iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

-Ask yourself: would you actually play this if you weren’t paid to make it? Because if today feels like another empty grind? That’s not you. That’s the machine working exactly as intended.

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The whole system is designed to chew through players and developers until only metrics are left standing. If you want to break the loop, try: -Kill one grind mechanic and see if the game still stands -Stop rewarding time spent, start rewarding fun

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If the KPI gods demand retention and whales, the game will be built like a slot machine and sold like a masterpiece. And it works. Too well. So no, you’re not “lazy” for skipping your dailies. And devs—you’re not incompetent for feeling burned out.

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 01/08/2025

Press X to spin the wheel, grind 20 hours for a hat, and don’t forget to check in daily or lose your streak. Publishers call it “immersion.” I call it addiction with a battle pass. Not by accident. By design. 🧵👇

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yes! character looks way more badass on the bottom image!

shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 27/05/2025

Really proud that How Old is James? will be featured on this year's edition of the Steam fest @puzzleshowcase.bsky.social. Thanks for including us @draknek.bsky.social!

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 02/05/2025

🫰 @snappygurus.bsky.social are having me on their Discord today! Luciana from @knpgamestudio.bsky.social and myself chat about our work on Roots of Fury. We'll maybe even show off the new combat update (if the tech holds). 📍 discord.com/invite/fM7G2... 📅 Today at 8:00 PM CET; UTC+01:00

Eternal Skies TCG RPG @eternalskies.neocities.org · 29/03/2025

Reposted by shevadelic

20K? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh congrats

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 26/03/2025

Unreal isn’t a shortcut to AAA. It’s blueprint soup, bloated builds & clunky gameplay if you don’t treat it right. Unity devs need structure, not guesswork. That’s why I push for guided transitions - otherwise you’re just trading one mess for a prettier one.

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 20/03/2025

www.linkedin.com/events/ninte... I know y'all probably don't like LinkedIn that much. That is why I want to make it less of a robotic place than it is now! Attend our watch party! The web stream is gonna be all laughs and a lot information. Let's make LinkedIn a less cringe place than it is.

linkedin.com

Nintendo Switch 2 - Event Watch Party | LinkedIn

Hey games industry folks and Nintendo fans! We’re excited about the upcoming closer look of Nintendo Switch 2, and we’re inviting you to watch the event with us! The idea behind this event is to cele...

shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 14/03/2025

@exokgames.bsky.social I am doing some research and would like to know, was Celeste ever in Early Access on Steam?

shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 13/03/2025

Only a few more hours to back this awesome project. Not only does it help gamers with overwhelming saturation of games available. It also gives us developers a better shot at visibility!

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 11/03/2025

To all my mobile homies...

shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 26/02/2025

Hi @siurellgames.bsky.social would love to be on this one if there is still room :)

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 20/02/2025

One of, if not THE most fun project I am working on currently 💀

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 20/02/2025

👀🩸 My eyes are bleeding, but still: awesome work @davitmasia.bsky.social !

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 19/02/2025

So is Twitter worth it? Eh. If you can keep the effort low and post quick, punchy clips, it’s still got some juice. If nothing else, Tamashika proved one thing: you have 15 seconds to make people care. That’s it. No deep dives. No lore threads. Just get to the point. Good luck out there. 2/2 🧵

A white background featuring a screenshot of Tamashika’s viral tweet, which shows a first-person gameplay clip with stylized visuals. Next to it, engagement stats highlight its reach: 27.1M views, 18K reposts, 156K likes, 38K bookmarks.

Above the tweet, the bold red heading reads “People’s attention spans are fried”. Below, the text states: This isn’t just about Twitter. It’s how all game marketing works now.

A white text box with a subtle patterned background. A megaphone emoji 📢 appears next to the bold red heading: “Fans will market your game for you (if you let them).”

The text explains that you can’t force hype or engineer virality, but you can make it easier for people to care. When players feel involved—whether by sharing clips, interacting with devlogs, or passing on cool moments—they help market your game. But that only happens if you let them in early.

A follow-up to the previous image, with the same heading “Fans will market your game for you (if you let them)” and a megaphone emoji 📢.

The text highlights Tamashika’s viral tweet, saying it wasn’t just a one-off—it became a trend. Other developers started posting their own 15-second gameplay clips, creating organic reach that you can’t buy. The post ends with a shoutout: “Great job, vidhvat!”

shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 19/02/2025

Everyone fled to Bluesky, swearing Twitter was dead. The algorithm? Messed up. Engagement? In the gutter. Musk? Still Musk. But then Tamashika drops a 15-second gameplay clip on Twitter, goes viral, and reminds us all… yeah, that site still kinda works. Just not in any way you can predict. 1/2 🧵

A graphic with a textured gray background and a pattern of small cute girly game-related icons. The text reads, “Twitter is still (somehow) a thing for game marketing, and Tamashika proves it.” At the top, a red banner says, “Go follow @vidhvatm on X.” At the bottom, two illustrated hands from the game are pointing weapons at each other—one holding a knife, the other a a gun.

A white text box with a subtle patterned background. A peach emoji 🍑 appears next to the bold red heading: “Early feedback saves your butt.” The text explains that most tweets get ignored, but one viral post can drive thousands of wishlists and sales overnight. Since you can’t predict which post will take off, Twitter only makes sense if you minimize effort.

A continuation of the previous image, with the same layout. The heading and peach emoji 🍑 are repeated. The text presents three green check-mark bullet points:
✅ Repurpose clips you’re already making.
✅ Keep it raw—polished trailers won’t hit like a snappy 10-second gameplay moment.
✅ Use it as a testing ground to see what grabs attention.

The final line reinforces that most posts will go nowhere, but occasionally, one will explode.

A white text box with a magnifying frying pan emoji next to the bold red heading: “People’s attention spans are fried.” The text explains that Tamashika didn’t go viral because of deep storytelling or fancy trailers—it worked because the gameplay was clear in 15 seconds. It stresses that if a game can’t sell its core loop quickly, players will move on.

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 17/02/2025

YouTube is 20, and I still can’t believe “YouTuber” is a real career. My earliest memories? Peanut Butter Jelly Time, Leave Britney Alone, Chocolate Rain—back when “meme” wasn’t even a word. And Weezer? Geniuses for turning it all into Pork and Beans. What a time.

shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 17/02/2025

Hey y'all haven't updated this one in a while. Holler if you want to be added... 🇭🇷

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📢 Fans will market for you. When people feel like they’re part of the journey, they talk. They share. They comment. But they can’t do that if you don’t let them in early. Hype doesn’t come from a trailer—it comes from people who feel invested. Wish I had learned that sooner.

⏰ People need time to care. Ever posted a launch announcement into the void? I have. Nobody’s waiting around for your game. They need time to get invested. That means showing off rough builds, behind-the-scenes clips, even the ugly parts. The longer you wait, the harder it gets.

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🍑 Early feedback saves your butt. I used to think I knew exactly what players wanted. Then I actually showed the game… and nope. Sharing progress early helps catch problems before they become expensive fixes. Your audience will tell you what works (and what sucks). Don’t wait until it’s "ready."

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 13/02/2025

Most industries don’t market unfinished products. Cars, apps, movies—they all wait until things are polished. But in game dev? You gotta start talking about your game while it’s still a mess. I learned this the hard way. Here’s what I’ll do differently from now on. 🧵👇

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what movie is this scene from?

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 12/02/2025

Imagine SAVING money by spending it on overpriced bicycles. It’s that game dev life…

shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 10/02/2025

How Old is James is taking part in Steam Couch Co-op Fest 2025 🛋️ We really aim for this game to be played as classics such as It Takes Two, Unravel etc. Although playing with friends is not mandatory, just highly encouraged! Support by trying out our demo, and wishlisting if you want to see more ✨

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shevadelic @howoldisjames.com · 06/02/2025

Show some love for my good friends @knpgamestudio.bsky.social They have an ongoing sale of their first game Pocket Oasis!

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✋ 🚀 This jam isn’t just a tribute to Flash—it’s a what-if scenario where Flash never died, giving creators a chance to shine in a parallel timeline where it’s still thriving.

🎵 Additional Notes: ・🎧 Use Newgrounds Audio Portal for music. ・📱 Ensure mobile-friendly design (big clickable buttons, etc.). ・🏅 Organizers are working on Flash components with Newgrounds’ API for features like medals and high scores. 👇

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🏆 Prizes: 🎮 Games: 🥇 $1000 | 🥈 $600 | 🥉 $300 | 4th $100 🎥 Interactive Movies: 🥇 $130 | 🥈 $80 | 🥉 $50 💰 The prize pool is crowdfunded, with support from sponsors like @matt-likes-swords ($500) and @Lochie ($420.69). 👇

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Key Details: ・Create a Flash game or interactive movie that runs in browsers using Ruffle. ・Original works only—no copyrighted characters or unlicensed commercial music. ・Deadline: April 6th, 2025. Submit entries on Newgrounds with the “Flash-Forward-2025” tag. 👇

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