Ep. 311 - Cathcula, with Phil Salvador (Patreon)

Phil Salvador, library director for the Video Game History Foundation, steps over to the panel for Maxis facts, Five Nights at Freddy’s lore, and pigeon kings. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Phil Salvador. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

Questions this week:

1. Do Maxis Sim games have an evolving line of game design you can trace from title to title? (07:29)
2. What else could Maxis have done after The Sims 2? (15:16)
3. What are some interesting regional differences in video games? (22:01)
4. How and why do mass game company layoffs keep happening? (27:37)
5. Without looking anything up, what do you think Five Nights at Freddy’s is about? (34:57)
6. Slightly More Five Nights at Freddy’s talk (44:48)
7. Isla asks: What is a game mechanic or system you really like that is in a game you don't like? (45:57)
8. What would it be like if video games had playable forwards? (56:46)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Who Said It? (01:01:39)

Recommendations and Outro (01:13:17)

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:

• The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
• Ninja Gaiden
• Bloodborne
• Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
• Shining Force III
• Tori no Hoshi: Aerial Planet
• Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
• Chocobo
• The Matrix Online
• Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series
• Maxis
• Firaxis
• Sixaxis
• Sid Meier's SimGolf
• SimGolf
• Will Wright
• SimAnt
• SimEarth: The Living Planet
• The Sims
• Marvel Midnight Suns
• Spore
• SimTower: The Vertical Empire
• Alexey Pajitnov
• El-Fish
• The Sims 2
• The Sims 3
• Capitalism
• Diner Dash
• The Sims Online
• Kirby games
• Crash Bandicoot series
• Ratchet & Clank series
• Splatterhouse
• Exile
• Police Quest 2: The Vengeance
• Might and Magic
• J.J. & Jeff
• DJ Jazzy Jeff
• Populous
• Peter Molyneux
• Destiny 2 dev Bungie facing layoffs
• Embracer Group
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Baldur's Gate III
• Street Fighter 6
• Diablo IV
• Five Nights at Freddy's
• Chuck E. Cheese
• ShowBiz Pizza
• The Rock-afire Explosion
• USA Store Fanon
• FNaF World
• Roblox
• Scott Cawthon
• Arachnophobia (1990)
• The Birds (1963)
• The Golem (2018)
• The Young Pope
• Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)
• Undertale
• Robot City
• P.N.03
• God Hand
• God of War
• The Last of Us series
• NieR
• David Cage
• Roman Polanski
• Martin Scorsese
• Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
• Trouble Is My Business
• F. Scott Fitzgerald
• Toby Fox
• Um Jammer Lammy NOW!
• Guillermo del Toro
• Death Stranding
• Æon Flux
• Peter Chung

Recommendations:

Phil: The Video Game History Foundation

Brandon: Fushigi and Crimson by Nakamori Akina

DIRTBAGS: You can submit your questions to the show using this form. And, thanks!