Stefan Gagne
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stefangagne.com
Stefan Gagne
@stefangagne.com
Lead writer for Fiction Factory Games, creators of Arcade Spirits and Penny Larceny. Also wrote a lot of online YA novels. Trying to be a generally okay he/him.
"isn't there room for some nuance and compromise in using AI for game development?"

You're right! $5 horse armor DLC is entirely fair and definitely didn't lead to horrific monetization practices down the road. We were right to seek compromise and find nuance back then!

Alternatively, fuck no.
November 18, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Post something random or you'll have an awful December
November 18, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Did some playing around today with Mythic GME 2, a solo tabletop RPG engine. "Solo? What's the point of that?" It's proving an interesting creative exercise. Alone, I can take some wild creative swings and see what works and what doesn't. There's no commitment to organized weeks of group play.
November 18, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Reposted by Stefan Gagne
Good morning, Patrons! Tonight @forneiavtuber.bsky.social and I start Chapter 7 of City of Angles! See you at 7:30pm Central!
November 17, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Someone tried to scam me for my gmail password by using my exact DoorDash order details for credibility.

How the fuck did they know I ordered a sausage biscuit? Someone at DoorDash or the dasher themselves colluding with a call center scammer? Argh. Be aware, I guess.
November 15, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Crypto bros are basically into findom.
November 14, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Reposted by Stefan Gagne
I made a joke in my main Discord server about DOOM E1M1 being in a major key and @abigbagofkeys.sickonedude.com actually made it. Jesus fucking Christ listen to this hahahaha
November 14, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Entirely unsurprised to see rampant use of AI artwork in Call of Duty. Being CoD means they feel too big to fail, with a core audience that would show apathy rather than protest. And thus, normalization.

I can say I'm boycotting but I never played the game in the first place, so what good is that?
November 14, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Visual Novel Developers: I am once again asking you to add full keyboard navigation to your games. I keep encountering games that have mouse and even controller support, but can't navigate menus with arrow keys or even advance dialogue with space bar. It's a disability accommodation thing, yanno?
November 14, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by Stefan Gagne
If you go to Starbucks, get your coffee elsewhere. In this capitalist hellscape, the only thing that companies care about is money
BREAKING: Starbucks workers have launched a massive, nationwide strike.

Baristas in 40 cities have walked off the job on the busiest day of Starbucks' year.

Upwards of 12,000 @sbworkersunited.org members could ultimately go on strike as the union escalates.
November 13, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Me last night: the story just isn't working, the structure is all wrong, it's too complicated for its intended play style, why did I do this, I should've picked something easier for my next project, do my games even matter, this sucks and I suck

Me today: OK outline done I think that works
November 13, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Quick notes! Dispatch stuck the landing. New valve stuff neat-ish; VR still niche, controller is bulky and weird, but the GabeCube could really rock depending on price point. As an indie dev I'm all for easier in-roads for PC devs to deliver console games since the existing processes suck bad.
November 13, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Important life lesson: when taking afternoon meds, do not listen to stand-up comedy. The end result will be liquid ibuprofen shooting out of your nose.
November 12, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Wrote up a list of Photoshop tasks I needed to do for my game last night, hammered them all out in one really intense hour sitting down at my desk this morning. And now, well, exhausted. 5 1/2 hours of sleep did not help that matter. But at least it's forward progress, despite everything. Good.
November 12, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Six months late on this because physically going to theaters isn't an option for me anymore, but it's fascinating to compare Superman with fantastic four. Both with a retro feel, both 90% green screen, but one is actually fun and approachable and the other one feels exhausted and self serious.
November 11, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Really struggled to get anything done today. Just mentally and physically beat down.

I gotta have more tolerance for that in ye olde disabilitie retirement, but it still feels bad. Like some days I'm too drained to even have fun, so I'm just in absolute torpor.
November 11, 2025 at 4:58 AM
75% through a video I'm enjoying: "This video is brought to you by Draft Kings--"

Thumbs down, stop video, close window.

Every goddamn thing now is gambling-focused thanks to jokers like them normalizing the idea of ruining your life in a wacky fun gamey way because you don't understand math.
November 10, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by Stefan Gagne
Good morning, patrons! Tonight at 7:30pm, @forneiavtuber.bsky.social and I will start a new chapter of City of Angles!
Come on by to see what all our protagonists can do when they unite as one!
#Vtubers #Vsky #Reading #CityOfAngles
November 10, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Stefan Gagne
Did you know? All our games (and about twelve paperback novels!) are tied together, with concepts that bleed over between them.

You don't NEED to read/play it all to enjoy any one particular story! But... if you want some spoilers, we've got a document for ya. docs.google.com/document/d/1...
The Gigaversal Spoiler File
The Gigaversal Spoiler File: A More Or Less Complete Who's Who And What's What Of 25+ Years Of Books And Games That Are Somehow All Tied Together If Only Retroactively Introduction This document conta...
docs.google.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:58 PM
So for the first time since retiring, I'm taking advantage of that fact to completely binge playing this game. But after two days, I think I'm possibly done. I just don't care about the story or characters enough, and the villain is incomprehensible. Combat is okay but that's not my draw.
November 10, 2025 at 3:39 AM
OK, at the risk of appearing old parentheses which is fine because I am staggeringly old parentheses can someone explain both 6–7 and the meme of orange text on a blue background? I feel like I am out of touch with the youths.
November 10, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Not really vibing with the story yet for OW2. Cheerful hypercapitalists and violent cult socialists spewing old timey high scrabble scoring dialogue feels like an endless series of strawmen.

Not sure the game has a point, other than to say "everybody sucks" and "saving lives maybe good."
November 9, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Well, since steam won't refund me, decided to cheat like the dickens so I can at least enjoy the story for Outer Worlds 2. Mods for infinite time slowing, and stronger companions. Now my inability to aim won't be an issue.

But I am going to have to be careful getting FPS games in the future.
November 8, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Reposted by Stefan Gagne
"6-7"?! Boy I say boy you gen alpha kids cant be doin' that! Your signifiers need signs boy! You've laid a rhetorical claim to an empty space son! You're creatin' a nihilistic dialectic! Your broccoli hairs obfuscatin' some much needed communication! Find some MEANIN', kid!
November 8, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Absolute deep geek nerd fixation here in the best possible way. Just a fascinating look into every step of rebuilding a laptop from practically scratch.
New video up! Just finished the massive project of restoring/rebuilding @lgr-yt.bsky.social’s destroyed Chaplet Halikan LA-30A. This was a big one 😅. Enjoy!

youtu.be/BilLgXkR_Kw
Restoration or Resurrection? Re-creating a rare 80's laptop from the ground up
YouTube video by polymatt
youtu.be
November 8, 2025 at 3:56 PM