iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 29/09/2026

Downrooted, my Cairn 2e forest depthcrawl adventure, has a new cover! I am extremely happy with how this book is coming along. What started as a flawed and overly ambitious game jam submission 3 years ago is turning into an 80+ page book I'll eventually get to hold in my hands.

A painting of a dense forest. The negative space between the trees and branches form the shape of a screaming face or skull. The text reads, "Downrooted. A Forest Depthcrawl Adventure. By Jason Christopher Burrows. Cairn Compatible.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 26/09/2026

Working on something in acrylics for Downrooted.

An infinished painting of a twistes forest.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 25/09/2026

Some creatures I did for Downrooted in watercolour.

Small, gangly simian-like creature with leathery skin and a green face.

A creature with the haunches of a stag, the neck of a lion, and the head of a badger.

A large yellow and orange mass of creeping gelatinous tendrils.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 24/09/2026

If you just want to some progress images, here you go. These show off the new layout, forest section page borders, and creature art. Red areas are placeholder for future artwork.

Shambler and Crocotta art on a creatures spread featuring one of the new page borders.

Slime Mould and work-in-progress Monoceros art on a creatures spread.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 22/08/2026

@sixsidedgnome.bsky.social's new adventure module finally found its way to me! What a beautiful book.

An adventure module for old-school essentials titled "He Who Claimed the Sun" by Hexagnome.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 12/08/2026

I got to visit the Basilica of Santa María la Antigua and saw some real-life relics.

The bones of San Getulio in a golden display case.

The bones of Aurelio in a golden display case.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 29/07/2026

My Anbernic finally arrived! I don't even know where to start!

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 09/06/2026

With paper, markers, scissors, and a few pieces stolen from other games, I made a prototype strategy game inspired by 90s RTSs, such as Tiberian Sun.

A kitchen countertop with cutout paper tiles, dice, and game pieces.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 08/06/2026

My initial inspiration for this year's Vaarn jam.

Hand with Reflecting Sphere (1935) by M.C. Escher

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 08/06/2026

You mentioned doing studies on okapis for the zorse, but did you ever look into quaggas? They are an extinct subspecies of zebra from South Africa. They look very similar to your zorse.

A black and white photo of a caged quagga.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 24/05/2026

Human artists! Use one piece only to convince people to follow you! This is my favorite piece from last year. Pastel is an underused medium!

A pastel drawing of a man holding a strange device.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 22/05/2026

I'm trying out some ornamentation with Downrooted's layout. Each section will have a unique border and colour scheme to easily distinguish them. The forest section was fairly easy. Theres a lot of references to study. Making ornaments for the town and dungeon sections will be more of a challenge.

A book spread with borders resembling trees.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 23/04/2026

Thanks to the very generous people who contributed to Downrooted! It means a lot to me that there are people who want to see my work reach new heights. I'll now begin working with an editor and get the new layout and art going!

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 30/03/2026

I started up a new project just to try Obsidian out after seeing @infrabeige.bsky.social use it to create a megadungeon. It's great! Being able to compartmentalise and link around is a huge help. So far, I've used tables from Vaarn, Cairn, and Knave to build the overview.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 21/03/2026

Under $70 needed to get this thing funded! I have been itching to get started on finishing this adventure.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 07/03/2026

It's always hard to make lists like this, but my criteria was which games can I boot up and play for over an hour right now. Outer Wilds doesn't quite fit that criteria for obvious reason, if you know the game, but it'll always be on one of these lists for me.

Morrowind, Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, Outer Wilds, Fallout New Vegas, Tiberian Sun, Age of Empires 2, Dishonored Hollow Knight

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 23/02/2026

100% Most shops have them, but these are my favourite.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 03/02/2026

Lastly, I was trying out some movement mechanics. Stamina, ledge grabbing, wall climbing, etc. It was feeling good to traverse a vertically design space. Throughout all of these I used TrenchBroom through the Qodot plugin for easy level design.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 03/02/2026

In this next one I was testing first person animations and rendering sprites using octahedral imposters, instead of billboards. Using Blender, I could rendered a model from all angles onto a huge sprite sheet. The problem came with creating a sprite animator that used those massive sheets.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 03/02/2026

Two years ago I was dabbling in Godot and made a few retro FPS demos. Here I was testing simple mechanics (movement, pickups, weapons, hitscan, projectiles, etc) while also exploring a low-fi dithered style. Doom enemy sprites are great placeholders. See replies for more.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 03/02/2026

These were for an old world building project about living gods. I still enjoy thinking about this world, so I may pick it up or adapt it into something else in the future. First is Ashia, the patron of secret intimacy. Second is Hagrava, the patron of suffering’s end.

Ashia - A cross-legged female figure floats in a temple. She has six arms and her head is that of a censer releasing smoke.

Hagrava - A naked male figure walking through a desert. He is impaled by a number of swords and a spear bearing a gold flag. His flesh is melted away by an eternal fire, only to instantly grow back.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 03/02/2026

I have a few pieces of old art I haven't posted here. These were a part of an old Into the Odd hack I was working on (since abandoned). I wanted to illustrate the four stats, but only got around to three of them.

Expression - a skeletal figure with gold flames emanating from an eye symbol in its skull.

Coordination - A skeletal figure, wearing a chain shirt, focuses their hand performing a delicate task. Gold beams shoot from their eye.

Deduction - A skeletal figure with a skull coming apart like a puzzle, revealing their golden brain.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 26/01/2026

My first time ordering from Lulu and I'm very impressed by the quality. I can't wait to get these adventures to the table!

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 19/01/2026

Life has been... busy, and I forgot to celebrate Downrooted hitting 70% funded!!! Nearly there folks! With your help we can reach 100%!!! eucatastrophic.itch.io/downrooted

Itch funding goal for Downrooted reading 70% funded with $352.71

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 04/01/2026

I am floored by the work done in the Quake Brutalist Jam III! Just look at some of these! In an almost 30 year old game.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 31/12/2025

How about another dungeon map for your consideration? eucatastrophic.itch.io/downrooted #Cairn #osr #ttrpg #dungeon #map

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 24/12/2025

Thanks to everyone who contributed recently, we have passed the 60% mark!

A $500 funding progress bar set at $300. There is also a dog-headed man drawn by @niallrixon.bsky.social

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 22/12/2025

Here is a map of one of the new dungeons that you can delve in the final version of Downrooted! If that is something that sounds cool to you, then make it happen be contributing to the funding! eucatastrophic.itch.io/downrooted

A semi-abstract dungeon map with 8 rooms.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 18/12/2025

I think it's a shame that this vision of the franchise has been left to die. I want to see more in this setting, like other genres or tabletop games. I'd love a wargame with TibSun minis. How about an Xcom-style tactics game? Give me a board game or a TTRPG. I feel like just doing it myself.

A mammoth walker in a storm. Source: cncnz.com

GDI force with an APC. Source: cncnz.com

Tiberium crystal emerging from a desert. Source: cncnz.com

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 18/12/2025

Tiberium is changing the Earth into something alien. It becomes less recognisable by the day. There is a kind of hopelessness here that isn't grimdark. Different groups try to find their own solutions. Combat the spread, change with the planet, or ascend to a higher form.

Strange tiberium flora. Source: cncnz.com

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 18/12/2025

The setting is a unique post-apocalyptic. One where an alien material is both destroying the world and also fueling a global conflict. Its the juxtaposition of uninhabitable wastelands and well equipped military forces. Tiberium is a cancer, but we also need it to survive.

Crashed alien spaceship. Source: cncnz.com

GDI base with firestorm defences. Source: cncnz.com

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 18/12/2025

Nothing comes close to Tiberian Sun's vibe. Not even the later games could replicate it. There is something so alluring about its world, tone, and designs. I wish to explore this world that EA abandoned, but do I make an unlicensed product or a clone with the serial numbers filed off?

Screenshot of GDI forces attacked a NOD base. Source: cncnz.com

A render of a GDI wolverine. Source: cncnz.com

A screenshot of a civilian city defended by GDI troops. Source: cncnz.com

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 19/11/2025

Top 4 now! What is happening? eucatastrophic.itch.io/the-five-fat...

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 19/11/2025

All right which one of you mentioned The Five Fates? Why is it in the top 5 physical games on Itch? Who did it? Fess up! eucatastrophic.itch.io/the-five-fat...

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 18/11/2025

One of the first things I did on the game was figure out the tone. I wanted an eerie dark forest that looked like an abyss within. I first did a digital mock-up and then painted it in oil on canvas. I liked the outcome so much that I made it the cover. eucatastrophic.itch.io/downrooted

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 17/11/2025

What is Downrooted about? It is ostensibly about exploring a dark magical forest. Players will push their luck and go deeper to find greater rewards, and greater dangers. By using a simple depthcrawl system, each excursion is unique. Will you reach the heart of the forest? How deep will you go?

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 14/11/2025

22% Funded on day one! Keep it going!

A dog-headed man over a funding bar at $100.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 14/11/2025

eucatastrophic.itch.io/downrooted I am Itchfunding my Cairn module in order to pay for editing and get physical copies! I have worked on this game for two years and I would appreciate everyone giving it a look, sharing it around, or even contributing to the fund! Let's get this game done!

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 06/10/2025

Another pastel, this time of a silverfish sentry using a personal televox transmitter.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 28/09/2025

Another in my pastel series. This time, a red-rimmed dune crawler carries cargo across the dust fields.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 26/09/2025

I don't get much time to make art, so I doodle whenever I get the chance. Here are some ideas that might become pastel paintings in the future.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 20/09/2025

I needed to flesh out the character from the previous image.

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Jason Christopher Burrows @eucatastrophic.itch.io · 19/09/2025

Here's another pastel exploration. This time, a small spaceport in a crater on a moonlet.

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