The Virtual Grand National by Daniel Gunnell

The Virtual Grand National

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"The Virtual Grand National" by Daniel Gunnell (type HELP to find out how to play)

The story headline is "An Interactive Horse Ride"

Include Rideable Vehicles by Graham Nelson.

Use no scoring. Use brief room descriptions.

The time of day is 5:45 pm.

The block giving rule is not listed in the check giving it to rules.

A road is a kind of room. Definition: a room is offroad if it is not a road. Instead of going by a vehicle (called the auto) to somewhere offroad: say "Now, listen to me. Your horse was trained not to go offroad. Leave it outside, it'll be there when you get back."

Crediting is an action applying to nothing. Understand "help" as crediting. Instead of crediting, say "This game might not have anything much happening in it. This is because it is based on the events of the 2020 Virtual Grand National during the lockdown. However, here are some commands that you can use:[line break]You can examine something by typing EXAMINE ME or give something to someone with GIVE BOX to MAN. You can also move by using the compass directions north, south, east, or west."

When play begins: say "It's finally arrived. You've been training your horse for the Grand National since the last race. On Friday night, you ride up to Aintree quite proudly, only to be told that this year's race isn't on due to the lockdown. You and your horse are treated like royalty that night, sleeping in the finest stables and nearby hotel. The next day, Saturday, you arrange to ride all the way home with just your horse for company."

The description of the player is "You are a jockey who is proud to enter your horse into his first Grand National. You made sure that your horse had all the essentials before leaving: a nosebag, a saddle and all the rest of it."

By the Racecourse is a road. "You are just outside the entrance of Aintree Racecourse, where the annual Grand National is held. Usually, people would be flooding out of the entrance, which is to your north, to get back home. However, the lockdown has meant that people won't be leaving the racecourse. To the southeast, a main road winds its way across England, eventually arriving somewhere near Margate." Your horse is a rideable vehicle in By the Racecourse. The description of your horse is "Your horse, a gelding, was meant to be racing in this year's Grand National, but sadly he is not going to unseat you or any other jockey. He is a lightweight racehorse that was trained just in time for this year's race. You have managed to feed him the best hay there is, and the horse even has reins that do not break. On his forehead, you have spraypainted a white cross."

Instead of going southeast from By the Racecourse when the player is not on your horse, say "Your horse waits for you to mount."

Southeast of By the Racecourse is Main Road. Main Road is a road. "You are on the main road just outside Aintree Racecourse, whose entrance is northwest. The road continues south where in the far distance a junction lies."

South of Main Road is Outside a Blacksmith's Shop. Outside a blacksmith's Shop is a room. "Here, the road passes by a place where horses can have shoes fitted before races. Not much is happening within the shop, as many people are still stuck in their homes, but you can enter to the east. The road continues south."

East of Outside a Blacksmith's Shop is Hephaestus Inc. Hephaestus Inc is a room. "This is Hephaestus Inc, a small business that makes horseshoes just for the race and no one else. It was named after the Greek god of blacksmiths, and it prides itself not only in making the horseshoes, but also helping mine the metal out of the ground. There is nothing much going on here, since the smith has vacated the shop, but a forge sits in the centre of the room." A forge is here. It is scenery and fixed in place. The description of a forge is "Although the fire is still hot, the lumps of iron still sit in the flames, ready to be made into semicircles."

South of Outside a Blacksmith's Shop is Sunshine Stables. Sunshine Stables is a road. "You are just outside Sunshine Stables, a place where the finest racehorses are trained. At the moment, the yard is closed, meaning that no one is able to enter it. The road continues to the southwest and north." A sign is here. It is fixed in place. The description of the sign is "We regret to inform you that the stables are currently closed. If you have a racehorse that would like to be trained, please leave it until this lockdown is over." Southwest of Sunshine Stables is Near an Inn. Near an Inn is a road. "You are outside a small country inn, the first place that you've seen open in a while. The inn is known for receiving people who might be on their way home from the Grand National. A hitching post has been placed outside the door. The road continues southwest and an inn is west." A hitching post is here. It is scenery and fixed in place. The description of a hitching post is "It's a wooden post, used to tie up a horse when not in use. Since you don't have time to tie up your mount, you might have to leave it standing outside while you enter the inn." The Old Livery is west of Near an Inn. "You are in The Old Livery, a place that might once have served as a livery stable for stagecoaches. The inn is used by people who like the Grand National. A window in the north wall provides a good view of the racecourse and the walls are covered in photos of some of the first Grand Nationals. To the east is the road and a hitching post where one may tie up his horse." Some photos are here. Some photos is scenery and fixed in place. The description of some photos is "They all show the racecourse in its black and white glory. The jockeys appear to be either racing their horses around the track, or leading them by the reins to some hay. A caption on every photo reads: 'These photos were taken by Chestnut Pictures between 1839-1894. You may send these to any person residing within the British Empire. These photos were sold to this inn in 1906.'."

Southwest of Near an Inn is Countryside. Countryside is a road. "You are deep in the heart of the West Country, very near a junction with a road leading east. To the northeast is the front of an inn. The road continues south."

South of countryside is Junction. Junction is a road. "Two roads meet here, one going north towards Aintree and the other going east towards London and eventually Kent."

East of Junction is Shortcut. Shortcut is a road. "Someone has made a shortcut that leads from the West Country to London. In fact, you are just north of the Blackwall Tunnel." Instead of going to Shortcut when the player is not on your horse, say "It's a long walk." After going to Shortcut: say "You ride for a long time, passing through Central London until you arrive at..."; continue the action.

South of Shortcut is Blackwall Tunnel. Blackwall Tunnel is a road. "You are in a tunnel deep beneath the River Thames. The tunnel twists as it heads south, originally to prevent horse traffic bolting towards the daylight. To the south, the tunnel emerges outside a pub on the southbank of the Thames." A pass is here. The description of a pass is "It shows a picture of a man standing in the middle of what looks like the sea. Some writing below the picture reads: 'Give this pass to me and I will return your horse to its stable saving you a trip. (Note: the drop off point for your horse is located in the sea because I could not find room on land.'."

South of Blackwall Tunnel is Outside a Cab. Outside a Cab is a road. "To your east seems to be a public house that used to be an old hansom cab. The building is usually frequented by people who enjoy equestrian. The pub is closed, but if it was open, you would be able to engage in totopoly tournaments. To the north, the road runs under the River Thames and it continues southeast."

Southeast of Outside a Cab is Entering Kent. Enter Kent is a road. "You are between London and Kent. To the east, in the far distance, is a person who appears to be waiting for something."

East of Entering Kent is Along the Coast. Along the Coast is a road. "As you gallop along, you pass through towns that are along the Kentish coast. In fact, Margate clock tower can be seen to the east, with its clock telling you that it is [time of day]. To the north, the road enters the sea."

North of Along the Coast is The Sea. The Sea is a road. "You are off the coast of Kent. To the east, someone has set up what looks like a drop off point. The water isnt cold, but it makes a nice change to being on land."

East of The Sea is Drop Off Point. Drop Off Point is a road. "Beside the road, a local has set up some sort of drop off point that is designed to take any horse back to its stable while the jockey returns home." A jockey is a man in Drop Off Point. The description of the jockey is "He is a former horse racing champion, and his job is to return horses to their stables saving people like you a trip. To let the jockey ride your horse home, give him the pass." After giving the pass to the jockey: say "The jockey takes your pass and mounts your horse. The horse then trots out of the drop off point to the east. As the sound of clopping fades away, the jockey throws the pass into the sea and it somehow returns to the Blackwall Tunnel ready for the next rider to come along."; end the game in victory.