January 27, 2025: What's In A Game?

Have you ever thought about how many different talents go into making your favorite games? The skillset that can devise and develop different gameplay options is subtly different from the skills that go into writing or editing them. Playtesters (and those who wrangle those comments) check that the games make sense and are fun. Graphic designers work with artists to help the games look awesome. Print buyers make sure the games are both high quality and as affordable as possible. Marketing folks promote games so that they find the right audience. Digital gurus work hard so that all the games have the right information online, including options to buy them. Various admin and support-office people get bills paid so that the lights stay on and progress can continue for the next games. I'm certain I'm forgetting about folks.

A lot of this effort can be invisible. It's rare for someone . . . [more]

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January 26, 2025: Explore The History Of The UK Video Games Industry With Kim Justice

When I was a child, I always assumed that video games came from either Japan or the United States. I had no idea that there was a huge video game industry across the pond, ranging from bedroom coders to major players. I've been spending these cold winter days catching up on this fascinating history thanks to Kim Justice, a UK YouTuber whose channel covers the history of British gaming, among other things.

Kim's work is truly remarkable. Each video features an impressive collection of archival footage, photographs, and gameplay to tell the stories of companies, industry luminaries, and even the rise and fall of genres like the text adventure. These videos may be a walk down memory lane for some, but for me they're a fascinating look at a time when computer gaming was in its infancy. Thanks to the proliferation of "microcomputers" like the BBC Micro, the ZX Spectrum, . . .

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January 25, 2025: Help Out Rodger MacGowan!

Rodger B. MacGowan is one of the most skilled and prolific cover artists that the boardgaming hobby has ever seen. He founded Fire & Movement Magazine and, later, C3i Magazine. He is a member of the Origins Hall of Fame. And, at the moment, he is practically a refugee.

Rodger's home and office/studio was completely destroyed by the Palisades Fire in California. Work on his projects has halted. He needs your help.

If you can contribute to his GoFundMe, your donation will be going to a pillar of the hobby. Thousands of people have been displaced by the fires, and every one of them is deserving of help, but I ask for your help specifically to Rodger because he and his family – for it's a family business – have done so much for gaming for so many years.

Thank you.

-- Steve Jackson

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January 24, 2025: Who Uses A 835374663 Anymore?

As I was speaking with company cohort Irene Zielinski recently, she revealed that a number she uses was actually devised from a word that's meaningful to her, tapped out as digits on a telephone keypad.

It's a cool idea, but – as she explained it – I realized that it took a few moments to realize what she was talking about, because it'd been so long since I'd looked at a telephone keypad. Sure enough, they were still on my iPhone's telephone screen.

It's a cool "old-school" technique I want to use in my tabletop games. So, when the adventurers are sifting through an online forum looking for Dr. Chaos, maybe they should pay attention to username 24267 . . .

-- Steven Marsh

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January 23, 2025: FIX YOUR HEARTS OR DIE: A David Lynch Game Jam

David Lynch passed away on January 16. His work was surreal, often challenging, and deeply influential. Over on Itch.io, user Jellyfishlines is paying tribute by hosting FIX YOUR HEARTS OR DIE – A David Lynch Game Jam. What is a game jam? It's a competition where designers aim to create games that fit a specific theme in a limited amount of time. In this case, it's a game jam in which designers need to make games based on or inspired by Lynch's work.

The full details are here, but the most important things to remember are: 1) You'll need to create an account on Itch.io to participate, and 2) the game jam ends on February 20. So if you're a fan of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Dune, or Lynch's weather reports, consider signing up today.

-- Katie Duffy

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Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule

The toad is lumpy. January 27, 2025: What's In A Game? Have you ever thought about how many different talents go into making your favorite games? The skillset that can devise and develop different gameplay options is subtly different from the skills that go into writing or editing them. Playtesters (and those who wrangle those comments) check that the games make sense and are fun. Graphic designers work with artists to help the games look awesome. Print buyers make sure the games are both high quality and as affordable as possible. Marketing folks promote games so that they find the right audience. Digital gurus work hard so that all the games have the right information online, including options to buy them. Various admin and support-office people get bills paid so that the lights stay on and progress can continue for the next games. I'm certain I'm forgetting about folks. A lot of this effort can be invisible. It's rare for someone . . . [more] Share this post! January 26, 2025: Explore The History Of The UK Video Games Industry With Kim Justice When I was a child, I always assumed that video games came from either Japan or the United States. I had no idea that there was a huge video game industry across the pond, ranging from bedroom coders to major players. I've been spending these cold winter days catching up on this fascinating history thanks to Kim Justice, a UK YouTuber whose channel covers the history of British gaming, among other things. Kim's work is truly remarkable. Each video features an impressive collection of archival footage, photographs, and gameplay to tell the stories of companies, industry luminaries, and even the rise and fall of genres like the text adventure. These videos may be a walk down memory lane for some, but for me they're a fascinating look at a time when computer gaming was in its infancy. Thanks to the proliferation of "microcomputers" like the BBC Micro, the ZX Spectrum, . . . [more] Share this post! January 25, 2025: Help Out Rodger MacGowan! Rodger B. MacGowan is one of the most skilled and prolific cover artists that the boardgaming hobby has ever seen. He founded Fire & Movement Magazine and, later, C3i Magazine. He is a member of the Origins Hall of Fame. And, at the moment, he is practically a refugee. Rodger's home and office/studio was completely destroyed by the Palisades Fire in California. Work on his projects has halted. He needs your help. If you can contribute to his GoFundMe, your donation will be going to a pillar of the hobby. Thousands of people have been displaced by the fires, and every one of them is deserving of help, but I ask for your help specifically to Rodger because he and his family – for it's a family business – have done so much for gaming for so many years. Thank you. -- Steve Jackson Share this post! January 24, 2025: Who Uses A 835374663 Anymore? As I was speaking with company cohort Irene Zielinski recently, she revealed that a number she uses was actually devised from a word that's meaningful to her, tapped out as digits on a telephone keypad. It's a cool idea, but – as she explained it – I realized that it took a few moments to realize what she was talking about, because it'd been so long since I'd looked at a telephone keypad. Sure enough, they were still on my iPhone's telephone screen. It's a cool "old-school" technique I want to use in my tabletop games. So, when the adventurers are sifting through an online forum looking for Dr. Chaos, maybe they should pay attention to username 24267 . . . -- Steven Marsh Share this post! January 23, 2025: FIX YOUR HEARTS OR DIE: A David Lynch Game Jam David Lynch passed away on January 16. His work was surreal, often challenging, and deeply influential. Over on Itch.io, user Jellyfishlines is paying tribute by hosting FIX YOUR HEARTS OR DIE – A David Lynch Game Jam. What is a game jam? It's a competition where designers aim to create games that fit a specific theme in a limited amount of time. In this case, it's a game jam in which designers need to make games based on or inspired by Lynch's work. The full details are here, but the most important things to remember are: 1) You'll need to create an account on Itch.io to participate, and 2) the game jam ends on February 20. So if you're a fan of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Dune, or Lynch's weather reports, consider signing up today. -- Katie Duffy Share this post! Previous Illuminators • Steve's Appearance Schedule		Latest Videos You are the 2411st tool of the Conspiracy here today. (30360848 since August 1, 1995)