Dianna 🇩🇴

solo.toThe Secret Lantern: Books & Games (/thesecretlantern) · solo.to151 South Bell Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78613 · 🕯️ The Secret Lantern is an indie bookstore + game space in Cedar Park, TX. Books, dice, cozy chaos. A third place for curious readers & creative misfits.

3 Apr

I've gotten some questions as to how to support my store @thesecretlantern.bsky.social even though you're not local to Cedar Park, TX. There's plenty of ways! First follow us on socials~! That's always fun. Follow us solo.to/thesecretlan... Gift cards: www.thesecretlantern.com/gift-cards

I'm still feeling yesterday's announcement about BioWare closing. I cried. A lot. And I can't help but reflect on how we got here. Not just with BioWare, but with the games industry as a whole.

View full thread

And now it's gone. I'm angry. I'm heartbroken. And I'm exhausted watching an industry I love lose so much of what made me fall in love with it in the first place. I don't have some profound conclusion to offer. I'm just really, really sad.

That Mass Effect trailer is salt in the wound.

I'm still feeling yesterday's announcement about BioWare closing. I cried. A lot. And I can't help but reflect on how we got here. Not just with BioWare, but with the games industry as a whole.

View full thread

The consolidation of our industry, the increasing reliance on AI, the concentration of power in fewer and fewer hands, and the continued devaluation of art, creativity, and the people who make it all possible. Like, these things don't exist in a vacuum

I wonder how often we stop to think about the ripples. How one decision leads to another, & another, until we find ourselves somewhere we never imagined we'd be BioWare was one of the studios I dreamed of working at when I first started my career. Its games were worlds I visited over and over again

I'm still feeling yesterday's announcement about BioWare closing. I cried. A lot. And I can't help but reflect on how we got here. Not just with BioWare, but with the games industry as a whole.

I've been thinking about the butterfly effect of the decisions we make. How corporate decisions, political decisions, economic policies, and even the way we vote can have consequences that reach far beyond what we initially imagine.

I hate this industry so much and for what it's done to people, to creativity, to wonder and more. The loss of Bioware is... Heartbreaking.

I think this is it for me. I can't try and be positive about an industry that takes takes takes. I'm a little broken now.

I'm sobbing. I'm sobbing. This is horrible

bloomberg.comElectronic Arts to Cut 400 Jobs, Shut Down BioWareThe next ‘Mass Effect’ will be canceled as part of the layoffs

I'm going to cry. Oh my heart. My heart.

Jason Schreier@jasonschreier.bsky.social

BREAKING: Electronic Arts is cutting 400 jobs and shutting down BioWare, the legendary development studio behind Dragon Age and Mass Effect. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

I'm crying. Fuck this industry. Fuck it all to hell.

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

Some news.

Are we really doing this BS again? They outsourced. Please stop.

GamesIndustry.biz@gibiz.bsky.social

Star Wars: Galactic Racer was made by a core team of 75 people. "What we wanted to do was keep that core small, smaller than perhaps you might have done in the past, and scale capacity and capability with what we call distributed development." https://bit.ly/4hT02qg

Nothing better than having a partner you can spill all your Big Feelings™️ to, who listens, feeds you afterward, or simply asks, “Want some ice cream?” And then makes you waffles in the morning. To be seen is to be loved. ❤️

The waffle. ❤️

Whaaaaat? Craaaazy

Unusual Whales@unusualwhales.bsky.social

BREAKING: Bank of America is warning that the AI boom is starting to look like a classic boom-and-bust cycle.

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

MapQuest

@mapquest.com

The Roads Have Eyes! 👁️ Turn on the Surveillance Layer in Map Options to see known license plate readers from Flock Safety, Motorola Solutions (Vigilant), Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon, Leonardo (ELSAG), Neology, Rekor, PlateSmart, Ubicquia, Verkada, and other outdoor surveillance cameras.

@ragepandapajamas.bsky.social

Someone PLEASE arrest these people

Carl Quintanilla@carlquintanilla.bsky.social

(Reuters) - The order to limit a satellite system used by Ukraine for battlefield communications and drone operations came from inside the White House, according to two US officials and a Western official briefed on the matter. @reuters.com 🇺🇦 www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

Ciera "Panda" 🔜 PAX U

Solo club tonight! I'll be there (probably a bit late) with my bag of games to share

The Secret Lantern: Books & Games@thesecretlantern.bsky.social

Y'all made our 1st anniversary weekend one to remember! This week, we have hobbies, games, meetups, and more! MON 10/12 - 5:00 PM Solo RPG Meetup Club - 6:00 PM Hobby Night - Free TUE 10/13 - 5:00 PM Mercersburg Academy Founder's Day Gathering WED 10/14 - No events, just chill vibes!

😂😂😂

The Secret Lantern: Books & Games@thesecretlantern.bsky.social

Well, well, well. Look who stopped by The Secret Lantern. When a suspiciously handsome wicker gentleman shows up, you take the hint. WE'RE GOING TO THE MOVIES! Join your fellow kindred spirits for WICKER! Nov 10 | 7 PM | Pflugerville $15 | Limited seats! vist.ly/5mxm3

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

Today's the day! We're celebrating The Secret Lantern's 1st Anniversary, starting with our official ribbon cutting at 3pm today, followed by a pizza party and games all night, starting at 6pm. We also have a last-minute addition to the festivities - ADORABLE BABY GOATS!!!

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

2 more days before our 1st birthday bash! Today, we're highlighting the partners and vendors that have shared our space and helped us succeed, from local crafters, to cooks, to publishers, and more. Make sure to check them out and support them!

events.thesecretlantern.comIndie Play Fest — The Secret Lantern Books & GamesGo behind the scenes of game development at Indie Play Fest! Hosted at The Secret Lantern, this unique gathering brings together passionate local indie game developers and the community for an…

Hey! My store @thesecretlantern.bsky.social is running an indie games festival on Oct 25th. Come through. 🙂🙂🙂

Adam Creighton@adamcreighton.bsky.social

Indie Play Fest at The Secret Lantern • 10/25 (Sunday) • 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • events.thesecretlantern.com/event/d26d17...

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

Adam Creighton

@adamcreighton.bsky.social

Replying to @adamcreighton.bsky.social

Indie Play Fest at The Secret Lantern • 10/25 (Sunday) • 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • events.thesecretlantern.com/event/d26d17...

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

Bookshop.org

@bookshop.org

Anti-Prime Day starts…NOW! 🥳 Today through midnight on 10/7, enjoy free shipping site-wide, all while supporting local, independent bookstores.

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

Ciera "Panda" 🔜 PAX U

@ragepandapajamas.bsky.social

Asa wrote an essay about running solo games for groups and that inspired the Solo RPG Club at @thesecretlantern.bsky.social! I will jump at any opportunity to read more

Asa Donald | Backwards Tabletop@backwardsttrpg.bsky.social

The first essay in my design series for Mousetrap is "Let the Metagames Begin," which surveys games that are about games and what I find both exciting and challenging about them:

backwardstabletop.comLet the Metagames BeginGames about games

Lanterns finale. ... Damn. That was INCREDIBLE TV and part of me wants to protect it forever before Skydance bastardizes Lanterns and like it becomes a soulless corporate sludge that will be shoved down our throats for Lanterns 2 Space Cops Are Awesome movie tie ins.

That was such an incredible watch. Like, I havent been that locked into a show in a while. I'm so sad it's over.

Honestly, this.

Ben Collins@bencollins.bsky.social

Part of why I don't like the AI-or-bust economy is the constant flopsweat of people on the news who say this HAS to work. Quit making everyone so anxious. Goddamn. If this is the next Google then why are you acting like this? I don't remember being told to buy an iPhone at gunpoint.

Lol tax the rich.

ToonHive@toonhive.bsky.social

David Zaslav is expected to exit ‘Skydance,’ the combined Warner Bros. Discovery–Paramount company. He stands to receive over $550 million in stock and cash when the deal closes, including $34.2 million in cash severance.

My weird little store won BEST IN TEXAS. What is life????

The Secret Lantern: Books & Games@thesecretlantern.bsky.social

Thank you so much for voting us Best Bookshop in Texas! A huge thank you to Guide to Texas for this honor. We can’t wait to celebrate our 1-year anniversary with you all!✨ #thesecretlantern #guidetotexas #bestoftexas #bookshop #gamestore

Yo, my bookstore had a midnight release for the new Fourth Wing book called: Threshing Day and I got to walk around as General Lora, we played games, and nerded out. It was a blast. What an incredible time. I love the community we've built. I love my weird book/game store.

What a blast ❤️

Dianna 🇩🇴 reposted

Thank you to The 100 Black Men of Austin for joining us for the Ready Player 100 event! We are proud to work with an amazing group that is focused on their community and supporting the next generation of game developers. 🎮✨ #the100blackmenofaustin #thesecretlantern #gamedeveloping

Damn. Lanterns Lanterns Lanterns. Whew.

JUSTICE FOR NOLAN WELLS

I have someone trying to terrorize my life and I don't know what to do about it and how to respectfully make it stop without being messy. Maan...

Anyway... This week sucks.

I dare say the plan shifted to: Make Money By Any Means Necessary.

Nathan Grayson@nathangrayson.bsky.social

in a week that saw microsoft give activision the reins to halo and bungie pivot back to destiny, one thing has become abundantly clear: the people in charge do not have a long-term, overriding plan. they’re just reacting. the result, when times are bad, is chaos

This is fucking incredible. I need it now.

Kasey Gifford@kaseygifford.bsky.social

This is my new favorite thing.

bloody-disgusting.com'Widow's Bay' Takes Home Record-Breaking 14 Emmy Awards Including Outstanding Comedy SeriesCreator Katie Dippold's comedy-horror series "Widow's Bay" was a huge success story for Apple TV earlier this year, and that success was reflected on

16 Sept

Honestly? Good for them

Bloody Disgusting@bloody-disgusting.com

WIDOW'S BAY took home 14 Emmy Awards last night, breaking the record for a comedy series and also becoming the first horror series to win Outstanding Comedy Series. Here's the full list of wins: bloody-disgusting.com/tv/3967632/w...

15 Sept

Being a centrist during a genocide as an Irishman is insane. Stew in it, Ed.