iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

After a quick hop from Auckland, I'm back home in Melbourne. Coffee first - I've been on filter coffee and dark roast beans for a week now and I'm desperate. 😵‍💫

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Running to catch this flight was so worth it. Not a soul around me, so the seat next to me was available to store all the *stuff* they give you… and I think I slept? I never actually sleep on planes, and this was a long haul too. Just one more short flight to go! 🙌

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

For once, racing across the Vancouver airport, arms flailing, resulted in me actually reaching my next flight JUST as they were finishing up with boarding. I am out of breath and sweaty but on my way to Auckland. The gate agent said I had no chance -- ha! 😅

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I crept down to the basement in my parents’ home, trying to get to the guest room, and - in the darkness - spotted a shape on the basement sofa that gave me SUCH a scare. 😵 Ironically, these were all gifts from me to my Mom.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

My parents are at war with a local squirrel who insists on invading their bird feeders, and it’s hilarious. The squirrel throws acorns off the garage roof. They bounce off the patio roof with a thud, and he does this to irritate my parents.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

One thing social media teaches you is that, when your feed suddenly fills with heartfelt tributes to someone, it's for the sad reason. RIP Dolly Parton, the opposite of a milkshake duck and consistently restoring my faith in humanity for decades now. 😔

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I am waiting to board my last plane. There is a river of caffeine running through me, an endless river upon which I drift into the Halls of Ecstatic Memory. I can see through time.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I don’t normally babbies, but there was this adorb one in the WestJet line bawling up a storm… when I grinned at him, apparently I short-circuited his wee brain because he forgot he was crying. His Mom said “bless you” and proceeded to dazzle babby with the Funny Man. I got giggles, so I’ll take it.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

And nothing reminds me more quickly that I'm back in North America than getting prompted to tip the clerk (starting at 15%, and purposefully awkward to figure out how to opt out - particularly with the clerk right there, watching) at an airport food kiosk where I even did my own order on a pad.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Usually @airnewzealand.bsky.social impresses me, but this time? I guess they put us on an old plane - no personal air, so I was boiling all 14 hours, and barely any recline in the back row (despite the woman in front of me practically reclining into my lap), and this was Premium Economy? Yeesh. 😵‍💫

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

The one thing I enjoy about flying out from Tullamarine is that there’s a Macca’s right next to the security - so I can have a McMuffin breakfast before I head through, where the options become a bit more dubious. Here’s hoping all three upcoming flights are on time. 🙏

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I'm a big fan of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, but this latest season has been very... high concept? Each episode so far has been a different flavour of the writers going "Wheeeee!" and I find myself thinking that I'd love these ideas more if they were a bit spaced out between regular stuff?

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Is it just me, or has the new season of Silo's (understandable) decision to constantly flip back-and-forth between the plot of Shift and the silo drama (most of which is filler and not in the book at all) made it feel so sloooooowww? I love this series, but wow this season is such a slog. 😔

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Saw the new Spider-Man. Pretty impressive. Squeezed in no less than four MCU cameos, but still managed to be a heart-felt, character-centric story? And succeeded in making me tear up twice? With stakes that weren't "the world is in danger"? Hopefully Marvel learns the right lesson, here.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Watched the Vampire Lestat finale last night. It didn't end like I - or, I suspect, anyone - expected, but overall? What a magnificent adaptation. It took liberties but, like the best adaptations, it still reached to the heart of the material and sometimes elevated it. Such great performances, too.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Awesome to see that so many lovely people landed here. Really looking forward to hearing more about the Concierge!

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

A lovely Canada Day to everyone back home! I still miss it, some days. I miss the cheese, the plentiful places to park, the bacon, the way people respect your personal space... but most of all I miss my friends. 50 years of Canadian life is never going to go away entirely. ❤️🫎

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

There are a few games (Star Citizen, mostly) which have been fully-funded by KS, but you're right in that, for most, the KS goal is a drop in the bucket. Mostly for visibility and to get the ball rolling. Yet many walk away with the idea that the goal is the entire budget... which is hardly ever so.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Since I moved to Melbourne, every morning I'm greeted by the high-pitched warbling of birds outside. Indeed, their warble has come to represent mornings, to me. I always assumed it was some exotic Australian species, but I finally looked it up and... it's the magpies. 😅

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

"And he does, indeed, go on." When I start a rant, there's really no stopping me, and apparently I ranted enough during my chat about AI with @woodwould.bsky.social that he was able to write an entire other article about it. 😅

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

How weird. I *just* rewatched the original a few days ago and idly wondered why it never got a sequel. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho10...

youtube.com

Practical Magic 2 | Official Trailer

YouTube video by Warner Bros.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

The third episode of the Vampire Lestat is the best one yet, wow! The showrunners are really hitting their stride with the new tone, now. Toronto doesn't deserve to be the setting for it, mind you, but otherwise I'm really excited to see how the rest of the adaptation plays out.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Finished Esoteric Ebb. Think: Fantasy Disco Elysium using legit D&D rules, where your stats (Strength, Dex, etc) are your inner voices that talk to you. Tongue-in-cheek without being goofy, enjoyable story, liked it a lot more than I thought I would at the start. Worth your time.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

I am frozen and curled up on the couch under three blankets and have never seen Legally Blonde. So… here we go.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Great article on generative AI in game dev by @woodwould.bsky.social, for which he interviewed me as well as many other devs. Give it a read! Real journalism! Whoo!

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Saw Disclosure Day. Went in knowing next to nothing, didn't even watch a trailer. It was... enjoyable. Felt about 20 years out of date, though, for an era where people still believed in news and not conspiracy theories. Spielberg has always been that optimistic, though, and it was still a fun watch.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Despite appearances, we had perhaps the best D&D heist game I've ever presided over. Perfect tension, interweaving of separate stories, chaotic exit - it was all *chef's kiss* (even if nobody died). www.tiktok.com/@ellalowgren...

tiktok.com

DM David Gaider and his problem players who all partied then rocked up to the session on 4 hours of sleep. #dungeonsanddragons #dndtiktok #dndcrew #dndplayer #dndmeme @SlimothyJames @Mads Colvin @Swan...

TikTok video by Ella Lowgren

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Man, if you've read Anne Rice's books, you'll understand why the new Vampire Lestat show is SO different, stylistically, from Interview with the Vampire. They took a big swing and, for me, it connected... but I could see how someone might come into that from the first two seasons and be all WTAF. 😅

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

As someone who also once chided my fellow Melbournians over what they considered "cold", this is too real: www.tiktok.com/@alexandratu...

tiktok.com

Australian winter suffering is so real #australia #aussiethings #lifeinaustralia #cultureshock

TikTok video by alexandratuohey

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

As much as I didn't care for most of Euphoria's last season, and felt like I was watching a completely different show, I have to say that I actually enjoyed the conclusion. They somehow rescued a theme out of all that, didn't pull any punches, and stuck the landing. More or less.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

The moment I saw that the next God of War stars a female character (Kratos' wife, and it's not a prequel, which is awesome), I could already sense the collective manosphere rising from its hole in the ground like a bubbling turd.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Finished watching the Boroughs. Was intrigued with the first 2/3 - solid premise, nice drip-feed and creepy suspense - only to have it kind of fall apart in the last 1/3 as it turned into a different kind of show, like it was written by someone else completely, and too many things left unexplained.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Catching up on the new season of Euphoria and I'm like "what even am I watching?" It's like a completely different show. They've all moved on from high school and now it's Donnie Brasco or something. I am kinda enjoying Nate getting the everloving shit kicked out of him every episode, mind you.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The discourse around Mixtape is really something. It's like "if a game receives a good score and it wasn't made for my personal tastes, CLEARLY something is amiss!" Game doesn't look like it's made for my personal tastes, either, but it looks crazy fun. If I were a millennial, I'd be all over it.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

How funny to complain about wanting a way to reduce the God Mode percentage in Hades 2 only to discover they put exactly that into the last patch. Now THAT is a fast response! 😅

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

I really like the God Mode in Hades 2, as it advances slowly enough it reaches an equilibrium where it becomes *just* challenging enough for your personal skill level. The only problem is that the randomness (and the trials, which are hit-and-miss with difficulty) means you'll still die sometimes.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

A lovely excerpt from @charlottereber.com's book on Dragon Age 2, talking about the Writers' Pit and the writing team. I'd completely forgotten about the "Days Since Last Discussion of Cannibalism" sign. 😅 aftermath.site/boss-fight-d...

aftermath.site

Inside The Dragon Age II 'Writers' Pit'

“People who weren’t writers were very leery of going in there, because if they did, they wouldn’t leave for a while, because we would suck them into some conversation. […] It’s where productivity went...

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

My afternoon flight got canceled, and Qantas bumped me to an early morning flight instead... in a middle seat, no less. Fine, I thought. It's just 90 min. I can endure. Yet nobody showed up for the other two seats. Entire row to myself! Is my flight karma *finally* restored? 🙏

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Jaws. For many years after, I was scared of water. I feared sharks would come out of the swimming pool drains, even though I knew it was completely irrational to fear that.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

My one big annoyance about this trip? Hades 2 released on consoles yesterday, which I'd been holding out for. I actually spent five whole minutes considering whether it'd be feasible to pack my PS5 and bring it with me.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Also, as a great start to this trip, I spent last night packing and fretting about every little thing only to realize just as the Uber was leaving that I'd forgotten my wallet. Could be worse, I suppose. Could have realized this upon arriving at the airport. Or Hobart. 😵‍💫

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

This is my first time using a boarding pass that only exists in my phone. I know, I know, but after 30-odd years of frequent flying there's something concrete and comforting about having a printed pass I can hold onto. I keep feeling like I've misplaced something. 😅

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

I'm heading to Hobart tomorrow to speak at Level Up Tasmania. Any suggestions regarding what I should do or see while I'm there? I hear a lot of things about Tas, but... most of them can't be true, surely.

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Reposted by David Gaider

Liam Esler @liamesler.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Summerfall is looking for a 3D character artist to assist us on a new prototype by sculpting a stylised character head and hair for a prototype, based on a Metahuman model. Interested? Send me your portfolio, via DM or email liam@summerfallstudios.com!

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Saw Project Hail Mary. It's a great adaptation of the book, despite a couple of sections that they really condensed (and, even so, it was still 2 1/2 hours). A lot of fun, and the IMAX presentation was incredible. Interstellar meets E.T., according to @elieyoung.bsky.social, and I don't disagree.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

There's a group of people, however, to whom "ideas" are solid gold: the tech bros themselves. That's because they haven't had a single solid idea between them for the last 20 years. In a group where inspiration simply doesn't exist, they consider it to be the only the only thing that has any value.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Honestly, the most disappointing news about the Firefly reboot that I've heard is that it takes place before the 2005 Serenity movie and not after it. I realize this is probably so Wash and maybe Book can take part, but I kinda low-key loathe prequels.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

So all that buildup and “It’s time?”/“It’s time.” was for an *animated* Firefly follow up series? 🤔 I mean, I guess I watched the Critical Role shows. And Invincible. And ST:Lower Decks. And Arcane. Alright, fine. Consider me *begrudgingly* excited. Conditionally.

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David Gaider @davidgaider.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Notice articles out there making a meal of this, which was only meant to answer "would Ostagar have been won if Loghain didn't do what he did?" From Loghain's view, it was the correct strategy. Was it the RIGHT thing to do? Hardly. And it didn't matter to the endgame as much as he'd hoped, anyhow.

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