iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 16h

The Venn diagram of people who complain about the IWM covering WW2 drag shows and people who wish It Ain't Half Hot Mum was still on TV is a circle.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Just a quick reminder that there will be a launch event for Cold City and Hot War 2nd eds, hosted by @ljmuhistory.bsky.social in our Student Life Building at 5pm on Tuesday, October 13. If you're in the area, please do register to come along! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2001155772...

eventbrite.co.uk

Cold City/Hot War Launch Event

It's a launch event. For the Cold City and Hot War second edition TTRPGs.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Great stuff. If you've never read Eric Ambler's work, I would absolutely recommend some of his books Great pre and post war spy/political thriller fiction.

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Reposted by Malcolm Craig

🧟‍♂️Day-vid of the Dead 🧟‍♂️ @morkcallingorsen.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Properly set aside the time out of a busy weekend to get these books read, about 1/3 left of Hot War to go. Amazing, heady stuff from @handiworkgames.bsky.social that’s really got my brain fizzing.

Two hardback books for table top role playing games - 1 called Cold City and the other called Hot War from Handiworks Games. https://handiwork.games/cold-city-hot-war

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Excellent! Very glad you're enjoying them. I hope you enjoy them even more in play.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

My research assistant is asleep on the job. As usual. Not entirely sure what I pay him for.

A tuxedo cat called Oscar asleep on the sofa with his paws in the air. Clown that he is.

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Reposted by Malcolm Craig

Morgan Davie @fromthemorgue.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Spooky season has begun... so here are FIVE MORE REASONS why your Halloween game night #TTRPG should be FiveEvil: Fiendish 5E Horror from @handiworkgames.bsky.social with INCREDIBLE art by Jon and @purdyart.bsky.social

A photo of FiveEvil and its supplements.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The Burn was such a great thing to develop, blending together hazy memories of childhood, much loved novels, and Jon's fantastic model work and photography.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

By heavens, there's some great stuff in a|state 2e. The best and most innovative implementation of Forged in the Dark? I think so. (all thanks to @fromthemorgue.bsky.social)

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Reposted by Malcolm Craig

LJMU History @ljmuhistory.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Another exciting event happening in our department! Senior Lecturer in American History @malcolmcraig.bsky.social launches his two Cold War themed tabletop roleplaying games with a talk, Q&A, and interactive game-based activities!

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Did I mention the wine type substance and sandwich-approximate consumables? No. Then there will be both! PLUS me talking briefly about history, play, and aesthetics in both games AND an interactive game situation creation session!

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

On October 13th at 5pm, @ljmuhistory.bsky.social are having a little launch event for the 2nd editions of Cold City & Hot War. If you're in the area & fancy coming along, you can register here (primarily so that our security people will let you in the door!) www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cold-cityh...

eventbrite.co.uk

Cold City/Hot War Launch Event

It's a launch event. For the Cold City and Hot War second edition TTRPGs.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It's very exciting the the system(s) from Cold City and Hot War 2e are being used for the TTRPG adaptation for @aptshadow.bsky.social's fantastic Tyrant Philosophers books. @fromthemorgue.bsky.social is doing splendid work on nuancing the mechanics.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I recently replaced my 20-year old bag with a new one. It's a Trakke satchel. Pricey (very), but really good. On the larger side, I've had a Chrome messenger bag for years now and really rate it.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

For sure - the Impact elements of Research Excellence Framework relate very strongly to this. Even if you're not producing an Impact Case Study, it can still contribute to a wider departmental REF submission.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Because it's along thread, one things that might not be clear is: ask! The worst that can happen is no response or a polite "Sorry, I'm really busy right now."

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

You should just do one called "Why The TSR-2 Was Actually Rubbish" and then go on holiday for a couple of weeks.

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Reposted by Malcolm Craig

Alex Wellerstein @wellerstein.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

For DOOMSDAY MACHINES this week, I take a trip down memory lane, revisiting one of the first books I can remember reading that had anything about nuclear weapons in it: David Macaulay’s 1988 classic, "The Way Things Work."

doomsdaymachines.net

The Way Nukes Work (*Sort of)

Nuclear weapons and war in David Macaulay’s “The Way Things Work” (1988)

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

On those rare times that I run games at cons, I am very much engaged in expectation management. Just because it's a game I designed it doesn't mean that it's going to be Best Game Evar!

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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

16) I very mcuh enjoy getting inquiries from game designers about stuff I have specialisms in. It's always better to ask rather than remain silent.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

15) This thread is not meant to discourage anyone from approaching historians for help with their games. But you need to do some legwork in advance. Make sure you're contacting the right person. Consider their workload. Make it clear what you want. Don't be offended if money is mentioned.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

14) But also don't be disingenous. We're researchers. We do it all the time. If you've produced games before, it's easy to find out how your last Kickstarter did. If you're regularly making good money, then consider a budget alongside those for art, writing, etc.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

13) If you want someone to actually contribute to the background to your game, then also expect to be asked about payment. Do not be offended by this, and don't just shut down communication because it is mentioned. Be polite. If it's not in your budget, then say so.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

12) If it's anything more than something along the lines of "I'd suggest you read these books" then expect payment to come up. If - for example - you want your historical background elements of the game to be checked for validity and accuracy, then expect to be asked for payment.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

11) Do not be surprised or offended if your chosen scholar brings up consultancy fees. Remember that this is extra labour, labour that will likely be done outside of our normal working hours. We are highly skilled and trained professionals and our time is valuable.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

10) NOW, the question of filthy money. Are you working on a commerical project? Be honest about this. I'm always happy to offer my advice free to charitable organisations, state schools, etc. Projects where the final intent is to make money are a different kettle of fish.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

9) Multiple emails back and forth to find out the precise details of your inquiry are frustrating. Each email lessens the chances of meaningful help being forthcoming. Your initial approach should be concise, precise, clear, and direct.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

8) The above is much better, because it tells the recipient about crucial details of your project and how they may be able to deploy their expertise. The previous bad example is no help at all, because it puts the labour onto your expert to find out what it is you want.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

7) Here's a good example: "I'm working on a role-playing game about the experiences of ordinary American families living through the Cuban Missile Crisis. While I'm familiar with events in general, I'd like to better understand the American societal response, right down to the individual level."

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

6) Here's a bad example: "I'm working on a game based on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Can you help me get the details right?" That's less than helpful because there's no indication of what the game is and what it is you need beyond "help" or vaguely defined "details".

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

5) Say they read your email (which is actually pretty likely to happen), what do they need to see? The most vital thing is clarity. What precisely are you working on? What do you need? What do you want them to do? This clarity makes the chances of a positive response much more likely.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

4) This is important, as you want the person to read you email and not set it aside, never to be looked at, because they have loads of emails from students that have a uch higher priority, teaching loads to deal with, admin to work on, and so on. Do they also have the expertise required?

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

3) Do some research in advance, on the person and their situation. Are you contacting them at one of the busiest times of the year? Is it the first couple of weeks of a teaching semester, when it's all hands on deck? Is it the end of a semester, when there are piles of marking to do?

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

2) It's easy to fire off an email to a historian and go "I'm working on game X based on historical event Y, as an expert what do you think?" Step back for a moment and think about the recipient. What is their situation? What do they need to hear from you? Are they the best person to speak to?

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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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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

"A RICO violation" - that is genuinely hilarious.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Amazing! Thanks for supporting the games over such a long period of time!

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

It's always delightful when this kind of thing actually lands.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I have so, so many questions about that advert. I also have questions about the picture with the horse in it. Kaboom, tiiiisshhh! Thank you, I'd be here all night. Please enjoy the complimentary olive bar.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

These five reason are all excellent reasons why you should get #FiveEvil

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Reposted by Malcolm Craig

Leeman Kessler @leemankessler.com · 15/09/2026

My copy of @malcolmcraig.bsky.social 's 2nd edition of Cold City arrived! I have cherished my 1st edition for over a decade and am excited to try this one out!

Your mayor holding a copy of the Cold City RPG

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Amazing! Do let me know what you think of the 2nd edition.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Futher down the thread, @fromthemorgue.bsky.social describes excatly how I feel about the physical books.

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Amazing! Delighted that they have arrived in the Hutt!

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Malcolm Craig @malcolmcraig.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Hooting bigots having a go at the RNLI (the RNLI!) for assisting small boats in distress in the Channel should consider the Penlee disaster and then take a long, hard look at themselves. I'm proud to be a regular donor to the RNLI, because they selflessly do great work rnli.org/about-us/our...

‘The greatest act of courage that I have ever seen, and am ever likely to see, was the penultimate courage and dedication shown by the Penlee [crew] …

‘They were truly the bravest eight men I've ever seen, who were also totally dedicated to upholding the highest standards of the RNLI.’

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