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Transmigration: Into Darkness Peering - Story
A story-driven atmospheric adventure game about a depressed man who has to choose between the numbing comfort of his depression and the chilling risk of facing the world again.
“A good story is about people, not events.” — Mary DeMarle, Eidos Montreal (not an exact quote, from her lecture)
“The archetypal story unearths a universally human experience, then wraps itself inside a unique, culture-specific expression.”
— Robert McKee“An archetypal story creates settings and characters so rare that our eyes feast on every detail, while its telling illuminates conflicts so true to humankind that it journeys from culture to culture.”
— Robert McKee -
Transmigration: Into Darkness Peering - Characters
work in progress
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Act I
Main new hook: discovering what transmigration is, meeting Helen, learning that something dodgy is going on in the clinics.
No. of locations (w/o instances):
Estimated playthrough: -
Act II
Main new hook: discovering the details about TC-s, developing the bond with Helen, learning that Crazy Jack is involved in the Transmigration Clinics.
No. of locations (w/o instances):
Estimated playthrough: -
Act III
Main new hook: learning what happened to Joseph, choosing between TC and the sect, learning how the dreams and the core story end.
No. of locations (w/o instances):
Estimated playthrough:
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Character summary
Core
Main characters
Joseph Kay
Plague Doctor
Crazy Jack
Helen
Transmigration Clinic FounderSecondary characters
Lucy
Greg
Ann
Clyde
Clocksmith
Head of TC guards
Sect preacher
Gardener #1Additional characters
Lamp guy
Pigeon lady
BeggarDreams
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Act I Summary
Act I
Joseph doesn’t know what exactly the TC are and what transmigration is. He only knows that it’s a chance to change your life (ads, commercials, billboards, conversations at the tram stop, in the tram) - general slogans. All of his options (work, son, book) go to hell in Act I, so he decides to pay the TC a visit (he’s ran out of options to improve his life, TC is his last chance). He notices TC employees packing something into a truck, he sees something very suspicious (body bag and a glimpse of a finger/hand).Of course, he meets Helen and agrees to meet her on the next day (no major changes).
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Existential crisis
- His life is in shambles and he suffers from mental problems, nightmares.
- He’s a depressed wannabe writer.
- He tries to regain contact with his son, but fails.
- He loses the job he despised.
- His book gets rejected.
- He wants to change his life, decides to transmigrate, but doesn’t quite now what transmigration is.
- He meets an intriguing woman and witnesses that something shady’s going on in the TC.
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Transmigration
- People disappear inside TC (they are presumably kept away from their families, no contact).
- TC has connections with the media and politicians.
- TC may be killing people.
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Dreams
- Dream one: Diving suit. // during the meeting
- Dream two. // when J. falls asleep drunk
- Dream three?
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Card choices
Four card choices
- Dreams are: Insanity vs. Illumination // first dream
- Losing job: New beginning vs. Dead end
- Quarrel with son: Bad parent vs. No parent is perfect
- Rejection letter: Misunderstood writer vs. Loser
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Puzzles
To be listed after we come up with the details of the closed puzzle system.
Four puzzles (OBSOLETE)
- Fixing the light in the hall (introducing the mechanics)
- Opening a lock at work
- Fixing the elevator (to get to the restaurant)
- Opening a lock leading to the back of the TC.
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Act I Sequences
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Intro (terminal)
Visual transmission: initiated.
Audio transmission: initiated.The audiovisual output is 35% figurative.
Now switching to semi-manual mode.
Determinant input estimation: 50%.
The simulation is now active.
Welcome, Determinant.
Please put on your headphones. -
Intro (PD)
When the game finishes “loading” the screen behaves like a broken CRT monitor for a moment and goes back to normal. We can also use an 80s VHS effect as seen at the beginning of the Routine trailer (around 00:06: http://tinyurl.com/qd9v7xa).
Milky white screen with a flowery background. A repeated, regular sound of a cane hitting the ground is heard. The Plague Doctor slowly walks to the middle of the screen (he appears after four sounds) from the right, supporting himself with a cane and turning to the screen he says:
PD: Welcome to our simulation. We truly hope you’ll find it stimulating. Please nod your head to continue.
PD: Very well. This simulation will test your cognitive and emotional empathy.
PD: Please wait while we transfer your primary ego reference frame.
PD: Alright, without further ado.
PD snaps his fingers and the screen turns off immediately. -
Hall - Lucy.
Actor: Lucy, the cleaner.
She knocks on the door of Joseph’s flat and notices they are open. She enters. It’s very dark, she turns on the lamp on the typewriter desk. She sees Joseph with his head on the desk. She screams: “Mr. Joseph!” and drops her purse.Cut.
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Dream 1 - Wake up
Sound effects: old clock ticking, very subtle (low volume) rain outside.
Music: none.Darkness.
PD: “Joseph, wake up”.PD: “Joseph, wake up.”
Joseph lights the lamp, but the flat is still dimly lit. He’s lying in his bed. A hunched figure of the doctor stands in front of him (silhouette). Joseph’s wheelchair is next to the doctor, occupied by a big black dog. They’re both starting at J. He grabs a revolver and aims at the stranger.
PD: “[Calmly] Time to wake up.”
Joseph: “Leave! Now!”Joseph tries to shoot in PD’s direction, a raspy sound is made by the gun, which doesn’t fire. The screen immediately goes completely black, as if a lamp was turned off.
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Quote
Black screen. A symbol of a wheel slowly appears. A quote underneath it:
“In all thine operations, let the Work be guided by nature, according to the slow progression of metals in the bowels of the Earth. And in thine efforts, be guided in all ways by the true and not the fantastic imagination.”
Repeated alarm clock sound starts.
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Day 1. Can’t Get Up
Sound effects: rain outside. Ticking vintage clock.
The floor is made of wood, so it is slightly creaking a bit when Joseph moves through the room (excluding the toilet).
TV noise.Music: Delicate, sad, melancholic piano music. Rain ambient. Raindrops tapping at the window. Some delicate violin in the background maybe.
Visual effect: Everything is black and white (until he swallows his anti-depressants).
The TV is on (noise, no channel), it is illuminating the room.
Joseph tries to wake up when the alarm clock rings, but he fails and falls a sleep again.
—- Player choice
Wake up or get back to sleep. (behaviour wheel)
wake up W
“Ah, what’s the point.” Joseph gets back to sleep.sleep S
Joseph gets back to sleep.
Fade out. Fade in.
Alarm clock sound.
Animation (#ART2): Close up on Joseph’s eyes (bird’s view) - he slowly opens his eyes (we see a part of his nose, his eyes and his brows), they are bloodshot. This shot occupies the whole screen (or the part between the black bars). It’s a simple animation or one with more frames. If we want to save time we animate it like in case of The Last Express - the animation is sort of jumpy (with fade effects between frames I think), but it’s still a nice feeling, once you use it a couple of times and people get used to it (reference unavailable, as my connection is screwed - check out the intro to The Last Express and how the character leaning out on the train at the station moves). We use the art style from Joseph’s portrait prepared by Mateusz: http://tinyurl.com/nf6q769
We’ll call this style #ART2 for the sake of simplicity.
Back to regular sideview.
Joseph: [Rubbing his eyes] Uhhh, somebody there?
PDV: It’s only you and me, remember? // Important note - Joseph never responds directly to PDV, he never acknowledges it.A loud thunder hits outside, it lits up the room for a moment and emphasises the PD’s words.
Joseph: [sighing] The unbreakable cycle of bleak days and nights of inner horror…
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Waking Up
Sound effects: rain outside. Ticking vintage clock.
The floor is made of wood, so it is slightly creaking a bit when Joseph moves through the room (excluding the toilet).
TV noise.Short script summary: Joseph wakes up, turns the lamp on and writes down some notes in the journal (located near). There are a couple of dreams already scribbled down there. The last one that appears after the previous ones: “The Raven beckons me. A black dog sits on the wheelchair. I try to shoot, but the revolver does not fire.” The words “black dog” are underlined. He puts the journal down.
Detailed description of the scene:
PDV: Well, get up Joseph.
—- Player choice
Behaviour wheel:
W - get up
S - sleep
A - turn alarm off
D - turn lamp onget on wheelchair W //required to perform other actions
PDV: “Well, get up, Joseph.”When the player tries to get up and grab the chair, he falls down, knocking down some empty wine bottles. He gets up on the wheelchair.
Joseph sighs.
sleep S
Fade out. Joseph is woken up by a raven sound. A raven outside the window flies away.global.flag.joseph_overslept = 1
turn alarm off A
Joseph turns off the annoying alarm clock.
If he doesn’t turn it off, it turns off after 15 seconds.turn lamp on D
Joseph turns on the first lamp while sitting on the bed.Visual effect: The scene goes out of focus for a moment and the light flickers. The room is illuminated.
He needs to get on the wheelchair to be able to perform other actions. If he tries to do something, Joseph extends his hand forward (like in the prototype when trying to get on the wheelchair) and comments:
“I cannot reach it.”
“Crawling around won’t do me much good.”When he crawls a considerable distance, like near the toilet or near the typewriter, the PDV says:
random.quote(1-3)
1: “That’s a peculiar way to exercise.”
2: “Perhaps you should try jogging?”
3: “So crawling around is the new morning jog, eh?”Also, in order to be able to do anything in a given place, it needs to be illuminated. So he needs to turn lights on in order to interact with things nearby. If it’s too dark, interaction wheels won’t appear.
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Waking Up #2
Now, as he’s on the wheelchair, Joseph can perform the following actions:
turn lamp and room light switch on/off
Turn the bed lamp/room switch on and off.grab pills //required before leaving the flat
ART2 - 3 different tablets on his hand
as he looks at the hand and pills:“…exan for the heartaches” //pill disappears
…san for the headaches” //pill disappears
…span for the assholes” //pill disappears@remm give more player choice: it should show what pills they are if you pick look from the interaction menu
@remaciej up: this would add unnecessary complications - what happens if you only take two types of pills instead of three, it also breaks the comedic pacing - the “assholes” at the end.
He drops the last pill. “Damn… Oh well.”
The fact that he dropped the last one is connected with the fact that he can then quit his job before being fired, attack Clyde etc. - he’s more decisive and assertive than usually.
Reference for simple animation that could work great for us:
http://tinyurl.com/ngzyk93 (check out 00:58)The scene’s saturation changes. It’s no longer black and white, there are colours.
call from Ann / checking the phone
->**looking at the calendar
->call Lucy about the gun/key
->use toilet
->take shower
->turn tv on/off and switch channels
->find journal
->explore the flat
->write on typewriter
->getting out of the flat
-> -
Hall
if joseph.took_pills = 0
The screen is distorted, the sound of weeping is much louder. Joseph moves slower. His heart is beating faster, very loudly. The edges of the screen look like giant roots or tentacles (although this seems a bit cliche, maybe we can do without it). Joseph has a panic attack. He moves back to the flat. Thoughts: “heart attack?”
The sound of the falling parcel is much louder and scary. The weeping behind CJ’s door is weirdly distorted.
if joseph.took_pills = 1
When the parcel falls, machine parts and dolls fall out of it. When Joseph moves, he destroys one of the dolls.
CJ (behind door): “Who’s there!?”
PDV: “The elevator is broken. You should take the stairs.”
Joseph can use the stairs (going down the stairs on a wheelchair, if he loses the balance, he will lose consciousness).
Joseph can also use the elevator.
@reigor What if without the pills. the heart starts beating too fast when you try to push down the parcel and you fall from the wheelchair before you manage to do it. So you need to take the pills in order to effectively push down parcel. Two blockers merged into one.
@remaciej: this is something we’ll probably iterate (pills/no pills), besides the heart beating like crazy, weird, distorted sounds, the doll that falls from the parcel could look really scary, like a child’s corpse. He’s too afraid to go closer. Now two options - he can take the pills and get out again or call Lucy and ask her to come, because there’s something strange in the hall. Maybe CJ has murdered someone (it’s what he tells Lucy). She then comes and tells him that he didn’t take the pills again. She’s a bit of a motherly figure. “Oh Mr. Kay, you didn’t take the pills, didn’t you?”.
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staircase
Joseph goes down the stairs, if he falls and hits the ground for the second time, he loses consciousness. He wakes up a the bottom of the staircase. Two neighbours are standing next to him (a man and a woman).
Neighbour: “Mr. Kay? Are you alright? We thought you might need some help. Clare asked me to help you with the stairs.”
Answer:
W - Thank you. / I’m alright, thank you.
S - Leave me alone. / Yes… I’ll manage. -
elevator
An old lady with a dog is in the elevator.
Neighbour: I wonder what’s on the tv tonight.
J:
A - Right. / Right… right.
S - [ignore] / […]
D - I don’t care. / I don’t care, to be honest.
W - Can’t wait to check. / I can’t wait to check.N.: Thank you.
She leaves.
J’s thoughts:
thank you?
I didn’t even push the button -
block outside
Joseph is not shown yet. A couple in front of the door:
Woman: “Another dreary, gloomy morning. Oh, Robert…”
Man: “Now, now, Grace. It’s not that bad.”He opens an umbrella, they start walking.
Joseph opens the door and moves outside.
Drone reactions (two arrays, positive and negative).
We’re teaching the player to raise the wheels for the first time.
When Joseph passes the lamp guy:
Lamp Guy: Good day, Mr. Joseph!
Joseph: Good day, Mr. Leerie.” //reference to a poem about lamp lighters by Robert Louis StephensonKiosk ->
Keycutting ->
reigor: Isn’t it a little weird that only one guy carries an umbrella with him?
remaciej: many people will carry umbrellas in the final version
There is a lot of happening in the city - just as you see the location for the first time. Some fog of war effect to focus on the pair? Might look weird.
remaciej: don’t think it’s necessary really, it’s not essential to look at them.
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Joseph’s tram stop/Block tram stop
The rain is getting heavier. A drone standing at the stop takes his umbrella out.
Alternative, if we have enough time: The rain is getting heavier, a drone standing next to Joseph says “Screw this!” and launches his jetpack, leaving Joseph coughing because of the smoke and getting wet because of the rain.
A jogger runs past them.
The tram comes.
@reigor How does one get to this tram stop from the City Block area? Where is it located? Looks much less crowded than the main city area (so far).
@remaciej: it’s the next location on the right from the block, but since all locations are separated from each other, we’re suggesting that it’s not exactly next to block. There will be drones in the background (the back under the sign and on the platform).
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inside the tram
View from the inside of the tram.
The bus is full of “grey”, sad people that don’t talk to each other and practically don’t move. Some coughs from time to time. Helen sits at the back, looking out the window.
Dialogues inside the tram ->
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Corpo Front
Sad music.
Billboard/Citylight (on rotation):Joseph moves towards the building.
PDV - Don’t forget to leave your soul at the door.
There are some employees smoking outside and chatting. There is a guard standing in front of the door. There are also drones talking at the bus stop.
There is a citylight/billboard advertising Neurobionics Corporation. When Joseph is fired, the ad changes to antidepressant advertisement.
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Corpo Reception
A reception with a guy behind the desk.
When the assets are ready Joseph will have to stop there and leave his coat.
@remm whenever you “have” to do something, my question is: what if I don’t?
The reception/hall is full of corporate drones waiting for the elevator. Joseph cannot pass this queue. When he joins it:
PDV: What a nice place. And you could’ve been a writer, travelling the world right now.
Details ->
After passing the identification machine (without problems if he has the id or with some hindrances on his way if he hasn’t), he enters the elevator with an older man.
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Corpo Elevator
Choosing the floor (there are two choices, one of the floors is the one where Joseph works, the other one is where the open toilet is located).
A - Floor 8 (toilets)
J’s thought: don’t need to go yet
W - Floor 9 (offices)
J: [pushes the button]
D - Floor 10 (interview rooms)
J: [pushes the button] ->
S - Floor 0 (reception)
If J. presses “Floor 0”, the man says “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? PRESS 9!” and presses 9.Joseph: Hello.
HIG: WHAT???
Joseph: I said hello.
HIG: WHAT???Choice:
1 - I SAID HELLO.
2 - Nevermind.Either choice:
HIG: STOP WHISPERING.He then receives a phone call: “Yeah. No. I’m in the lift. Yeah. No, the lift. I can’t hear you. I’M IN THE LIFT. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WHAT ABOUT NOW?”
@reigor What if something in the lift gave Joseph’s wheelchair magnetic properties for a while. He could then make a mess in the dinning room snatching everyone’s forks and spoons. Or make a mess of the office documents by snatching paperclips. It could also be the means to steal some important document.
@reigor To prevent the magnetic thing from being automatic, let’s say joseph needs to keep the wheelchair touching the elavator wall for certain amount of time for it to get magnetized. We’d need some clues in his co-workers converstations about this magetic property of the elavator
@remm I think the sandwich line should be used in a conversation between two drones. Here it’s like two jokes in one and both lose the effect cause I’m confused if the guy is deaf or crazy :).
@remaciej: @igor: yeah, we can use that :) @mm: yeah, it has been moved to the reception, I think you did it yourself. Agreed & updated.
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Corpo Floor 9 / “Corpo Front”
Sound. Many people typing (coming from the right).There’s a hall with the kitchen and the toilet when J exits through the left edge of the screen and Joseph’s workplace on the right.
PDV: Breathe in, Joseph. Smell the sterility!
(when Joseph moves right) PDV: Your kennel is at the end of the hall.
There is a file case on the right which contains blank cards. Joseph can use one of them with his id to forge an Access Level 2 card to access a closed door on the left (at the end of the hall on the left). However, he needs to enter the toilet or the elevator to do it (a place where people won’t hear him).
If he moves to the left (toilet/kitchen/closed prostheses room) ->
If he moves to the workplace area (right), scroll to the next block down.
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Corpo Floor 9 / Joseph’s workplace
No one is talking. Monotony, cubicles, people typing on their computers, actions speeding up the flow of time. The screen can gradually go black and white here/get desaturated.
When Joseph enters for the first time ->
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Corpo Floor 9 / Joseph’s workplace - working
After the talk with the manager, Joseph needs to survive till 10:00, when he has his interviews with applicants. He needs to kill time, as it moves very slowly when he doesn’t do anything. Here’s the breakdown of the whole day:
- Killing time before 10:00 ->
- Applicant interviews ->
- Killing time before dinner ->
- Dinner time ->
- Employees mocking Joseph ->
- Announcement ->
- Meeting ->
- Getting fired ->
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Hall - Lucy (more details)
When she enters the kitchen:
L.: “Hello?”
There’s a note on the kitchen table: “I shan’t recover this time - J.”
When she approaches the typewriter, she sees Joseph with his head on the desk.
A sharp sound (horror/thriller style) at the same moment.
L.: “Mr Joseph!”
Cut.
Alternative:
ART2: There’s a note on the paper inside the typewriter: “I shan’t recover this time” - J.”.
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Walking Up #2 - Gameplay/Technical details
use toilet
After choosing to interact with the toilet, the player needs to press the appropriate button to grab the pipe next to it (hold A), then lift the lid that will fall if you don’t hold it (“Bloody hell, it’s broken again!”, hold D) and sit on the toilet (S). This should be shown in a quite naturalistic way (we show a daily struggle of a disabled person through gameplay) - if the player doesn’t hold A, he will fall, if he doesn’t hold D, the lid will fall. When he presses S Joseph sits on the toilet and pulls his pants down. Fade out.
The letters/buttons (depending on the controller) will be displayed in circles. Buttons that need to be mashed are flickering, buttons that need to be held are shown pressed down for example, buttons that need to be pressed simply flicker very slowly. We’ll need to find the most intuitive solution through practice.
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call from Ann / checking the phone
When he gets up, he soon gets a phone call from Ann. He can also check his answering machine - there’s a message from a friend, whom he also meets later at the pub. More details in calling Lucy about the gun/key -> finding the number to call Lucy ->
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calling Lucy about the gun/key
He needs to find her number (on the fridge). ->
He asks her about his revolver and the spare flat key (he lost his the day before, suggestion that he’s been drinking, he needs to use the reserve one). -
looking at the calendar
There’s a calendar on the fridge, with today’s date marked and captioned “Leg prosthesis day!!!”. He will find it when he looks for Lucy’s number/looks at the fridge.
@remm nice. I think it needs to mentioned at least once more somewhere, maybe in joseph’s thoughts when he wakes up so the player knows J is really anticipating this
@remaciej it will be - we may add a company catalogue with prostheses/awards (if we manage to create a zoom in for it) and he can think something like:
leg prostheses day
finally a reason to get up
but I need to watch out in order not to give it too much exposure - will turn out in practice
Zoom in with the pictures. More details: finding the number to call Lucy
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take shower
Upon pressing S: fade out, Joseph is undressed. He needs to grab the pipe (W) and sit down (S) - just like in case of the toilet. Now the #ART2 scene launches.
ART2: Water running, camera going down from the top of the shower, it reaches Joseph, he’s sitting naked on the shower seat and hides his face in his hands/his hands in his hair. He stares at the ground. A really depressing view. Fade out.
global.joseph_tookshower = 1
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turn tv on/off and switch channels
Joseph can flip through tv channels or turn the tv off. On the channel with static he can hear different advertisements, shows etc. Also things relevant to the story. ->
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finding the journal
Joseph finds the journal on the cupboard next to the tv set.
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explore the flat
books
LOOK (3) at books (W) // next to the typewriter- The Collected Works of C. G. Jung.
- Prometheus Rising by R. A. Wilson.
- Hm, what’s this?
ART2:
A photo album. “Our trip to Vienna, 1993.”
Behaviour wheel: W (look) - [sighs] S (open) - I… I can’t.
animation.joseph.puts_book_back
mirror
LOOK (3)- Beard - the last refuge of the wrinkled.
- [sighs]
@re more?
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write on typewriter
LOOK (W)
“Olympia portable SM-3, 1957. I don’t deserve it.”USE (S)
When the player interacts with the typewriter, there is a zoom. It shows the typewriter (it can be only the top of it, without keys) and the page.Now he has a choice - he can decide what sentence should land on paper. He starts with something rather neutral, but the sentences always end up being quite grim. First we show his mood this way, and build the atmosphere some more, then, with the second choice (described below the first one) we demonstrate his writer’s block through gameplay.
Choice:
1 - It was a bleak morning… / It was a bleak morning [short pause] and everything smelled of suicide.
2 - His bony fingers made a swift, subconscious move… / His bony fingers made a swift, subconscious move [short pause] and the bullet was now in its place.
3 - She knocked harder… / She knocked harder, [short pause] but it was only the crows that could hear her, as the graveyard was empty.The choice lands on the paper - typing in animation, there is a short pause in the middle of each of the sentences he chooses.
Second choice (second sentence):
1 - …
2 - …
3 - …During the second choice some muffled shouting (woman and man fighting) can be heard through the ceiling/floor.
PDV: The steady disharmony of shalowness seeping through the ceiling… makes it easier to concentrate, doesn’t it?
After the player chooses one of the options (all of them are three dots), Joseph looks at the page and sighs, the zoom out ends, Joseph exclaims: “Devil take it, this is pointless!” and throws the crumpled paper to the ground.
When the player interacts with the typewriter again (only ‘use’ is possible): without zoom - “[stares at the page]”, a short pause, “Nothing will come out of it today.” Then he cannot interact with the typewriter until the next day.
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getting out of the flat
OPEN (S)
There is a big parcel outside of Joseph’s door, he needs to knock it over to move further. It’s CJ’s parcel, which contains dolls and heavy machine parts.
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kiosk
Each day Joseph can buy a newspaper in the kiosk.
“buy newspaper” (S) interaction
He immediately opens it (zoom). You can read the headers and sometimes the leads related to the game world.
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keycutting
Joseph wants to fix his broken key. He enters the shop.J’s thoughts:
my God
smells like a distilleryJohn emerges from the back room.
There’s a tv on the right (tv static). If Joseph tries to change the channel or turn it off:
John - Ah, I know, I know. They cancelled the match AGAIN anyway, it’s the bleedin’ weather again. Can you believe it, bud?When the player interacts with the keymaker:
John - Let me guess, we lost our house key again, hm?
Joseph - Not really, I need to get this one fixed.
John - [Studying the key with his shining eyes] We… well, this will take some time. Come back in two days, bud.
Joseph - Two days? Why does…
John - Uhm… aye bud, two days. Come back in two days.
Voice from the back room - JOHN, WHAT ARE YA DOING THERE!? YER SHOT IS WAITIN’!
Joseph - Alright. See you then.
John - Wait, it’s paid in advance.[If Joseph took his wallet from the kiosk]
Joseph - Here it is.
John - Thanks, bud.[If Joseph did not take his wallet from the kiosk]
Joseph - Bloody hell. I forgot to get my wallet.
Voice from the back room - JOHN, MOVE YER ARSE, WILL YA!? I AIN’T DRINKIN’ IT WITHOUT YA!
John - [Clears his throat] Later then, bud. Come back when you find he quids.[John goes out to the back room.]
When Joseph gets the wallet from the kiosk.
John - You back, ey? Got the quids?
Joseph - Here you are.
John - Aye, see you in two days.[John goes out to the back room.]
If you pay him and try to come back on the first day you will hear him snoring in the back room (closed). On the second day the store will be closed.
@reigor
- is the shop still going to have a tv set? I don’t see it in the location art
@remaciej: sometimes I’ll describe something that’s not yet available in the location (placeholder art will be used then). Btw. I’ll change the character here probably, as it feels too cliche ;)
possible purposes of keys and padlocks:
1. symbolic items - padlocks attached to elements of the city could have a special meaning in this world, like death, mourning someone
2. physics puzzle - you need to lock something in place with a padlock like e.g. a seesaw to use it as a platform.
@remaciej: Good idea, we’ll use that.
3. perhaps in the puzzle with the bicycles - a way to lift the bicycles on a chain and fix them in place
@remaciej: again, we can use this
4. lockers in the clinic
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getting on the tram
Joseph cannot get on the tram on his own. He can either move next to other drones and count on their help, or move to the front and ask the driver for help. When the tram stops, it should become semi transparent, so the player sees Joseph/the drones behind it.
Interaction: ask for help (S)
The driver then gets out, moves slowly to the end of the tram, lowers a platform, Joseph gets on it and is raised to the tram. During that process people are complaining:
“Why aren’t we moving?”
“I’ll be later for work!”
“What is taking so long!?”Joseph gets on the tram.
@reigor:
1. Joseph could on purpose fall out of his wheelchair when the tram arrives to provoke reaction. Otherwise no one wants to bother with him, reacts to his help requests.
2. Another idea. Faulty platform. It goes immediately all the way up as soon as it feels Joseph’s the weight, “catapulting” him in the air (just making the wheelchair fall).
@remaciej:
We could give the player several options: falling from the chair, hitting the wheels against the ground to gain attention, becoming stuck in a hole (Igor’s idea) and asking for help then (which isn’t easy for Joseph). J: [angry sigh], J: [clenching his teeth] can you… help me?
-
inside the tram - details
Conversations, interactive
Older ladies (seat)
Lady 3: Look at this scruffy, passive agressive fellow, Martha, taking your seat like the bastard he is!
Lady 4: [Squinting her eyes] Young man, my legs hurt. Where are your manners? I’d like to take your seat.Choice
A - Splendid, would you like my disability with that?
S - Um, I’m disabled. You don’t expect me to simply give you my wheelchair, right?
D - [Ignore her]A:
Lady 4: Disability? I wonder how long you would last in the trenches! Pshhh!S:
Lady 4: Disabled! That’s what you get for staring at the screen for years! Get some exercise!D:
Lady 4: [Hits you with a plastic grocery bag, pretending it to be an accident] - it would be cool if she could do that 3 times and we could show it via animation.Conversations, ambient/game world
Older ladies
Lady 1: So then they said - ‘Mom, we really can’t keep you here. We wanted to talk to you about it. Have you heard about Transmigration houses?’
Lady 2: [Shocked] That’s preposterous!
Lady 1: So I said to them, I said: ‘Have you heard about slaughterhouses?’Man in a breathing mask, to another man on the bus:
Man #1: Have you read about that poor fellow who presumably died because of the bloody things in the air?
Man #2: What? Isn’t it the third one this month?
Man #1: Yeah, but this one was supposedly healthy, no asthma or anything.Man talking on a phone
Man: Yes…
Man: Mhm.
Man: Yup.
Man: That’s right.
Man: Oh?
Man: You’re right honey.
Man: Oh, did she?
Man: Aha.
Man: Okay honey.
Man: Okay honey, me too, bye!
-
Corpo Front - details
Drone conversation at the stop:
Drone #1: …and that’s why I decided to get another mortgage.
Drone #2 (bearded): Well, I live in a cell. It’s really a tiny cube. But you know what? I’m fine with it. You know why? Because I live inside my mind.
Drone #1: You should really stop taking whatever you’re taking.Conversation in front of the corporation building:
Employee #1: Did you notice they removed the suicide nets? We’ve seen the photos of the new ones.
Employee #2: Oh, yes. They look more sturdy. About time, about time.
Employee #1: [nods his head]Citylight/billboard near the tram stop. It’s an advertisement of Neurobionics Corporation (in a separate box on the right, scroll right till the end)
When Joseph leaves after being fired later on, the advertisement is replaced by an antidepressants ad (-> in a separate box on the right, scroll right till the end)
There is a guard in front of the door. ->
-
Corpo Reception - details
There is a queue of employees (white and pink shirts, some wear ties). It moves painfully slow - the player can trick the other employees. There is a loudspeaker in the lobby that says things from time to time while Joseph is standing there:
(all messages read by a friendly, warm female voice)
“Simon Clod, Simon Clod, please report to the motivational room immediately.”
"Remember to leave your DAD3000 in the appropriate room before clocking out. Exiting the premises without adhering to this rule will result in the termination of your employment contract."- DAD3000 (Document Assistant Device) is the device Joseph uses to forge documents."Join the Blackwood Loyal Employee Program and get your chip implanted today. Never forget your employee id again and get your 10th year award two years earlier! Blackwood Corporation - where loyalty matters!"“We would like to remind you that exceeding the contractual 15 minutes of break is strictly forbidden.”
Also, J. can sometimes hear what the employees are talking about:
“Did you hear that they’re moving the marketing department from open space one to open space two?”
“Did you see the news last night? Apparently there is a war going on somewhere. I wish they’d just think of the children.”
Each person in the queue is scanned by a machine (the drones turn to it, they are scanned and can proceed).
It isn’t so easy with Joseph. ->
@reigor Why not SUPERDAD 3000? For a little bit of bitter irony
@remaciej: why not? ;)
-
Floor 10 - Interview rooms, before the interview
He meets a corpo drone near the elevator.
Corporate drone: “Hello, this floor is off limits till 10:00. Please go back to the elevator. Thank you. Have a nice day.”
When he ignores the drone and stands there or moves past him:
Corporate drone: “Sir, this floor is off limits till 10:00. Can you please leave?”
Corporate drone: “Sir?”
Corporate drone: “Sir? Can you please come back at 10:00.”
Corporate drone: “Sir can you… Screw this. I quit.” (he leaves using the stairs)
He throws his card (all access) on the floor in anger. Joseph can pick it up and open the door. But while doing it he overhears a conversation.
Voice #1: …and so we needed to get rid of him, as he was not a teamplayer.
J.: (under his breath) I don’t want to lose my job TODAY.
If the player still wants to go there, he will encounter a guy who will later break the news to the employees about moving them to the bottom floor (the big announcement everyone is waiting for) talking to another guy, they will turn and ask him to leave:
Man #1: Please leave immediately, this office is closed. Come back at 10!
The man closes the door before Joseph.
Joseph goes back to the elevator.
-
Corpo Hall
Door to kitchen (open). ->
Door to toilet. ->
Door to dining room. Closed until dining time.
At the end of the hall, on the left “Employees Only. Level 2 Access.” ->
-
Corpo Floor 9 / Joseph’s workplace
He enters an empty room.
Joseph thinks:
surprise
am I getting the prosthesis now?Suddenly the room fills with other corporate drones followed by his manager. They sit at their desks and start working.
J thinks:
guess notThe above (drones sitting at their desks) can be done via a fade out, to save problems with the animations.
His manager notices him and tells him:
(if he’s not very late, we’ll have a boolean flag for that) Mr. Kay, you’re late once again AND you missed a meeting. This is your last warning. Make of it what you will.
(if he’s very late) Mr. Kay, this is utterly unacceptable! Do you think it’s funny to show up late AGAIN!? I am forced to report this. Don’t say a word.
She leaves towards the boss’s room (on the left).
Also, an additional line if he didn’t take a shower.
@remm I would completely forget about drones sitting/standing in this location. It’s too complicated. We can easily change this scene:
- everyone is sitting and typing
- suddenly door opens and manager enters
- everyone stops what they were doing
- Joseph thinks “prosthesis day?”
- …
-
Boss’s room
The room of his boss is located on the left, it is closed until Joseph is called in.
The door is labeled: HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Options: knock / look
look:
“HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES”knock:
J.: There’s no way I’m going in the serpent’s lair.
-
Killing time before 10:00
Joseph needs to kill time before 10:00, when his applicant reviews start. There’s a light over every employee’s desk that lits up if he’s not in front of his computer for 15 minutes. Joseph needs to make sure to be back at his desk in 15 minutes when he gets out to the toilet/get an energy drink/do something else.He has 120 minutes to kill.
Note: when he’s killing time and his manager passes him (or another drone), he has a couple of seconds to quickly pretend he’s working (for example when he’s playing the game instead of doing something “productive”).
He can:
- answer e-mails (3 x 5 minutes = 15 minutes)
- browse profiles of interviewees he’s scheduled to meet today and their last known workplace info (information about the company they worked for), (3 x 5 minutes for employees + 3 x 5 minutes for workplaces = 30 minutes)
- play a simple game (2 x 5 minutes) - we can also make time pass faster when Joseph plays the game, but it’s risky as he needs to quickly minimise it when someone moves near (which is shown in a separate camera - someone coming from the left or right, he has like 2 seconds to press A for left or D for right, as minimising takes some time after pushing a button)
- go to the kitchen and drink an energy drink (3 x 5 minutes = 15 minutes)
- go to the kitchen and drink some water (3 x 5 minutes = 15 minutes)
- go to the toilet (every time he goes = 15 minutes)
- sleep in the toilet (only if he didn’t drink an energy drink yet, 1 x 15 minutes)
- go to the closed room with prostheses showcase (1 x 10 minutes)
- pretend to answer e-mails (when the manager is close and you don’t have anything else to do during the second hour)
Total: around 95 minutes + toilet visits. After the first hour passes, he can do all of them again, apart from answering e-mails and browsing profiles (as no new e-mails/interviewees appear).
The first hour: He can ask a drone next to him, whom we knows, to cover for him by doing something every 10 or so minutes on his computer, if he wants to leave, so that his box isn’t lit up. So he can drink 3 energy drinks at once for example or stay in the toilet for 15 minutes.
Random situation: the manager standing up to walk and check on the employees, Joseph needs to quickly get back before it happens. An additional camera is shown then, showing her receiving a message from someone and preparing to go. Joseph has the time to come back.
The second hour: After the first hour the drone gets an assignment from the manager (on another floor). Joseph has to come back to his desk if he leaves in under 15 minutes and pretend he’s working. So he won’t be able to drink 3 energy drinks in a row for example. He will have to come back after each action. He also needs to say who started the fight, even though he wasn’t there (he can pick the person who helped him, or the person next to him).
During the second hour, he needs to drink an energy drink from time to time when he’s pretending to be sending e-mails and after sleeping in the toilet. Otherwise he’ll fall asleep in his wheelchair (there are indications he’s sleepy - he’s yawning, the screen goes out of focus for moments, then it’s getting darker and his eyes are closing for a moment - the player then doesn’t see anything). If he falls asleep, his manager gets mad. The scene doesn’t reset though. He is asked to come to her office (on the right of the cubicles). They have a talk.
There are many things we can add here, but I think it’s a good base for the first iteration.
At 10:00 he is asked to go to the interview rooms.
-
Applicant interviews
He interviews the applicants. After each applicant leaves to wait for the result, he can choose to forge a positive review. I won’t go into the details here as the scene is partly ready and we all know how it looks generally. I will describe what is needed in a separate task. -
Killing time before dinner
He needs to do one action before the dinner time starts. He can choose to go and have dinner or kill time in front of the computer/around the office. -
Dinner time
Everyone moves to the dining room. Joseph sees there’s no queue and wants to order something, then suddenly a lot of drones appear. He needs to wait. He then needs to balance between moving the wheelchair and not losing his dinner (it can fall to the ground). If it falls, X (one of the coworkers, his nemesis at work) mocks him. If it doesn’t, X mocks him when he eats. A man enters as they eat, informing them to meet near the cubicles in 5 minutes, as he has a special announcement. Joseph thinks it may be a surprise for him (10 years at the company, receiving the prosthesis). -
Employees mocking Joseph
Four characters stand next to Joseph’s desk, drinking the energy drink:
S: Hey Joseph, how’s the book writing thing going for you?
W2: [suppressed snigger]Joseph can choose to ignore them or answer.
Timed answer.
If he answers:
J: I’m in no mood for jokes, Clyde.
If not: …S: How long has it been? Four, five, ten years?
S: Are you sure it’s a writer’s block?Timed answer:
J: Leave me alone.
J: Fuck off.
J: …Either way he will say: … or “I need to work” in case of “Fuck off”, he’s unable to defend himself.
If he ignores them:
J: …
S: Maybe it’s this condition called “severe lack of talent”. My ex suffered from it… S: …especially in the love-making department![Laughs]
Further conversation:
W2: I used to write too. I think it’s a phase in one’s life.
W3: Yes, but Mr. Writer here had some things published back in the day. Including a short novel that had a small following.
S: I remember. What was the title? “A Man Of Temporary Importance”?
W2: A writer AND a prophet! [Laughs]W4: I went through a phase once. It’s called “Wife And Kids”. Maybe try that one instead? [Laugh]
S: Hey Joseph, how’s the next novel called? “Stuck In A Moment”? [Laughs]
J: Shut up. / …A thunder is heard outside. The rain is heavier. The screen is a bit desaturated for a moment.
Suddenly everyone moves away from his box. The man who told them about the upcoming announcement appears.
The screen is fully saturated again.
J thinks:
finally
my prosthesis -
Announcement
As everyone gathers, they are informed they are going to be moved to the basement.An administration employee informs Joseph and his co-workers that a change awaits them (being moved to the basement, where everyone will get a desk lamp, their computers will be replaced with terminals that will help them concentrate on their tasks better, plus every employee will be eligible to as many cans of the Blackwood Energy Drink as he pleases).
People are not too happy, as everyone thought it will mean raises and such. Joseph thought he will get his prosthesis.
Details ->
-
Meeting
After the announcement is made, Joseph needs to attend a meeting (one of the emails he receives earlier in the day is an invitation to this meeting).A man from the Marketing Department comes for Joseph and asks him to follow him.
During the boring marketing meeting, he falls asleep and has a dream.
Details ->
-
Dream during meeting
Joseph is in a white room with an autumn tree. The leaves are slowly falling off. There are doors leading left and right. This is the center room of this scene.
Room on the right. Another empty white room. It only features a bar table (the same can be found in the bar) and empty bottles. There is a gramophone with ambient sounds of a pub on it. Laughter, glasses breaking, drunken singing. Joseph can turn it off.
J.: Greg?
Room on the left.
J.: Julia?
The room is empty, again. There is a vase in the middle of the room (the same vase can be seen next to the corpo reception). When Joseph passes it, it falls and shatters on the ground.
In the next room on the left Joseph sees the Plague Doctor sitting on a stylish stool, playing the piano (exactly the same piano as later seen in the restaurant). There are live ravens on the piano. They are cawing from time to time. After a short moment the PD turns to Joseph, mute. He looks at Joseph in silence.
PDV: Joseph, it’s over. (in the distorted, Plague Doctor’s voice)
Unknown: Joseph! Wake up. (normal voice)
The dream ends here. Joseph is woken up by a co-worker.
Co-worker: Joseph, the meeting’s over. That wasn’t a good idea. She’s furious at you.
-
Getting fired
When Joseph gets out from the office and enters the toilet or the kitchen, he meets the Administration Employee, who asks him to go to the boss’s office (the one with the dog picture). Otherwise, if he gets back to his cubicle, the AE approaches him and asks him to follow him from there. Joseph gets fired. There are many things he can get fired for, forging documents, being late for work again, other drone snatching on him (that he wasn’t working) etc. It turns out he’s not getting his prosthesis, because he’s getting fired. It’s obvious that they were looking for a justification because of his age.
-
finding the number to call Lucy
Depending on whether the player has found Lucy’s number or not, he’ll be able to call Ann (no answer), his former therapist and Lucy. The numbers of Ann and the therapist are scribbled on the label attached to the phone.
Choices:
A - call Doctor Haslam
W - call Ann
D - call Lucy
S - answering machine@remm player will be like “wtf is Ann? wtf is Lucy?” should be explained who these people are somehow
@remaciej I’ll hint on it in the telephone conversation (Ann) and in case of Lucy you’ll find her cleaning schedule on the fridge + we’ll add something more, if necessary, would be nice if player could discover at least part of this by himself
Trying to call the therapist: “No more of that Freud nonsense. I’m done with this.” //suggestion that he underwent therapy
Answering machine:
(a friend that Joseph will later meet at the pub left him a message)
Jonathan: Hello Joseph, quite a night, eh? The bartender found your wallet and gave it to me after you left. I dropped it at the kiosk near your place on my way to work. See you tonight, the usual hour.Trying to call Ann: “[sigh]”
Calling Lucy
“What was it? 664… no… 663… Damn it!”Finding Lucy’s number
The player approaches the fridge, he can look at the papers on it (he needs to close the fridge if it’s open).A zoom in when he looks at the fridge door. There are two papers and a third one sticking from underneath them (this is the one with the number).
One of the things glued to the fridge is a leaflet - a manual for the wheelchair (he takes it automatically), the second thing is his calendar.
This should be an interactive zoom in, where you can look at the manual and the calendar.
When he looks at the calendar: “It’s the day! The very last hours of using this rusty piece of misery!”
When he stops looking at the second picture, he notices that “There’s Lucy’s schedule underneath it.”
The wheelchair manual appears in the inventory bar, with F1 (or other appropriate button written next to it, depending on the used controls). It has a note from the friend who sold him the wheelchair on the back and instructions how to use the wheelchair on the front - drawings and short pieces of information. It also holds the info that this is the first wheelchair that makes it possible to successfully go down the stairs, but it’s a prototype and one needs to be careful.
The behaviour wheel now appears on the paper sticking from underneath the two previous ones. He can now press the S button to take it. Zoom in on the schedule. He can turn the schedule to the other side (flip the schedule - if we turn the card to a 3d object, which seems a good and simple idea - by using arrow keys or A and D for left and right) - when he does that, he finds Lucy’s number. “Ah, here it is.” Zoom in ends.
He calls Lucy. ->
-
TV - Waking Up #2
Here are things that you can hear (read) in the TV in this scene. Red text = game world/story relevant. These are displayed in random order, unless stated otherwise. There are three channels:
Static channel with most ads etc.
News channel (bits of news), after the bits of news end, the channel turns into static.
Music channel (plays some distorted music).
Joseph can turn the tv on/off, change channels or watch the tv (he concentrates on the tv, time passes).Static channel
0
...air pollution levels will be moderate today, so if you're an adult, you may leave your breathing mask at home! There are currently no air pollution alerts issued. Thank you and remember to tune in tomorrow!1 Liberal media wants to destroy our religion and all decency in this country. We need to fight back. For this I need you to transfer your money to the account displayed at the bottom of the screen.
2 ♫ I love you, baby baby, let’s go crazy, It’s crazy and amazin’, the way you make me feel!
So shake dat ass, shake dat ass, shake it, shake it!
Oh baby you’re so crazy, I wanna make it with you! ♫3
...so visit your local Transmigration Clinic now! We'll help you ascend and leave the troubles below!Dissolve effect here (time passes)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolve_(filmmaking)4 [Guest] - Yes, what I’m trying to explain to you is that the concept of objective reality. Objectivism is central to philosophy, it’s a really basic idea if you think about it. Reality is obviously mind-dependent and…
[Host] - I apologise, I need to interrupt you. We’ll be back shortly, after the commercial break!
[Ad] - YOU’RE ABOUT TO BE MESMERIZED! THE INCREDIBURGER IS NOW EVEN LARGER, CRISPIER AND JUICIER. YOU-NEED-TO-TASTE-IT! BUT THERE’S MORE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR COUCH. WE WILL DELIVER THE INCREDIBURGERS TO YOUR PLACE. CALL NOW!
[Host] - And we’re back with Dr. Robert Watts!
[Guest] - So as I was saying, the reality…
[Host] - So you’re saying to me that I may see the cameras in the studio and you may not, because you’re reality is different and basically all this can be happening in my head?
[AUDIENCE LAUGHS]
[Guest] - Well, it’s a bit more complicated. Let me give you an example…
[Host] - Haha, maybe I just went crazy because of my working schedule! Haha!
[AUDIENCE LAUGHS]
[Guest] - What I’m trying to convey here is that…
[Host] - Well, I’m sorry doctor, but we’ll have to wrap it up. Thank you for stopping by to chat with us. Tune in tomorrow as we’ll be chatting with Tamara Gray about her new album called “I love you”! Are you excited? I’M KNOW I AM!Dissolve effect here (time passes)
5 New episodes of “Marry Your Mother” coming soon!
6 Back to static with no text.
News channel
1 A man was stabbed today by a group of angry religious protesters after apparently waving a pink dildo at them. The item disappeared after the crowd dispersed.
Some static.
“And in order to protest against this wave of right-wing unibrowed half-wits, I shall wave this pink dildo in their general direction.”
Some static.
…apparently the man suffered fatal wounds during an intercourse with a horse. The horse died shortly after. A pink dildo was found on the scene.
2 Back to static with no text.
Music channel
1 Music from intro (we might add more later).
-
Waking Up #2 - finding the journal
ART2 - the player can now flip through the pages of the journal, when he reaches the last one, Joseph will add a new entry. (flipping via arrow left and right, arrow down closes the journal, or S, we’ll test it). Journal entries ->
-
opening the door - OLD VERSION (ignore)
Joseph needs to find a way to open the door.
Trying to shout through the door:
J.: Hello? Anybody there?!
Crazy Jack: SSstop… screaming! Aaargh!Trying to call Ann: “[sigh]”
Calling Lucy
“What was it? 664… no… 663… Damn it!”Finding Lucy’s number
The player approaches the fridge, he can look at the papers on it (he needs to close the fridge if it’s open).
A zoom in when he looks at the fridge door. There are two papers and a third one sticking from underneath them (this is the one with the number).
One of the things glued to the fridge is a sketch of the bridge that later appears in the industrial area in the dream, the second thing is a picture of the park for example. He can look first at the sketch, then at the picture. When he stops looking at the second picture, he notices that “There’s Lucy’s schedule underneath it.”
The behaviour wheel now appears on the paper sticking from underneath the two previous ones. He can now press the S button to take it. Zoom in on the schedule. He can turn the schedule to the other side (flip the schedule - if we turn the card to a 3d object, which seems a good and simple idea - by using arrow keys or A and D for left and right) - when he does that, he finds Lucy’s number. “Ah, here it is.” Zoom in ends.
He calls Lucy. ->
calling Lucy
L: Hello?
A: I need your help. // Hello Lucy, I need your help…
S: Get a taxi and be here in 5 minutes. // Listen, drop whatever you’re doing…L: Is something wrong, Mr. Kay?
A: Yes, I’ve locked myself in. // Yes, I’ve locked myself in, you see. I need you to get your key and come to my apartment.
S: No, I’m just calling to say “hello”. // No, I’m just calling to say hello.If A:
L: Good golly, Mr. Kay, I’ll be there as soon as I can!
J: Thank you Lucy, I’ll be waiting.If S:
L: Oh, hell…
J.: Of course course there’s something wrong! Grab the key to my apartment and be here in 10 minutes.
L.: But…
J.: Move!Joseph can now do some things to make the time pass. ->
-
Corpo Front - details, guard
If Joseph did not take his work ID card from home, the guard won’t let him in.
If he has one:
Guard: Hello, may I see your ID card please?
If he doesn’t:
Guard: Hello, may I see your ID card please?
A - My ID card?
S - I’ve been working here for 9 years! / Christ, I’ve been working here for 9 years!G (A) - I can’t let you in if you don’t show me your ID.
G (S) - I’m sorry, sir, I’m not asking you about your work history. I need to see your ID.A - I must’ve left it at home.
S - [Irritated] Let me in! / Let me in, half-wit.G (A) - You don’t have the card, you don’t get in.
G (S) - Beat it, Hawking.If he has a card, he gets in. Go to Corpo Reception.
If he doesn’t ->
-
Reception, face identification - Joseph
Joseph leaves his coat and proceeds to the clock-in machine. He will need to prop himself up and if he fails, he will fail the test. There’s also an alternative solution (adding a puzzle), at the bottom of this block.
First option:
M: Please prepare for the face identification procedure.
M: Scan failed. Please make sure to face the camera.
Joseph is too short on his wheelchair.
M: Scan failed. Please make sure to face the camera.
Joseph has to prop himself up (“prop yourself up” under S, timed event - a couple of seconds).
If the player manages to do it, the authorisation is successful.
“Authorisation successful. Welcome, Employee 426. // Reference to The Stanley’s Parable, in TSP it was Employee 427.
Joseph enters the elevator. At this point one of the employees enters the elevator with J. (the guy with hearing problems).
If he fails:
M: Unknown employee. Elevators locked. Please wait for the HR officer.
The other employees start to murmur and curse Joseph, they proceed to the stairs.
The guard near the reception won’t let J. go this way. After a moment a guy in a maintenance suit or something like that will come towards Joseph.
Barry: “Jesus, Joseph, you’re killing me.”
A - Screw you, Barry, you should’ve fixed it months ago. / Barry, you should’ve fixed it months ago.
S - Sorry, Barry…Barry’s answers:
A - I know, I know, but these procedures… I’ve requested that in January. There, ready! Have a nice day.
S - It’s okay. You should file a request in the Requests Department. They should review it within 3 months.
He will then unlock the elevators. At this point one of the employees enters the elevator with J. (the guy with hearing problems).
Alternative option:
We could make it impossible to pass without forging a fake id if Joseph stole the id and the photo is different. We can make Joseph go to a different room (add some sort of a cleaner’s utenstils room next to the reception) where he needs to use his personal id, the worker’s work id and the forgery machine to forge himself a new id that he can use to pass further. This would be more “gamey”. Reminder: he cannot use the device in public as it’s illegal and quite loud.
-
Corpo Kitchen
He can enter and drink some water at first or get an energy drink. When he starts pouring the water an annoying guy walks in and they have a short, empty conversation. He won’t come in again. Sometimes a woman will enter, but upon seeing Joseph she will leave.
Conversations ->
-
Corpo Toilet
He needs to get a key, the key is located next to the larger cubicle (Workplace) occupied by his manager - a skinny woman wearing glasses. She sees him every time he grabs the key to the toilet. She tracks him with her gaze/head.
1st attempt:
J: “It’s locked. Lovely.”2nd attempt:
J: “I need to get the key first.”3rd attempt:
The annoying guy passes him, carrying a glass of water.
AG: “Locked, eh? Your manager should have the key, remember?”The option to open the door is no longer available, until he gets the key. He needs to bring the key back every time he gets back on the computer.
Using the toilet when inside. ->
-
Corpo Dining Room
Closed until the dinner time.
-
Announcement - details
A man enters from the left and moves towards the chart, Joseph’s torturers sheepishly leave. The man stands next to the chart and starts talking:
Administrative Employee: Alright, I have an announcement to make.
Joseph thinks:
finally!AE: Blackwood Corporation is pleased to announce…
Joseph thinks:
new legs!Joseph drops something in his cubicle making a little noise.
AE: In fact, give me a second.
AE: Mr. Joseph, can you join me for a second?
Joseph: (blushes) Of course.The AE takes Joseph to the side and asks him to repeat after him.
AE/J: Blackwood Corporation is happy to announce that the Consultation Department…
…is being moved to Floor -1.
Employee X: What?
Employee Y: (whispering) That’s the basement!AE/J: Every employee will receive a free desk lamp…
AE/J: …and a poster of a sunny beach to hang in his cubicle.Joseph thinks: what the…
Now he can proceed repeating or stop reading after each sentence - a new option appears. In such case the AE will finish for himself.
A - keep repeating / Furthermore, in order to protect you from unnecessary distractions, your computers will be replaced with task-oriented terminals.
S - stop / …@remm maybe it’s for protection from malware or viruses? :D
AE: But that’s not all!
The AE proceeds to walk from cubicle to cubicle handing out stickers.
AE: Apart from that, you will receive free stickers with our company values. That’s the idea of Johnson here.
One of the employees stands up in his cubicle and raises a hand, turns right and left to show himself to other employees.
AE: Thanks Jansen, we believe in you.
Johnson: It’s Johnson, sir.
AE: Anyway. One more thing…
(reference to Steve Jobs’ keynotes, where he always used the “one more thing” phrase, he walks a couple of steps and turns to the employees again)
AE: Every employee will be eligible to AS MANY CANS of the Blackwood Energy Drink as he pleases!
Shy claps from cubicles.
AE: That’s all for now! Thank you!
AE starts clapping to himself.
Shy claps from the cubicles.
Option to clap or to curse.
The sticker he received says: FREEDOM.
Employee X to Employee Y: I got LOYALTY. What did you get?
Employee Y: INTEGRITY.
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Meeting
A really boring meeting, where very quickly the conversations turn into “bla bla bla” for Joseph.
It starts with marketing jargon. The main guy shows some charts and talks. Joseph is very bored. The characters that are sitting there are also the ones he sees at the office: Steve, Joseph’s manager, other drones.
Marketing Employee:
Blackwood Corporation has a new project aimed at maximising efficiency…ME:…increasing market penetration, escalating brand loyalty and improve advertising to non-markets.
options appear gradually, more and more things to control and only one thing you can choose at the same time:
W - keep eyelids open (timed)
ME: We believe that this approach will translate to even better results, as you can see on the blue graph here.
(timed)
W - keep eyelids open
S - suppress yawningME: Steve here will be the project manager. Steve, talk us through it!
Claps.
Steve: Thank you, James. I’m honoured. So…
(timed)
W - keep eyelids open
S - suppress yawning
A - pinch yourself
D - straighten yourselfThis is the point at which Joseph falls asleep even if he managed to keep his eyelids open. If he doesn’t manage to keep his eyelids open two times, he will fall asleep even earlier.
He starts dreaming.
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Getting fired - details WIP
This will involve if conditions and responsive dialogue depending on players choices and actions during the day. The below dialogues will change.
As Joseph enters the office, he gets stuck on the carpet (the wheels get stuck). He needs to lift the wheels up and continue (about 2 times). If the player doesn’t lift them immediately, the boss comments:
Boss: “Well, this is awkward.”
There is a microscopic york on a special cushioned chair next to the boss’s large desk. It is barking loudly from time to time. It’s voice is high-pitched, penetrating and irritating.
Boss: So this is how you look like, Kay.
Dog bark.
Boss: I’ll be honest with you.
Boss: Our Montly Efficiency Rating indicates that your productivity has lately hit rock bottom. [Responsive dialogue referencing his actions from this day - forging documents, slacking off etc.]Several dog barks.
Boss: We’ve agreed on several matters during our last talk - I tried to understand your situation and considering your state…
Dog bark.
Choice:
1- J: My state? / My state?!
2- I quit. / I’ve had enough of this. I quit.If 2:
B.: I’m sorry?
J.: (under his breath) I’ve been working here for far too long anyway.If 1:
K: This decision is not based on any prejudice, Mr. Joseph. Your manager, Mrs. Boor is in complete agreement with me over this matter. In fact, she is the one that suggested taking these steps.If 2:
B.: [Ignoring Joseph] Anyhow, this decision is not based on any prejudice, Mr. Joseph. Your manager, Mrs. Boor is in complete agreement with me over this matter. In fact, she is the one that suggested taking these steps.J.: What about my prostheses? It’s my 10th year in Blackwood today.
B.: One needs the full 10 years to be eligible for the prize. Since you’re being let go prior to 16:00 today, you are not entitled to claim it.
W - J. Are you joking? / Is this a joke?
S - [Leave]If the player leaves, the boss just calls after J.: “Mr. Joseph?” while he leaves the office.
Otherwise:
B: It is not easy for me to make this decision. But you have left me no choice. The corporation will have to let you go.Are you feeling okay, Mr. Kay? Choice:
J: …Yes.
[Leave]If the player leaves - as above. Otherwise:
B: Please collect your belongings from cubicle 27. We need to make a few formalities, so in the meantime, please wait for a call from us. We’ll get back to you in a few days. Goodbye.
Choice:
1 - J: Goodbye.
2 - J. Hang yourself. / Whatever.In both cases:
He stucks on the office carpet again.
J: Fucking hell!
Dog bark.
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calling Lucy about the gun/key - details
The new dialogue coming soon. She tells him about the revolver and the key. He can now get the key and leave the flat.
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TV Waking Up #2 - finding the journal - journal entries
(The writing style should deteriorate gradually towards the end, showing that Joseph is not getting better, quite the contrary. The entries are also getting more chaotic, he starts with specifying the dates, then he stops putting them down.
When the game starts Joseph wakes up from a nightmare and puts it down in his journal, when he finishes you can browse through previous entries.)
There are also some sketches in the journal, which the player will also find on cards (the ones used to interpret his choices and events). He puts down those entries and draws sketches in a dreamlike state, semi-lucid.
—
Wednesday, March 28
I decided to start writing a journal again. A pathetic old man and his little diary…
I guess it’s my final attempt at developing some form of discipline, and to say that perseverance has never been my strong point is an understatement.
Is putting these mind-bending nightmares on paper a good idea? Do dreams have a meaning, or are they just a surreal byproduct of a hibernating brain, synapses being pruned, random bits and pieces flying through your mind while it’s defragmenting itself?
—
Monday, April 2, 3:30 AM
The beaked figure appeared again, but I don’t remember the details. I think it was propping itself on a cane.
I’ve been woken up by some ravens outside, or am I still dreaming?
—
Thursday, April 5, 7:12 AM
I made sure the windows are tightly shut.
I think I’ve become immune to those pills. (at the side of the page: Can’t sleep AGAIN!)
I woke up and IT just sat there in silence, peering at me without motion with that EMPTY, chilling gaze.
I wanted to scream, but I had no mouth.
—
Saturday, April 7th, 8:10 AM
These ravens come here every day and stare at me like vultures, as if waiting for my demise in silence.
—
Monday, 6:05 AM
(at the side of the page: PILLS are NO GOOD!)
The pillow is soaked with sweat. I’m going to take two more tomorrow. Dreamt of the car again. Feels like I dreamt the same thing every time I fell asleep this night.
By the way, I relapsed, how could I not? Without booze I would be awake 24/7.
—
Wednesday, 3:00 AM
I’m lying on the ground, face down, I can’t move. I hear them cawing louder and louder. Then they start pecking on me, swallowing one bloody chunk after another. God!
Still shivering. Not going back to sleep. The voice commanded me to get up, I couldn’t. It’s the most horrid, crackling sound I’ve ever heard.
I guess watching the Lucifer’s dream box before falling asleep isn’t helping either. How else am I supposed to fall asleep though?
—
Friday, 8:30 AM
Today I kept waking up from one nightmare only to discover I’m in another one. I remember those doctors telling me to calm down, explaining that it’s just a simulation. The Raven was standing behind them, looking at me in silence.
It’s been ten minutes since I finally woke up in real life (I HOPE SO).
What if I’ve already lost it for good?
—
Saturday, 6 FUCKING O’CLOCK
TAP, TAP, TAP. RAIN. RAIN. RAIN. WILL IT EVER STOP RAINING? A NEVERENDING FUCKING FLOOD.
I washed the pills down with two bottles to fall asleep (pass out?).
We were in the park with Greg. He disappeared in the fog. I couldn’t follow him. Paralysis.
This clock is really annoying. THE TICKING!!!
—
SUNDAY
My body is impotent. I can’t feel my limbs. I guess this old bed won’t moan under my moves for much longer.
The car.
—
MONDAY
I feel them pecking at my sanity. Night by night.
—
//Joseph adds (upon turning to last page):
TUESDAY
The Raven beckons me. A black dog sits on the wheelchair. I try to shoot, but the revolver does not fire.
//The words “black dog” are underlined. He puts the journal down.
-
Corpo Front, details, getting in without a card
Two solutions:
Snatching the card from one of the co-workers. ->
Using the document forging device. ->
-
Corpo Kitchen - details, conversations
Annoying Guy: Hey! Hey, Joseph! <shakes Joseph’s hand> You look great. So how’s work going?
A - I’m sorry, I need to go. / I’m sorry, Michael, I need to get back to work.
S - Fuck off, I just want some water. / I’m sorry, I need to go.
D - Great. / Great, grrrreat. Have a nice day.If A or S:
AG: Right-o, you show’em, you show’em, Joseph!
When player tries to go back, J. says: “I’m not going back there until he leaves.”
Drinking water: He can drink the water 3 times this way per visit to kitchen, then he says “I’m bloated.” If he hasn’t reported with the manager yet, he will think:
need to work
I’ll take a break laterDrinking energy drinks from the fridge: He moves a bit faster for a moment. “Bloody hell, this tastes like a dead cat’s vomit.” You can hear Joseph’s heart pounding. If he hasn’t reported with the manager yet, he will think:
need to work
I’ll come here later
-
Corpo toilet - details, using it
It needs to be hard to use it, as it’s not designed for the disabled. More details to come.
-
waiting for Lucy - OLD VERSION (ignore)
- Joseph can watch the tv
- take a shower if he didn’t
- attempt to write if he didn’t
- explore the flat further etc.
- take a nap
- listen to the message from Ann if he didn’t answer the call (without it Lucy simply won’t come)
Lucy comes and rescues him.
Go to scene: Hall.
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Corpo Front, details, snatching the card from co-worker
An employee is standing outside the building, smoking a cigarette.
When Joseph approaches him, he says: “The big announcement day, eh?”
The player needs to find a good moment, when the employee leans towards the ashtray (turns his back to Joseph) and flicks the cigarette, to snatch his card. He needs to press S fast (timed action). He then shows the ID and enters.
@remm the id should have a photo of a fat black man (the guard doesn’t care:))
@remaciej lol
-
Corpo Front, details, using the document forging device
Details coming later.
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Corpo Front citylight ads
Citylight/billboard near the tram stop.
First, when Joseph comes to work, it’s an advertisement of Neurobionics Corporation:
“Let us shake your hand and welcome you to the world of tomorrow!” (an image of a bionic hand shaking a human’s hand)
When Joseph leaves after being fired later on, the advertisement is replaced by an antidepressants ad:
“Suffering from severe bouts of melancholy, spasms of despair?
Showing symptoms of lethargy, low spirits, absence of caring?
Prone to shadowy mind abstractions?
Try Dr. Baker’s Sloth Drops!”
(a Fallout-like/TC leaflet-like graphics, a smiling doctor holding a bottle containing a liquid)