Postcards from TikTokland (month 1) + comparing TikTok to Bluesky

So I've now been playing the weird MMO known as TikTok for more than a month, and I thought I should reflect on my time there. 

In contrast to my first week on TikTok where I posted every day, I've now been uploading videos every 2-4 days. Which is much better. I highly recommend not posting every day, everywhere.

I've been making more local Australia / New Zealand game industry event vlogs. Here's a vlog from when I attended Wireframe conference here in Auckland, and here's another vlog (and yet another vlog) from my time at the Freeplay Angles festival in Melbourne. I tried to keep these pretty light and casual since I imagine most people aren't really sure what a game conference is.

I've also been making some more outdoor waterway videos. Here's a progress update on the backyard stream, a comprehensive review of the water fountains at the Auckland Domain Winter Gardens, and a waterfall walking tour. While I realize this could've been a savvy content strategy to try to capitalize on my most popular video, it actually wasn't a conscious strategy, I just like recording water and talking about it.

I'm keynoting Freeplay Angles 2025 in Melbourne, July 31 - August 2... + support the Australian indie game hub Sabby!

In about 2 weeks, I'll be giving a keynote at Freeplay Angles 2025, an indie video game festival in Melbourne, Australia, running from July 31 - August 2, 2025.

I'd give a hint for what my keynote's about, but I'm still in the middle of writing it, so you'll just have to wait in suspense a little while longer. (It'll probably have some sex in it I don't know)... For now, some logistics: I'll be keynoting the first festival day on Thursday, July 31, but there's also two more keynotes + full slates of interesting talks planned for both Friday and Saturday, August 1-2 too. 

Full schedule and tickets are available on the Freeplay website. Ticket prices are on a sliding scale, from $20 AUD for those on a budget, to $150 AUD for those who can afford to pay more to keep it cheaper for everyone else.

Submissions are open for the WIP Night (July 31) to show off your work-in-progress projects for free -- tables, chairs, and power are provided. Submissions are also open for the Night Market (August 2) with free vendor stalls to sell your games, arts, and crafts -- tables, chairs, and power are provided.

new web game: Don't Rank Cuomo

Don't Rank Cuomo is a free short web game about not voting for / not "ranking" Andrew Cuomo, a corrupt disgraced neoliberal New York politician who's unfortunately running for mayor of New York City. (For more info, see the Times Union's June 15th op-ed: "Don't rank Andrew Cuomo.")

I made the game in an afternoon, after getting bombarded again with NYC mayoral race discourse on Bluesky even though I moved away years ago. And when I saw those words "don't rank Cuomo" for maybe the 999th time, the game idea suddenly emerged fully formed in my brain, and so I did one of those praxis solidarity things that people used to tweet about, and did something to show support.

Here's what happens in the game...

SPOILER ALERT: this post will spoil what happens in the game. If you care about that, then play the game first -- you can play it for free in your browser, on mobile / desktop. It'll take 2-4 minutes.

Postcards from TikTokland: week 1

A week ago I threatened to make some TikToks. I set a personal goal to make one TikTok a day, just simple basic daily vlog stuff of whatever I was already doing.

And now it's been a week and I've done it. I now have a modest following and a TikTok profile page (@radiatoryang) with a full grid of videos. I feel a lot more capable with the video editing tool now, and sometimes I even have a little fun when making videos.

Here's a recap / post mortem of my first 7 videos and what I've learned from making them...

A foray into TikTok / notes on social media aesthetics

So I've finally done it. I've made a TikTok account (@radiatoryang). Forgive me.

I still prefer text over video, and I certainly don't intend to "pivot to video"... but it was feeling increasingly foolish to lack the video skills / cultural context of virtually everyone under 30 in the entire world.

Now I'm not a total stranger to making video. I used to do weekly level design streams called "Level With Me" on Twitch, where I gained a decent sized following with regular viewers and even some paid subscribers, but the lockdown-era gauntlet of remote teaching marathons quickly burned me out and irrevocably soured me on what used to be a fun hobby.

For this foray into TikTok crafting, I'm approaching it somewhat slowly and methodically...