Alan / Draknek & FriendsMirror Isles:
https://alan.draknek.org/games/puzzlescript/mirrors.php
Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes:
https://alan.draknek.org/games/puzzlescript/skipping-stones.php
These games are the starting point, but the bulk of the game is new puzzles combining mechanics from different games together. I haven’t played the game but I have faith it will be interesting, and the world can always do with more great puzzle games.
That said, I hope the game will get a more nuanced label than “new Jon Blow game”. While the creative vision is his, he didn’t make any of the original games and there are a lot of talented people at Thekla who also deserve credit.
I was disappointed to see the store page description put his name front and center while not mentioning any of the creators of the original games. This industry’s obsession with auteurs is not healthy.
Additionally, in recent years it has become increasingly clear that Jon’s beliefs/priorities and mine are not aligned. He’s adversarial to people talking about privilege and representation, is dismissive of diversity efforts, has dabbled in covid trutherism, and is pro-MAGA.
I believe Trump is a self serving authoritarian who's dismantling democracy, trying to make trans people illegal, and wanting to set up concentration camps for immigrants - whereas Jon in February called him "the best President we have had in my entire life".
Similarly, I believe Musk is a self serving disinformation peddler - whereas Jon has been loudly supporting him, before and after the nazi salutes. I find Jon’s support of these people and these beliefs to be harmful, distasteful, and a waste of a platform.
I intend to use my profits from the game to fund and uplift creators less privileged than he is. I’ve already begun that effort with the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant: https://grants.draknek.org/
Followup: Sean Barrett (the creator of the Promesst series, another of the games Order of the Sinking Star is based on) cosigned the sentiment of this thread:
https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@nothings/115704420859870435
https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@nothings/115704420859870435
Some people have mentioned they couldn't tell from this thread whether these games are used with permission. For clarity, yes, we agreed to this in mid 2016 and signed a contract in late 2018/early 2019.
thekla@draknek I'm kinda disappointed with how he's turned out. Back during gamergate, I dimly remember how he got the gamers mad at him for siding with Anita Sarkeesian. I feel like at some point he (or his company at least) even gave out some funding for "underrepresented voices in video games" or something. If I went back now, with all that I've learned, maybe I would see the roots of it. Or maybe people sometimes just... drift off. Anyway, thanks for the thread, and for being clear on this. It's a welcome contrast.
@thekla The funding for underrepresented creators was a condition of my involvement in this project, so doesn't represent his values so much as mine. He was at least willing to do it though, which I'm not sure he would be today.
@draknek omg no way, i'm so sorry for reciting your own project back at you as proof of him having had his heart in the right place. (and that in a thread where you talk about issues with other people's contributions being ignored in favor of him.) my bad, i really appreciate your correction. at least it explains why your linked grant felt so oddly familiar.
@thekla haha it's fine, his company was the public face of that grant, my involvement in it isn't common knowledge.