iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

These dice have rounded edges. They have a greater tendency to spin before settling. Chosen for appearance moreso than function.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Why do games that ask players to roll dice hundreds of times per session include *rounded* dice? Are wargames padding for length?

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

Hawk and Dove Games @hawkanddovegames.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

And today I managed to get in 1.5 games of El Pulpo! This game is so tight and has amazing interconnected player incentives, with dynamic forms of player interaction and such subtle argumentation built into a sleek design. I’m so happy for the trust of @danbullock.bsky.social - bañan for scale!

Brooks holding the first player marker, a small banana or a huge man?

El Pulpo mid game. The banana man card showing on the bottom right.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

My favorite thing as a designer are those first few tests with a new prototype where the edges are super rough. Even adapting Sekigahara’s system for War of the Roses requires taking an elegant system and getting it dirty with new combat and loyalty mechanics.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I would have gone with "Don't shoot me, I'm just the manufacturer" but a great preview nonetheless. I invite you all to take the oath😉

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

YoYoni @yoyoni.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

We're live! "The Nights of King Ludd" is now available for pre-order on Kickstarter ⚒️ 🔥 www.kickstarter.com/projects/die... #history #boardgames #luddite

kickstarter.com

The Nights of King Ludd

Rage against the Machines at the Dawn of the Industrial Revolution

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

El Pulpo (the game formerly known as Fruit) now has a BGG page. I welcome folks to subscribe to see the forthcoming design diary posts, news, and a @danthurot.bsky.social preview. boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/47...

boardgamegeek.com

El Pulpo

Navigate the tumultuous history of the banana trade in Latin America.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Thanks to Ted Flaherty, I received great pics of No Motherland Without being played by the intel staff at SOCKOR. I began designing NMW in 2016 as my first historical design. The West Policy Expansion is available for download on BGG, but NMW is OOP. I should send SOCKOR some replacement counters...

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

It’s important to collaborate with great people that share a passion for our hobby. I am so happy to be releasing El Pulpo (formerly Fruit) with Hawk & Dove 🍌

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

Amabel Holland @amabel.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

This month marks the tenth anniversary of Hollandspiele, which started taking orders for a reprint of Brian Train's The Scheldt Campaign on August 16, 2016. We have in that time released 122 games, expansions, and freebies - 64 of them my own designs. What a beautiful gift this life & work is.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

I was very happy to have Pete join the "class" for the Penitent group demonstration. It was wild running demos for Penitent and Bowie back to back at SD Hist North!

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Some VAT minutae, but we are nearing the finish line

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Forgive us, but Lock Horns Games will be postponing opening for pre-orders of Penitent and Gods Will Have Blood. We will announce when orders are officially open via the mailing list and social media. Sorry to disappoint, but we want everything to be perfect before accepting any payments.

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

Pete @petewiss.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

New @decisionspace.bsky.social is a report from @sdhistcon.bsky.social North! We talk about a bunch of games we played at this unique convention. I had an awesome time there and I hope my enthusiasm for the experience comes through! open.spotify.com/episode/0vDa...

open.spotify.com

An Infamous Traffic, Virgin Queen, John Company Megagame and More: Report from a Historical Game Convention

Decision Space · Episode

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Ahead of orders opening again for Penitent this Friday, I have posted a Design Diary entry on BGG covering the competitive team demonstrations and opening new avenues for play and education. boardgamegeek.com/thread/37445...

boardgamegeek.com

Design Diary: Part Four | Penitent

In advance of the second wave of Penitent’s limited print run becoming available to preorder for Canada and Europe, I wanted to demo a teach-and-play session at the SD HistCon North event in Saint Pau...

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Lock Horns Games will be opening preorders to USA, Canada, and Europe for the last 100 copies of Penitent and a reprint of The Gods Will Have Blood. There is a discount code via our mailing list for those ordering both. Games will ship early September. Preorders open July 31!

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Thank you both! Much appreciated!

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Thanks again for participating! It was really insightful to see something I designed from a wholly different perspective after 2 years of work.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

I was going to incorporate some of it in a pitch for a piece on the politics of play for Senet, but Senet doesn't know who I am, so I might need to ponder an appropriate venue.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

SD Hist North was a smashing success! As an experiment, I ran two jumbo demonstrations of Penitent with two teams of reformers divided by a screen. It delivered an entirely different experience and the feedback from players was overwhelming. Such a proud moment!

Two teams play the game Penitent at SD HistCon North 2026. Photo by Tracy Wallman

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

There was a Daniel Bullock at Twisted Pixel Games, so I took one for the team.

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

waldokanto.bsky.social @waldokanto.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Marjane Satrapi 1969-2026

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

NEW EPISODE! I chatted with Akar Bharadvaj about his excellent Iran-Iraq War design Chalice of Poison. We discussed why it’s an underserved topic in games, his award-winning Tyranny of Blood, and diversity of topics in the historical corner of the hobby. www.buzzsprout.com/1993070/epis...

buzzsprout.com

Chalice of Poison with Akar Bharadvaj - Game Design Deep Dive

Akar Bharadvaj is designer of the upcoming game Chalice of Poison about the Iran-Iraq War from GMT and the Zenobia Award-Winning Tyranny of Blood. We chat about both designs, the future of the Zenobia...

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

BoardGameWire 🔜 Spiel Essen @boardgamewire.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Iranian designer’s Persian folklore game about exorcising demons wins 2026 Cardboard Edison Award, which celebrates the best in unpublished designs: boardgamewire.com/index.php/20... Congrats to all the @cardboardedison.com finalists this year, some super intriguing designs and themes, as ever!

Board game components on a brown table, including a blue central board with colourful figures from folklore surrounding. To the right of the picture is a circular action selection device, while piles of sleeved cards are also visible. 2026 Cardboard Edison Award winning design Astrolabe, designed by Yasaman Farazan

A woman takes a head and shoulders selfie. She has long dark curly hair and is wearing sunglasses and a light green hoodie. Yasaman Farazan, designer of this year's Cardboard Edison Award winner Astrolabe.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

REMINDER!!! The deadline for Night Market submissions for SD HistCon is May 25. This is a great opportunity to get a small run of your bespoke historical design in front of attendees at one of the best cons in our hobby.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Very bottom of the home page😉

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Nice touch with the text placement card graphics🤩

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

This was literally my first thought after watching it! Northern Exposure may have come to mind too.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Excellent! Sign up on the Lock Horns Games website, and I will make sure you're notified when the next run of Penitent goes live in August. lockhornsgames.com

lockhornsgames.com

Lock Horns Games Store

Lock Horns Games is a publisher of historical board games on underserved topics based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Yes! In August, we will make Penitent available Canada and Europe.

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

Scott @scottso.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Penitent by @danbullock.bsky.social was a standout experience - thought-provoking, challenging, and greatly educational. I’m still thinking about this game. Highly recommend if you want a game that makes you think as much as you play. Don’t judge my prison design. It’s already been judged 😩.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Seeing what you and Mary created was instrumental in visualizing how any of this could be done- both publishing and the design topics we choose (regardless of how personal).

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Making politically relevant games is impossible without publishing your own work. The alternative is often making baubles or adolescent power fantasies for man-children.

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

Hypervisible @hypervisible.blacksky.app · 28/04/2026

“Of all art forms that I partake in, I feel like zines are the ones that make the least amount of sense to use AI for. They’re supposed to be handmade and scrappy.”

theguardian.com

‘They’re supposed to be handmade’: zine creators fight to resist AI influence

Artists and writers argue scrappy nature of self-published booklets is incompatible with artificial intelligence

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Clearly, the only way out of this jam is one last heist…

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

New episode! I chat with @colewehrle.bsky.social about his new publishing endeavor, Buried Giant, game expansions, and calibrating design scope open.spotify.com/episode/4R1d...

open.spotify.com

Love This Giant with Cole Wehrle

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I hope it treats you well. Of everything I have designed, I'm most proud of this one.

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

SDHistCon @sdhistcon.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

We have exciting news of two new planned events for SDHistCon Summit 2026 (Nov. 6-9 in San Diego). We're planning a Night Market for designers to create/bring/sell limited-print-run, self-published games, as well as a new Skunkworks event to showcase prototypes. Details: sdhist.com/sdhistcon-su...

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

These are two different games. Coast Watchers is GMT and I believe Race is being published by Phalanx

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

These look sharp! Who was the artist on each?

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Absolutely! I kept the values the same for the PNP crowd.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

I’m glad it found its way to you. Hopefully, you came away from your first session with some ideas for your next blueprint. Photos look great btw🤩

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Reposted by Dan Bullock

YoYoni @yoyoni.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

"Prisons, constructed as such, have a sinister, but often, also, a nervous, makeshift air about them." - John Berger My first play of Penitent by @danbullock.bsky.social sees my nervous, makeshift prison collapse into ignominy on round 2. #boardgames #abolishthecarceralstate

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

It's a gem, Pako! Truly one of a kind!

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

This is a great opportunity to highlight some 2025 releases like Onoda from @fgradaille.bsky.social , Chicago '68 from @yoyoni.bsky.social , and In the Shadows from @josephnschmidt.bsky.social and yours truly.

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Back from Circle DC, and it’s a busy day here at the house assembling orders. Penitent preorders should all be out the door this week. Love getting them all shipped to folks a few weeks early😎

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Dan Bullock @danbullock.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

I had a design concept for a game about evading sanctions that invites players cheat while the only player policing such things has to catch you in the act. It emphasized trading with players more than dexterity per se

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