iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Vagabond Dog

Velvet Skeleton @velvetskeleton.com · 05/08/2026

Sometimes you gotta hit 'em with a real scare. MOOOOOOO! 🐮 #indiehorror #gamedev

Reposted by Vagabond Dog

Velvet Skeleton @velvetskeleton.com · 01/08/2026

Comparing the oldest menu scene for @tolerance.group with the current one and really seeing the difference. Not just higher fidelity, but the new has a lot of details that will make more sense as you play the game. Which station would you rather work at? #screenshotsaturday #gamedev #indiehorror

Current main menu screen for @tolerance.group

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Reposted by Vagabond Dog

The Tolerance Group @tolerance.group · 30/07/2026

ATTENTION OPERATIVES: Reports from location NOLA-04 suggest an increase in unexpected intruders and additional coverage is requested. To remedy the situation, The Tolerance Group is now recruiting provisional Test Subjects with monitoring experience. Apply within, today: 💻 tolerance.group

Monitoring view of the Last Parish Public House, location NOLA-04 being monitored by The Tolerance Group

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Reposted by Vagabond Dog

Velvet Skeleton @velvetskeleton.com · 24/07/2026

Just launched this Anomaly Experts feed for Bluesky. Highlights new posts from #anomaly and #horror creators. If you are a #gamedev or #streamer wanting to share your content with #indiehorror fans, give it a like or share to be added to the feed. Reply with your projects, to help our curation! 💀

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 22/07/2026

None can escape the truth of determinism.

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Reposted by Vagabond Dog

Velvet Skeleton @velvetskeleton.com · 22/07/2026

We have a small handful of Steam Keys available for anyone interested in our active #playtest of The Tolerance Group. If you'd like early access, visit tolerance.group to join us. Reply below with any streamer you'd like us to invite. #indiehorror #gamedev 🎮 🩸

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Reposted by Vagabond Dog

The Tolerance Group @tolerance.group · 20/07/2026

Reality is collapsing all around us. The Tolerance Group is seeking operators to detect and report failures in continuity across several monitored locations. Recognizing these deviations in reality is the only thing preventing our world's plunge into further chaos. Apply Today: tolerance.group

tolerance.group

THE TOLERANCE GROUP

Continuity must be maintained. Apply for field assignment.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 24/04/2026

Realized there wasn't a good feed for #indiegame publishers so built one for all #gamedev to follow. 💵 🎮 💵 Get that money, gang!

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Reposted by Vagabond Dog

Toronto Games Week @torontogamesweek.com · 06/04/2026

Do you want to write about or cover Toronto Games Week 2026, happening from June 11-17th? We'd love to hear from you... and have media passes! Fill out our media & content creator application in order to be considered! forms.gle/woGM4EjvjFWL... 📸

Toronto Games Week
June 11-17, 2026
TorontoGamesWeek.com

Want to write about or cover Toronto Games Week 2026? Apply for a Media Pass at TorontoGamesWeek.com!

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 27/03/2026

There's a strong argument that economic value has overtaken cultural or qualitative values in many regards. The very concept that 'goodness' is detected by the market is a fallacy. Awareness of your game must coincide with proximity to power, capital, or social leverage. Even more in a skeptic age.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 25/03/2026

Folks said the same thing back in 2021... and 2016... and... Truth being, it's more of everything always, forever.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 24/03/2026

Eight bucks is basically Five bucks, but 2,000 V-Bucks is basically 2,400 which is really like $22.99, but that's more like Twenty-Five bucks...

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 24/03/2026

This is very true, and yet so many fresh developers shelve their best efforts because they don't want to feel like a ripoff or copycat, even when there's something new and unique in the mix. Truth is, we all enjoy more of a good thing. "Holy shit, two cakes!"

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 23/03/2026

The great irony of AAA game dev is that often the fella with actual hands on keys gets fired during cutbacks, while the guy who points at screen receives a six-figure bonus.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 22/03/2026

Tough to balance the unconstrained imagination and the realities of completion, which gets worse in isolation. Many indie devs are explosively creative, and redesign on behalf of hypothetical audiences or theoretical issues. Get real playtesters! Trust, there will be real feedback to react to.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 21/03/2026

As developer economies suffer, continuing to produce video games instead of surveillance, gambling, or military technology is an act of defiance against the coldness of reality. Your talents can bring joy, which is a sustenance, whereas many other uses of your skills can only extract or exploit.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 20/03/2026

Indie games have always been alluring in-part because of the humanity behind them. We become aware of real people doing something personal and difficult, and grow attached because it is inspirational and heartening to witness. Don't be shy, at least not deliberately. Open yourself up, if you can.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 19/03/2026

Like most creative realms, our games industry is full of highly empathetic individuals and emotions often play a huge role in orchestration. Being aware of feelings while developing better patience, understanding, and a willingness to listen will help you find greater potential than any raw matter.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 18/03/2026

Anyone who's been in this industry long enough eventually realizes that at a core level, satisfaction has never been fulfilled by graphics. Sometimes they enable new experiences (2D -> 3D) but sheer fidelity seldom contributes to the engagement that games provide, regardless of their appearance.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 17/03/2026

Beyond destroying artistic intent, the greatest issue with this DLSS 5 is the division in user experiences it will cause. Players become siloed within visuals nobody had any say in, then come to review your game based on it. What role will NVIDIA play in managing those inconsistent bug reports?

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 16/03/2026

Wow, money! Interesting structure with indie devs paying up the publisher, rather than royalties retained and split back down. Requires better indie accounting, but worthwhile for control. Also cool there's more open contracts like those from @rawfury.bsky.social and @whitethorngames.bsky.social

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 15/03/2026

Unfortunate to see more of these 'good will' attacks. There's a rash of scams with folks posing as notable game developers or friends-of-friends, with pleas to "play my game!" Running the .exe steals your passwords (or worse). Only real answer is for everyone to rely on provable release channels.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 14/03/2026

Seems every cultured country of ample means realizes the economic uptick that comes from empowering their local games industry. As grant recipients in Canada, and knowing others worldwide in Sweden, Australia, France, and elsewhere... we've seen first hand the growth these funds can help commence.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 13/03/2026

Another day, another game apocalypse! While there will definitely be "casualties" in the most gluttonous projects, this is the kind of hardship where lean indies thrive by doing as much as they can with as little as possible. Summon those ancient game dev spirits who worked magic with only 256 KB.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 12/03/2026

Don't haggle with artists. Even though our culture insists upon the stupid dance of overshot and whittle-down, the difference in quality from satisfying unmet needs for creatives will outperform whatever you save avoiding their (very rare) overpay. Budget can't match? Scrimp elsewhere if you can!

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 11/03/2026

This can be subverted by digging in your heels and calling yourself an auteur while repeating "git gud" or "you don't get it" until you win a bunch of awards.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 10/03/2026

Over 10x more titles release on Steam today than when we first joined the games industry. It used to be that making something novel and unique was a way of standing out from the crowd, but now it's sort of an essential defence against the absurd nihilism of it all. Just go make whatever you want!

A bar graph showing the consistent rise in games releasing on Steam year-over-year, peaking in 2024 at 16,212 titles.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 09/03/2026

You can waste a lot of time trying to explain yourself and the things you're doing to people who will only try to conform your ideas to their preexisting mindset. If you can game dev without validation, then tough out the long silence with confidence in yourself. It gets things done!

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 08/03/2026

This presentation from @foddy.net is quite revelatory in terms of understanding the sort of motivations that can help you find your own unique style / voice / method in game dev. Worthwhile for anyone doubting the pursuit of their own weirdness. www.twitch.tv/videos/27148...

twitch.tv

NYU Game Center Lecture Series Presents Bennett Foddy - nyugamecenter on Twitch

nyugamecenter went live on Twitch. Catch up on their Just Chatting VOD now.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 07/03/2026

What made you decide to make games? This ad is what got us started: youtu.be/BRWvfMLl4ho

youtu.be

Game testers

YouTube video by FROGPANTS

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 06/03/2026

In your game development journey it isn't hard to find those willing take financial risk on your ventures. Where there is potential for profit (or exploitation), those with capital will appear on their own terms. Finding those who will adopt your emotional investment is far more difficult and rare.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 05/03/2026

One of the best things to happen in game dev culture since our retirement was the dissolve of engine elitism. In our day we got so much flack from gatekeepers, just for using RPG Maker that it caused a real bad psychic weight. Imposter syndrome slows progress, keeps great ideas down.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 04/03/2026

Most of the guidance we were given in game development was purely about how to sell a game. Some of the better advice also covered making games. However, the industry never cared much for how we felt about our creations as people. Glossing over the artistic journey for a product has consequences.

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Vagabond Dog @vagabond.dog · 03/03/2026

vagabond.dog has been an award-winning game studio with a quiet cult following for well over a decade, and now extends its expertise in the art of indie games to you. We're opening an on-demand creative, technical, and business consult at flexible rates for all. Those who can't do, teach... right?

vagabond.dog

Vagabond Dog

Game development studio and creative consulting. Makers of Always Sometimes Monsters.

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