So the cut and thrust of this is in the right place, but I have to admit I nearly stopped reading after the use of the phrase "plagiarism detectors". I've spent a huge amount of my Ed Tech career so far trying to get across to academics that there is *no* tool that can *detect* plagiarism,

Hey, I'm Tim - a boardgames writer, player & now, apparently, podcaster. Are you likely to find yourself playing games with family & friends this holiday season? Do you need recommendations for good ones to play with your group, or to gift? Reply below with who it's for & I'll do my best to help!

BREAKING: I'm starting up a new line of games that I'll be putting out on @thegamecrafter.bsky.social. Some will be reprints of older Formal Ferret Games, some of these will be expansions to existing games, and some are going to be brand new. Of course, I'm calling it Informal Ferret Games.

Aaand only two months behind schedule but finally got around to popping up a press release (thanks @rascal.news)... Field Agent Handbooks now available through @ipr.bsky.social or direct from me! www.rascal.news/get-out-play...

Non-substack version now on my personal blog: davidallengreen.com/2025/11/the-...

I LOVE this: "There exists a paradox in game design. You are simultaneously the most knowledgeable and least knowledgeable person about your game..." 🎲✂️(1/4)

Got it.

Depending on how history turns out, this could be one of those texts that school kids read in the future. Let's hope it's not. I'm sharing screengrabs here because the original is not visible in the UK. Scroll up the thread that this is part of to see a link to the original.

After some time away from the project, @alcannon.bsky.social and I have got back to The Artifact, which probably needs a new working title. New theme, same core structure, different trappings. Hefty balance issues right now, but that's fine, and we actually enjoyed playing it. Let's goooo... 🎲✂️

New game design 🎲✂️ just gone on Kickstarter! This is my super quick no-frills Christmas KS. I have a puzzle treasure hunt kit for kids, and a story-based cold case puzzle for teenagers/adults. The puzzle hunt can also come as PDFs only! Delivered in the UK by 1 December. Yes, really.

So, here I am, cooking a nice stew for dinner and deciding to add dumplings. Grabbed a pack of Atora suet and, as I don't do this all the time, checked the pack for their recommended recipe. They say 60g suet to 100g flour. The pack is 200g. WTF?!

Just listened to this and really enjoyed it - some really thoughtful and entertaining discussion. And I giggled out loud at Tim's "kill jester" reference. [i_understood_that_reference.gif]

Hi, I hate doing self promo so I'll just say that this indie board game coverage channel that could is about to hit a milestone of sorts. There is no skeet that can summarize who we are or what we do, but we do cool work and you should check us out. www.youtube.com/@NoPunIncluded

Hey, in case you haven't checked it out yet, the first episode of my new podcast with Ava Foxfort & Iain McAllister, BUT WHY VIKINGS? is up for listening. We answer listener questions about tabletop games, deep or frivolous, expert or absolute beginner. I hope you like it: lnns.co/v2FZGVzb-d_

Ai art sucks for many reasons but its ubiquitousness is the one that gets me. No art director worth their salt would ever specify a style that generic and un-ownable. Yeah, you might have saved some money, but you’ve also torpedoed your chance at being memorable.

Last chance to enter the board game raffle in aid of Trussell, the UK food bank charity. Tickets are £1 and you need to correctly answer a question to be in the draw. Bundles are available. For more information and to enter, go here: raffall.com/393165/enter... #charities #raffles #FoodBanks

Okay!! The publisher has given me the green light to make the ✨ *BIG ANNOUNCEMENT* ✨ I worked on an IP-based social deduction game coming out next year!!!!!! And not only that—but it’s based on the Netflix show Wednesday!!! 🦇💀 Cover reveal coming in the future!! 🎲✂️

I've never had a queer or trans person shove their "lifestyle" down my throat. I have had AI shoved at me at every fucking turn and I do not like that.

Heh! Finally got around to rebuilding my cooperative game, Sympolis, and giving it a quick, 2-player-solo-test. The problem before was that it was too easy. This time, I lost on turn 2! With a planned tweak I would have lasted a couple more, maybe longer if I was smarter! 🎲✂️

Thank you, Chicago.

In today's video I talk about ways to level up as a game designer - practices I have seen in other designers and myself as they become more experienced and improve their craft. Hopefully useful whether you're just starting out, or reflecting on how far you have come! youtu.be/qPWgQCNkRsM 🎲✂️

Did a new one

This person is paying OpenAI two hundred dollars a month to have a chatbot gaslight them about making an excel spreadsheet

Don’t make me tap the sign.

A really cool little case study into a game design process...

The teacher should be fired. They've demonstrated that they are not competent as an educator. Plus, using AI slop to try and make a point about conserving the environment is just adding insult to injury.

Some discussion in replies about cock-up vs conspiracy explanations. So, fwiw, here is how I approach this as a law and policy commentator looking at law and policy messes. And I have looked at many. 1.

Today's video was a hard one for me to make - I wanted to talk about my experiences going through burnout in the last year or so as a game designer, and aspects of the wider tabletop industry that contribute to that. youtu.be/D2rC_8F10R8 🎲✂️

Great quote from a great long-read comic about + against AI art

I played a prototype version of the first episode of this, and had fun. It's kinda like Unlock games, but with more of an adventure storyline (I gather later episodes lean even more into that), fun puzzles, and great art and presentation. If that sounds like it might tickle you, take a look.

Interstellar Adventures spans across three thrilling episodes, with a total run time of approximately 3 hours. Episode 1: Into the Unknown Episode 2: No Going Back Episode 3: Seeing Double Now live! Back Interstellar Adventures on Kickstarter. 🚀 www.kickstarter.com/projects/min...

I've seen a few other people now comment on this, so I'm glad its not just me that see these two and think it's The Doctor and Companion. 😆 #doctorwho #taskmaster

For today's article, I'm just griping about why "fun" is a bad word for critics. spacebiff.com/2025/09/30/a...

Lucy Powell has warned that Labour should not wave through a devastating trans bathroom ban 👇 Ripping up trans rights would be a disaster for Labour, for business, for women, and for the wider LGBT+ community. It's wrong. Labour needs to stop aping Trump and Farage, and protect our human rights.

My fourth roll and write game is now available to download and play from our website! Fill your boots!

One of my game projects, The Castle War, had a bit of an issue with fragility in a certain situation. I think I have a way to reduce the problem without removing the edge that I like about that part of the game... 🎲✂️

Playfest London ‘25 is underway 🥳 100 people, 50 games, 1 day. Let’s go! #PlayfestLondon 🎲✂️

I love my game 🥹🥰

New research shows that when mainstream parties take more anti-immigration positions, it leads to more support for the radical right, not less. We must reject the division. Reject the hatred. And build a coalition of progressive voices that represent all. https://bit.ly/4gFEUCW

In the past hour or two signatures on this have nearly doubled. It’s almost as if nobody wants a compulsory for all form of ID which will erode civil liberty and solve nothing. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Ok. They’ve pissed me off. I’m back to tell you 3 things about ID cards: 1. Migrants ALREADY HAVE biometric ID cards & govts have been trying to digitise them for years w repeated fuckups & failures causing complete chaos - they don’t work, you do not want that system for you.

Had another good evening at the Oxford @playtestuk.bsky.social meetup, which was once again blessed by a good number of folk turning up to just play other folks' prototypes.

Dam been writing a book about this and she just TikToked it in 90 seconds.

Couldn't we just... make it a crime for public officials to lie about *anything*?!

Wow, that's ridiculously cheap. If anyone in the UK wants a copy of Grab Bag Jungle for pocket money, this is what The River Shop is showing me right now...

Hey heads up, The Game Changers paperback is on the shelves in most good UK bookshops right now. If you would like some positive reading about how we are all deeply connected as humans, & how games build communities in the darkest times, you might find something of value in it.

Remember that, as a game night host, its your duty to remind your fellow players every five minutes "That the game is a lot of fun, actually", when nobody else is having a good time.

A friend acquired me a copy of Union Pacific on a recent trip to Cologne. It's got to be 25 years since I last played it, and while it looks and feels a little dated, it's still a cracking game and we really enjoyed it.

It's been a while since I've posted this. All of the co-designs that have come out of the Cambridge Cabal. Does not include our solo work or designs outside of the Cambridge Cabal. @trevormbenjamin.bsky.social @matthewdunstan.bsky.social

I keep being asked what my position on trans rights is. So thought I might as well share with you all...