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Ada πŸ™

@adarel

Writer/designer. I study narrative theory and make games. Classics PhD. She/her. I post about games, history, cats, stories, and octopodes. http://adaplays.com Firaxis | UChicago

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11.08.2023
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Latest posts by Ada πŸ™ @adarel

This is the energy I want to carry to my grave.

18.10.2025 19:50 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Omg your hair looks amazing!!! 😻

18.10.2025 19:43 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Had to be in Hyde Park for a thing today so I couldn’t be there but so proud of my city!!

18.10.2025 19:41 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
View from the sky of tens of thousands gathered in Chicago's Grant Park for the No Kings protest

View from the sky of tens of thousands gathered in Chicago's Grant Park for the No Kings protest

Helicopter view of Chicago #NoKings in Grant Park via @cbschicago.bsky.social

18.10.2025 17:50 πŸ‘ 2888 πŸ” 726 πŸ’¬ 22 πŸ“Œ 48
Black and white photo of a middle aged white woman with dark hair, sitting in a living room in a rattan chair. She is cradling a chubby, shorthaired tuxedo tabby in her arms and they both look toward the camera.

Black and white photo of a middle aged white woman with dark hair, sitting in a living room in a rattan chair. She is cradling a chubby, shorthaired tuxedo tabby in her arms and they both look toward the camera.

Showing off the magnificent chublet. Photo from my collection, no date/info.

03.10.2025 23:57 πŸ‘ 2095 πŸ” 141 πŸ’¬ 28 πŸ“Œ 3
Preview
Opinion | This Is the Feeling of Losing a Country. I Know It Well.

Gifted. A short read, a good read. I sometimes feel the surreal nature of this when I look up from the news to see the city I know, and it feels like living in two worlds. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/21/o...

22.09.2025 13:00 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Hundreds plunge in Chicago River for first official swim in nearly 100 years Group participates in previously unthinkable mile-long swim after US made key progress to clean polluted rivers

News of this morning's Chicago River Swim makes its way to the British press.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

21.09.2025 22:15 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1
Post image

Someone was trying to take a portrait of their two fave Chickens, and this happened.

20.09.2025 06:59 πŸ‘ 5504 πŸ” 1573 πŸ’¬ 83 πŸ“Œ 216

I think this comparison is largely right.

Yes, it’s a replay of McCarthyism’s ugliest aspects but that was fueled by a widespread sense that the country faced dire external dangers while this is about a deeply unpopular president’s grudges.

18.09.2025 19:09 πŸ‘ 5494 πŸ” 1187 πŸ’¬ 91 πŸ“Œ 20

A free and democratic society cannot silence comedians because the President doesn’t like what they say.

This is an attack on free speech and cannot be allowed to stand.

All elected officials need to speak up and push back on this undemocratic act.

17.09.2025 23:22 πŸ‘ 60996 πŸ” 17647 πŸ’¬ 1755 πŸ“Œ 712

Is there anything more miserable than formatting references? 😭

10.09.2025 00:35 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Ah I see. That seems ok then. Just don’t want to lose them!

07.09.2025 23:16 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Oof. Guess I’ll find out.

07.09.2025 23:03 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

This ad is good for all the reasons people say but also bc a) her shirt rocks and b) her beer is a Shorts.

07.09.2025 22:29 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

β€œWhat Pritzker and his allies have actually accomplished is something arguably more powerful. They have sent the message to everyday Chicago residents that acquiescence to authoritarianism is not an option, and that someone will have their back if and when they resist.”

07.09.2025 20:34 πŸ‘ 181 πŸ” 43 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 2

Omg please tell me Landroval wasn’t part of this!!?? I log in like once a year and had no idea this was happening. Rip.

07.09.2025 22:18 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Wait what do you mean Jesus loves me? Did he say something to you? OMG I'm freaking out right now tell me his exact words.

19.11.2024 15:51 πŸ‘ 877 πŸ” 170 πŸ’¬ 26 πŸ“Œ 5

This convo I had highlights the difference in what "respect your time" means in games.

A lot of players want to trade time for in-game progress. It's purely transactional: 1 hour = 1 progress

But I want to feel like my actions matter i.e. what I do with time creates progress, not time itself.

05.09.2025 18:52 πŸ‘ 1674 πŸ” 374 πŸ’¬ 60 πŸ“Œ 66
Preview
Benjamin Reeves Is Incredible Ben Reeves narrative designer and writer

I was a Firaxis narrative designer/writer and lost my job today. Any help sharing leads on new opportunities would be great!

Over 3.5 years, I contributed to Civilization VII and Marvel’s Midnight Suns, helping turn maps, mechanics, and chaos into memorable stories. See my work benreeves.carrd.co

04.09.2025 19:23 πŸ‘ 674 πŸ” 289 πŸ’¬ 12 πŸ“Œ 12

I threw so much burning oil on invaders in Lords of the Realm 2, but that wasn't a real thing! Excellent πŸ§΅πŸ‘‡

04.09.2025 15:53 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Portfolio

Hi! I was laid off from Firaxis this morning. I wrote leaders and civs for Civilization VII (NDA for now) and Deadpool and Storm for Marvel's Midnight Suns. I also wrote the award-nominated Hindsight.

I'm available for full time, remote work starting ASAP. DMs are open:

emmkid.info

04.09.2025 15:17 πŸ‘ 2125 πŸ” 975 πŸ’¬ 105 πŸ“Œ 34

If you want to pick a fight with Chicago, you may want to try the first week of February. Everyone has "greatest city in the world" mode on 11 this week specifically

26.08.2025 23:05 πŸ‘ 222 πŸ” 32 πŸ’¬ 6 πŸ“Œ 8
Preview
Plays Are Good to Think With – AHA Playwrights often lean on historical themes, but Mary F. Casey argues in her second column that historians, too, can learn from plays.

Greatly enjoyed this piece by Mary F. Casey on thinking about history through theatre, especially the emotional perspective of historical characters. www.historians.org/perspectives...

26.08.2025 17:26 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Would love to see the syllabus if you’d be willing to share!

25.08.2025 15:55 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Without insomnia, how would I know about money in a chip bag? What a gift.

21.08.2025 06:16 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

manta rays are so freaking beautiful and majestic πŸ₯°

16.08.2025 15:30 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

civilization vi leader two turns before you destroy his lone attacking trebuchet unit with a missile cruiser

09.08.2025 13:58 πŸ‘ 11964 πŸ” 1984 πŸ’¬ 81 πŸ“Œ 22
An Andrew Cuomo tweet shitting on Chicago for some reason

An Andrew Cuomo tweet shitting on Chicago for some reason

This man has zero idea what the fuck he's talking about. Eat shit and stay away from Chicago.

09.08.2025 18:31 πŸ‘ 4420 πŸ” 383 πŸ’¬ 287 πŸ“Œ 175

The other side is then β€œhow can I get a Nobel by studying AI” and now youre entwined in the barreling thoughtless β€œprogress” of tech. Everyone becomes compromised and the only escape is escape.

09.08.2025 21:10 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0