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.
I really liked Despelote (do play with a controller if you can) and you should absolutely pick it up. Just a really lovely experience.
This is a very good... trailer? documentary? mockumentary??
despelote was my favorite game that year and has some masterful experiential design in it. I can't recommend it highly enough and I don't even like sports, but sounds like not many people played it
store.steampowered.com/app/2367820/...
despelote was my favorite game that year and has some masterful experiential design in it. I can't recommend it highly enough and I don't even like sports, but sounds like not many people played it
store.steampowered.com/app/2367820/...
December 8, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I really liked Despelote (do play with a controller if you can) and you should absolutely pick it up. Just a really lovely experience.
Reposted by Cat Manning
I love these snapshots of old training dates, it's about as close as you can get to proving objectively that something is very very wrong with the country.
The machine built by feeding it decades of data and news stories is like "shut the fuck up, that shit can't be true."
Immune to frog boiling.
The machine built by feeding it decades of data and news stories is like "shut the fuck up, that shit can't be true."
Immune to frog boiling.
December 8, 2025 at 9:37 PM
I love these snapshots of old training dates, it's about as close as you can get to proving objectively that something is very very wrong with the country.
The machine built by feeding it decades of data and news stories is like "shut the fuck up, that shit can't be true."
Immune to frog boiling.
The machine built by feeding it decades of data and news stories is like "shut the fuck up, that shit can't be true."
Immune to frog boiling.
Reposted by Cat Manning
This is a very good... trailer? documentary? mockumentary??
despelote was my favorite game that year and has some masterful experiential design in it. I can't recommend it highly enough and I don't even like sports, but sounds like not many people played it
store.steampowered.com/app/2367820/...
despelote was my favorite game that year and has some masterful experiential design in it. I can't recommend it highly enough and I don't even like sports, but sounds like not many people played it
store.steampowered.com/app/2367820/...
December 8, 2025 at 9:36 PM
This is a very good... trailer? documentary? mockumentary??
despelote was my favorite game that year and has some masterful experiential design in it. I can't recommend it highly enough and I don't even like sports, but sounds like not many people played it
store.steampowered.com/app/2367820/...
despelote was my favorite game that year and has some masterful experiential design in it. I can't recommend it highly enough and I don't even like sports, but sounds like not many people played it
store.steampowered.com/app/2367820/...
Reposted by Cat Manning
Trying out a new PCP's office, and their "preferred language" dropdown on the intake form is time-traveler inclusive.
December 8, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Trying out a new PCP's office, and their "preferred language" dropdown on the intake form is time-traveler inclusive.
Reposted by Cat Manning
<picture of the average student with a speech bubble emerging>
you can't keep making me read things it's illegal
December 8, 2025 at 8:50 PM
<picture of the average student with a speech bubble emerging>
Reposted by Cat Manning
constantine: will you people _please_ just establish a single hermeneutic and stop killing each other over punctuation
first council of nicaea:
first council of nicaea:
December 8, 2025 at 8:26 PM
constantine: will you people _please_ just establish a single hermeneutic and stop killing each other over punctuation
first council of nicaea:
first council of nicaea:
Reposted by Cat Manning
ok it’s legitimately funny that they can’t even throw red meat to Catholics without falling into heresy
December 8, 2025 at 6:19 PM
ok it’s legitimately funny that they can’t even throw red meat to Catholics without falling into heresy
Reposted by Cat Manning
Started to snow again this evening, lovely weather. He’s in his element. He won’t come in now… until he hears someone making anything in the kitchen. @brookenewman.bsky.social @drleonj.bsky.social
December 8, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Started to snow again this evening, lovely weather. He’s in his element. He won’t come in now… until he hears someone making anything in the kitchen. @brookenewman.bsky.social @drleonj.bsky.social
Reposted by Cat Manning
Step 1: Watch this hilarious video
Step 2: Buy Despelote
Step 3: Play Despelote
Step 4: Transcend from "Slug Dusted with Salt" to "Enriched Human" through the power of autobiographical storytelling
Step 5: Gradually descend back into the default state of "Goo Ball"
Step 2: Buy Despelote
Step 3: Play Despelote
Step 4: Transcend from "Slug Dusted with Salt" to "Enriched Human" through the power of autobiographical storytelling
Step 5: Gradually descend back into the default state of "Goo Ball"
DESPELOTE: FIFTH TRAILER (now on nintendo switch)
YouTube video by Panic
www.youtube.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Step 1: Watch this hilarious video
Step 2: Buy Despelote
Step 3: Play Despelote
Step 4: Transcend from "Slug Dusted with Salt" to "Enriched Human" through the power of autobiographical storytelling
Step 5: Gradually descend back into the default state of "Goo Ball"
Step 2: Buy Despelote
Step 3: Play Despelote
Step 4: Transcend from "Slug Dusted with Salt" to "Enriched Human" through the power of autobiographical storytelling
Step 5: Gradually descend back into the default state of "Goo Ball"
Reposted by Cat Manning
TIME AGENTS ARE REMINDED NOT TO LISTEN TO MUSIC THAT DOES NOT OR WILL NOT EXIST IN YOUR CURRENT CONTINUUM. DAY PASSES TO OTHER TIMELINES ARE AVAILABLE
December 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
TIME AGENTS ARE REMINDED NOT TO LISTEN TO MUSIC THAT DOES NOT OR WILL NOT EXIST IN YOUR CURRENT CONTINUUM. DAY PASSES TO OTHER TIMELINES ARE AVAILABLE
Reposted by Cat Manning
There is magic in it.
December 8, 2025 at 5:47 PM
There is magic in it.
Reposted by Cat Manning
if you're into AI "advisors" and find their insights helpful, may I non-ironically recommend seriously considering: tarot
- connection to your subconscious
- therapeutic or confessional as need be
- patterns of meaning
- self-determined takeaways
- no need to google facts afterwards
- connection to your subconscious
- therapeutic or confessional as need be
- patterns of meaning
- self-determined takeaways
- no need to google facts afterwards
December 8, 2025 at 5:51 PM
if you're into AI "advisors" and find their insights helpful, may I non-ironically recommend seriously considering: tarot
- connection to your subconscious
- therapeutic or confessional as need be
- patterns of meaning
- self-determined takeaways
- no need to google facts afterwards
- connection to your subconscious
- therapeutic or confessional as need be
- patterns of meaning
- self-determined takeaways
- no need to google facts afterwards
Reposted by Cat Manning
i am also opposed to divisiveness and in favor of togetherness, which is why i unreservedly support the Union Army
December 8, 2025 at 5:45 PM
i am also opposed to divisiveness and in favor of togetherness, which is why i unreservedly support the Union Army
Reposted by Cat Manning
I played Horses this weekend and I wrote down some messy thoughts not only on the game but especially on the specter of formalism that emerged to haunt us all for a moment.
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
I Hope You Get To Live Your Entire Life As A Human
I thought this was going to be a review of my time with Santa Ragione's Horses, the controversial art game recently banned from Steam and the Epic Store. To some extent, this will be that but after...
transgamerthoughts.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:06 AM
I played Horses this weekend and I wrote down some messy thoughts not only on the game but especially on the specter of formalism that emerged to haunt us all for a moment.
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
transgamerthoughts.com/post/8023277...
Reposted by Cat Manning
wow do you want to be an editorial intern at a cool cooperatively owned company and write blogs for the summer????
apply here! defector.com/would-you-li...
apply here! defector.com/would-you-li...
Would You Like To Be Defector’s Sixth-Ever Editorial Intern? | Defector
Big news: Defector is looking to hire editorial interns for the summer of 2026. Wow! That could be you! How could it be you? I am here to answer that question, and many more. What will a Defector inte...
defector.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:55 PM
wow do you want to be an editorial intern at a cool cooperatively owned company and write blogs for the summer????
apply here! defector.com/would-you-li...
apply here! defector.com/would-you-li...
Reposted by Cat Manning
every fucking time I go back to thinking about a civil war battle I inevitably think of this post. cursed forever
ever wondered about what ranking officers in the us civil war were like? good news. there's not that many types of them. here you go
December 8, 2025 at 1:58 AM
every fucking time I go back to thinking about a civil war battle I inevitably think of this post. cursed forever
Reposted by Cat Manning
I’ve just heard about these appearing in freshwater. that’s right it’s News From Lake Wobbegong
The Tasselled Wobbegong is a master of disguise that can eat a fish almost as big as itself in one gulp. It's classified as a shark, but when it lays on the sea floor it looks like a harmless rug if you manage to see it. But with powerful jaws and sharp teeth they are no fish to mess with.
December 8, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I’ve just heard about these appearing in freshwater. that’s right it’s News From Lake Wobbegong
Reposted by Cat Manning
*static* Snake, that's Zeus, King of the Gods. When in range, press the shoulder buttons to try having sex with him.
December 8, 2025 at 3:06 PM
*static* Snake, that's Zeus, King of the Gods. When in range, press the shoulder buttons to try having sex with him.
Reposted by Cat Manning
SNAKE: I'm tired of people stepping on me
ZEUS: is this a problem I can solve by having sex with you
SNAKE:
ZEUS:
SNAKE:
ZEUS: is there ANYTHING I can have sex with to solve this problem
ZEUS: is this a problem I can solve by having sex with you
SNAKE:
ZEUS:
SNAKE:
ZEUS: is there ANYTHING I can have sex with to solve this problem
J623.1
Snake complains
to Zeus
that people step
on him.
Snake complains
to Zeus
that people step
on him.
December 8, 2025 at 2:47 PM
SNAKE: I'm tired of people stepping on me
ZEUS: is this a problem I can solve by having sex with you
SNAKE:
ZEUS:
SNAKE:
ZEUS: is there ANYTHING I can have sex with to solve this problem
ZEUS: is this a problem I can solve by having sex with you
SNAKE:
ZEUS:
SNAKE:
ZEUS: is there ANYTHING I can have sex with to solve this problem
Reposted by Cat Manning
it’s just remarkable how thoroughly the media has normalized all of this; how clearly the media will normalize absolutely anything provided it endures longer than a handful of news cycles.
This is just how we do mergers now.
"Paramount executives also plan to argue their deal will have a much shorter regulatory approval process given the company’s smaller size and friendly relationship with the Trump administration."
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/08/p...
"Paramount executives also plan to argue their deal will have a much shorter regulatory approval process given the company’s smaller size and friendly relationship with the Trump administration."
www.cnbc.com/2025/12/08/p...
Paramount Skydance launches hostile bid for WBD after Netflix wins bidding war
Netflix won a bidding war for the Warner Bros. film studio and HBO Max streaming service, but it doesn't plan to buy WBD's TV networks.
www.cnbc.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:17 PM
it’s just remarkable how thoroughly the media has normalized all of this; how clearly the media will normalize absolutely anything provided it endures longer than a handful of news cycles.
Reposted by Cat Manning
For your Thursday date night, she takes you to the sunken kingdom that appears sometimes in the pond at the park. To your surprise, the seafood is mid.
December 8, 2025 at 9:12 AM
For your Thursday date night, she takes you to the sunken kingdom that appears sometimes in the pond at the park. To your surprise, the seafood is mid.
I’ve just heard about these appearing in freshwater. that’s right it’s News From Lake Wobbegong
The Tasselled Wobbegong is a master of disguise that can eat a fish almost as big as itself in one gulp. It's classified as a shark, but when it lays on the sea floor it looks like a harmless rug if you manage to see it. But with powerful jaws and sharp teeth they are no fish to mess with.
December 8, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I’ve just heard about these appearing in freshwater. that’s right it’s News From Lake Wobbegong
Reposted by Cat Manning
So love wobbegongs. Everything is good about the wobbegong. Its name. Its flattened Oscar the Grouch face. Its frondy bits. Its lazy life as a hungry rug. And it’s a shark. Outstanding animal 10/10
The Tasselled Wobbegong is a master of disguise that can eat a fish almost as big as itself in one gulp. It's classified as a shark, but when it lays on the sea floor it looks like a harmless rug if you manage to see it. But with powerful jaws and sharp teeth they are no fish to mess with.
December 8, 2025 at 9:49 AM
So love wobbegongs. Everything is good about the wobbegong. Its name. Its flattened Oscar the Grouch face. Its frondy bits. Its lazy life as a hungry rug. And it’s a shark. Outstanding animal 10/10
Reposted by Cat Manning
I've been blown away by the generosity shown to my book this year, and wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the books that meant the most to me in 2025—along with a few I'm especially excited to see out in the world in the new year.
THREAD
THREAD
December 7, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I've been blown away by the generosity shown to my book this year, and wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the books that meant the most to me in 2025—along with a few I'm especially excited to see out in the world in the new year.
THREAD
THREAD
my extremely tongue in cheek insomniac thoughts on pitching games costing 40 thousand to 40 million during the latter 2020s:
- in the genre you’re excited about, what are your prospective players looking for?
- how sure are you that’s what they’re looking for?
- can you make it in 3 years or less
- in the genre you’re excited about, what are your prospective players looking for?
- how sure are you that’s what they’re looking for?
- can you make it in 3 years or less
December 8, 2025 at 11:27 AM
my extremely tongue in cheek insomniac thoughts on pitching games costing 40 thousand to 40 million during the latter 2020s:
- in the genre you’re excited about, what are your prospective players looking for?
- how sure are you that’s what they’re looking for?
- can you make it in 3 years or less
- in the genre you’re excited about, what are your prospective players looking for?
- how sure are you that’s what they’re looking for?
- can you make it in 3 years or less