Evan Torner
@guyintheblackhat.bsky.social
Associate Professor of German, Niehoff Professor of Film & Media Studies at U of Cincinnati; Scholar of East German cinema, science fiction, and role-playing games. He/Him. Bi. Wears a hat.
Pinned
I'd like to think of "dark academia" as "I, a brooding professor who wears all black, have [these clothes] on while I send many emails and update Canvas assignment due dates"
Reposted by Evan Torner
A modder has turned Red Dead Redemption 2 into a "legally distinct" Pokémon-style game, where Arthur Morgan can catch wild animals and use them to battle NPCs' animals.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-modde...
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-modde...
A modder has turned Red Dead Redemption 2 into a ‘legally distinct’ Pokémon style game | VGC
The mod lets players catch animals and use them to fight other NPCs’ animals…
www.videogameschronicle.com
February 3, 2026 at 12:22 PM
A modder has turned Red Dead Redemption 2 into a "legally distinct" Pokémon-style game, where Arthur Morgan can catch wild animals and use them to battle NPCs' animals.
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-modde...
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-modde...
Reposted by Evan Torner
You'll get different definitions at different studios but here's mine: a person who helps individual contributors (ICs) and leads work with each other to make workflows better/easier/[Radiohead voice] more productive. They should be like oil: reducing friction and energy required to get things done.
what exactly is a producer's job as someone vaguely and cautiously interested in game development as a job? I honestly assumed it was just another word for director
February 2, 2026 at 4:56 AM
You'll get different definitions at different studios but here's mine: a person who helps individual contributors (ICs) and leads work with each other to make workflows better/easier/[Radiohead voice] more productive. They should be like oil: reducing friction and energy required to get things done.
Reposted by Evan Torner
Happy Black History Month!
I'm Sonya! I'm mixed black and currently open for commissions and open to freelance work!
✉️ [email protected]
💻 sonybaloneyart.com
☕ ko-fi.com/sonybaloneyart
I'm Sonya! I'm mixed black and currently open for commissions and open to freelance work!
✉️ [email protected]
💻 sonybaloneyart.com
☕ ko-fi.com/sonybaloneyart
February 2, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Happy Black History Month!
I'm Sonya! I'm mixed black and currently open for commissions and open to freelance work!
✉️ [email protected]
💻 sonybaloneyart.com
☕ ko-fi.com/sonybaloneyart
I'm Sonya! I'm mixed black and currently open for commissions and open to freelance work!
✉️ [email protected]
💻 sonybaloneyart.com
☕ ko-fi.com/sonybaloneyart
Can relate
I’m being smothered by emails. Help.
February 3, 2026 at 5:25 AM
Can relate
Reposted by Evan Torner
I wrote a piece on Flash about five years ago that I think is worth resurfacing in this moment.
tedium.co/2021/01/01/a...
tedium.co/2021/01/01/a...
February 3, 2026 at 4:46 AM
I wrote a piece on Flash about five years ago that I think is worth resurfacing in this moment.
tedium.co/2021/01/01/a...
tedium.co/2021/01/01/a...
Reposted by Evan Torner
Tear gas is banned in international warfare, yet classified as a “riot control agent” that law enforcement can use for crowd control.
“It just doesn’t work well, and it hits the weakest people the most, and causes the most complications in them,” an anesthesiology professor at Duke University said.
“It just doesn’t work well, and it hits the weakest people the most, and causes the most complications in them,” an anesthesiology professor at Duke University said.
Tear Gas Is Way More Dangerous Than Police Let On
In the middle of a respiratory pandemic, law enforcement agencies have used tear gas in especially dangerous ways. The chemical agent also seeps into homes, contaminates food, furniture, skin and surf...
www.propublica.org
February 3, 2026 at 2:40 AM
Tear gas is banned in international warfare, yet classified as a “riot control agent” that law enforcement can use for crowd control.
“It just doesn’t work well, and it hits the weakest people the most, and causes the most complications in them,” an anesthesiology professor at Duke University said.
“It just doesn’t work well, and it hits the weakest people the most, and causes the most complications in them,” an anesthesiology professor at Duke University said.
Reposted by Evan Torner
If a groundhog gets a day to predict the future, New Yorkers deserve a city that plans for one.
Affordable housing, good transit, real public space — all year long.
Affordable housing, good transit, real public space — all year long.
February 2, 2026 at 10:05 PM
If a groundhog gets a day to predict the future, New Yorkers deserve a city that plans for one.
Affordable housing, good transit, real public space — all year long.
Affordable housing, good transit, real public space — all year long.
Reposted by Evan Torner
I don’t think I can say this forcefully enough: hundreds of thousands of Haitians will lose status tomorrow with racist ending of their TPS & are spending today refreshing their feeds for a court order that could literally save thier lives.
This is nothing short of psychosocial torture.
This is nothing short of psychosocial torture.
February 2, 2026 at 7:29 PM
I don’t think I can say this forcefully enough: hundreds of thousands of Haitians will lose status tomorrow with racist ending of their TPS & are spending today refreshing their feeds for a court order that could literally save thier lives.
This is nothing short of psychosocial torture.
This is nothing short of psychosocial torture.
Reposted by Evan Torner
Neysa McMein's "Games I Like to Play" (1934) documents her own games, e.g. her murder game, and games of the Algonquin Round Table, e.g. Alexander Woollcott's murder game variant. A pretty uncommon text, this might be its first complete digitization 🧵 1/
archive.org/details/mcme...
archive.org/details/mcme...
Games I Like to Play : Neysa McMein : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Games I Like to Play by Neysa McMein (1888-1949) was published as a standalone booklet by McCall's Magazine in 1934 without any copyright notice, putting the...
archive.org
February 2, 2026 at 4:14 PM
Neysa McMein's "Games I Like to Play" (1934) documents her own games, e.g. her murder game, and games of the Algonquin Round Table, e.g. Alexander Woollcott's murder game variant. A pretty uncommon text, this might be its first complete digitization 🧵 1/
archive.org/details/mcme...
archive.org/details/mcme...
A fun fact is that I was the English subtitler for one of Franz Rogowski's early films, FRONTALWATTE (2011), a Berlin film about listless young people which deserves more attention.
Franz Rogowski turns 40 today.
February 2, 2026 at 1:28 PM
A fun fact is that I was the English subtitler for one of Franz Rogowski's early films, FRONTALWATTE (2011), a Berlin film about listless young people which deserves more attention.
Reposted by Evan Torner
Order We Are Each Other’s Liberation: Black & Asian Feminist Solidarities to get my speech from the vigil for the 1 year anniversary of the 2021 Atlanta massage parlour murders.
The editors approached me as I left the stage to ask if they could publish my speech.
Grateful I said yes. 🤲🏽
The editors approached me as I left the stage to ask if they could publish my speech.
Grateful I said yes. 🤲🏽
February 2, 2026 at 3:01 AM
Order We Are Each Other’s Liberation: Black & Asian Feminist Solidarities to get my speech from the vigil for the 1 year anniversary of the 2021 Atlanta massage parlour murders.
The editors approached me as I left the stage to ask if they could publish my speech.
Grateful I said yes. 🤲🏽
The editors approached me as I left the stage to ask if they could publish my speech.
Grateful I said yes. 🤲🏽
Reposted by Evan Torner
What a list from @mayascade.bsky.social for the @blackfilmarchive.bsky.social!
blackfilmarchive.substack.com/p/28-films-f...
blackfilmarchive.substack.com/p/28-films-f...
28 Films for the 28 Days of Black History Month
28 Films to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Black History Month
blackfilmarchive.substack.com
February 2, 2026 at 3:01 AM
What a list from @mayascade.bsky.social for the @blackfilmarchive.bsky.social!
blackfilmarchive.substack.com/p/28-films-f...
blackfilmarchive.substack.com/p/28-films-f...
There are still occasions when prestige is simply well-deserved.
Kendrick Lamar stands atop hip-hop's Grammy hill: He's now the most-awarded rapper in the ceremony's history, surpassing Jay-Z.
Follow for more live updates: bit.ly/4c5D4uR
Follow for more live updates: bit.ly/4c5D4uR
February 2, 2026 at 2:34 AM
There are still occasions when prestige is simply well-deserved.
Reposted by Evan Torner
On Langston Hughes’s birthday, I share this timeless poem.
February 1, 2026 at 5:45 PM
On Langston Hughes’s birthday, I share this timeless poem.
Reposted by Evan Torner
I'm releasing Aqua Tofana, a tarot-based solo game about poisoning your husband, set in 1600s Italy and inspired by true events!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/wan...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/wan...
Aqua Tofana
A baroque solo game about poisoning your husband
www.kickstarter.com
February 1, 2026 at 4:56 PM
I'm releasing Aqua Tofana, a tarot-based solo game about poisoning your husband, set in 1600s Italy and inspired by true events!
www.kickstarter.com/projects/wan...
www.kickstarter.com/projects/wan...
Reposted by Evan Torner
Here's the #VR experience I made for #GlobalGameJam! Trigger warning: political/intense + my way of processing the 😠stuff that has been happening recently.
"With Our Own Eyes":
andyman404.itch.io/with-our-own...
Trailer:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHLV...
#gamedev #ggj #ggj26 #globalgamejam #xr
"With Our Own Eyes":
andyman404.itch.io/with-our-own...
Trailer:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHLV...
#gamedev #ggj #ggj26 #globalgamejam #xr
February 2, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Here's the #VR experience I made for #GlobalGameJam! Trigger warning: political/intense + my way of processing the 😠stuff that has been happening recently.
"With Our Own Eyes":
andyman404.itch.io/with-our-own...
Trailer:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHLV...
#gamedev #ggj #ggj26 #globalgamejam #xr
"With Our Own Eyes":
andyman404.itch.io/with-our-own...
Trailer:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHLV...
#gamedev #ggj #ggj26 #globalgamejam #xr
Still a banger, after all these years
February 2, 2026 at 1:03 AM
Still a banger, after all these years
Reposted by Evan Torner
The powerful front page of the reformist newspaper Sazandegi features the names of 3,000 individuals who, according to government reports, were killed during the protests in Iran. #Iran #IranProtests2026
February 1, 2026 at 11:28 PM
The powerful front page of the reformist newspaper Sazandegi features the names of 3,000 individuals who, according to government reports, were killed during the protests in Iran. #Iran #IranProtests2026
Reposted by Evan Torner
As Black History Month begins, we honor the generations of Black New Yorkers who built this city into the “gorgeous mosaic” we call home.
Today, we reflect on the words of Mayor David Dinkins: our city’s first Black mayor (and a democratic socialist!).
Today, we reflect on the words of Mayor David Dinkins: our city’s first Black mayor (and a democratic socialist!).
February 1, 2026 at 2:11 PM
As Black History Month begins, we honor the generations of Black New Yorkers who built this city into the “gorgeous mosaic” we call home.
Today, we reflect on the words of Mayor David Dinkins: our city’s first Black mayor (and a democratic socialist!).
Today, we reflect on the words of Mayor David Dinkins: our city’s first Black mayor (and a democratic socialist!).
White, Harviainen, and Boss (2012) argue in our Immersive Gameplay book that "immersion" is a non-unified concept manifesting differently within specific play cultures.
Talking uncritically about "immersion" as something universal simply means one hasn't played much across other play cultures.
Talking uncritically about "immersion" as something universal simply means one hasn't played much across other play cultures.
Ok, #ttrpg hot take time. I've had a couple of beers, may regret this later.
If metacurrency ruins your immersion, then unless you've been doing some FKR bullshit, then every other RPG you've ever played has also done that. All of them require doing things that are "meta".
If metacurrency ruins your immersion, then unless you've been doing some FKR bullshit, then every other RPG you've ever played has also done that. All of them require doing things that are "meta".
February 1, 2026 at 2:33 PM
White, Harviainen, and Boss (2012) argue in our Immersive Gameplay book that "immersion" is a non-unified concept manifesting differently within specific play cultures.
Talking uncritically about "immersion" as something universal simply means one hasn't played much across other play cultures.
Talking uncritically about "immersion" as something universal simply means one hasn't played much across other play cultures.
Reposted by Evan Torner
Takeaway:
Any time the Trump administration says "AI" or anything about software or data, what you should hear is "repression as a service"
This has 2 parts:
1. AI as an excuse to consolidate data
2. AI to execute orders that humans would refuse
Any time the Trump administration says "AI" or anything about software or data, what you should hear is "repression as a service"
This has 2 parts:
1. AI as an excuse to consolidate data
2. AI to execute orders that humans would refuse
January 31, 2026 at 3:50 AM
Takeaway:
Any time the Trump administration says "AI" or anything about software or data, what you should hear is "repression as a service"
This has 2 parts:
1. AI as an excuse to consolidate data
2. AI to execute orders that humans would refuse
Any time the Trump administration says "AI" or anything about software or data, what you should hear is "repression as a service"
This has 2 parts:
1. AI as an excuse to consolidate data
2. AI to execute orders that humans would refuse
Reposted by Evan Torner
Get Ready for Five Fires!
Follow the BackerKit page and help take this #ttrpg of DJs, breakers, MCs, and graffiti writers from PDF to Print.
Follow the BackerKit page and help take this #ttrpg of DJs, breakers, MCs, and graffiti writers from PDF to Print.
Get Ready for Five Fires
From Thoughtcrime Games LLC - Get Ready for Five Fires
www.backerkit.com
January 31, 2026 at 4:30 PM
Get Ready for Five Fires!
Follow the BackerKit page and help take this #ttrpg of DJs, breakers, MCs, and graffiti writers from PDF to Print.
Follow the BackerKit page and help take this #ttrpg of DJs, breakers, MCs, and graffiti writers from PDF to Print.
Reposted by Evan Torner
the life of an animator rarely if ever comes with the prestige or recognition of live action cinema. there is no glitz, no glamour. its just long long hours with inks, cels, paper, light tables, and a million minute decisions. in this way it shares a lot with game dev
most creators remain anonymous
most creators remain anonymous
January 30, 2026 at 11:38 PM
the life of an animator rarely if ever comes with the prestige or recognition of live action cinema. there is no glitz, no glamour. its just long long hours with inks, cels, paper, light tables, and a million minute decisions. in this way it shares a lot with game dev
most creators remain anonymous
most creators remain anonymous
From Peter Fleming's Dark Academia:
January 31, 2026 at 1:02 PM
From Peter Fleming's Dark Academia: