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James Pianka • EM|NCD

@jamespianka.bsky.social

320 followers 160 following 280 posts

Systems, narrative, and content designer for video games. Publishing TTRPGs as Empty Mountain (Nothing Can Die). Opinions my own. He/him. SHRINES v1.0.0 (digital): https://emptymountain-ncd.itch.io/shrines

emptymountain-ncd.itch.io

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 2d

That's literally, methodologically, all it CAN do. I feel mystical again in comparison.

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Reposted by James Pianka • EM|NCD

Chibdm @chibdm.bsky.social · 2d

Robin Williams' daughter has some quality thoughts on AI slop

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 3d

All those bands have been or actively are a ton of fun. I'm actually from ABR's hometown! I lift at their singer's gym lol. Scene shit for life

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 4d

Scene bro DETECTED

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Reposted by James Pianka • EM|NCD

Will Stancil @whstancil.bsky.social · 6d

The reality is that the US Department of Homeland Security has been openly seized by unapologetic white nationalists who freely indulge in neo-Nazi rhetoric and use their huge and growing paramilitary army to mount massive attacks on communities of color in the US in a campaign of racist oppression

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 6d

These are so fucking hot

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 7d

Love to see this press' focus on systemic narrative design

Central Michigan University Press @cmichpress.bsky.social · 7d

We just premiered a teaser for the RPGs launching with Art & System: Dog Eat Dog by @thoughtfulemoji.bsky.social, Princess with a Cursed Sword by @cyborgurl.bsky.social, and The Mountain Witch by Timothy Kleinert. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/4K3wK7huBnI

Pledge here: https://bit.ly/4mIpcbG

Book covers for the three games in this campaign on a white background. At the bottom of the screen is a big golden stripe and the words Launch Promo Art and System written upon it in scarlet.

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 9d

Kill the Wizard's gameplay systems, and honestly the majority of its content, feel pretty finished!

The player abilities that live on equippables need some iteration, but all in all decisions seem interesting, outcomes feel fair, and both tempo and duration reeeeally hit the mark.

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 10d

lmao fuckin dorks

Reposted by James Pianka • EM|NCD

Endless Forms @endlessformsart.bsky.social · 11d

Made a little teaser video! :) #ttrpg #dungeoncrawl #zelda

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 11d

2025 LinkedIn feels like a masked gala that just served human flesh for dinner

Reposted by James Pianka • EM|NCD

David Blandy makes games sometimes @davidblandyrpgs.bsky.social · 12d

Everyone should get down to @iglootree.bsky.social ‘s new shop in Lewisham. Amazing to see such a great range of books and zines in one place, beautifully presented. Number one Ttrpg Mecca in the UK. Get down today to play games run by Luke Gearing, Andrew Walters and win cool stuff in the raffle!

Iglootree grand opening in Lewisham, a yellow and black fronted shop on a London street, seen across a crossing

A table of cool ttrpgs including Swyvers, Wet Grandpa, Fungi of the Far realm and many more.

Two fans check out the games section of the shop

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 12d

T-minus 3 months until a pooping fly shows up in a TTRPG

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 13d

Well yeah, you can hold em! (And thanks, buddy, I hope you like it.)

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 13d

Will be soon! PDF link in bio (if you buy it, I will refund you). In fact, download key incoming.

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 13d

Oh, I'm currently releasing a book called Shrines that follows some vague commercial precepts but mostly marches to its own weird, syncopated drum and thus now faces the challenge of post-Kickstarter sales to an audience I struggle to define.

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 13d

I have lots to say about art vs commerce here, but I'll truncate to "Please don't capitulate to market trends at the expense of personal touch," because that's what makes things worth buying, BUT ALSO "If you need it to monetize, make something that enough people actually want" (ie not Shrines).

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 13d

I could always use more solo systems, as the one I personally want to play doesn't seem to exist (which means I'm gonna make one, too). I don't really think we need more heartbreakers, no, but if you do SOMETHING differently, people will probably bite.

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 15d

Ok pinged, but it's fairly likely that I bothered the wrong account

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 15d

By who, though? Don't get me wrong, watching that would relieve me of a literal heart condition, but I don't see counter-pressure.

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 15d

Ahhh, thank you so much 🥰

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 16d

Hi, I'd love to connect about actual plays of my little worldbuilding game SANCTUM, which you could bang out in 15 min as an intermission or prelude for something else: emptymountain-ncd.itch.io/sanctum
Thanks!

SANCTUM by Empty Mountain (Nothing Can Die)

A worldbuilding game about dungeons

emptymountain-ncd.itch.io

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James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 16d

Woah, a traveler from a different timeline. Take us with you!

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 17d

Photography by the radiant www.instagram.com/ibeeasian/

James Pianka • EM|NCD @jamespianka.bsky.social · 17d

This weekend I helped my sister run a silent disco across downtown Lancaster, PA, and let me tell y'all something: public levity feels really good right now.

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