Volume 1 - Dedications and Thanks Book 1 - Front Matter Part 1 - Title Page The story title is "Endings". The story author is "John Byrd". The story headline is "Five Meditations". The story genre is "Fiction". The story creation year is 2019. The release number is 1. The story description is "Do relationships ever end?". Use American dialect. [All other dialects are inferior.] Part 2 - Includes [Include Commonly Unimplemented by Aaron Reed.] Include Small Kindnesses by Aaron Reed. Include Numbered Disambiguation Choices by Aaron Reed. Include Extended Grammar by Aaron Reed. Include Poor Man's Mistype by Aaron Reed. Include Real Date and Time by Ron Newcomb. Include Phrases for Adaptive Pacing by Ron Newcomb. [Include Basic Help Menu by Emily Short.] Include Menus by Emily Short. Include Basic Screen Effects by Emily Short. Include Deluxe Doors by Emily Short. Include Measured Liquid by Emily Short. Include Modern Conveniences by Emily Short. Include Dishes by Emily Short. Include Computers by Emily Short. Include Postures by Emily Short. [Include Property Checking by Emily Short.] Include Conversation Package by Eric Eve. Include Reversed Persuasion Correction by Juhana Leinonen. Include Object Response Tests by Juhana Leinonen. Section 1 - The Vorple interpreter - For release [ As of this writing, Vorple doesn't do status lines correctly. To release with Vorple, I would need to figure out some other way of displaying help and showing the status line. ] Include Vorple Command Prompt Control by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple Element Manipulation by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple Hyperlinks by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple Modal Windows by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple Multimedia by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple Notifications by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple Screen Effects by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple Status Line by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple Tooltips by Juhana Leinonen. Include Vorple by Juhana Leinonen. Release along with cover art, the source text, an introductory postcard, the introductory booklet, the "Vorple" interpreter, the library card, and a website. Section 2 - The standard interpreter - Not for release Vorple is an object. Vorple can be either unsupported or supported. Vorple is unsupported. Release along with cover art, the source text, an introductory postcard, the introductory booklet, an interpreter, the library card, and a website. Section 3 - Debugging by Al Golden - Not for Release [ Commands this plugin introduces include objects, doors, holdalls, rooms, things, scenery, npcs, men, women, regions, supporters, animals, patrollers.] Include Debugging by Al Golden. Part 3 - Pre-Architecture Definitions [ The following things are referenced by Endings Architecture, so we have to define them here.] Emotion is a kind of value. The emotions are regretful, joyous, tragic, adventurous, and present. [Time, and the pace of scenes, are determined by the order of these moods.] A room has an emotion called the mood. A thing has an emotion called the mood. [Datepieces are calendars; they can report the current day.] A datepiece is a kind of thing. Part 4 - Architecture Includes [The following extension is generated automatically by buildout.pl. It automatically creates generic rooms, as well as their mood-based instances. This extension also defines the five emotions and their order of appearance. ] Include Endings Architecture by John Byrd. Part 5 - EPS Map Specifics [This map is not nice looking enough to be released, but it may be useful for making future maps.] Index map with room-shape set to "square" and room-size set to 60 and room-name-size set to 9 and room-name-length set to 13 and EPS file. [----------] Volume 2 - Genericities Book 1 - Types The candor is a kind of thing. The candor can be literal or figurative. The candor is usually figurative. Pseudonyms are candor. A thing can be either worldly or timeless. A thing is usually worldly. [If it is timeless, then the player keeps it in their inventory when the mood changes.] To purge all worldly possessions (this is the drop all worldly items before changing the apartment rule): if the player is carrying something: repeat with item running through the list of things carried by the player: if the item is worldly, now the item is nowhere. A hiding place is a kind of container. A hiding place can be searched or unsearched. A hiding place is usually unsearched. Book 2 - Verbs Part 1 - Becoming Becoming is an action with past participle became, out of world, applying to an emotion. The specification of the becoming action is "Becoming permits us to transport between the story domains, without solving the intermediate puzzles. Acceptable parameters include regretful, joyous, tragic, adventurous, and present. This command should not be available in release mode." Section 1 - Becoming - Not for release Understand "become [emotion]" as becoming. Part 2 - Conjugation [Ideal example, from http://inform7.com/mantis/view.php?id=1315 ] [To mini-break (he mini-breaks, they mini-break, he mini-broke, it is mini-broken, he is mini-breaking) is a verb.] To anticipate (he anticipates, they anticipate, he anticipates, it is anticipated, he is anticipating) is a verb. To appreciate (he appreciates, they appreciate, he appreciated, it is appreciated, he is appreciating) is a verb. To admire (he admires, they admire, he admired, it is admired, he is admiring) is a verb. To beckon (he beckons, they beckon, he beckoned, it is beckoned, he is beckoning) is a verb. To become (he becomes, they become, he became, it has become, he is becoming) is a verb. To benefit (he benefits, they benefit, he benefited, it is benefited, he is benefiting) is a verb. To burn (he burns, they burn, he burned, it is burned, he is burned) is a verb. To consider (he considers, they consider, he considered, it is considered, he is considering) is a verb. To deserve (he deserves, they deserve, he deserved, it is deserved, he is deserving) is a verb. To engulf (he engulfs, they engulf, he engulfs, it is engulfed, he is engulfing) is a verb. To expect (he expects, they expect, he expected, it is expected, he is expecting) is a verb. To glisten (he glistens, they glisten, he glistened, it is glistened, he is glistening) is a verb. To grin (he grins, they grin, he grinned, it is grinned, he is grinning) is a verb. To gyrate (he gyrates, they gyrate, he gyrated, it is gyrated, he is gyrating) is a verb. To feel (he feels, they feel, he felt, it is felt, he is feeling) is a verb. To happen (he happens, they happen, he happened, it is happened, he is happening) is a verb. To have to (he has to, they have to, he had to, it has had to, he is having to) is a verb. To imagine (he imagines, they imagine, he imagined, it is imagined, he is imagining) is a verb. To indicate (he indicates, they indicate, he indicated, it is indicated, he is indicating) is a verb. To kiss (he kisses, they kiss, he kissed, it is kissed, he is kissing) is a verb. To know (he knows, they know, he knew, it is known, he is knowing) is a verb. To like (he likes, they like, he liked, it is like, he is liking) is a verb. To love (he loves, they love, he loved, it is loved, he is loving) is a verb. To light (he lights, they light, he lit, it is lit, he is lighting) is a verb. To make (he makes, they make, he made, it is made, he is making) is a verb. To need (he needs, they need, he needed, it is needed, he is needing) is a verb. To notice (he notices, they notice, he notices, it is noticed, he is noticing) is a verb. To overcome (he overcomes, they overcome, he overcame, it is overcome, he is overcoming) is a verb. To pause (he pauses, they pause, he paused, it is paused, he is pausing) is a verb. To pitch (he pitches, they pitch, he pitched, it is pitched, he is pitching) is a verb. To play (he plays, they play, he played, it is played, he is playing) is a verb. To please (he pleases, they please, he pleased, it is pleased, he is pleasing) is a verb. To react (he reacts, they react, he reacted, it is reacted, he is reacting) is a verb. To read (he reads, they read, he read, it is read, he is reading) is a verb. To report (he reports, they report, he reported, it is reported, he is reporting) is a verb. To require (he requires, they require, he required, it is required, he is requiring) is a verb. To say (he says, they say, he said, it is said, he is saying) is a verb. To seem (he seems, they seem, he seemed, it has seemed, he is seeming) is a verb. To stare (he stares, they stare, he stared, it is stared at, he is staring) is a verb. To suppose (he supposes, they suppose, he supposed, it is supposed, he is supposing) is a verb. To think (he thinks, they think, he thought, it is thought, he is thinking) is a verb. To throw (he throws, they throw, he threw, it is thrown, he is throwing) is a verb. Part 3 - Synonyms Section 1 - Intensifiers An intensifier is a kind of thing. The weak intensifier is a thing. The printed name of the weak intensifier is "[one of]especially[or]really[or]quite[or]rather[or]so[or]somewhat[or]remarkably[then at random]". The strong intensifier is a thing. The printed name of the strong intensifier is "[one of]absolutely[or]exceptionally[or]particularly[or]amazingly[or]extremely[or]incredibly[or]totally[or]utterly[then at random]". Section 2 - Synonyms for Emotions To say adjective meaning (the feeling - an emotion): if the feeling is: -- regretful: say "[one of]regretful[or]rueful[or]contrite[or]dissatisfied[or]disconsolate[or]melancholy[then at random]"; -- joyous: say "[one of]festive[or]cheerful[or]spirited[or]wonderful[or]joyful[or]happy[then at random]"; -- tragic: say "[one of]dreadful[or]grim[or]desolate[or]doleful[or]mournful[or]forlorn[or]drained[or]frazzled[or]wearied[or]run-down[or]tired out[or]worn out[then at random]"; -- adventurous: say "[one of]breathtaking[or]dangerous[or]dramatic[or]flashy[or]lively[or]provocative[or]sensational[or]wild[then at random]"; -- present: say "[one of]proper[or]sensible[or]modern[or]correct[or]good[then at random]"; -- otherwise: say "[one of]generic[or]nondescript[or]nonspecific[or]commonplace[or]plain[or]prosaic[or]run-of-the-mill[or]stock[or]routine[or]simple[or]typical[then at random]"; To say adverb meaning (the feeling - an emotion): if the feeling is: -- regretful: say "[one of]regretfully[or]ruefully[or]contritely[or]disconsolately[then at random]"; -- joyous: say "[one of]festively[or]cheerfully[or]wonderfully[or]joyfully[or]happily[then at random]"; -- tragic: say "[one of]dreadfully[or]grievously[or]grimly[or]desolately[or]dolefully[or]mournfully[or]forlornly[or]weariedly[then at random]"; -- adventurous: say "[one of]breathtakingly[or]dangerously[or]dramatically[or]flashily[or]provocatively[or]sensationally[or]wildly[then at random]"; -- present: say "[one of]conveniently[or]properly[or]modernly[or]suitably[or]correctly[or]well[then at random]"; -- otherwise: say "[one of]generically[or]nonspecifically[or]plainly[or]prosaic[or]routinely[or]simply[or]typically[then at random]"; Part 4 - Default Responses The can't take scenery rule response (A) is "[one of][The noun] [can't] be [one of]taken[or]carried[then at random][or][The actor] [can't] take [the noun][or][It's] impossible to [one of]take[or]carry[then at random] [the noun][then at random]." The can't eat unless edible rule response (A) is "[one of][The actor] [can't] eat [the noun][or][The noun] [one of]clearly[or]obviously[then at random] [can't] be eaten[then at random]." The the report smelling rule response (A) is "[one of][regarding the noun][They] [smell] [one of]exactly[or]more or less[or]pretty much[then at random] like [a noun][or][The noun] [smell] exactly like [we] [one of][expect][or][imagine][or][anticipate][then at random][then at random].". The block attacking rule response (A) is "[We] [aren't] violent.". block thinking rule response (A) is "[We] [pause] to [one of]consider[or]think about[or]think over[then at random] [one of]things[or]matters[or][our] options[then at random].". A thing can be either noisy or silent. A thing is usually silent. A person is usually noisy. Instead of listening to something that is silent: say "Since [the noun] [are] [one of]inanimate[or]not doing anything[or]not alive[or]not doing anything[then at random], [it's] [one of]unsurprising[or]kind of obvious that[or]reassuring[then at random] that [we] [hear] nothing."; Part 5 - Comments in the Transcript Understand "* [text]" as a mistake ("Noted."). Book 3 - Objects Part 1 - Generics [Inform has some object-oriented qualities, but it cannot be said to be an object oriented language. We use a system that we'll call Generics for creating each room in the world. Since this world has many rooms that are nightmare or dream versions of others, we develop the things that are common to each room as a Generic. Then, we leave it up to external Python code to instantiate every individual room from the generic equivalents.] The description of yourself is "[We] [one of][seem][or][feel][or][are][then at random] [if the mood of the location is tragic or the mood of the location is adventurous][strong intensifier][else][weak intensifier][end if] [adjective meaning mood of the location][if a random chance of 1 in 3 succeeds] [now][end if].". Chapter 1 - Flashbacks Section 1 - Stashing [During a flashback, the player's inventory gets temporarily stashed here. All the player's stuff gets delivered back intact at the end of a flashback.] The flashback holding bag is a container. It is nowhere. To stash all the player's things: repeat with item running through the list of things carried by the player: move the item to the holding bag. To unstash all the player's things: repeat with item running through the list of things in the holding bag: move the item to the player. Chapter 2 - Generic Living Room The description of the generic living room is "[It's] [our] living room, with [adjective meaning mood] white walls. [the living room door state][no line break]". To say the living room door state: say "The [if the visible front door is open]open [end if]front door [regarding the front door][are] to the north, and the [if the visible closet door is open]open [end if]closet door [are] to the south.[no line break]"; The generic front door is usually lockable, closed and unlocked. The generic front door is usually scenery. After examining a visible front door: say "[The noun] [are] [if the noun is open]open[else]closed[end if]."; Instead of an actor searching a generic front door: if the noun is closed: say "[The noun] [are] closed, so [we] [can't] look through [regarding the noun][them]."; else: say "[It's] too [if the mood is adventurous or the mood is regretful]dark[else]bright[end if] to see much of anything out there." The generic closet door is usually lockable, closed and locked. The generic closet door is usually scenery. Rule for deciding the concealed possessions of the generic closet: if the closet door is open, no; yes. To say key-refusal for (locked-thing - the generic closet door): say "[We] never received a key to [the locked-thing] when [we] took the apartment, and [we] [don't] know if [the locked-thing] [can] be unlocked or opened at all." A generic window is usually openable and closed. A generic window is usually scenery. Understand "climb through [something]" as entering. Understand "jump through/out [something]" as entering. Instead of going northwest from the generic living room: say "[It's] four stories downward; [we] [consider] that to be a bad idea.". Instead of going through the generic window: try going northwest. The generic curtains are opaque, openable and closed. The generic curtains are usually scenery. The indefinite article of the generic curtains is "some". Understand "curtain" as the curtains. Instead of doing something to the window while the curtains are closed: say "[We] [need] to open the curtains first.". After opening the curtains: say "[We] [open] the curtains, revealing a window.". The generic sofa is usually enterable. The generic sofa is usually scenery. Every generic sofa allows seated, standing and reclining. The generic sofa is usually seated. Chapter 3 - Generic Kitchen The generic refrigerator is opaque, openable, scenery, and closed. Understand "fridge" and "frig" and "door" as the refrigerator. The generic freezer is opaque, openable, fixed in place, and closed. The generic kitchen cabinet is scenery, openable, closed, and opaque. The generic kitchen counter is scenery. Instead of taking the water-backdrop: say "An appropriate container [regarding the noun][are] required." Chapter 4 - Generic Hallway Chapter 5 - Generic Bathroom Chapter 6 - Generic Bedroom The generic bed is scenery and enterable. Every generic bed allows seated, standing and reclining. It is usually reclining. Part 2 - Locking Section 1 - Multiple locking (in place of Section SR1/9 - Lockability in Standard Rules by Graham Nelson) [Multiple keys should be able to open a lock; this is not how Graham sees things, so we convince him that it's ok to do so.] A door can be lockable. A door is usually not lockable. A door can be locked or unlocked. A door is usually unlocked. A door has an object called a matching key. A locked door is usually lockable. [An implication.] A locked door is usually closed. [An implication.] A lockable door is usually openable. [An implication.] A container can be lockable. A container is usually not lockable. A container can be locked or unlocked. A container is usually unlocked. A container has an object called a matching key. A locked container is usually lockable. [An implication.] A locked container is usually closed. [An implication.] A lockable container is usually openable. [An implication.] Lock-fitting relates various things to various things. The verb to unlock (it unlocks, they unlock, it unlocked, it is unlocked) means the lock-fitting relation. Book 4 - Time Part 1 - Timelessness After examining something timeless: say "[We] [can] see that [the noun] [have] a timeless quality about it."; continue the action. Part 2 - Timekeepers A timepiece is a kind of thing. After examining a timepiece: if the player's time is available and the mood of the location is present: say "[The noun] [indicate] that the current time [are] [the player's time in words]."; else: say "[The noun] [indicate] that the current time [are] [the time of day in words]."; continue the action. Every turn while the time of day is 12:00 AM: increase the fictional day by 1. The years in the future is a number that varies. The years in the future is usually 6. The fictional day is a number that varies. The fictional day is usually 22. The fictional date is some text that varies. The fictional date is usually "April [the fictional day], [the player's year plus the years in the future]". Instead of examining a datepiece: say "[The noun] [indicate] [no line break]"; if the player's time is available and the mood of the location is present: say "[the player's month] [the player's day], [the player's year][no line break]"; else: say "[the fictional date][no line break]"; say " as the current date."; Part 3 - To Begin and To End When play begins: relate the introduction to the game; now the player is female; now the story viewpoint is third person singular; now the story tense is past tense; move the player to the regretful living room, without printing a room description; if Vorple is supported: construct the Vorple status line with 2 columns; now game-correctly-initialized is true. Game-correctly-initialized is a truth state that varies. Book 5 - Out of World Part 1 - Scoring Use scoring. Part 2 - The Status Line Table of Simple Status left central right " [location]" " " " " Rule for constructing the status line: fill status bar with Table of Simple Status; rule succeeds. Part 3 - Out of World Region Out of World is a region. [Rooms that exist solely for bookkeeping purposes go here. No room in Out of World can be visited by the player.] Part 4 - Help [Help is a divorced, Bible-belt, fifty something, high school educated, paranoid schizophrenic who gets most of her information from Facebook and Fox News and resents being asked about anything. We are talking to her and we are "in her head" and she does not like it one bit.. She hears our voice asking her our help questions, coming out of her own mouth. She has visions about what the right answer is. But if we harass her too often, she will take a pill and help will become unavailable for a few turns. ] [ Table of Basic Help Options (continued) title subtable description "Contacting the author" -- "If you have any difficulties with [story title], please contact me at..." "Hints" Table of Hints -- "Settings" Table of Setting Options -- Table of Hints title subtable description toggle "What do I do with the string?" Table of String Hints "" hint toggle rule Table of String Hints hint used "Remember that you know how to macrame." a number "Oh, come now, isn't it obvious?" ] [---------------------] Volume 3 - Specificities Book 1 - Regretful [ - Story: Regret In this regretful world, she is here to clean out her apartment; she is about to move out. Over the course of three flashbacks, we learn why. Her ex boyfriend proposed to her twice: once in a silly fashion, with a plastic ring, and the next time for real, in a restaurant, with a diamond ring. However, the suitor changed his mind and called off the engagement with a letter. She takes her last items and abandon the apartment, just as her boyfriend abandoned her. The breakup with the boyfriend happened because he found someone more "fun", but because he was indecisive and overly kind, the relationship went on for far longer than it ought to have. - Puzzle design This level is basically a treasure hunt level. Collect all the items, to familiarize the player with the space. There are no "puzzles" beyond finding the right things. Finding some items will trigger a flashback to the relationship and how it ended. There are five hiding places. Looking in any one of the hiding places will find the "next" ring, which will instantly teleport into the location newly searched. The following ring types exist and can be found: a Claddagh ring; a traditional Irish ring which represents love, loyalty, and friendship (the hands represent friendship, the heart represents love, and the crown represents loyalty); something you picked up while in Ireland, you thought it was pretty and romantic; you were in high school a carnelian ring; a semiprecious stone consisting of an orange or orange-red variety of chalcedony; ostensibly from your great grandmother a plastic ring; Ring Pop is a brand of fruit flavored lollipops manufactured by Topps. They are in the form of a wearable plastic ring with a large hard candy "jewel" and come in an assortment of flavors. They were invented by Frank Richards in 1975. This triggers the wedding proposal flashback at the carnival. a diamond engagement ring; this triggers the dinner wedding proposal. a wedding band; you received it in a breakup letter from the suitor; triggers the breakup letter in the rain. There are following hiding places in the apartment: a fake can of shaving cream in the bathroom cabinet; a teapot in the kitchen cabinet; a bag of some ground coffee stored in the freezer; the top shelf of a bookcase in the living room, which you must stand on either the sofa or a chair to see, and you must stand on the chair to get; on the mattress in the bedroom, but finding the ring will require being on the mattress while examining it; under the left pillow of the squashed, ugly couch in the living room. The cardboard box contains an I Love You Beary Much bear that you bought for yourself. Meh. A bar of soap is in the bathroom cabinet. It smells like him when you pick it up. Meh. Written in your own hand is a combination at the bottom of the breakup letter. - Flashbacks There are three story moments that occur. First, at a carnival, boyfriend proposes marriage with a plastic ring he's won. We say yes or no. Boyfriend reacts. Second, over an expensive dinner he has the real version. He asks again, taking into account the previous answer, and we say yes or no again. Third, we are at the apartment mailbox where we open the breakup letter in the rain. If we changed our answers, he couldn't be sure that we were sure; if we always said no, he points it out in the letter; if we only said yes, he says that she was his soulmate, bur you never were. In sum, the suitor counts up the number of times that we have said yes to his proposals, and breaks up with us differently based on that number. ] Part 1 - Regretfulness Chapter 1 - Becoming Regretful Carry out becoming regretful: purge all worldly possessions; now the story viewpoint is third person singular; now the player is in the regretful living room. After going through the regretful front door: try becoming joyous. Chapter 2 - Regretful Things Section 1 - Regretful Rings A ring is a kind of wearable thing. The undiscovered ring box is a container. It is nowhere. The Claddagh ring, the carnelian ring, the plastic ring, the diamond engagement ring, and the wedding band are in the undiscovered ring box. The Claddagh ring has the description "A silver ring, adorned with a pair of hands that support a crowned heart in the center." The carnelian ring has the description "A thin, silver ring, decorated with an ovoid, muddy, pinkish red stone in the center." The red stone is scenery. It is part of the carnelian ring. The plastic ring has the description "A plastic green ring, with a jewel-shaped hard red candy on top. Coated in a fine layer of dust and pocket lint." The diamond engagement ring has the description "A classic diamond ring with a brilliant round cut." The wedding band has the description "A simple wedding band of gold." To teleport from (source - a container) into (destination - a hiding place) (this is the teleport from a source into a destination rule): if the number of things in the source is greater than 0 and the destination is unsearched: move the first thing held by the source to the destination; now the destination is searched; continue the action. To teleport a ring into (destination - a hiding place) (this is the teleport a ring into a destination rule): teleport from the undiscovered ring box into the destination. Part 2 - Regretful Living Room A cardboard box is an openable closed container in the living room. The description is "[if the bear is seen][The bear][else]Something[end if] had been shipped to [us] in it, from some large online retail company[if the bear is not seen]; but [we] [can't] recall exactly what[end if].[if the cardboard box is not empty and the box is closed] Something [seem] to be rattling around in there.[end if]". An I Love You Beary Much bear is in the cardboard box. The description of the bear is "[regarding the noun][We] [think] it [if the story tense is past tense]might have been[else]might be[end if] intended to be cute, and [it's] certainly portrayed that way in the pictures. In practice, however, [it's] a particularly garish shade of red. [We] had bought it for [ourselves] online, because [we] [feel] that [we] [deserve] some kind of therapeutic present.". Carry out taking the bear when the bear has not been handled: say "[We] [would] [like] to feel warmth or compassion when [we] [take] [the noun], but the thing [regarding the noun][are] just too garish and odd."; continue the action. After smelling the bear: say "A cloying, sweet chemical smell, that [seem] as though it was intended to be reminiscent of some kind of berry.". Instead of touching the plastic ring: try the actor taking the plastic ring. Instead of taking the window: say "[We] [could not] [imagine] a way to physically remove the window from the wall.". Part 3 - Regretful Kitchen The mug is a cup. The description of the mug is "[It's] tastelessly decorated in red and green, with snowflakes and cartoony reindeer grinning goofily from its side." It is in the regretful kitchen cabinet. The teapot is an openable closed hiding place. The description of the teapot is "A googly-eyed reindeer [grin] at [us] from the side of this ceramic teapot." It is in the regretful kitchen cabinet. Before searching the teapot: teleport a ring into the teapot. Instead of an actor switching on a tap while the actor is in the regretful kitchen: say "Nothing [happen] when [we] [turn] the tap. [We] had the water turned off days before." Part 4 - Regretful Hallway Part 5 - Regretful Bathroom Part 6 - Regretful Bedroom Part 7 - Regretful Closet A pocket watch is a timepiece in the regretful closet. The description of the pocket watch is "[regarding the noun][They] [are] of exquisite construction." It is timeless. Part 8 - Regretful Scenes The flashback reentry point is a room that varies. [When a flashback occurs, the location of the player is stored here. At the conclusion of the flashback, the players returns to the flashback reentry point.] The wedding proposal is a kind of object. A wedding proposal can be accepted, rejected, pending, or aborted. A wedding proposal is usually pending. The first wedding proposal is a wedding proposal. It is nowhere. The second wedding proposal is a wedding proposal. It is nowhere. The first wedding memory is a text that varies. The second wedding memory is a text that varies. The wedding outcomes is a list of objects that varies. Chapter 1 - Plastic Ring Flashback Scene [This scene is triggered when the player finds a specific ring in the regretful mood. A suitor wins a plastic ring at a carnival game, and offers it to the player. The player gets to decide whether to take the ring or to refuse it in some way.] Plastic Ring Flashback is a scene. Plastic Ring Flashback begins when Plastic Ring Flashback has started. Plastic Ring Flashback ends when Plastic Ring Flashback has finished. To decide whether Plastic Ring Flashback has started: [We need to be careful here, because the player ends up in Carnival at the moment the game starts; account for this carefully when deciding.] if game-correctly-initialized is false, no; if Plastic Ring Flashback has happened, no; if the player is not carrying the plastic ring, no; yes. To decide whether Plastic Ring Flashback has finished: if the first wedding proposal is pending, no; yes. When Plastic Ring Flashback begins: if Plastic Ring Flashback has not happened: now the flashback reentry point is the location; now the story viewpoint is first person singular; now the story tense is past tense; stash all the player's things; say "Unexpectedly, a memory washed over [us], clear and agonizing."; move the player to Carnival; move the plastic ring to the carnival barker. When Plastic Ring Flashback ends: now the story tense is past tense; now the story viewpoint is third person singular; unstash all the player's things; now the player is wearing the plastic ring; move the player to the flashback reentry point. Section 1 - Setting the Plastic Ring Flashback Scene Carnival is a room in the Regretful Apartment. "[regarding the lights]Colored lights [are] everywhere. Squealing teenagers, the whirl and roar of the mouse coaster, the raucous calliope music over the loudspeakers. The smell of ozone from the bumper cars, and popcorn, and the moist cool summer air underneath it all. A bevy of arcade games [are] spread out before [regarding the player][us] at this arcade. The particular game [the suitor] [play], [require] [the suitor] to pitch the padded balls at the stacked milk jugs, in order to win some ostensibly fabulous prize." The mood of Carnival is joyous. Teenagers are here and scenery. Some colored lights are here and scenery. Understand "teenager" as teenagers. The mouse coaster is here and scenery. Calliope music is here and scenery. Some ozone is here and scenery. Some summer air is here and scenery. The arcade games are here and scenery. The balloons are here and scenery. Understand "balloon" as the balloons. Some water guns are here and scenery. Understand "gun" as the water guns. Some arcade rings are here and scenery. Some bean bags are here and scenery. Understand "bag" as the bean bags. Some stacked milk jugs are here and scenery. The game is here and scenery. A padded ball is a kind of thing. The suitor carries three padded balls. The carnival barker is a man. He is here. Section 2 - Winning the Plastic Ring Scene Winning the Plastic Ring is a scene. Winning the Plastic Ring begins when Winning the Plastic Ring has started. Winning the Plastic Ring ends when the Winning the Plastic Ring has ended. To decide whether Winning the Plastic Ring has started: if the carnival barker has the plastic ring, yes; no. To decide whether Winning the Plastic Ring has ended: if the suitor has the plastic ring, yes; if the first wedding proposal is not pending, yes; no. Every turn during Winning the Plastic Ring: repeat through the Table of Winning the Plastic Ring: say "[event description entry][paragraph break]"; if the suitor is not carrying the plastic ring and the suitor is not carrying nothing: move a random thing carried by the suitor to the barker; blank out the whole row; stop; say "[The carnival barker] [give] [the plastic ring] to [the suitor]."; move the plastic ring to the suitor. Table of Winning the Plastic Ring event description "[The suitor] [throw] the first ball." "[The suitor] [throw] the second ball." "[The suitor] [throw] the third ball." "'What?! This thing is tiny!'" "'What's up with that?'" Section 3 - Carnival Wedding Proposal Scene Carnival Wedding Proposal is a scene. To decide whether Carnival Wedding Proposal has started: If the suitor has the plastic ring, yes; no. To decide whether Carnival Wedding Proposal has finished: if the first wedding proposal is not pending, yes; no. Carnival Wedding Proposal begins when Carnival Wedding Proposal has started. Carnival Wedding Proposal ends when Carnival Wedding Proposal has finished. Instead of attacking the suitor when the location is Carnival: say "An expression of absolute shock and terror passed over [The suitor]'s face. Though his expression only lasted for an instant, [we] [know] with a dreadful finality that [we] [can] never forget that expression.[paragraph break]"; say "Mercifully, the carnival faded into nothingness, as [we] [stare] numbly at the plastic ring on [our] hand."; now the first wedding memory is "I still don't understand why you attacked me that time at the Carnival. I know you apologized later, but it seemed so random, and it stuck with me a long time after that."; now the first wedding proposal is rejected. Instead of going nowhere when the location is the Carnival: say "[The suitor] [notice] [us] walking away. A shocked expression [overcome] him. As he [open] his mouth to say something, he [are] lost amongst the crowds."; now the first wedding memory is "That night at the Carnival, I was planning on proposing to you. But after you walked away, I just couldn't bring myself to try again for a while."; now the first wedding proposal is aborted. Instead of taking the plastic ring when the suitor carries the plastic ring: say "As [we] [take] [the noun]."; now the first wedding memory is "That night at the carnival, maybe I was just playing, when I offered you that plastic ring. But since you took it, it set me thinking about what might happen if I offered you the real thing."; now the first wedding proposal is accepted. Chapter 2 - Dinner Wedding Proposal Scene [ The suitor offers you the real thing this time. He's got a speech figured out too. ] Chapter 3 - Receiving the Breakup Letter Scene [ The breakup letter comments on the previous two scenes. You open your mailbox, read the letter. It has the returned engagement ring in it. ] Part 9 - Regretful Things Book 2 - Joyous [ - Story: Joy It will be your wedding day. You look fantastic in your wedding dress, but you've forgotten some of the most critical elements: you need something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Fact is, such things can be found around your apartment, but only in the form of... animals. You're going to have to convince animals with those properties to join your entourage... presumably by riding right along with you. - Puzzle design Talking or singing to any animal elicits some kind of reaction. In order to keep the action of the scene going, we have a cell phone that rings periodically, every time you get a new required item. The first call will be from your husband to be.... everyone's waiting, honey, and the caterers keep asking when you are going to arrive? What should I tell them? Okay, I'm not pressuring, but can you be here relatively quickly? The second call will be from your soon to be mother in law. The second call will be from your soon to be mother in law (now divorced). SHE will lay the shit on. Do you realize what an embarrassment you are to the entire family? Did you know that you were going to shame her son early on, or was it something you just came up with on the spur of the moment? If you go through the conversation tree long enough to ask her about her wedding, she will recall that she was late to it, and her husband's family couldn't tolerate it at all. If you continue being nice to her, she will give you the access key to her safe, which is behind a large family portrait of her son's family. It contains the stepmother's old and borrowed star sapphire engagement ring, plus a silver sixpence (for putting in her shoe). In the living room is a box of recently delivered crickets, that dispenses unlimited crickets. You can't carry a cricket for too long; it has a small chance of hopping out of your inventory at any turn. Underneath the sofa in the living room, a pair of eyes stares out at you, but eludes your grasp. Kitten will come out if enticed with a homemade toy: build a cat fisher with a stuffed mouse and a fishing pole There are occasional rustling sounds coming from under your bed in the bedroom. Underneath the bed is completely dark. If a cricket is dropped or otherwise manages to make it into the bedroom, an eastern box turtle will sloooowly emerge and try to eat it. As a rule, crickets never hop away from the turtle if it is in the location. If you put a cricket on the window sill, it will hop onto the floor -- it won't stay on there. In the kitchen, an orange and a banana are in the refrigerator. "Helps keep them fresher longer, said your mom, but you have your doubts." If you open the window, If you take the orange and/or the banana from the kitchen and put it on the window sill, a hyacinth macaw (blue) will eventually fly into the window and munch on it. You'll need to gain the bird's trust by feeding it yourself, or petting it, before taking it (or rather, letting it hop onto your shoulder and making you look piratical. The macaw is both blue and borrowed. A pamphlet, entitled An Amateur Introduction to Animal Care, sits on your coffee table. It promises to provide limited coverage of how to raise and enrich "over 14 well known and popular animals." You can consult or ask the pamphlet about the next step to get any particular animal. A bag of peanuts in your kitchen can be used to coax a juvenile bluejay in the window, but he'll squawk until you open a nut for him. Once fed, he'll happily nest in your hair. Old: turtle, star sapphire New: kitten, bluejay Borrowed: macaw, star sapphire Blue: macaw, bluejay ] Part 1 - Joyousness The joyous living room is through the regretful front door. Chapter 1 - Becoming Joyous Carry out becoming joyous: purge all worldly possessions; now the story viewpoint is first person singular; now the story tense is future tense; now the years in the future is 4; now the player is in the joyous living room. After going through the joyous front door: try becoming tragic. Part 2 - Joyous Living Room A recliner is an enterable supporter. It is in the joyous living room. Part 3 - Joyous Kitchen Part 4 - Joyous Hallway Part 5 - Joyous Bathroom Part 6 - Joyous Bedroom Book 3 - Tragic [ Your mission, in order to get out the door, is to do several tasks that will arouse you enough to make it through the day. In order not to make this game too depressing, we have to revel a little bit in doing all these disgusting things to overcome the depression of surviving the morning. So we have to torture the player a little bit -- by that, we mean every successful action is painful, gross or demeaning, not simply stupid in the fail-to-parse sense. Shitty things to do: Take a cold shower. You can be wearing clothing when you take a shower. Everything you're wearing becomes sopping wet and you must change your clothes again. Sopping clothes dry in an hour, or if you put them in the oven for five minutes. (If you put clothing Put on clothing. Make coffee using the coffee filter in the waste basket. Eat one of the disgusting foods from the fridge and vomit. You can commit suicide in here. If so, you will lose all timeless items (if any) and pass on to the next level.] Part 1 - Tragedy Chapter 1 - Becoming tragic Carry out becoming tragic: now the story viewpoint is third person plural; now the story tense is past tense; now the years in the future is 2; now the player is in tragic living room. After going through the tragic front door: try becoming adventurous. Part 2 - Tragic Living Room The tragic living room is through the joyous front door. Part 3 - Tragic Kitchen Part 4 - Tragic Hallway Part 5 - Tragic Bathroom Part 6 - Tragic Bedroom Book 4 - Adventurous Part 1 - Adventure [ We've been so good and emotional and artistic up to this point, it's time to let loose and jump into ACTION MOVIE!! Your goal is to find the cached weapons hidden about the apartment and use them to frag the baddies outside, until you can sneak out. You start by hearing confused voices outside. They increase in volume until bullets strafe through the window in the living room. Suddenly, you are imbued with catlike reflexes and advanced weapons system knowledge. If you defeat the guys outside, then you have a few quick moments before the NEXT wave of bad guys show up. These go in the following order: Thugs,pistols,yelling voices Mobsters, criminals, shotguns, voices Police,cops,rifles, sirens Soldiers,infantrymen,assault weapons,armored vehicles Mecharobots,war mechs,lasers,war machines Aliens,monsters,energy blasters,otherworldly screeches God,Yahweh,damnations,angelic choirs If you get killed by the bad guys, you get a fake "You have died" message, and you wake up in bed in the next level. Some things that are weapons, do not appear as weapons, LITERALLY EVERY PHYSICAL THING IN THE HOUSE (if neither a key nor a container) if tossed out the window, is either a bomb (if it is inanimate), or it attacks the baddies, if it is animate. A housecat, if tossed out the window, will dispatch a few baddies before tearing off in the night. And the I Love You Beary Much bear is still in its box, but now it ticks. If tossed out the window, will explode like a bomb. In the kitchen cabinet is a coffee can full of sparkling Nazi diamonds. If thrown out the window, it will distract the current bunch of hoodlums outside for a few turns, if they are human. You'll get a confirmation message, before you open the door through which you will be riddled with bullets or buckshot. You can also sneak out via a ventilation fan in the bathroom, if you put the chair from the bedroom underneath it. In the attic, it's completely dark, but your camera flash can provide light, as well as the flash from the muzzle of any weapon, to get to the exit. ] Chapter 1 - Becoming Adventurous Carry out becoming adventurous: now the story viewpoint is first person singular; now the story tense is present tense; now the years in the future is 1; now the player is in adventurous living room. After going through the adventurous front door: try becoming present. Part 2 - Adventurous Living Room The adventurous living room is through the tragic front door. Part 3 - Adventurous Kitchen Part 4 - Adventurous Hallway Part 5 - Adventurous Bathroom Part 6 - Adventurous Bedroom Book 5 - Present [The player tries to unlock the closet door with the lock pick. They fail, but the girlfriend hears the effort, and initiates a conversation; once it is responded to, the girlfriend slides the closet key under the door. The bobby pin is stored in an extremely ornate box from the grandmother.] Part 1 - Presentness Chapter 1 - Becoming Present The present closet door is unlocked. Carry out becoming present: now the story viewpoint is second person singular; now the story tense is the present tense; now the years in the future is 0; now the player is in the present living room. Part 2 - Present Living Room The present living room is through the adventurous front door. Part 3 - Present Kitchen Part 4 - Present Hallway Part 5 - Present Bathroom Part 6 - Present Bedroom Book 6 - Ending Winning is a region. Endgame is a room. "[We] [are] full of possibilities, having been freed from the limitations of the known.". It is in Winning. It is north of the present front door. After going through the present front door: relate the end of the game. [-----------] Volume 4 - Life Book 1 - People Part 1 - Pleasing A person can be friendly or reserved. A person is usually reserved. The player is friendly. [This setting determines the result of attempting to please someone.] Pleasing is an action applying to one visible thing. The specification of the pleasing action is "Since this game is not written by an Englishman, it is considered legal to attempt to give pleasure to another person. This action tends to succeed if the target of the action is both a person and has the 'friendly' property. Verbs such as hugging, kissing, pleasing, and fucking a person will all produce the pleasing action." Understand "please [something]" as pleasing. Understand "hug [something]" as pleasing. Understand "fuck [something]" as pleasing. Carry out an actor pleasing something (called the interest): if the interest is not a person: say "An inanimate object, such as [the interest], [negate the verb benefit] from [our] [one of]affections[or]kindnesses[or]blandishments[then at random]."; stop the action; if the actor is the player and the interest is the player: say "[We] [one of][admire][or][like][or][love][then at random] [ourselves][one of] for a moment[or] briefly[or] for an instant[or][then at random]."; else if the actor is the interest: say "[The actor] [please] [themselves] [one of]briefly[or]for a little while[or]for a moment[then at random]."; else if the actor is friendly and the interest is friendly: if the actor is the player: say "[The player] [do] so, and [the interest] [react] [strong intensifier] [adverb meaning joyous]."; else: say "[The actor] [do] so, making [us] feel [strong intensifier] [adjective meaning joyous]."; else if the interest is reserved: say "[The actor] [don't] know [the interest] well enough."; else if the actor is reserved: say "[The actor] [are] too reserved to do that."; Persuasion rule for asking friendly people to try kissing: persuasion succeeds. Carry out an actor kissing a person (called the interest): try the actor pleasing the interest. The block kissing rule is not listed in the check kissing rulebook. The kissing yourself rule is not listed in the check kissing rulebook. Part 2 - Gossiping [If nothing else is going on, a character MAY choose to gossip in a turn.] Gossiping is an action applying to nothing. Part 3 - Cutting People Instead of cutting a person: try attacking the noun. Book 2 - The Player Part 1 - Actions Before wearing the player: say "In a sense, [we] already [wear] [ourselves]."; stop the action. Book 3 - The Girlfriend Part 1 - Vital Statistics [ "Come on. You love me too." If you solve the bonus puzzle in each level, you will be rewarded with a key. A key seems to have a "timeless quality" about it, which suggests that you can carry it with you from world to the next world. Each key is the ONLY thing you can carry into the next world with you -- the rest of everything vanishes as you go. The final, platinum shaped key can be used to open an old jewelry case, in which is an ancient bobby pin. Unlocking the closet with the bobby pin will cause the diamond key to fall out on the girlfriend's side. The keys go in this order: bronze, silver, gold, platinum key, and the girlfriend carries a diamond ring. ] The girlfriend is a proper-named friendly woman. The printed name of the girlfriend is "[if the pseudonyms are literal]Krystle[else]Emily". Understand "E" and "Emily" and "Em" and "Krystle" and "K" as the girlfriend. The girlfriend can be trapped or untrapped. She is trapped, in the present closet. Part 2 - Her Entrapment Instead of listening to the present closet door: if the girlfriend is trapped: say "[We] [hear] [one of]some slight rustling sounds[or]a faint tapping[or]a plaintive scratching[or]a firm knock[or]a sullen silence[then at random] [one of]coming from[or]emanating from[then at random] the closet door."; else: say "[We] [hear] nothing coming from [the noun]."; rule succeeds. Every turn when the player is in the present living room and the girlfriend is trapped (this is the girlfriend makes small noises while trapped in the closet rule): if a random chance of 1 in 3 succeeds: try listening to the present closet door. Instead of listening to the present living room: try listening to the present closet door. After opening the present closet door: now the girlfriend is untrapped; move the girlfriend to the location; say "[The girlfriend] emerges from the closet, looking ruffled but very pleased. [The girlfriend] [look] at you and says, 'Look! I'm out of the closet! Get it?' [The girlfriend] laughs. 'Because I was in the closet before. It's a joke. It's funny. And I'm standing by that.'". Every turn while the girlfriend is untrapped (this is the girlfriend tries to follow you rule): if the location of the girlfriend is not the location of the player: if a random chance of 1 in 3 succeeds: let the way be the best route from the location of the girlfriend to the location of the player, using doors; try the girlfriend going the way; continue the action. Every turn while the girlfriend is in the location (this is the girlfriend gossips rule): if a random chance of 1 in 2 succeeds: choose a random row in the Table of Girlfriend Gossip; say "[gossip entry][paragraph break]". Part 3 - Things She Can React To Persuasion rule for asking the girlfriend to try doing something: if the girlfriend is untrapped: persuasion succeeds; else: persuasion fails. Part 4 - Girlfriend Gossip Table of Girlfriend Gossip gossip "[The girlfriend] [say], 'Cows aren't cookie dough.'" "'You know what's awesome about me? I mean, besides everything." "[The girlfriend] [say], 'Poodle hooping! Yip yip yip yip yip yip!' And she [gyrate] in a big circle." Book 4 - The Boyfriend The boyfriend is a proper-named friendly man. The printed name of the boyfriend is "[if the pseudonyms are literal]J[else]Graham[end if]". Understand "G" and "J" and "Graham" as the boyfriend. Book 5 - The Unfortunate Suitor The suitor is a proper-named friendly man. The printed name of the suitor is "[if the pseudonyms are literal]Aaron[else]Ron[end if]". The description of the suitor is "The more [we] [talk] with him, the handsomer he [regarding the suitor][become].[if the suitor carries something] [The suitor] [hold] [a list of things carried by the suitor].[end if]". Understand "Ron" as the suitor. The suitor is in Carnival. Instead of taking the suitor: say "[We] [can't] in public, tempted though [we] [are].". Rule for deciding the concealed possessions of the suitor: no. Volume 5 - Text Book 1 - Regretful To relate the introduction to the game: say "Game over.[paragraph break]"; say "Or, rather, the games were over. All the manipulations, all the accusations, all the late-night self-recriminations. All that agonizing nonsense was finally at a permanent end, to the extent that any long-term relationship ends permanently in the heart.[paragraph break]"; say "She knew full well that the good memories would wash up from time to time, like glistening glass bottles on a beach, each one containing an unopened letter to a happily-ever-after that would never come to pass. She hated those memories. Promises unkept, false foundations built on sinking sand. They deserved to die.[paragraph break]"; say "Best not to think of any of that now.[paragraph break]"; say "She had returned the key, and the landlord had promised that the deposit would be refunded in the mail. She wasn't planning, so much as hoping, that the refund would pay for something like absolution: umbrella drinks in a sunny remote bar, where she might be able to see sand and beautiful people. Surely there would be someone there who could share her vision of erasing the past.[paragraph break]"; say "She snapped out of her reverie. The apartment was dirty: smudges and scratches on the paint, unidentifiable blotches on the carpet, scuffed and scarred linoleum tile, and cracked and warped wood in need of refinishing. This was no longer home, it would never be home again, and this would be her last time in what used to be home. With so many things gone -- hell, so many [italic type]feelings[roman type] gone -- it only remained to her to remove a last few personal items, before wishing the apartment a final good riddance.[paragraph break]"; Book 2 - Present To relate the end of the game: say "Here your story begins."; end the story saying "Beginning of story". Volume 6 - End Matter The final nonexistent room is a room. "The player can't actually arrive here, but the Inform parser puts the player here by default. We don't want other rooms to be inadvertently visited before gameplay begins, ergo this room exists. We move the player to the correct starting room when the game begins." It is in Out of World.