Policy Hobo by Veronica Beaty

Policy Hobo

Played 1,500 times
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"Policy Hobo"

Use no scoring. 

The fast time rule is listed instead of the advance time rule in the turn sequence rules.

This is the fast time rule: 
    increment the turn count; 
    increase the time of day by 15 minutes.
When play begins: now the right hand status line is "[time of day]".

Waiting more is an action applying to one number.
Understand "wait [a time period]" or "wait for [a time period]" or "wait for a/an [a time period]" or "wait a/an [a time period]" as waiting more.

Carry out waiting more: 
	let the target time be the time of day plus the time understood; 
	decrease the target time by one minute; 
	while the time of day is not the target time: 
		follow the turn sequence rules.

Check waiting more: 
    if the time understood is greater than ten minutes, say "You really haven't got that kind of patience." instead.
At 10:00 AM: say "At [the time of day in words], you realize you should go count parking spaces."
At 12:00 PM: say "At [the time of day in words], you realize you should go count parking spaces."
At 2:00 PM: say "At [the time of day in words], you realize you should go count parking spaces."
At 4:00 PM: say "At [the time of day in words], you realize you should go count parking spaces."

Player is carrying debit card. The description of debit card is "Plastics make it possible."

Player is carrying cash. The description of cash is "A crumpled fistful of ones."

Player is carrying a data collection sheet. The description of data collection sheet is "This sheet is for recording information about what cars are parked where. It is pretty confusing, you you have to turn it around a few times to understand it."

Player is carrying an orange vest. The vest is wearable. The description of vest is "A neon orange vest with the city logo on the back. Your boss says you have to wear it, so cars don't hit you while you're on the sidewalk. It's not very fashionable."

The Busy Intersection is north of the bus stop. "[if the Busy Intersection is unvisited] Welcome to your first day as a parking policy intern! You've been sent to collect data about how parking spaces are used in the two blocks around a busy intersection. Because you had to take the bus here, you've arrived half an hour early. You can check out the intersection to the north, or you can wait in a coffee shop to the east.

To start playing the game, click on the > and type the direction you'd like to go.[end if][if the Busy Intersection is visited] You're back at the busy intersection. The coffee shop is to the east, and the blocks you're collecting data on are to the north.[end if]"

The Coffee Shop is east of the Busy Intersection ."[if the Coffee Shop is unvisited] You strike out in search of some liquid productivity and a chance to check your email. Luckily, there's a coffee shop here. It's full of people staring zombie-like into their laptop screens. Perfect![end if][if the the coffee shop is visited] The cute barista seems a little confused you've come back.[end if]"

The counter, the table, and the espresso machine are fixed in place in the coffee shop.

The barista is a person in the coffee shop. The barista is carrying to-go cup.

The to-go cup can be full, partly drained, or empty. The to-go cup is full. Understand â€œcoffeeâ€ as the to-go cup.

Instead of drinking when the to-go cup is empty:
Say â€œYour attempt to drink produces a hollow rattle. Youâ€™re out of coffee.â€

Instead of drinking the to-go cup: 
if the to-go cup is partly drained, now the to-go cup is empty;
if the to-go cup is full, now the to-go cup is partly drained; 
say "You drink a long draught from the to-go cup which is now [to-go cup condition]."

Every turn when the player can see the barista: 
say "The barista [one of]smirks at you and [or]ignores you and [as decreasingly likely outcomes]wipes down [a random fixed in place thing which is in the location]."

Understand "talk to barista" as a mistake ("Just because she's making coffee for you doesn't mean she's your therapist. To start a conversation, try to ASK the barista ABOUT something or TELL the barista ABOUT something.").

After asking the barista about "coffee", say "That will be  $2.50."

Instead of showing debit card to barista:
say "'Uh, we have a $10 minimum on card purchases.'"

Instead of giving debit card to barista:
say "'Uh, we have a $10 minimum on card purchases.'"

Instead of giving cash to the barista:
now the player is carrying to-go cup;
now the barista is carrying cash;
say "The barista fills a large to-go cup with light roast and hands it to you. 'Enjoy.' [paragraph break]
You are now carrying a to-go cup of coffee."

The Parking Area is north of the busy intersection. The Parking Area has the description "[if parking area is unvisited] So this is the area on which you're collecting data. It's only two blocks long. Why was this worth sending you out of the office?[paragraph break] Along the two blocks, there are 5 cars and 10 empty spaces. You should write that down.[end if][if the player is in the Parking Area the second time]Going back to the parking area, you see 3 cars and 12 empty spaces. You should write that down. [end if][if the player is in the Parking Area third time] 14 cars and 1 empty space. Must be the lunch rush.[end if][if the player is in the Parking Area the fourth time]7 cars, 8 empty spaces. Write it down and you're done![end if][if the player is in the area for more than the fourth time] You've got the information you need, why are you back here?[end if]"