A Blister in Time(References and Sight Gags Thread)

[Rather Dashing]

http://imgur.com/eQd3V.jpg

From the Sam and Max Season One case file. I suppose you would need a time machine to buy one of those!

[Origami]

I see a Miami Vice poster just above it.

[divisionten]

Edna's cat's name should be familiar to anyone who played ToMI

[sethf11]

Martys fingers look a little square... Is he made of Legos?

[Rather Dashing]

Martys fingers look a little square... Is he made of Legos?
It's probably more that I'm playing this on the lowest graphical at a low resolution so it doesn't run choppy.

[doggans]

I loved the "Weird Science" poster. But it was odd to see actual licensed Universal logos like that and "Miami Vice", and yet the mall has "JP Pinneys". :P

[StevenMcFlyJr]

Haha! I see the Weird Science too! fantastic!

[BlankCanvasDJ]

(Minor spoilers)

Dear Telltale,

I can't decide whether I'm more proud or disappointed that you resisted the urge to include an Amblin Entertainment reference during the end of this episode.

That's all. Thanks.

[Epic Kiwi]

Proud. You should definitely be proud. That reference stopped being funny a loooong time ago and I was relieved that it wasn't in there.

[thericky]

I've played through the first episode once and loved it. Along the way, I spotted plenty of in-jokes that only the fans will get, some more obvious than others. So... I'll attempt to list what I remember and you can add to it.

Warning: Spoilers a-plenty to follow, naturally.

- Doc Brown's jukebox plays Huey Lewis and the News' "Back in Time", prominently featured in the film series

- Inside Edna Strickland's place, examining the newspapers repeatedly recounts "headlines" of many notable events from the various Back to the Future films.

- At one point, Young Emmett Brown says, "I have a bad feeling about this..." Young Emmett Brown is voiced by James Arnold Taylor, who also voices Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. That line is from the Star Wars series, uttered by many different characters.

- The law office sign in Hill Valley town square names Gale and Zemeckis as partners, referring to Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis, producer and director of the BTTF series.

- The jets on the rocket pack / bike greatly resemble the backside of a DeLorean.

There are plenty more, but this should get us started...

[thericky]

I was hoping it didn't happen too... and it didn't. Bravo.

[Shadowknight1]

In-game joke, one that really no one would get on the first play-through:

You can see the bits and pieces of the fuel-maker for the rocket-powered drill in Doc's lab at the beginning.

And not too much of an in joke, but the inclusion of the 1885 clocktower photo was nice.

[markeres]

Loved the "Shark!" movie placard in 1931. And Marty also mentions something about bars on windows when referencing the liquor store (could be a callback to the bars on Jennifer's windows in 1985A).

[Kal-El]

I just noticed the beginning plutonium DeLorean doesn't have Mr. Fusion rightly so but when Doc uses the remote to back it up for temporal displacement .. it does?! lol!

[markeres]

I give up. What "reference"? Amblin was the production company of the movies, wasn't it? And they didn't produce the game. So, why would it be at the end of the game? When was it ever used as some kind of reference? Am I missing something? :confused:

[Shadowknight1]

I just noticed the beginning plutonium DeLorean doesn't have Mr. Fusion rightly so but when Doc uses the remote to back it up for temporal displacement .. it does?! lol!

I think all it was was a graphical thing to "hide" Mr. Fusion for the close-up. They knew they only needed it for that one moment really, so for that moment where you're right up on the car, they just cut it off.

[MusicallyInspired]

What is this Amblin reference anyway?

[Kal-El]

That's what I thought too.. just restarted to make sure it wasn't there for the close up.. ;) still wonder if this DeLorean can fly? I guess not if it's the *spoiler* duplicate of the one hit by lightning that destroyed the flying circuits :(

[Kal-El]

I did like the newspaper headline about a singer disappearing lol! ;)

[HeroicJay]

Don't forget Marty's mother's line about being "safe and sound in 1986"; for once, Marty doesn't freak out at the line.

[Shadowknight1]

That's what I thought too.. just restarted to make sure it wasn't there for the close up.. ;) still wonder if this DeLorean can fly? I guess not if it's the *spoiler* duplicate of the one hit by lightning that destroyed the flying circuits :(

Well remember it went to the 2020's. So likely Doc got it completely repaired. However, Marty wouldn't feel comfortable even trying seeing as how he never did in the movies. Doc was the only one that flew the DeLorean.

[HeyButthead91]

Mario brothers anyone? lol

[Shadowknight1]

I loved the "Weird Science" poster. But it was odd to see actual licensed Universal logos like that and "Miami Vice", and yet the mall has "JP Pinneys". :P

Universal licensed the game. Any others would require Telltale paying money to companies. :p

Sort of like how they can't have Goodyear tires(or whatever tires they were) on the DeLorean. Instead the tires say Tell Tale BTTF Series. Barely visible in the enclosed image of the DeLorean when it arrives in 1931.

[Mysticales]

Being able to be a "GodFather" as your name.
Dr.McCoy is mentioned.

Weird Science Poster is awesome in Martys room!

[Shadowknight1]

Being able to be a "GodFather" as your name.
Dr.McCoy is mentioned.

Weird Science Poster is awesome in Martys room!

You also have an option to tell young Emmett that you're from the Planet Vulcan, but he cuts you off before you say it.

[Orion ZyGarian]

I caught a few of these as well, but one thing that stood out was "Xavier's Farm for Unwanted Children," which was no doubt a reference to the X-Men's "School for Gifted Children/Youngsters." It's one of the places (SPOILER!)







That Edna mentions she delivers soup to. The other places might be references as well, but I didnt pick up on them immediately. Also, when Dr. McCoy was mentioned, I instantly thought of Beast, though that mightve been a coincidence.

[Rather Dashing]

That Edna mentions she delivers soup to. The other places might be references as well, but I didnt pick up on them immediately. Also, when Dr. McCoy was mentioned, I instantly thought of Beast, though that mightve been a coincidence.
Wrong McCoy. They were obviously referencing the Darth Vader from the Planet Vulcan scene from Back to the Future 1 by using the name of Doctor McCoy from Star Trek. I think at this point we can safely say that Marty is a bit of a secret geek.

[thesporkman]

What is this Amblin reference anyway?

The Amblin logo is that image of E.T. and Eliot on the bike silhouetted against the moon.

[jp-30]

I thought the Amblin in-joke (like THX-1138 in star wars) was a shooting star?

[Orion ZyGarian]

That actually makes much more sense. I didnt think it was another X-Men reference.

Also, when the camera is zoomed out in 1931 facing the law firm, speakeasy, etc., theres a picture of what we can assume to be Judge Brown, who's voiced by...the one bearded guy from ToMI. I havent played it before, but I did recognize him. If you walk up to it, the camera angle changes and you wont be able to see it, Its on a pole by the car.

[GuruGuru214]

I just noticed the beginning plutonium DeLorean doesn't have Mr. Fusion rightly so but when Doc uses the remote to back it up for temporal displacement .. it does?! lol!

Well, you have to remember, it's all a dream anyway. Doc's clothes could've been replaced with a chicken suit halfway through the sequence and it wouldn't have raised any continuity errors. The dream was based on Marty's memories, and he's seen both versions of the DeLorean.

What I thought was a nice touch about that sequence was the mall sign. It read "Twin Pines Mall", as Marty remembered it from that night, rather than "Lone Pine Mall" as it does in the currently altered timeline.

[Origami]

^
Like you say it's a mix and mash of different memories.
It probably also started to storm because of the storm in 1955

[doggans]

I, too, was bracing myself for the obvious ET gag, and was grateful when it didn't happen. Definitely wouldn't have been BTTF-y.

[doggans]

Universal licensed the game. Any others would require Telltale paying money to companies. :p

Oh, I understand the real-life reason for it; I'm just saying that it made the "bland name" products stand out even more.

[Strayth]

I, too, was bracing myself for the obvious ET gag, and was grateful when it didn't happen. Definitely wouldn't have been BTTF-y.

A reference to a Spielberg movie ?

Oh and do you think that having Einstein being a GPS tracker actually makes sense ? (especially beyond time and space...) Not really.

[Teeth]

When Marty needs to think of a fake charity, he mentions "Mario brothers"

[doggans]

A reference to a Spielberg movie ?

A direct and blatant visual cue from a Spielberg movie. Aside from the fact that the ET-in-front-of-the-moon shot is one of the most overdone references imaginable, the pop culture references in the BTTF series tend to be intentionally made by Marty, not Seltzer/Friedberg-style "Hey, look what movie we stole this from! That's funny, right?" moments.

[BlankCanvasDJ]

Proud. You should definitely be proud. That reference stopped being funny a loooong time ago and I was relieved that it wasn't in there.

I agree, it's a very over-used joke and that's why I was partly proud it wasn't included.

But on the other hand, unlike all the other films and shows that have used the joke, it would actually make sense in a BttF game.

Aside from the fact that the ET-in-front-of-the-moon shot is one of the most overdone references imaginable, the pop culture references in the BTTF series tend to be intentionally made by Marty, not Seltzer/Friedberg-style "Hey, look what movie we stole this from! That's funny, right?" moments.

You're right, but the difference is that in a BttF game it's a direct nod to the company that actually produced the films, not just a random pop culture gag. It wouldn't be much different from the joke about the name of the law offices.

[Ash735]

Something I'd never thought I'd hear in a Telltale game, but one of the charities that Mrs Strickland mentions is Shady Acres :D

[doggans]

You're right, but the difference is that in a BttF game it's a direct nod to the company that actually produced the films, not just a random pop culture gag. It wouldn't be much different from the joke about the name of the law offices.

I would have been okay with the word "Amblin" popping up on a business somewhere. Again, it's the lack of subtlety in the visual gag that would have bugged me.

A moot point anyway, since they didn't go in that direction.

[Cyphox]

i recognized a monkey island reference (yeah, i know its a kid's song, too), but when you talk to young emmett (cant remember where and when) marty says something like "the tigh bone connected to the leg bone" or something like that.

[Rade88]

There are a few references in that bit, including X-men :D

[Shadowknight1]

When Marty needs to think of a fake charity, he mentions "Mario brothers"

And if you play the games in the arcade, the sound effects are very reminiscent of Super Mario.

[Ashki]

And if you play the games in the arcade, the sound effects are very reminiscent of Super Mario.

Wait, you can actually go into the arcade? I never noticed that.

[Shadowknight1]

Well, all you really do is watch Marty go in to play a game and you hear the sound effects.

[kwool]

I think my favorite is when McFly's father says, "Sometimes you have to go out on a limb for those you love," just as he did in the first film when he was a peeping Tom on Lorraine!

[DeloreanH8er]

When Marty needs to think of a fake charity, he mentions "Mario brothers"
I particularly liked that one, since the game came out about... 7 months prior to the events of this game. I thought it was very well done.

[Lord-z]

That is a GTA reference? I throught it was just a rather generic name for any kind of place where people stuff other people, for whatever reason. Like retirement homes or mental hospitals. I think Shady Acres was the hospital in Ace Ventura, and I am pretty sure the retirement home in Bubba Ho-Tep was Shady something-or-other.

[Bryko614]

On the radio in the soup kitchen, there's references to Bob Gale, Telltale, and probably some more stuff, but I didn't really listen.

[linorn]

The reference I don't get is Carl Sagan.
Why him? Why would Doc choose his name for an alias in 1931?

[doggans]

Why not? He's a science guy that Doc probably admires. It was probably just the first name that came to his head that didn't sound like it was related to anyone in Hill Valley.

[Ash735]

I mentioned this in it's own thread, but One of the Charities mentioned by Edna is the Shady Acres Retirement Home. Another forum member pointed out that this is a generic name for Asylums/Retirement Homes.

I actually think it's a Grand Theft Auto Reference, reasons:
- The Radio Commercial is for Shady Acres Retirement Home
- The game it is in, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, takes place in 1986, same year as "Present Day" in this series
- After the Commercial is over, the song that follows is "Crocketts Theme" from Miami Vice, which we see a poster of at the start of the game in Marty's room

[sethf11]

just thought it was neat that Doc Brown used the name Carl Sagan a famous astronomer/physicist born in 1934.

[Falanca]

I DID think of GTA: Vice City when I heard Shady Acres because, well, I never heard it somewhere else.

BTW Miami Vice poster that Marty has is cool.

[RAnthonyMahan]

There are a few references in that bit, including X-men :D

If you're referring to "Dr. McCoy," that was clearly meant to be Star Trek.

http://www.littlestuffedbull.com/images/comics/365hankmccoy/hankmccoy0117.jpg

[markeres]

This went by pretty fast in the game, so here's the to-do list in Doc's notebook in case you want to take a closer look:

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/1231/snotebooko.th.jpg (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/snotebooko.jpg/)

[BrendanK]

Some of these are more things I noticed the 2nd-3rd time through:

- The items in Docs 1986 lab are the same ones you'll use in 1931 later on

- Biffs tracksuit is now "ADODS", and the Pepsi can in Marty's room looks to be simply "Soda"

- When Marty fills up Mr Fusion, we hear the sound of the plutonium being loaded from Part 1?!

- The clock tower is missing the lion statues

- The only 2 extra characters in the game are reused in both 1986 and 1931. It's the man and woman lurking around in Docs lab in 1986, and then again as the guy in the soup kitchen and the woman is the only pedestrian around the town square in 1931.

[BrendanK]

I just noticed the beginning plutonium DeLorean doesn't have Mr. Fusion rightly so but when Doc uses the remote to back it up for temporal displacement .. it does?! lol!

LOL! So it does!
I also just noticed that just Docs remote control simply disappears!

[markeres]

LOL! So it does!
I also just noticed that just Docs remote control simply disappears!Any inconsistencies in that scene can easily be explained away with "it's a dream". :D:p

[Rade88]

No I'm referring to 'Xavier's school for unwanted children'

[Gman5852]

i recognized a monkey island reference (yeah, i know its a kid's song, too), but when you talk to young emmett (cant remember where and when) marty says something like "the tigh bone connected to the leg bone" or something like that.

A better monkey island reference is that marty cant get into the kitchen.

[Shadowknight1]

I will say this about that scene. For one thing, it let me know that this game wasn't going to censor itself. I was really worried about that cause of the art style, that they'd try to tone it down for kids, and they didn't. Secondly, and most importantly, it let me really hear AJ doing Marty. And it was perfect.

[markeres]

For one thing, it let me know that this game wasn't going to censor itself. I was really worried about that cause of the art style, that they'd try to tone it down for kids, and they didn't.Yes. I actually applauded (yes, I clapped at my computer screen, what of it? :p) when Doc said his line "properly". I was worried, too, that they would tone the language down, but I'm so glad they didn't. If he had said "serious stuff" or "serious crap" or something, I might well have turned the game off and never looked back (or I would have been tempted to anyway).

[Harald B]

Another reference I thought would be brought up by now: one of your possible aliases is Harry Callahan, aka Dirty Harry.

[Gman5852]

Anyone notice the monkey island "cant got to the kitchen' gag.

[Rather Dashing]

Another reference I thought would be brought up by now: one of your possible aliases is Harry Callahan, aka Dirty Harry.
Yes. Hearing people say they have no idea who this is makes me sad.

[Mirko]

Does choosing an alias even make a difference except in that one dialogue? I twice chose Sonny Crockett when talking to Edna, and when I was talking to Young Emmett the first time, Marty calls himself Michael Corleone automatically, and even Edna calls him by that name later. I can understand that it is probably better to record those lines just once, but why give us a choice like that, when it is not taken into account later? Or is this just a glitch or bug or something?

[Flyingman356]

I chose Harry Callahan, but I don't think there should be a choice. With the Clint Eastwood line, it was ironic, because people were calling him a coward in ways like "The biggest yellow-belly in the west." Because there are 3 different choices, and each one changes the lines later in the game, it only changes one line, the prefix to every word. Because of this, there can't be any jokes relating to the name, without making some people miss out.

[doggans]

The first time I played through I chose Corleone, and the second time I chose Calahan, and everybody called me the name I chose each time. Not sure why so many people have that glitch.

[Cohen]

Martys fingers look a little square... Is he made of Legos?
Hey, It's hip to be square! (according to Huey Lewis, also played in the first movie).

I liked the fact, that in 1885 they had alcohol but needed gas for the delorean... and in 1931 they had gas but needed alcohol.

You always need the things hardest to get in these BTTF-movies AND in adventure games: gas, alcohol, plutonium, 1.21 gigawatts, chainsaws, gas for chainsaws ;)

I was a bit disappointed that we couldn't enter the arcade and play some rounds of "wild gunman"... that would have been the cerry on the top.

[Cyphox]

Yes. Hearing people say they have no idea who this is makes me sad.

i know dirty harry, but i havent seen one of the movies yet. and i didnt know his last name is callahan. why does it make you feel sad? shouldn't it make you feel old instead? lol :p :D

[Groundsplitter]

Yes. I actually applauded (yes, I clapped at my computer screen, what of it? :p) when Doc said his line "properly". I was worried, too, that they would tone the language down, but I'm so glad they didn't. If he had said "serious stuff" or "serious crap" or something, I might well have turned the game off and never looked back (or I would have been tempted to anyway).I'm of the opposite opinion. Doc is an educated person who has never had to resort to swearwords before, so I see no reason why he would suddenly do so now, in TellTale Games' continuation of the story.
Right now I'm putting my hope in the detail that the swearword only occurs in Marty's dream, hoping that it was the result of Marty's teenage (and less educated) mind twisting the memory of the actual details of that night.

There's one more thing that bothers me with the phrase "serious sh*t": was the word really used in that particular combination in 1985-86, or is this an anachronism caused by people from 2010 writing a story set 25 years earlier? It's difficult for me to know since I reside in Europe and didn't actually learn English until 1985-86(!), but in my experience the usages for the word have exploded in the last 15 years or so - nowadays I would say that the cases of the word being used for positive emphasis and for negative emphasis are distributed rather evenly, while 25 years ago the negative uses outnumbered the positive ones. But of course, that's only my experience; I haven't actually carried out any studies on the matter. :)

[Farlander]

I'm of the opposite opinion. Doc is an educated person who has never had to resort to swearwords before, so I see no reason why he would suddenly do so now, in TellTale Games' continuation of the story.
Right now I'm putting my hope in the detail that the swearword only occurs in Marty's dream, hoping that it was the result of Marty's teenage (and less educated) mind twisting the memory of the actual details of that night.

I understand you haven't seen the Back to the Future movie in it's original language there? Doc says 'serious shit', TellTale faithfully reproduced that scene up until the point where DeLorean doesn't appear (which is the point where Marty's dream starts to weird the things out).

Besides, Doc kinda does swear in the movies. Not as much as some other characters, but still. "Shit", "Damn", "Sucker" (though "sucker" is reply to Marty if 'this sucker's electrical or nuclear'), "Heck/What the heck" and etc. etc. It's all pretty mild words, really, but technically that's swearing.

[Farlander]

Found an interesting things in the texts.

"[alt] Good evening, I'm Doctor Emmett Brown. I'm standing on the parking lot at Lone Pine Mall. It's Saturday morning, October 26th, 1985, 1:18 A.M., and this is temporal experiment number one."

Kind of curious :) It would've been interesting if they would use that, though that would mean that it was not Marty from the movies we were controlling, but the second one the first Marty saw in 1985 after returning to Lone Pines Mall.

EDIT: Something else has been cut, it seems. The "Wait a minute, wait a minute..." lines. Marty has got only three answers, and none of them can give this:
"MARTY
{stunned}Wait a minute, wait a minute... {confused}Doc, is this right? I thought your time machine {surprised}was a flying train?
DOC
{confused}What? {enthused}A train? {smug}Where's the pizzaz in that?"

[Shadowknight1]

I'm of the opposite opinion. Doc is an educated person who has never had to resort to swearwords before, so I see no reason why he would suddenly do so now, in TellTale Games' continuation of the story.
Right now I'm putting my hope in the detail that the swearword only occurs in Marty's dream, hoping that it was the result of Marty's teenage (and less educated) mind twisting the memory of the actual details of that night.

There's one more thing that bothers me with the phrase "serious sh*t": was the word really used in that particular combination in 1985-86, or is this an anachronism caused by people from 2010 writing a story set 25 years earlier? It's difficult for me to know since I reside in Europe and didn't actually learn English until 1985-86(!), but in my experience the usages for the word have exploded in the last 15 years or so - nowadays I would say that the cases of the word being used for positive emphasis and for negative emphasis are distributed rather evenly, while 25 years ago the negative uses outnumbered the positive ones. But of course, that's only my experience; I haven't actually carried out any studies on the matter. :)

Doc does say those exact lines. And in several instances in BTTF1, 2, & 3 he uses "damn".

[Groundsplitter]

I understand you haven't seen the Back to the Future movie in it's original language there? Doc says 'serious shit', TellTale faithfully reproduced that scene up until the pointOkay, now I feel really silly. Admittedly it's been a while since I saw the movie, but I've always watched it in English (with subtitles), several times, and yet I had no memory of Doc using that particular swearword. I guess I must have censored it mentally. But I rewatched that sequence just now, and saw that you and Shadowknight1 are right.

Well, then my objection falls. Forget about my complaint. :)

[Shadowknight1]

Okay, now I feel really silly. Admittedly it's been a while since I saw the movie, but I've always watched it in English (with subtitles), several times, and yet I had no memory of Doc using that particular swearword. I guess I must have censored it mentally. But I rewatched that sequence just now, and saw that you and Shadowknight1 are right.

Well, then my objection falls. Forget about my complaint. :)

Hey, if you'd seen it, say, on cable tv, then they would've censored him to say "serious stuff" which would be very understandable.

[Farlander]

MARTY
{confused} I'm, um, {happy} Bruce Springsteen.
MARTY
{confused} I'm, um, {happy} Sonny Crockett.
MARTY
{suspicious} I'm, um, {happy} Joe Montana.
MARTY
{suspicious} I'm, um, {happy} Harry Callahan.
MARTY
{confused} I'm, um, {happy} Morgan Fairchild.

So. It seems to me that originally there where FIVE names Marty could take. Than they've added the Corleone one (in the text files it's not in the same places as all these five are), and then decided to remove three out of six. Bummer.

[Laserschwert]

What I thought was a nice touch about that sequence was the mall sign. It read "Twin Pines Mall", as Marty remembered it from that night, rather than "Lone Pine Mall" as it does in the currently altered timeline.
But you did notice it changed to "Lone Pine Mall" during the dream, right? :)

[FaMzNeSS]

I shouldn't even know this, but I blame my wife for knowing it. :)

Shady Acres is the name of the Retirement Home that Sofia, from the Golden Girls, was put in by her daughter Dorothy. So, I believe this was another 80's reference since the Golden Girls originally aired in the 80's

[BrakMan2005]

Yeah, I actually got a kick out of seeing that 'Weird Science' poster...and 'Miami Vice'.

When Marty needs to think of a fake charity, he mentions "Mario brothers"

Also, if you look at the sign above the arcade.

Marty: "Boy, I sure hope he gets that Wild Gunman game fixed."

...Oh yeah, and that 3rd option after getting that notebook in the dream

Marty: "Don't you think we should get out of here before the Lybians show up?"

[TheOriginalBob]

I'd say the Monkey Island reference would be that Edna Strickland's cat is named 'Pretty Whiskers'

[Dangerzone]

Im surprised no one mentioned the Co-creators last names on the law office sign, or the election posters spread around the town square

Or how Marty once again used something from the future to solve his problems (A cassette recorder)

[Z-4195]

About that cassette recorder, I think odd that altough you're using it in front of Young Emmett, he doesn't even mention something about it.

I mean, in 1931 it's like a 'portable gramophone' or something like that... In fact, magnetophons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetophon) were invented circa the 1930s.

[muddybee]

I didn't see this mentioned yet, but in watching my brother play the game, I'm sure I overheard Edna scold two people named 'Jack and Diane' through her binoculars about what they were up to behind a tree.

That immediately made me think of John Mellancamp's song 'Jack and Diane' in which I believe one of the lines refers to the two eponymous characters snogging behind a tree.

Thought that was quite clever!

[LuigiHann]

But you did notice it changed to "Lone Pine Mall" during the dream, right? :)

I was sort of hoping it'd be the other way around. The only impact that Doc would have on the number of pines would be that if he had never invented time travel, both pines would be there. So starting the scene at Lone Pine mall would be a bit weird (although that must have happened in the newer timeline) but then having it fade back to Twin Pines would have been clever. It doesn't make any particular sense to have it change the way it does, but I guess it is just a dream.

Unless Einstein messed with the time circuits, and went back in time and ran over a pine tree with the Delorean. And then ran over 1955 Doc as well. That would make it all make sense.

[markeres]

About that cassette recorder, I think odd that altough you're using it in front of Young Emmett, he doesn't even mention something about it.Marty and Young Doc do have a discussion about the tape recorder. Emmett asks what it is and Marty tells him it's something they're looking at at the patent office. I don't remember the full conversation, but it was along those lines.

[richforce]

Two things in Edna's apartment, first on her table is George Orwell's 1984 (omminous foreshadowing for episode 3?) and how in one of the conversations she yells at a "Tiff Tannen".

It sounds like Biff had a daugther who might be Griff's mother (I don't remember if he was ever called a Tannen in part 2, maybe in the credits).

[Shadowknight1]

When you show young Emmett the tape recorder, he asks what it is. When Marty carefully explains it without giving away too much information, Emmett says, "Fascinating! A portable recording studio!"

[Cyphox]

When you show young Emmett the tape recorder, he asks what it is. When Marty carefully explains it without giving away too much information, Emmett says, "Fascinating! A portable recording studio!"

another reason i have to play it a third time.

[OMA]

Didn't notice this thread, sorry! ^^

[Javi-Wan Kenobi]

No I'm referring to 'Xavier's school for unwanted children'Maybe I don't remember it properly, but I think she didn't say just "Xavier", but actually "St. Francis Xavier", who is a Spanish saint, patron saint of missionaries, and patron saint of the Spanish region where I am from. I was named after him.
He's a quite important saint worldwide, specially on charity institutions.
Therefore, I don't think it's precisely a X-Men reference, but maybe those comics/movies could have been on Telltale writers' mind when they chose a saint's name for the charity school

[mathman77]

I loved seeing the pictures of the Devil's Toybox by Edna's window and the movie posters on Marty's wall.

[Ashki]

When you show young Emmett the tape recorder, he asks what it is. When Marty carefully explains it without giving away too much information, Emmett says, "Fascinating! A portable recording studio!"

Next time I play that I might have to try that. I didn't know that you could use the tape recorder with young Emmett.

[Spykes]

That's what I thought too.. just restarted to make sure it wasn't there for the close up.. ;) still wonder if this DeLorean can fly? I guess not if it's the *spoiler* duplicate of the one hit by lightning that destroyed the flying circuits :(

But it was found in 2025 (iirc), so certainly Doc could have got it fixed.

[Shadowknight1]

I just noticed, the maximum pressure on the gauge when you're making the rocket fuel is 88. ;)

[octochan]

I just played the free game, and it doesn't look like anyone's mentioned this yet. The end sequence with the van and the bike looks like they borrowed it directly from the Wallace and Gromit short 'A Close Shave', only they had to deal with a truckload of sheep in the bargain.

[Flyingman356]

YES!

I was feeling a real sense of Deja Vu during that scene, I now realise why!

Also, the Gargoyles not being on the clock tower is explained in ep2, Edna is campaigning to have them put up.

[KaiRubix]

While playing through FCB I've run into some humorous and clever references.

one being a star wars reference where marty speaks into the intercom and says "Fine everythings fine now...how are you? the same lines from Han Solo in A New Hope.

Or the Tron reference where Marty checks the floppy disks and says "Greetings Programs"

share some of your interesting references you've run into while playing through FCB (or any of the other episodes for that matter)

also the box of used pin ball machine parts in the "decylcing room" was also a nice touch.

[Sinaz20]

I'm subscribing to this thread--- I want to see what all you find. The original movies were set, pretty much, in the present day. Looking at the franchise as an 80's period piece-- I felt compelled to write a lot of pop culture references into the script. We put a lot of effort into fan service in this episode.

[KaiRubix]

I'm subscribing to this thread--- I want to see what all you find. The original movies were set, pretty much, in the present day. Looking at the franchise as an 80's period piece-- I felt compelled to write a lot of pop culture references into the script. We put a lot of effort into fan service in this episode.

And I'd like to be the first to say that it was an awesome move from you guys to be adding this much pop culture reference from the 80's (even though star wars episode IV was from the 70's but I"m not complaining :D )

I enjoyed this episode

[OrangeAce]

I posted this in another thread:

And also, the method through which they brainwash people is clearly a nod to A Clockwork Orange - making people feel physically ill when they consider criminal actions. That and the shot of Doc with his eyes clamped open as he undergoes the "procedure" are definitely nods to that film.

[Sinaz20]

And I'd like to be the first to say that it was an awesome move from you guys to be adding this much pop culture reference from the 80's (even though star wars episode IV was from the 70's but I"m not complaining :D )

I enjoyed this episode

Thanks!

Marty would have been 9 when Star Wars came out.

There's another Star Wars reference buried in the game somewheres.

If you are feeling particularly completist... I'd play through the game a couple more times reading hints and doing the puzzles in different orders while talking to people in between.

[smallo]

there was the dukes of hazzard refernece when jennifer said to marty "So who you meant to be? Luke or Bo?"

[GuruGuru214]

I loved how Biff does the "Guybrush dance" when you tell him to do the chicken dance.

:guybrush:

[thesporkman]

I loved the Star Wars reference and the Guybrush dance.

[Hituro]

I LOL'ed when I first heard the star wars han solo reference, all of them were great. I thought it was a great episode. Was sad when it was over :( I want more! I hope they make more BTTF games after this one.

[McHoffman]

I feel like such an awful person for not getting the Han Solo reference. I pat myself on the back for noticing the Pink Floyd reference when Marty's checking out the brick wall, though.

[The Highway]

Love the ToMI reference there. Can we get that as an emoticon like the Guybrush one?

[Shadowknight1]

I love that George has a box of that girl scout peanut brittle from the first movie in the garage. Really shows that this George is still spineless.

[bosbeetle]

I love the weird science diskettes lying around :D LeBrock 2.0 :D

[Harald B]

"This is my guitar. There are many like it, but this one's mine."

[gnarkill]

I loved it when your trying to get Jennifer interested in Marty again you have the choice of saying "Rock n' Roll is my destiny", but instead he says "Rock n' Roll is my density.....I mean destiny". A cool nod to the first film.

[oberlerchner123]

"This is my guitar. There are many like it, but this one's mine."

Could be a Full Metal Jacket reference?

... Or hes just attached to it so he doesnt like anybody messing with his guitar, even if it would be easy to replace.

[LuigiHann]

The whole Hill Valley setup reminded me a lot of the original concept behind EPCOT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_Prototype_Community_of_Tomorrow_(conc ept)) in Walt Disney World. Just the idea of a whole city that was dedicated to Disneyland-like levels of cleanliness and safety would probably eventually lead to a dystopia of this sort.

[Javi-Wan Kenobi]

I'd liked very much:
The Star Wars reference (Fine everythings fine now...how are you?...),
the floppy disks references (Tron, War Games' WOPR...)
and...

¡¡¡Banang!!!

[Kamagawa]

the photo of Doc and Edna on the right wall of FCB's office, It looks like the painting of the farmer and his wife standing in front of a...barn...at least i think it is a barn...if abyone knows what I am talking about, please upload a picture for me.


Also, the picture of young emmet and his father looks oddly familiar.

[thesporkman]

the photo of Doc and Edna on the right wall of FCB's office, It looks like the painting of the farmer and his wife standing in front of a...barn...at least i think it is a barn...if abyone knows what I am talking about, please upload a picture for me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Gothic

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/71/Grant_DeVolson_Wood_-_American_Gothic.jpg/300px-Grant_DeVolson_Wood_-_American_Gothic.jpg

[hiro-chimera]

Did anyone else notice A Clock Work Orange reference in episode 3? The citizen plus program seems a lot like the program that was used on alex in the book/movie a clockwork orange. I kind of noticed this when Biff threw up from thinking violent thoughts. Also the picture at the end that Edna shows you pretty much explains it all...

[Rather Dashing]

Of course there's "He's a peeping tom!", direct lift from the first film.

[puzzlebox]

Did anyone else notice A Clock Work Orange reference in episode 3?

Absolutely! Immediately thought of it when I came across poor Biff.

For anyone who happens to be unfamiliar with A Clockwork Orange, here's the IMDB intro (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/): "In future Britain, charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society's crime problem... but not all goes to plan."

[DrRocketGenius]

I felt like a champion for noticing the Banang in its half-second of screen time.

[Rather Dashing]

Absolutely! Immediately thought of it when I came across poor Biff.

For anyone who happens to be unfamiliar with A Clockwork Orange, here's the IMDB intro (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/): "In future Britain, charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society's crime problem... but not all goes to plan."
Hell, the last shot of the episode(the part in the monitor) is completely ripped out of that movie. ENDING SPOILERS. (http://goo.gl/qVVbE).

[ILoveDoc]

Did you all see the peanut brittle next to George while hes looking at the monitors? I was dying.

[doggans]

I mentioned this in the review thread, but the fact that they referenced In-N-Out Burger made me way happier than it should have.

And hungrier.

[RAnthonyMahan]

I laughed more at Marty's first line seeing George.

He's a peeping tom!

[BrakMan2005]

Yeah, I got a kick out of that to.

[thesporkman]

I felt like a champion for noticing the Banang in its half-second of screen time.

When was that?

[Martin McFly]

When was that?

A bottle of Banang is seen briefly when Marty jumps into the decycling bin and falls into the trash container.

[Sinaz20]

Man there's so many other references and sight gags you guys haven't found yet. Keep hunting!

[Shadowknight1]

Did you all see the peanut brittle next to George while hes looking at the monitors? I was dying.

"Hey McFly, my little girl's selling peanut brittle for the team. It's five bucks a box, I'm putting you down for a case. Okay?"

*George starts shaking his head, then defeated:* "...Okay..."

"Terrific, I'll go get it. See honey, I told you we'd only have to go to one house."

[Martin McFly]

When you ask about David and Linda, George says that David is working for the big city newspaper and Linda's still at the women's boarding house.

Marc McClure (David McFly) had a role in Superman as Jimmy Olson, a cub reporter/photographer at The Daily Planet.

Wendie Jo Sperber (Linda McFly) had a role in the show Bosom Buddies; a television show about two men who disguised themselves as women to live in the women-only Susan B. Anthony Hotel.

Very clever reference.

[FireflyCube]

Does the common Star Wars/Indiana Jones "I've got a (really) bad feeling about this" line count as a reference?

I loved the intercom Star Wars reference, too.

[JanT]

If you use the guitar on Citizen Brown, Marty will sing a bit of Huey Lewis and the news song back in time from the first movie.

[Guinea]

Was the following mentioned yet:
Citizen Kane clap, done by Jenifer, in the beginning of the game when you're in the billboard.

Biff doing the "FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUU--" thing, complete with the face.

[Doogla]

When you're at Marty's house on episode 3, there's a sound clip coming from the monitors at one point where you can here someone talking to Edna, who interrupts her, saying "please call me Mrs. Citizen Brown. It's just - I worked so hard to get that title."

This is a word for word copy of Senator Barbara Boxer's little outburst when a general called her "ma'm" instead of Senator.

The video can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0CprVYsG0k

Did anyone else notice this, and do you think this was an intentional little joke by the developers or just a coincidence?

[Rather Dashing]

Christmas Story:

http://i.imgur.com/4hn2al.jpg (http://imgur.com/4hn2a)

More of an outright shout out than a reference, but whatever:

http://i.imgur.com/8jCBvl.jpg (http://imgur.com/8jCBv)

I thought this might be a Star Wars reference, but none of the characters say this or an equivalent before the trash compactor sequence, so I don't know. I could just be drawing comparisons to generic lines that simply aren't backed up by anything at this point:

http://i.imgur.com/xAq2Ql.jpg (http://imgur.com/xAq2Q)

[Cubbie]

I don't know that quote but with this game I'd say pretty much anything's intentional... similarly unrelated to BttF: When Marty looks at the BB guns on the shelves (after taking out Biff), he says "Marty, you'll shoot your eyes out." Clearly a reference to "A Christmas Story" if you ask me.

[Doogla]

Yeah also at his house, Marty hits the intercom and says "Everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?" Which of course is a Han Solo quote from Star Wars.

[BrakMan2005]

I know they, (once again) used another line from Star Wars. The 2nd time you use the Squak Box next to the statue in the Town Square, Marty will say, "Uh, yeah, we're fine, we're all fine now, here, now, thank you. How are you?" That is the same line Han Solo said in the Prison Room intercom when they freed the princess.

(Oh, looks like someone beat me to it...)

[Cojo the Monkey]

Kinda late to the thread, but apparently Carl Sagan was a HUGE fan of Back to the Future, and he said it was pretty close to his own theories about time travel.

[Shadowknight1]

I thought this might be a Star Wars reference, but none of the characters say this or an equivalent before the trash compactor sequence, so I don't know. I could just be drawing comparisons to generic lines that simply aren't backed up by anything at this point:

http://i.imgur.com/xAq2Ql.jpg (http://imgur.com/xAq2Q)

Han Solo says, "I got a bad feeling about this," right before the walls start closing in.

[Irishmile]

LOL what?

[Iggman88]

In the background on the "Brown Industries" building there is a 1.21 gigawatt poster.

[Rather Dashing]

No, it doesn't have 1.21 anywhere on it, and the pun is to see GigaWHAT's Available.

[Shadowknight1]

If you keep clicking on the floppy disks in the McFly garage, Marty says, "'Game Grid'. Cool, but the movie was better."

[puzzlebox]

I'm guessing the X:11 control mode on Biff's watch is a reference to the X window system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System), a client/server model and network protocol where the X server provides input/output to client programs that may be located on remote machines. Which would mean that Edna is a gigantic computer nerd.

And when you're talking to Jennifer about guitar stuff, Marty says: "Leech might think he's got chops, but I invented rock n' roll." Totally true, given the events of the first movie. :p

[oberlerchner123]

I noticed that if you make Marty go through the records in the old speakeasy he leaves a record on top thats called HEAVY.
http://www.telltalegames.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2487&stc=1&d=1302208883

[Hituro]

Did anyone catch all these? I know there was a thread about this for episode 3. But I'll start one here.

When Marty is trying to escape in disguise in the beginning he asks Jennifer how he looks, and she replies "A little short for a storm trooper, but it'll do" Nice Star Wars reference ;)

[Kamagawa]

The volcano exhibit (hill valley past).
Marty says some thing about him and doc flying by dinosaurs.
It is a reference to the BTTF ride.

[LeChuck1986]

Did anyone catch all these? I know there was a thread about this for episode 3. But I'll start one here.

When Marty is trying to escape in disguise in the beginning he asks Jennifer how he looks, and she replies "A little short for a storm trooper, but it'll do" Nice Star Wars reference ;)

Not sure if it was in the other episodes, but in 1931, there is a poster named SHARK. A semi-hint to Jaws perhaps?

[doggans]

I was amused at the lawyer-friendly name for "Tab", myself.

[LogicDeLuxe]

Room 101. Obviously another 1984 reference.

[Emo Hoe]

Not sure if it was in the other episodes, but in 1931, there is a poster named SHARK. A semi-hint to Jaws perhaps?

Or perhaps a reference to BTTF 2 future scene where the cinema is showing Shark (some ridiculously high number) aka the scene with the big holographic shark.

[Michael J Fox is Canadian]

Or perhaps a reference to BTTF 2 future scene where the cinema is showing Shark (some ridiculously high number) aka the scene with the big holographic shark.

it is showing jaws 19

[bobscratch]

it is showing jaws 19

The shark STILL looks fake.

[Shadowknight1]

There was another Star Wars reference somewhere...I can't remember it now though...

[thehardmenpath]

There's also a DeSoto mention.

[brook123]

My personal favorite is the Peabody Farm's Apple Box in Emmett's Lab.

[tobar]

My personal favorite is the Peabody Farm's Apple Box in Emmett's Lab.

Yeah that was the best. :p

[Threepwood4Life]

When looking at that volcano exhibit Marty does mention a Tannensaurus, I believe thats a reference to an episode of BTTF the animated series where one of the T-Rexes looked like Biff.

[Rogue303]

I was amused at the lawyer-friendly name for "Tab", myself.

This. :)

[TheHandyking]

At the Courthouse square was an election poster of the father of mayor red thomas

[doggans]

That reminds me, I also liked how young future mayor Red Thomas was among the list of degenerates.

[TheHandyking]

Yeah. Emmett tested the mind map thing on him. I almost forgot

[Ashki]

There's a mythology gag right at the beginning of Ep. 5, mainly the way Marty sleeps. I would post this myself...but I can't.

[EvilRabbit2]

Got this. I'll add this later on.

[Ashki]

Got this. I'll add this later on.

Thanks very much. Don't know why, but it was just kinda bugging me that that was not there.

[BttF_LttP]

Another mythology gag: the retractable fruit bowl.


Also there are various anachronistic [even for 1986] shout outs:

Seinfeld:
No Algae Cakes for you!
Hellooo, Smirnoff.

OoT:
Hey! Listen!

PIXAR:
A113 (although PIXAR started in 86).


Then, there's that ending…

[Shadowknight1]

I thought the retractable fruit bowl was just an homage to a similar appliance in the 2015 McFly's home.

[Ashki]

So what exactly is the difference between an homage and a mythology gag?

Also, Marty runs across the DeLorean and lands on the hoverboard the way he runs across Biff's care and lands on his skateboard in the first movie. which I think is another mythology gag.

[Hernandez]

http://steamcommunity.com/id/CGMK/screenshot/542900969413674391

Read the newspaper. :p

[Bloody Eugene]

Ahahahah! The Walking Dead strikes again! :D

[Shadowknight1]

I noticed that the first time I played it. Really hoped we'd see that. lol

[jory]

Also there are various anachronistic [even for 1986] shout outs:

PIXAR:
A113 (although PIXAR started in 86).


A113 isn't just a Pixar thing. It's a CalArts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A113) thing, mainly for animation alumni. But it also happens to be next door to the recording studio (A112C) at CalArts, too.

[ELB1985]

biff's grandma had signs and stuff all over the lawn in Bttf 2....Edna (biff's Step Mom) had signs and stuff all over her lawn in 1931!

Tannens must marry the same type of women... just like the mcflys.

[Shadowknight1]

Holy crap, you're right!

[irishwhistle]

"I got a bad feeling about this!" is more than a Star Wars reference, it's a George Lucas reference. Indiana Jones even says it in the ride at Disneyland.