Start of a transcript of A Paper Moon An Interactive Fiction Adventure Copyright (c) 2003 by Andrew Krywaniuk. Release 1 / Serial number 030927 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10 Standard interpreter 1.0 (4F) / Library serial number 991113 >restart Are you sure you want to restart? y A Paper Moon An Interactive Fiction Adventure Copyright (c) 2003 by Andrew Krywaniuk. Release 1 / Serial number 030927 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10 If this is your first time playing, type 'intro' to get an overview. You may also view the 'credits'. You awake, sporting a mild hangover and an old pair of underwear that you thought your mom threw away long ago... Bedroom You are in your bedroom. Your rickety bed sits against the wall, buttressed by a bedside table. There is a bookcase on the West wall and a window to the East. A bathroom lies to the North and a door to the garage lies South. The door is boarded shut. There is a closet in the wall beside the door. A broken glass lies discarded on a table by your bed. >intro A Paper Moon is a work of interactive fiction, in the style of the Infocom games that were so popular in the 80s. Although new technology has relegated text-only games into relative obscurity, it has not made them obsolete. Much as TV has not replaced books, text adventures appeal to a niche audience who understand that sometimes less is more. The vocabulary of adventure games is pretty standard and I'm not going to explain it here. If you are new to adventure games, you should read the rec.games.int-fiction FAQ. The audience for this game will consist largely of adventure game connoisseurs, so let me tell you briefly what you want to know. This game is written in the Inform language, so any quirks of the language may apply. It *is* possible to DIE, and it *is* possible to get the game into an UNWINNABLE state. In the vast majority of cases, it will be immediately obvious when this happens. UNDO is permitted (even after death), so if you have done something really boneheaded, simply undo it. HINTS are available, but they are carefully meted out using a top-secret algorithm known only to the parser. If you get stuck, ask for a hint. The hints are deliberately obtuse; if you really want to ruin the game, use the walk- through. > [Dude, don't be patronizing about the hints already. Present them or don't, but no philosophy.] You seem to want to talk to someone, but I can't see whom. >get glass Taken. >x table The bedside table is painted a cheerful orange. >look in it There is nothing on the bedside table. >get up (via the window) The drop is too perilous. You live on the second floor, remember? >[no] That's not a verb I recognise. >x window The window is elegant, yet functional. >open it You open the bedroom window. >look out window You see a flowering vista, quite different from the suburban jungle where your "house" used to be located. >x vista Across a flowering meadow, you see a country road that leads Northward from a small village in the East to some mountains in the distance. >i You are carrying: a broken glass a pair of grungy old underwear (being worn) >l Bedroom You are in your bedroom. Your rickety bed sits against the wall, buttressed by a bedside table. There is a bookcase on the West wall and a window to the East. A bathroom lies to the North and a door to the garage lies South. The door is boarded shut. There is a closet in the wall beside the door. >x bed It's the bed you've slept in since you were 15. The mattress is a bit lumpy, which might explain why you haven't had a decent night's sleep in ten years. The sheets are strewn messily. >[oy] That's not a verb I recognise. >clean sheets The set of bedsheets is a little bit cleaner now. >n Bathroom You are in a bathroom. All the usual amenities are here: a sink, a toilet, a shower and a medicine cabinet. You should know... it's your bathroom. >open cabinet You open the medicine cabinet, revealing a box of pills. >get box Taken. >x it According to the prescription, it's a box of Ritalin. >[oy] That's not a verb I recognise. >l Bathroom You are in a bathroom. All the usual amenities are here: a sink, a toilet, a shower and a medicine cabinet. You should know... it's your bathroom. >use sink Use not, lest ye be used in turn. >shower You take a brief, refreshing shower. Does it not strike you as odd that your garage is in the middle of a meadow, but you still have heat and running water? >s Bedroom >verbose A Paper Moon is now in its "verbose" mode, which always gives long descriptions of locations (even if you've been there before). >[please start all games in 'verbose' mode.] That's not a verb I recognise. >l Bedroom You are in your bedroom. Your rickety bed sits against the wall, buttressed by a bedside table. There is a bookcase on the West wall and a window to the East. A bathroom lies to the North and a door to the garage lies South. The door is boarded shut. There is a closet in the wall beside the door. >x bookcase Mahogany, I think. It contains a wide array of books, most of which your grandmother gave you and you never read. >read books If you didn't bother to read the books ten years ago, why would you read them now? Amidst all the useless books, you come across an old book on origami folding (that evokes fond memories), which you take. >[why put that aside in parentheses? Grammar alert!] That's not a verb I recognise. >read book (the origami book) The book discusses the history of origami, the social impact of origami, and the code of ethics, along with some important paper folding techniques. Unfortunately, it doesn't teach you how to fold origami paper into anything useful. >l Bedroom You are in your bedroom. Your rickety bed sits against the wall, buttressed by a bedside table. There is a bookcase on the West wall and a window to the East. A bathroom lies to the North and a door to the garage lies South. The door is boarded shut. There is a closet in the wall beside the door. >s The door is boarded shut. >enter window The drop is too perilous. You live on the second floor, remember? >d The drop is too perilous. You live on the second floor, remember? >w If this had been someone else's bedroom, you might bother looking for a secret passageway in the bookcase. However, it's your bedroom so you don't bother. >get boards You couldn't possibly remove the boards with your bare hands. >[why are the directions capitalized?] That's not a verb I recognise. >open closet While it is possible to open and close the closet, I doubt you have had occasion to close it in the last five years. >look in closet The closet is empty. What few clothes you have are all at your parents house being washed. >enter closet It's not a walk-in closet. >move bed You are unable to. >move bookcase You are unable to. >l Bedroom You are in your bedroom. Your rickety bed sits against the wall, buttressed by a bedside table. There is a bookcase on the West wall and a window to the East. A bathroom lies to the North and a door to the garage lies South. The door is boarded shut. There is a closet in the wall beside the door. >look under bed In the wall behind the bed you see an electric socket. >x socket It appears to be a standard electric socket. >move table Nothing obvious happens. >get it That's hardly portable. >s The door is boarded shut. >kick door That's not a verb I recognise. >knock on door That's not a verb I recognise. >[er.] That's not a verb I recognise. >hint Broken is a relative term. >x table The bedside table is painted a cheerful orange. >x bed It's the bed you've slept in since you were 15. The mattress is a bit lumpy, which might explain why you haven't had a decent night's sleep in ten years. The sheets are strewn messily. >x window The window is elegant, yet functional. >look out window You see a flowering vista, quite different from the suburban jungle where your "house" used to be located. >[I have no idea what it was that was 'broken'] That's not a verb I recognise. >hint You can't exit your room by the door, but the door may yet prove useful. >x door The door is boarded shut from the inside. Come to think of it, that's odd. How did you get in last night? (And more pressingly, how are you going to get out?) >g The door is boarded shut from the inside. Come to think of it, that's odd. How did you get in last night? (And more pressingly, how are you going to get out?) >x board The boards buttress the door, making it more sturdy than before. >open it You jiggle the knob but the door won't budge. What part of "boarded shut" do you not understand? >x knob The door is boarded shut from the inside. Come to think of it, that's odd. How did you get in last night? (And more pressingly, how are you going to get out?) >n Bathroom You are in a bathroom. All the usual amenities are here: a sink, a toilet, a shower and a medicine cabinet. You should know... it's your bathroom. >x medicine (the box of pills) According to the prescription, it's a box of Ritalin. >x sink It's your average sink. The faucet is currently switched off. >s Bedroom You are in your bedroom. Your rickety bed sits against the wall, buttressed by a bedside table. There is a bookcase on the West wall and a window to the East. A bathroom lies to the North and a door to the garage lies South. The door is boarded shut. There is a closet in the wall beside the door. >stand on bed The bed would probably collapse under your weight. >jump on bed The bed would probably collapse under your weight. >z Time passes. >hint Broken glass could cut your sheets. >cut sheets (with the bedside table) That doesn't have a cutting edge. >cut sheets with glass The glass is cracked, but not sharp. >break glass The broken glass shatters into pieces. Careful where you walk; some of the bigger shards look quite dangerous. >get shard Taken. >cut sheets with glass You cut up the sheets and tie them together, creating a makeshift rope. You also nick your finger. In frustration, you hurl the remaining shards of glass against the wall and they crumble into dust. >tie sheets to bed (You get the idea that you might be able to exit via the window if you could tie the rope to something stable.) The rickety bed would collapse under your weight. >tie sheets to board You would achieve nothing by this. >tie sheets to boards You would achieve nothing by this. >tie sheets to knob You tie one end of the rope to the doorknob and dangle the other end out the window. [Your score has just gone up by five points.] >out (via the window) You climb out the window. Midway up the rope You are hanging in mid-air, halfway up the rope you fashioned from your bedsheets. You were never able to climb up the rope in gym class, but it's a lot easier when you can rest your feet against the side of a building. You feel foolish being out here in your underwear. >d Outside garage You are outside your parents' garage... the garage above which you live. A rope dangles down from the second floor window. The entrance to the garage is to the West. To the Northeast, a flowery meadow marks the spot where your parents' house ought to be. >w Inside the Garage The garage is spacious... big enough for two cars, although your parents never owned more than one. The usual garage junk lines the walls. A ladder leads up to your bedroom and the exit is to the East. You can also see your parents' car here. >u You climb up the ladder to verify what you already know. Yep... the door is boarded shut. >x car (your parents' car) It's your generic minivan. It's got doors, windows, tires, and a trunk. >open it It seems to be locked. >look under it You find nothing of interest. >x junk The usual garage junk: several rakes, a lawnmower, an axe, an old suitcase... >get all your parents' car: You're not Superman, you're a couch potato. axe: Taken. suitcase: Taken. >open suitcase You open the suitcase, revealing a long-haired wig. >x wig This full-length wig is brimming with dark, matted hair. >x my hair This full-length wig is brimming with dark, matted hair. >e Outside garage You are outside your parents' garage... the garage above which you live. A rope dangles down from the second floor window. The entrance to the garage is to the West. To the Northeast, a flowery meadow marks the spot where your parents' house ought to be. >ne Flowering Meadow This meadow marks the spot where your parents' house ought to be. Your garage lies to the Southwest, and a path crosses the meadow running North-South. You see some mountains off in the distance. There is a bell here, attached to a white post. >x bell It looks a bit like a cowbell. >ring bell It makes a lovely sound. >get it If you carried a bell with you everywhere you went, you wouldn't be able to sneak up on people any more. >[hee!] That's not a verb I recognise. >save Ok. >ring bell It makes a lovely sound. >s Outside Pub You're standing outside a pub on a country road. >enter pub Good thinking... You could use a beer. Inside the Pub The Jolly Codger is a lively joint, filled with lively people. The wall is covered in pictures of famous customers. A table of regulars sits by the window, singing a song. Bobby the bartender is here, massaging the counter with a rag. >x bobby Bobby the bartender is a burly fellow who stands about 6 feet tall. I wouldn't want to mess with him. He sports a snappy vest and a handlebar mustache. Bobby rearranges some items on the counter and then continues wiping. >talk to bobby That's not a verb I recognise. >bobby, hi "Hi." >ask bobby about beer The bartender doesn't reply. He merely points to a sign on the wall. The sign reads "no shirt, no shoes, no service." Bobby pours a beer for one of the customers. >i You are carrying: a suitcase (which is open) a long-haired wig an axe an origami book a box of pills (which is closed) a pair of grungy old underwear (being worn) >out Outside Pub You're standing outside a pub on a country road. >s There's nothing interesting down the road for at least a couple of miles. You've never walked that far in your life and you're not about to start now. >n Flowering Meadow This meadow marks the spot where your parents' house ought to be. Your garage lies to the Southwest, and a path crosses the meadow running North-South. You see some mountains off in the distance. There is a bell here, attached to a white post. >n Outside Cave The path meanders gently through the foothills and stops outside a foreboding cave. (Actually, it's probably not all that foreboding as caves go, but you tend to view anything with suspicion unless it looks like a TV.) >[snrk] That's not a verb I recognise. >e large cave This spacious cave is about the size of your parents' living room, perhaps a little larger. Passages lead off to the East, Northeast and Southeast. You can also go back out the way you came in. You can see a torch holder (in which is a torch (providing light)) here. >get torch You remove the torch, revealing an electric socket. >x socket It appears to be a standard electric socket. >x torch A trusty adventurer's torch. The flame burns brightly. >e Playground This spacious cave resembles the kids area of a McDonalds restaurant. Scattered around the room are some mushroom stools. A stream of metal pipes lines the walls. The centerpiece of the playground is one of those ball rooms that kids like to play in, except this one is filled with small white spheres. The entrance to the ball room is up a ladder and down a slide. A door to the East doesn't seem to have a doorknob, and wider passage leads west. >u You climb a ladder and descend a slide into the ball room. Inside the ball room You're inside a playground. It makes you feel like a kid again. You are practically swimming in a huge pile of toy balls. >get a ball (the huge pile of toy balls) You take some of the toy balls. >search balls (the huge pile of toy balls) You find nothing except for more toy balls. >i You are carrying: a handful of toy balls a torch (providing light) a suitcase (which is open) a long-haired wig an axe an origami book a box of pills (which is closed) a pair of grungy old underwear (being worn) >x balls (the huge pile of toy balls) These little toy balls are made of a granular substance. >eat it You eat one of the toy balls. It tastes like sugar. >i You are carrying: a handful of toy balls a torch (providing light) a suitcase (which is open) a long-haired wig an axe an origami book a box of pills (which is closed) a pair of grungy old underwear (being worn) >out You struggle back up the slide and exit the playground. Playground This spacious cave resembles the kids area of a McDonalds restaurant. Scattered around the room are some mushroom stools. A stream of metal pipes lines the walls. The centerpiece of the playground is one of those ball rooms that kids like to play in, except this one is filled with small white spheres. The entrance to the ball room is up a ladder and down a slide. A door to the East doesn't seem to have a doorknob, and wider passage leads west. >e The door opens inward and you can't seem to get it open. >kick it That's not a verb I recognise. >n You can't go that way. >s You can't go that way. >w large cave This spacious cave is about the size of your parents' living room, perhaps a little larger. Passages lead off to the East, Northeast and Southeast. You can also go back out the way you came in. You can see a torch holder (which is empty) here. >ne Dark Passage You are in a dark twisty passage, which continues to the North and Southwest. A river crosses the passage here, bending and weaving before it re-enters the wall. The river is slow-moving. The water is a putrid green. >n Dark Passage You see a light at the end of the tunnel to the Northeast. A dark passage leads South. >ne Sewer Eww... You find yourself knee deep in muck. The room is dimly lit by a phosphorescent stalactite. There is a small alcove to the North. The tunnel continues to the East and a dark corridor extends Southwest. >x stalactite It glows faintly. >get it You're not superman; you're a couch potato. >e Wind Tunnel Light streams in from a hole in the ceiling. The shape of the passage also creates a sort of wind tunnel effect. A dark passage lies to the Northeast and a sewer lies West. A river crosses the passage here, bending and weaving before it re-enters the wall. The river is slow-moving. The water is a putrid green. A sudden gust of wind blows out your torch. >undo Sewer [Previous turn undone.] >sw Dark Passage You see a light at the end of the tunnel to the Northeast. A dark passage leads South. >sw You can't go that way. >s Dark Passage You are in a dark twisty passage, which continues to the North and Southwest. A river crosses the passage here, bending and weaving before it re-enters the wall. The river is slow-moving. The water is a putrid green. >i You are carrying: a handful of toy balls a torch (providing light) a suitcase (which is open) a long-haired wig an axe an origami book a box of pills (which is closed) a pair of grungy old underwear (being worn) >open box You open the box of pills, revealing some Ritalin capsules. >sw large cave This spacious cave is about the size of your parents' living room, perhaps a little larger. Passages lead off to the East, Northeast and Southeast. You can also go back out the way you came in. You can see a torch holder (which is empty) here. >w Outside Cave The path meanders gently through the foothills and stops outside a foreboding cave. (Actually, it's probably not all that foreboding as caves go, but you tend to view anything with suspicion unless it looks like a TV.) >n If there's one thing you're not looking for right now, it's a long hike up a mountain. >e large cave This spacious cave is about the size of your parents' living room, perhaps a little larger. Passages lead off to the East, Northeast and Southeast. You can also go back out the way you came in. You can see a torch holder (which is empty) here. >se Edge of Pit Your progress is stopped abruptly by a large, gaping chasm to the East. There is barely enough room to move. A drawbridge crosses the gorge, but the operator's booth is located on the other side. You can also go back to the Northwest. A low rumbling noise emanates from below. It is rather loud in here. A broken golf club is lying on the ground here. Gary the gatekeeper sits in his booth on the other side of the chasm. >gary, hi Gary is on the other side of the chasm. >wave at gary You can't see any such thing. >wave You wave, feeling foolish. >get club Taken. >x it It appears to be a nine iron. >throw it at gary You hurl the broken golf club as far as you can, but it only makes it about halfway across the pit. >get it You can't see "it" (the broken golf club) at the moment. >undo Edge of Pit [Previous turn undone.] > Hot key -- Undo one turn Edge of Pit [Previous turn undone.] > Hot key -- Undo one turn Edge of Pit [Previous turn undone.] >i You are carrying: a broken golf club a handful of toy balls a torch (providing light) a suitcase (which is open) a long-haired wig an axe an origami book a box of pills (which is open) some Ritalin capsules a pair of grungy old underwear (being worn) >