iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 21h

Thinking positively... El Niño supercharges climate change warming effects, which shocks the population into being more serious about reversing that warming.

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

70% of those speaking and attending are women - but I was told that trans rights were only supported by blokes and we should listen to women? Well, if youre listening to them then there is a clear message here

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James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Rally is as packed as anything I've been to at Conferance - with a huge range of excellent, passionate speakers. The fight back against the EHRC guidance and to rebuild trans rights starts here.

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The latest Fun Problems episode has a nice bit on positive player interaction, which got me thinking that Brass Birmingham, Twilight Struggle and Gloomhaven all have variations of it. Another thing they have in common is they have all held the top spot on boardgamegeek.

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Alex von Tunzelmann @alexvont.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Me and my grunge friends would’ve killed A.I. with hammers I can tell you that much

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

As someone who bounced off computer games when they went so heavily online, I am only now getting to grips with (and getting to like) Discord. Planning to set one up for Samphire Games. What sections should it have? (See I don't even know what they're called... Channels?)

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Interesting on creative jobs and AI. Always worth remembering that economic rewards do not always/often correlate with the value of something. Art is worthwhile activity in itself.

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I solved the daily #CluesBySam, Sep 27th 2026 (Brutal), in less than 16 minutes 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 cluesbysam.com

cluesbysam.com

Clues by Sam

A daily logic puzzle where you deduce who is a criminal!

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

BRILLIANT playtest of Dwarf Union at Excelsior in Bristol today. Increased spatiality and options; law system much improved (stealing HEAVILY from Hegemony at this point 🤫); Idealist feels more coherent but needs some definite tweaks. Very happy with the progress and feedback! 🎲✂️

Dwarf Union prototype on the table for a PlaytestUK session

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Owen Exie Hurcum 💜🤍💙🍉 @owenexiehurcum.com · 23/09/2026

Well that's depressing. Asked for recommendations for fantasy artists I could commission and mostly got a bunch of AI accounts replying with links to their slop... So I'll try again. Does anyone have any recommendations for real human, anti-AI, artists for DnD style fantasy art?

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Another quote from Spaced that regularly plays in my head

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Sophie E. Hill @sophieehill.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

"Stop! Show me your genitals and 10 generations of family history on Ancestry dot com" — British right-wingers, heirs to a proud tradition of pragmatism and anti-authoritarianism

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flyingrodent @flyingrodent.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Where’s the COBRA meeting? Where are the mass arrests, where are the police kicking down doors at meeting places and lifting fascist activists? They are nowhere, because there is no desire to do it.

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I assume this bastard is in police custody by now? Not a difficult case.

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Cliff PervoSCARY @pervocracy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

This is a canary resuscitator, which miners would use to revive canaries that had passed out from toxic gas, because ideally not only do you care, you don't even leave the bird behind. just a little mining history and not at all a furious scream

A canary in a sealed box attached to an oxygen tank

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Reposted by Sam Francis (Samphire Games)

Willard Foxton @willardfoxton.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I think it's absolutely mad that today there's a *national news story* about 400 oil platform workers losing their jobs, and the government being blamed. 25% of the UK TV industry lost their jobs in the last 4 years and we never hear a peep about it! Some jobs are 'real jobs' I guess.

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Davide @davide-atratti.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

speaking for me, it is because how good of a game is is influenced by the experience of it (people, situation etc). so most of the time the best game is what created the best experience

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

What's your favourite boardgame? A question that feels very hard to answer, and I'm not sure why.

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Trying a new mechanism for the Idealist - a portable action space. Trying to see how the Idealist can interact with each system in Dwarf Union, and perhaps how they might subvert each one. Proper rethink time as this is a tricky/weird faction. 🎲✂️

Soap box - action space (axe-suited) with 'Make Speech' as the action

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John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 18/09/2026

What on earth is happening?

This had become the new normal. RNLI crew members had been forced to take their permits off their cars after their tyres have been repeatedly slashed. Most of them have been pilloried at the school gates or turned away from local pubs. One man who worked in search and rescue had been beaten unconscious and hospitalised, recognised for TV interviews he had done.

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Brandon Beran @brandonberan.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I start my feedback by noting to what extent what we played is “my kind of game.” This emphasizes that playtesting feedback is always in relation to the target audience. Then, “How I felt [in a negative way] is X,” or, “The problem I feel exists is X.” After that I might give possible solutions.

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Joseph Arthur Ellis @jarthurellis.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

If I can tell they have a high standard of quality, I really just play and ask questions abt the design. As a designer I know from experience they just need to watch me play. If it's an inexperienced designer who might trick themselves into thinking silence = game is perfect, I'll chat a lot more.

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

When playtesting someone's game, what kind of feedback do you try to focus on – general feelings or solutions? Does it differ depending on the designer's experience level? Agreed with @alliesorenemies.bsky.social that we try not to offer solutions, but as a designer it's really hard not to. 🎲✂️

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I solved the daily #CluesBySam, Sep 17th 2026 (Tricky), in less than 13 minutes 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 cluesbysam.com

cluesbysam.com

Clues by Sam

A daily logic puzzle where you deduce who is a criminal!

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Reposted by Sam Francis (Samphire Games)

Alex Andreou @sturdyalex.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Wow.

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Cole Wehrle @colewehrle.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I just checked the Organism campaign and was so disappointed to see that it hasn't funded yet. Y'all, this is seriously one of the most incredible designs of the decade and truly a perfect example of what Kickstarter is for. What are you waiting for? www.kickstarter.com/projects/ele...

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Lizzie Dearden @lizziedearden.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

While Piddington dominates the news, at Leicester Crown Court this man was sentenced today Ivan Jennings, a former Conservative councillor, called for terror attacks on small boat migrants and Muslims and shared target ideas, telling fellow white supremacists to kill as many “subhumans” as possible

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Jane @localnotail.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Solidarity with this Piddington resident ♥️✊ #Newsnight

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Scott - Minerva 🦉 @minervatabletop.co.uk · 15/09/2026

On Sunday 100 board game designers and players converged for a day of playtests, talks, and prizes at Playfest London. Thank you to everyone who attended and made this year's event so special. We saw our highest attendance, held our largest giveaway, and raised a record amount for charity! 🎲✂️

A photo of a large group of people sat around tables playtesting prototype games with text saying 'THANK YOU. Our Biggest Ever Event!'.

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Liz Davidson @beyondsolitaire.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

KART IS LIVE. It has been an absolute pleasure to see this game come together, and I am even more excited to share it with all of you. bit.ly/KartOnKS

An announcement that Kart is live on Kickstarter!

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I had a superb time yesterday at Playfest in London organised by Scott @minervatabletop.co.uk Thanks to William, Davide, Matt and Carl who played Dwarf Union! I was particularly pleased with the Coinkeeper and Union factions which I feel are now almost completely settled. 🎲✂️

A four player game of Dwarf Union in progress on the red tablecloths of PlaytestUK

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

To continue this analogy, it depends what you're making. I find the secret to bread is careful measuring, but cakes are much more about flair and style. 🎲✂️

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Z @dxdydz.northsky.social · 11/09/2026

There are lots of board games where there are more men in the art than women. But how many where there are more women than men? Well, a while back I tried to find out. I could only find five (5) games where women outnumbered men. And one of them was Tanto Cuore.

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

We set up our RNLI donation a few years ago when Farage last attacked them.

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Ilikecaketoo (UK) @ilikecaketoo.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Disgraceful that the RNLI have to say this today, but here we are 😞. If you would like to donate👇🏻. rnli.org/support-us/g... #RNLI #RNLISavesLives

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Americans, this is a game to follow for Labor Day! Maybe I'll try to launch it on May 1st for the international version? www.kickstarter.com/projects/sam...

kickstarter.com

Coming soon: Dwarf Union

Play as one of four factions in an underground city, each with their own victory conditions – some of which overlap.

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I've got a few new followers and now that Poll & Write Clacton is complete, it's time to reintroduce myself! I'm a boardgame designer with four PnP games completed, and my first box game on the horizon: www.kickstarter.com/projects/sam...

kickstarter.com

Coming soon: Dwarf Union

Play as one of four factions in an underground city, each with their own victory conditions – some of which overlap.

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Inigo Quilez @iquilezles.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

As the head of a university music dept, we're at the sharp end of this. Gove's EBacc is to blame. Pupils no longer encouraged to take music GCSE -> drop in A Level + drop in teacher recruitment -> drop in university entrance -> fewer teachers trained -> schools not offering A Level or GCSE music 1/2

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

One of my favourite lines from my favourite show

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Jackson Pope // Eurydice Games @jacksonpope.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

It's #CraftWednesday! Do you have a game-related crafting project in progress? It could be a prototype, print and play, upgrading the components of a favourite game, making an accessory or even something larger like a table or games room. Share a picture and join in! Please RP!

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Good blog on mentorship for self-publishing (specifically marketing and graphic design) with @unpub.org @tettix.bsky.social pickitupgames.substack.com/p/my-unpub-m...

pickitupgames.substack.com

My Unpub Mentorship Program Debrief

What I Learned from an Expert

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

On the argument that Britain doing anything about climate change is futile because we're so small.

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Sam Francis (Samphire Games) @tzartzam.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

I solved the daily #CluesBySam, Aug 19th 2026 (Medium), in less than 16 minutes 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩 cluesbysam.com

cluesbysam.com

Clues by Sam

A daily logic puzzle where you deduce who is a criminal!

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