Surfboard by Daniel Gunnell

Surfboard

Played 1,061 times
View game source (spoilers!)
Download the .z8 file
Source Code

"Surfboard" by Daniel Gunnell (type HELP for instructions)

The story headline is "An Interactive Computing Adventure"

Use brief room descriptions.

The maximum score is 8. Crediting is an action applying to nothing. Understand "help" as crediting. Instead of crediting: say "If you have never played interactive fiction before, you move around the story by typing in commands like GET KEY or NORTH. You shouldn't get stuck in this game and you won't be able to enter the gift shop without visiting the back alley. I wrote this game using playfic.com, which uses Inform 7 to create interactive fiction. To learn more about Inform 7, go to inform7.com.[line break]Cyberpunk terms[line break]Chummer: a slang word for a friend. CredChip: a credit card. You don't carry hard cash in the cyberpunk genre. Cyberware: cybernetic implants that are implanted directly into your body, ranging from smart weapons to communication implants. Ripperdoc: a person skilled in implanting cyberware. Edgerunner: an edgerunner is a person who lives on the streets. Cube hotel: a cube hotel is a hotel that contains cubes for renting on a nightly basis. They are a step up from sleeping coffins. Night City: the fictional city that Cyberpunk 2077 takes place in. You can find more cyberpunk terms just by typing them into Google. This game is not set in the cyberpunk genre, but I added the simulation in because cyberpunk deals with the future of computers and artificial intelligence." Dancing is an action applying to nothing. Understand "dance" as dancing. Instead of dancing: say "You look really stupid doing it, but you give it your best shot." Instead of dancing when the player is in the Apocalypse: say "You do your best to fit in with the various people and jive along to the music." The block giving rule is not listed in the check giving it to rules. Rule for printing the banner text when the player is not carrying the card: do nothing.

A thing has some text called printing. The printing of a thing is usually "blank". Understand the command "read" as something new. Understand "read [something]" as reading. Reading is an action applying to one thing, requiring light. Check reading: if the printing of the noun is "blank", say "Nothing is written on [the noun]." instead. Carry out reading: say "You read: [printing of the noun][line break]". Report reading: do nothing.

Living Room is a room. "You are in the living room of your suburban house. The room is nicely furnished with a coffee table and other necessary items, none of which will help you today. An east-facing window looks out across your neighbourhood and the front door lies west." Your neighbourhood is a backdrop. It is in the Living Room. Understand "view of your neighbourhood" or "view" as your neighbourhood. The description is "The view stretches on and on. You could stare at it all day, but you really need to get going." Instead of going west in the living room, say "Maybe you should have a drink of something hot before work." An Xbox One S is a device in the living room. It is fixed in place. "An Xbox One S, which you are proud to own, sits here." Understand "Xbox" or "console" as the Xbox One S. The Xbox is switched off. The description of the Xbox is "[if the Xbox is switched on]The Xbox is currently showing trailers for upcoming games: a packed football stadium, a futuristic city and even a new update for Minecraft.[otherwise]Your console is turned off.[end if]". A coffee table is a supporter in the living room. It is scenery and fixed in place. The description of the coffee table is "A standard coffee table that you find in people's houses. It is engraved with the logo of Surfboard Technologies, the company who you work for." The logo is part of the coffee table. It is scenery and fixed in place. The description of the logo is "It's a surfboard with the name 'Surfboard Technologies' on it. It was also your decision to have the logo engraved onto the wood." An ID card is a thing on the coffee table. Understand "card" as the ID card. The description of the ID card is "The card shows a picture of what life would be like in a cyberpunk city. Dark, narrow back alleys with gangs living in slums make up at least half the picture. The other half shows you corporation buildings with aerodynes flying overhead. Underneath the picture, a message reads 'Flip the card over to read about Cyberspace, the cyberpunk-themed simulation." The printing of the card is "Ever wanted to live in Night City or anywhere where the line between human beings and technology is non-existent? Ever wanted to find out what it would be like to live in the future?[line break]Welcome to Cyberspace, the cyberpunk-themed simulation for any cyberpunk enthusiast. While the simulation was initially built for employees of Surfboard Technologies who couldn't wait for the upcoming video game Cyberpunk 2077, the simulation can also be enjoyed by anyone who just likes the cyberpunk genre.[line break]Requirements[line break]Before you try out our simulation, please note a few things. The year that the simulated city is set in is 2065, and all characters are fictional. Your ID card must also be shown to either an employee of Surfboard Technologies or Gibson Industries to allow you to access the simulation. The simulation is designed to be fun, and it is based on an original concept. We cannot guarantee that you will return from the simulation in one piece. Even though  it's virtual reality we want you to be safe when trying it out. The simulation is open 24/7 and anyone can enter at any time of day. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.[line break]Cyberpunk 2077 is an upcoming cyberpunk-themed video game which is set in Night City in 2077. (This simulation is not recommended for steampunk enthusiasts.)" After taking the card for the first time: say "You take the ID card and spend five minutes drinking your tea. With dreams of binary code and other programming techniques going round your head, you jump in the car and head to work...[banner text]"; move the player to Your Cubicle. Your Cubicle is a room. "This is your cubicle in Surfboard Technologies, a company that works with computers and software. The room is just big enough to hold your desk and just tall enough to prevent your head from banging the ceiling. The exit out of your cubicle is south." A desk is a supporter in Your Cubicle. It is scenery and fixed in place. The description of the desk is "A few months ago, Surfboard Technologies decided to buy these fancy new top-of-the-line computer desks. This one has just enough room for your laptop, and luckily it doesn't take up too much space." The laptop is a device on the desk. It is fixed in place. The description of the laptop is "[if the laptop is switched on]The laptop shows the Windows start menu and your recently opened spreadsheet in Excel.[otherwise]The laptop is a brand new Windows 10 PC, identical to the ones the other employees here use. With your Microsoft account, you usually create wonderful spreadsheets in Excel, stunning PowerPoints in Microsoft PowerPoint and even see how your Xbox is doing through the Windows version of the app. The PC also has a brand new CPU and an LCD display.[end if]"

South of Your Cubicle is Open Area. Open Area is a room. "Surrounded by cubicles full of computer programmers, the open area provides a walkway through the upper floors of the building and leads to the lift that will lead you downstairs into the lobby. The sounds of fingers typing away at keyboards can also be heard. Your cubicle is to the north and the breakroom is southeast." Every turn while the player is in Open Area: say "[one of]An employee rushes to the next meeting.[or]'My source code is finished,' someone shouts from a nearby office, 'I wonder what the beta-testers will think of it.'[or]Several gamers run past, excitedly talking about the releases of Cyberpunk 2077 and Watch Dogs: Legion.[at random]"

A sign is here. It is fixed in place. The description of the sign is "The entrance to Cyberspace is just east of here. Remember to bring your ID cards that were sent out to your home addresses."

Southeast of Open Area is Breakroom. Breakroom is a room. "This room is frequently used by the employees of Surfboard Technologies to allow them to relax and take their minds off their screens. The walls are covered in posters of computer-related films and a list of upcoming Xbox games. In the centre of the room, several employees are relaxing before they go back to work. The exit back to the open area is northwest."Some posters are scenery in the breakroom. Understand "movie posters" as some posters. The description of some posters is "These computer-related films may have plots involving the history of computer programming, or the computer might try and take over the world. The posters advertise The Matrix and The Imitation Game." A list of upcoming Xbox games is scenery in the breakroom. Understand "list" as the list of upcoming Xbox games. The description of the list is "Watch out for these upcoming games[line break]FIFA 21[line break]Cyberpunk 2077[line break]Watch Dogs: Legion."

East of Open Area is Cyberspace Entrance. Cyberspace Entrance is a room. "You are standing outside the entrance to Cyberspace, the cyberpunk simulation. To the north, the Cyberspace attraction itself seems to invite you in. There are also posters on the walls telling you what the simulation has to offer. Doors lead both east and west." A poster is here. It is scenery and fixed in place. The description of the poster is "It is made to look like a bilboard with the slogan 'Welcome to Cyberspace' on it. Beneath this, an image of a cityscape with tall skyscrapers can be seen. The right-hand side of the poster, next to the picture, contains information about the Cyberspace® Gift Shop that can be found near the lobby of Surfboard Technologies." The doorman is a man in the Cyberspace Entrance. "A doorman waits to take your ID card." The doorman wears a T-Shirt. The description of the T-Shirt is "A blue T-Shirt, with the Cyberspace logo on it. The logo shows a gleaming skyscraper near what looks like a club of some kind." The doorman carries the CredChip. The description of the CredChip is "If this was a full cyberpunk game, this would function as your credit card, but here it's used by the Cyberspace Gift Shop as a voucher for one of their products. The card itself is made of plastic, and has the now familiar cityscape that you've already seen on your ID card. You can use this voucher to buy anything in the shop, but only once." The description of the doorman is "This man, employed by Gibson Industries, is here to take people's ID cards and allow them to enter the simulation.[The doorman] is wearing [a list of things worn by the doorman][if the doorman carries something] and carrying [a list of things carried by the doorman][end if]." After giving the ID card to the doorman: say "You hand the doorman your ID card. 'Now, if you ask me, I'll give you the CredChip.' the doorman says." Instead of asking the doorman for the CredChip when the doorman is carrying the ID card and the doorman is carrying the CredChip: move the CredChip to the player; say "'There ya go, chummer. Enjoy Cyberspace.' says the doorman."; increase the score by 4. Instead of asking the doorman for the CredChip: say "'Can you give me your ID card, please?' the doorman says." Instead of going north in the Cyberspace Entrance when the player is not carrying the CredChip: say "The doorman stops you. I must see your ID first.'" Before going north when the player carries the CredChip: say "The doorman smiles at you as you pass."

North of Cyberspace Entrance is Cyberspace Simulation. Cyberspace Simulation is a room. "This room is large, with over half of it taken up by various model cyberdecks. Many customers are sitting here and enjoying their time in the simulation. The walls are decorated with various pictures of office buildings and other scenes of urban sprawl so that you can experience the genre before you go there. To the south is the exit out of here." Some pictures are scenery in Cyberspace Simulation. The description of some pictures is "Various pictures of high-tech vehicles, apartment buildings and neon lights." Several customers are people in Cyberspace Simulation. The description of several customers is "All the people are here to enjoy themselves in the simulation." A cyberdeck is here. "A model of a cyberdeck waits for you to jack into it." The description of the cyberdeck is "Unfortunately, the cyberdeck is only a model and won't actually work. Instead, all you have to do is pick it up and somehow you'll arrive in 2065. You may also keep this cyberdeck as a reminder of this simulation." After taking the cyberdeck for the first time: say "As you pick the cyberdeck up, you feel a sharp pain at the back of your neck. Before you can do anything that can get rid of the pain, you find yourself somewhere else..."; move the player to Back Alley. Back Alley is a room. "This is a narrow alleyway between two buildings that provides a shortcut between streets and a place for the various street gangs to practise their combat skills on any unfortunate person. Garbage litters the floor and the street lies to the west." Some garbage is scenery in Back Alley. Understand "rubbish" or "trash" or "refuse" as some garbage. The description of the rubbish is "Empty bottles, rotten food and old bits of carboard."

West of Back Alley is Northside Street. Northside Street is a room. "Northside Street leads from the city centre to the poorer side of town. On the east side of the street is the alley where you entered this simulation and on the west side is The Apocalypse, a nightclub usually frequented by edgerunners and corporate workers. Because this is only a simulation, you can only go east or west." The city centre is a backdrop. It is in Northside Street. The description of city centre is "To the south, tall office buildings made of glass and steal make up the city centre to the south." Graffiti is here. It is fixed in place. "The walls are covered in colourful graffiti." The description of the graffiti is "Thank you for visiting this simulation. We hope you can also visit the Cyberspace Gift Shop near the lobby of Surfboard Technologies. The shop sells a range of fake cyberware, weapons and even a postcard of this place. Bring your CredChip to receive a free gift on us, and remember, all products in the shop are only pretend, so don't expect that communications implant you bought to work the way it should." A ticket is here. The description of the ticket is "The ticket reads: 'This simulated ticket will allow the person holding it to travel into Orbit. Luxury hotels, fine casinos and much more awaits. All you need to do is give this ticket to the flight attendant and he'll sort you out.'" After taking the ticket: say "You pick up the ticket, knowing that this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance."; increase the score by 4.

West of Northside Street is The  Apocalypse. The  Apocalypse is a room. "Neon lights, loud music and the sounds of people drinking fill this large, indoor space. A dance floor is sunken into the centre of the room, currently occupied by patrons [one of]dancing energetically[or]waltzing[or]sitting at tables around the floor[at random]. A long bar runs along the north wall and a huge wall screen covers the south wall. The exit out to the street is east." A dance floor is here. It is scenery. The description of the dance floor is "Around the sunken space, people sit drinking at tables." The bar is here. It is scenery. The description of the bar is "Simulated alcohol is yet to be invented." A wall screen is here. It is scenery. The description of the wall screen is "The large television is showing products that you can buy in the Cyberspace Gift Shop. Right now, the picture shows[one of]a can of soy[or]some cube hotels[cycling]." Some patrons are people in The Apocalypse. The description of some people is "Edgerunners, ripperdocs and businessmen crowd this nightclub. They even look real, or as real as the simulation can make them." The flight attendant is a man in the   Apocalypse. The description of the flight attendant is "Although the cyberpunk genre takes place in a dystopian future on Earth, some people have managed to build space stations in the atmosphere. If you would like to experience life in one of these[if the player carries the ticket]just hand him your ticket[otherwise]you will need to find a ticket[end if]." After giving the ticket to the flight attendant: say "As you give the ticket to the flight attendant, dreams of space in your mind, you realise that he is just another customer of the simulation. Before you can ask for your ticket back, he begins speaking. 'Once I return you to the real world, go and buy a postcard from the gift shop. Suddenly, everything spins and you find yourself back in the real world..."; move the player to Cyberspace Simulation.

East of Cyberspace Entrance is Near Lift. Near Lift is a room. "You are outside the lift that will take you down to the lobby. To the west, the cyberpunk simulation can be seen, and the lift lies east." The Employee Lift is east of Near Lift. The Employee Lift is east of Lobby. The Employee Lift is a room. "This is the lift that takes employees of Surfboard Technologies between the two floors of the building. Because many employees have computer-based hobbies outside their working lives, the lift uses AI to work rather than buttons." After going to the Employee Lift: say "The doors automatically close, there is a rush of motion, and they open again."; If Near Lift  is mapped west of the Employee Lift, now Lobby is mapped west of the Employee Lift; otherwise now Near Lift is mapped west of the Employee Lift; continue the action. Lobby is a room. "You are in the lobby of Surfboard Technologies, the company that deals with all things IT. The lobby is large and full of people either visiting the company for the day, or employees rushing to their offices. In the centre of the lobby, near the reception desk, is a model of a person sitting at a computer. A pair of sliding doors in the east wall open onto the lift and an area reserved for beta-testers is south." A model is here. It is scenery. The description of the model is "It's designed to show new employees of Surfboard Technologies how you should sit at a computer. The model person sits on a swivel chair in front of a pretend desktop computer." Some employees are people in the lobby. The description of some employees is "They rush around you, some of them amateur programmers, some of them very high up in the computing industry. Many of them also have computer-based activities outside work, such as gaming, writing very basic programs and nearly every one of them has visited Cyberspace at least twice."

South of Lobby is Testing Room. Testing Room is a room. "This room is where beta-testers spend all day examining the finished programs that have been made. There are many desks along the walls and various bits of computer equipment everywhere. The lobby lies to the north." A notice is here. It is fixed in place. The description of the notice is "If you enjoyed Cyberspace, the cyberpunk-themed simulation upstairs, feel free to stop by our gift shop which is to the east. There, you can buy cyberware, or anything else relating to the genre." A beta-tester is a man in Testing Room. "A programmer, hard at work, is using his time in here to write a complicated bit of code." The description of the beta-tester is "This beta-tester is using the Windows version of Inform 7. You have never yet used it yourself, but you know that if you go to inform7.com, you can find out how to download it. The Windows app is free." Instead of going east in Testing Room when the player is not carrying the CredChip: say "Something bars you from going that way. A computerised voice informs you that you need to enter the simulation before buying anything from the gift shop." Instead of going east in Testing Room when Back Alley is unvisited: say "You still need to actually enter the alleyway. Go back upstairs." East of Testing Room is Cyberspace Gift Shop. Cyberspace Gift Shop is a room. "The Cyberspace gift shop is the place to come and buy merchandise relating to the cyberpunk genre and Cyberspace. Nearly every wall is covered in shelves stacked with products that you transport you to the future without actually going there. To the west is the exit." Some shelves are scenery in the Cyberspace Gift Shop. The description of some shelves is "They are piled high with copies of Cyberpunk 2020, switchblades, cybernetic implants and other products." The shopkeeper is a man in the Cyberspace Gift Shop. "A shopkeeper stands here, waiting for customers." The description of the shopkeeper is "Dressed in the latest in urban fashion, the shopkeeper watches the store for any potential shoplifters. All you have to do in order to buy something is to give him your CredChip." After giving the CredChip to the shopkeeper: say "You hand over your CredChip and the shopkeeper smiles at you. 'On behalf of Gibson Industries, I thank you for visiting Cyberspace. We built it so that employees of Surfboard Technologies who couldn't wait for Cyberpunk 2077 could find out what life in the future was like.' With that, the shopkeeper hands you a postcard showing you a picture of the simulation. As you turn to leave, clutching your postcard, the flight attendant from the simulation enters the shop. Now, with the simulation out of the way, you think it's about time you did some more computer programming."; end the game in victory. Rule for amusing a victorious player: say "Thank you for playing this game. Now, have you tried the following:[line break]Dancing in the nightclub or anywhere in this game?[line break]Typing the LOOK command more than once in the club?"