Every week, Now You Know recaps the Know Direction content of the past week, previews the Know Direction content of the week to come, and shares the thoughts on the state of the network from the director of operations, Ryan Costello.
One of the topics I mentioned considering for last week’s editorial was how I finally started using Twitter after years of dismissing it, only for it to implode shortly after. At the time, I wasn’t sure I had anything original to say. However, there’s been a development! A mammoth development, you could say.
Mastodon.
It’s not great.
Some people are touting it (or tooting it, a joke that’s hilarious if you too are on Mastodon) as Twitter’s successor. And honestly, it works more than Twitter than any other social media platform I’ve been on. That is, once I actually got onto the platform. Mastodon’s biggest hurdle is the barrier to entry. It’s like Twitter meets Discord, divided into servers to keep the scope of conversations narrow. But with Discord, you typically start with an invitation to a server, not the platform as a whole. With Mastodon, you’re either invited to the platform and then left to find your niche, or invited to follow a content creator you enjoy with extra steps.
For example, if you want to follow Know Direction on Mastodon, you can’t just go to Mastodon.social and follow @KnowDirection. You have to go to dice.camp (camps being the Mastodon equivalent of servers or communities, weirdly creating URLs without any mention of Mastodon) and follow @KnowDirection.dice.camp.
On the subject of Mastodon equivalents, it seems like the platform wanted to avoid any terminology used by any other social media platform. That includes terms shared by multiple platforms, like Like. Instead, you Favourite posts, which doesn’t mean the same as Favourite on other platforms. Also, they’re not posts, they’re Toots. Yep.
I’m giving Mastodon a try, and think the end result of joining has potential. But having joined and abandoned platforms like Google+ and Gleemax, I’m skeptical. But hey, if you’re on Mastodon, prove me wrong! I’ll be Tooting the same Network promotional content to my camp as I post to Twitter and Facebook.
Speaking of the content, here’s a recap of what went up on the Know Direction Network last week:
Recap of November 7th to 11th
What happened last week on knowdirectionpodcast.com and twitch.tv/knowdirection?
Monday, November 7th
Article
Now You Know – Oops
By Ryan Costello
Nearly forgot to post this one.
Tuesday, November 8th
Podcast
Young and Adventurous 013 – Lily’s Pad
Our Adventurous heroes confront their old enemy and enter the final stages of their last adventure.
Wednesday, November 9th
Patreon
Patron’s Private Sanctum 0052
Alex, Dustin, and I had a nice chat with Patrons Foeclan, GM Numbat, and Chanin. I’m hoping we can make Patron’s Private Sanctum live recordings monthly events.
Podcast
Presenting – Jacob Blackmon
What an amazing episode for anyone interested in working full time freelancing in the TTRPG industry. I love Jacob’s philosophy of work/life balance.
Thursday, November 10th
Article
Investing In: Impossible Lands
By Rob Pontious
Well, it happened. The Know Direction Podcast hiatus went long enough to miss a hardcover release. Fortunately, Rob works overtime on his Pathfinder hardcover Investing In articles, going into great detail on his likes and loves for Lost Omens: Impossible Lands (although I’ll note that Lost Omens does not appear on the cover). And he’s just getting started!
Preview of November 14th to 18th
Block 1 of our 2-block schedule.
Monday, November 14th
Podcast
Intrepid Heroes 099 – The Core
Our Intrepid Heroes enter the kind of railing-less spaceship that GM Ron Lundeen describes as “where Star Wars chaacters die”.
Article
Now You Know – So… Mastodon
By Ryan Costello
Maybe it’ll catch on.
Tuesday, November 15th
Podcast
Game Design Unboxed 50: London Necropolis Railway
In the landmark 50th episode, Danielle talks to Daniel Newman about how going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole inspired London Necropolis Railway.
Article
Eldritch Excursion
By Nate Wright
Nate Wright’s journal of flavour and mechanics.
Wednesday, November 16th
Article
Behind The Screens
By Ryan Costello
Veteran Game Master Ryan Costello talks with his fellow GMs on their side of the GM screen.
Thursday, November 17th
Podcast
Digital Divination 70
John and Jason talk Starfinder.
Friday, November 18th
Podcast
Upshift 006 – Art and Art Orders
Jason and I talk about the craft and fun of writing art orders.
Now you know,
Ryan Costello
