oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 01/10/2026friends of mine, doing good work and treating people well 0100
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026this project is basically a neat vibe and a tileset. I don't think the concept was ever much more than "fly around" 140
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026of course no prototype is complete without a day and night cycle 192
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026more old stuff, why not. Random pixel flyer thing, again from 2019 1283
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026I guess that's the cycle I have going on here—I find old work, it gives me new ideas, I add those ideas on the pile. Maybe they make it more interesting, or maybe it doesn't quite work out. But it's evolving over time 120
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026or I have a big brain / conspiracy board moment and do some kind of hexagonal 3D ASCII combo of the two... 240
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026then in 2023 rewrote the island generator in Unity / C#, also still on itch. Will have to compare the code at some point—again, the 2019 results seem more interesting to me oldmanofthefire.itch.io/ars-moriendioldmanofthefire.itch.ioArs Moriendi (Alpha) by oldmanofthefire"The Art of Dying". A metaphysical rogue-like. 110
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026on the technical side it's the joy of generating procedural heightmaps and islands based on elevation. The 2019 map maker was written entire in javascript, and is actually still on itch oldmanofthefire.itch.io/ascii-island...oldmanofthefire.itch.ioASCII island generator by oldmanofthefirePlay in your browser 121
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026like a non-verbal / mystery language ASCII thing where you're not totally sure what is even happening—sounds like fun 110
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026the ASCII stuff being so evocative, like other minimalist stuff, because it provokes the imagination. Would be fun to lean into that more, make it even more mysterious the later work isn't bad, it just feels like it lost the essential mystery I wanted by being too explicit 140
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026more old work. Starting in 2019, then again in 2023. As with a lot of projects, the early stuff is really evocative and interesting, but then I thought it needed to be something else enjoying rediscovering the early stuff without as much self doubt clouding my view 2583
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026I was like, there must be sketches somewhere? Nope, just living my best life in blender 0302
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 25/09/2026going through old files—from last year, completely forgot I made this 1947
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Anyway, I suspect you've thought about this longer and more thoroughly than I have, so like I said, will be reflecting on it. I'm sure I can learn and be challenged in good ways from it. 000
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 24/09/2026So much of my life right now is being a dad. And I'm going to change the world by being the best parent possible, raise two thoughtful, kind people. And as an artist I'm bringing them into that world too. "Transgression against repressive ideals" just looks pretty different in that context. 100
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 24/09/2026That's a compelling point, I'll be reflecting on that for a while. I think how you are framing it is that you have a very specific set of outcomes you'd like to see result from your art making. You're on a mission. But again, there are a lot of meaningful missions, and paths to pursue them. 200
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 24/09/2026I dunno, it feels like everyone is making all kinds of art all the time. Lots of stuff out there is deeply strange and transgressive, other stuff is cute and comfortable. Sometimes one person is making both. Does it need to be a monolithic thing? 150
Reposted by oldmanofthefireoldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/09/2026I get a seriously huge kick that stuff like this works 419216
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/09/2026the first gear rotates on its own power by script, the rest are pushed physically 130
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/09/2026right—a direct continuation of making huge gear systems out knex when I was a kid 020
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/09/2026I get a seriously huge kick that stuff like this works 419216
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 20/08/2026I appreciate how "CUBEMAN IS REAL" has the desperate quality of when you're trying to convince yourself of something 110
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/07/2026it was interesting watching someone post gameplay, because they're finding ways around I didn't intend. And I think I want to promote that, rather than limit it. You're crawling around the face of this thing and hacking together a path. Need to keep that in mind 070
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/07/2026uh here I guess I am riffing off of earlier work, a sort of skeletal surreal architectural thingamajig. Which has that fundamental clean simplicity bsky.app/profile/oldm... 0150
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/07/2026so much of the style I'm using relies on big, clear, evocative shapes with interesting color choices. Sometimes too much stuff just ruins the whole thing bsky.app/profile/oldm... 1130
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/07/2026tube pass, aka, who let tsutomu nihei in here not sure I like tube pass. There was some fundamental simplicity to the first pass I liked. I might test that first in engine before complicating it further 250
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/07/2026I'm also trying more recently to draw without looking at any references. I already have ten thousand references in my head. Looking up references recently feels like it slows down my process, rather than facilitating it. 130
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/07/2026I prefer drawing with a pen because there is no ability to undo. And when I can't undo my mistakes, I have to commit to the marks I've made, even if they're stupid 160
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/07/2026recently my process has been to take screenshots like this, print them out at low opacity, and doodle on them with a pen partly because drawing with my hand on paper gets at things differently in a creative way, and partly because I go analogue every chance I get 170
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 23/07/2026give it a whirl yourself in the meantime oldmanofthefire.itch.io/abyssal-fugu...oldmanofthefire.itch.ioAbyssal Fugue: Ascent by oldmanofthefireTower in the sky 292
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 18/07/2026haha, nicely done. Look forward to sending you a longer challenge 000
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 17/07/2026haha thanks—this is just a very narrow, tiny version of it 110
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 17/07/2026hmm, mashing z and x while also having my fingers on WASD makes me feel like the salt bae guy 000
oldmanofthefire @oldmanofthefire.bsky.social · 13/07/2026just received a vision of Fred Rogers playing Zelda, with commentary 120
