Zack Thomson
@zackthomson.bsky.social
Game design student, speculative fiction writer, niche TTRPG enthusiast.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
2. It's rare for any creative, including writers, to be able to live solely off their creative income. Moreover, there is no correlation between the creative value of art and the income status of its creator. It's okay to have another gig to eat and pay bills and survive our capitalist hellscape.
November 26, 2025 at 12:35 AM
2. It's rare for any creative, including writers, to be able to live solely off their creative income. Moreover, there is no correlation between the creative value of art and the income status of its creator. It's okay to have another gig to eat and pay bills and survive our capitalist hellscape.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Handy phrases for all occasions.
November 23, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Handy phrases for all occasions.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
huh, i thought this was AI because there's no way someone could order such an ugly shirt
It is real:
November 21, 2025 at 10:56 PM
huh, i thought this was AI because there's no way someone could order such an ugly shirt
Reposted by Zack Thomson
I can't say I expect to sell many tickets on my tiny Bluesky, but I'll dream anyway. I really want this to work and I truly think anyone who attended would have an amazing time.
It's called Generator. Coming to Massey Hall on the 27th.
Please tell your people.
masseyhall.mhrth.com/tickets/chri...
It's called Generator. Coming to Massey Hall on the 27th.
Please tell your people.
masseyhall.mhrth.com/tickets/chri...
November 20, 2025 at 10:06 PM
I can't say I expect to sell many tickets on my tiny Bluesky, but I'll dream anyway. I really want this to work and I truly think anyone who attended would have an amazing time.
It's called Generator. Coming to Massey Hall on the 27th.
Please tell your people.
masseyhall.mhrth.com/tickets/chri...
It's called Generator. Coming to Massey Hall on the 27th.
Please tell your people.
masseyhall.mhrth.com/tickets/chri...
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Absolutely not walking the dog through a murder forest, full of murder and murder.
November 21, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Absolutely not walking the dog through a murder forest, full of murder and murder.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Innovation in comics has never felt to me as overwhelming and exhausting as innovation in ttrpgs or innovation in fiction.
What's the most innovative comic you know?
What's the most innovative comic you know?
October 11, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Innovation in comics has never felt to me as overwhelming and exhausting as innovation in ttrpgs or innovation in fiction.
What's the most innovative comic you know?
What's the most innovative comic you know?
Reposted by Zack Thomson
As a game designer I'm really enjoying this bit of @stephenking.bsky.social's On Writing:
"Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and color."
Because it is so close to the improv rule 'go with your first thought'.
"Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and color."
Because it is so close to the improv rule 'go with your first thought'.
September 12, 2025 at 8:49 AM
As a game designer I'm really enjoying this bit of @stephenking.bsky.social's On Writing:
"Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and color."
Because it is so close to the improv rule 'go with your first thought'.
"Remember that the basic rule of vocabulary is use the first word that comes to your mind, if it is appropriate and color."
Because it is so close to the improv rule 'go with your first thought'.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
AI's best use case will always be scams. It's scamtech, top to bottom. Everything about it is crooked. Its bedrock is theft and its legacy is the destruction of the environment, both physical and virtual.
Even most of its 'legitimate' uses are a form of lying.
"I wrote this."
"I created this."
Even most of its 'legitimate' uses are a form of lying.
"I wrote this."
"I created this."
BBC reveals web of spammers profiting from AI Holocaust images
BBC reveals web of spammers profiting from AI Holocaust images
The BBC has found an international network of content creators profiting from AI generated posts on Facebook.
www.bbc.com
August 31, 2025 at 3:46 AM
AI's best use case will always be scams. It's scamtech, top to bottom. Everything about it is crooked. Its bedrock is theft and its legacy is the destruction of the environment, both physical and virtual.
Even most of its 'legitimate' uses are a form of lying.
"I wrote this."
"I created this."
Even most of its 'legitimate' uses are a form of lying.
"I wrote this."
"I created this."
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Second, while clothing quality matters, it's more important to develop a sense of taste. Buying clothes isn't like shopping for electronics — you don't "max out" specs. It's more like buying coffee — you sample around and identify which notes you like (nutty, fruity, chocolate). Develop taste.
August 3, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Second, while clothing quality matters, it's more important to develop a sense of taste. Buying clothes isn't like shopping for electronics — you don't "max out" specs. It's more like buying coffee — you sample around and identify which notes you like (nutty, fruity, chocolate). Develop taste.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Supervisor finally said they've been instructed to only hand out the email and give no further information
They can't tell me anything else on the phone
I say hey, no problem, I know this isn't your fault
I ask to file an internal ticket
They can't tell me anything else on the phone
I say hey, no problem, I know this isn't your fault
I ask to file an internal ticket
July 26, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Supervisor finally said they've been instructed to only hand out the email and give no further information
They can't tell me anything else on the phone
I say hey, no problem, I know this isn't your fault
I ask to file an internal ticket
They can't tell me anything else on the phone
I say hey, no problem, I know this isn't your fault
I ask to file an internal ticket
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Greg Pak and Eder Messias will tackle new adventures for Sam and Dean Winchester in Dynamite's Supernatural comic book series.
Sam And Dean Are Carrying On In ‘Supernatural’ Comic Book Series From Dynamite
Greg Pak and Eder Messias will capture the new adventures of the monster hunting brothers.
comicbookclublive.com
July 21, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Greg Pak and Eder Messias will tackle new adventures for Sam and Dean Winchester in Dynamite's Supernatural comic book series.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
LLMs are not intelligent but they ARE good for spouting extruded text that mimics the zeitgeist of their training data and if that training data includes the overflowing sewer that is the unfiltered internet you're going to get gaslighting, lies, conspiracy theories, and malice. Guardrails don't.
July 19, 2025 at 8:34 AM
LLMs are not intelligent but they ARE good for spouting extruded text that mimics the zeitgeist of their training data and if that training data includes the overflowing sewer that is the unfiltered internet you're going to get gaslighting, lies, conspiracy theories, and malice. Guardrails don't.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
For a while, it was believed that women and gay men are born with a natural sense for aesthetics. In reality, straight men, particularly American male Protestants, have simply barred themselves from taking an interest in aesthetics because they think this makes them noble.
July 19, 2025 at 1:15 AM
For a while, it was believed that women and gay men are born with a natural sense for aesthetics. In reality, straight men, particularly American male Protestants, have simply barred themselves from taking an interest in aesthetics because they think this makes them noble.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
ask not for whom the time clobbers, it clobbers for thee
July 10, 2025 at 4:10 PM
ask not for whom the time clobbers, it clobbers for thee
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Post from the great Padraig Kenny over on IG
July 9, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Post from the great Padraig Kenny over on IG
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Watching reporting on the "Superman is Woke" outrage grift like… can any of these people who are so mad about it answer the simple question that even ChatGPT could?
"Was Superman born in the United States?"
"Was Superman born in the United States?"
July 8, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Watching reporting on the "Superman is Woke" outrage grift like… can any of these people who are so mad about it answer the simple question that even ChatGPT could?
"Was Superman born in the United States?"
"Was Superman born in the United States?"
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Absolutely not, but this is an interesting and fun article exploring crabs in our entertainment.
Are humans destined to evolve into crabs? | Aeon Essays
‘Everything becomes crab’ is more than an absurd meme. The crab is a deep symbol of our devil’s bargain with technology
aeon.co
July 8, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Absolutely not, but this is an interesting and fun article exploring crabs in our entertainment.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
The way I think about it is that in PbtA games, "skills" are mostly just fictional positioning. "Oh, you've really practiced [X]? Okay, great — when you roll [STAT] to do [X], you can do a lot more than someone else who hasn't practiced [X]."
July 8, 2025 at 2:30 AM
The way I think about it is that in PbtA games, "skills" are mostly just fictional positioning. "Oh, you've really practiced [X]? Okay, great — when you roll [STAT] to do [X], you can do a lot more than someone else who hasn't practiced [X]."
Reposted by Zack Thomson
So Apocalypse World starts with the idea of actions, not the idea of character skills, and expands them outward from combat into, yknow, every other kind of conflict too.
That's it! That's the difference between moves and skills. Actually moves are actions, nbd.
That's it! That's the difference between moves and skills. Actually moves are actions, nbd.
July 8, 2025 at 1:58 AM
So Apocalypse World starts with the idea of actions, not the idea of character skills, and expands them outward from combat into, yknow, every other kind of conflict too.
That's it! That's the difference between moves and skills. Actually moves are actions, nbd.
That's it! That's the difference between moves and skills. Actually moves are actions, nbd.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
And... they misspelled "AUSCHWITZ."
This is a real post from the official WH account. This is what he’s done to lower us all down to his base level.
July 6, 2025 at 10:03 PM
And... they misspelled "AUSCHWITZ."
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Every Junji Ito anime adaptation showcases how comics aren't some throwaway stepping stone to animation and cinema, and that we should stop treating them as such. Comics, like prose novels, are their own medium that can convey things animation and video cannot.
July 5, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Every Junji Ito anime adaptation showcases how comics aren't some throwaway stepping stone to animation and cinema, and that we should stop treating them as such. Comics, like prose novels, are their own medium that can convey things animation and video cannot.
Reposted by Zack Thomson
To recap!
Five of the ways a designer can shape player approaches to the game are...
1. Making a clear promise (and keeping it)
2. Having a central attractor.
3. Cutting the distractions.
4. Overwhelming them with mood.
5. Pointing out the voids.
14/14
Five of the ways a designer can shape player approaches to the game are...
1. Making a clear promise (and keeping it)
2. Having a central attractor.
3. Cutting the distractions.
4. Overwhelming them with mood.
5. Pointing out the voids.
14/14
July 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
To recap!
Five of the ways a designer can shape player approaches to the game are...
1. Making a clear promise (and keeping it)
2. Having a central attractor.
3. Cutting the distractions.
4. Overwhelming them with mood.
5. Pointing out the voids.
14/14
Five of the ways a designer can shape player approaches to the game are...
1. Making a clear promise (and keeping it)
2. Having a central attractor.
3. Cutting the distractions.
4. Overwhelming them with mood.
5. Pointing out the voids.
14/14
Reposted by Zack Thomson
The first version of Cthuhlu Dark from @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social is very much "What if Call of Cthuhlu were just the insanity rules, but faster and cooler, and maybe a little basic resolution on the side".
8/14
8/14
July 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The first version of Cthuhlu Dark from @grahamwalmsley.bsky.social is very much "What if Call of Cthuhlu were just the insanity rules, but faster and cooler, and maybe a little basic resolution on the side".
8/14
8/14
Reposted by Zack Thomson
Fiasco, by @jmstar.bsky.social, tells you straight out: Use this process, commit to playing character with high ambition and poor impulse control, and you will get a narrative like Fargo, Blood Simple, A Simple Plan, etc.
So that's the first thing:
Make a clear promise (and then keep it).
3/14
So that's the first thing:
Make a clear promise (and then keep it).
3/14
July 5, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Fiasco, by @jmstar.bsky.social, tells you straight out: Use this process, commit to playing character with high ambition and poor impulse control, and you will get a narrative like Fargo, Blood Simple, A Simple Plan, etc.
So that's the first thing:
Make a clear promise (and then keep it).
3/14
So that's the first thing:
Make a clear promise (and then keep it).
3/14
Reposted by Zack Thomson
"be the change you want to see in the world"
babes there's a lot I want to see changed and I'm very small and very tired
babes there's a lot I want to see changed and I'm very small and very tired
July 4, 2025 at 8:49 AM
"be the change you want to see in the world"
babes there's a lot I want to see changed and I'm very small and very tired
babes there's a lot I want to see changed and I'm very small and very tired