Cat Manning
@catacalypto.bsky.social
narrative director at Firaxis. emergent/systemic storytelling. nominated for awards and things. lit PhD. awful at Greek. better profile coming soon.
Pinned
Cat Manning
@catacalypto.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Hi to new people leaving the other place!
I’m Cat Manning, currently narrative director on Civ 7. Worked at Riot and on some indie games previously (most notably Pathologic). I have a Lit PhD and a background in classics.
Here I talk about emergent narrative, games, poetry, possums, and perfume.
I’m Cat Manning, currently narrative director on Civ 7. Worked at Riot and on some indie games previously (most notably Pathologic). I have a Lit PhD and a background in classics.
Here I talk about emergent narrative, games, poetry, possums, and perfume.
Reposted by Cat Manning
119. frontispiece to the amitabha sutra, painted in gold by a monk of goryeo named Ch'onggo in c. 1341.
September 1, 2025 at 5:26 AM
119. frontispiece to the amitabha sutra, painted in gold by a monk of goryeo named Ch'onggo in c. 1341.
Reposted by Cat Manning
games exist only as a memory of your experience playing the game, and your memory of sharing that experience with others, and your memory of others sharing their experience with you.
games do not have text that is outside the context of a player experiencing the game.
games do not have text that is outside the context of a player experiencing the game.
November 10, 2025 at 9:45 PM
games exist only as a memory of your experience playing the game, and your memory of sharing that experience with others, and your memory of others sharing their experience with you.
games do not have text that is outside the context of a player experiencing the game.
games do not have text that is outside the context of a player experiencing the game.
Reposted by Cat Manning
One of the publishers I worked with submitted my game to igf without either asking me or telling me they had done it. I only found out when I saw it in the list when I logged in to judge. V embarrassing.
blog post boiling within me titled "indie publishers, you need to get your shit together" based on this year of indie pubs submitting games to IGF w/ a demo and then when asked for a dev build so anyone can actually judge it, either ghost or go "we will provide you with a build on the release date"
November 11, 2025 at 7:26 AM
One of the publishers I worked with submitted my game to igf without either asking me or telling me they had done it. I only found out when I saw it in the list when I logged in to judge. V embarrassing.
Reposted by Cat Manning
Trying to explain how Ambrosia Sky is Powerwash Simulator meets Donkey Kong Bananza but about being wistful for a home you can't go back to and leaving the midwest and grief for lost people & endeavors alike and also there's a grapple hook
November 11, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Trying to explain how Ambrosia Sky is Powerwash Simulator meets Donkey Kong Bananza but about being wistful for a home you can't go back to and leaving the midwest and grief for lost people & endeavors alike and also there's a grapple hook
Reposted by Cat Manning
@adamatomic.bsky.social has created a *lot* of small games, and we were delighted for him to join us at ThinkyCon 2025 to share how he approaches it.
My approach to making small games - Adam Saltsman (ThinkyCon 2025)
Adam Saltsman joins us at ThinkyCon 2025 to present the talk: "CorgiSpace, or, short legs on purpose, or, my approach to making small games"
Talk description: I've made and released 14 games in the last 12 months, all in my very limited free time, and had a super fun time doing it, even though I al
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 2:56 PM
@adamatomic.bsky.social has created a *lot* of small games, and we were delighted for him to join us at ThinkyCon 2025 to share how he approaches it.
Reposted by Cat Manning
November 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Reposted by Cat Manning
this has to be the single greatest image in the history of sports
November 9, 2025 at 9:46 PM
this has to be the single greatest image in the history of sports
Reposted by Cat Manning
Joyce Carol Oates: Demonstrating the Value of the Humanities through Public Ownership of the Richest Man on Earth
November 11, 2025 at 3:56 AM
Joyce Carol Oates: Demonstrating the Value of the Humanities through Public Ownership of the Richest Man on Earth
ok this is something I wonder if devs/publishers don’t get when they’re stingy with codes late in judging. the reason you are getting asked for more codes is because judges have been Intrigued. this can lead to awards or at the least some people championing it & helping get eyes on it!
IT IS A GOOD SIGN WHEN YOU GET ASKED FOR A BUNCH MORE KEYS LATE IN JUDGING
November 11, 2025 at 6:24 AM
ok this is something I wonder if devs/publishers don’t get when they’re stingy with codes late in judging. the reason you are getting asked for more codes is because judges have been Intrigued. this can lead to awards or at the least some people championing it & helping get eyes on it!
Reposted by Cat Manning
April 6, 2025 at 5:57 AM
Reposted by Cat Manning
feeling bummed out? nothing getting you out of that funk? try Playing Civ 7 as Benjamin Franklin. you will surely not regret Playing Civ 7 as Benjamin Franklin
November 11, 2025 at 6:11 AM
feeling bummed out? nothing getting you out of that funk? try Playing Civ 7 as Benjamin Franklin. you will surely not regret Playing Civ 7 as Benjamin Franklin
Reposted by Cat Manning
Every time someone’s like “put that in the louvre,” my head now goes “and then steal it from the louvre, the security password is louvre”
November 11, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Every time someone’s like “put that in the louvre,” my head now goes “and then steal it from the louvre, the security password is louvre”
Reposted by Cat Manning
I just want to be 100% clear that I'm aware of at least one instance this year where the publisher submitted the game _without even telling the developer they had done so_
if your publisher has done this — and yeah, this happened — what use is your publisher?
personally speaking, most of the time I have reticence at putting just a demo forward for awards. it’s wild that people are out there kneecapping their dev’s chances for visibility.
personally speaking, most of the time I have reticence at putting just a demo forward for awards. it’s wild that people are out there kneecapping their dev’s chances for visibility.
blog post boiling within me titled "indie publishers, you need to get your shit together" based on this year of indie pubs submitting games to IGF w/ a demo and then when asked for a dev build so anyone can actually judge it, either ghost or go "we will provide you with a build on the release date"
November 11, 2025 at 6:02 AM
I just want to be 100% clear that I'm aware of at least one instance this year where the publisher submitted the game _without even telling the developer they had done so_
Reposted by Cat Manning
ALSO PLEASE LEAVE A STEAM REVIEW ASAP IF YOU CAN!
early positive reviews will do wonders for our placement
plspslplsplspslpslslps
early positive reviews will do wonders for our placement
plspslplsplspslpslslps
Drive back a hostile alien fungus with a spray cleaner as you traverse your childhood home with grappling tethers & gravity tools.. but is your first love among the dead?
"System shock meets Powerwash Simulator" - @pcgamer.com
"beautiful, intimate, deeply affecting" - @ign.com
Available now!
"System shock meets Powerwash Simulator" - @pcgamer.com
"beautiful, intimate, deeply affecting" - @ign.com
Available now!
November 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
ALSO PLEASE LEAVE A STEAM REVIEW ASAP IF YOU CAN!
early positive reviews will do wonders for our placement
plspslplsplspslpslslps
early positive reviews will do wonders for our placement
plspslplsplspslpslslps
if your publisher has done this — and yeah, this happened — what use is your publisher?
personally speaking, most of the time I have reticence at putting just a demo forward for awards. it’s wild that people are out there kneecapping their dev’s chances for visibility.
personally speaking, most of the time I have reticence at putting just a demo forward for awards. it’s wild that people are out there kneecapping their dev’s chances for visibility.
blog post boiling within me titled "indie publishers, you need to get your shit together" based on this year of indie pubs submitting games to IGF w/ a demo and then when asked for a dev build so anyone can actually judge it, either ghost or go "we will provide you with a build on the release date"
November 11, 2025 at 5:56 AM
if your publisher has done this — and yeah, this happened — what use is your publisher?
personally speaking, most of the time I have reticence at putting just a demo forward for awards. it’s wild that people are out there kneecapping their dev’s chances for visibility.
personally speaking, most of the time I have reticence at putting just a demo forward for awards. it’s wild that people are out there kneecapping their dev’s chances for visibility.
Reposted by Cat Manning
I suspect a lot of devs would be genuinely pissed off at knowing they had a shot if someone who actually cared had been on the other end of that email line instead of someone who blithely goes "we'll give you a copy when it's out" and blows the game's chances to smithereens as a result
November 11, 2025 at 5:24 AM
I suspect a lot of devs would be genuinely pissed off at knowing they had a shot if someone who actually cared had been on the other end of that email line instead of someone who blithely goes "we'll give you a copy when it's out" and blows the game's chances to smithereens as a result
Reposted by Cat Manning
blog post boiling within me titled "indie publishers, you need to get your shit together" based on this year of indie pubs submitting games to IGF w/ a demo and then when asked for a dev build so anyone can actually judge it, either ghost or go "we will provide you with a build on the release date"
November 11, 2025 at 5:22 AM
blog post boiling within me titled "indie publishers, you need to get your shit together" based on this year of indie pubs submitting games to IGF w/ a demo and then when asked for a dev build so anyone can actually judge it, either ghost or go "we will provide you with a build on the release date"
Reposted by Cat Manning
If you understand this image without someone explaining it to you, remember to take your ibuprofen before bed.
November 11, 2025 at 5:33 AM
If you understand this image without someone explaining it to you, remember to take your ibuprofen before bed.
Reposted by Cat Manning
Everyone is discoursing on today, the solemnest of days.
November 10, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Everyone is discoursing on today, the solemnest of days.
Reposted by Cat Manning
Anytime I mention this story theres a few dozen people who never heard about it, so for those unaware
Tesla engineer was concerned about known thermal runaway problems in the batteries, elon and his head of security concoted a mass shooter threat pretending to be him, leaked it to the press and got a bolo issued to tried to get him swatted, Elon then stiffed his head of security
November 11, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Anytime I mention this story theres a few dozen people who never heard about it, so for those unaware
Reposted by Cat Manning
Marcel is very bad at camping.
November 11, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Marcel is very bad at camping.
thinking about AP Thomson’s Unannounced Game again
November 11, 2025 at 5:26 AM
thinking about AP Thomson’s Unannounced Game again
everything else aside this is just well-crafted, delightful prose.
November 11, 2025 at 4:48 AM
everything else aside this is just well-crafted, delightful prose.
Reposted by Cat Manning
They’re not concerned with affordability. The whole reason the ACA exists is to get insurance to people who were otherwise denied coverage for preexisting conditions or shunted into terrible, high-cost plans with poor coverage. It was to ensure access to preventive care to reduce catastrophic need.
November 11, 2025 at 4:28 AM
They’re not concerned with affordability. The whole reason the ACA exists is to get insurance to people who were otherwise denied coverage for preexisting conditions or shunted into terrible, high-cost plans with poor coverage. It was to ensure access to preventive care to reduce catastrophic need.
Reposted by Cat Manning
“Why is literacy important?”
Socioeconomic Politics Nerd: *rambles on about civic engagement, material enrichment, individual well-being, etc*
Joyce Carol Oates: If you are literate, you can drive a billionaire into a mental breakdown!
Socioeconomic Politics Nerd: *rambles on about civic engagement, material enrichment, individual well-being, etc*
Joyce Carol Oates: If you are literate, you can drive a billionaire into a mental breakdown!
November 11, 2025 at 4:39 AM
“Why is literacy important?”
Socioeconomic Politics Nerd: *rambles on about civic engagement, material enrichment, individual well-being, etc*
Joyce Carol Oates: If you are literate, you can drive a billionaire into a mental breakdown!
Socioeconomic Politics Nerd: *rambles on about civic engagement, material enrichment, individual well-being, etc*
Joyce Carol Oates: If you are literate, you can drive a billionaire into a mental breakdown!