iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Due to scheduling conflicts, I will not be able to teach my board game design class at Lawrence Tech University this coming fall. Is there anyone in my network that may be able to take my place for this upcoming semester?

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Hell of a Deal from Cameron Reid and @smirkanddagger.bsky.social has pulled off a magic trick. This game is DANGEROUSLY luck-based. You have to pull off some obscene hands to win the game. I played with my in-laws, and fighting the final boss where only one of us could lose. Quad. Aces.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

I think I may have broken the game. #slaythespire2

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

I found these in a drawer while cleaning. They are coming to GenCon. @internetsmagic.bsky.social and @dnlnwmn.bsky.social conspired to make these pre-covid. Find me and I'll give you one!

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BoardGameGeek @boardgamegeek.com · 16/07/2026

Tonight on GameNight! @chilibeannp.bsky.social, Rusty, Dave & @heccubus.bsky.social teach & play "A Familiar Find" designed by Ian Zang and published by @darringtonpress.bsky.social. Thanks to @gamegenic.com for the accessories and sponsoring this episode! —Lincoln www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLFd...

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Unpub @unpub.org · 07/07/2026

📣 Calling Tabletop Game Designers 📣 Are you heading to Gen Con later this month? We have three (3!) speed pitch opportunities for underrepresented groups to get their games in front of publishers! More info at f.mtr.cool/dgjijlevjs #gencon #gamedesign 🎲✂️

Tabletop Game Designers Speed Pitch at Gen Con, apply: Unpub.org/GenCon; publishers: SpeedPitch@Unpub.org

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

That one time I came in to work, and Crow and Tom Servo were literally sitting on my desk. That was a good day.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

I'm trying to find a roommate (or space to crash) for GenCon. Does anyone have any leads?

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Y'all. This game is one that I think best summarizes "Are games art?" with a resounding yes. It creates a Pepper's Ghost of the pharmaceutical industry, with your head perched atop its amorphous cacophony of business suits.

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Dave Chalker @davethegame.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

This site is just slop profiles and images of famous game designers, but don’t worry: it also highlights multiple sexual predators.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Mark gives an interesting review. We definitely didn't design this with heavy gamers in mind. It had to stay firmly in the "family weight". When we named "complex" mode, we considered who our audience was. I'm interested in hearing others thoughts!

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

This is one of my favorite experiences, hands down. A couple years back, I streamed a bit with some friends. If you want to see it played, here are the archives! youtube.com/playlist?lis...

youtube.com

Rosetta - YouTube

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Did I just play twilight imperium for the second time in a month? Yes. Did my fleet nearly get wiped off the board several times? Also yes.

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Corey Young @coreyyoung.com · 23/04/2026

We HERE’s an instant buy! @ianzang.bsky.social shared a preview of this with me at PAX unplugged. I’ve been eagerly watching for it since. A great game made even more attractive by its tie in to @criticalrole.bsky.social #aFamiliarFind

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

My students used Turing Machine style validation cards to adapt a video game. You use it to check to see if someone you invited into your house is a "visitor".

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Thanks for supporting my crazy idea.

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Peter McPherson ⏭️ PAX U @peterlmcpherson.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

I recently had a chance to play @ianzang.bsky.social's Roads With No Name for the third time, and it's still great. This was my first experience GMing a game, and though I have a lot to learn we had a wonderful time. Can't wait to play this again!

A piece of paper with a 5x5 grid containing several clay blocks, cylinders, and other shapes. Painted wooden "road" pieces lay between some squares, and a hand-drawn image of a fish on a cylinder sits near the edge of the board. All of this rests on a wooden table.

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Ilya and Tylor 🎥🏳️‍🌈🎲 @kovray.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

It’s sooo fun! We played it today :)

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Clarence Simpson 🔜 ??? @stoichamster.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

It's almost 2 years to the day since a group of us spent hours after Unpub playing a prototype of A Familiar Find by @ianzang.bsky.social over and over and over again. Thrilled to have the real thing in my hands now!

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Dev'n Music 🎶 @shadowobsessed.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Roads with No Name, by @ianzang.bsky.social: Only got to observe a little, but WOW, this looked interesting! Players in this game take on the role of anthropologists and various scientists cooperating to deduce what happened to an ancient civilization. One of the players is Time itself. (1 of 2)

Players at the Roads with No Names table, at Unpub 2026

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

This was legitimately one of the most interesting little puzzles I've played. Congratulations, Katz! Glad to have been able to hang out in person.

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A Man Possessed is Kickstarting Rune Rite! 🔮 @amanpossessed.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

There were two games at #Unpub with real buzz, from where I sat. Games I heard about from multiple vectors. Both "road" games. • Rough Roads • Roads with No Name (by @ianzang.bsky.social)

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Me: "I have some paper if you want to take notes" Them: "Nah, I'll just vibe." Them 30 minutes later: "Oh."

Lots of notes from a board game session.

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Peter McPherson ⏭️ PAX U @peterlmcpherson.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Roads with No Name by @ianzang.bsky.social at Unpub It was 1:30AM. For hours, 5 archaeologists of different fields had discussed, analyzed, and unearthed a lost civilization. No one mentioned game mechanisms the whole time. We were just immersed. One of the best gaming experiences I've had.

A paper grid with several wooden blocks of different shapes representing an ancient ruin. Dry erase boards with simple drawing surround the main board

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Got some excellent feedback tonight during a playthrough of my new game "Roads/Streets with No Name" Unpub continues to take my game from "this is decent" to, "dang, this is really fun" in so little time. Thanks to everyone who has played!

Board game about scientists uncovering the mysteries of an ancient city on a table surrounded by players

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Did I... just break Cartographers? I don't think I've ever scored NEARLY this much in a solo game. 30 is the "high" score, I had 79...

Board game arena screenshot of Cartographers. Solo score of 79.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Trivia was fun tonight! @nkjemisin.bsky.social had a feature!

Trivia question "what author won the Hugo award for best novel three years in a row for the books in her Broken Earth trilogy"

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Critical Role @criticalrole.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

Play as one of the iconic companions of #CriticalRole Campaigns 1–3, including Trinket, Mister, and Pâté, in an all-new fast-paced card game race with a touch of whimsy from Darrington Press this April 7th! ✨ LEARN MORE & PRE-ORDER ⬇️ critrole.com/a-familiar-find-coming…

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

I'm teaching a college-level board game design class. One of my student groups designed a card game appropriate for the mass market. If I had designed it, I'd be reaching out to Hasbro yesterday. So..... Anybody know anyone at Hasbro? :D

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

I think(?) this may be one of my proudest accolades on a game. @jontexmo.bsky.social I -believe- this was directly after @wunfatkid.bsky.social convinced me to play Dead Last at late night Unpub. I remember the advice, despite everything. "DO NOT COMPROMISE ON THE THEME. THIS IS THE THEME."

Night Soil rulebook. The special thanks says "Ian Zang, for giving the best advice he'll never remember."

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

Thanks to everyone at PAX and @unpub.org that made my convention excellent. I'm so glad I was able to catch up with so many of you. Quality time is so valuable, and I was lucky to be gifted yours!

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

I'm at the PaxU Marriott! Anyone around to hang?

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

Just saw a MAGA dude on my local Facebook page make an actually good gender joke and I am REELING. "If Trump identified as a woman, they would call it NO QUEENS." Because yes. Yes we would.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

My partner just got published! authors.elsevier.com/c/1lWEfgeXDzG5 She developed an assay that has been able to map out nearly EVERY point mutation in a gene that causes colorectal cancer. Her assay can predict, with 100% accuracy(!!!) if a particular mutation is pathogenic. Crazy awesome.

Summary of article in link. The words 100% accuracy are highlighted.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

I just saw @czechgames.com post about the HP license. This... is not it. "we encourage everyone to approach discussion with care, empathy, and respect", and then turns comments off. Care, empathy, and respect are the opposite of what Rowling is championing.

czechgames.com

CGE | Why we created the new licensed version of Codenames

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Cosigned. Seeing this come from @czechgames.com was surprising, and frankly disappointing. Y'all have been an excellent company to everyone you've worked with. You make innovative and crazy games literally no one else will make. Please consider Calvin's suggestions seriously.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Y'all. Blue Prince. It's a masterpiece. I've now had FOUR jaw-dropping moments of realization, and I don't even think I'm halfway through. The puzzles are so well designed and subtly hidden. store.steampowered.com/app/1569580/...

store.steampowered.com

Save 10% on Blue Prince on Steam

Welcome to Mt. Holly, where every dawn unveils a new mystery. Navigate through shifting corridors and ever-changing chambers in this genre-defying strategy puzzle adventure. But will your unpredictabl...

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Uh oh. There goes the rest of my free time. Congratulation @matthewdunstan.bsky.social !!

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

I'm not at GAMA. Please give me cool stories. FOMO'ing something hard.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

Hey all! I'd like to play more Board Game Arena with y'all. My screen name there is Zangzabar.

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Ian Zang @ianzang.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

In Daybreak, apparently it's possible to achieve drawdown in round 2 thanks to the Global Efficiency standards and some lucky draws! @mattleacock.bsky.social during playtesting, I'm curious if anyone found a combo that triggers drawdown in round 1?

Round 2 Victory in Daybreak on Board Game Arena.

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