Stu Horvath

Stu Horvath

@stuhorvath.com

"All powerful brain-in-a-jar" | Publisher at @unwinnable.com | TTRPG history at VintageRPG.com | New book with @strangeattractor.bsky.social Dec 2026 | Links: https://linktr.ee/vintagerpg

1.8K followers278 following4.1K posts

I'm going to go through every story in @unwinnable.com's October issue over the course of today. Before we do, though, let us once again contemplate the spooktacularness of Tyler Pennington's horrific cover art.

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@glassethound.bsky.social highlights a major accomplishment of Cregger's Resident Evil film: "Cregger and Co. have not really replicated the world or story of Resident Evil, they have replicated something far more interesting: the experience of playing a Resident Evil game."

I'm going to go through every story in @unwinnable.com's October issue over the course of today. Before we do, though, let us once again contemplate the spooktacularness of Tyler Pennington's horrific cover art.

View full thread

@emilyprice.bsky.social takes on a more realistic sort fear: "The sentiment 'women writers are systematically passed over to review games' is a magic phrase with two possible responses: one, duh! And two: but where’s the evidence?"

@chiltonm.bsky.social finds arctic horror pales in comparison to arctic real life. "...every time the unknown horror reared its head in these books, I found myself getting impatient, and missing the comparatively mundane terrors of expeditions that really took place."

I'm going to go through every story in @unwinnable.com's October issue over the course of today. Before we do, though, let us once again contemplate the spooktacularness of Tyler Pennington's horrific cover art.

View full thread

Tayo Adewole delves into Nick Harkaway's novel Gnomon: "Harkaway’s novel understands this notion of the atemporal machine god for what it is, an invasive mental narrative born of paranoia rather than inevitable reality. The big bad demon doesn't come into existence because you read a post once."

I'm going to go through every story in @unwinnable.com's October issue over the course of today. Before we do, though, let us once again contemplate the spooktacularness of Tyler Pennington's horrific cover art.

View full thread

I'm in this issue, too, trying to figure out why werewolves have an allergy to silver. "I can only conclude that any notions of silver having magical properties are a modern invention. But if that’s true, why is there folklore regarding werewolves and witches being felled by silver bullets?"

I'm going to go through every story in @unwinnable.com's October issue over the course of today. Before we do, though, let us once again contemplate the spooktacularness of Tyler Pennington's horrific cover art.

Let's start with the features. @orringrey.com on Babysitter in Peril novels: "I’m talking about the phenomenon of mass market paperback thrillers aimed at teen and pre-teen audiences that exploded across bookstore shelves following the publication of Christopher Pike’s novel Slumber Party in 1985."

So I was watching 7 Golden Vampires and a lot of creeps in the undead army have hook swords, and it got me wondering if that's what inspired this weird Draconian weapon in a Den Beauvais illustration for Dragons of Autumn Twilight.

How did I get into TTRPGs? I loved monsters so much that a grade school friend told me about this game that involves metal miniature monsters and I could buy them at the hippy bookshop in town. When my dad brought me, they didnt have miniatures, but he got me Monster Manual II instead. Game over.

Dirk the Dice@thegrognardfiles.bsky.social

How did I get into TTRPGs? “Salaman warrior advancing with sword” What’s that and what can you do with it?

This story contradicts the origin story I wrote for Monsters, Aliens and Holes in the Ground, in which my Grandmother bought me the Expert Box and Red Arrow Black Shield over the protests of my parents. Both stories are true, but no one remembers which came first. These days, I think MMII.

My first 5 RPGs (in order actually played) Marvel Super Heroes Dungeons & Dragons (red box) Star Wars D6 Call of Cthulhu Paranoia or MERP

John Power Jr.@johnpower.bsky.social

My first 5 RPGs AD&D Star Wars (WEG) Dragon Warriors WFRP Paranoia or Judge Dredd

I had a weird array of D&D products first - Monster Manual II, Expert rule box set, the wargame module Red Arrow Black Shield - but couldn't figure out how to play until after Marvel.

Stu Horvath reposted

We are saddened to share that Manuel Pérez Clemente, known to fans around the world as Sanjulian, has passed away at the age of 85. Goodman Games was honored to have Sanjulian paint covers for us. Our deepest condolences go to his family, friends, and fans around the world. #Sanjulian

Wild that Iain Cuthbertson was in Stone Tape, Children of the Stones and was Karswell in Lawrence Gordon Clarke's adaptation of Casting the Runes. Ground zero for all the good shit.