iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Kieran Lampert @kieranlampert.com · 02/09/2026

Another #PAX West is upon us and we are once again returning with our (in)famous panel, "Let's Make a Video Game: Live on Stage"! Come watch a handful of lovable idiots attempt to make a game live, before your very eyes, in an hour! Will we succeed? Either way, it'll be entertaining to watch!

A flyer for the PAX West panel. The image is a photograph taken during the panel from a previous year. Four developers are accompanied by two MCs. The text reads...

"Let's Make a Video Game: Live on Stage
Friday, September 4
9:30 PM - 10:30 PM
Firebird Theatre"

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

New UI design for my word game that integrates a new #lovecraftian theme with some art deco elements. Haven't updated the main game assets yet, but that will come once the game design is more settled. I'll have some gameplay with the new systems up soon! #solodev #indiedev #wordgame #gamedev

Hand made art, no AI used, not allowed to be used for training AI

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Geert Verhoeff @gjverhoeff.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

2026 beginning of the year cleaning up files on my PC and found this one a friend send me when working on some code. Every developer can relate. #solodev #indiedev #development

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

I'm loving the new Personal Calendar on #steam, it feels more compelling than the discovery queue. Looking forward to Moss: The Forgotten Relic too! 🐭⚔️🧣

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Polyarc Games @polyarcgames.com · 09/07/2026

ONE. WEEK. LEFT. 🐭🌿 Moss: The Forgotten Relic launches July 16 #nintendo #playstation #PS5 #Xbox #Steam

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Rubberskunk Ríni @kaisenso.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Yeah. It's genuinely insane. Here's the source for you and everyone else since this post has left my target audience. www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeau...

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Shower thought: Would it be possible to “watermark” AI text output by switching some characters to similar international / extended symbols? I guess that would just breed regexes to remove it but as a default, maybe that would help?

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Made some improvements to the volumetric fog and how it interacts with the words! Now you can still see the selection squares, and the fog is revealed gradually with the letters. #indiedev #gamedev #solodev #wordgames

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

#Onwords dev blog Playing with volumetric fog to enhance my 'fog of word' mechanic in my word game. Feels much spookier! 😶 #indiedev #gamedev #screenshotsaturday #solodev discord.gg/qS8Nx5F5m

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Quote I like from Solaris by Stanislaw Lem. "No," I interrupted. "I'm not thinking of a god whose imperfection arises out of the candor of his human creators, but one whose imperfection represents his essential characteristic: a god limited in his omniscience and power, fallible, incapable of

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Polyarc Games @polyarcgames.com · 31/03/2026

Four years ago, Moss II released to the world. Thank you for your continued support. 💌 #gamedev #indiedev

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

It’s been a heartbreaking time since we saw the writing on the wall. Unfortunately I was directly affected by this reduction. It was such an incredible place to work at, and I’m so grateful for the time I was able to spend with so many inspiring people. #vrdev www.gamesindustry.biz/vr-developer...

gamesindustry.biz

VR developer Polyarc Games facing layoffs, unspecified number of employees affected

Studio behind adventure game Moss was unable to secure funding after cancelling a major project

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Reposted by Aaron @ Small Hours Games

MJ Smiles @misajoy.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

I'm excited for this one! I hope there are lots of interesting questions for our talented devs.🤓

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

#Onwords dev blog Another graphics pass, added some fog, lights and turned the clouds back on. Also improved the algorithm that gives you new letters. It now tries to balance vowels and consonants so you aren’t stranded in a vowel-less corner. I almost got all the coins! #indiedev #gamedev

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AndresPlays @andresplays.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

Currently playing the Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss preview. It's technically and artistically impressive. @polyarcgames.com has created something special. More coverage soon.

A screenshot from Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss. It's a beautiful fantasy landscape surrounding a tabletop map in the middle.

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

#Onwords dev blog My game is looking more like… a game? Finished a lot of work on the level editor which allows for these more creative levels and obstacles, then did a quick UI pass. Footage is sped up because I am bad at my own game lol #indiedev #gamedev

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

#Onwords dev blog Playing with my new level editor, which allows for more interesting shapes and challenges. Each doorway will attach to a new level, so who knows where you will end up...🤔 #indiedev #gamedev

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

#Onwords dev blog 🕚 Very overdue for a post! Another ✨ UI overhaul, and new mechanics coming online. This is a puzzle room prototype, where you pick up letters as you put them down! This way you can strategize for your next word, and unlock doors with word locks. 📖🔒 #indiedev #gamedev

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

#Onwords dev log 🔠🐧 Experimenting with "fog of word", where the collectibles aren't revealed to you until you discover them through making words. #gamedev #indiedev

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wei 韡 @weiology.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

Joining the #ColorQuill painting party 🖌️🎨 Featuring Quill from @polyarcgames.com and drawn in @vermillionvr.bsky.social

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

#Onwords dev log 🔠🐧 Now you have little islands to go to that give you coins, instead of just going straight to the exit. What will the coins give you? 🤔 #indiedev #gamedev

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MJ Smiles @misajoy.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

So excited for this one!!! There are now Moss templates in the VR painting studio app Vermillion. I am about half way done with a masterpiece that I will share later, but it scratched an itch at a time where I am unable to paint IRL for a little while.

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Now the interminable wait for #GDC2025 to post the videos of all the sessions I couldn’t see

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Good start to Thursday! Also, how is it already Thursday? #gdc

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Reposted by Aaron @ Small Hours Games

Morgan Baker @momoxmia.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

GDC needs a nap lounge

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Me trying the seesaw pirate ship one 🏴‍☠️⛵️ It was a real thigh workout! #gdc

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Some highlights from some of the wacky and fun controllers at alt.ctrl #gdc The samurai one was cool, you just partially unsheath to kill enemies along the line. All were really inventive

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

More #gdc things I don’t have room in my suitcase to buy… so time to buy another suitcase

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Great #GDC talk from this morning, World Building from Weird to Mainstream. Micronotes: What’s weird about your world? What’s the smallest version of it? Create identity through contrast Dig into your weird, show its heart What would you show if shame was off the table? Find the nostalgia

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

The cat spanking game definitely got everyone’s attention at last night’s Day of the Devs. #gdc

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Am I staying in San Fran.. or Tokyo?

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

#Onwords dev log 🔠🐧 Been working UX and progression. Now you can level up and earn "challenges" which give you a set of letters to make a word with, giving you a score bonus if you do. Also added more UI to clearly show the word you are making, and a list of your bonuses. #indiedev #gamedev

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Polyarc Games @polyarcgames.com · 10/02/2025

Bugs beware! 🐛🔨 We are looking for a Senior QA Analyst to help ensure our games are polished and player-ready. Learn more: www.polyarcgames.com/jobs/senior-... #gamejobs #gamedevjobs #gamedev #virtualreality

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Polyarc Games @polyarcgames.com · 27/02/2025

✨OMG - OKAY, IT'S HAPPENING!✨ Introducing the Quill x @makeship.bsky.social plushie. ✨🌈🧸🥳 Now's your chance to bring Quill home! Pre-Order Now and Become an Early Bird! 💚Early birds receive ✅ Exclusive Discord role = BTS access + voting rights ✅ First 200 pre-orders = gift Moss OST (Steam)

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

#Onwords dev log 🔠🐧 ...and here's a design comp of what kinds of upgrades I will be testing in my next build, along with some different design options. The idea is some 'upgrades' will cost points to acquire, allowing you to make a bet on your next word(s). #indiedev #gamedev

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

#Onwords dev log 🔠🐧 Been working hard on the game design! Here's my current ugly version of level upgrades. You can unlock/upgrade what are regexs based on phonemes (groups of letters that make phonics), which gives you a bonus if they are present in your word. #indiedev #gamedev

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

#Onwords dev log 🔠🐧 Just playing with cloud colors and trying some new cube art. May go back to my original "Skywords" concept after getting some great feedback last night. #indiedev #gamedev

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Kieran Lampert @kieranlampert.com · 19/01/2025

Completely refactored my unit state machine and it is SO much better organized now. Much easier for me to modify and debug states as well as add new ones. Also helped me fixed a few lingering bugs that were hard to pinpoint solutions for. #gamedev #godot #turnbased #tactics

A screenshot from within the Godot engine of a player character scene. On the right is a pixel art character. To the left of the character is a panel showing the nodes that comprise the scene, including a list of nodes that make up the state machine of the character.

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

#Onwords dev log 🔠🐧 This weekend I'm trying to iterate on the concept and look Left: where I started over a year ago, very Tunic / Zelda. Right: New version, more modern and clean, abstracted #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #indiedev

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

#onwords dev log 🔠🐧 More UX improvements! Now showing valid locations for letters that is context-aware. I think this will help people understand where they can go next, and the rules around "snaking" your words. #screenshotsaturday #indiedev #gamedev

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Kieran Lampert @kieranlampert.com · 04/01/2025

Just finished hooking up the time meter (in the upper right corner) which, until now, has been purely decorative and totally non-functional. Now it will advance after a full round and will trigger the lighting changes. #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #indiedev #pixelart #tactics #rpg #farmageddon

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Aaron @ Small Hours Games @aarhed.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Moss: Book II dev log #4 🐭 📖 Worked with a great animator to tune these reactions to handing Quill a weapon. This shows a small change as we noticed that her turning the moment you opened the inventory would stop her movement and interrupt the gameplay @polyarcgames.com #vrdev #vr #gamedev

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