Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 1d

thanks! a dumb idea taken way way to far

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 2d

from the Dog Internet archives. WHAT DO THEY KNOW?

A "deep fried" image shows a hand drawn dog sniffing the backside of another. They are labelled as "client" and "server", and an arrow points to the middle noting "knowledge/data/insight". This is surrounded by text asking "What is happening?!", "dog text transfer protocol?" and "what do they know??"

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 3d

its now anticolonial catan. A more efficient version of Spirit Island.

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 3d

oh this counts as #craftwednesday!

the d4 is my favourite.

Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 3d

Sometimes dice in tabletop games are a bit "swing-y". I designed and made this full set of dice for people who prefer more consistent results. I call them Mean Dice.

benkirman.itch.io/mean-dice

#ttrpg #boardgames #dice #gamedesign #statistilols

Mean Dice by benkirman

For tabletop game players who don't like how

benkirman.itch.io

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 6d

Things immediately going wrong, escalating chaos and ill-advised hostage situations are just part of coding a website baby

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Reposted by Ben Kirman

Non-Breaking Space @nbsp1618.bsky.social · 18d

@boardgamegeek.com was kind enough to let me publish a designer diary for #crossbronxexpressway
boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
@gmtgames.bsky.social

Designer Diary: Cross Bronx Expressway, or Presenting a History on the Table | BoardGameGeek News

boardgamegeek.com

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 6d

Hunting a vampire in Tragic Castle Obsession, unfortunately my wooden crucifix caught vampirism and enthralled me. Theres a lesson here somewhere. #morkborg #solitarydefilement #solorpg 1d105.itch.io/tragic-castl...

Tragic Castle Obsession by 1d10+5

Vampires! Vampires! Vampires!

1d105.itch.io

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Reposted by Ben Kirman

Frans Mäyrä @fransmayra.bsky.social · 11d

Three (3) new postdoctoral game studies positions are now open for applications. These are related to the exit phase (2026-27) of the CoE-GameCult, and positions will situated in the Tampere University Game Research Lab, COMS/ITC, Tampere University.

tuni.rekrytointi.com/paikat/index...

3 Postdoctoral Researchers (cultural game studies) / 3 tutkijatohtoria (kulttuurinen pelitutkimus)

tuni.rekrytointi.com

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 15d

Looking forward to this event on social justice in tabletop games. Come see/play some games (inc Billionaires and Guillotines, Daybreak, Molly House) and explore the topic, it would be cool to see you there (London 14/11) www.tickettailor.com/events/kings... #gamedesign #gamesresearch

Select tickets – Gaming Social Justice – REACH Space

Gaming Social Justice – REACH Space, Fri 14 Nov 2025 - ‘Let the children once see clearly the gross injustice of our present land system and when they grow up, if they are allowed to develop naturall...

www.tickettailor.com

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 18d

Nailed it!

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Reposted by Ben Kirman

doruk @dorukb.bsky.social · 18d

i did it you can stop thinking about it, i just solved The Male Loneliness Epidemic downpour.games/~doruk/solut...

" Solutions To The Male Loneliness Epidemic" by doruk

A Downpour game by doruk

downpour.games

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 18d

Walked past a bunch of film students on their way to a lecture, and thought it was cute how many of them were wearing movie t shirts. Dune, Jaws, etc. Chuckled to myself and then realised I'm wearing my "Escape the Dark Sector" board game shirt on the way to my teaching...

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 22d

I'd been playing adventure games with my youngest for "bedtime story" and we chose to play 'Return' without realising the themes. I've never had such deep emotional impact from a game, as I did playing it with a child on my knee. I'll never forget that, thank you to you all.

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 29d

Safe travels, great to see you and thanks for the talk!

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · 29d

This is great, thanks for sharing - it was wild to see entire stands for BORG-likes at UKGE and feeling like it was already too late (considering MB is only from 2020!). But also, wary about being too critical of homage just because they aren't masterpieces.

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · Sep 11

MÖRK BORG and CY_BORG came up in conversation more than once at the conference I was at this week, a sign probably that i should be working on a supplement of my own (DÖG_BORG...?)

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · Sep 11

CÖRK BØRD is "a MÖRK BORG compatible game of police procedural horror". (I don't know much about it, but what a name!) www.kickstarter.com/projects/all...

Cörk Bord: a Nordic Noir investigative Role-Playing Game

A MÖRK BORG compatible game of police procedural horror where every clue cuts deep and success lies beneath the baggage of broken lives

www.kickstarter.com

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Reposted by Ben Kirman

Stefano Gualeni @gua-le-ni.com · Sep 8

Next Thursday (September 11th), join @florencesn.bsky.social & myself in discussing #game archaeology and speculative #fiction in relation to my latest novel!

The presentation starts at 6 PM at Village Bookstore in Leeds (UK):
>> villagebooks.co/blogs/blog/w... <<

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · Aug 8

Hah yep I noticed that too! I couldn't believe how big the shop was, like a cave system of tiny spectacle elves, of whom I had to meet at least 30 in slightly varying roles.

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · Aug 8

Also looking forward to learning about the social cliques, rifts and slurs that different glasses wearers have for each other. Fuckin' readers and Longo's etc

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · Aug 8

Age caught up with me and I've joined glasses gang. I wasn't prepared for the weird pageantry vibes of the opticians. Like a medical coronation.

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Reposted by Ben Kirman

doruk @dorukb.bsky.social · Aug 6

york folks, i'm starting to run weekly workshops about alternative, low-tech digital tools. running the first, trial session monday next week. come by, play and make a zine!!
sign-up here: www.eventbrite.com/e/make-and-b...

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · Jul 25

bloody eck

The Draw a Fish website except I badly photoshopped the age verification thing from Bluesky into it in a half baked topical gag.

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Ben Kirman @ben.kirman.org · Jul 24

The compulsory scam-awareness training uses as an example phishing email of "You are getting a raise", and assures me that my employers would never ever send me such an email.

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