iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Global meningitis is in retreat. Meningitis is one of the top ten infectious killers worldwide, causing an estimated 259,000 deaths in 2023. That’s down by a quarter since 2015 & half since 2000, with the sharpest reductions coming in deaths among young children. buff.ly/4BvmwnO #ShareGoodNewsToo

buff.ly

Global, regional, and national burden of meningitis, its risk factors, and aetiologies, 1990–2023: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023

Although mortality and incidence have declined significantly since 1990, progress is insufficient to meet WHO 2030 targets. Despite marked progress in reducing bacterial meningitis via global…

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Coyote & Crow Games @coyoteandcrow.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Go support @fridaytea.com. Not because they are a trans ally or because they took a stand regarding JKR and Harry Potter. Not because they collaborated with us on TWO different Coyote & Crow blends. Support them because they are an amazing small business that delivers incredible teas.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I only recently heard about the "sewer socialist" movement in the US (1892-1960). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewer_s... I don't find high-concept socialism super-convincing; I *do* find this kind of pragmatic focus on (perhaps unglamorous) support of the public good *extremely* compelling.

en.wikipedia.org

Sewer socialism - Wikipedia

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Rain City Games @raincity.games · 23/08/2026

We may not be especially active posters on here, but we do lurk like champs. So when @elizhargrave.bsky.social and the TTGDA pointed out that retailers should be citing game designers - not just publishers - when listing games, we thought.... yeah actually that makes sense.

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

jessamyn @librarian.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

I work at a public library. People who want to use AI seem to have no trouble doing so. People who don't want to use AI have a harder time. I crowdsourced and then finalized this document "How to disable or avoid intrusive AI" and then gave it a short URL: notoai.org Please pass along if it's useful

An aircraft passenger oxygen mask: a drop down passenger mask with air bag and yellow plastic mouth and nose cover, oxygen tube has been cut; Demonstration model used by flight attendant crew for passenger instruction. Has text on the side indicating that it's non-functional.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Interesting thread on supply-chain food-safety vulnerabilities in the food industry and how things can go sideways (endlinked for maximum unroll)

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Ditto for playtesting. I think some folks get so invested in avoiding "don't critique because it might hurt feelings" (which yes, is a disservice) that they miss "being harsh is *also* a disservice" - potentially a much worse one, esp. from prominent folks! Even if it accompanies legit criticism.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

This essay is excellent. Among its other virtues, it's a thoughtful explanation I can point at if someone pulls out "The Death of the Author" as something either entirely true or entirely false.* * Oversimplification! But summarizing a high-quality essay in a single skeet ain't happening.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

I expect many folks have already heard this news via W. Eric Martin / my newsletter / Reddit / BGG, but for those who haven't: www.wericmartin.com/r-eric-reuss...

wericmartin.com

Spirit Island’s Future: New Publisher, New Art, More Expansions

Look for a new look on Spirit Island once it finds a new home

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Amabel just keeps on making excellent videos!

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

An excellent thread about the *point* of youth sports, and why the anti-trans "fairness" argument makes no sense. (Not "is wrong" - though that too - but *isn't even relevant*.) Linked near the end so it's pre-unrolled. Also readable as a single page at skywriter.blue/@cripdyke.bs...

skywriter.blue

Page by Crip Dyke | @cripdyke.bsky.social

1/x Once again, I have to say this, bc even allies, even some trans ppl are being taken in by the rhetoric of "fairness in sport" to the point where they don't know how to respond when the topic come...

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Absurdist Productions ➡️ 🎆 SkasdiCon 🎇 @absurdistprod.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

If you are interested in picking up the Orign Award winning game Winter Rabbit. We highliy encourage you to ask your local game shop tfor it, or order it directly from our webstore. Either way we are still so amazed and happy that it won yesterday. www.absurdistproductions.com/product/wint...

absurdistproductions.com

Winter Rabbit | Absurdist Productions

Winter Rabbit is a semi-cooperative, hidden worker placement game set in the world of Cherokee animal stories. Winter Rabbit is available for pre-order now.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

...TIL setting BlueSky moderation for (eg) "Adult" to Hide doesn't hide posts tagged as Adult, it hides ACCOUNTS that made any posts tagged as Adult. Holy overkill! Esp. since "Hide" is often a default. (I'm also seeing claims that the vast majority of the tagging is being done by AI, often badly.)

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Today I ran the final session of a troupe-style Earthdawn campaign I started SIXTEEN years ago. I'm going to miss it, I can tell, but am also *so* happy to have stuck the landing. 12 total players, 15 characters, ~130 sessions, and a hell of a lot of fun. (The roleplaying was *so* good! ❤️❤️❤️)

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Anyone know a good text explanation of @gil.hova.net 's excellent "player in 3 persons" lens on games? (The one with Player, Avatar, Agent.) Searching, I'm only finding other news about Gil, or the board game from Avatar: the Last Airbender. 🙃 The closest so far: boardgamegeek.com/thread/23152...

boardgamegeek.com

Ludology 213 - Your Humble Narrator | Ludology

Gil and Emma discuss narrative in games. How can narrative improve games? What is the difference between embedded and emergent narrative? And what the are common ways that prototypes of narrative game...

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

This essay is good, and also a semi-explanation of why I don't post here more regularly. It's not that I don't like engaging with folks, or sharing stuff that catches my eye - just that if I give "post more" too much weight in my mind, it starts changing the way I look at & engage with the world.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

I know the folks at Absurdist Productions, so got a chance to try these at PAXU last December! They're quick, tight games where you can really get into the other player's head... or just mess around and see how things play out, if that's more your jam. Just backed, hoping it funds.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

This compare-contrast post is *tremendously* topical, an excellently thoughtful read, and a useful reminder of some non-obvious truths. acoup.blog/2026/02/13/c... More respect to the people of MN than I know how to convey in words.

acoup.blog

Collections: Against the State – A Primer on Terrorism, Insurgency and Protest

This week, continuing in the vein of some of our previous strategy and military theory primers, I wanted to off a basic 101-level survey of the strategic theory behind efforts, in a sense, directed…

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Brandon's ultimate point is absolutely 100% supported by my experience, in ways I never would have imagined in 2012. (You can jump to 13:00 for the 3-minute version, or to 15:00 for the 1-minute version, but the full speech does give a lot more grounding, context, & momentum.)

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

I always enjoy @99pi.org, and their recent look at how some *really* neat Zimbabwean names have roots in post-colonial reclamation seemed like something folks might be interested in. 99percentinvisible.org/episode/657-... for best reading, podcastaddict.com/99-invisible... for best listening.

99percentinvisible.org

What’s in a Name - 99% Invisible

In any classroom in Zimbabwe, you are likely to find children with a mix of names—indigenous names in Shona, Ndebele, Tsonga, Venda or any one of the numerous other ethnic groups. You will most certai...

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

The last two days have involved some emotionally-rough work, so this afternoon I'm taking a break & re-reading @maxgladstone.bsky.social 's Wicked Problems before jumping into the just-released Dead Hand Rule. Today is SO MUCH BETTER.

A small marble tabletop in a sunlit coffeeshop. On the tabletop are a to-go coffee cup and an e-reader with the sleep screen showing "Dead Hand Rule, Book Two of the Craft Wars series", 19% read.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

From Cultural Survival: mailchi.mp/culturalsurv... Of course, many of them are things that are great to do anytime, not just today! Today I'm finally starting Braiding Sweetgrass, which has been on my to-read list for ages.

mailchi.mp

15 Calls to Action on Indigenous Peoples Day!

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Kickstarter United @kickstarterunited.org · 02/10/2025

‼️🚨KICKSTARTER WORKERS ARE ON STRIKE🚨‼️ As of 8am this morning, the workers of Kickstarter United/OPEIU Local 153 are on strike. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A BOYCOTT! Creators and allies, please continue using and supporting the platform.

Kickstarter United is on strike!
We are not asking for a boycott! Creators & Allies: Please continue to support & use the platform
swipe for ways to show your solidarity

Why We're Striking
A codified 4-day work week.
We simply want to protect the way we've been working for over 3.5 years. The 4dww has proven benefits, such as increased productivity and improved employee satisfaction. It's part of what makes Kickstarter a special, innovative place to work.
Fair pay for our lowest-paid workers.
We're fighting for livable minimum salaries for roles that are undervalued by the market but crucial to keeping Kickstarter running. We believe none of our workers should struggle to make ends meet.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

This is a really good explanation of stuff I've seen over the past decade+.

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Kenna Alexander @kennaalexander.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Hey, if you can help me out, take a moment and back or share my new Kickstarter? Even if you don't use VTT's there are options to support us that would mean the world to me. Thanks!

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 09/08/2025

I remember the experience of noticing, c. 1999, that this newer search engine "Google" just... *gave better results* than others. Over the last month, I've had a similar experience with a search engine called Kagi. Searching over 100x/month requires a subscription, but that may be worth it to me.

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Elizabeth Hargrave @elizhargrave.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

Reminder that Congress is out of session and it is the perfect time to look up when your members will be near you and tell them in person how you are affected by all this fuckery. Try to think of one specific ask -- stop funding genocide, stop tariffs, whatever you feel most strongly about.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Hello, I'm a board game designer in a film, except most folks don't realize that's a profession so I'm shown as a toy inventor instead. I'm manically obsessive and wildly, carelessly creative, working amidst drifts of previous half-baked designs... which to be fair is accurate. Just not the toy part

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 28/07/2025

I knew Tom Lehrer was amazing - I loved his music, growing up - but I did not realize he was amazing in this particular way. (Linking near end of thread so you get the whole thing)

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

Yeah. While there are certainly households that can manage it these days, as you add common confounding factors (caring for kids/aging parents, disability, exhausting/high-hour jobs, cooking being unpleasant or high-drain rather than easy & enjoyable, etc) it quickly becomes less & less reasonable.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

AB Con is holding their yearly fundraiser! www.kickstarter.com/projects/olu... The con supports the board gaming scene in Africa (generally) / Nigeria (particularly), introducing hobby games to people who've never tried them and encouraging the local design community. 👍👍

kickstarter.com

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

I've *finally* finished migrating my low-bandwidth email list! These days it's mostly "I'll be at convention X", but news about the future of Spirit Island will also go there. (Once there's anything to say and I can say any of it publicly.) rericreuss.eo.page/newsletter-s...

rericreuss.eo.page

R. Eric Reuss - Newsletter signup

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

So many people have reached out to me (❤️) that I'm having trouble responding to individuals (for which I apologize). I've made a short post on my website which answers the two most common questions I'm getting: "how are you?" and "what now?" rericreuss.com/2025/04/17/s...

rericreuss.com

Sad Greater Than Games news – R. Eric Reuss

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Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

ELECTION RESULT: A team of city council members in Rolla, Missouri, have been pushing anti-LGTB policies, including a ban on drag shows and book censorship. Voters just ousted all three of these city councilors who were running for reelection, backing candidates backed by a local LGBT group.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

If you mentally substitute "designing board games" for "writing novels", this video is EXTREMELY applicable to game design, with lots of good information/advice. (Board games are, of course, *different* than books, so there are differences in, e.g., the revision process. But still.)

youtube.com

The Philosophy of Professional Writing: Brandon Sanderson's Writing Lecture #1 (2025)

YouTube video by Brandon Sanderson

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

This is also where I'm at for Generative AI.(*) My understanding is that power consumption is falling drastically (for queries, training a new one still uses oodles), but even at 0 environmental cost I'd still be cranky about "big corps/billionaires appropriate All Internet Text for personal profit"

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The TransAdvocate @transadvocate.com · 18/03/2025

Old man attends WI hearing to support anti-trans bill, but had to sit through hours of trans voices/allies talking. He changes his mind and apologizes for his past anti-trans views and activism.

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Animation Obsessive @ani-obsessive.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Hayao Miyazaki's short guide to watercolor painting -- we put this translation together a couple of years ago

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Reposted by R. Eric Reuss

Alina Pete- NYCCon-ish @alinapete.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Holy heck!! My fav tea company and my fav game company, AND they collaborated to make an INDIGENOUS TEA?????? This literally could not get any better! Can't wait to try this blend!

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

Excellently insightful thread, well worth the read. (And it links to one of Bret Devereaux's excellent ACOUP posts, too!)

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

If you design board games, or work in the industry, check out this NPI video. Not because the thumbnail is awesome (which it is), but because it looks into the origins of some oft-repeated conventional wisdom... which turns out to be a *very* worthwhile examination.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

While writing and game design are different crafts/skills, they share some broad similarities (as do most creative endeavors, probably). I find the first major paragraph of Dean Koontz' advice ("Rest assured...") particularly resonates with me.

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Celia Lake @celialake.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Awful, but important. (Thoroughly written, however, pulling a lot of existing info together with relevant context.) Content warning for all the awful: sexual abuse, child abuse, suicidal thoughts, more. www.vulture.com/article/neil...

vulture.com

There Is No Safe Word

How the best-selling fantasy author Neil Gaiman hid the darkest parts of himself for decades.

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R. Eric Reuss @rericreuss.bsky.social · 01/01/2025

While a lot of stressful/bad things happened in 2024 - both in my personal sphere and more broadly - I'm still *really* grateful for all that did go well, and all that didn't go badly. If you want to see a whole bunch of stuff that went well: fixthenews.com/86-stories-p...

fixthenews.com

86 Stories of Progress from 2024

Not everything that happened this year was terrible.

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