Penguins with Lasers!

I'm working on this project about games and education, and I remembered suddenly the game that got our middle kid, Elliot, through high school algebra.

This is about 10 years ago. Elliot was being made to learn y=Mx+B, the equation of a line, and was like, “daaaaad, when am I…

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Installments:
2025-10-17 Warriors of the World Ablaze: the Harrow Queen *
2025-09-30 The Unofficial Red Dot RPG *
2025-09-29 What If History...? Bread & Roses *
2025-09-27 I'm Your Roomba *
2025-09-26 Penguins with Lasers! *
2025-08-27 The Demon Tree 2025 - The Crown Agent *
2025-08-27 The Barbarian's Bloody Quest & Other Stories: A Thief & Wastrel *
2025-07-31 Warriors of the World Ablaze: Playtest Refs *
2025-07-31 The Barbarian's Bloody Quest & Other Stories: A Wizard's Construct *
2025-07-30 The Barbarian's Bloody Quest & Other Stories: A Hunting Beast *
2025-07-29 The Demon Tree 2025 - The Wraith *
2025-07-20 Warriors of the World Ablaze: the Outlaw Heir *
2025-06-30 The Demon Tree 2025 - The Rest of the Revised Playbooks *
2025-06-30 The Demon Tree - The Demon Tree Itself *
2025-06-28 Warriors of the World Ablaze: the Hunting Kite *
2025-06-26 Warriors of the World Ablaze: NPC Spellcasters *
2025-06-25 The Demon Tree 2025 - More Revised Playbooks *
2025-05-31 The Demon Tree 2025 - Five Revised Playbooks *
2025-05-30 The Demon Tree 2025 - Player Rules Packet *
2025-05-28 The Demon Tree 2025 - The Astronomer *
2025-05-27 The Demon Tree 2025 - The Chimera *
2025-05-26 The Demon Tree 2025 - The Apothekist *
2025-04-30 Warriors of the World Ablaze: Feral-Born *
2025-04-30 Warriors of the World Ablaze: Untried *
2025-04-26 Warriors of the World Ablaze: Some Light Housekeeping *
2025-03-31 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: The X-Earther & The Ungiven Future *
2025-03-29 An Idea About Your Characters *
2025-03-29 Warriors of the World Ablaze: the Gutter Jay *
2025-02-28 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: 3 More Interactive Extended Playbooks *
2025-02-26 Warriors of the World Ablaze: the Lost Priest *
2025-02-26 In Dreaming Avalon: The Kissing Game *
2025-02-24 Under Hollow Hills: The Dancing Bear *
2025-01-31 The Receiving Rooms Project — First Look *
2025-01-31 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: MC Threat Sheets *
2025-01-24 Warriors of the World Ablaze: the Bloody Sword *
2025-01-16 Warriors of the World Ablaze: the Axe King *
2024-12-31 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: 4 Interactive Extended Playbooks *
2024-12-30 Warriors of the World Ablaze: the Warlock *
2024-12-23 Meredith Baker's Alien Tea Party Playtest *
2024-11-30 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: the Interactive Forerunner *
2024-11-30 Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven's Ars Magica Post #3 *
2024-11-25 Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven's Ars Magica Post #2 *
2024-11-23 Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven's Ars Magica Post #1 *
2024-10-31 Space Opera Detective Game Setting Notes *
2024-10-31 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: the Last 4 Interactive Core Playbooks *
2024-10-30 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: Forerunners *
2024-10-28 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: the Next 4 Interactive Playbooks *
2024-09-24 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: the First 4 Interactive Playbooks *
2024-09-23 Fantasy TTRPG Elemental Characters 1st Sketch *
2024-09-22 Giving It Another Shot... *
2024-09-19 Fantasy TTRPG Spells 1st Sketch *
2024-08-31 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: Advanced Move Candidates *
2024-08-30 Speaking of the Demon Tree... *
2024-08-29 Fantasy TTRPG Character Creation 1st Sketch *
2024-08-25 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: The Ungiven Future *
2024-07-31 AW:Burned Over 2024 Playtest: Player & MC Packets *
2024-06-29 Meguey Baker: Reentry *
2024-06-25 AW:Burned Over - A Standout *
2024-05-21 AW:Burned Over - Quarantine *
2024-05-17 The Demon Tree: the First Demon Playbook, the Fleshmelder *
2024-04-30 The Demon Tree: The Pixie *
2024-04-29 The Wizard's Plasmic Scribe *
2024-03-31 Burned Over Interactive Playbook - the Harrier, a 1st Stab *
2024-03-30 Preview: The Wizard's Library - Studying Between Sessions *
2024-03-27 The Demon Tree: The Demon-Binder *
2024-03-26 The Wolf King's Son: Improved Interactive PDF Character Sheets *
2024-02-29 AW:Burned Over - The Child-Thing *
2024-02-24 The Demon Tree: the Gutter Kid *
2024-01-30 AW:Burned Over - The Proprietor *
2024-01-30 Tales of Timberwind 2024: Systems & Basic Moves *
2024-01-27 The Demon Tree: the Mercenary & the Soldier *
2024-01-26 Apocalypse World Basic Moves - Reconsolidated *
2023-12-31 Tales of Timberwind 2024: Bows and Powderarms *
2023-12-28 The Demon Tree: Battle Setup *
2023-12-20 Meguey Baker: Truce *
2023-11-30 Tales of Timberwind 2024: Duelling & Martial Combat *
2023-11-18 Orbital Transport Board Game Prototype 1 *
2023-11-15 The Demon Tree: First Campaign Prep Notes *
2023-10-29 Meguey Baker: The Thing that Gnaws *
2023-10-27 Meguey Baker: Hearth & Home *
2023-10-20 Dice & Moves: PbtA vs The Demon Tree *
2023-09-26 Some Kind of Space Ship Hornblower Game, First Notes *
2023-09-09 Untitled Game ("The Demon Tree"): The Gargantuan and the Pinnacle *
2023-08-27 Untitled Game ("The Demon Tree"): Skills & Spells *
2023-08-19 Untitled Game: the Enchanter, Life's Paladin, and a working title? *
2023-08-08 Untitled Game: the Demon Tree & an Example Demon *
2023-07-30 Untitled Game: the Farm Kid & the Demon-Bane *
2023-06-29 [AW SRD] Preview 7: Sample Playbooks *
2023-06-27 Closing In on the Wolf King's Son *
2023-06-25 Untitled Game: the Servant of Blood, the Archwizard, the Initiate Bard *
2023-06-25 [AW SRD] Preview 6: Weapons, Gear, & Personal Places *
2023-05-31 Fugitive Dreams: Spectral Mysteries *
2023-05-30 [AW SRD] Preview 5: Followings & Gangs *
2023-05-28 [AW SRD] Preview 4: Playbook Moves *
2023-04-30 The First Age: Basic Moves, plus an Initial Selection of Spells *
2023-04-29 Meri Baker: Strike Wing! *
2023-04-28 The First Age: The Harrier *
2023-04-26 [AW SRD] Preview 3: Holdings *
2023-03-31 Amazons 2023 1st Draft - GM Prep *
2023-03-30 Tovey Baker's OverDRIVE: the PRIMORD *
2023-03-29 [AW SRD] Preview 2: Playbook Mix & Match pt1 *
2023-03-27 Fugitive Dreams: Monster Mysteries *
2023-02-28 The Wolf King's Son: 4 Interactive Playbooks *
2023-02-28 Amazons 2023 1st Draft *
2023-02-27 The Wolf King's Son Preview: A Briar-Elf *
2023-02-20 The Wolf King's Son Preview: A Graveyard Bird *
2023-01-31 The Wolf King's Son: Draft Interactive Playbooks *
2023-01-30 [AW SRD] Preview 1 *
2023-01-29 The Wolf King's Son Preview: A Young Witch *
2022-12-31 Numbwater Salvage Company: Complete Playtest Draft *
2022-12-28 Burned Over: The Imperson *
2022-11-30 The Boondoggle Hob: Interactive Digital Playbooks *
2022-11-29 The One with a Path and a Mission *
2022-11-29 Bones to Dust: The Butterfly *
2022-10-31 Mysteries in Fugitive Dreams (part 1) *
2022-10-26 The Street Wizard *
2022-09-30 The Young Witch & The Possible Lover *
2022-09-22 The One Who Put Aside Their Wings *
2022-08-31 The One with the Wrong Eyes *
2022-08-28 The One Who is Actually a House *
2022-08-28 Repair Shop Bingo: Postmortem *
2022-07-30 World of Fantasy!?! *
2022-06-30 MF0:Firebrands: The Unit Rosters *
2022-06-26 MF0:Firebrands: A Medical Crisis *
2022-06-17 MF0:Firebrands: Violence Erupts *
2022-05-31 The Pit: Complete First Draft *
2022-05-20 The Deseret Affair - Play Material Sketch *
2022-04-28 Space Tug Blues - Demo *
2022-04-27 The Pit Part 2 *
2022-04-26 Kite Day in Reign Country - Demo *
2022-03-31 The First Age: Primordial Kinds *
2022-03-28 The Pit Part 1 *
2022-02-28 The Deseret Affair *
2022-02-28 Into the Fray: Orbital Skirmish - a Completely Failed Playtest! *
2022-02-27 The First Age: The Healer & The Nightbird *
2022-01-31 The Unnamed World Players' Handbook *
2022-01-27 The First Age: The Lawmaker & The Vigilant *
2021-12-31 As Surely as Night Follows Day... *
2021-12-20 Meguey Baker: This Longest Night *
2021-11-30 Faie Baker: Shell & Soul Player Preview *
2021-10-30 Tiptoes...In Ghost Mansion! *
2021-10-26 Under Hollow Hills: The Witch's Cat *
2021-09-30 Under Hollow Hills: C.W. Spider *
2021-08-31 Goblins the Most *
2021-08-26 The Unnamed World: 3 New Packets *
2021-07-27 Dracula: a playbook for Under Hollow Hills *
2021-06-18 The Unnamed World 1st Look: Basic Rules *
2021-05-27 The Unnamed World 1st Look: Character Creation *
2021-03-31 Meguey Baker's How the Story Ends *
2021-03-30 Bones to Dust: The Stitcher, the Lucid, and 3 Hard Zones *
2021-03-29 Space Tug Blues *
2021-02-28 The Book of the Radiant Lance *
2021-02-22 Under Hollow Hills: Complete Text Preview PDF *
2021-01-31 A Sampler of Fantasy Games *
2021-01-23 AW:Burned Over: the Playbooks & the Moves *
2021-01-22 5 years of lumpley games biz *
2020-12-31 Tovey Baker's Equinox: a Game of Preparedness *
2020-12-30 Pirate Rummy: a Family Card Game *
2020-12-21 Under Hollow Hills: Winter Solstice Prerelease *
2020-11-30 Meguey Baker's Games To Play While Falling Asleep *
2020-11-30 Tovey Baker's Objective:Survive *
2020-11-29 I guess this is the announcement? *
2020-10-31 Haunted Presents: The Grand Crescent Manot *
2020-10-30 First Look: Shell & Soul *
2020-10-29 Racing Toward an Announcement *
2020-09-30 Under Hollow Hills: Occasion Playbooks - 1st Look *
2020-09-30 A New Sorcery Magic System *
2020-08-31 1st Look: A City on the Great Road *
2020-08-31 Elliot Baker: Numbwater Salvage Company *
2020-08-26 Under Hollow Hills: The Young Witch & the Witch's Bird *
2020-07-31 Keep Keeping It Under Your Hat! *
2020-07-27 Meguey Baker: Tea With Cats *
2020-06-30 AW:Burned Over: No One *
2020-05-31 Visible Mask Pattern by Meguey Baker
2020-05-27 Keep It Under Your Hat! *
2020-04-30 Faie Baker: Poetry in Play *
2020-04-29 AW:Burned Over: the Bloodhound & Vehicle Update *
2020-04-09 AW:Burned Over: The Harrier & Battle Update *
2020-03-31 Sneak Peek: Into the Fray *
2020-03-19 Meguey Baker: Space Station Home *
2020-03-08 New $3+ Patron Forum *
2020-02-29 AW:Burned Over: The X-Earther and Near Earth *
2020-02-04 The Lost Spells of Venus: a party game *
2020-01-31 World of Fantasy! *
2020-01-30 Elliot Baker: Ninecourts *
2020-01-23 World of Adventure: REBORN! *
2019-12-28 8 Pretty Good Games: a Video Game Zine *
2019-11-30 The Wolf-King's Son *
2019-11-30 Elliot Baker: On the Old Dirt Road *
2019-11-26 Six Interesting Things You Might Otherwise Scroll Past *
2019-10-31 Tales of Timberwind Early Access - Update! *
2019-10-30 Run For Your Life! *
2019-10-25 Game Design as Acquired Skill *
2019-10-15 Changes Coming!
2019-09-30 You Guessed This was Coming... *
2019-09-30 Haunted: Lost and Found *
2019-09-30 The Wizard's Grimoire Series *
2019-09-24 Meguey Baker: Saving Stories *
2019-08-31 Under Hollow Hills: A Dangerous Tea-Party *
2019-08-31 Elliot Baker's Haunted *
2019-08-30 Under Hollow Hills: The Giant's Daughter *
2019-07-31 The Dictum of Polume the Farer: a Wizard's Grimoire *
2019-07-12 The Red Tome: a Wizard's Grimoire *
2019-06-30 Tales of Timberwind Early Access! *
2019-06-29 The Last Adventure *
2019-06-23 The Thief & The Necromancer *
2019-06-23 Monthly Discussion #??? *
2019-05-30 The Ghost of Eunice Williams *
2019-05-24 The Barbarian's Bloody Quest *
2019-05-05 The Three Scrolls: a Wizard's Grimoire *
2019-04-30 Under Hollow Hills: The Messenger *
2019-04-25 The True & Preposterous Journey of Half-a-Fool *
2019-03-27 Under Hollow Hills: Introducing the Artists, part 1 *
2019-03-25 Liam Downs: the Phanto-mime *
2019-03-14 The Wizard's Grimoire *
2019-02-28 Bricksticuffs! *
2019-02-28 Under Hollow Hills: The Worldly Frog and Half-a-Fool *
2019-01-31 The Hunters *
2019-01-30 Burned Over: The Restless and the Undaunted *
2019-01-30 Tales of Timberwind Sneak Peek: the Careers & the Items *
2019-01-13 Monthly Discussion #44 / #45 *
2018-12-31 Tales of Timberwind Sneak Peek: the Acres *
2018-12-30 Burned Over: The Weaponized and the Effects *
2018-12-13 A Magic System from 2012 *
2018-11-30 Sneak Peek: Tales of Timberwind *
2018-11-30 Burned Over: The Lawmaker and the Threats *
2018-11-27 Monthly Discussion #43 *
2018-10-31 Burned Over: the First Six Playbooks *
2018-10-24 Penguin Space Disco! *
2018-10-22 Monthly Discussion #41 / #42 *
2018-09-30 First Look: Burned Over *
2018-09-30 Under Hollow Hills: Two Playbooks, Plus an Update! *
2018-08-24 Ennis Bashe: The Runaway *
2018-08-20 Monthly Discussion #40 *
2018-08-16 The Long History of Under Hollow Hills *
2018-07-31 Under Hollow Hills: The Elfin Knight & Boneshoes *
2018-07-12 Monthly Discussion #38 / #39 *
2018-06-29 Under Hollow Hills: Example Places and Two More Playbooks! *
2018-05-31 Under Hollow Hills: an Unredacted Preview! *
2018-05-25 Monthly Discussion #37 *
2018-04-28 Five Torn Out Pages *
2018-04-19 Monthly Discussion #36! Happy Anniversary! *
2018-04-02 The King Is Dead Kickstarter! *
2018-03-17 The Skiller *
2018-03-16 Monthly Discussion #35 *
2018-02-28 AW: Fallen Empires *
2018-02-17 AW: The Symbiote (was: the Macaluso) *
2018-02-11 Monthly Discussion #34 *
2018-01-31 AW: The No One *
2018-01-17 Monthly Discussion #33 *
2017-12-31 Remnant Humanity *
2017-12-28 Tiny and Chrome! *
2017-12-14 Monthly Discussion #32: Free For All *
2017-11-29 AW: The Contaminated *
2017-11-14 Monthly Discussion #31 *
2017-10-28 Murderous Ghosts: a Party Game *
2017-10-14 Monthly Discussion #30 *
2017-09-26 Codename: Snakeguts *
2017-09-12 In Dreaming Avalon *
2017-09-04 Monthly Discussion #29 *
2017-08-31 Apocalypse World: The Patron *
2017-08-08 Monthly Discussion #28 *
2017-07-30 Apocalypse World: Landfall Marine
2017-07-08 Monthly Discussion #26 / #27 *
2017-06-30 Rhinoceros Joust! *
2017-05-29 A Walking Beet! *
2017-05-13 Monthly Discussion #25 *
2017-04-30 AW:Fallen Empires *
2017-04-01 Monthly Discussion #24 *
2017-03-27 Playing Guessing Laughing
2017-03-06 Monthly Discussion #22 / #23 *
2017-02-27 Updated Previews: Bedlam Beautiful and The King Is Dead *
2017-01-31 World of Adventure: Still Not Abandoned! *
2017-01-02 Monthly Discussion #21 *
2016-12-31 Wizard Pit Fight! *
2016-12-02 Monthly Discussion #20 *
2016-11-20 Butt Trumpets: the Deluxe Director's Rip *
2016-11-07 Monthly Discussion #19 *
2016-10-26 The King Is Dead *
2016-10-04 Monthly Discussion #18 *
2016-09-30 Bedlam Beautiful *
2016-09-04 Monthly Discussion #17 *
2016-08-31 The Quest *
2016-08-05 Monthly Discussion #16 *
2016-07-27 World of Adventure: Not Abandoned Yet! *
2016-07-26 Amazons is out!
2016-07-08 Monthly Discussion #15 *
2016-06-26 World of Adventure *
2016-06-06 Monthly Discussion #14 *
2016-05-20 A Year's Work *
2016-05-04 Monthly Discussion Lucky #13 *
2016-04-03 Monthly Discussion #12 *
2016-03-31 MF0: Firebrands *
2016-03-02 Monthly Discussion #11 *
2016-02-29 A Wicked New Direction for Freebooting Venus *
2016-02-02 Monthly Discussion #10 *
2016-01-04 Monthly Discussion #9 *
2015-12-20 Apocalypse World: Fallen Empires *
2015-12-02 Monthly Discussion #8 *
2015-11-24 What If a Roleplaying Game... *
2015-11-01 Monthly Discussion #7 *
2015-10-29 Freebooting Venus *
2015-10-17 Technically Playable Games
2015-10-01 Monthly Discussion #6 *
2015-09-24 A Pragmatic Theory of Playtesting
2015-09-20 A Swashbuckling Romance Game *
2015-09-13 Hand To Mouth in the City of Nephthys *
2015-09-01 Monthly Discussion #5 *
2015-08-30 Apocalypse World 2E Battle & Threats Preview *
2015-08-01 Monthly Discussion #4 *
2015-07-24 Trauma Games presents: Eden Landfall *
2015-06-30 Monthly Discussion #3 *
2015-06-26 What is a Roleplaying Game?
2015-06-19 Amazons *
2015-05-31 Monthly Discussion #2 *
2015-05-20 Verbal Interactive Fiction *
2015-05-13 Apocalypse World 2nd Edition *
2015-05-01 Monthly Discussion #1 *
2015-04-27 One Move's Iterations *
2015-04-20 The Dark Age: the Sea-giant's Throne *
2015-04-16 Rock of Tahamaat, Space Tyrant
2015-04-13 Apocalypse World: Nightmare City
2015-04-12 Ground Rules
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