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  • Sexy Superheroes Are Like Tip Jars
    Have you ever been to a coffee shop where there are two rival tip jars at the counter? They usually have writing on them, like one that reads, “The Empire Strikes Back,” and the other that reads, “Burn All of Star Wars in a Fire.” People put money into the jar they most vibe with. Mechanically speaking, that’s a dating sim. Over the course of a dating sim, the player is presented a series of… Read more: Sexy Superheroes Are Like Tip Jars
  • Gaming’s Best Kept Secret
    As a narrative designer, it’s my job to play video games. To be clear, I’m not paid to play games, like a QA tester or the rad teens who worked at the Nintendo tip line in the 1980s. My colleagues just expect that I have played certain games. Usually indie darlings or hit AAA games everyone is talking about. I remember one client being aghast when I admitted I hadn’t played Hades yet. He insisted… Read more: Gaming’s Best Kept Secret
  • Who Are the Sexiest X-Men?
    In March, Amanda and I were driving to WonderCon in Anaheim, the kid sister of San Diego Comic-Con. WonderCon is like SDCC, but less. Less crowded, less expensive, and less amazing. If you’re in SoCal, it’s easy to make a day out of it, and the out-of-towners can spend a day in Disneyland and call it a proper vacation. WonderCon: It’s Just Fine! Amanda was invited to be a guest on a panel about how… Read more: Who Are the Sexiest X-Men?
  • I’m Flipping Out!
    Hello from Boston, City of Beans! This’ll be a short update, since I’m currently traveling across the east coast. Last week, I was visiting family in Buffalo. Then I spoke at a game developers conference in Rochester. (More on that below.) Today Amanda and I are visiting my old college campus for the first time in almost 20 years. Over the weekend, we’re going to a family wedding. Honestly, what I want to do most… Read more: I’m Flipping Out!
  • Platforms are Casinos for Artists
    I won Twitter four years ago. A little bit. This was back when Twitter was merely a hell-site and not X, a post-apocalyptic-wasteland-ruled-by-mutant-marauders site. It was a small win, but after years of barely getting any response on my tweets – and for a while, I was tweeting daily – I casually posted a tweet that went viralish. The rise of this tweet took me completely by surprise. I didn’t think it was my best… Read more: Platforms are Casinos for Artists
  • My Wife Is an Omega Level Collaborator
    Cyclops VO: “Previously, on the X-Men-inspired dating sim.” 🔄 Recap: I decided for my first creative project on Equip Story that I’ll be developing a sexy dating sim influenced by my lifelong fandom of Marvel’s much maligned mutants. It’s an off-beat idea that the mobile game publisher Dorian is getting behind. And I’ve also told you that my wife, creative partner, and cat co-parent Amanda Meadows will be working on this with me. That was… Read more: My Wife Is an Omega Level Collaborator
  • Let’s Fix the Defunct Star Wars Hotel
    Like the Millennium Falcon stuck in the Death Star’s tractor beam, I was pulled into witty and insightful YouTuber Jenny Nicholson’s latest 4-hour YouTube video about a theme park. Last time I watched one of her looooong critiques, it was about the Utah trainwreck Evermore Park, a failed multi-million dollar fantasy LARP. This time, her video was about the now defunct Galactic Starcruiser, aka the Star Wars hotel in Disney World, a failed multi-million dollar… Read more: Let’s Fix the Defunct Star Wars Hotel
  • The Weird Dating Sim Business
    I’ve been going to GDC – the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco – for many years now, but this year was different. Usually, I put a lot of effort into reaching out to potential clients and industry allies, but rarely hear from them after the conference is over. This year, it was like an alternate universe version of the same show. Lots of potential clients reached out to me, and I came away with… Read more: The Weird Dating Sim Business
  • Do You Need Art School?
    I have an unusual profession. When I tell people that I’m a narrative designer for video games, people usually have one of these responses: “What does ‘narrative designer’ mean?” Basically, I’m a writer and game designer hybrid person. “Do games even have stories?” Yes. Games have gotten more sophisticated since BurgerTime. “That must be fun!” Yes! Well, depending! “Have you written any games I’ve played?” My games have been played by millions of people around… Read more: Do You Need Art School?
  • To Me, My X-Men Fandom
    I’m ready to embark on a series of new creative projects. To develop works guided by passion and interest, as opposed to capitalism and career advancement. So, what will be my first game project for Equip Story? First, a different question: Did you watch X-Men ’97? I promise, I’m not stalling. This is very much a part of my answer! Are you as obsessed with X-Men ’97 as I am? I never watch those YouTube… Read more: To Me, My X-Men Fandom