Skip to content
  • Home Home Home, current page.
  • Moments Moments Moments, current page.

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Language: English
    • Bahasa Indonesia
    • Bahasa Melayu
    • Català
    • Čeština
    • Dansk
    • Deutsch
    • English UK
    • Español
    • Filipino
    • Français
    • Hrvatski
    • Italiano
    • Magyar
    • Nederlands
    • Norsk
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Română
    • Slovenčina
    • Suomi
    • Svenska
    • Tiếng Việt
    • Türkçe
    • Ελληνικά
    • Български език
    • Русский
    • Српски
    • Українська мова
    • עִבְרִית
    • العربية
    • فارسی
    • मराठी
    • हिन्दी
    • বাংলা
    • ગુજરાતી
    • தமிழ்
    • ಕನ್ನಡ
    • ภาษาไทย
    • 한국어
    • 日本語
    • 简体中文
    • 繁體中文
  • Have an account? Log in
    Have an account?
    · Forgot password?

    New to Twitter?
    Sign up
eric_lang's profile
Eric Lang
Eric Lang
Eric Lang
@eric_lang

Tweets

Eric Lang

@eric_lang

he/him I make games. Games are about people. People are social. I talk about these, in reverse order.

nope
ericmlang.com
Joined June 2009

Tweets

  • © 2021 Twitter
  • About
  • Help Center
  • Terms
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies
  • Ads info
Dismiss
Previous
Next

Go to a person's profile

Saved searches

  • Remove
  • In this conversation
    Verified accountProtected Tweets @
Suggested users
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @
  • Verified accountProtected Tweets @

Promote this Tweet

Block

  • Tweet with a location

    You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more

    Your lists

    Create a new list


    Under 100 characters, optional

    Privacy

    Copy link to Tweet

    Embed this Tweet

    Embed this Video

    Add this Tweet to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Add this video to your website by copying the code below. Learn more

    Hmm, there was a problem reaching the server.

    By embedding Twitter content in your website or app, you are agreeing to the Twitter Developer Agreement and Developer Policy.

    Preview

    Why you're seeing this ad

    Log in to Twitter

    · Forgot password?
    Don't have an account? Sign up »

    Sign up for Twitter

    Not on Twitter? Sign up, tune into the things you care about, and get updates as they happen.

    Sign up
    Have an account? Log in »

    Two-way (sending and receiving) short codes:

    Country Code For customers of
    United States 40404 (any)
    Canada 21212 (any)
    United Kingdom 86444 Vodafone, Orange, 3, O2
    Brazil 40404 Nextel, TIM
    Haiti 40404 Digicel, Voila
    Ireland 51210 Vodafone, O2
    India 53000 Bharti Airtel, Videocon, Reliance
    Indonesia 89887 AXIS, 3, Telkomsel, Indosat, XL Axiata
    Italy 4880804 Wind
    3424486444 Vodafone
    » See SMS short codes for other countries

    Confirmation

     

    Welcome home!

    This timeline is where you’ll spend most of your time, getting instant updates about what matters to you.

    Tweets not working for you?

    Hover over the profile pic and click the Following button to unfollow any account.

    Say a lot with a little

    When you see a Tweet you love, tap the heart — it lets the person who wrote it know you shared the love.

    Spread the word

    The fastest way to share someone else’s Tweet with your followers is with a Retweet. Tap the icon to send it instantly.

    Join the conversation

    Add your thoughts about any Tweet with a Reply. Find a topic you’re passionate about, and jump right in.

    Learn the latest

    Get instant insight into what people are talking about now.

    Get more of what you love

    Follow more accounts to get instant updates about topics you care about.

    Find what's happening

    See the latest conversations about any topic instantly.

    Never miss a Moment

    Catch up instantly on the best stories happening as they unfold.

    Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

    I'd like to talk a bit about Ancestree, inclusiveness, and why your voice matters. Here we go.

    7:21 AM - 1 Mar 2018
    • 117 Retweets
    • 370 Likes
    • Sam Haney Press Crystal McCord Gary Burns Oskar Bladh Peter James Walton, Wyrd Science Magazine Robin “Respec” Mayorga Terry of Deeeestiny Steven Vesci
    19 replies 117 retweets 370 likes
      1. New conversation
      2. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        I designed Ancestree to be a gateway game based on a normally complex theme: genealogy and family lineages. Aesthetically and thematically, I wanted to go with a "historical" vibe. It seemed cool.

        1 reply 3 retweets 60 likes
        Show this thread
      3. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        In the game, there are many ways to score points by drafting family member tiles and placing them in your family tree. Pertinent to this thread, however, is one point scoring method: Marriages. You score at the end of the game for each successful marriage.

        1 reply 1 retweet 44 likes
        Show this thread
      4. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        My original version of the game used linked wedding rings to illustrate this point. And marriage was between a man and woman only. Because historical. We played it a bunch, the game was quite fun. Left it at that.

        1 reply 0 retweets 45 likes
        Show this thread
      5. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        I distinctly remember bringing out the prototype at a gaming event in Copenhagen, Denmark. It got great reception, but one gamer was visibly uncomfortable. I asked how he felt about the game. He replied, "it's fine, but why discriminate?"

        1 reply 0 retweets 46 likes
        Show this thread
      6. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        Discriminate?! Obviously my reaction was defensive, but I wanted to know more. It became clear that, to this gentleman, the game was making a statement about the validity of his lifestyle. He didn't complain about it until I asked, but I could tell it affected him deeply.

        1 reply 0 retweets 53 likes
        Show this thread
      7. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        I brought out the "but historical" argument. I wasn't making a statement about the validity of various marriages. But given the situation and context, my conviction was shaken. It bothered me for the rest of the event. For days after.

        1 reply 0 retweets 56 likes
        Show this thread
      8. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        As a lefty who strongly supports marriage equality, was I really making a hypocritical statement with the game? If so, why was that? Did the "but historical" argument really hold water in a light family game where "simulationist" appeal was minimal at best? It really bothered me.

        1 reply 2 retweets 71 likes
        Show this thread
      9. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        I talked to many of my LGBTQ friends about it, and yup, most felt somewhat marginalized by the game, even though nobody vocalized it during our hundreds of play tests. "Why didn't you bring it up?" I wanted to ask. But then realized; why is that burden on them? It bothered me.

        4 replies 3 retweets 103 likes
        Show this thread
      10. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        I made a change to the game to make marriages of all types open. Removing the rings and making it about "love" - two hearts that combine. Same sex, polygamous, doesn't matter. Love is love. Redid some of the core scoring math and decided to test it. See what happens.

        1 reply 4 retweets 78 likes
        Show this thread
      11. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        A single play blew me away. The game play IMPROVED BY A HUGE MARGIN. HUGE. MARGIN. The fun of Ancestree is the silly story you can make about your crazy family and how visually different all the trees look at the end of the game. Visual variety increased multifold. Huge win.

        1 reply 1 retweet 104 likes
        Show this thread
      12. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        I continued to tweak the game, messing around with the scoring math, and the variety just kept increasing. The endgame stories got zanier, the conversation livelier. And nobody gave a flying fuck about "but historical." GAMEPLAY FIRST.

        2 replies 7 retweets 154 likes
        Show this thread
      13. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        I'd like to think that I would have done this experiment on my own, but that's ego talking. I owe a huge debt to my brave friend in Copenhagen, Denmark, for challenging me. Ancestree remains a favourite of my play testers, and I'm so proud of it. In every way.

        2 replies 0 retweets 122 likes
        Show this thread
      14. Eric Lang‏ @eric_lang 1 Mar 2018

        This thread is for those of you who think your voice may not matter. I'm here to tell you it matters more than anything. We, designers and publishers, hear you. Loud and clear. We're gonna get better at this. One game at a time. Thanks to you.

        17 replies 34 retweets 368 likes
        Show this thread
      15. End of conversation

    Loading seems to be taking a while.

    Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.

      Promoted Tweet

      false

      • © 2021 Twitter
      • About
      • Help Center
      • Terms
      • Privacy policy
      • Cookies
      • Ads info