What follows is the transcripts for IF Intro Comp.
Plan 6
Start of a transcript of
PLAN 6 FROM INNER EARTH
An Interactive Fiction.
Copyright (c) 2010 by Adrien Saurat.
Release 1 / Serial number 100630 / Inform v6.31 Library 6/11 S
Standard interpreter 1.1 (4F) / Library serial number 040227
>about
That's not a verb I recognise.
>xyzzy
That's not a verb I recognise.
>x me
Your first weeks here were very exciting. Working on classified files, alien
abductions, secret weapons, a real dream job.
Until you discovered that here, like in any other place, you have to spend
countless hours filling boring documents, reading reports and shaking damp
hands.
>i
You are carrying nothing.
>x tv
This magical box just saves the day.
>watch tv
This magical box just saves the day.
>z
Time passes.
>l
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>push button
You can't see any such thing.
>turn off light
You can't see any such thing.
>oops lights
That's not something you can switch.
>x lights
Blip... clic... blip... every annoying light here seems to be related to some
even more annoying noise.
>hit lights
Violence isn't the answer to this one.
>x chair
You can't see any such thing.
>sit
What do you want to sit on top of?
>chair
You can't see any such thing.
>x desk
On your desk sits the powerful terminal which allows you to command the
computer.
>command computer
That's not a verb I recognise.
>computer, go n
You can't talk to the The lab computer.
>x alien
A strong, cold, modern creature from outer space in a strong, cold, modern
sarcophagus from inner earth.
Made in the USA, as far as you know.
The coffin, I mean.
>touch alien
You feel nothing unexpected.
>take alien
That's not exactly a good idea.
>take all
The lab computer: That's hardly portable.
lights: That's hardly portable.
The computer terminal: That's hardly portable.
desk: That's hardly portable.
TV: That's hardly portable.
posters: They're hardly portable.
alien coffin: That's not exactly a good idea.
security devices: They're hardly portable.
gas bomb: That's hardly portable.
glass wall: That's hardly portable.
laser beams: They're hardly portable.
christmas tree: That's hardly portable.
>l
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>n
You can't go that way.
>e
This room is maybe the more useless in the whole base. It contains an old
emergency generator, to be used when the main power supply AND the secondary
generator are failing. How the hell could this happen?
Thus your team used this place as a junk room. There could be some fun stuff to
get there, but right now it's better to watch your favorite show on TV.
>l
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>w
Well, nobody goes there, that's the secondary generator room. This is supposed
to be used when the main power supply is out. This never happened... Why would
that happen today?
>x walls
You can't see any such thing.
>x devices
Several layers of security are meant to prevent the alien from escaping, killing
numerous employees on his way.
The first device is a gas bomb, close to the coffin.
The second one is a glass wall, five meters from the coffin.
The third one in a full set of powerful laser beams, ten meters from the coffin.
They cross, giving birth to a permanent hellish wall. Yeah, they are really
impressive.
>wait whole night
I only understood you as far as wanting to wait.
>wait
Time passes.
>time
That's not a verb I recognise.
>x computer
A small computer really, marvel of the technology. Stuck in the east wall, it's
only six meters wide, thus allowing some room for a few more posters. There are
some lights on it, here and there, but you don't know exactly what they could
mean. Well, in fact, you don't at all what they could mean, but as long
everything is not flashing red, you can suppose the calculator is fine.
>x posters
Mostly pin-ups...
>take posters
They're hardly portable.
>play games
That's not a verb I recognise.
>use computer
That's not a verb I recognise.
>turn on computer
It's already running, but you can control it through the terminal.
>use terminal
That's not a verb I recognise.
>x terminal
With this terminal you can give orders to the computer and unleash its terrific
power. Switch it on, and the magical black screen gets all... well... black, but
with little green characters dancing on it.
>switch on terminal
***
LOCOMOTIVE BASIC 0.23b
COMPUTER ACCESS AUTHENTIFICATION
USER : bigboy
PASSWORD : longpinkbeard
AUTH OK.
ORDERS?
RUN SECURITY CHECK
.....start procedure ok
CHECK TERMINAL INTEGRITY...OK
CHECK MINIMAL SYSTEMS BATTERIES...OK
CHECK COMPUTER SYSTEM...FAILURE
Cannot procede. Please contact your fucking administrator for further excuses.
***
"Well... maybe we shouldn't let the interns mess with the code. What is this
anyway, yet another bug? We've got one nearly every week, I can't stand this
anymore!"
>g
There's a bug somewhere. But in the computer for sure, the terminal won't help.
>x computer
A small computer really, marvel of the technology. Stuck in the east wall, it's
only six meters wide, thus allowing some room for a few more posters. There are
some lights on it, here and there, but you don't know exactly what they could
mean. Well, in fact, you don't at all what they could mean, but as long
everything is not flashing red, you can suppose the calculator is fine.
>push lights
You are unable to.
>s
You can't leave now, you shift is far from over.
>n
You can't go that way.
>e
This room is maybe the more useless in the whole base. It contains an old
emergency generator, to be used when the main power supply AND the secondary
generator are failing. How the hell could this happen?
Thus your team used this place as a junk room. There could be some fun stuff to
get there, but right now it's better to watch your favorite show on TV.
>w
Well, nobody goes there, that's the secondary generator room. This is supposed
to be used when the main power supply is out. This never happened... Why would
that happen today?
>go to alien
You can't see any such thing.
>x alien
A strong, cold, modern creature from outer space in a strong, cold, modern
sarcophagus from inner earth.
Made in the USA, as far as you know.
The coffin, I mean.
>l
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>forward
That's not a verb I recognise.
>x security
Several layers of security are meant to prevent the alien from escaping, killing
numerous employees on his way.
The first device is a gas bomb, close to the coffin.
The second one is a glass wall, five meters from the coffin.
The third one in a full set of powerful laser beams, ten meters from the coffin.
They cross, giving birth to a permanent hellish wall. Yeah, they are really
impressive.
>x laser beams
They are red. Doesn't look like a "Don't touch me" warning?
>touch laser beams
You feel nothing unexpected.
>x wall
This bomb will explode automatically if the alien were to get out of his coffin.
This gas incapacitates him in a few seconds.
>x gas
You can't see any such thing.
>x bomb
You can't see any such thing.
>x second
You can't see any such thing.
>x glass
This bomb will explode automatically if the alien were to get out of his coffin.
This gas incapacitates him in a few seconds.
>x computer
A small computer really, marvel of the technology. Stuck in the east wall, it's
only six meters wide, thus allowing some room for a few more posters. There are
some lights on it, here and there, but you don't know exactly what they could
mean. Well, in fact, you don't at all what they could mean, but as long
everything is not flashing red, you can suppose the calculator is fine.
>open computer
That's not something you can open.
>e
This room is maybe the more useless in the whole base. It contains an old
emergency generator, to be used when the main power supply AND the secondary
generator are failing. How the hell could this happen?
Thus your team used this place as a junk room. There could be some fun stuff to
get there, but right now it's better to watch your favorite show on TV.
>x lights
Blip... clic... blip... every annoying light here seems to be related to some
even more annoying noise.
>hint
That's not a verb I recognise.
>help
To be filled for the full version of the game
[Please press SPACE.]
To be filled for the full version of the game
[Please press SPACE.]
To be filled for the full version of the game
[Please press SPACE.]
To be filled for the full version of the game
[Please press SPACE.]
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>turn off computer
Certainly not. This computer handles everything here. Without it, you're toast!
>open computer
That's not something you can open.
>search computer
Looking closely at the main components, you finally find some kind of coackroach
stucked in a magnetic reader. You remove it carefully and crush it under your
mighty foot. Good riddance, the computer should work now. No bugs!
>x terminal
With this terminal you can give orders to the computer and unleash its terrific
power. Switch it on, and the magical black screen gets all... well... black, but
with little green characters dancing on it.
>turn on terminal
***
ORDERS?
RUN SECURITY CHECK
.....start procedure ok
CHECK TERMINAL INTEGRITY...OK
CHECK MINIMAL SYSTEMS BATTERIES...OK
CHECK COMPUTER SYSTEM...OK
CHECK SECURITY DEVICES...OK
CHECK PRIM...!!ALERT!!
SECURITY CHECK ABORTED. REASON : problem with main power supply.
SECONDARY GENERATOR AUTOMATIC LAUNCH...FAILURE
!!ALERT!! !!ALERT!! !!ALERT!!
Coffin temperature rising. Creature will wake up at -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
***
"What the..."
Indeed, the main power supply is in trouble... most of the lights just went off,
as did the TV. Hopefully, a few batteries were ready and are now delivering
minimal power to the computer, the terminal, and a few lights to see what you're
doing.
The only problem is this alien which won't stay frozen for long if you can't
start the secondary generator, located in the western room.
>w
Secondary generator room
The only purpose of this room is to host the huge secondary generator, very
useful when the main power of the town is having problems.
To the east you'll get back to the laboratory.
>turn on generator
It doesn't start.
>g
It doesn't start.
>g
It doesn't start.
>g
It doesn't start.
>g
It doesn't start.
>g
It doesn't start.
>g
It doesn't start.
>g
It doesn't start.
>g
It doesn't start.
>e
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
>e
This room is maybe the more useless in the whole base. It contains an old
emergency generator, to be used when the main power supply AND the secondary
generator are failing. How the hell could this happen?
Thus your team used this place as a junk room. There could be some fun stuff to
get there, but right now it's better to watch your favorite show on TV.
>verbose
PLAN 6 FROM INNER EARTH is now in its "verbose" mode, which always gives long
descriptions of locations (even if you've been there before).
>w
Secondary generator room
The only purpose of this room is to host the huge secondary generator, very
useful when the main power of the town is having problems.
To the east you'll get back to the laboratory.
>x generator
This huge generator uses the power of the Atom, nothing less. It is a small
nuclear power plant, of the highest available top secret technology.
>kick generator
That's not a verb I recognise.
>hit generator
Violence isn't the answer to this one.
>e
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>switch terminal
***
!!ALERT!! !!ALERT!! !!ALERT!!
YOU SHOULD PANIC
***
Ok. The last intern was a real freak.
>w
Secondary generator room
The only purpose of this room is to host the huge secondary generator, very
useful when the main power of the town is having problems.
To the east you'll get back to the laboratory.
>x generator
This huge generator uses the power of the Atom, nothing less. It is a small
nuclear power plant, of the highest available top secret technology.
>open generator
That's not something you can open.
>search generator
You see a form on the generator. It should give you the date of the last
maintenance routine.
>x form
Written on this, with very small and in an ugly writing, the date of the last
maintenance routine. Here it goes...
Last maintenance date : HEY GUYS WHERE THESE SCREWS WERE SUPPOSED TO GO ?? Mike
>x screws
You can't see any such thing.
>e
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>take screws
You can't see any such thing.
>e
This room is maybe the more useless in the whole base. It contains an old
emergency generator, to be used when the main power supply AND the secondary
generator are failing. How the hell could this happen?
Thus your team used this place as a junk room. There could be some fun stuff to
get there, but right now it's better to watch your favorite show on TV.
>w
Secondary generator room
The only purpose of this room is to host the huge secondary generator, very
useful when the main power of the town is having problems.
To the east you'll get back to the laboratory.
>search generator
Searching again, you find a big manual book.
>read book
This HUGE blue book contains thousands of pages explaining everything you should
know to repair this baby.
Alas, the pages you need, like in fact half of the total amount of pages, have
been taken out of the book. Looks like another consequence of last year's
shortage of toilet paper.
This generator won't work today. You just push the button supposed to send the
information to the lab computer. RIP secondary generator.
>e
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>e
emergency generator room
This place has been mostly used by your team as a junk room. And it shows.
To the west you'll get back to the laboratory.
A wooden crate lies in a corner.
>open crate
You open the crate, revealing dozens of empty bottles. Yeah, you remember now
this birthday party. Well, at least you remember the fact that there was a
birthday party, but you don't remember anything of it.
Well. You won't find vodka anywhere else in this lab, and without this precious
liquid this generator won't start. Better find some way to change the power
distribution of the batteries with the computer. Who needs air conditionning
anyway?
>x generator
This power generator is a very sturdy and efficient piece of machinery. It was
made in the USSR, and you don't understand the instructions and labels written
on it, but that's not too much of a problem, you know the basics: it consumes
fuel and creates electricity. Well, oddly enough, it uses vodka as a fuel.
>take vodka
Sadly, they won't help you...
>put bottles in generator
You need to be holding the vodka bottles before you can put them into something
else.
>take bottles
Sadly, they won't help you...
>take crate
Taken.
>put bottles in generator
You need to be holding the vodka bottles before you can put them into something
else.
>put crate in generator
That can't contain things.
>search generator
You can't work in such a mess!
>clean
What do you want to clean?
>room
That's not something you need to refer to in the course of this game.
>x junk
All kind of stuff is stored here, from an old teddy bear to a totally rotten
sandwich, but none of this has any important right now. You need POWER, or
you'll be POWed!!!
>turn on generator
You can't even find the right lever with all this stuff all over the place!
>move stuff
You are unable to.
>move junk
You are unable to.
>take junk
You can't just take all of this, but at least you quickly remove what prevents
you to correctly access the generator.
Oh, just you found the red book explaining how this generator works. Good.
>turn on generator
It doesn't start. The fuel gauge is indicates something which should read ZERO
in russian.
>read book
Which do you mean, the red manual or the blue manual?
>red
This is the emergency generator documentation. In russian. Without drawings.
>g
This is the emergency generator documentation. In russian. Without drawings.
>x bottles
These bottles are totally empty.
>curse
That's not a verb I recognise.
>shit
Real adventurers do not use such language.
>take all
junk: You don't need anything of this right now, and everything is out of the
way. No problem.
emergency generator: That's hardly portable.
>search junk
You don't need anything of this right now, and everything is out of the way. No
problem.
>search generator
It looks totally okay, except that the fuel tank is empty. You should find some
vodka.
>w
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>n
You can't go that way.
>s
This heavy security door won't open without an adequate power supply!
>w
Secondary generator room
The only purpose of this room is to host the huge secondary generator, very
useful when the main power of the town is having problems.
To the east you'll get back to the laboratory.
>e
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>x desk
On your desk sits the powerful terminal which allows you to command the
computer.
>search desk
You find nothing of interest.
>e
emergency generator room
This place has been mostly used by your team as a junk room. And it shows.
To the west you'll get back to the laboratory.
>search bear
You don't need anything of this right now, and everything is out of the way. No
problem.
>search crate
In the wooden crate are some vodka bottles.
>search bottles
You find nothing of interest.
>smell bottles
You smell nothing unexpected.
>i
You are carrying:
a red manual
a wooden crate (which is open)
some vodka bottles
a blue manual
>take bottles
Sadly, they won't help you...
>break bottles
Violence isn't the answer to this one.
>throw crate at junk
Futile.
>i
You are carrying:
a red manual
a wooden crate (which is open)
some vodka bottles
a blue manual
>drop crate
Dropped.
>x crate
As far as you know, this crate is supposed to contain the reserve of vodka, in
big bottles of several gallons each.
>remember party
That's not a verb I recognise.
>remember
That's not a verb I recognise.
>read red book
This is the emergency generator documentation. In russian. Without drawings.
>read blue book
This HUGE blue book contains thousands of pages explaining everything you should
know to repair this baby.
Alas, the pages you need, like in fact half of the total amount of pages, have
been taken out of the book. Looks like another consequence of last year's
shortage of toilet paper.
>x junk
All kind of stuff is stored here, from an old teddy bear to a totally rotten
sandwich, but none of this has any important right now. You need POWER, or
you'll be POWed!!!
>x sandwich
All kind of stuff is stored here, from an old teddy bear to a totally rotten
sandwich, but none of this has any important right now. You need POWER, or
you'll be POWed!!!
>w
In the Z51B bunker laboratory
Concrete walls, gray for the most part. Some panels here and there, covered with
a plethora of buttons and lights. The place has nothing to be liked for. It's
nothing more than one of the biggest Boondoggle of the century!
Here lies your desk and your favorite chair, and a frozen alien twenty meters
ahead of you, protected by several security devices.
The main exit is south, but you're supposed to stay here the whole night!
There are some other rooms east and west, but without any TV they are just
boring and useless places.
>open desk
That's not something you can open.
>x alien
A strong, cold, modern creature from outer space in a strong, cold, modern
sarcophagus from inner earth.
Made in the USA, as far as you know.
The coffin, I mean.
>switch terminal
***
!!ALERT!! !!ALERT!! !!ALERT!!
No power supply. Secondary generator failure. Please start the emergency
generator.
!!ALERT!! !!ALERT!! !!ALERT!!
Anormal coffin temperature. Creature stasis severely compromised.
***
You raise your eyes, looking at the coffin with an amount of anxiety severely
exceeding zero. Well, seems to be o...
*CLANG*
What was that noise?
*CLANG*
It's... definitely coming from the coffin.
*CLANG*
"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! I'M DEAD! OH MY GOD!"
Yeah, you sort of missed the "remain calm in all circumstances" course.
For sure, it's big trouble. But you'll eventually find a way to survive! Won't
you?
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*CLAAAANG*
*** End of this introduction. You lucky little brat, you're still alive. ***
In that game you scored 0 out of a possible 100, in 128 turns.
Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game or QUIT?
> q
---------------------------------------------------
Tourist Trap
Start of a transcript of
Tourist Trap
An Interactive Intro by Iain Merrick
Release 3 / Serial number 100705 / Inform 7 build 6E59 (I6/v6.31 lib 6/12N)
Identification number: //4A50ABE5-CCB6-4108-A711-73B136893C38//
Standard interpreter 1.1 (4F) / Library serial number 080126
Standard Rules version 2/090402 by Graham Nelson
Undo Output Control version 1/090626 by Erik Temple
>x me
You're Robbie Teyte, 29 years and some several months old. Never really figured
out what you want from life; not that you're feeling any pressure, but maybe a
little bit at a loose end. You wanted to do something a bit different, a bit
romantic, a bit adventurous. "Dirty weekend!" Emma said by way of summary. "I'm
so there."
Or maybe you just wanted to know what you look like? You don't have a mirror
handy, sorry. Don't worry about it, I'm sure you look just fine.
Emma tries not to be too obvious about looking at the strangely-dressed man.
>x man
Kind of a beefy guy, maybe in his early 50s. He's wearing a rather striking
outfit: pinstripe trousers, bottle-green morning coat, yellow waistcoat, deep
purple ascot, high stiff collar, and a top hat. Must be absolutely sweltering,
but he shows no signs of discomfort.
He proudly sports mutton-chop sideburns and a rather magnificent moustache. He
rests both hands on a fine walking-stick.
Your eyes meet for a second, and he gives you a polite nod.
[Maybe you'd like to say something? If so, type TALK, or T for short.]
>nod at man
You nod politely to the strangely-dressed man.
The man coughs. "Do pardon my curiosity," he says, "but are you by any chance en
route to the Hotel Guiraud?"
"Yes we are," Emma says cheerfully. "Hotel Guiraud and Old Paris. How did you
know? I suppose we look like the most awful tourists."
"Not at all, not at all," he replies grandly. "As a matter of fact it was your
luggage."
>ask man about luggage
[In this game, you don't need to specify a person or topic when talking. Just
type TALK, or T for short, and I'll show a menu of things you might want to
say.]
"Where are my manners?" the strangely-dressed man says. "Haven't introduced
myself -- criminal oversight -- George Austerley, at your service." And he
gallantly raises his top hat.
Emma laughs out loud, then blushes guiltily. "Emma," she says quickly. "And this
is Robbie."
"Pleased to meet you," you say.
[To say something, type a number. Or you can ignore the menu and do something
else. If at any time you want to talk but there's no menu, just type TALK
again.]
1. "What was that about luggage?"
2. "Do you visit Old Paris a lot?"
>1
"What's wrong with our luggage?" you ask. (You have certain dark opinions of
your own on the topic.)
"Oh, nothing wrong -- nothing wrong at all -- quite the opposite," George says.
"In fact it rather resembles my own, as you can see." He gestures with his
walking-stick, and you suddenly notice that he, too, has a massive unwieldy
trunk, stowed neatly under the seat next to him. "The very thing for a journey
to the past."
1. "Can we actually take luggage with us?"
2. "Do you visit Old Paris a lot?"
>2
"Something tells me you visit Old Paris a lot," you say.
"Oh, well, a certain amount," George says modestly. "Perhaps once every month or
two."
"Every month?" Emma says. "I think you can call that a lot. This is our first
time."
1. "Can we actually take luggage with us?"
2. "How long have you been going there?"
>2
"How long have you been going over there?" you ask.
"Now there's a question," George says. "Not since the beginning, but a fair old
time. It's 1902 now, so, let's see... My goodness, almost 10 years."
1. "Can we actually take luggage with us?"
2. "You must have seen a lot of changes in 10 years."
>2
"You must have seen a lot of changes in 10 years," you say.
"Astonishing changes," George says. "History books have the facts, but not the
feel of it. In art especially -- most incredible enthusiasm -- bold new
directions -- but in everything -- the Grand Palais, the Élevé -- change is the
essence of the place."
The Élevé starts to gain height and slowly swing round to the south. You're
approaching the Opéra-Garnier.
1. "Can we actually take luggage with us?"
2. "Seen anything that's not in the history books?"
>2
"Have you seen anything that's not in the history books?" you ask.
"Oh, plenty," George says, "although it's best not to talk about these things
too much. The historians like to think they can distinguish the significant from
the insignificant -- but from my point of view, everything is unique."
"You're not in the history books, for a start," Emma says. "I'm sure I'd
remember if so."
"Too kind, m'dear," George says, perhaps a trifle suspicious of a double
meaning.
1. "Can we actually take luggage with us?"
>1
"Can we actually take our own luggage through the portal?" you ask. "We hadn't
even considered that. We were just sort of getting into the spirit of things."
"Well, admittedly it's not quite contemporaneous. 1915 or so, I should say? But
the customs officers are more relaxed about some things than about others,"
George says. "Clothes, now. Absolutely ruthless -- terrific historical torque,
as they say -- don't try being even six months ahead of fashion or you'll be
sorry."
1. "So your own clothes are from 1902?"
>1
"So your own clothes are from 1902?"
"Not quite, but near enough," George says. "There are ways and means, you know.
The patterns are authentic, the materials indistinguishable, the tailoring is
Bond Street's finest imitation. A self-indulgence, I admit."
>x paris
Where to begin? The sun hangs low in the evening sky, casting a golden light
over everything; in every direction stretches street upon street of tall,
elegant buildings. Glittering palaces and arcades are scattered throughout, and
here and there a taller building stands up to be named: Sacré-Coeur, Notre-Dame,
Eiffel's Tower.
The Élevé completes its turn around the Opéra, and heads towards the Louvre.
Your hotel can't be far away now.
"Before I forget," George says, "perhaps you'd like my card." He deftly
retrieves a thin silver case from his breast pocket, and from the case takes a
card.
"Oh, I love cards!" Emma says. He hands the card to her with a slight flourish.
>x louvre
The Louvre sprawls majestically along the banks of the river like a slumbering
giant. And yet having visited it, you know it seems even bigger on the inside.
"You're an art dealer?" Emma says, inspecting the card. "I can certainly see why
you like Old Paris. Do you buy paintings there and bring them back?"
"Oh, dear me, no," says George. "That's absolutely against the rules. Economic
exploitation, you know."
>x emma
You've never found quite the right word to describe her appearance. Rangy?
Gamine? Gawky, even. Sometimes she laughs at your attempts, sometimes she
scowls. Dark hair, dark eyes, cute by any objective standard. Aren't you lucky?
She's wearing a kind of hipster-ish ensemble that looks great on her (just don't
actually say "hipster" in her hearing). Long loose shirt over fitted tee, cut-
offs over leggings, canvas shoes, messenger bag, chunky specs, and -- you're in
Paris, after all -- a beret.
>t emma
You can't think of anything to say.
>t man
You can't think of anything to say.
>x luggage
Which do you mean, George's luggage or your luggage?
>your
Your luggage for this trip is a massive trunk originally belonging to Emma's
great-grandfather, before being passed down through several generations. Emma
probably stole it from some aunt or other because it looked quirky and
interesting, not realising or not caring that it also has the approximate weight
of a great dane.
It predates such decadent ideas as wheels or comfortable handles, but does have
the advantage of being more or less indestructible. Kick it as you might, you've
never managed to make the slightest dent in it.
Emma says she brought it because it'd be a laugh. There's a cruel streak to her
humour sometimes.
George sits up and looks keenly to the south. "And here's our stop coming up, I
believe," he says.
"Already?" Emma says, craning her neck. "I see it! That blue sign -- Hotel
Guiraud."
George stands. "Well, I'll take my leave now. Like to give myself plenty of time
to navigate the steps of this monstrosity, you know."
>stand
You leap to your feet excitedly.
George stands, doffs his hat and bows elegantly. "Emma, Robbie -- most pleasant
to make your acquaintance," he says.
"It was lovely to meet you," Emma says.
"Well, I shan't hold you up," George says. "Au revoir and all that -- should be
delighted to see you on the other side, of course --" And he hoists his luggage
and starts carefully descending.
>d
You skip down the levels of the Élevé, swinging your arms freely. With each step
the city slows and looms larger; it feels like you're acquiring a childlike
stature to match your childlike glee.
"If you don't give me a hand with this luggage, Robbie Teyte," Emma calls from
above, "I'm going to drop it on your head."
You grin and leap back up to assist her. Hand in hand, you walk together towards
the Hotel Guiraud.
Who knows what the past will hold?
*** to be continued ***
Would you like to RESTART, QUIT, UNDO the last command, read the CREDITS or read
the AFTERWORD?
> credits
Thanks to everyone who made the 2010 IF Summit at PAX East such a resounding
success and got me enthused about interactive fiction again. Special thanks to
Jon Blask, Dan Shiovitz and Stephen Granade for support and inspiration, and to
Jacqueline A. Lott for organising IntroComp.
Huge thanks to the testers: Andrew Cook, David Given, Joe Merrick, Marius
Müller, Dan Shiovitz, Jon Blask and Sam Ashwell.
I wrote this game using the amazing Inform 7, with the following extensions:
Standard Rules version 2/090402 by Graham Nelson
Undo Output Control version 1/090626 by Erik Temple
Would you like to RESTART, QUIT, UNDO the last command, read the CREDITS or read
the AFTERWORD?
> afterword
Thanks for playing! I would love to hear your feedback. E-mail
iain.merrick@gmail.com or just catch me on ifMUD.
This is an entry in IntroComp 2010, so if you'd like to see more, please vote
for me! You'll get to visit Paris in the 1900s, and I'll get to do a ton of
research so it actually feels like Old Paris, as it was and as it should have
been: art, music, style, romance, intrigue, scandal, debauchery, intoxication,
chases over the rooftops, temporal paradoxes, and perhaps a night at the opera.
Interested?
Would you like to RESTART, QUIT, UNDO the last command, read the CREDITS or read
the AFTERWORD?
>
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