Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
@errantcanadian.com
Philosopher, educator, writer, game designer. Sue & Harry Bovay Assistant Teaching Professor & Director of the History & Ethics of Professional Engineering at Cornell University.
🏠 trystangoetze.ca
🏢 ethics.engineering.cornell.edu
🎲 errantcanadian.itch.io
🏠 trystangoetze.ca
🏢 ethics.engineering.cornell.edu
🎲 errantcanadian.itch.io
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
My End of Year video is on the "Golden Age of Indie RPGs," from roughly 2010 to 2025. I start with Apocalypse World's release, work through the Google+ Era, and follow design lineages and historical events that have impacted the hobby up through 2025.
The Golden Age of Indie RPGs: 2010-2025
YouTube video by A.A. Voigt
youtu.be
December 29, 2025 at 5:07 PM
My End of Year video is on the "Golden Age of Indie RPGs," from roughly 2010 to 2025. I start with Apocalypse World's release, work through the Google+ Era, and follow design lineages and historical events that have impacted the hobby up through 2025.
Before playing, go to a thrift store and buy a mix of random cassette tapes, based purely on vibes.
Whenever your character does something risky or dangerous:
1. Pick a random cassette.
2. Fast forward the tape to a random spot; press play.
3. Listen to exactly 3 seconds of the recording.
…
[1/3]
Whenever your character does something risky or dangerous:
1. Pick a random cassette.
2. Fast forward the tape to a random spot; press play.
3. Listen to exactly 3 seconds of the recording.
…
[1/3]
Non-standard resolution systems free to good home:
Boggle Board
Pogs
Cassette Recorder
Handloom
Quarter and Shotglass
Packet of matches
Three foot long piece of yarn
I have shelved these game ideas, but I had serious thoughts about them. Most died due to accessibility. D6s and cards still rule.
Boggle Board
Pogs
Cassette Recorder
Handloom
Quarter and Shotglass
Packet of matches
Three foot long piece of yarn
I have shelved these game ideas, but I had serious thoughts about them. Most died due to accessibility. D6s and cards still rule.
December 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Before playing, go to a thrift store and buy a mix of random cassette tapes, based purely on vibes.
Whenever your character does something risky or dangerous:
1. Pick a random cassette.
2. Fast forward the tape to a random spot; press play.
3. Listen to exactly 3 seconds of the recording.
…
[1/3]
Whenever your character does something risky or dangerous:
1. Pick a random cassette.
2. Fast forward the tape to a random spot; press play.
3. Listen to exactly 3 seconds of the recording.
…
[1/3]
# 2025 #TTRPG year in review
## Games Run
Trophy Gold/Dark*, Fate, Girl by Moonlight, Hearts & Haunts†, Brindlewood Bay, Star Wars (Genesys)
## Games Played
Star Trek Adventures, Tremulus, Monster of the Week, Wildsea
## Games Run
Trophy Gold/Dark*, Fate, Girl by Moonlight, Hearts & Haunts†, Brindlewood Bay, Star Wars (Genesys)
## Games Played
Star Trek Adventures, Tremulus, Monster of the Week, Wildsea
December 28, 2025 at 5:29 PM
# 2025 #TTRPG year in review
## Games Run
Trophy Gold/Dark*, Fate, Girl by Moonlight, Hearts & Haunts†, Brindlewood Bay, Star Wars (Genesys)
## Games Played
Star Trek Adventures, Tremulus, Monster of the Week, Wildsea
## Games Run
Trophy Gold/Dark*, Fate, Girl by Moonlight, Hearts & Haunts†, Brindlewood Bay, Star Wars (Genesys)
## Games Played
Star Trek Adventures, Tremulus, Monster of the Week, Wildsea
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
I think it would be fun if writers who love language started intentionally writing more strangely as AI flattens written "content" into a mono-voice. it would cool I think if writers responded by focusing their individual efforts on cultivating a really unique voice that's hard to copy
December 6, 2025 at 9:46 PM
I think it would be fun if writers who love language started intentionally writing more strangely as AI flattens written "content" into a mono-voice. it would cool I think if writers responded by focusing their individual efforts on cultivating a really unique voice that's hard to copy
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
Je viens de réaliser que Tolkien a commis une erreur de cohérence dans le SDA.
Une énorme. ÉNORMISSIME.
Les hobbits vivent dans des trous.
Leur pays ne devrait donc pas, ne peut pas s'appeler la Comté, mais l'Emmenthal.
Ce sera tout pour aujourd'hui minuit approche.
Une énorme. ÉNORMISSIME.
Les hobbits vivent dans des trous.
Leur pays ne devrait donc pas, ne peut pas s'appeler la Comté, mais l'Emmenthal.
Ce sera tout pour aujourd'hui minuit approche.
November 26, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Je viens de réaliser que Tolkien a commis une erreur de cohérence dans le SDA.
Une énorme. ÉNORMISSIME.
Les hobbits vivent dans des trous.
Leur pays ne devrait donc pas, ne peut pas s'appeler la Comté, mais l'Emmenthal.
Ce sera tout pour aujourd'hui minuit approche.
Une énorme. ÉNORMISSIME.
Les hobbits vivent dans des trous.
Leur pays ne devrait donc pas, ne peut pas s'appeler la Comté, mais l'Emmenthal.
Ce sera tout pour aujourd'hui minuit approche.
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
Quite an opening.
November 20, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Quite an opening.
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
As Langdon Winner put so well 40 years ago, don't fall into the trap of accepting "RISK" as a good framework for these conversations. Business interests love framing their violence in terms of "risks & rewards" bc as a society, we love to heroize & reward risk-takers. Talk instead about "HAZARD."
November 17, 2025 at 12:55 PM
As Langdon Winner put so well 40 years ago, don't fall into the trap of accepting "RISK" as a good framework for these conversations. Business interests love framing their violence in terms of "risks & rewards" bc as a society, we love to heroize & reward risk-takers. Talk instead about "HAZARD."
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
ko-fi.com/quietsnooze/...
Oops I opened a very limited amount of portrait commissions 🫣 #commissionsopen
Oops I opened a very limited amount of portrait commissions 🫣 #commissionsopen
October 27, 2025 at 6:34 PM
ko-fi.com/quietsnooze/...
Oops I opened a very limited amount of portrait commissions 🫣 #commissionsopen
Oops I opened a very limited amount of portrait commissions 🫣 #commissionsopen
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
We've had these two little posters hanging on our wall for basically ever. They helped our kids get through middle school and high school and I personally still take a second to read them often.
Printable PDF here: lumpley.games/wp-content/u...
Printable PDF here: lumpley.games/wp-content/u...
November 16, 2025 at 4:10 PM
We've had these two little posters hanging on our wall for basically ever. They helped our kids get through middle school and high school and I personally still take a second to read them often.
Printable PDF here: lumpley.games/wp-content/u...
Printable PDF here: lumpley.games/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
To clarify, I don't have children, but I am a stoic father when the bit demands it.
While your child is asking ChatGPT, mine will be studying the blade.
November 10, 2025 at 4:56 PM
To clarify, I don't have children, but I am a stoic father when the bit demands it.
For @flagconithaca.bsky.social I updated the Lasers & Feelings hack @coastalkat.bsky.social & I wrote in 2020—We had a blast telling how the ghosts of a caveman, beatnik, bootlegger, and knight dealt w/ paranormal investigators in a haunted coworking space errantcanadian.itch.io/hearts-haunts #ttrpg
❤️ Hearts & Haunts 👻 by Trystan Goetze
A Lasers & Feelings hack about ghosts both friendly and frightening
errantcanadian.itch.io
November 9, 2025 at 1:49 AM
For @flagconithaca.bsky.social I updated the Lasers & Feelings hack @coastalkat.bsky.social & I wrote in 2020—We had a blast telling how the ghosts of a caveman, beatnik, bootlegger, and knight dealt w/ paranormal investigators in a haunted coworking space errantcanadian.itch.io/hearts-haunts #ttrpg
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
Many of you fine folks might have heard about Cosmopolitan Fantasy Games Sig: Manual of the Primes and Sig: City of Blades. Did you know that they are available in an affordable bundle with some extra goodies over on DriveThruRPG? www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
Sig: Cosmopolitan Planar Fantasy [BUNDLE] - Genesis of Legend Publishing | DriveThruRPG
This special bundle product contains the following titles:
Sig: Manual of the PrimesRegular price: $15.00Bundle price: $12.00Format: PDF
THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE CITY Sig is the nexus of the multiver...
www.drivethrurpg.com
November 1, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Many of you fine folks might have heard about Cosmopolitan Fantasy Games Sig: Manual of the Primes and Sig: City of Blades. Did you know that they are available in an affordable bundle with some extra goodies over on DriveThruRPG? www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/4...
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
THIS Monday!! T minus 2!!! Whaaaa!
T minus 7. We're launching the KS next Monday, one week from today!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/lum...
Coming soon: Apocalypse World: Burned Over
The 3rd edition of the groundbreaking original.
www.kickstarter.com
November 1, 2025 at 8:23 PM
THIS Monday!! T minus 2!!! Whaaaa!
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
New from 404 Media: libraries are scrambling for books after a giant distributor shut down. This is a huge disruption to public libraries across the country, some of which are warning their communities the shut down will limit their ability to lend books.
www.404media.co/libraries-sc...
www.404media.co/libraries-sc...
Libraries Scramble for Books After Giant Distributor Shuts Down
Why it might have been and may continue to be harder to get new releases from your local library.
www.404media.co
October 30, 2025 at 2:16 PM
New from 404 Media: libraries are scrambling for books after a giant distributor shut down. This is a huge disruption to public libraries across the country, some of which are warning their communities the shut down will limit their ability to lend books.
www.404media.co/libraries-sc...
www.404media.co/libraries-sc...
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.
October 27, 2025 at 10:38 AM
📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms).
It’s also concerning. 1/
It’s also concerning. 1/
Someone: Thank goodness we millennials grew up before online brainrot!
Me, at random intervals for the last 20 years: "Toons! Games! Eeeee-mail!"
Me, at random intervals for the last 20 years: "Toons! Games! Eeeee-mail!"
I imagine that when I was a teenager back in the late-1900s, the Olds then likely looked askance at all these Youngs shouting out, "Go banana!" So I am not too bothered by all the Youngs walking around shouting their skibidi ohio rizz and 6-7.
bart simpson is holding a banana in a cartoon
ALT: bart simpson is holding a banana in a cartoon
media.tenor.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Someone: Thank goodness we millennials grew up before online brainrot!
Me, at random intervals for the last 20 years: "Toons! Games! Eeeee-mail!"
Me, at random intervals for the last 20 years: "Toons! Games! Eeeee-mail!"
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
More pdfs up on my itch today! this time a PWYW sketchbook of character designs: sorcererscatalogue.itch.io/adventurers
Adventurers by Shel Kahn and the Sorcerer's Catalogue
A zine of characters from the table and more
sorcererscatalogue.itch.io
October 6, 2025 at 3:26 PM
More pdfs up on my itch today! this time a PWYW sketchbook of character designs: sorcererscatalogue.itch.io/adventurers
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
#Promptober is here! This time I included two free spaces, for people to make whatever they want (or to even take that day to rest). As usual, please use the #promptober or #ttrpgpromptober tags when you post! please also don't feel shy about tagging me in them so I can reskeet.
October 1, 2025 at 3:29 AM
#Promptober is here! This time I included two free spaces, for people to make whatever they want (or to even take that day to rest). As usual, please use the #promptober or #ttrpgpromptober tags when you post! please also don't feel shy about tagging me in them so I can reskeet.
At a book talk this afternoon Laurent Dubreuil said something that's going to stay with me for a while. Paraphrasing, it was like this: Social media has made communication so unpleasant that the mediocrity of what ChatGPT is capable of seems impressive—but we should strive for better than mediocrity
October 2, 2025 at 12:55 AM
At a book talk this afternoon Laurent Dubreuil said something that's going to stay with me for a while. Paraphrasing, it was like this: Social media has made communication so unpleasant that the mediocrity of what ChatGPT is capable of seems impressive—but we should strive for better than mediocrity
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
LLMs learned about em dashes from their master--me! And now people want me to use them less so as to not resemble the plagiarism machine? I say thee NAY!
September 4, 2025 at 12:23 AM
LLMs learned about em dashes from their master--me! And now people want me to use them less so as to not resemble the plagiarism machine? I say thee NAY!
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
Last week, Reuters published two articles by journalist Jeff Horwitz reporting concerning details about Meta's AI chatbot policies and products and how they affect children and vulnerable adults. Tech Policy Press invited experts to submit reactions to the reports—here are their responses:
Experts React to Reuters Reports on Meta's AI Chatbot Policies | TechPolicy.Press
Tech Policy Press invited a range of experts to submit reactions to concerning reports on Meta's AI chatbot policies and products.
www.techpolicy.press
August 18, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Last week, Reuters published two articles by journalist Jeff Horwitz reporting concerning details about Meta's AI chatbot policies and products and how they affect children and vulnerable adults. Tech Policy Press invited experts to submit reactions to the reports—here are their responses:
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
Our history weeks are over, which means today is the final day you can get 6 months of Rascal for 25% off with the code DJNAY.
Get access to hundreds of articles and directly support independent journalism
Get access to hundreds of articles and directly support independent journalism
Rascal News
Rascal is a tabletop roleplaying game and culture outlet striving to sustainably publish voicey journalism that is compelling, deeply-reported, and fearlessly honest. We’re also a little cheeky
www.rascal.news
August 18, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Our history weeks are over, which means today is the final day you can get 6 months of Rascal for 25% off with the code DJNAY.
Get access to hundreds of articles and directly support independent journalism
Get access to hundreds of articles and directly support independent journalism
Reposted by Trystan Goetze (they/them/theirs)
Worth a watch:
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
June 26, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Worth a watch:
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.
Head of Signal, Meredith Whittaker, on so-called "agentic AI" and the difference between how it's described in the marketing and what access and control it would actually require to work as advertised.