iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

iftechfoundation.org @iftechfoundation.org · 23/05/2026

Reposted by Justin Bortnick

New IFTF Blog Post! IFTF Seeking New Board Members The Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation is currently seeking applicants for its board of directors. If you are interested, please see the full details below: blog.iftechfoundation.org/2026-05-21-i...

blog.iftechfoundation.org

IFTF Seeking New Board Members

The Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation is currently seeking applicants for its board of directors.

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

NarraScope @narrascope.org · 09/03/2026

NarraScope 2026 registration is OPEN for in person and online only memberships narrascope.org/register/

narrascope.org

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 27/03/2026

I was interviewed (alongside many other cooler people, including folks like Jenova Chen, Neil Druckmann and Rami Ismail) for Drew Davidson's new book "Ludic Narrans: Stories of/by/for Fields of Play." The book is out now (free download!) so please check it out: playstorypress.org/ludic-narrans/

playstorypress.org

Ludic Narrans – Play Story Press

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 18/03/2026

@despair.bsky.social I remembered right - we did know each other in LA... in 2015.... in the before times...

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

HIVESWAP @hiveswap.com · 16/12/2025

Hiveswap Act 3 Preview is out NOW for free download! Can you survive Jeevik Week? Check it out here: hiveswap.itch.io/hiveswap-act...

hiveswap.itch.io

Hiveswap Act 3 Preview by Hiveswap

Available for Windows

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

Static Sky was featured at the ICIDS 2025 conference art exhibition, held at the Valetta Chamber of Commerce in Malta. Thank you to everybody who came out to see it, play it, and enjoy it.

Static Sky being displayed on a desktop computer. The monitor is on a small table with two chairs.

A photograph of the interior of the Valetta Chamber of Commerce. The walls are white, with a large gilded clock topped with a bird hanging from the wall. A second-floor balcony overlooks the exhibition room.

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Red Pages Podcast Episode 165: 1000x Resistance is Futile with special guest @remysiu.com is here to upend society. Check it out for discussion of 1000xRESIST and art in Vancouver, plus WorldCon 2025, Heretic, Beast Wars, Elden Ring Nightreign and Silent Hill f. redpagespodcast.com/listen/1000x...

redpagespodcast.com

Red Pages Podcast Episode 165: 1000x Resistance is Futile

Special Guest Remy Siu joins the Red Pages to discuss 1000xRESIST and art in Vancouver, plus WorldCon 2025, Heretic, Beast Wars, Elden Ring Nightreign and Silent Hill f.

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Static Sky will be screened at ENNOVA Art Museum from Sep. 23 through Oct. 19 as part of the series "To the Image: A Correspondence." The series is an experimental public program centering on contemporary Chinese video art and designed for audience interaction.

A poster promoting Static Sky's showing at the event named in the post. It is a screenshot of the game, a ghostly man dressed in white stands in a server room.

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 30/07/2025

I will be on several panels at WorldCon in Seattle (@seattlein2025.org) next month. Which panels, you ask? The following panels: jabortnick.com/2025/07/30/m... Please stop by and say hello! There are many cooler people than me on these panels, so it will be a great excuse to meet them too.

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 15/06/2025

I regret to inform the world that six years after its release, some poor soul has paid $3 for "Tidying Your Computer With Carrie Mondo," our joke game that destroys your computer if you play it. Godspeed to this person. (Game is here: allfather-productions.itch.io/tidying-your...)

Tidying Your Computer With Carrie Mondo by Allfather Productions, LordHuffnPuff

Computer too cluttered? Tidy it up the Mondo way!

iftechfoundation.org @iftechfoundation.org · 02/06/2025

Reposted by Justin Bortnick

The Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation has launched a Patreon! Now there's a new way to support us and all we do (Narrascope, Twine, IFComp, IFDB, IF Wiki, IntFiction, and so much more!)

blog.iftechfoundation.org

Announcing the IFTF Patreon

IFTF has joined Patreon, a new way to support the organization!

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

NarraScope @narrascope.org · 29/05/2025

A message from IFTF's president about this year's event (don't panic!):

Hello fellow IF fans, game writers, players and story enjoyers!

Our annual conference on narrative games, NarraScope, is less than a month away. As the event draws closer, I wanted to turn your attention to the trademark Big Thermometer on narrascope.org, which tracks fundraising for the event. We are currently at $15,005, which is 60% of our $25,000 goal.

To be clear: NarraScope is not in danger of going under or being canceled. However, we rely on donations from both sponsors and individuals to make sure that we don't need to dig so deep into IFTF's treasury that it could impact our other programs you love – things like IFComp, IFDB, the Twine committee, and more. This year, contributions from both individuals and institutions have been lower than in the past, for reasons we can likely deduce by looking at the world around us. These contributions are what allow us to offer attendance at a significantly lower price point than many other conferences.

The conference team is working as always to continue to fundraise, but we wanted to ask that if you have the stability and ability to do so, to consider sending IFTF a small donation. You can do so at iftechfoundation.org/give/, and if you want, put a note indicating that it is directed at NarraScope and how you would like to be credited, if you so desire. Additionally, if you know any institutions that may be interested in a sponsorship, please email sponsorship@narrascope.org with the details.

This year's event looks to be our largest yet, with more programming, attendees and events than any in the past! Your support helps keep NarraScope and IFTF sustainable and ensures that the event goes off without a hitch. Our in-person tickets have totally sold out, but passes to stream talks live are still available through 18 June 2025. As always, we appreciate your support, and I’m excited to see many of you next month in Philadelphia!

- Justin Bortnick, President, Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

As of May 22, Static Sky: And Yet It █████ will be screened at the Hive Center for Contemporary Art in Shanghai as part of the exhibition "Hive - AI Utopia." Please take a look if you are visiting!

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Starting today, Static Sky: And Yet It █████ will be displayed as part of the "Rear Window and Real Wonder" exhibition at the HOW Art Museum in Shanghai, China. The show runs through August 17, 2025. Please check it out if you have the opportunity!

The game booth, a computer with headphones on a table

A projected screen of the protagonist examining an AI teapot

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Our new game, Static Sky: And Yet It █████ released today! Now available for $6.99 on itch or Steam. allfather-productions.itch.io/static-sky store.steampowered.com/app/3228950/... Explore a world ruled by AI where reality and hallucination are indistinguishable. #gamedev #indiedev #indiegame

Static Sky: And Yet It █████ by Allfather Productions, Rhett Tsai

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

How Deep is the Dark Water?, the award-winning game from @rhetttsai.bsky.social, is now available for purchase. The player, guided by a fleeing man, slowly wanders through memories and visions constructed by the context of the war and individual experiences. store.steampowered.com/app/3568480/...

store.steampowered.com

How Deep Is the Dark Water? on Steam

"How Deep Is the Dark Water?" is a literary computer game. The player, guided by a fleeing man, slowly wanders through memories and visions constructed by the context of the war and individu...

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

This month we will publish How Deep is the Dark Water? from @rhetttsai.bsky.social, winner of the 2023 Lumen Prize's HUA Award and Independent Games Festival finalist. The game has been unavailable for purchase, and we are thrilled to once again make it available. Please stay tuned for more details.

Screenshot of the game's title screen depicting a black-and-white image of a man running away from the camera. An ocean is to his left and a row of bushes to his right. Many spikes protrude from the bushes.

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 25/02/2025

My new game came out today. It's very different from my past work and is more of a museum installation/experience type thing. Explore a dreamlike world that has been taken over by generative AI where reality and hallucination have become indistinguishable. allfather-productions.itch.io/static-sky

Static Sky: And Yet It █████ by Allfather Productions, Rhett Tsai

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 25/02/2025

Static Sky: And Yet It █████ by Allfather Productions, Rhett Tsai

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 27/01/2025

@fadeinpro.com Hey Kent! Our emails to the Interactive Fiction Technology Foundation advisory board aren't getting to you, we're being told your email is kaput with a bounce. If you want to keep getting these please feel to drop me a message and I'll get things sorted out!

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 03/01/2025

Sometimes I see people posting about how ha ha it'd be funny if Frog Fractions 3 got revealed and I don't have the heart to tell them that Frog Fractions 4 released almost half a decade ago, so if another were to get made it'd be 5.

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Static Sky will be shown at the "Game Om: Social Play × TANK Shanghai" event! "Game Om" is an examination of how video games can reflect the society around them. Exhibition Opens: December 31, 6:00 PM Organizer: TANK Shanghai 2380 Longteng Avenue, Shanghai

A poster with the information for the event mentioned in the post.

Allfather Productions @allfatherprod.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Reposted by Justin Bortnick

It's the most GOTY-est time of the year. Our annual write-up is live so please direct your eyes to: redpagespodcast.com/goty.html

redpagespodcast.com

Red Pages Podcast Games of the Years

Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 21/10/2024

My new game, "Static Sky: And Yet It █████ (██落在夜空生成以前)," was exhibited this past weekend at Guan Shanyue Art Museum as part of the exhibition "The Upcoming Trend: Poetry and Thoughts in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." Please enjoy these photos from the event.

The flyer describing the event in Chinese.

The booth in low lighting. There is a large screen showing off the game and a small station to sit and play. A bonsai is on a pedestal between the large screen and the station. The wall behind the booth has two large black Xs at an angle above the bonsai.

Another photo of the booth with different images onscreen.

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 02/07/2024

I have a new project that has been in the works for about a year now. Please take a look at Static Sky: allfatherproductions.com/staticsky.html

A Chinese man in an astronaut-helmet looking VR device stands in front of a dark skyline. The sky is the color of a television tuned to a dead channel.

An artist lies on the floor in front of a color painting of a vibrantly-dressed monkey king of some sort and a black-and-white charcoal drawing of the same figure.

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 22/06/2024

NarraScope was featured in a delightful article from Ars Technica on the history of interactive fiction and text games. Timed perfectly for this year’s event: arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/...

arstechnica.com

From Infocom to 80 Days: An oral history of text games and interactive fiction

MUDs, Usenet, and open source all play a part in 50 years of IF history.

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 21/11/2023

Check out "The Roottrees are Dead" from Superrodan, AKA JJohnstonGames. It's half Obra Dinn, half Her Story, and totally free in your browser. jjohnstongames.itch.io/the-roottree...

jjohnstongames.itch.io

The Roottrees are Dead by jjohnstongames

A family tree puzzle inspired by games like Obra Dinn and Her Story. Play in your browser

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 20/09/2023

My article, "Play and Misinformation: How America's Conspiracy Culture Became Gamified," has been published in 𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦. You may read it here if you desire: doi.org/10.1177/1555...

doi.org

Play and Misinformation: How America's Conspiracy Culture Became Gamified - Justin A. Bortnick, 202...

In this article, the author draws upon their own experience as a commercial alternate reality game designer and interviews with other working professionals, exa...

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 11/09/2023

"We're sorry Mr. Iger, but somehow the sound files for the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror got flipped and the latter has been playing 'Love in an Elevator' all day."

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 11/09/2023

I just realized that this is a new platform where I can reuse all my old jokes and they'll be new again. Time to Bloom County it up.

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Reposted by Justin Bortnick

Critical Distance | Where’s all the good writing about games? @critdistance.bsky.social · 10/09/2023

Hello! We're Critical Distance, a long-running community blog devoted to games criticism and its preservation. This is our first post on the Fediverse! If you see great writing about games, be sure to tag us or use the hashtag #twivgb (maybe, we'll see how hashtags work)!

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 08/09/2023

Recruiting a new team of students to work on University Magician's Society means updating the pitch deck every year.

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 02/09/2023

My article "Play and Misinformation: How America’s Conspiracy Culture Became Gamified" is forthcoming in the journal Games and Culture. It looks at a long history of American conspiracy from the 1820s to the present and how game industry design methods have influenced modern propagandists.

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 30/08/2023

Anyway shout out to the person in my actual games class who was embarrassed to say their favorite game was Mario Kart Wii and got an ovation from the entire room. It's okay to like what you like.

Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 30/08/2023

I told my students they could ask me literally anything in the last 15 minutes of class and the questions were like "Have you played Tears of the Kingdom?" and "Have you played any From Software games." This isn't even a games class! You can ask _anything_ about _anything_.

Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 30/08/2023

One of the perks of being faculty is that I can take undergrad courses for free. I also don't have to care about my grades. Who's ever gonna see them? Am I applying to college or something? On the other hand having hours of homework on top of your job is a lot.

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 29/08/2023

I bought Guilty Gear and this is where I will plant my flag, I will learn how to play a fighting game. Update: I am bad Update 2: The music is good though

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Justin Bortnick @lordhuffnpuff.allfatherproductions.com · 28/08/2023

The amount I enjoy posting is conversely proportional to the number of people/followers who will see the post, so this one is just for you, close pals. Enjoy it while it lasts.