EVERYTHING IS POINTCRAWL! by Skeleton Code Machine gets a mention in this.

Want to know how to make your newsletter better? Ask your readers! Here's what I learned from this year's annual survey sent out to the 5,300+ Skeleton Code Machine subscribers... #ttrpg #boardgames #newsletter #gamedesign

What is a core game loop? Exploring the concept of a "core game loop" in tabletop board games and roleplaying games, why it benefits players, and how it can become a compulsion loop: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/core-game-... And a few of my slides from a recent public library class...

The Skeleton Code Machine Annual Review is up! You want numbers and charts? We got 'em! 📈📊 Looking back at the third year of writing SCM every week. More subscribers, consistent feedback, and interest in Tumulus. Here's what's next: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/annual-2025

If you were looking into articles to submit for a Bloggie this year… 😉

IPR continues to be a pleasure to work with, allowing Exeunt Press games to be in local game stores around the world. If you are outside the US, check for EP games at these stores (and request them if they don't have them yet): www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Stores...

"Quick, compact and fun." "Elegant, simple, fun." "Made me think about game design. What more could I ask?" BLOOD CHAPTER: exeuntpress.itch.io/blood-chapter #ttrpg #bookmark

CMYK vs. RGB got you confused? If you use Affinity, this CMYK-safe color swatch palette might make your life a little easier. Based on colors recommended by Mixam. Free community copies available: exeuntpress.itch.io/cmyk-color #affinity #affinitypublisher #color #palette #swatch #cmyk

Did you miss the Exeunt Press Year-End Review? You can still read it: omnes.exeunt.press/p/ep-review-...

I've crunched the numbers from this year's Skeleton Code Machine Annual Reader Survey. Full report this week! Subscribe to read it Tuesday: www.skeletoncodemachine.com

Doing some playtesting for a friend’s solo journaling game. Rules need some clarity revisions, but this is a good one. Quite fun!

Really interesting post from Chris about crossing incremental video games (i.e. idle clickers) with solo TTRPGs. This is sort of the "video game x tabletop" theme that I have planned for the upcoming Tumulus Issue 08. "Insert coin to continue." (September 2026). Lots to think about.

Packing orders! 📦 💀 This will clear out the backlog when they go to the post office tomorrow!

The SCM reader survey has closed! ✅ Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to submit a response. I'll be crunching the numbers and comments this week. Expect an annual report soon! When ready it'll be at: www.skeletoncodemachine.com

Track every shot and mark it off? Or just ammo vibes? Here's how CY_BORG and a few other TTRPGs handle ammo tracking or lack thereof: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/cyborg-ammo #ttrpg #gamedesign

In case you missed it...

Gameable #2: @exeunt.press's "Playing The Chaplain's Game" describes a fascinating procedure you could drop into nearly any game. I'm in a weird position where I don't want to drop spoilers for a blog post, so just trust me on this one and read it. www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/chaplains-...

First, I had two favorite pieces for critical analysis this year. I loved Playing the Chaplain's Game by @exeunt.press

Start the new year by nominating your favorite Skeleton Code Machine article for a Bloggie. Link below. ⬇️ I might recommend Everything is Pointcrawl: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/everything... #ttrpg #bloggies #hexcrawl #pointcrawl

Happy new year! 🎉🎊 They're not gonna make our future for us. We must make it ourselves.

Happy New Year! 🥳🎉 Let's make some weird games in 2026!

Mere HOURS left to take the survey!!!!

Curious about adapting a public domain work or setting for your next TTRPG or board game? Here are 10 works you can use right now: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/public-dom... ... and a few honorable mentions too. #ttrpg #boardgames #publicdomain #copyright

The coming new year is off to an ominous start… 💀

Shipping has resumed! Won’t get through the backlog today, but I’m working on it. 📦 💀

Necromancer Heretic is a really interesting game. I wrote about how it uses blackjack as a mechanism at Skeleton Code Machine: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/necro-here...

Happy New Year! 🎉

Planning on running some ads in 2026? Learn from my mistakes: omnes.exeunt.press/p/reddit-ads...

Need some help making your first one-page RPG? No jam required. Here are some resources to get you started: omnes.exeunt.press/p/one-page-r... #ttrpg #onepagerpg

Can we eliminate upkeep phases in games? Thinking about how my board game experience creates design assumptions that I can/should question, including the use of upkeep phases in games: omnes.exeunt.press/p/zero-upkeep #solorpg #ttrpg #boardgames

Do we need to track ammo in TTRPGs? Exploring the different ways tabletop games can track ammo spent during combat whether it's an arrow or a bullet, using CY_BORG's ammo check roll as an example: www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/cyborg-ammo #ttrpg #ammo #morkborg #cyborg #cy_borg

This is a fun genre idea. I think Exclusion Zone Botanist and perhaps Ghost Beacon might fit into this? One is weird plant morphology and the other is speculating what a lost alien civilization was like based on artifacts alone.

There is no faster/better way to find typos in a book than to send it to the printer. 💀

Do we even need to track ammo in TTRPGs? This week we are looking at ammo rolls in CY_BORG at Skeleton Code Machine. Subscribe to get it Tuesday: www.skeletoncodemachine.com #morkborg #cy_borg #ttrpg

From the SCM Reader Survey: "I learned that there are really cool people out there in the world making games and maybe a weirdo like me can make some games too!" Yes! This! Make weird games!

Treat yourself.

As we enter the liminal space between Christmas and New Year's, you might be craving some alone time. If so, take this: a pile of solo games! Just add pen, paper, cards (for some), dice, and your favorite hot beverage.

A little bit of behind the scenes for the upcoming Exclusion Zone Botanist: Epsilon....

Shipping should resume this coming week. Assuming I pass my fortitude check and recover from the plague by then. 🤧

Just a few days left to let me know what you want to see at SCM!

🍄 💀

🤣🌭

Commodity speculation in Soda Jerk! Exploring how Soda Jerk by Chris Yi uses hidden information, stock manipulation, and influence vs. control in a game about combining soda flavors. Also, a reminder to complete the reader survey! www.skeletoncodemachine.com/p/soda-jerk #boardgames #ttrpg 🎲✂️

Day 24 recommendation is @shop.peregrinecoast.press Top notch selection of nerdy games from your favourite and soon-to-be-your-favourite game designers. Shop indie from indie shops! It's a win win win situation 😌 peregrinecoast.press

Ooo, @exeunt.press has a new Exclusion Zone Botanist game in the works with a science-driven plant discovery mechanisms, plus tons more plant morphology options and unusual features! omnes.exeunt.press/p/epsilon-003

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How is Soda Jerk like The King is Dead? Find out at Skeleton Code machine on Tuesday. Subscribe to read it when it goes live: www.skeletoncodemachine.com #boardgames #soda #jerk

"It's been living rent free in my head now and will just crop up at the weirdest times. Like driving to the grocery store. I am in the space between points. It's been frustratingly funny to have that little gremlin pop up and bludgeon me from time to time."

I've been thinking about how to organize a silent/solo game meetup for a while. At a library? Somewhere else? I love the idea of playing solo ttrpg games together. The idea is not unlike silentbook.club but the logistics, as with all things, can be complicated. Any experiences to share?

Block quote + quotation marks + italics. The belt + suspenders + staples of "this is a quote".