Five Nights At Freddy's

[GratsTheat783]

He probably was flying by the seat of his pants when he was writing the story. I highly doubt these games were supposed to have "deep lore" to begin with, only reason why the first game even existed was because people were making fun of his other games.

FNAF2 being a prequel instead of a sequel is fine. FNAF3 was creative in the way it did the whole "its the future" trope (i.e. what Street Fighter 3 and Tekken 3 did), but it wasn't until FNAF4 that IMO things wen't a little off-the-rails with the story.

Personally, I feel like the series should have ended with FNAF 4, The establishment is closed down, Purple Guy is dead, the children's souls are set free, but Mike Schmidt has constant nightmares about it for the rest of his life. (I think FNAF 4 takes place from his perspective, it takes place in his room and you hear snippets from the Phone Guy's dialogue from FNAF 1 every now and then)

 

[Celebrate Nite]

Personally, I feel like the series should have ended with FNAF 4, The establishment is closed down, Purple Guy is dead, the children's souls are set free, but Mike Schmidt has constant nightmares about it for the rest of his life. (I think FNAF 4 takes place from his perspective, it takes place in his room and you hear snippets from the Phone Guy's dialogue from FNAF 1 every now and then)

Last I checked with FNAF4 its the child in the atari cutscenes that got bit in '84 that is having the nightmares in the room, which also changes to a hospital bed with an IV drip, implying that it's all in his mind.

Which is my other gripe with FNAF4, there REALLY didn't need to be a second bite, one was enough, and having two just made things even more confusing

 

[Necrosan]

Which is my other gripe with FNAF4, there REALLY didn't need to be a second bite, one was enough, and having two just made things even more confusing

The funny part is that the first bite was such a big deal at the time but the second one was the one that was important to the series. The bite of 87' might as well not have existed.

I think PS (FNAF6) had the perfect ending, the animatronics had the perfect balance between metal and monster and the presentation was the best out of any game.

They are running into the same problem a lot of series/books run into when they do a reboot which is they end up telling the same exact story, in the exact same way (or even a more complicated one).

 

[Powerhouse of the Cell]

Last I checked with FNAF4 its the child in the atari cutscenes that got bit in '84 that is having the nightmares in the room, which also changes to a hospital bed with an IV drip, implying that it's all in his mind.

Which is my other gripe with FNAF4, there REALLY didn't need to be a second bite, one was enough, and having two just made things even more confusing

I'm very certain that half way through making the game, Scott did intend for that to be the bite of 87 but changed it half way making FNAF 4.

Scott claims to have only done 1 retcon but looking at the entire series, it's pretty clear he was retconning all over and making stuff as the games developed.

 

[What can I say?]

I've heard the new Mimic game is actually pretty good. It's still not really FNaF anymore, but I'm willing to try it out. I will say I do really like the mimic as a character, having the new big bad of the series be a pure robot in a series where all of the main villains have been some kind of human is a pretty interesting twist, and I think the mimic is cool and the way he operates is very interesting, I just wish he was introduced in any game other than Security Breach.

Scott claims to have only done 1 retcon but looking at the entire series, it's pretty clear he was retconning all over and making stuff as the games developed.

It's genuinely gotten to the point that the only person who knows how much has been retconned is Scott, for every change there's some kind of explanation for it, and no matter how half-baked or unlikely it is, it's still a valid explanation.

Do I think there's a ton of retcons? yes, but I think the only big one off the top of my head is the FNaF 4 retcon in SL, which was absolutely abhorrent. Alot of the other retcons are more minor things, death by a thousand cuts. There's a difference between a retcon and a poor expansion of the story and setting. SL is a poor expansion, but since it technically was hinted at in FNaF 3, it's not a retcon.

I think Scott can write a good story, he just needs to hold in his inner sci-fi nerd.

 

[Juaco]

SL is a poor expansion, but since it technically was hinted at in FNaF 3, it's not a retcon.

I don’t recall anything in fnaf 3 hinting towards the Sister Location stuff. Was it the springlocks in the phone tapes? I think those were meant for the fredbear location.

 

[umseriously]

I don't blame Scott cawthon for dragging out the franchise beyond what it needed to be. Considering he was working at a dead end retail job with a debt - ridden family while having no apparent path forwards, fnaf really was a hail mary for him. It does strike me then as a bit unfair for how long people wanted him to just drop the series back then when it was his only real source of income. Like, Scott cawthon would tease each game after 2 as really being "the last one" before doing it again and now it's been turned into a legacy franchise much like Friday the 13th and Halloween. For me, that's the real retcon Scott has done to the franchise. What was supposed to be a one off title is now a household name that doesn't seem to be in danger of dying out anytime soon. Amazing.

 

[skykiii]

The funny part is that the first bite was such a big deal at the time but the second one was the one that was important to the series. The bite of 87' might as well not have existed.

The whole "Bite of '83" thing feels to me like Scott Cawthon changing something just to throw a monkey wrench in theories--basically a subversion just for the sake of subversion.

I mean, the game's fucking marketing was those "Was It Me?" images, clearly implying we were gonna learn who did the Bite of '87.... and then it was a new bite altogether.

It's no wonder the series writing dropped off around this point when this is the kind of thing Scott prioritizes or thinks is worth doing.

Scott claims to have only done 1 retcon but looking at the entire series, it's pretty clear he was retconning all over and making stuff as the games developed.

I saw a video once that made an interesting point about the "only one Retcon" thing--which is that what Scott considers a "retcon" might not be what the rest of us would consider one. So when evaluating that statement we have to take Scott's personal autism dictionary into account.

I've heard the new Mimic game is actually pretty good. It's still not really FNaF anymore, but I'm willing to try it out.

I tried watching lets plays (no way in hell I'm spending forty bucks on this). It looks like a decent but rather standard first-person horror game.

These days I find horror lets players a little annoying. Being able to actually run games myself has made me less patient to watch other people play and put up with their quirks, even if the way they're playing isn't much different than how I would.

 

[Necrosan]

I've heard the new Mimic game is actually pretty good. It's still not really FNaF anymore, but I'm willing to try it out.

It's closer to Poppy Playtime than FNAF.

Do I think there's a ton of retcons? yes, but I think the only big one off the top of my head is the FNaF 4 retcon in SL, which was absolutely abhorrent. Alot of the other retcons are more minor things, death by a thousand cuts. There's a difference between a retcon and a poor expansion of the story and setting. SL is a poor expansion, but since it technically was hinted at in FNaF 3, it's not a retcon.

The first instance of SL ever being mentioned was in the FNAF4 Halloween DLC where one of the teaser images mentions Baby and then FNAF World's update which made it into a huge SL trailer.

That said, I don't mind retcons or reboots but they introduced a lot of elements and stories that don't really matter (remnant, Chica's Party World, who designed her, etc.), that's only there to lure retarded theorists into making videos about it.

Everything post PS/FNAF6 is a more complicated and convulluted re-telling of the same story.

 

[Breadbassket]

I don't blame Scott cawthon for dragging out the franchise beyond what it needed to be. Considering he was working at a dead end retail job with a debt - ridden family while having no apparent path forwards, fnaf really was a hail mary for him. It does strike me then as a bit unfair for how long people wanted him to just drop the series back then when it was his only real source of income. Like, Scott cawthon would tease each game after 2 as really being "the last one" before doing it again and now it's been turned into a legacy franchise much like Friday the 13th and Halloween. For me, that's the real retcon Scott has done to the franchise. What was supposed to be a one off title is now a household name that doesn't seem to be in danger of dying out anytime soon. Amazing.

His life pre-FNAF was somewhat depressing so I can't blame the man for going all in on what worked for him.

Some excerpts from a couple articles on his time before Five Night's At Freddy's:

“I wanted to thank the community in general for the huge outpouring of support through emails and in the forums,” he wrote. “I know a lot of you are concerned about me or think that I’m stressed out. It’s true that I’m stressed a little; but it’s OK because the result was good. I’ve worked very hard this year, almost non-stop, to produce good games for this series. Even though there may be some debate as to how ‘good’ the games are, I did my best to provide some good scares and a good story. All I can do is judge from the Steam reviews that I’ve been mostly successful; so I’m very happy about that.”

Cawthon went on to write that he thinks some people believe that since the success of his game he spends his days enjoying the money and “cranking out games with no effort.” But that’s not true, he writes, and his recent successes are his first.

“Did you know that last year I was working at Dollar General?” he wrote.“I worked as a cashier. I had three bosses who were all still in high school. Before that I worked at Target in the backroom freezer, unloading frozen foods. I haven’t had a successful life; and now that God has blessed me with some success, I’m doing my best to be responsible with that success. I don’t party on weekends, I don’t get drunk or sip martinis. I spend my evenings playing Mega Man 3, Buster only, with my kids.

“And I try to [do] good with what’s been given to me.”

That includes, most recently, donating $250,000 to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital during a March fundraising drive.

Instead of deriding the people who have been attacking him, Cawthon said that those people should work to be successful too.

“Being good at something is something to strive for, not something to demonize,” he wrote. “Criticisms of my games are fine, and a lot of times the criticism is valid. But there are a lot of people out there who will hate anything that becomes popular, just because it’s popular, and hate anyone who becomes successful, just because they are successful. ‘Haters gonna hate’ as they say, but I want you to know that focusing on someone else’s failure or success is the wrong way to live. People who make videos bashing other people are like people who run into a public square and scream into a pillow. They’ll get attention, but they won’t change anything. If you strive to be like them, then you’ll spend your life screaming into a pillow as well, and your life won’t mean anything.

“People who hate success will never be successful.”

Cawthon wrapped up his letter by reminding people that one day he’ll retire and that he hopes when he does he’ll be playing games made by some of the people who used to play his games.

“Despite good reviews, my Christian projects were all financial failures,” he explained. “I came to a point where I was very disillusioned and frustrated with God…actually it was more like a broken heart. I felt like I’d squandered so many years of my life.” Elaborating on this crisis of faith, he added “Either God didn’t exist, or God hated me. I didn’t know which was worse…I decided to change careers, at times pursuing web design, then computer programming, even truck driving.”

After having his life insurance policy cancelled when his insurance provider caught wind of suicidal thoughts he had shared with his doctor, Scott decided to go before God and ask for him to channel his power through him, to use his earthly body. Drawn back to game development as a result of this, surprisingly enough with a secular project this time around, Scott began work on Five Nights at Freddy’s. “I felt drawn back to games again, but not Christian games anymore,” he explained. “It’s not that I wanted to leave the Christian market, I just didn’t feel ‘led’ to make another Christian game.”

“I came to a point where I was very disillusioned and frustrated with God”

 

[Newcomer 42]

Looks like he accidentally challenged the Devil instead. Oh well, it still worked for him.

 

[skykiii]

Also gotta give props here (minor politisperg):

I often hear people say there are no creative conservative/christian types, so for Scott to be one and be so successful (and better yet, successful organically rather than astroturfed) is a nice factoid to keep tucked away in the back of your mind for when dealing with such folks.

 

[Newcomer 42]

The change for FNAF4 in SL might be because the OG concept was too depressing, with a poor kid being forced to live a nightmare harrassed by the 'tronics until he finally dies, or Mike having nightmares about such event. So it was retconned into being a "just a totally evil experiment with hallucinogenic gas! And no deaths!". The Afton's family drama is also unintentionally soap opera.

 

[Xerxes IX]

Also gotta give props here (minor politisperg):

I often hear people say there are no creative conservative/christian types, so for Scott to be one and be so successful (and better yet, successful organically rather than astroturfed) is a nice factoid to keep tucked away in the back of your mind for when dealing with such folks.

And it's pretty fucking funny that JIM STERLING of all people inspired him to make FNAF by criticizing his Chipper game. A literal (pre) troon had a hand in making this guy successful beyond belief and that's one thing the people who hate him for his politics or beliefs can never take back.

 

[Powerhouse of the Cell]

And it's pretty fucking funny that JIM STERLING of all people inspired him to make FNAF by criticizing his Chipper game. A literal (pre) troon had a hand in making this guy successful beyond belief and that's one thing the people who hate him for his politics or beliefs can never take back.

Even Jim Sterling to this day still seethes about Scott because of his donations to politicians.

This guy lives in many people's heads rent free.

 

[Necrosan]

Even Jim Sterling to this day still seethes about Scott because of his donations to politicians.

This guy lives in many people's heads rent free.

Had Scott not done what he did, people would say that Mangle is a trans character or some shit, they would say the Puppet is non-binary, etc.

 

[Dollar Store Sentai]

Last I checked with FNAF4 its the child in the atari cutscenes that got bit in '84 that is having the nightmares in the room, which also changes to a hospital bed with an IV drip, implying that it's all in his mind.

Which is my other gripe with FNAF4, there REALLY didn't need to be a second bite, one was enough, and having two just made things even more confusing

No, it's Mike's nightmares since he draws Nightmare Fredbear in the Security logbook in the section asking about dreams he's had lately. Mike uses dark red ink, Cassidy light red ink and Dave changes text in the book itself.

We know FNAF2 is where the bite of 87 happens, because the location is shut down two weeks after it opens because of the child murders. FNAF 4 should have been how we know the springlock suits snap when they get wet with the crying child shoved into one by his brother.

One story thing that still makes me laugh is when Dawko got an interview and asked how far in advance Scott planned out the story, Scott starts telling him about how he planned out all the colors for it up to like SL.

 

[AbduluCthuluZulu]

No, it's Mike's nightmares since he draws Nightmare Fredbear in the Security logbook in the section asking about dreams he's had lately. Mike uses dark red ink, Cassidy light red ink and Dave changes text in the book itself.

We know FNAF2 is where the bite of 87 happens, because the location is shut down two weeks after it opens because of the child murders. FNAF 4 should have been how we know the springlock suits snap when they get wet with the crying child shoved into one by his brother.

One story thing that still makes me laugh is when Dawko got an interview and asked how far in advance Scott planned out the story, Scott starts telling him about how he planned out all the colors for it up to like SL.

Are you talking about the same logbook that claims Mike was the protaganist of every FNAF game using different aliases?

 

[Dollar Store Sentai]

Are you talking about the same logbook that claims Mike was the protaganist of every FNAF game using different aliases?

The only game where it wasn't Mike was FNAF2, since it's Jeremy that gets crunched by Foxy. It's a stretch to think he is the night 7 guard since it would be right after his father kidnapped/murdered a bunch of kids the week before. The book only confirms he is the FNAF3/4 guard, since Sister Location and PS confirm it in-game. (It was also soft confirmed by Scott during the GTLive stream by saying all 4 games is telling a single story.)

 

[skykiii]

(It was also soft confirmed by Scott during the GTLive stream by saying all 4 games is telling a single story.)

I used to have the following interpretation:

Basically, what "four games, one story" meant was that the security guards were each one of the four kids responsible for shoving Crying Child into Freddy's mouth (keeping in mind that in one of the games--I think it was FNAF2?--you play as Mike Schmidt during the week but then Jeremy Fitzgerald on nights six and seven, so if we assume FNAF1 and 3 are different people, that's four player characters).

In other words, basically these teens were involved in a tragedy, and somehow their lives always wound up coming back to Freddy's, where they happen to be instrumental in solving murders and helping spirits find peace, in doing so finding a sort of redemption.

Not to be egotistical but I kinda wish my idea had been canon, and then everything after FNAF4 had just been the start of a new story.