David Somerville
@smrvl.bsky.social
Creative director & game designer. Neutral good gulf coast dweller. I like cold takes and people who use Comic Sans.
You might know me from The Atlantic, FGS Global, Planegea (aka the 5E Stone Age Setting), or Vast: The Crystal Caverns.
http://smrvl.com
You might know me from The Atlantic, FGS Global, Planegea (aka the 5E Stone Age Setting), or Vast: The Crystal Caverns.
http://smrvl.com
Pinned
David Somerville
@smrvl.bsky.social
· Feb 23
Some of the logomarks I've designed over the past decade or so, both for clients and for personal projects. Each one was a labor of love.
Want to work together? I do.
I'm delighted to announce that I'm launching my own independent creative studio. Can't wait to collab with you!
smrvl.com
I'm delighted to announce that I'm launching my own independent creative studio. Can't wait to collab with you!
smrvl.com
August 4, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Want to work together? I do.
I'm delighted to announce that I'm launching my own independent creative studio. Can't wait to collab with you!
smrvl.com
I'm delighted to announce that I'm launching my own independent creative studio. Can't wait to collab with you!
smrvl.com
A regret: I should have stopped him in the airport to ask where he got that hard yellow suitcase. It was the perfect shade and shape. Now I’ll never know.
June 25, 2025 at 1:02 PM
A regret: I should have stopped him in the airport to ask where he got that hard yellow suitcase. It was the perfect shade and shape. Now I’ll never know.
I'm in the beta for Apple's new Glass UI, and gang... I'm not reactionary, I tend to be very open-minded about design choices... but this is so hard to use that I'm literally considering a switch to a Google phone.
June 24, 2025 at 4:15 PM
I'm in the beta for Apple's new Glass UI, and gang... I'm not reactionary, I tend to be very open-minded about design choices... but this is so hard to use that I'm literally considering a switch to a Google phone.
Trying to decide between Blue Prince and Control as my next game … clearly in pursuit of liminal spaces.
June 24, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Trying to decide between Blue Prince and Control as my next game … clearly in pursuit of liminal spaces.
Really loved reading this. www.vulture.com/article/oral...
An Oral History of Lilo & Stitch
The beloved Disney movie made in a “secret hangar” that almost brought hand-drawn animation back.
www.vulture.com
May 26, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Really loved reading this. www.vulture.com/article/oral...
Alex Garland House of Leaves when
May 22, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Alex Garland House of Leaves when
My greatest sin as a game designer? I cannot stand Ticket to Ride. I would rather play Monopoly, 100 out of 100 times. This is my secret shame.
I mean not so secret, I guess, since I posted it here.
But still, my shame.
I mean not so secret, I guess, since I posted it here.
But still, my shame.
March 28, 2025 at 8:55 PM
My greatest sin as a game designer? I cannot stand Ticket to Ride. I would rather play Monopoly, 100 out of 100 times. This is my secret shame.
I mean not so secret, I guess, since I posted it here.
But still, my shame.
I mean not so secret, I guess, since I posted it here.
But still, my shame.
Reposted by David Somerville
In independent author Adam Beckwith's newest Planegea 5E release, the PCs steal a prized possession of the Air Empire.
http://dlvr.it/TJmbCn
http://dlvr.it/TJmbCq
http://dlvr.it/TJmbCn
http://dlvr.it/TJmbCq
Heist Adventure for Planegea 5E
Rats in the Walls for Planegea 5E
dlvr.it
March 26, 2025 at 7:44 PM
In independent author Adam Beckwith's newest Planegea 5E release, the PCs steal a prized possession of the Air Empire.
http://dlvr.it/TJmbCn
http://dlvr.it/TJmbCq
http://dlvr.it/TJmbCn
http://dlvr.it/TJmbCq
I saw a lot of cool stuff at GDC but absolutely nothing caught my attention like Tamashika. store.steampowered.com/app/2996080/...
TAMASHIKA on Steam
the game is about keeping your mind at one place
store.steampowered.com
March 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
I saw a lot of cool stuff at GDC but absolutely nothing caught my attention like Tamashika. store.steampowered.com/app/2996080/...
GDC was great but I was away from home for forever!!! I miss my peoples.
an elderly woman says it 's been 84 years ...
ALT: an elderly woman says it 's been 84 years ...
media.tenor.com
March 23, 2025 at 2:12 AM
GDC was great but I was away from home for forever!!! I miss my peoples.
Reposted by David Somerville
Our heist adventure, Rats in the Walls, is here! It's available for purchase on Patreon and soon on DTRPG. The download includes the 30-page pdf, color map of the Apogee Palace, two battlemaps, and a high-definition jpg of the beautiful cover art by Pablo Palomeque. www.patreon.com/planegea/sho...
Buy “Rats in the Walls: A Planegea Heist Adventure” on Patreon | Planegea
Check out Planegea’s shop on Patreon
www.patreon.com
March 21, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Our heist adventure, Rats in the Walls, is here! It's available for purchase on Patreon and soon on DTRPG. The download includes the 30-page pdf, color map of the Apogee Palace, two battlemaps, and a high-definition jpg of the beautiful cover art by Pablo Palomeque. www.patreon.com/planegea/sho...
Ended my #GDC adventure with a great talk by the inimitable Jesse Schell. Now getting lunch at Mel’s Drive-In, then back to the hotel for a hard half-day’s work.
March 21, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Ended my #GDC adventure with a great talk by the inimitable Jesse Schell. Now getting lunch at Mel’s Drive-In, then back to the hotel for a hard half-day’s work.
My first day of GDC, I felt a little lost. Today, I had great conversations with old friends and colleagues. People really do make all the difference.
March 20, 2025 at 11:00 PM
My first day of GDC, I felt a little lost. Today, I had great conversations with old friends and colleagues. People really do make all the difference.
Day 2 of GDC, day 2 of Sightglass. Good coffee is good coffee.
March 20, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Day 2 of GDC, day 2 of Sightglass. Good coffee is good coffee.
If you’re looking for a good meal at GDC, I absolutely recommend Burma Love.
March 20, 2025 at 2:35 PM
If you’re looking for a good meal at GDC, I absolutely recommend Burma Love.
I’m short on plans for the rest of the day. If anyone at GDC needs a friendly face to practice their pitch with or wants me to gas them up, give me a shout, I’m around! #GDC
March 19, 2025 at 11:45 PM
I’m short on plans for the rest of the day. If anyone at GDC needs a friendly face to practice their pitch with or wants me to gas them up, give me a shout, I’m around! #GDC
I’m in the Cyberpunk MaxTac talk at GDC. I’m not a developer, so it’s all Greek to me, but just being in the room, hearing @cdpr.bsky.social folks talk about my favorite game is all my nerdy little heart needs.
March 19, 2025 at 5:55 PM
I’m in the Cyberpunk MaxTac talk at GDC. I’m not a developer, so it’s all Greek to me, but just being in the room, hearing @cdpr.bsky.social folks talk about my favorite game is all my nerdy little heart needs.
Amazing, I’m in. Also in no order:
Thousand Year-Old Vampire
D&D 5E, babyyyy
Dread
Lasers & Feelings
Never Tell Me the Odds*
*This one’s mine but it’s still one of my favorites.
Thousand Year-Old Vampire
D&D 5E, babyyyy
Dread
Lasers & Feelings
Never Tell Me the Odds*
*This one’s mine but it’s still one of my favorites.
Oh this is a fun one.
Introduce yourself with your top 5 #TRRPG picks!
In no particular order:
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Blades in the Dark
Invisible Sun
The Clay that Woke
King Arthur Pendragon
Introduce yourself with your top 5 #TRRPG picks!
In no particular order:
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Blades in the Dark
Invisible Sun
The Clay that Woke
King Arthur Pendragon
OMG we're doing all the intro posts but not our own niche! So:
Introduce yourself with your top 5 #TTRPG picks.
Changeling: The Lost
In Nomine (English + French editions)
Secrets of Cats
Sailor Moon Role-Playing Game
Over The Edge
Too many choices really! Already 2nd guessing my list.
Introduce yourself with your top 5 #TTRPG picks.
Changeling: The Lost
In Nomine (English + French editions)
Secrets of Cats
Sailor Moon Role-Playing Game
Over The Edge
Too many choices really! Already 2nd guessing my list.
March 19, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Amazing, I’m in. Also in no order:
Thousand Year-Old Vampire
D&D 5E, babyyyy
Dread
Lasers & Feelings
Never Tell Me the Odds*
*This one’s mine but it’s still one of my favorites.
Thousand Year-Old Vampire
D&D 5E, babyyyy
Dread
Lasers & Feelings
Never Tell Me the Odds*
*This one’s mine but it’s still one of my favorites.
