An Escape To RememberAn interactive fiction by the IF Whispers Team (2006) - the Inform 7 source text | |
| Home page Contents Previous Next Complete text | Section 1
Your Suite is a room. "Your suite is luxurious enough, given the circumstances, but after several weeks living here, you're starting to get a little sick of it. A lumpy divan lies against the south wall, next to the curtains that cover the doorway to your bedroom, while the main door to the suite leads east. The balcony is through an archway to the west." Instead of going nowhere from the suite, say "Your bedroom is south, the balcony is west, and the main door out of the suite is east." Instead of going east in your suite, try opening the suite door. The suite door is scenery in your suite. The description of the suite door is "The suite door is made of dark, long-grained wood with a polished handle. You eye it a little suspiciously." Instead of entering the suite door, try opening the suite door. The suite door can be tried, untried, or unavailable. The suite door is unavailable. Instead of opening the suite door: if the suite door is unavailable begin; say "It's not quite time yet. But the signal should be coming any minute now, unless something's gone wrong."; otherwise; if the suite door is untried begin; say "You reach out your hand for the doorknob, then pause. There's no possibility that ... You brush your nails carefully against the doorknob, and seem to hear a vague echo on the other side. Perhaps. Your eyes flit to the balcony archway."; now the suite door is tried; otherwise; say "You shrug. Perhaps not. Still, you're enough on your guard to hear the faint snap as the door opens, but in the moment it takes to process this, the explosion has gone off."; end the game in death; end if; end if. At the time when the gong gongs: say "Abruptly, there is a sound like a distant gong. It sounds three times, then falls silent again. That's your cue; time to move."; now the suite door is untried. The suite curtains are scenery in your suite. The description of the suite curtains is "The heavy curtains muffle sound and light between the two rooms." Instead of opening or entering the suite curtains, try going south. A divan is an enterable supporter in your suite. It is scenery. The description of the divan is "[if the divan does not hide anything]The divan pillows are still a little rumpled, but there's nothing for anyone to find now.[otherwise]For obvious reasons the pillows on the divan are a little lumpy, but it should be good enough to pass a casual inspection." Understand "couch" as the divan. Instead of looking under the divan, try searching the divan. Instead of searching the divan: if the divan does not hide anything begin; say "You search the divan carefully, but of course there's nothing there now."; otherwise; let the discovery be a random thing hidden by the divan; now the discovery is carried by the player; now the divan hides 0; say "Lifting up the heavy pillows with one hand, you reach all the way underneath them with the other, and just manage to reach [the discovery]. You slide it out."; end if. Instead of inserting into the divan: if the noun is not the flat box begin; say "There's really only one thing you want to hide in there."; otherwise; say "You lift the cushions and carefully slide [the noun] as far in as you can."; now the divan hides the noun; remove the noun from play; end if. Some crimson pillows are scenery in your suite. The description of the pillows is "The pillows are mostly shades of crimson, artfully arranged on the divan." Instead of taking the pillows, say "The pillows are too unwieldy to lift more than a few inches." Understand "pillows" as the pillows. Instead of searching or looking under the pillows, try searching the divan. Instead of inserting into the pillows, try inserting into the divan. A marigold-yellow cushion is on the divan. "A marigold-yellow cushion sits on the divan." Understand "marigold" and "yellow" and "pillow" as the marigold-yellow cushion. The description of the cushion is "An unassuming yellow cushion, though of a natty color." The flat box is an openable lockable container hidden by the divan. The flat box is closed and locked. The description of the flat box is "A flat wooden box, perhaps twice as big as your outstretched hand. [if the flat box is closed]A thin seam runs around the side, but of course the brass lock on top is the only way to open it.[otherwise]Inside the box you see [list of things in the flat box]." After closing the flat box: say "You close the box and the lock clicks shut."; now the flat box is locked. Instead of unlocking the flat box with the amulet: if the crystal is part of the amulet begin; say "The prongs should line up nicely, but the crystal is in the way, keeping you from inserting them."; otherwise; say "You slide the prongs of the amulet into the holes and twist. There is a click, and the box opens, revealing [list of things in the box]."; now the flat box is unlocked; now the flat box is open; end if. The brass lock is part of the flat box. The description of the brass lock is "The brass lock is engraved with a soaring hawk, but the important part is the five holes that make up parts of the design." Understand "five" and "holes" as the brass lock. Instead of unlocking the brass lock with something, try unlocking the flat box with the second noun. Instead of searching the brass lock, try examining the brass lock. The dark metal device is in the flat box. The description of the dark metal device is "The device is heavier than it looks, made of some dull-dark metal and shaped like a U. [if the dark metal device is uncharged]It rattles slightly when moved, and t[otherwise]T[end if]here is a small white button at the base of the U[if the dark metal device is charging]. The device is humming[end if][if the dark metal device is charged]. The device is humming and vibrating, and seems almost on the verge of flying apart[end if]." The dark metal device is either uncharged, charging, or charged. The dark metal device is uncharged. Instead of pushing the dark metal device, try waving the dark metal device. Instead of waving the dark metal device: if the dark metal device is uncharged begin; say "There is a click as something rattles into place. Then the device begins to hum, first faintly, then growing to a higher pitch."; now the dark metal device is charging; the device charges in one turn from now; otherwise; if the dark metal device is charging begin; say "Nothing happens except, perhaps, the hum of the device gets even louder."; otherwise; say "Your hand is jolted by a static charge and you almost drop the device. The humming drops to nothing, and there is a final, sad rattle."; now the dark metal device is uncharged; end if; end if. At the time when the device charges: if the dark metal device is charging begin; if the player can see the dark metal device, say "The humming of the device rises to a shriek -- the metal seems on the verge of flying to pieces."; now the dark metal device is charged; the device overcharges in zero turns from now; end if. At the time when the device overcharges: if the dark metal device is charged begin; if the player can see the dark metal device, say "There is a hiss and pop, and the humming of the device abruptly drops to nothing."; now the dark metal device is uncharged; end if. A small white button is part of the the dark metal device. The description of the white button is "A small white button." Instead of pushing the small white button: if the dark metal device is not carried by the player begin; say "(first taking [the dark metal device])"; try silently taking the dark metal device; if the dark metal device is not carried by the player, stop the action; end if; if the dark metal device is uncharged begin; say "The button clicks in briefly, but nothing happens."; otherwise; if the dark metal device is charging begin; say "There is a muted sizzle and crack. The device jolts in your hand, and the humming fades[if the player can see the ripple]. The ripple shimmers briefly[end if]."; now the dark metal device is uncharged; otherwise; say "There is a sudden sizzling crack, and the device burns hot in your hand for a moment."; now the dark metal device is uncharged; if the player can see the ripple begin; say "[line break]The ripple shimmers and then winks out. A breeze from outside brushes against your face for a moment.[line break]"; remove the ripple from play; the ripple returns in three turns from now; end if; end if; end if. [Overridden by nothings' code:] [When the ripple returns: if the ripple is not in the balcony begin; if the player is in the balcony, say "A faint shimmer in the air is the only thing that announces the ripple has reformed."; now the ripple is in the balcony; end if. ] Your Bedroom is south of your suite. "There is clearly no intention for this room to be used for anything other than sleeping or dressing. There is a bed, a small end-table, a high-up window, and nothing else of note." Instead of going nowhere from the bedroom, say "The main part of the suite is back north." The bedroom curtains are scenery in your bedroom. The description of the bedroom curtains is "The heavy curtains muffle sound and light between the two rooms." Instead of opening or entering the bedroom curtains, try going north. Your bed is an enterable supporter in your bedroom. Your bed is scenery. The description of your bed is "Too soft for your tastes, but you've slept on worse." Instead of searching the bed, say "Nothing, naturally. People [italic type]always[roman type] look there." Instead of looking under the bed, try searching the bed. Instead of sleeping during Whisper 1, say "There's no time. You've got work to do." The small end table is a supporter in your bedroom. The end table is scenery. The description of the small end table is "Made of dark-grained wood, with the legs carved with elaborate geometric shapes." Understand "bedside" as the small end table. The amulet is a wearable thing on the end table. The description of the amulet is "Five silver strands cleverly plaited together, [if the crystal is part of the amulet]bent to hold a crystal between their tips, [end if]and hung from a thin chain." Understand "chain", "silver", and "strands" as the amulet. Instead of inserting something into the amulet, say "The amulet can't hold that." Instead of inserting the crystal into the amulet: say "You slide the crystal back into the amulet until the prongs grasp it firmly."; now the crystal is part of the amulet. Instead of prying something from the amulet: say "You give [the noun] a familiar twist, and it slides free from the amulet."; now the noun is carried by the player. A procedural rule: if the second noun is the amulet, ignore the can't take component parts rule. The crystal is part of the amulet. The description of the crystal is "A clear and sparkling crystal, the size of a nut." Instead of turning the crystal when the crystal is part of the amulet, try prying the crystal from the amulet. Instead of taking the crystal when the crystal is part of the amulet, try prying the crystal from the amulet. Instead of opening the amulet: if the crystal is part of the amulet begin; try prying the crystal from the amulet; otherwise; say "The amulet has already been opened."; end if; The high-up window is scenery in your bedroom. The description of the high-up window is "Despite the bars, it lets in enough sunlight for you to see." Your travelling case is an openable container in your bedroom. "Your travelling case sits at the foot of the bed." The travelling case is closed. Understand "traveling" and "luggage" as the travelling case. The description of the travelling case is "The case is bound in black leather, somewhat scuffed from your travelling[if the case is open]. Inside the case you see [list of things in the case][end if]." The rope discussion flag is a number variable. The rope discussion flag is 0. Instead of searching the travelling case: if the travelling case is not open begin; say "(first opening the case)"; try silently opening the travelling case; if the travelling case is not open, stop the action; end if; if the travelling case does not hide anything begin; say "You search the case carefully, but of course there's nothing there now."; otherwise; let the discovery be a random thing hidden by the travelling case; now the discovery is carried by the player; now the travelling case hides 0; if the discovery is the rope and the rope discussion flag is 0 begin; change the rope discussion flag to 1; say "You search under the clothes in the case and then pull out the only kind of rope you've been able to improvise in your time here -- a chain of brightly-colored sashes, tied together."; otherwise; say "You reach under the clothes and pull out [the discovery]."; end if; end if. Instead of hiding in the travelling case: if the travelling case is hiding something begin; say "There's only room for one thing in there."; otherwise; say "You tuck [the noun] away beneath the clothes."; now the travelling case hides the noun; remove the noun from play; end if. Some clothes are in the travelling case. The description of the clothes is "You chose your outfits carefully, knowing you'd need to be prepared for a variety of circumstances, and knowing your possessions would almost certainly be searched." Understand "clothing" as the clothes. Instead of searching or looking under the clothes, try searching the travelling case. Instead of taking or wearing the clothes, say "You're dressed appropriately for the moment." A rope of brightly-colored sashes is a thing hidden by the travelling case. Understand "sash" as the rope. The description of the rope is "The sashes are each a different color, and taken as a whole, the effect is a little startling. But after all, in cases like these, necessity is the mother of invention, and fashion sense is at best a second cousin." Instead of tying the rope to something, say "There's only one thing you really need to tie the rope to." Instead of tying the rope to the suite door, say "Clever. But they'll doubtlessly be waiting out there. Better stick with the previous plan." Instead of tying the rope to the player, say "I've heard of security blankets, but this is ridiculous." The Balcony is west of your suite. "This platform isn't huge, but some days being out here is the most freedom you get. It's certainly got the best view. A wide railing curves around the edge, preventing accidental tumbles." Instead of going nowhere from the Balcony, say "Unless you're feeling athletic (or foolish) the only way is back east." Instead of going down in the Balcony: if the player is carrying the rope begin; if the ripple is in the Balcony begin; say "The rope would get you down, if you had some way of getting rid of that ripple-field."; otherwise; say "You tie the sash rope to the balcony railing, give it a few tugs to make sure the knots are secure, and start down."; change escaped from balcony to 1; end if; otherwise; if the ripple is in the Balcony begin; say "The fall won't kill you, because hitting that ripple-field will first."; otherwise; say "The fall would break your neck."; end if; end if. Instead of jumping in the Balcony, try going down. A wide railing is scenery in the Balcony. "The railing is made from dark wood and carved with geometric shapes. It is wide on top and seems fairly sturdy." Instead of taking or attacking the railing, say "Yep, seems pretty sturdy." Instead of tying the rope to the railing, try going down. Understand "balcony" as the railing. Instead of climbing the rope in the Balcony, try going down. The ripple is fixed in place in the Balcony. "A faint ripple in the air is the only sign of the bubble that surrounds this balcony." The description of the ripple is "It's hard to see, but nonetheless manages to seem like it's pressing in on you." Understand "bubble" and "field" as the ripple. Instead of touching the ripple, say "It's just out of reach. Probably for the best." Instead of throwing something at the ripple, say "[The noun] will probably be blasted to pieces, [italic type]and[roman type] you'll set off an alarm." Instead of doing something other than examining or throwing or touching with the ripple, say "Attention is exactly what you don't need at this point." |