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Nathalie Lawhead

@alienmelon.bsky.social

7.3K followers 540 following 2.8K posts

i make experimental games, net-art, and software ~Tetrageddon, Everything is going to be OK, Electric Zine Maker, BlueSuburbia… 🔥 http://tetrageddon.com 🦄 http://unicornycopia.com 🐘 [email protected] 🌈 they/them ⭐️ (i live in EU now 🦜)

tetrageddon.com

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · Aug 26

individualism in the dead-internet age: an anti-big tech asset flip shovelware r̶a̶n̶t̶ manifesto
alienmelon.itch.io/shovelware
"This is an interactive-essay-meets-walking-sim about technocapitalism and the things we lost along the way."
🦴💕✨🐛💥
#GameDev #IndieGame #IndieGames #IndieGameDev #LiminalSpace

Exploring the Windows 3D maze screensaver you find a smiley face lurking from behind the corner. The face is very big. It looks menacing.

In a room with monitors piled on a trashcan. There are papers surrounding the dumpster, and bags of trash in the corner. Someone cleared out in a hurry.

Entering the classic 3D maze screensaver. There are rats up ahead. You must collect them.

Turning a corner to find old CRT monitors piled against the wall. Mice are dangling from the ceiling. The "Start" icon is in the corner.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 12h

until game journalism understands that it’s just another extension of the abuse of power in the game industry.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 12h

no amount of putting the blame on the victim (source) with “they should have known better, it was on the record, what did you expect speaking to a journalist…”… no amount of that makes it ok or justifiable for that field to treat the most vulnerable here the way it does.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 12h

real integrity and actually telling the truth should matter. if it did you’d care just a little about how the way you write a story endangers someone.
none of that happened for me or plenty of others “hurt and moved on from” by that field. the way endangering us was justified should speak volumes.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 12h

trust is important for journalism too but the ones here will regularly break that trust, excuse breaking it, excuse the people who did awful, and (just like the worst parts of the internet) go after the source hurt. there is no integrity. it’s just a lot of tough righteous sounding talk.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 12h

and not even for a good or truthful story, but one that got jammed out real fast to meet the discourse of a moment… because a story is only worth the attention it gets.
if game journalism is ready to destroy lives and excuses doing that as some journalistic necessity…i don’t see why it’s “vital”.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 12h

game journalism is (because of that) evil for how it will lie to vulnerable sources to get what it wants, hide behind some pretense of “on or off the record” and then happily watch as the worst parts of the internet go after that source.
i mean it when i say worst parts of the internet.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 12h

i understand that the quoted article isn’t about this, but it pushes a button, so i’ll be reactionary and say this thread (generalizing game journalism)…
there’s a dark side to when they talk like that.
with its present mentalities, game journalism will readily destroy someone’s life for a story…

Game Developer @gamedeveloper.bsky.social · 3d

Our news editor @kerrblimey.bsky.social has some advice for developers and PR reps looking to navigate the press slalom:

A quote from an article discussing how to engage with journalists that reads:

"No matter how cordial our correspondence, there might come a time when I have to report on you, your product, or your company in a way you no longer find beneficial or flattering. That is the job. Reporters are not an extension of your marketing department. We are not there to promote you, your product, or tailor headlines to meet your specific needs.

"Acknowledge this before you agree to an interview. Let the truth wash over you like a salve. You'll be better off for it."

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Reposted by Nathalie Lawhead

Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 1d

people will excuse the most vile evil things if they like the creative output of someone or benefit from a person.

i told the truth.

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Reposted by Nathalie Lawhead

Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 14d

i told the truth

www.nathalielawhead.com/candybox/abu...

“Abusing you was by the book” (documenting two years of abuse from Game Journalism, after sharing my #metoo… the whole painful story all in one place) – The Candybox Blog

www.nathalielawhead.com

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 1d

people will excuse the most vile evil things if they like the creative output of someone or benefit from a person.

i told the truth.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 1d

people defending him again because they’re fans and are upset he’s not working on es6…so i’ll say this again:
i told the truth.
i stand by what i said.
he announced he wasn’t going to work on es6 way before i came forward. me coming forward made no difference.
www.nathalielawhead.com/candybox/abu...

“Abusing you was by the book” (documenting two years of abuse from Game Journalism, after sharing my #metoo… the whole painful story all in one place) – The Candybox Blog

www.nathalielawhead.com

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 1d

yes lol. harsh new reality in line with the rest of the world.
hard to read anything positive into it.

Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 1d

why does everything lately feel like the end of the world?

who’s new era?
good for who???

it just feels like (the visual depiction of) stripping what mattered out and keeping everything people didn’t really like but had to tolerate…

Game Developers Conference @officialgdc.bsky.social · 1d

A New Era Awaits!

bit.ly/3KKYUIq

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 2d

if you can share this or offer support it would go a long way to empowering the creation for a permanent space for an event that already does a lot for indie games in europe.
if this succeeds it would make a big difference here! sickhouse is amazing.

Sickhouse @sickhouse-nl.bsky.social · 3d

Insert coin to support playful talent!
We are half way to open the doors of the new Sickhouse! Help us reach 100% and bring our space to live 🤩

Support us and grab some awesome rewards:
sickhouse.creativefunding.nl/project/crow...

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Reposted by Nathalie Lawhead

Roos Groothuizen @roosgr.bsky.social · 2d

Give @sickhouse-nl.bsky.social a home! 🏡 My super cool friends in Enschede have finally gotten the keys to a permanent place after an involuntary nomadic life. And of course nothing comes easy in the cultural world. Everything needs to be renovated and there is no money. Help them out by donating!

Sickhouse: Help ons nieuwe huis voor playful art te bouwen

Iedere euro die jij doneert draagt bij aan het openen van onze deuren zodat we exposities, films, concerten, game events, festivals, residencies, meet-ups en nog veel meer kunnen organiseren door het…

buff.ly

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Reposted by Nathalie Lawhead

Mega Flare @megaflare0.bsky.social · 4d

As someone from central VA this bundle is so important right now!
Do what you can; Give it some support getting some cool games or just share it around. Whatever you do will be helpful for those in need.

Swan and Raven Studio @swanandravenstudio.com · 5d

Drumroll please...

HELLO//GOODBYE is a charity bundle containing 203 games for only $12. Every dollar goes directly to Virginia charities providing free legal aid to people facing injustice. Available now until November 5th.

itch.io/b/3276/hello...

HELLO//GOODBYE Charity Bundle for Legal Aid. available until November 5th, 6PM EST

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Reposted by Nathalie Lawhead

Synthwave For Palestine @synthforpalestine.bsky.social · 7d

hello and happy Bandcamp Friday! we are Synthwave For Palestine, a synthwave charity album featuring 15 tracks from amazing artists with all proceeds going to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund www.pcrf.net

help us spread the word!

synthwaveforpalestine.bandcamp.com

Synthwave For Palestine, by Synthwave For Palestine

15 track album

synthwaveforpalestine.bandcamp.com

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 2d

yay i’m The Final Girl!
🥳😱😭

Zesty Rico 🖕🧊 @juicyricoxxl.bsky.social · 2d

What is your horror movie role this Halloween? 🎃 👻 🔪

Reposted by Nathalie Lawhead

Richard Moss @mossrc.bsky.social · 2d

The Continuum web/JS port now has a bunch of fan-made "galaxies" (level sets) in addition to the original one, and apparently one of the galaxies was just a 17-level sampler pack for the full 75-level set advertised in this incredible flyer.

A flyer for a Continuum level set, promising "75 of the hardest levels anywhere" if you send a disk and 50 cents (or $3 and no disk) to an address in Oklahoma. The flyer has several different fonts and a few custom graphics.

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Reposted by Nathalie Lawhead

Tag - leaving Bsky soon @robot-horde.bsky.social · 3d

Since I see misinformation spread about Pillowfort often, and I think it’s a great site to join if you don’t want all your social media eggs in one basket, here’s a thread debunking common misconceptions I’ve seen over the years. 🧵

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Reposted by Nathalie Lawhead

Z'nacky @znacky09.bsky.social · 3d

Not sure how this will treat the filter on this but I really like how it turned out! For context, I've been using a program called Electric Zine Maker for the images uploaded thus far (otherwise I use clip), I adore the texture the options give to pictures~

An image depicting Genji from Touhou Project. The old turtle looks out from the Hakurei Shrine, looking out over Gensokyo as the sun sets in the distance. Marisa and Reimu can be seen as silhouettes flying in the distance, going out for a fun night together~.

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 3d

look it’s true: we can have nice things!
they tried and now they have nice things and that means it’s possible we all have nice things.
nice things are possible!!

Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 3d

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

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Synthwave For Palestine @synthforpalestine.bsky.social · 6d

we've already raised nearly $300 ($297.00 to be exact)!!! thank you to everyone who has already grabbed a copy and to all the artists who helped make this possible!

make sure to get your copy of Synthwave For Palestine today! proceeds go to PCRF! #BandcampFriday

synthwaveforpalestine.bandcamp.com

Synthwave For Palestine, by Synthwave For Palestine

15 track album

synthwaveforpalestine.bandcamp.com

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Nathalie Lawhead @alienmelon.bsky.social · 3d

lol hopefully it was the start of a good existential crisis for him where he thought about how art matters 😆
you never know! sometimes it’s good when you have the energy to push back a little on a person’s weird unquestioned assumptions.
but man the way art is viewed speaks volumes to priority…

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Kristin Henry @kristinhenry.bsky.social · 3d

I remember talking with a guy at one of my shows, with my art, and I mentioned how some other countries supported the arts a lot more than we do here in the US.

He said "I don't think I'd like my taxes to be supporting arts".

I replied "I don't like my taxes paying for bombs."

He seemed shocked

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