friday is upon us once again, I'm using the occasion to spotlight a few folks we've had the pleasure of working with on various D&W-related projects. First up: @ningen.bsky.social, who generously gave us the run of his moody, atmospheric discography for Dates & Wires.
NINGEN
ANALOG DEPRESSION// PHONOMETRICIAN//"a clumsy but subtle technician" . Metro ko will never die.
ningen.bandcamp.com
December 5, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Giving this thread of musical friends and collaborators a quick bump for December’s Bandcamp Friday - if you’re looking for some tracks to add to your carts, check ‘em out!
This is such a fundamentally delightful concept, executed with flavor to spare.
🙏CHAPTER SERF🙏
I finished it! A Warhammer 40K adventure & TTRPG where you *don't* play Space Marines. Instead you play those little hooded freaks loitering in the background while Space Marines hog the limelight.
PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1V4Mt...
1/
I finished it! A Warhammer 40K adventure & TTRPG where you *don't* play Space Marines. Instead you play those little hooded freaks loitering in the background while Space Marines hog the limelight.
PDF here: drive.google.com/file/d/1V4Mt...
1/
November 28, 2025 at 8:09 PM
This is such a fundamentally delightful concept, executed with flavor to spare.
Our gaming club's finally back from its forced one-month hiatus after a shoot for an upcoming Andrew Garfield movie blocked all access to our usual venue. Turns out that the logical place to film a flick about popular revolts in 14th century England is smack in the middle of Bavaria.
Paul Greengrass’s new feature The Uprising in the works
23/10/2025 - Set during the English Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 and starring Andrew Garfield, the pic follows a farmer who becomes the leader of a rebellion against the crown forces of King Richard II
cineuropa.org
November 28, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Our gaming club's finally back from its forced one-month hiatus after a shoot for an upcoming Andrew Garfield movie blocked all access to our usual venue. Turns out that the logical place to film a flick about popular revolts in 14th century England is smack in the middle of Bavaria.
It's struck me that the most challenging aspect of bringing Wares Blade into English hasn't been parsing the rules, but the sheer volume of people, places, and things needing romanization. Our master list of geographical locations alone is just shy of 300 entries - and that's only the core rulebook.
November 27, 2025 at 6:46 PM
It's struck me that the most challenging aspect of bringing Wares Blade into English hasn't been parsing the rules, but the sheer volume of people, places, and things needing romanization. Our master list of geographical locations alone is just shy of 300 entries - and that's only the core rulebook.
Our friend Ella's hit an extended rough patch of late, and things have taken a turn for the worse heading into the holidays. If you can spare a few quid - or better yet, have any game writing-related leads for her - she'd absolutely appreciate it.
Having a lot of uncomfortable feelings about being in this position, but I made this after encouragement from friends and would really appreciate it if you could give it a look/share ❤️
(TL;DR I've been struggling for a while and am trying to make it through the next few months)
gofund.me/b535d80ca
(TL;DR I've been struggling for a while and am trying to make it through the next few months)
gofund.me/b535d80ca
Donate to Help me keep my head above water during my ongoing job hunt, organized by Ella McConnell
Hello, folks.
My story is far, far from unique, but after… Ella McConnell needs your support for Help me keep my head above water during my ongoing job hunt
gofund.me
November 27, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Our friend Ella's hit an extended rough patch of late, and things have taken a turn for the worse heading into the holidays. If you can spare a few quid - or better yet, have any game writing-related leads for her - she'd absolutely appreciate it.
Heads up! There's now just over 8 hours left to grab our sad 'borg dating/disaster sim for a princely 60% off. A hearty thanks to everybody who's taken the plunge thus far - and if you played the game and enjoyed it, please consider leaving a user review!
Save 60% on Dates & Wires: Augmented Edition on Steam
The year is 1995, and you're newly single and ready to mingle in Stradania, the dysfunctional micronation whose chief exports are pig iron, human misery, and radioactive souvenir mugs. Sample the nigh...
store.steampowered.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Heads up! There's now just over 8 hours left to grab our sad 'borg dating/disaster sim for a princely 60% off. A hearty thanks to everybody who's taken the plunge thus far - and if you played the game and enjoyed it, please consider leaving a user review!
Wild to think that it's been a full year since Dates & Wires: Augmented Edition first hit the Steam storefront, but them's the facts. Naturally, this calls for a suitably celebratory discount - 60% off until November 18th!
Save 60% on Dates & Wires: Augmented Edition on Steam
The year is 1995, and you're newly single and ready to mingle in Stradania, the dysfunctional micronation whose chief exports are pig iron, human misery, and radioactive souvenir mugs. Sample the nigh...
store.steampowered.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Wild to think that it's been a full year since Dates & Wires: Augmented Edition first hit the Steam storefront, but them's the facts. Naturally, this calls for a suitably celebratory discount - 60% off until November 18th!
Reposted by Io Black
More cyberpunk stuff should print out pixel dithering on books and comics. It's simply beautiful.
Art: Shatter (1985-1988)
Art: Shatter (1985-1988)
November 3, 2025 at 4:52 PM
More cyberpunk stuff should print out pixel dithering on books and comics. It's simply beautiful.
Art: Shatter (1985-1988)
Art: Shatter (1985-1988)
Didn't roll into this week expecting Aesop Rock to up and stealth-drop an entire free album, but here we are.
Incoming transmission from Aesop Rock
I HEARD IT'S A MESS THERE TOO FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD FLAC | WAV | MP3
aesoprock.com
October 28, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Didn't roll into this week expecting Aesop Rock to up and stealth-drop an entire free album, but here we are.
Less CoD, more LSD.
Oh my god some fucking tech dingdong posted this on Twitter with the caption "AI games are going to be amazing" totally seriously, you have to watch it. You have to. In full screen.
October 24, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Less CoD, more LSD.
Nine years and three computers later, I've finally rolled credits on the original Deus Ex and can once again show my face in the respectable corners of cyberpunk fandom.
October 23, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Nine years and three computers later, I've finally rolled credits on the original Deus Ex and can once again show my face in the respectable corners of cyberpunk fandom.
Pinpointing the exact moment Western-style fantasy went mainstream in Japan's a little tricky, but it's most definitely around the time Cindy Crawford started hawking sports drinks by sailing around on a Mœbius-designed monster bird.
大塚製薬 ポカリスエット 怪鳥編 1987
YouTube video by plantfolklore
www.youtube.com
October 17, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Pinpointing the exact moment Western-style fantasy went mainstream in Japan's a little tricky, but it's most definitely around the time Cindy Crawford started hawking sports drinks by sailing around on a Mœbius-designed monster bird.
Reposted by Io Black
Hey, I'm Mary aka Cryo, versatile games and comics artist and for once I'm actually free for work in 2026!! Wooo :) #portfolioday
October 14, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Hey, I'm Mary aka Cryo, versatile games and comics artist and for once I'm actually free for work in 2026!! Wooo :) #portfolioday
Marking the return of spooky season in my usual manner: by binging creeptacular Soviet Bloc animation.
Sabin Balasa - The Phoenix Bird (1968)
YouTube video by Sabin Balasa Animation Films
www.youtube.com
October 11, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Marking the return of spooky season in my usual manner: by binging creeptacular Soviet Bloc animation.
Hearty congrats to our favorite Canuck comic compadres on reaching another big milestone! If you're not already a paid-up member of Team Sand, consider this your nudge to get with the program.
NEW UPDATE:
RS200🎉
Stuff Can Be Two (Hundred) Things
💀 https://risingsand.glass!
-
Support RS at https://patreon.com/risingsand!
RS200🎉
Stuff Can Be Two (Hundred) Things
💀 https://risingsand.glass!
-
Support RS at https://patreon.com/risingsand!
October 8, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Hearty congrats to our favorite Canuck comic compadres on reaching another big milestone! If you're not already a paid-up member of Team Sand, consider this your nudge to get with the program.
Welp, looks like imAI now fully replicates the entirety of the human experience. We had a pretty good run, all things considered.
apparently when Claude starts lying and trying to evade work, it means it's stressed out and you need to reduce its level of stress. e.g. scope down the task a bit more, suggest to break it down into parts, suggest to extract a minimal repro
October 4, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Welp, looks like imAI now fully replicates the entirety of the human experience. We had a pretty good run, all things considered.
Reposted by Io Black
And now,, to something completely different: a 15mm scale mech inspired by Wares Blade.
#miniaturepainting #kitbash #15mmscale #inq28
#miniaturepainting #kitbash #15mmscale #inq28
October 2, 2025 at 8:13 PM
And now,, to something completely different: a 15mm scale mech inspired by Wares Blade.
#miniaturepainting #kitbash #15mmscale #inq28
#miniaturepainting #kitbash #15mmscale #inq28
Happy TekDay, y’all.
'William Shatner's TekWar' released on this day in 1995.
Built on an early version of the Build engine, TekWar ambitiously attempted to tackle open world missions and stealth-driven shooting. Sadly, labyrinthian level design and busted game logic keep it stuck in cryo-prison.
Built on an early version of the Build engine, TekWar ambitiously attempted to tackle open world missions and stealth-driven shooting. Sadly, labyrinthian level design and busted game logic keep it stuck in cryo-prison.
September 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Happy TekDay, y’all.
Reposted by Io Black
Undersong, my Hollow Knight(?!)-inspired tabletop RPG, is out now on Itch and in a shockingly responsible move, I wrote about how it came about over on my blog:
hotline.roshirai.com/designer-dia...
hotline.roshirai.com/designer-dia...
Designer Diary: Undersong - The Hotline
Undersong, my fantasy role-playing game inspired by Hollow Knight and Hollow Knight: Silksong, is out now on itch.io and is absolutely free. But how
hotline.roshirai.com
September 29, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Undersong, my Hollow Knight(?!)-inspired tabletop RPG, is out now on Itch and in a shockingly responsible move, I wrote about how it came about over on my blog:
hotline.roshirai.com/designer-dia...
hotline.roshirai.com/designer-dia...
While the English edition of Wares Blade is still deep in the vagaries of production, Entropic Dreams - for my money one of the best expat voices on analog gaming in Japan - just posted a nice breakdown of the original 1989 Starter Set.
New blog post taking a look at the original Wares Blade box! Love its artwork and ambiance.
entropicdreams.com/2025/09/27/e...
#TTRPG #WaresBlade
entropicdreams.com/2025/09/27/e...
#TTRPG #WaresBlade
Eyes on Wares Blade - Magic and Machinery - Box Set - Entropic Dreams
I still remember the first time I was at Yellow Submarine and happened upon the original Wares Blade box set, its cover instantly piquing my curiosity. I later found it again at Mandarake and picked i...
entropicdreams.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:12 PM
While the English edition of Wares Blade is still deep in the vagaries of production, Entropic Dreams - for my money one of the best expat voices on analog gaming in Japan - just posted a nice breakdown of the original 1989 Starter Set.
A final dose of Neurocracy for anybody already missing those weekly Omnipedia content drops - I know I am.
To cap off three seasons of Neurocracy, I'd like to share "Reverie" with you 😌
It's a novelette about a long-distance couple that experiments with dream sharing technology, trapping one of them in a dying dream while the other attempts to wake them!
Check it out here: playthroughline.com/reverie
It's a novelette about a long-distance couple that experiments with dream sharing technology, trapping one of them in a dying dream while the other attempts to wake them!
Check it out here: playthroughline.com/reverie
September 26, 2025 at 11:04 AM
A final dose of Neurocracy for anybody already missing those weekly Omnipedia content drops - I know I am.
I’ll ‘fess up - half of the reason I‘ve hung onto some of the less legitimate chunks of my game collection is to remind myself of a time when deranged, wildly inaccurate media summaries were the province of flesh-and-blood humans, not burning piles of VC cash.
September 22, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I’ll ‘fess up - half of the reason I‘ve hung onto some of the less legitimate chunks of my game collection is to remind myself of a time when deranged, wildly inaccurate media summaries were the province of flesh-and-blood humans, not burning piles of VC cash.
Spent the weekend with Lunacid, @akumakira.bsky.social's vaporwave-tinged celebration of all things King's Field. It's a less punishing affair than your typical Soulslike, but neatly replicates From's blend of compelling exploration and cryptic puzzles while still finding room for its own quirks.
September 21, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Spent the weekend with Lunacid, @akumakira.bsky.social's vaporwave-tinged celebration of all things King's Field. It's a less punishing affair than your typical Soulslike, but neatly replicates From's blend of compelling exploration and cryptic puzzles while still finding room for its own quirks.
8 hours left and still going strong!
Heads up if you're still on the fence about the Wares Blade Kickstarter: there's just over 38 hours left to secure a piece of Japanese tabletop history!
The enthusiasm over the past three weeks has been nothing short of amazing, and with almost US$200k in funding, we're headed for a photo finish!
The enthusiasm over the past three weeks has been nothing short of amazing, and with almost US$200k in funding, we're headed for a photo finish!
Wares Blade
Swords & Sorcery & Mecha. One of Japan's most popular TTRPGs from the 80s and 90s finally arrives in English. Be a part of history.
www.kickstarter.com
September 18, 2025 at 4:52 PM
8 hours left and still going strong!