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Babysitter
by
Jackson Bates
Played 13,823 times
View game source
(spoilers!)
Download the
.z8 file
Source Code
"The Babysitter" by Jackson Bates [Acknowledgements: Thanks to some of the students in 9A at WCC for play testing - Especially Emma and Joshua for pointing out that giving the cookie before getting it out of the jar is a problem, and Calvin and Joseph for pointing out that 'open with' should work just as well as prying. Thanks also to Ryan Veeder for reporting some more bugs and offering very solid advice.] When play begins: now the time of day is 9:35 pm; change the right hand status line to "[time of day]"; say "[italic type]Author's note: This is a very simple 2 room timed puzzle with various solutions and multiple endings. It's my first attempt at a complete game. Report bugs and feedback: jacksonbates@hotmail.com[paragraph break][roman type]It's a tough gig, being a babysitter. The little darling in the next room has been crying for 45 minutes. You need to get him to bed, but you want a break from his infernal racket, so you retreat to the kitchen. You did not sign up for this for a measly $15![paragraph break]You were supposed to get Joey to bed by 8 pm. His parents are due home at 10 pm, and they are strict, punctual people. You can be sure that they will be here in 25 minutes on the dot. You have no time to waste - get Joey to stop crying and go to bed!". [Rules] Use no scoring. The describe what's on scenery supporters in room descriptions rule is not listed in any rulebook. Rule for printing room description details of a closed container: stop. Rule for printing room description details of an open container: stop Rule for printing the name of a closed container (called C) while taking inventory: say "[printed name of C]"; omit contents in listing. [Properties] A man can be happy or sad. A man is usually sad. A thing can be whole or broken. A thing is usually whole. A thing can be powered or unpowered. A thing is usually unpowered. [Recurrence] Every turn: if Joey is sad: say "[one of]Joey is crying uncontrollably[or]Joey's sobbing continues[or]Joey is wailing[or]Joey screams again[or]Joey's tantrum is deafening[or]The neighbours are likely alarmed by the screaming child[or]Banshees could take lessons from the blood-curdling sounds coming from Joey[or]Joey generates decibels that would be considered cruel and unusual punishment, according to the UN Convention for Human Rights[or]As another scream rings throughout the house, you think one of your teeth may have rattled a little loose[then at random]." [Kitchen] The Kitchen is a room. "A normal kitchen, with a bench top and sink. The living room is to the east." The fixtures are scenery in the kitchen. "There is nothing of interest in the kitchen, except for on the bench top." Understand "sink", "cupboards", "drawers", "freezer", "fridge" and "refrigerator" as fixtures. The bench top is a scenery supporter in the kitchen. The description of the bench top is "It's immaculately clean." Understand "counter", "top", "bench" as the bench top. The antique cookie jar is an unopenable closed container on the bench top. Understand "antique", "cookie jar", "jar" as antique cookie jar. The description of the cookie jar is "[if the chocolate chip cookie is not in the antique cookie jar]The jar is feels disappointingly light.[end if][if the chocolate chip cookie is in the antique cookie jar]An exciting rattle as you examine the jar suggests something tantalizing lies within.[end if]" Instead of opening the antique cookie jar, say "You try to open the jar, but the lid is stuck." Instead of attacking the antique cookie jar, say "What with? Your own fists are feeble and trying to smash it on the floor could send dangerous shards flying in all directions. If you want to go down this road, you should do so armed for the job." The expensive looking mess is a thing. The description of the expensive looking mess is "You observe a moment's silence for the antique jar. Oh, Antique Cookie Jar, we hardly knew ye! Joey does not observe this solemn occasion." Understand "mess", "expensive" as expensive looking mess. Instead of taking the expensive looking mess, say "There is no conceivable way you could cover this up. Trying to do so is actually more likely to leave you branded as a thief and not simply an idiot." The chocolate chip cookie is an edible thing. The chocolate chip cookie is in the antique cookie jar. The description of the chocolate chip cookie is "It's a little old, but looks delicious." Understand "cookie", "chocolate chip", "chocolate", "biscuit" as chocolate chip cookie. [Living room] The living room is east of the kitchen. "A messy living room with toys everywhere, and barely a path to the couch or kitchen to the west." Joey is a man. Joey is in the living room. The initial appearance of Joey is "A sniffling, puffy-faced, wet-cheeked boy stands before you. His body heaves with injustice, pain and suffering. No greater ennui, trial or tribulation has been felt by man - but he does not have the words to articulate his crippling despair. He can only cry." The description of Joey is "He's only a little boy. You are strange to him. He has no reason to trust you, much less heed your desire for him to go to bed." Understand "child", "kid", "baby", "boy", "sniffling", "puffy-faced", "wet-cheeked" as Joey. The child's plastic hammer is in the living room. The description of the child's hammer is "It's pretty sturdy for a toy. A surprising thing for a child to have; you could probably do all sorts of damage with it." Understand "plastic", "hammer" as child's plastic hammer. The toy screwdriver is in the living room. The description of the toy screwdriver is "The kid seems to like construction toys. The tip is a little bent, so he obviously gets use out of this a lot. It reminds you of the advice your father gave you about how a workman should treat his tools. [italic type][paragraph break]A real workman uses a tool for it's intended purpose. A screwdriver is not, for example, designed to be used as a chisel nor a pry bar. Should one wish to pry something open, or chisel something, one should use the tool designed for that purpose. One uses a screwdriver to drive screws![roman type][paragraph break]Your dad is a real hoot." The awesome choo-choo train is an open container. The awesome choo-choo train is in the living room. The description of the awesome choo-choo train is "Oh, cool! You had one of these as a kid. The chugging sounds and motion of the wheels used to inspire your ambition to become an awesome choo-choo train driver.[paragraph break][if unpowered]This toy is lifeless. The batteries are missing.[end if][if powered][paragraph break][italic type]ALL ABOARD!!![paragraph break]***CHUGGA***CHUGGAA***CHUGGA***CHOO-CHOO***[roman type][paragraph break]The train is as glorious as you remember. A single tear wells up in your eye.[end if]". Understand "train", "choo", "choo-choo" as awesome choo-choo train. Toys are scenery in the living room. "Lots of children's toys." Understand "joey's toys" as toys. The toys are plural-named. The comfortable couch is a scenery supporter in the living room. "If you were in a more restful mood, you could happily chill on this couch until the parents get home." The remote control is a closed unopenable container. It is on the couch. Instead of opening the remote control, say "Your mother always told you not to bite your nails. You can't get the back of the remote off with your grubby little nubs." The batteries are in the remote control. The description of the batteries is "Trusty double A's - these things work in anything. Well, anything that takes AA batteries, anyway." The batteries are plural-named. [New actions] Attacking it with is an action applying to two things. Understand "attack [something] with [something]" and "hit [something] with [something]" as attacking it with. Check attacking it with: if the second noun is not carried by the player: say "You're not holding the [second noun]." instead. Instead of attacking joey with [something], say "There is no way that is how a professional babysitter would resolve this crisis." Instead of attacking the antique cookie jar with the child's plastic hammer: say "That is an interesting idea. A single cookie probably costs about 20 cents. The jar, in your experience from watching the Antiques Roadshow with your grandparents, is probably worth a few hundred bucks. You are set to make $15 for babysitting...[paragraph break]Yeah, why not?![paragraph break]The antique cookie jar shatters like your chances of gainful re-employment."; now the antique cookie jar is broken; let H be the holder of the antique cookie jar; move the expensive looking mess to H; move the chocolate chip cookie to H; silently try dropping expensive looking mess; silently try dropping chocolate chip cookie; remove antique cookie jar from play. Instead of attacking the antique cookie jar with the toy screwdriver: try prying the antique cookie jar with the toy screwdriver. Prying it with is an action applying to two things. Understand "pry [something] with [something]" and "pry open [something] with [something]" and "open [something] with [something]" as prying it with. Instead of unlocking the remote with the toy screwdriver: try prying the remote with the toy screwdriver. Instead of unlocking the antique cookie jar with the toy screwdriver: try prying the antique cookie jar with the toy screwdriver. Instead of giving the antique cookie jar to joey: say "It is far more likely that he wants what is traditionally [bold type]inside[roman type] the cookie jar, don't you think?" Check prying it with: if the second noun is not carried by the player: say "You're not holding the [second noun]." instead. Instead of prying the antique cookie jar with the toy screwdriver: now the antique cookie jar is open; say "The lid comes off with a little jimmying. The stale smell of history greets your nostrils; as does the sweet scent of anticipation." Instead of prying the remote control with the toy screwdriver: now the remote control is open; say "The battery cover springs off across the room." Instead of inserting the batteries into the awesome choo-choo train: now the awesome choo-choo train is powered; say "Wow! Take a look at that!" Instead of listening to the living room, say "You hear nothing above the sound of the child. If he keeps this up much longer you may very well hear nothing ever again." Instead of listening to the kitchen, say "There is no door between here and the living room. Joey is almost just as loud in here." Instead of entering the couch, say "No time to rest. Get the boy to bed." [Endgame] Instead of giving chocolate chip cookie to Joey: say "[if the antique cookie jar is whole]The sobbing child is placated. He will now willingly go to bed.[paragraph break]Joey's parents arrive, thank you for your work and give you $15.[paragraph break]Y'know, they say you can't have your cake and eat it too, but that was an awful lot of effort for such a small sum of money. You leave wondering if there was a way you could have satisfied Joey and eaten the cookie for yourself...that would have felt like true victory![end if][if the antique cookie jar is broken]The sobbing child is placated. He will now willingly go to bed. [paragraph break]Joey's parents arrive soon after. They quickly discover the horrors inflicted upon the antique cookie jar. [paragraph break]They arrange for you to work off your $1000 dollar debt, $15 dollars a time, by babysitting for free, forever. And there won't even be cookies to silence your nemesis with, since the jar is no more...[end if]"; end the game saying "There must have been a better way..." After eating the chocolate chip cookie, say "That was surely the only chance you had to appease little Joey...what have you done!?" Instead of giving the awesome choo-choo train to Joey: if the awesome choo-choo train is unpowered: say "Joey is unimpressed. He cries louder and throws the toy train into the kitchen."; now the awesome choo-choo train is in the kitchen; otherwise: if the antique cookie jar is whole: say "Joey's eyes light up, like the little flashing headlights on the train. His sobbing subsides and he breaks into a smile you can relate to. He looks at you meaningfully. [paragraph break]He cannot express his appreciation for what you have done, and in the shared moment of quiet, save for the awesome chugging of the train, you realize you share an unbreakable bond. You are soul brothers. [paragraph break]Without another word, he retires to bed, to dream the sweetest dreams of being a train driver."; end the game saying "You are the best babysitter, ever!"; otherwise: say "Joey's eyes light up, like the little flashing headlights on the train. His sobbing subsides and he breaks into a smile you can relate to. He looks at you meaningfully. [paragraph break]He cannot express his appreciation for what you have done, and in the shared moment of quiet, save for the awesome chugging of the train, you realize you share an unbreakable bond. You are soul brothers. [paragraph break]Without another word, he retires to bed, to dream the sweetest dreams of being a train driver.[paragraph break]You are the best babysitter, ever![paragraph break]However, his parents are less impressed by the carnage you inflicted upon the antique cookie jar. [paragraph break]They arrange for you to work off your $1000 dollar debt, $15 dollars a time, by babysitting for free, forever. And there won't even be cookies to silence your nemesis with, since the jar is no more..."; end the game saying "There must have been a better way..." At 9:55 pm: say "You have five minutes to quieten Joey. Hurry up!" At 10:00 pm: say "Astonishingly, above the terrible din of the child, you hear the key in the lock to the front door. Joey's parents come into the living room to find their precious angel weeping inconsolably amongst the mess of toys, and you, defeated, exhausted and similarly weeping."; end the game saying "What kind of babysitter are you? All you had to do was get a kid to sleep."
