Hebden Bridge in the snow, 1978, photo by Denis Thorpe.
Pale. Curious. Game-maker. Writer. (de-)Archivist. Goon. Goblinesque. Demi. ADHD. She/Her. Current things: - Darkened Hill & Dale 🎲💀🏞️ - TERMINUS 🎲💀🚇 - Trick or Retreat 🎃🎲☕☺️ links.patchworkfez.co.uk
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Hebden Bridge in the snow, 1978, photo by Denis Thorpe.
91 people have joined #FolkloreJam this year already! Join us this October in making analogue games inspired by folklore of your own culture or a place you belong. itch.io/jam/folklore...
For some reason I am getting the impression that this headline, every part of which is horrifying and eldritch, is supposed to convey a message of hope.
🎵 Verily airily primarily merrily 🎵 To be boat-less is a dream
Boosting this again because clinically vulnerable people do not stop being vulnerable when the Government wants to save money. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...
something that I’ve been thinking about since DICE is that a lot of highly skilled devs are subject to management labelling them as ‘difficult’ and sidelining them simply because they point out and want to solve a problem, mismanagement which I think has contributed to a lot of failed projects
Disney+ cancellation page crashes as customers rush to quit after Kimmel suspension creators.yahoo.com/lifestyle/st...
Hello. I still can't really type, and the free dication/voice to text options I've tried aren't very good. I'd like to buy Dragon, but it's expensive and I can't afford it. I'm running a 50% sale on itch for two weeks to try and raise the money so I can meet my deadlines. itch.io/s/160480/buy...
As part of our reboot of the @videogamecultures.bsky.social conference series, we have our first book coming out, of papers from the 2023 conference in Klagenfurt, Austria. It should appear in the wild on 6 November. Details here: www.sidestone.com/books/explor...
CODEX DELICTORUM (new mysteries and more for Rosewood Abbey) UPDATE! rolistespod.itch.io/codex-delict... The above Itch page now includes a new structure, principles, and collaboration sheet to investigate CfB monastic mysteries via Play-by-Post. These were drafted the PbP-enthusiast, Damoslim.
A draft of the updated cover for MUD GHOST ESTATE REDUX, a spooky tumbling tower TTRPG inspired by the urban legends and folklore of Hong Kong. 👻 Art by Weird Slime. Follow the pre-launch page here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/wha...
It's like aspiring towards brain fog or burnout. I just don't get it. I wonder if there's any kind of correlation between this kind of ChatGPT usage and gambling, in terms of mental activity? These folks keep putting more info in to try and find the right answer, which reminds me of a slot machine.
Meet all sorts of octopus species and fanciful themed octopus on my website: sculptedreef.com/collections/...
Call of the Wilde I can draw one of these for you if you like. All my cartoons are drawn to order, they're not prints. www.worldofmoose.com/products/cal...
Kate Macintosh designed Dawson’s Heights for Southwark Council in 1964 aged just 28. (She's alive and well and still fighting for high quality social housing.) English Heritage described it as ‘an example of the almost-lost art of romantic townscape’ municipaldreams.substack.com/p/dawsons-he...
👏🏻👏🏻
I found the worst Animorph
I've just realised that I'm singing Nick Cave's 'Easy Money'. However, I appear to have replaced the words 'easy money' with 'garlic mayo'. Garlic mayo Rain it down on the wife and the kids Rain it down on the house where we live...
Because you failed your san roll, entered a fugue state, and woke up in Iceland?
Maddy is very wise.
*Almost all of which are dedicated to providing a crash-course intro to the Tube as a whole, and the architectural history of Tottenham Court Road station...
Did a hyperfocus and typed up 1200 words*. 💪🏻 However, I've just discovered that it's nearly 9pm. I should probably make dinner...
I'm starting to get an idea of why Taco Bell isn't hugely successful in the UK. That colour looks like it's probably banned. 😅
I'm going to resist the urge to continue this delightful nonsense because I'm actually trying to work on this game, but I'll supply this as compensation: youtu.be/1jQ1zPnu_AQ
Yes, I could outsource this, or use dictation software, but typing it in myself tends to function as a light edit, which is useful.
It's a bit odd to jump to a new book for the final section, but I doubt the prose will mind the gap.
Thus begins an exciting weekend of typing up at least 10,000 words of material... I'm not super quick at this bit, so I expect it to take all weekend. 🫠
Well, maybe I'll need to write/rewrite another chunk. You never know.
I've just realised my ongoing foolishness – I didn't need that many additional pages. I should have torn a couple of perforated sheets from the back of this new book instead of filling a mere four pages of this one. 🤦🏻♀️ I've even carved 'TERMINUS (2)' into the front cover with a biro. Siiiiigh.
I was hoping to restrain TERMINUS to just one notebook, but that was a foolish dream. At least the moment was softened by a vibrant slash of colour as the sunlight hit a suncatcher. 🌈
I’ve got my copy through and it looks like a great collection on an author I know pretty much nothing about. Got a few things to get out of the way but looking forward to The Tiger Skin.
A very refined form of passive-aggressiveness there!
To be honest, I think the British are, both now and historically, deeply prone to silliness.
'Other shortlisted entries for the train’s name were Leaf-Fall Weapon, Pulp Friction and The Autumn Avenger.'
I aspire to at least hit the sense of dread you get when you're descending to platform level at Canary Wharf, look down, and realise that there's absolutely nowhere to go when you reach the bottom. 😬
I hope this game gives me the horror you experience when you descend so deep into the Canada Water tube station enough that you can feel the pressure change.
Wait, Canada Water is connected to the surface??
Btw, I'm planning to post the next Kickstarter update for TERMINUS towards the end of next week – I'm too busy working TERMINUS before then! 😅 Expect positive news re: planned shipping dates, and I'll be announcing a couple of little surprises that'll be available in the pledge manager... 👀
TERMINUS will be available to purchase once backer copies have shipped out, but probably not until late November. They'll also cost a little more.
As a heads up... We're nearly at the end of the line, so I'm planning to close late pledges for TERMINUS on October 1st! Hop on the backer train now to receive your copy in Oct/Nov. www.kickstarter.com/projects/pat...
The hype is real. This two hour long doc about extreme birdwatching is an absolute delight, and nothing less than a soothing balm in horrible times. The makers have put the whole thing up on YouTube, for free with no ads, and all of you should watch it right now. www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl-w...
'Fascists like being able to do things that they deny others... When you expect them to act consistently, or have a coherent set of moral values, you are projecting your own competency onto them, and [...] you are not seeing them clearly.'
I hadn't heard of them before and stumbled across it unexpectedly! If this one is any indication, though, then the writer is putting a solid amount of thought and time into their work.
Should be fun and insightful, a few of us have converted and run Sarah's system agnostic Darkened Hill & Dale scenarios. They are wonderful and we have all pondered how you go about writing something without a specific system in mind... now we'll find out! Link in my bio, then look under Events.
Kind words about my work side, I found their broader comments on format, layout, and the heritage of published TTRPG scenarios very interesting! I also appreciate them inadvertently helping me to realise why I was never quite happy with Fools' Fire as a scenario – very useful info for the future!
Many thanks to Taskerland for taking the time to write such a thorough and interesting review of Darkened Hill & Dale! 'Darkened Hill & Dale is strong in theme and singular in vision; its seven adventures stand apart yet resonate in proximity.' tasker.land/2025/08/26/r...
Btw, I'm also intending to do a bit of a public postmortem session of Darkened Hill & Dale and TERMINUS in November (once the latter is finished). I'll announce that properly here and on my very occasional newsletter once I've chosen a date. news.patchworkfez.games
I'm talking about writing system-agnostic TTRPG scenarios over on @jwmuk.bsky.social's Raspy Raven Discord next week – 7pm UK time, Thurs 25th Sept. Writing scenarios to be system-agnostic can create some interesting additional challenges; join us to hear about how I discovered this the hard way. 😅
Had such a fun time chatting over on the Raspy Raven discord last night getting deep into what makes a good scenario for Ex Tenebris! Thank you for having us on @jwmuk.bsky.social #ttrpg #kickstarter #spacegothic
[this is a subpost] there is a credible, democratically run left wing party in the UK. you can join it here: join.greenparty.org.uk
Delighted to realise that EMF Camp won't clash with UKGE next year – I really didn't want to have to pick between the two events! 🥳
As I'm spending roughly half my time in a hospital at the moment anyone got any good book recommendations? Light hearted would be great, preferably sci-fi or fantasy
🚨 Announcing: Rites of Renewal, a neo-pagan folk horror sandbox crowdfunding during Mothership Month. With words by @jlcable.bsky.social, fully illustrated with lino art by @pickledpennies.bsky.social, and published by Peregrine Coast Press. The Solstice is Coming. Will you join the festivities?
Salvage Union: Downing of the Atychos A cargo plane carrying a top secret corporate research project crashes into the wastes. A team of mecha pilots goes on a mission to retrieve as much salvage from the crash as possible. They'll have to brave radiation storms, bandits, giant monsters, and a…
This evening I've discovered that, in ideal conditions, I can apparently write ~500 words in 30 minutes! A shame that's not my typical speed. 😅
If we let fridges advertise to us then before you know it they'll be doing cold calls.
Impressed by the way the person signing conveys the emotion and intensity of the speaker.
We are doing a live chat over on the Raspy Raven Discord with @jwmuk.bsky.social on Thursday 18th September at 7pm BST talking about how to write a scenario for Ex Tenebris. A link to join the discord is here if you fancy joining us.
Well, if you *can* then you're definitely onto a winner. However.
Me: "Your current thing is actively causing big problems. The new thing would be vastly better and less effort for you all round." Clients, after a long sigh: "It sounds like it might require filling out some forms now, though. And it'd be different? Hmm, we're not sure about it."
Academia dot edu licensing agreement says it can use your likeness and voice and publications in any manner they want, world wide.
Leaves no idea unexplored.
well i mean he had a psychotic episode relating to doodling too much, so you're not the only one www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...
this has just blown my mind before 7pm on a Wednesday
Leaving my client's office in the half-dark for the first time this year. 🌒😴 It is going on 7pm, mind, so perhaps it's not time to get gloomy just yet.
Queen
Are there any other popular tabletop games/series modelled on Consulting Detective? I feel like it should be an entire genre, but I'm struggling to think of any examples.
As a thought, you might get some more suggestions from the pool of tabletop players in the Trick or Retreat Discord if you dropped the question in there.
The first time I played it, it took me a couple of minutes to work out what I was looking at, but then I was just delighted by the whole thing. Such a neat design. There's something tickling the back of my brain as another suggestion but I can't grasp it; I'll consult the shelves when I get home!
This sounds very interesting! I may have to make an exception to my current 'try not to buy any more board games' initiative...
I found Immortality, another Sam Barlow game, rather interesting. A lot of layered information there. Anything by @jon.inkle.co is usually interesting in terms of narrative/information structures, but I imagine you're familiar with those. I suppose a large number of TTRPGs fit your description?
I'm mulling over tabletop games. Micro Macro: Crime City is an interesting tabletop game. You have a huge illustration that depicts a city, but it doesn't depict just one moment in time – you get a starting point and have to locate/unravel the sequence of events as it unfolds across the picture.
Very true. I enjoy playing it now and then, despite its issues – we just ignore the scoring at the end.
You investigate a scene, gather clues that go into a mind map, and form conclusions from this. Not all clues lead to the truth. The game goes 'You're the Great Detective. You know best. The police will hang whoever you tell them is the murderer.'
I have a lot of Thoughts about detective games (across both video games and tabletop) but one of my favourites is still Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments by Frogwares – specifically because it lets you reach the wrong conclusion, & it's entirely optional to reveal whether you're right or wrong.
Sherlock seems to make pretty big leaps in logic in Consulting Detective. I also find it interesting that the scoring system essentially penalises you for exploring a mystery fully and visiting lots of locations. If you match Sherlock's deductive path you see almost nothing of the available story.
That absolutely makes sense, yes. The problem with Sherlock Holmes mysteries, in particular, is that real-world logic doesn't reliably work with them. 'I know they're a typist due to the ink on their fingers, and therefore...' – There are so many other possible explanations in reality!
any interesting information games that people have to recommend? bonus points if it's tabletop or i haven't heard of it already
Behold, the finished project! The Lost Shores Deep Ones objectives from @fenrisgames.com Six finely detailed resin pieces, including Davy Jones' Locker, a Deepsun Altar, the Trapped Seamine, a Drowned Milestone, and a Foundered Rowboat Thread 🧵 for individual images. #Nerdlings 1/4
Ben & Jerry’s has always stood for progressive values and social justice. Today, as we become part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company through the Unilever de-merger, we’re urging the board to let us operate independently again so we can stay true to our founding mission. #FreeBenAndJerrys
UK Bad news: the Pound is dropping against the US dollar again. UK Good News: I've found remaining Rosewood Abbey copies, I ship from the UK, and it's priced in $ so it results in... ...no wait is the £ going up or down? I suck at finances.🤔 therolistes.bigcartel.com/product/rose... #TTRPG
Well, RIP to Ben & Jerry's www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Cats say a £22bn investment in Dreamies and new Catnip technologies will boost Britain's economy in the next few years
Small Publishers Fair returns to London's Conway Hall next month, with 66 UK & international publishers, a special exhibition, and readings & talks. More details soon. Fri 24 & Sat 25 October (11am-7pm) FREE, all welcome Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL smallpublishersfair.co.uk
The thing about being an artist is that sometimes you’ll have a really silly/cursed image enter your head and spend hours of your life drawing it. Hours you’ll never get back.
I haven't tried them myself, but I think that Word and Google Docs have some dictation tools built in. Might be worth a look before spending more money?
Can anybody recommend good dictation software for writers? Preferably something that will run on both my PC and my phone and that doesn't cost the earth. It's been a week and a half since I hurt my arm and I still can't really type which isn't great as a full time writer with deadlines.
Thrilled to be in the Oak and Ember group exhibition ‘Beneath’ opening next week in Edinburgh. COME!
Here's another good'un. (Performed here: youtu.be/MGSdYFR50Y8)
This one about bards!
Our medieval curator Alison Ray introduces Rawlinson Bodleian Library MS. Rawl. D. 252...a 15th Century necromancer's journal. This manuscript contains spells written in Latin and Middle English, and would have served as a reference for a professional sorcerer. #MedievalMonday
I've heard about that one. 💜 I have a host of intolerances, but I think the brain fog predates those. I've been reading about ADHD as a dysregulation of dopamine & norepinephrine. I suspect I'm naturally low on the latter, and wonder if the brain fog is a symptom of that.
Part (but not all, tbf) of the reason TERMINUS is running a couple of months later than planned is because I changed my medication (to something apparently less effective) in the spring, and found myself a regular visitor to brain fog town again. 😬
They should add that to the list of tips!
And it's not just 'forgetting what you were saying', etc. It's like a mental version of CFS / ME at its worst. I can't do anything useful. My brain becomes like treacle. Even 'relaxing' activities are difficult. You're stuck in 'zoned out' mode. Complex work? May as well try to swim the channel.
Seriously, though, a lot of medical conditions cause brain fog – not just hormones and stress. And sometimes the cause is completely unclear! My ADHD medication helps to mitigate mine, but it still comes and goes, and I have it most days when unmedicated.
As someone who's wrestled with chronic, debilitating, frustrating brain fog for more of their life, this article entitled 'Struggling with brain fog? Here's how to fix it' is actually quite aggravating. Can't believe I didn't think of drinking some water! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Well, glad you've resolved it! I've occasionally had a dishwasher fail to drain, but turning it off and on again sometimes fixes it!