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nicholas theisen

@academicality.bsky.social
105 followers 281 following 318 posts

Game Design | Google Books @ UIowa Libraries | Co-host Furidashi Podcast

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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 5h
There's something oddly satisfying about making a weirdly designed backend system with a horrible interface do precisely what you want it to. Like I'm the King of Computer or some shit.
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Possible Worlds Games @possibleworlds.bsky.social · 7h
I've been talking with @ludopolitics.bsky.social (Tacklebox) & Ashley Werlinich about this for a while & am SO excited to see it formally announced. This is explicitly an attempt to build a better pipeline for getting more short, weird tabletop games on tables & into print (with university funding)!
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Eike Exner @eikeexner.com · 9h
Most picture scrolls were hidden away in some temple or nobleman's estate, for example. They weren't reproduced! Virtually no Japanese person knew what the chojugiga looked like before it could be photographed!
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Eike Exner @eikeexner.com · 9h
The notion that people's brains are a repository of everything that has happened within the same political or geographical boundaries, even centuries earlier, is one of the most frustrating popular misconceptions about history to me.
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Eike Exner @eikeexner.com · 9h
Cartoons by Wilhelm Busch were actually printed in Japanese periodicals in the late 19th century. Hokusai's work was not. I'd say the far more logical place to start is what people were concretely looking at in their time.
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
King shit.
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
I know I spent a good part of the last year whining about Kojima's design instincts, but this rules.
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Bullet Obstructed By Skull During Recent Enforcement Operation
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Stellbound: Stellraiser II @antlervel.vet · 10/10/2026
Nausicäa of the Valley of the Dolls
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Better Things Are Possible @internethippo.bsky.social · 26/12/2024
(living in a country where the most successful people are obscenely rich and shameless perverts and psychopaths) Time to teach my children to be honest and study hard in school
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
static.klipy.com
R2D2's Play Dead Freeze
ALT: R2D2's Play Dead Freeze
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spooktober ryn ash 🎃 @espressocat.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Well, well, I woke up just in time for Metal Gear Solid: Minesweeper. Only this time, the mines swept me.
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
I definitely did not turn into a skeleton when Jade said they were 1 year old in 1993. Didn't happen. Don't put in the newspaper...
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Codex Entries @codexentries.com · 08/10/2026
Chalice and Ivy descend into the Deep Roads. Within we find ... you guessed it: spiders!!! We also talk about tactical combat, qunari Ikea, Lord of the Rings ripoffs, potatoes, roaming bands of dual wielding teens, Mike Myers movies, Molly's upcoming play, and who gets to be a real person in Thedas.
codexentries.com
Dragon Age: Origins - Episode 28 - All The Cool Kids are Dual Wielding - Codex Entries
We go down into the Deep Roads. Content warnings: SPIDERS!!!! General fantasy violence, fantasy racism, magical corruption, sexism, torture and body mutilation.  You can support us on Ko-fi and gain a...
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spooktober ryn ash 🎃 @espressocat.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
This is entirely the plot of Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady’s Illsutrated Primer and while I am not surprised this may be in fact the first we’ve seen of a science fiction writer bringing about the futures they’ve told rather than eschewing them?
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Clayton @explorersdesign.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Public Domain Art is the lifeblood of small tabletop rpgs, but it can be a nightmare trying to find the right art and license. This week, I’ve re-uploaded my old list from 2020 (with updates) of public domain websites. That's 500,000+ public domain paintings, photos, maps, and film. Link below 🔗👇
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Trying very hard not to say any of the things I know about Anne Carson. Congratulations, I guess.
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Max (VGCartography) @vgcartography.com · 26/09/2026
I launched my own site today!! www.vgcartography.com all my game maps hi-res, links to videos, and i'm moving any commentary from my blog to get everything in one place free w/o login. tried to make it really easy to use. browse the catalog and gimme feedback!!! 🗺️👀🌐
scrollable game list with platform/tag filters for browsagetext search for game/map names also worksmaps and videos shown in a gridindividual map view with pans and zoomies
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Internet Archive @archive.org · 03/10/2026
📦 How does the Internet Archive safely pack & ship archival materials? Proper handling matters when moving irreplaceable books & other library materials. Get a rare behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Physical Archive tour. 📆 Oct 20 🕕 6–8 PM 📍 Richmond, CA 🎟️ www.eventbrite.com/e/1997613506...
Jeremy Modell (right) explains how library materials are packed and shipped at the Internet Archive's physical archive. Photo by Brad Shirakawa, October 21, 2025.
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I do it mostly to give myself clear break points. I can't actually talk for nearly an hour straight.
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jade, whose voice is the Deluge @goblinmode.com · 01/10/2026
we're so so close to getting back on our normal recording schedule but with me buying a house and molly getting a new job and her play getting staged (see NANAY in seattle!) our lives have been super busy. but we'll be back next week! listen to 27 episodes of the show in the meantime! they're good!
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VGC @videogameschronicle.com · 01/10/2026
VGC spoke to former WarioWare series director Goro Abe about life after Nintendo and how teaching has given him a different perspective on game creation. www.videogameschronicle.com/guide/wariow...
videogameschronicle.com
WarioWare director reveals what changed after he left Nintendo | VGC
Goro Abe says switching Nintendo for teaching has given him a new perspective on game creation…
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Get in the EVA, Jesus!
The book Jesus und die Evangeline by Martin Hengel
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
As promised, while we finish up injecting @espressocat.bsky.social with nanomachines, I present to a patreon'd episode, which you will have to pay (not much) for. Or, you can just message me with a sob story, and I'll unlock it for you. www.patreon.com/furidashi/po...
patreon.com
Kojima's Character Arcs | Furidashi
Another solocast in which a cishet white man tells you all you need to know about the motivations of female characters. More specifically, N
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
I myself saw the Jade of Cumae hanging in a cage. As boys, we used to ask her, "Jade, ti thelleis?" She would respond, "apothanein thello..."
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Moreover! I have fixed the audio in the free episode. Thank you for your patience in this matter. open.spotify.com/episode/235O...
open.spotify.com
145. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010) | Year of Metal Gear | S6E12
Furidashi Game Design Academy · Episode
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
As promised, while we finish up injecting @espressocat.bsky.social with nanomachines, I present to a patreon'd episode, which you will have to pay (not much) for. Or, you can just message me with a sob story, and I'll unlock it for you. www.patreon.com/furidashi/po...
patreon.com
Kojima's Character Arcs | Furidashi
Another solocast in which a cishet white man tells you all you need to know about the motivations of female characters. More specifically, N
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spooktober ryn ash 🎃 @espressocat.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Yes I was lost in the wilderness and then stranded in sickness but now I am back at mother base.
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I had allocated all our recruits to R&D and Combat and forgot about Medical. My bad.
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Happy to report that we have Fulton recovered @espressocat.bsky.social, but she is still being debriefed by our agents. In the meanwhile, join me on journey into revolutions and deterrence in 2010's Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker! open.spotify.com/episode/235O...
open.spotify.com
145. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010) | Year of Metal Gear | S6E12
Furidashi Game Design Academy · Episode
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Patreon episode will be out tomorrow, because I had a lot of crap to do this past weekend. Cryptic teaser: Kojima is God?
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Happy to report that we have Fulton recovered @espressocat.bsky.social, but she is still being debriefed by our agents. In the meanwhile, join me on journey into revolutions and deterrence in 2010's Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker! open.spotify.com/episode/235O...
open.spotify.com
145. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (2010) | Year of Metal Gear | S6E12
Furidashi Game Design Academy · Episode
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Catsuka @catsuka.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Btw, here's "Luceros y Penumbras", the largest pop-up book ever created, currently on view at the Los Angeles Central Library. www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-T-...
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
No one took me up on my offer, so Monday you'll be getting far too much information about the internal dynamics of revolutionary socialist movements in Central America. #metalgearsolidpeacewalker
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jessamyn @librarian.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"Are You A Librarian: The Untold Story of Black Librarians follows the librarians who kept the doors open when the law said they shouldn't-from segregated reading rooms to freedom libraries to the branches serving our communities now" Rentable/streamable 📚 www.historysplayground.com/are-you-a-li...
historysplayground.com
Watch Are You a Librarian | History's Playground
Rent the Are You a Librarian documentary for $3.99 and stream it for 72 hours on History's Playground.
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Internet Archive @archive.org · 25/09/2026
Who gets to own what we create? In WHO OWNS KNOWLEDGE, host Lisa Petrides talks with Internet Archive Senior Policy Counsel Lila Bailey about knowledge as a shared cultural commons & knowledge controlled through copyright, licensing, and corporate platforms. 🎧 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...
Podcast cover art for "Educating to Be Human," with the title shown in three colorful speech-bubble logos (orange, blue, and pink). Below is a headshot of a smiling person with blonde wavy hair, wearing a black blazer, standing outdoors against a blurred green and brick background, with white text reading "with Lila Bailey."
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Chris Bratt @chrisbratt.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
In recent years, the media has quietly begun to change the way in which it writes about Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard. PMG investigates how Kotick used the threat of defamation to reshape his legacy in the games business, one article at a time. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwp...
youtube.com
Inside Bobby Kotick's Campaign Against the Press
YouTube video by People Make Games
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
You people have no idea what you're in for...
Text that reads, "that’s right, Lauryn is out of commission this episode, so you’re getting a Nicholas solo cast. For those of you who have never listened to our Furidashi Classroom episodes… [AD READ MOTHERFUCKERS]"
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Josh | Still Loading Podcast @stillloadingpodcast.com · 21/09/2026
What the fuck is this shit? www.tomshardware.com/video-games/...
tomshardware.com
Microsoft patents system to freeze games and inject ads during downtimes — watching commercials earns ad-free playtime credits
Is this patent a sign of things to come?
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kelly jensen @heykellyjensen.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Judge overturns Reynolds administration order closing the State Historical Society’s Iowa City research center and archives This is good news, but whew, the damage done already. littlevillagemag.com/judge-overtu...
littlevillagemag.com
Judge overturns Reynolds administration order closing the State Historical Society's Iowa City research center and archives - Little Village
As last year came to an end, so did public access to the Centennial Building. The building, home to the Iowa City research facility of the State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) since 1956, provided ...
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
As is turns out, @espressocat.bsky.social is on a clandestine mission somewhere in Latin America (read: very sick) and so will be unavailable to record. If anyone wants to listen to me yell about the Sandinistas, DM me! Otherwise, I'll have a solo cast out soon (delayed).
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"Subversive Ludic Performance: An Analysis of Gender and Sexuality Performance in Digital Games" www.jstor.org/stable/10.11...
jstor.org
Client Challenge
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"Strategies to control a character’s transtextual identities" www.jstor.org/content/oa_c...
jstor.org
Client Challenge
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
And a fun one: cyberpsychology.eu/article/view...
cyberpsychology.eu
Cyberpsychology
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
If you need a way around Social Text's paywall, I might know a guy... *wink wink*
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Okay, I'll stop being a librarian.
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Also DAI, but it looks at who gets to be subject (doing shit) and subject to (done upon): read.dukeupress.edu/social-text/...
read.dukeupress.edu
Actional Orientalism: Queer Liberalism and Homonationalist Regimes of Grievability in Dragon Age: Inquisition
Abstract. Through an analysis of the 2014 video game Dragon Age: Inquisition, this essay brings two contemporary problematics into dialogue—the neoliberal gamification of society and the logic of quee...
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Queerness: intellectdiscover.com/content/jour...
intellectdiscover.com
Playing queer: Affordances for sexuality in Fable and Dragon Age | Intellect
This article adopts the lens of queer theory to examine the terms of inclusion of non-heterosexual identities within recent mass market role-playing games. Focusing on Lionhead Studios’ Fable and BioW...
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
About Inquisition, but the issue it identifies applies to the whole series, really: journals.suub.uni-bremen.de/index.php/ga...
journals.suub.uni-bremen.de
View of You can Be Anyone; but there are Limits: a gendered Reading of Sexuality and Player Avatar Identification in Dragon Age: Inquisition
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nicholas theisen @academicality.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
This one looks at Flemeth and Morrigan through the lens of the "femme fatale" journals.pressblu.com/index.php/co...
journals.pressblu.com
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