Bez Bonnie-Beth 🇹🇭 🇬🇧
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stuffbybez.bsky.social
Bez Bonnie-Beth 🇹🇭 🇬🇧
@stuffbybez.bsky.social
Loves games, dancing, people. Makes games. Improvises music. Tries to be a decent human. Sometimes refers to herself in the 3rd person. https://linktr.ee/stuffByBez

Designer, developer, illustrator, rules writer/editor. Available for hire.

Learning Thai.
Pinned
Hello new bluesky peeps!

I'm Bez Bonnie-Beth Shahriari. Sometimes I design/illustrate stuff.

In A Bind (relaunched as Yogi) is my biggest seller by far.
I'm proudest of my ELL deck games, including Coupell.
...Cute Comical Creatures and Trying to Identify Them After Someone Makes Noises is cool.
I think that marketing, along with logistics, is probably way more important to a game's success than the stuff in the box.
January 19, 2026 at 3:57 PM
When we can't change it, we must adapt.

When you're cycling in BKK and a motorcycle is going the wrong way - it's not helpful to be annoyed, but it is helpful to get out the way. 😛

But really, if it's an issue, bring out the red flags and effect change.

Literal red flags in Thai traffic.
January 16, 2026 at 4:55 PM
I used to be all about the podcasts.

Mainly board game design things. A few about reviews and news and opinions.

Occasionally, something else about interesting facts, mindfulness, self, or just some entertaining stories/jokes. And in the past 5 years, a few for learning Thai.

Now I barely listen.
January 16, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Announcement:

I just closed my online shop. For many years, the admin has been a struggle for me, so I'm 'retiring' from single-person self-publishing.

All remaining stock I had is donated to @farplace.bsky.social , who will be selling it at their UKGE stand.

I'm gonna focus on other stuff.
January 16, 2026 at 4:50 AM
If you really try to avoid 'tainted' hands, by wearing plastic gloves, you're just giving up tactile joy.

#mangosteenWisdom
Even the best mangosteen will turn your hands red, whether you want it or not. And if you do want it, it probably won't happen in the precise way you want.

#mangosteenWisdom
Timing is everything. Too late and it's rotten.

#mangosteenWisdom
January 13, 2026 at 3:25 AM
I have a theory. That there is a strong correlation between liking Durian and enjoying Strong Blue Cheese.

Can someone do research into this?
January 12, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Even the best mangosteen will turn your hands red, whether you want it or not. And if you do want it, it probably won't happen in the precise way you want.

#mangosteenWisdom
Timing is everything. Too late and it's rotten.

#mangosteenWisdom
Mangosteen is the best fruit, I feel. It's just an opinion - you can disagree and still be my friend.
January 8, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Timing is everything. Too late and it's rotten.

#mangosteenWisdom
Mangosteen is the best fruit, I feel. It's just an opinion - you can disagree and still be my friend.
January 8, 2026 at 11:41 AM
Mangosteen is the best fruit, I feel. It's just an opinion - you can disagree and still be my friend.
January 8, 2026 at 2:56 AM
I never really appreciated durian burps until @ericlang.bsky.social pointed them out.

Durian - the gift that keeps giving.
December 31, 2025 at 12:07 AM
It makes me a bit sad that tweaking a game to better fit a group (with the knowledge, or even input of that group) is seen as an issue.

As if the designer is some sort of holy being and their intent should always be observed without fail.
December 29, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Hot take:

Dictionary definitions are kinda rubbish.
December 27, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Vague thought:

We don't talk/think enough about parsability in games.
December 27, 2025 at 6:52 AM
Vague thought:

Being 'good' requires us to acknowledge that some of our actions will be bad.

We cannot be perfect. Even if we try our best, we will bring some harm to others.

Acknowledging clashes and moving away from some incompatible relationships can be healthy, minimising harm.
December 27, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Reposted by Bez Bonnie-Beth 🇹🇭 🇬🇧
A @stuffbybez.bsky.social game is often a good fit for a cosy day
December 25, 2025 at 3:34 PM
I don't think ANYTHING is intrinsically bad [game design].

Maybe except for losing sight of any overarching context.

Everything is contextual.

Follow your whimsy and do weird shit. Keep some idea of why you're doing that stuff though.
December 16, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Whether it's my words, or actions, or something I shared a while ago, I love knowing that I've contributed positively to someone else's life.

boardgamegeek.com/image/927771...

As such, I was delighted to see this newly-completed sheet on BGG.

What do you see? Hand or house? #DrawnTogetherGame
#DrawnTogetherGame
What do you think: Hand or House ?
boardgamegeek.com
December 14, 2025 at 8:37 AM
I've been enjoying Tactile on BGA recently.

In a recent game I was almost at the goal, but blocking and efficiency allowed my opponent to eventually turn the tide!

I find it a simple thing but with potential for surprises. Decent agency and interaction.

boardgamearena.com/14/tactile?t...
TacTile
Play TacTile online from your browser with the whole world!
boardgamearena.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:06 AM
I'm not great at Root. :-p
December 10, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Help!

I've just been sent a photo that short-circuited my brain.

(In a good way.)
December 9, 2025 at 8:30 AM
I just saw some yoghurt-flavoured water!

What the heck‽

I bought it. It's thin, not at all viscous. Definitely water. But yes. It tastes like yoghurt. MY MIND IS BLOWN.
December 2, 2025 at 3:08 PM
The info no-one asked for:

Letters with a potentially-identical sound in Thai/English next to each other on a keyboard:

D ฎ
M ม
L ฬ
I ี
U ี
T ถ

And these are the ones on the same button:
T ธ

Researched by me over the past 10 minutes and is subject to errors by me. I'm very open to correction.
December 2, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Good morning, or whatever it is wherever you are!

Today, I'm meeting up with 2 potential friends for lunch/dinner.

What are you looking forward to today?
December 2, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Assumptions are necessary, on some level.

I don't think making assumptions is problematic. It's only when you refuse to internally challenge those assumptions in the face of contrasting evidence.
November 28, 2025 at 6:59 AM
ฉันเรียนภาษาไทยค่ะ

Studying Thai, I feel amazingly privileged to have native speakers willing to encourage, correct, and point me in the right direction.
November 27, 2025 at 4:05 PM