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Pat Holleman

@patmakesrpgs.bsky.social
270 followers 60 following 1K posts

Freelance RPG director, writer, designer. (Quartet, My Familiar, Threads of Time, others.) Author of the Reverse Design series of books: thegamedesignforum.com/books/books.…

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Reposted by Pat Holleman
Matt Linder @dofbutterflies.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I'm working on a podcast simulator horror game where you repair audio files to uncover a mystery. Think "Immortality" but with audio-only. The game is a hobby/passion project for me and I'm looking for a programmer. DM me if interested. store.steampowered.com/app/4570670/...
store.steampowered.com
Wherever You Get Your Podcasts on Steam
A podcast simulator horror game with cozy vibes. Become a podcast editor, repair audio files, and find the hosts of the podcast Spooky Sacramento before the hard drive dies!
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Part 2 of The Rise and Fall of DODO clunked quite a bit at the start.
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
It's gotten to the point where I think basically *anything* anyone says on social media is either false, unrepresentative of the population, or both.
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Idea for a proximity-chat-based co-op cooking game. I'm calling it Big Wok.
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Jeremy Parish (Radio Edit) @jparish.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Plan out the key elements of your narrative in advance
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Niema Moshiri @niema.net · 24/09/2026
I just started playing @somethingclassic.bsky.social's Quartet, and I'm really enjoying it so far! Scratches the classic JRPG itch, but with so many nice quality-of-life features! Beautiful visuals, and super catchy music I found myself humming instantly! Looking forward to getting deeper into it 😄
Quartet home screen

Quartet
(C) 2025 Something Classic LLC

+New Game
Continue
Config
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8 SNES-looking character spritesSNES-style world map of a train moving to the right on tracks going through mountains into a desertBandits on a train in a Western desert sceneFour characters around a campfire
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JP FBB @finalbossblues.itch.io · 25/09/2026
This morning's asset release: world map mountains and forest tileset for #indiedev #rpgmaker #pixelart
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Very much this: youtube.com/shorts/FExOz...
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Teams should just start announcing that they plan to not finish their love letter JRPG. "We expect to stop releasing updates by August 2028, and we should suddenly cancel the game sometime in November or December."
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
IDK if I'll play this game, but I *love* the fact that they're referencing the extremely obscure superhero-psychological horror film Freaks. Deep cut.
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Chris Bratt @chrisbratt.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
In recent years, the media has quietly begun to change the way in which it writes about Bobby Kotick, the former CEO of Activision Blizzard. PMG investigates how Kotick used the threat of defamation to reshape his legacy in the games business, one article at a time. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwp...
youtube.com
Inside Bobby Kotick's Campaign Against the Press
YouTube video by People Make Games
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Until players succeed in your game, they won't trust it. Until they fail, they won't have a goal.
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David Cooper @davidbcooper.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Starting my day making some art.
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Huntonic @huntonic.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Rolled credits in Quartet by @somethingclassic.bsky.social! This was such a great game that was inspired by retro JRPGs. I had a blast playing it. ❤️ Highly recommend checking it out!
The party of Quartet on an Airship with the words The End
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Oh my goodness yes. Every project I've seen fail or struggle, it has been because of this more than anything else.
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Joshua Rivera @jmrivera.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
we should venerate game reviewers who give hundred hour video games a bad review. what makes you think you have the mental fortitude to spend a hundred hours on a thing that sucks ass. most of you can’t be bothered to read more than a headline.
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
This picture of the US capitol looks like the negative of the cliffs above Narshe
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Tyler Mire @tylermire.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
ICYMI! More to come this fall! youtu.be/-f3IHn4l9Ko?...
youtu.be
Guardia Millenial Fair - Big Band Jazz Cover!
YouTube video by Tyler Mire Music
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
This is super cool, and I've definitely seen this from the design side. youtube.com/shorts/o0dR_...
youtube.com
I Designed Prophet Skeram from Temple of Ahn'Qiraj
YouTube video by candlesan
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Remembering this classic
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Robert / Zeboyd @zeboydgames.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
With the Zeboyd bundle, you get This Way Madness Lies, Cosmic Star Heroine, Cthulhu Saves the World & BoDVII, Cthulhu Saves Christmas, and Molly the Werezompire. 75% off right now in the Steam Party-Based RPG Fest! Further discounts to complete your set! store.steampowered.com/bundle/53253...
This Way Madness Lies (81% off)
Cosmic Star Heroine (81% off)
Molly the Werezompire
Cthulhu Saves Christmas (81% off)
Cthulhu Saves the World & BoDVII Double Pack (75% off)
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
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Kingdoms of the Dump @kingdomsofthedump.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
KINGDOMS OF THE DUMP v1.1 ⚔️HARD MODE ❤️ENEMY HP BARS 🗑MORE ENDGAME QUESTS ♻️VARIOUS FIXES Now is a great time to get your hands dirty. 25% Off for Party-Based RPG Fest! store.steampowered.com/app/2159270/...
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Tyler Mire @tylermire.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The newest Multiplayer Big Band arrangement is LIVE NOW! "Guardia Millennial Fair" written by the great @yasunorimitsuda.procyon-studio.com Watch on youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f3I...
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Rootless Suburbian @rootless.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I highly recommend this game to JRPG fans. I'm getting close to the end now and it's a great ride. Very well written, solid combat, excellent characters.
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Tyler Mire @tylermire.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
New Multiplayer Big Band video is going live tomorrow! www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f3I...
youtube.com
Guardia Millenial Fair - Big Band Jazz Cover!
YouTube video by Tyler Mire Music
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Something Classic @somethingclassic.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Quartet is 25% off for the Steam Party-Based RPG fest!
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Patrick McNamara @dogfoodstudios.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The reason that AI companies are saying "it's too dangerous! we have to slow down!" is that they are no longer making progress and need that fact to appear deliberate.
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Something Classic @somethingclassic.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Quartet is now 25% off for the Steam Party-Based RPG Fest! #QuartetRPG #Jrpg
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
There was always supposed to be a jump button in OOT. The tech just wasn't there.
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
There's also a talent deficit. A lot of teams with AAA experience who have never made a JRPG start one and disaster ensues. Yes, you've heard of EX33. You haven't heard of the disasters which are much more numerous. Your JRPG needs RPG experience on the team.
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Rootless Suburbian @rootless.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Playing this now. Highly recommended for the writing alone. Will have more to say when I finish, but so far this is peak indie-JRPG and has a legit shot of dethroning Chained Echoes as my favorite.
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Something Classic @somethingclassic.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Quartet v1.5 is up on Steam now!
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Dana Fried @leftoblique.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
The magic system and general world lore of Quartet is one of the coolest riffs on classic JRPG nonsense I've ever seen. I'm extremely excited to see where this game goes next.
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Alpha Beta Gamer @alphabetagamer.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
So what is an "anti-shooter?" Laser Guy is an indie twin-stick pixel art anti-shooter where try to avoid accidentally lasering your coworkers into oblivion! Playtest the game now on Steam! store.steampowered.com/app/3656610/... by indie dev @pointnsheep.bsky.social #gaming
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
To any Patreon backers: I've deleted everything because I'm not dealing with Apple's mandate for monthly subscription. Please unsubscribe in case they do something stupid. I'll gradually post all of the content free, online. Thanks so much for all your support over the years.
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carl // Isle of Reveries OUT NOW! @desertcucco.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Isle of Reveries releases TOMORROW on Steam and consoles! Links ⬇️ #indiegame #zelda I'll also be doing an AMA on r/NintendoSwitch this Saturday at 1PM PST!
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Starting a petition to rename "low flow" toilets to "high streak" toilets
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Reviews keep mentioning that the plot of Quartet is like WW2 but with magic, as a "gotcha!" Saying we weren't subtle about it. We were not trying to be subtle about it. It is WW2 with magic. The goal was to use magic as a metaphor to say meaningful things *about* the philosophies in that conflict.
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I'll second this assessment. As a rule, the last 10% of a videogame takes almost half the total time. (The only exception to this rule is if you've been doing large scale public testing of your game throughout dev, and fixing all issues found as you go.)
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Tyler Mire @tylermire.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Consumers should be a lot more skeptical of the games you see being pitched. If it's super vague and aspirational, and they only have like 4 carefully curated gifs of the game, you can safely assume little to nothing of the game is done.
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
I don't know the secret to success, but the secret to having a very bad time is not testing your game externally before launch.
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Lannie "Merlandese" Neely III @merlandese.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
This game is proof that modern RPGs can still have all the charm, intellect, and craftsmanship of the classics
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Maradum @maradum.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Finished Quartet and it was absolutely wonderful. Loved everything about it. Combat is basic but with enough mechanics to be engaging, story is well done, characters are interesting and have nice stories and all that in under 30h playtime. Absolute peak RPG!
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
ADHD TYPE A: You say you're going to do a bunch of stuff, and then you attempt it even when it's obviously a bad idea. ADHD TYPE B: You say you're going to do a bunch of stuff, usually that other people are waiting for, and don't even start doing any of it.
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Something Classic @somethingclassic.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Quartet came out one year ago, August 26th, 2025 on PC, Mac and Linux! What a year it has been! Thank you to everyone who played our game and shared it with their friends! Very grateful. #QuartetRPG
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Pat Holleman @patmakesrpgs.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
I was today years old when I found out that the set of The Good Place is a VERY direct reference to the set of The Prisoner. (And if you had watched both, it would spoil some things for you.)
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Robert / Zeboyd @zeboydgames.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Real talk. A multi-year gig that I was using to pay bills is suddenly ending on me. If you have any remote positions that could use someone with 10+ years of experience in gameplay & combat design, writing & narrative design, let me know. Or if you're a publisher and want to fund an RPG, contact me.
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