Reticulating Splines: An Introduction

Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

In our introductory episode, we preview the reading list, show our suburban credentials, try to explain what The Sims even is, and reflect on video games, dolls, and other imaginative play. Kit ponders god(s)’ omnipotence; Whit reminisces on running an intergenerational labor camp.

Episode Links

The recommended reading list is here; the full The Sims manual is here.

Reticulating what?

Enjoy some gameplay and demos from The Sims (2000) and The Sims 2 (2004).

Will Wright was profiled in the NYT in 2025.

Read Joe Wadlington’s essay “Behind Trees” here.

Attributions

Music by FreePD.com (RIP); and “Wholesome” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Trailer - Reticulating Splines: A Sims Podcast

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 02:45:19 GMT

In 2000, the final page of The Sims manual came with an offer: a list of books to “enhance your understanding of some of the background and social issues entertained” in the game. It also warned us: “all are filled with provocative ideas; Maxis disavows any responsibility for encouraging deep thought.”

A quarter century later, we’re taking them up on it. With Reticulating Splines, we’re going to tackle the recommended reading list one book and one episode at a time. We’ll discover what these books are arguing, decide whether they succeed or fail, and unpack how they helped build the world of The Sims. We’ll also explore what the game meant to us, and what kind of future it helped us to see.

Subscribe to get new episodes and follow us on Instagram at @reticulatingsplinespod.

“Wholesome” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com (http://incompetech.com) ) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/