📜 Of games, code and text

You can't find fun by cracking open polygons.

Doing it in text mode

I like command lines because they let me see exactly what I've been doing for the past few minutes, and what the results were. They let me retry a complex operation as many times as needed with small changes at every step. Intermediate results remain available. Commands can be chained into combos. Each command comes with its own built-in cheatsheet. Command lines can be explained and exemplified through text, no need for screenshots or video. See also:

The more time passes, the more appealing it seems to do as much as possible in text mode.

My personal rules for making command-line tools

1. The old Unix principle of brevity in communication is still good

• that means short names and options, and to-the-point messages only when asked

2. invoke it with --help; if it prints out more than a screenful of text, that's too many options

• the manual page should mostly document the command-line interface
• it doesn't have to be literally just one printed page, but not a whole book either
• that said: it should probably have a manual page, even if it's not perfect

But I have a long history with text-based games and other things.

Games, languages, thoughts

What's even more fun than making your own games and seeing your imagination come to life? Writing down what you've learned so that others may follow in your footsteps. I mirrored some topical write-ups from the old site:

And because I like to tinker with languages, pointless as it may seem:

Or more recently:

Last but not least, a little humor, dreaming and philosophy:

Old game designs

These are a couple of game designs I never got around to using. The original timestamps have been lost, but they're from 2017 at most. Maybe you'll find them inspirational.

Long form

• a rule system for choice-based adventures;
• a hack of Tunnel Goons, by Nate Treme;
• fairly complete 2d6 rules in 1000 words.

• a rule system for computer RPGs, designed and presented as a tabletop game
• developed as part of real, completed games (not very successful)
• uses real dice throughout and tries to stay grounded

• Twenty articles written over ten years, between 2011 and 2020
• About one third of a book, and then some that never made it
• Free and open source under the Free Art License 1.3

More to come! Thanks for sticking with me!

Last modified on 21 November 2025.