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Rob Harper

@harperrob.bsky.social
358 followers 317 following 1.3K posts

Player and designer of board games, doer of some other things also. He/him

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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I'm making stew for dinner and have made some suet dumplings to go into it. The recipe on the suet packet says to divide the dough into 8 balls to cook. I made double the quantity, but still 8 balls for the size of dumpling I usually make. Thinking about the implications of this makes me a bit sad.
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Dave Vetter @davidrvetter.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Happy Kicked In The Head By A Horse Day, to all who celebrate. It's the 7th anniversary of this absolute banger.
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Geek Native @geeknative.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
UK Games Expo has banned generative AI art, text, and merchandise across all NEC exhibition halls, bringing the convention in line with broader British tabletop standards. Standholders face removal or bans if their products aren't made by humans. #UKGE
geeknative.com
UK Games Expo bans generative AI art and text across all trade halls
UK Games Expo has introduced a mandatory policy prohibiting generative AI art and text across all NEC trade halls, requiring exhibitors to sell only human-made games.
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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
17) Oh, as an addendum: Lots of academic work is frustratingly hidden behind journal paywalls. If there's an academic article that you've found out about and want to read, but can't access, just ask the author! 99 times out of 100 we'll be delighted to send you a PDF of the piece.
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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
1) So You're A Game Designer Who Needs Advice From a Historian? Games with historical/historically inspired settings/themes are great. Occasionally an email pops into my university inbox from someone seeking advice, feedback, consultancy, and so on. As the advice-seeker, what's the best approach?
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Bethany Black @bethanyblack.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
“AI could destroy humanity, it keeps jumping from computer to computer and has escaped. The only way we can stop it is if we get another trillion dollars in investment to figure something out, because if we do the value of the company will be more than Google, Apple and Amazon combined”
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Tabletop Games Blog - board game reviews and discussions @tabletopgamesblog.com · 16/09/2026
So far in 2026, we raised £128.65 for @trusselluk.bsky.social, the UK food bank #charity. Thank you so much to everyone who bid on or bought a game on eBay and added to the fund. You are amazing! The auctions are still going, so please have a look and reshare: tabletopgamesblog.com/charity-auct...
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Tim Maughan @timmaughan.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
ok so just so we’re clear on the concerns that are taken seriously ❌ it’s terrible for the climate ❌ it’s fuelled by stolen data ❌ it threatens jobs/entire occupations ❌ it’s often just wrong ❌ it’s literally caused actual suicides ✅ one day it might extinct everyone by bioengineering a plague
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Gail Simone @gailsimone.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Trans people are not the cause of any of your problems, and only assheads want you to believe they are.
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River @riverlorien.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
'Not long ago, Just Stop Oil activists were given long sentences for simply discussing blocking infrastructure. In contrast, the balaclava-wearing gangs now do much the same with apparent impunity. One could almost call it two-tier justice.'
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Scott - Minerva 🦉 @minervatabletop.co.uk · 11/09/2026
Playtesters are the most important part of any playtesting event. I run weekly playtesting sessions which are almost exclusively attended by designers, so Playfest London is a fantastic opportunity for games to be tested by members of the public. But how do we encourage it? We make everything free.
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The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Seems the difference between ‘protestors’ and ‘terrorists’ is that protestors wear balaclavas while terrorists hold placards.
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Rory Muldoon @rorymuldoon.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
If your Kickstarter game has AI art and an AI trailer with AI music, then there’s no way I’m going to believe the game design isn’t AI generated as well.
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Amabel Holland @amabel.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
In 1990, an elementary school teacher won $16,500 on a game show, and used her winnings to publish a board game about the Exxon Valdez oil spill. This is her story. youtu.be/r1g7C0o9Oqc
youtu.be
Tracia Newman's Board Game: Oil Spill & Amateur Art
YouTube video by Hollandspiele
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Any boardgame (current or future) friends who are in, or fancy a trip to South Wales in October? Here's a nice, chilled, play-focused convention I'll be going to. You can buy day tickets or residential self-catering. cwestcon.wordpress.com
Poster image for "Cwestcon 2026", Llanelli tabletop games convention. 15 to 18 October. www.cwestcon.wordpress.com
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Any boardgame (current or future) friends who are in, or fancy a trip to South Wales in October? Here's a nice, chilled, play-focused convention I'll be going to. You can buy day tickets or residential self-catering. cwestcon.wordpress.com
Poster image for "Cwestcon 2026", Llanelli tabletop games convention. 15 to 18 October. www.cwestcon.wordpress.com
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Yaroslav Barsukov #NoToWar #НетВойне @barsukov.com · 17/08/2026
AI RANT Following the cancellation of three major debut book deals over AI suspicions, I decided to put my own (needless to say, 100% human-written) prose to the test. My detector of choice was Originality AI, and the results proved to be jarring, to say the least. 🧵1/5
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John Bull @garius.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
The biggest selling comic of all time is One Piece. The second biggest is not from the US or UK. It's French. DELIGHTED to welcome @juliekalman.bsky.social onto Untitled History Pod to talk origins of Asterix the Gaul and how it made modern France. Listen below, Youtube or your pod app of choice
open.spotify.com
Episode 27: The history and cultural impact of Asterix the Gaul
The Untitled History Podcast · Episode
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Kip Williams sort of @kipwilliams.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
In Weller's classic text*, SCIENCE MADE STUPID, we get the bottom line on eclipses. * HE PUT THE BOOK ONLINE FOR FREE BEST BARGAIN EVER
ECLIPSES (illustrated with bland, generic line drawings, as science should be)

"An eclipse of the moon occurs when the sun passes between te earth and the moon."

"An eclipse of the sun occurs when the shadow of the earth falls on the sun." (helpful diagram includes labels on the shadow: UMBRAGE, UMBRELLA, and COROLLA)

"An eclipse of the earth occurs when you put your hands over your eyes."
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Buckinghamshire Archives @bucksarchives.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
slow day in the office so we're starting beef with archaeologists
One of those 'STOP DOING X' memes, ripping into archaeology. It has images of soil stratum, a trowel, and a flint shard. The text mocks archaeologists for digging for pottery sherds and saying everything has a 'ritual purpose'.
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Russ Jones @russincheshire.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
#TheYearInReform Look, it's very simple. Nothing to see here. Move along. Reform UK is a party - sorry - a company built around British Patriotism and being frank with the public, and it is led by straight-talking anti-elite Nigel Farage.
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Ava Foxfort @ava.foxfort.net · 06/08/2026
To those who see this and wonder if a better life is even possible. I promise you it is. And it starts with you. Step into your own light, glow as bright as you ever can, and share it widely. It might be all we have.
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Mike Harrison-Wood @mikeharrisonwood.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Last day of work before gig season aw yeah! It starts with a busy weekend with lots of driving: Friday 7th - Redeemon - Bloodstock Saturday 8th - The Dreadnoughts - Brakrock Then a 3 day mini tour around Europe with The Dreadnoughts. I fucking love tour!
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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 03/08/2026
I think "AI" plumpers should be happy I'm focusing mostly on the nonsense it's doing to my field, rather than how it's very clearly designed as a tool for the capture of wealth and capital by a bunch of accelerationist weirdos enthusiastically huffing their own farts from the depth of their K-holes
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Matthew Dunstan @matthewdunstan.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
In this week's video I reflect on the last 5 years of being a full time game designer, how I made the decision to go full time, and the various pros and cons of that career choice! youtu.be/1G_jXgo7CKQ Thanks to @eanderssonsunden.bsky.social and @connievdc.bsky.social for inspiration :) 🎲✂️
youtu.be
Reflections on 5 years of being a full time game designer
YouTube video by Matthew Dunstan
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HappyToast @happytoast.co.uk · 31/07/2026
This has really pissed me off, if you're in the area and can afford it go and give the cafe owner some money to help fund the kids meals. And if he refuses buy yourself a nice coffee and tip him as much as you can. Fuck Reform taking food from kids in need. www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Reform council chief threatens to report café boss who fed kids for free to cops
EXCLUSIVE: Barry Ashley, who runs the Grumpy Cook café in Hastings, and Labour MP Helena Dollimore have been told by East Sussex County Council chief Andy Woolley that he plans to contact police after...
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Play for Keeps Games @playforkeepsgames.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Excited to share the trailer for our next Kickstarter, launching in six days! youtu.be/pHlE1ONVGWE
youtu.be
Mexica / Bridges of Shangri-La / Gheos / Reel Rivals - Kickstarter Launch Trailer
YouTube video by Play For Keeps
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Really like this... though I don't know why JJ made a song about my brain 😱
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Tabletop Games Blog - board game reviews and discussions @tabletopgamesblog.com · 25/07/2026
You put down a bowl of soft food, and moments later, there she is. As her pet dad, you just ⁠Take Cat⁠ by Gareth Edwards from ⁠Gibsons⁠ with art by Juliana Eigner. Written: tabletopgamesblog.com/2026/07/25/t... Audio: open.spotify.com/episode/5qW8... (Photo courtesy of Gibsons) #boardgames #reviews
tabletopgamesblog.com
Take Cat (Saturday Review) | Tabletop Games Blog
You put down a bowl of soft food, and moments later, you hear the jingle of her collar. Here she comes! First, she pauses at the conservatory door and watches you for a while. You eagerly point at the...
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Daniel Solis @danielsolis.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
By the power of the horse, shoe, and crab, we are HORSESHOE CRAB! danielsolis.threadless.com/designs/hors... #crab #marine #biology #weeklytshirt #horse
Venn diagram of horse, shoe, and crab creating a horseshoe crab in the overlap.
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Tim Clare @timclare.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Whenever I get asked 'what are some of the big mistakes writers need to avoid?' my sincere answer is 'focusing on avoiding mistakes'. All my favourite books have obvious & grave flaws, but they lean into what they do well. They commit. They minmax, decide what's important & swing for the fences.
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John Bull @garius.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
One final ping, Vasily. 🫡
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Tabletop Games Blog - board game reviews and discussions @tabletopgamesblog.com · 12/07/2026
I'm doing a #charity #auction for @trusselluk.bsky.social, the UK anti-poverty charity and community of food banks. The games being auctioned are free review copies that I have played a few times, and a couple of brand new copies. More here: tabletopgamesblog.com/charity-auct... Please reshare.
Trussell - ending hunger together
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Tabletop Games Blog - board game reviews and discussions @tabletopgamesblog.com · 11/07/2026
The morning mist hangs beneath a canopy of dark green leaves. So off you go into the Grab Bag: Jungle by Rob M Harper and Mike Harrison-Wood from Gibsons with art by Lauren Heywood-Law. Written: tabletopgamesblog.com/2026/07/11/g... Audio: open.spotify.com/episode/1DWl... #boardgames #reviews
tabletopgamesblog.com
Grab Bag: Jungle (Saturday Review) | Tabletop Games Blog
The early morning mist hangs beneath a canopy of dark green waxy leaves, while distant calls echo through the jungle from animals who have lost their way. You're following their footprints until you e...
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
I've been hearing about TG Jones struggling as a brand (they are the low-effort rebrand/takeover of WH Smiths high street shops), and I feel that their attitude to pricing might be a contributing factor...
A pack of "A4 subject dividers" with a price label that says, "3 for £10 or £3 each"
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Over the last few weeks, @tabletopgamesblog.com has been running a really interesting series of articles about the Spiel des Jahres awards, including their motivation and cultural context. Here's the first of the articles (also in audio format)... tabletopgamesblog.com/2026/06/09/s...
tabletopgamesblog.com
Spiel des Jahres - the award that was never really about awards (Topic Discussion) | Tabletop Games Blog
For many board gamers, Spiel des Jahres is simply the little red pawn on a game box. Spotting it on a shelf often suggests that a game is worth paying attention to. That's not only true in the German-...
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Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
I had to check but this is genuine. What a way to trigger a by-election.
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
"I've resigned from parliament by mistake. Are you the farmer?"
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Amused by this display at our local Lidl store: vegan sauces, one for veal and pork, and one for chicken and meatballs.
Two jars of 'Italian Classics cooking sauce' on a shop shelf, in a tray labelled as 'vegan sauce'. One jar is labelled as being for veal and pork, while the other is for chicken and meatballs.
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
PSA from Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq, and an anthem for our age... youtu.be/dVVLPF_-Ckk?...
youtu.be
STOP USING GENERATIVE A.I! (Support Human Creativity!)
YouTube video by Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq
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Jackson Pope // Eurydice Games @jacksonpope.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
We make FlickFleet on a laser-cutter in Paul’s garage. And we’ve been doing so for 8 years! It’s got an average of 7.9 on BGG and is ‘Must-Play’ according to Tabletop Gaming Magazine 🎉 eurydicegames.co.uk/games/flickf...
Picture of the FlickFleet box on a starry background with the Tabletop Gaming Magazine Must-Play badge. There’s a quote at the bottom from Tabletop Gaming magazine: “FlickFleet is brilliant, Must-Play”
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Had a great trip to Bristol today for a @playtestuk.bsky.social meetup. Aside from playing a game about lobsters and a press-your-luck exploration game (which I really liked), we got a 4-player test of Magical Artifacts, which left me with plenty to think about and had a nice meeple stack built.
A prototype of a board game with coloured domino tiles, assorted meeples on the tiles, and a tall stack of pink meeples in the middle.
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Interesting game design lens... 🎲✂️
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Prof Stephen Whittle @profstephenwhittle.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
As a matter of URGENCY, PLEASE could 100,000 of you sign this petition in the next week: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/77...
petition.parliament.uk
Petition: Disapprove the draft Equality Act 2010 guidance laid on 21 May 2026
I want the House of Commons to disapprove the Equality Act 2010: Draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, 2026 laid on 21 May 2026.
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
UK tabletop games folks... Here's a really nice, small, friendly games convention in South Wales, back in October for its second year. I'm not involved in organising, but I had a lot of fun last year, so I'm going back. #GamesConventions #BoardGames
cwestcon.wordpress.com
WELCOME TO CWESTCON!
A 3-day Tabletop Convention in Llanelli, SW Wales
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
UK tabletop games folks... Here's a really nice, small, friendly games convention in South Wales, back in October for its second year. I'm not involved in organising, but I had a lot of fun last year, so I'm going back. #GamesConventions #BoardGames
cwestcon.wordpress.com
WELCOME TO CWESTCON!
A 3-day Tabletop Convention in Llanelli, SW Wales
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Rob Harper @harperrob.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Had a really good few hours today with @davidjmortimer.bsky.social, playtesting this game of mine and one of his. Both are starting to feel like they are solid games - still work to do, but I think both are solidly in the last 90% of development. 🎲✂️
A prototype card game. In the middle is a row of cards depicting castles, and on some of them are dice or a pawn. Lined up on either side of the row of castles are overlapped lines of cards, some face-down, and some face-up and showing titles like knight, soldier, and mercenary.
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Postmark Games @postmarkgames.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
🪙 Flip real coins
 💰 Manage your economy
 🏰 Develop the kingdom Announcing Master of Coin, coming to Kickstarter next month 

www.kickstarter.com/projects/pos...
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