❧ Life's An Adventure

[luministimods]

[surprisingly, a private text message is sent not to the device Nathan left behind but to all of the residents' CATs. it reads:]

Get to the nearest door and wait. When the alarm sounds, immediately go through the door and await the next signal.

[surely such a text is confusing, but the sender hopes those words are heeded. ten minutes after it's sent, all vidscreens in the town begin to flash red, and a wailing siren breaks the din. the only word that flashes on screen is:]

EVACUATE

[similarly, back in the spacestation, red flashing lights drop down from the ceiling and a constant, beeping alarm begins to ring. over this, a pleasant and feminine automated voice says:]

Please find the nearest exit and evacuate the station via escape pod. A distress signal has been sent to the closest galactic space authority. Those with small children are asked to--[but this message is interrupted with another]

Life support systems in sectors A through L are at 80%--65%--50%. Life support failure in sectors A through L is imminent. Warning, please evacuate sectors A through L immediately. Warning...

[the automated voice continues with warnings about those sectors--but oddly enough, nothing is wrong in the spacestation itself. no one is evacuating, and in fact, no one can be seen fleeing from the town. the only people who should be in the station are the residents, if they all heeded the text message's warning and went through their respective doors at the right time. all doors brought everyone back to the observation deck, near the first hallway that used to lead to the Mayor's house.

suddenly, Nathan's device begins to chime and an audio message from him begins to play. (oddly enough, the automated voice's warning messages soften, like the volume's been turned down.]

Oh good, you made it out safe! I didn't think that person would...[he trails off] Anyway! I've had a bit of help and I think I can finally get you out of there. I'm sorry though, but I can't get you back into town. I had to shut off life support there to distract those in charge, but I also managed to open up access to the lower level. I can't find the staircases, but the elevator should be working now, so you'll have to use that. This is your chance, everyone! Find the one responsible for this mess and find Lab #3. Contact me if you need me.

[the audio transmission ends. a moment later, there's a soft "ding" as the elevator set behind the Maintenance door in the nearby hallway opens, ready for occupants to board it.

shame it won't be a simple elevator ride.]


❧ Plot Details: Life's An Adventure **Quick-time Event**

Thank goodness everyone (hopefully) got out in time! Staying in town during that life support shutdown would have been...unfortunate (and if anyone DID want to stay behind during that? Let me know.) But who sent that helpful text if it wasn't Nathan? Was it Audrey? Was it someone else? Was Nathan just pulling a fast one? In any case, now everyone can move on to, well, the final level if we take it in RPG terms.

Funny that though...

For this quick-time event, we are going to keep things to this entry. You'll be given a choice of going up or down in the elevator. Actually...just about every action in this plot is based around choice, and fittingly too. Depending on how much you discover during this plot--there are four objectives that can possibly be fulfilled (and they don't all have to be by every person)--the outcome will shape the end of this plot, the game, and next season as well. I'll have a list at the bottom of this entry so people can easily see how many objectives have been completed. You'll only have a week! Keep in mind that only one objective--the main one--has to be accomplished by week's end and things will not progress until it's accomplished. (If we accomplish the main one before the week is done, I will still wait the full week before going ahead with the second half of this plot.)

So what are we doing in this mad week-long event? Like I said before, you'll be given a choice of taking the elevator up or down. From there, you'll be given the another choice via vidscreen about which direction you want to go in. Sometimes it'll be two choices, other times it'll be three. But nonetheless, you'll have to make a choice--and you'll have to make the choice in the style of a text adventure. This is a bit of a hybrid rather than a straight text adventure, though. You can talk to people normally and interact with them as you would do in a normal action thread, but when you go to make your choice or wish to interact with the environment (you don't have to do it for every single step or anything), you'll basically be inputting your command to help the adventure to progress. If you don't ever interact with the environment or make a choice, well, you're stuck in that room. Kind of a boring adventure, being stuck in a room.

If this explanation isn't quite making sense, I did a mock-scenario of this to illustrate the hybrid/pseudo-text adventure I'm talking about. Head here! Hopefully that helps explain things? If it didn't, please, please don't be afraid to ask me. The first two comments to this entry will be for the IC interaction, and any additional ones can be for OOC comments/questions.

I do advise that while you can go in groups, please keep them small so we can go through things at a steady pace. Heck, if you want? You can even solo this and interact just with, well, me as the text adventure prompts, and then contact people if you find something. I just ask that if you want to solo it, that you indicate your intentions in the subject line to whichever direction you wish to go in the elevator.

Threadhopping via the CATs can still happen, especially if you or someone else learns something that might be important for the others to know. (Of course, if you want to join in physically, you can do it like this.) Also, I do recommend tracking your threads, especially when I pop in with prompts and disrupt the notification process. (And let's hope varnish errors are few to none!)

So...that's it! If you have any questions/comments/etc, leave them here or get a hold of me through the normal channels! And before I leave, here's our handy objectives list!



Objectives! Objective #1 = Completed! Objective #2 = Completed! Objective #3 = Completed! (Also here and here.) Objective #4 = Completed!

Comments

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You glance at the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT'S SIGN to read it. You absolutely do not trust the OMINOUS BUTTON, so you push the RIGHT DRAWER shut without touching the BUTTON.

>You predictably pull at the LEFT DRAWER to check out its contents. While you're at it, you decide to ask the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT another question to get rid of that ERROR MESSAGE.

"Nevermind. Is there anything I should know about activating the vidscreen?"

[luministimods]

> You see the LEFT DRAWER has nothing! How disappointing and undesk-like of it to keep nothing inside of it. Probably for the best, really.

> The GIANT PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT bounces up and down a couple times, liking this request more than your previous one. Its sign reads: "I see you would like to activate the vidscreen! Touch the surface to activate the device, then make your choice. Be sure not to touch any doors prior to activating the vidscreen."

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You never thought you'd think this, but you're actually appreciative of the company of the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT. Who knows what kind of TERRIFYING THINGS you would encounter if you didn't have it around?

>You push the LEFT DRAWER shut and proceed toward the VIDSCREEN. Your aversion to RISKS makes you inclined to follow the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT'S INSTRUCTIONS obediently, so you disregard the DOORS for now. You reach out with a finger and firmly poke the VIDSCREEN with increased confidence.

[luministimods]

> You have activated the VIDSCREEN at last! Congratulations. You win the following text:

Choose your destination! If you wish to go to the break room, please press the "A" button. If you wish to go to [NAME REDACTED], please press the "B" button.

> You see TWO BUTTONS appear on the screen below the text, one below each choice and labeled as indicated above.

> What do you do?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>The choice comes naturally to you. You recall having a particular fondness for the BREAK ROOM in your casino, and you also recall keeping SEVERAL IMPORTANT AND CLASSIFIED THINGS in there. In addition, your BREAK ROOM was almost never empty.

>Also there might be TREATS there. You like TREATS.

>Compared to the uncertainty of [NAME REDACTED], the BREAK ROOM appeals most to you, for sure.

>You turn to the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT and nod respectfully toward it, even though it is a PAPERCLIP. You thank it once again for guiding you safely. It's not like anyone is watching, so you only feel MINIMALLY EMBARRASSED about it.

>With that, you press the "A" BUTTON and watch the room for changes.

[luministimods]

> The NORTH DOOR ("A") opens all on its own! Congratulations! But do you go into the DOORWAY? It is pitch black and...doesn't show what lies beyond. But you trust that it really does lead to the BREAK ROOM, right?

> The GIANT PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT hops over to the NORTH DOOR, and you see that its sign now reads: "I see you've opened a door! Would you like further assistance in the next room?"

> What do you do?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You trust that the door leads to an ACTUAL ROOM rather than some kind of VOID OF TERROR AND LONELINESS, especially after the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT offers to help you there. You are actually relieved by the offer.

>You nod gratefully toward the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT.

"Yes, please, if you would. You've been quite helpful so far."

>You proceed through the PITCH BLACK DOORWAY, expecting the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT to follow.

[luministimods]

> The PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT does follow through the doorway! It's rather eager to see other rooms, truth be told, especially if it can continue to be of service!

>You enter BLACKNESS for a mere second before the BLACKNESS is gone! Yeah! The moment it does, you see that you are back in the ELEVATOR! But the ELEVATOR is still on the same FLOOR you originally went to.

> Do you stay on this FLOOR and go through the DOOR again?

> Or do you go want to go to the OTHER FLOOR?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You are rather irritated to find that you did not end up in the BREAK ROOM. Unless it's actually THE SHITTIEST BREAK ROOM YOU HAVE EVER SEEN IN YOUR LIFE.

>You give the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT a quizzical glance before deciding to head to the OTHER FLOOR. What good would backtracking do? Obviously the VIDSCREEN MENU was inaccurate, or perhaps the BREAK ROOM is actually on the OTHER FLOOR. You poke the ELEVATOR BUTTON to move on.

[luministimods]

> The ELEVATOR goes UP! Thankfully, the trip is short and as before, you can barely feel it moving until the doors open to show the TOWN SQUARE. You notice that something...seems very off. The SHOPS and OTHER BUILDINGS adjacent to the TOWN SQUARE appear to be fake. To your LEFT/NORTH and STRAIGHT AHEAD/EAST, you see TWO DOORS. (And good for you seeing the EASTERN DOOR! It's behind the fully functioning FOUNTAIN.) To your RIGHT/SOUTH, seemingly hanging on several store-fronts, is a blank VIDSCREEN. When you step into the room, you will notice the ENTRANCEWAY from the ELEVATOR is now completely white. The PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT hops in after you, surveying the room.

> What do you do?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>This is not what you expected. You frown and cross your arms as you walk a lap around the FOUNTAIN and hurriedly glance around the WEIRDLY PROPLIKE BUILDINGS. You take note of the DOORS and VIDSCREEN.

>You stop in front of the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT and watch its SIGN expectantly.

"Can you tell me anything about this area?"

[luministimods]

> You watch the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT bounce in place a couple times before its sign changes.

"I see you would like information about this room! This is the facsimile of the Luministi Town Square! Its features are: a fountain, two doors to leading to [information currently unavailable], and a vidscreen!

Would you like to throw a coin in the fountain for good luck?
Would you like to sit and rest on the fountain's ledge?
Would you like to dance in the fountain's water?"
Would you like to activate the vidscreen?

It looks expectantly at you (or as much as something like it can anyway.)

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You fish around in your pockets for a COIN, but you don't have one. Damn. You could've probably used a boost in LUCK.

>You contemplate your other options. You don't DANCE unless you're either EXTREMELY INTOXICATED or in the presence of SOMEONE ATTRACTIVE. You are NEITHER. You refuse to have a ROMANTIC SLOW DANCE AMONG THE SPIRES OF THE FOUNTAIN with a PAPERCLIP. You doubt that it can even dance, because it is a PAPERCLIP.

>You decide that this area probably isn't worth your time.

"Let's just activate the vidscreen and move on."

[luministimods]

> The PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT acknowledges this with a bounce and hops over to the VIDSCREEN, using its SIGN to activate it.

> You--or rather the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT--have activated the VIDSCREEN! Congratulations! You win the following text on-screen:

Choose your destination! If you wish to go to the botanical gardens, please press the "A" button. If you wish to go to the town hall, please press the "B" button.

> You see TWO BUTTONS appear on the screen below the text, one below each choice and labeled as indicated above.

> What do you do?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You appear to be pleased that the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT showed some initiative. You rush after it to the VIDSCREEN to ponder your options.

>The choice seems obvious to you. Why wouldn't you choose the TOWN HALL? It seems like an IMPORTANT PLACE where you might find some IMPORTANT THINGS.

>You poke the "B" BUTTON without hesitation.

[luministimods]

> The EAST DOOR ("B") opens all on its own! Congratulations! Do you go into the DOORWAY? It is pitch black and...doesn't show what lies beyond. But you trust that it really does lead to the TOWN HALL, right? The PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT hops over without fear of it.

> What do you do?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You're not sure that you trust that it really goes to the TOWN HALL, since the BREAK ROOM door was kind of fruitless, but you do trust that nothing bad will happen.

>Since the PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT seems to be acting a little more independently, you simply pass through the EAST DOOR expecting it to come along.

[luministimods]

> The PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT does indeed follow along! It's liking this adventure! You both enter BLACKNESS for a mere second before the BLACKNESS is gone! Yeah! The moment it does, you see that you are back in the ELEVATOR! But the ELEVATOR is still on the same FLOOR you originally went to.

> Do you stay on this FLOOR and go through the DOOR again?

> Or do you go want to go to the OTHER FLOOR?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You roll your eyes. Of course, the ELEVATOR again. You suspect that you'll probably start going in circles soon since there's a limit to how many ELEVATORS can be expected to go to DIFFERENT PLACES.

>You'll never know until you try, though, so you decide to see where the ELEVATOR takes you. If you end up going in a circle, at least you'll know WHERE NOT TO GO next time.

[luministimods]

> The ELEVATOR doesn't move! Instead, the doors open to show the TOWN SQUARE. You notice that something...seems very off. The SHOPS and OTHER BUILDINGS adjacent to the TOWN SQUARE appear to be fake. To your LEFT/NORTH and STRAIGHT AHEAD/EAST, you see TWO DOORS. (And good for you seeing the EASTERN DOOR! It's behind the fully functioning FOUNTAIN.) To your RIGHT/SOUTH, seemingly hanging on several store-fronts, is a blank VIDSCREEN. When you step into the room, you will notice the ENTRANCEWAY from the ELEVATOR is now completely white. The PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT hops in after you, surveying the room.

> What do you do?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>You angrily mutter some UNGENTLEMANLY THINGS to yourself and note that there only appear to be three floors.

>You begin to suspect that all of the doors lead to elevators that just go to more useless locations (or nowhere), and the thought makes you DISPROPORTIONATELY INFURIATED. You stomp toward the ENTRANCE YOU ORIGINALLY CAME FROM. Maybe you'll go back to the CIRCULATION DESK and push the SUSPICIOUS BUTTON.

>You don't even care. You just wanted to stay in the ACTUAL TOWN, rather than a MAZE. The only good thing to come out of this situation so far is your beloved PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT. Blowing something up might be a THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY.

[luministimods]

> The PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT continues to follow you! It's thinking this is great fun. The ELEVATOR DOORS open and soon take you and your wiry friend back DOWN, and open up to show the LIBRARY again. It's in the exact same state as you left it.

> What do you do?

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

>Your eyes widen as you get a MANIACAL LOOK on your face. You glance over at your PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT.

"Let's look at the desk drawers again! There was something interesting in one of them, remember?"

>You head toward the CIRCULATION DESK. Your fingers are practically twitching in anticipation! The rush you're getting from your EXTREME ANNOYANCE is not only clouding your judgment, but also making you UNUSUALLY ENERGETIC. You never get this much energy unless you've consumed SEVERAL CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES, such as the ones you were hoping to find in the BREAK ROOM.

>You are still disappointed by the lack of a BREAK ROOM with YUMMY TREATS. You will probably NEVER GET OVER IT. Your cravings for TREATS have been replaced with a hunger for VENGEANCE.

[luministimods]

> The PAPERCLIP ASSISTANT bounces in after you, its sign reading: "I see you want to explore the desk again! The procedures are exactly the same as before. Would you like me to run you through them again?"

> Once you get over to the DESK, you find it left exactly the same way as you did when you left. So if you open the LEFT DRAWER, you will see nothing, and if you open the RIGHT DRAWER, you will see that OMINOUS-BUT-MAYBE-NOT BUTTON again.

[manicurious.livejournal.com]

"Oh, no, that's quite alright! I just want to see what this does!"

>You yank the RIGHT DRAWER open and prepare to show the QUESTIONABLE BUTTON your PIMP HAND.

>Your heart pounds and your breaths become heavy. In a smooth movement, you swing your arm down and BACKHAND THE SHIT OUT OF THAT BUTTON.