Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · 14d

@campaignspotlight.bsky.social chatted with us at Dragonflight a few weeks ago! Check out their podcast version of the merchant hall at the con:
share.transistor.fm/s/750eca69#t...

Onsite at Dragonflight [S4T8] | Campaign Spotlight | Episode 14

This week, we're on location at the Dragonflight GameCon in Bellevue, WA! We hear about carefully engineered dice, the unsustainability of grimdark campaigns, and orange cats that are not burdened by ...

share.transistor.fm

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · 14d

Another great Game Market West!
www.gamemarketwest.com/fall-2025-re...
As always, the game community is the best part of these indie markets. Thanks to everyone that brings enthusiasm, energy, and joy to the space.

Johnny | Game Market West @gamemarketwest.bsky.social · 14d

Fall 2025 Recap: 400+ Attendees | 36 Designers & Special Guests

We had quite the lineup of games from a fan made expansion to a social deduction and area control crossover. Thank you for coming out and supporting indie game designers.

Stay tuned for our next event in late March!

#boardgames

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Reposted by Thomas Cardwell

Ted Mann Schaller @tedmannschaller.bsky.social · 21d

When life is busy, it’s nice to recognize some small incremental progress. Earlier this week I finally got Counterpoint up onto BGG and I’d say it looks pretty good there. 😍🎻

Lots more testing needed, so if you love trick takers and playtesting online, DM me! ✂️🎲

boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/45...

Counterpoint

Classical musicians cooperatively perform chamber music through trick-taking

boardgamegeek.com

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Reposted by Thomas Cardwell

Johnny | Game Market West @gamemarketwest.bsky.social · 20d

Game Market West is this Sunday, September 21 at Guildhouse in San Jose! It's a tabletop game market where indie designers show off and sell their newest board/card games.

RSVP: luma.com/6khylmfu

#boardgames

Game Market West | Fall 2025 Games

YouTube video by Game Market West

youtu.be

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Sep 4

I highly recommend this! It was great for us last year to get to show off our games to so many lovely folks at PAX Unplugged.

PAX @officialpax.bsky.social · Sep 4

Attention #PAXUnplugged game designers: Our PAX Rising Application has been reopened and extended until 5:00 PM ET Friday 9/5, so if you missed the first deadline now is your chance! paxun25.com/RisingApp

Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Aug 26

@distantworlds.bsky.social is closing this Sunday—I got a “The Last Unicorn” in their honor. If you are in Seattle give them a final hurrah!

I demo’d PNW here when the first Kickstarter was running. A good place.

“The Last Unicorn” latte with pink, blue, and purple. Distant Worlds Coffee in backdrop, with Pride flag hanging from window.

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Aug 25

Find yourself someone who is as excited about you as @fanfactories.bsky.social is about the PNW Tabletop Game Market at PAX West this weekend

Joseph wearing a large board game backpack with a sign binder-clipped to it that says “PNW Tabletop Game Market”

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Reposted by Thomas Cardwell

Johnny | Game Market West @gamemarketwest.bsky.social · Aug 24

GMW Fall 2025 Countdown - PNW: Card Games Inspired by the Pacific Northwest by Thomas Cardwell

It's a fully illustrated book of six new card games featuring modern mechanics such as deck building, drafting, and worker placement.

#boardgames @tomcardgames.bsky.social

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Aug 22

There will be hot dogs 👏 There will be ghosts 👏 There will be indie storytelling games 👏 check it out!

PAX Tabletop @tthq.bsky.social · Aug 20

When the Expo Hall closes, the indies come out to play. Head down to Summit Level 0 on Saturday night during PAX West for that small-batch, limited-run, bespoke artisanal cardboard.

west.paxsite.com/en-us/schedu...

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Aug 20

PNW book and cards as in this SU&SD preview! They talk about Trail, the drafting game of the bunch, and briefly opine lupine (they talk about our seawolf card—awoo).

Shut Up & Sit Down @shutupshow.bsky.social · Aug 19

We’re back with the CARD GAMES installment of our Board Games Direct Series! All these games, big and small, have you clasping a cadre of cards in your clammy claws - and they’re all a bit QUIRKY.

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Aug 16

Thanks for playing and showing off the PNW book and cards! Hope you had a great time, and hope to see y’all again at PAX West!

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Reposted by Thomas Cardwell

🌈Sarah Pauling @sarahpauling.bsky.social · Aug 14

oh my god hi i'm finally here?? hi. what is bluesky.

i am an SFF writer in the PNW whose work has showcased distinctive character voice, post-cyberpunk and space opera influence, and slightly unhinged women who are annoying 😌😘

highlights include:

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Reposted by Thomas Cardwell

Nathan Bishop @nathanhb.bsky.social · Aug 9

While I’m game-posting look at this beauty that showed up this morning from @tomcardgames.bsky.social (PSA if you are a designer/creator and you wear a Mariners hat in your promotional material I will support you)

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Reposted by Thomas Cardwell

Marceline Leiman (High Tide, available now!!) @marcelineleiman.bsky.social · Aug 5

At present time of posting this, I am helping push #BlacklistCGE to share resources and information, disrupt spaces, and engage in serious conversations about boycotting game publishers that make anti-trans decisions.

Want to learn more about it? I’ve made an informational zine you can access here:

Blacklist CGE - Google Drive

drive.google.com

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Aug 1

This Sunday!

Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Jul 8

PNW Cards Launch Party! Join us at Yonder Cider August 3rd, 12-5pm in Seattle. Learn new card games, and snag a book and cards. An all-ages, pet-friendly game day awaits!

Me holding a linen hardback book of card games, engraved with “PNW: Card Games Inspired by the Pacific Northwest” in front of a wood-paneled bench at Yonder Cider in Seattle. The table in front of me has fake greenery, little wooden tokens, and more books, along with some playing cards.

The Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of Clubs in our new Pacific Northwest deck of playing cards laid in some rocks freshly wet from a rain. The Ace depicts Deception Pass, with its windy wooded shores. The Jack is a bears head tooth mushroom growing from a log, the Queen is an Orca, and the King is a Seawolf.

Our PNW book of card games on a wooden table, embossed with gold foil on a linen cover, surrounded by playing cards and little walnut circle tokens depicting orcas, campfires, mushrooms, and compasses.

The Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of Diamonds from our PNW playing cards nestled in a bush with small waxy leaves. The Jack depicts a morel mushroom, the Queen a salmon in sea-stage and spawning-stage forms, the King a Roosevelt elk, and the Ace shows a scene Crater Lake, Oregon.

Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Jul 22

Kelly and I will be there!

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Jul 8

PNW Cards Launch Party! Join us at Yonder Cider August 3rd, 12-5pm in Seattle. Learn new card games, and snag a book and cards. An all-ages, pet-friendly game day awaits!

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Jul 7

July Thirst is a reminder to stay hydrated this summer.

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Reposted by Thomas Cardwell

Connor Wake | Always Awake Games 🔜 PaxWest @connor.alwaysawake.games · Jul 1

Im really excited to announce the games for the PNW Tabletop Game Market at PaxWest! Hope to see you there on 8/30 @ 7PM

www.alwaysawake.games/pnw-tabletop...

PNW Tabletop Game Market | Always Awake Games

www.alwaysawake.games

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Reposted by Thomas Cardwell

Megan Wyreweden @thecreepingmoon.bsky.social · Jun 2

Brass page tabs for ur books or journals thecreepingmoon.store/products/set...

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · May 25

Classic Texas:

Weather report with Sunny, 93F, and a flood watch.

Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · May 8

When you want to play but only understood half of the rules. #boardgames

Dog looks longingly at a human looking through my PNW card game rulebook; playing cards and game pieces are placed on table in front of them.

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · May 7

Hearing my wife randomly spout six digits from the other room and wondering what horror movie I stumbled into before realizing it’s a two-factor authentication code.

Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · May 1

I really wanted to personally make something to include in the Kickstarter campaign, and I continue to be pleased with our game pieces (featuring @thecreepingmoon.bsky.social ’s illustrations)!

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Thomas Cardwell @tomcardgames.bsky.social · Mar 6

So excited to be in the Bay Area showcasing these games! 🃏

Shoutout to the incredible illustrator for PNW, @thecreepingmoon.bsky.social

Photos above are by the amazing Megan Shinner.

Johnny | Game Market West @gamemarketwest.bsky.social · Mar 6

Game Market West Spotlight - PNW: Card Games Inspired by the Pacific Northwest by @tomcardgames.bsky.social

PNW is a fully illustrated book of six modern games for fans of card games, deck building, worker placement, drafting, and the Pacific Northwest.

#boardgames

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