@spiderwebsoftware.bsky.social
Founded Spiderweb Software in 1994. Has written many games, including the Exile, Geneforge, Avadon, and Avernum series. Geneforge 2 - Infestation is out! www.spiderwebsoftware.com
New Blog Post! I review I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream, the flawed, fascinating, deranged adventure cult-classic game from way back in the 90s.
It's fun how messed up and wonky it is. And it's a 90s adventure game, so we can make fun of it.
bottomfeeder.substack.com/p/i-have-no-...
You can see some Vonnegut and Moorcock peeking out to the left. I've long been meaning to make a good fantasy reading list for the youngs who are interested in the genre but want to get past the 101 level elf/orc and dystopia stuff.
05.08.2025 23:07 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
For my next blog post, I took a pic of my Harlan Ellison collection. Most of his works are out of print. They must be owned as crumbling paperbacks.
The acid in the cheap paper slowly eats at them. When I die, they will be dust. They can be mixed with the soil over my coffin.
We are looking for beta testers for our next indie, turn-based RPG! If you are interested in volunteering to join our elite tester squad and help shape a game, please volunteer here. Looking for Windows, Mac, and iPad!
www.spiderwebsoftware.com/testing/beta...
A screenshot saturday pic of Avernum 4: Greed and Glory. A turn-based, indie RPG in the epic, cult-classic Avernum series. Here, a visitor to the strange wizards of the Tower Colony gloats over all his magical gear.
Coming this October. Wishlist it now!
store.steampowered.com/app/3882020/...
This leads to bug triage. I HATE saying, "This is a flaw in my work but it's better business to let it go." But you have to. The art is in figuring out which sort of bug it is.
Pic related: This is your computer game. The bones inside came from you.
I read a great analogy once: A program is a 10'x10'x10' cube of jello. When you make a change, you poke the jello, and it wiggles. The longer the game is tested, the less it wiggles.
You don't release a game when it's bug free. You release it at the precise moment when the cube isn't very wiggly.
Testing Avernum 4: Greed and Glory is reaching the point where I'm scared of fixing bugs because I'm afraid I won't catch the worse bug I introduce with the fix.
30.07.2025 21:57 — 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0I finally got fed up with it and researched how to do it right and my next game will handle huge monitors well and look great. I should feel good, but I'm mainly consumed with self-loathing regarding years of public foolishness and lost sales.
Oh well.
I knew there was a modern way to do it but I couldn't figure out how to adapt it to my engine.
30.07.2025 19:07 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0One problem with being a mostly solo developer is how easy it is to be publicly stupid for years.
For 15 years, I've handled resolution switching for my games the same way, which is not suited for monitors and confused users and made my games look unnecessarily terrible most of the time.
There used to be people who did this process professionally and shared their results with the world, which occasionally gave a great benefit. We called them "critics". I will now refrain from giving any opinions about the current state of criticism (in any art form).
30.07.2025 19:07 — 👍 6 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0What worked for you? What didn't? Why? Did anything bring back that joy from when you were a kid? Did anything give you that weird tickling feeling like, "There is something good going on here?"
30.07.2025 19:07 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
My most common advice for aspiring devs is always: Play tons of games, but play them THOUGHTFULLY. After a few hours, take a step back and think.
30.07.2025 19:06 — 👍 9 🔁 4 💬 2 📌 0
Just another normal day doing sound effects.
30.07.2025 19:06 — 👍 5 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Our new game, Avernum 4: Greed and Glory, comes in October, and we're blogging about it! I talk about the creation of original 2005 Avernum 4 and why I was so unhappy with the result. The remaster is finally coming, it's looking great, and now I'm excited!
bottomfeeder.substack.com/p/coming-soo...
A screenshot saturday pic of Avernum 4: Greed and Glory. A turn-based, indie RPG in the epic, cult-classic Avernum series. Here, an abandoned farmhouse in the underworld is bait for a brigand ambush.
Coming this October. Wishlist it now!
store.steampowered.com/app/3882020/...
Thanks so much to everyone for the kind responses! We've put a huge amount of work into this remaster. It's full of new dungeons, characters, multiple storylines, and tons of fresh material.
If you'd like to support us, please drop by the Steam page and give us a wishlist. Thank you!
We've announced our next game, Avernum 4: Greed and Glory! The epic, cult-classic Avernum saga continues in this turn-based, indie RPG. Massive world, intricate system full of builds and options, and a great story. Coming this Fall. Wishlist it now!
store.steampowered.com/app/3882020/...
We started the Avernum saga in 1994. This unique adventure in a magical, subterranean world, has been entrancing gamers for more than one generation. Prior experience with Avernum games isn’t necessary to enjoy it.
23.07.2025 09:15 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
We've announced our next game, Avernum 4: Greed and Glory! The epic, cult-classic Avernum saga continues in this turn-based, indie RPG. Massive world, intricate system full of builds and options, and a great story. Coming this Fall. Wishlist it now!
store.steampowered.com/app/3882020/...
A few days left in the Steam Summer Sale. All of our indie, turn-based, good-story RPGs are on deep discount. Sort through 31 years (!) years of gaming goodness. Our latest, Geneforge 2 - Infestation, is really good and extra-cheap.
store.steampowered.com/publisher/sp...
New Blog Post! Video Game Thoughts Bonus Bag #6. I talk about the Steam sale, the sadness of indie developers, and a bunch of interesting games worth looking at.
bottomfeeder.substack.com/p/video-game...
It’s Steam Sale time! All of Spiderweb Software’s have big discounts. Our latest turn-based, indie RPG, Geneforge 2 - Infestation, has its biggest discount yet. Our Queen’s Wish games are extra-cheap. Big games, great stories!
store.steampowered.com/publisher/sp...
(I freely admit that tomboy part might contain a tiny smidge of personal projection.)
22.06.2025 20:30 — 👍 4 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Pixar's fresh new financial disaster, Elio, is supposed to be their 1st autism representation. But Pixar already has that: Wall-E!
Spends all day stacking cubes. Comforts himself at end of day by rewatching same video tape. Bad at social contact. Obsessed with tomboys.
I did a long interview with the Full Time Game Dev and it turned out great. I get to rant freely for 1.5 hours, and I got to say a lot of fun stuff. Thanks so much to @thomasbrushdev, and take a look!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9zY...
The problem with the Louvre is that it is has more masterpieces than a mind can comprehend, crammed into one building.
Build 3 SubLouvres in less busy cities. Split off some Louvre stuff. So what if you miss the Venus de Milo? 98% of visitors only see it because a book said so.
Tourists have flooded the world over the last few years. When you read a tour guide for Europe, bear in mind it is the Europe of 2012. Alas, that product is out of stock.
Many more humans, same number of cool tourist destinations. Big potential market in cool places to go.
A screenshot saturday pic for Avernum 4: Greed and Glory. Our upcoming indie, turn-based RPG with a huge world and good story. Marking 30 years of games in the world of Avernum!
Steam page coming soon. You can see our other games here ...
store.steampowered.com/publisher/sp...
