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The Magic Circle
by
Patrick Crosmun
Played 8,951 times
View game source
(spoilers!)
Download the
.z8 file
Source Code
[code for the abyss] The Abyss is a room. "The first thing you notice as you begin to regain consciousness is the sensation that you are floating and unable to move. Upon opening your eyes, you're immediately confronted with a pressing blackness. You blink several times just to make sure your eyes are actually open, but all you can see beyond the faceplate of your Augmented Reality Device is inky darkness. After a few moments, a blue hour glass appears in the middle of your faceplate to indicate that your ARD is rebooting. When your ARD finishes initializing, a Heads Up Display superimposes itself on your face plate. In the middle of the upper edge of the HUD you see the word 'Abyss'. The upper righthand corner of your HUD contains a grid that you know would contain a map and a compass direction if you were somewhere with a proper landscape. The remainder of the display is blank, but you have the distinct impression that with proper stimuli the display would fill with other information. Suddenly a familiar computerized voice begins speaking in your ear. 'Welcome to the circle. To enhance your experience we have outfitted you with an Augmented Reality Device, or ARD. Your ARD will provide you with relevant information about your surroundings on the convenient Heads Up Display you see superimposed across your field of vision. When you are ready to begin please blink twice and you will progress to the next phase.' You want to move, to do or say something, but you’re still immobile. After several moments of impotent, motionless struggling you are filled with a creeping sensation of déjà vu. You take a calming breath, knowing your only option is to blink." [limiting movement in the abyss] instead of going north in the abyss: say "you can not move, and so go no where. On your HUD the word 'blink' flashes twice."; instead of going south in the abyss: say "you can not move, and so go no where. On your HUD the word 'blink' flashes twice."; instead of going east in the abyss: say "you can not move, and so go no where. On your HUD the word 'blink' flashes twice."; instead of going west in the abyss: say "you can not move, and so go no where. On your HUD the word 'blink' flashes twice."; instead of going northwest in the abyss: say "you can not move, and so go no where. On your HUD the word 'blink' flashes twice."; instead of going northeast in the abyss: say "you can not move, and so go no where. On your HUD the word 'blink' flashes twice."; instead of going southwest in the abyss: say "you can not move, and so go no where. On your HUD the word 'blink' flashes twice."; instead of going southeast in the abyss: say "you can not move, and so go no where. On your HUD the word 'blink' flashes twice."; [code to handle the action of blinking] blinking is an action applying to nothing. understand "blink" as blinking. understand "blinked" as blinking. [code to move the player to the next room] after blinking: move the player to the atrium; [code for the atrium] the Atrium is a room. "A flash of light transports you into a plain white-walled room, about ten feet to a side. The ceiling overhead arcs above you in a vast network of gold and glass with a circular portal directly above you. You can see that your avatar is standing on a raised circular dais, and your heads-up display proclaims that this room is called The Atrium. There is a swirling blue portal on the wall directly across from you (south according to your HUD). Your avatar looks more or less like you do in real life, but with a few improvements—okay, maybe some significant improvements. Currently you’re wearing Level 1 Adventurer’s Garb. It’s pretty drab. Hey, maybe that magic box in the center of the room has some better gear in it" [code for the magic box] the Magic Box is a container. the magic box is a thing. the magic box is in the atrium. the magic box is scenery. the magic box is closed. the magic box is openable. "In the center of the room sits a massive, ornate box. It’s at least five feet long and three feet wide, and the whole thing is decorated with flowing gold and silver symbols. The top looks heavy, but it isn’t locked." [code to handle the Dais] the Dais is a thing. The Dais is scenery. the Dais is in the Atrium. after examining the dais: say "A smooth stone dais, about five feet in diameter and raised a few inches off the floor. There are swirling runes and strange markings carved into its surface that might be some kind of language. Dutch, maybe? Or German?". [code for the weapons in the magic box] the wand is a thing. the wand is a weapon. the dagger is a thing. the sword is a thing. after examining the wand: say "The wand is about a foot long, the wand is intricately carved, but nevertheless quite sturdy.". after examining the dagger: say "A short, dexterous blade, keenly sharp.". after examining the sword: say "A sturdy, reliable blade, with a sharp edge and looks excellently balanced.". there is a wand in the magic box. there is a sword in the magic box. there is a dagger in the magic box. the sword can be examined the dagger can be examined the wand can be examined [code for taking the weapons] Understand the commands "take","carry" and "hold" as something new. Understand "take [thing]" as taking. Understand "take off [thing]" as taking off. Understand "take [thing] from [thing]" as removing it from. Understand "take [thing] off [thing]" as removing it from. Understand "take inventory" as taking inventory. Understand the commands "carry" and "hold" as "take". Understand the command "get" as something new. Understand "get out/off/up" as exiting. Understand "get [thing]" as taking. Understand "get in/into/on/onto [thing]" as entering. Understand "get off [thing]" as getting off. Understand "get [thing] from [thing]" as removing it from. Understand the command "pick" as something new. Understand "pick up [thing]" or "pick [thing] up" as taking. the dagger can be taken from the magic box. the wand can be taken from the magic box. the sword can be taken from the magic box. understand "take" as taking. understand "pick up" as taking. understand "pickup" as taking. understand "grab" as taking. [code for prohibiting players from taking more than one item] instead of taking the sword: if the player has the wand: say "The magic box and its contents have vanished you have chosen the wand and are now a wizard."; otherwise: continue the action; instead of taking the sword: if the player has the dagger: say "The magic box and its contents have vanished. You have chosen the dagger and are now a Rogue."; otherwise: continue the action; instead of taking the wand: if the player has the dagger: say "The magic box and its contents have vanished. You have chosen the wand and are now a Rogue."; otherwise: continue the action; instead of taking the wand: if the player has the sword: say "The magic box and its contents have vanished. You have chosen the sword and are now a Warrior."; otherwise: continue the action; instead of taking the dagger: if the player has the wand: say "The magic box and its contents have vanished. You have chosen the wand and are now a Wizard."; otherwise: continue the action; instead of taking the dagger: if the player has the sword: say "The magic box and its contents have vanished. You have chosen the sword and are now a Warrior."; otherwise: continue the action; [code for weapons after taking] after taking the sword: say "This is a sturdy, reliable blade, with a sharp edge and excellent balance. When you hold it you feel taller and stronger than you were before, probably because of the bonus it gives to your constitution and strength"; continue the action. after taking the wand: say "About a foot long, the wand is intricately carved, but nevertheless quite sturdy. The swirling runes that twine around its length seem to shift and wriggle as you hold it, and the grip feels as if it’s molding to your palm. Then again, it is a magic freaking wand. Naturally your charisma score jumps when it’s in your inventory."; continue the action. after taking the dagger: say "A short, dexterous blade, keenly sharp. When you hold it you feel like you could totally do some parkour and maybe stab some people. That might have something to do with the fact that holding the dagger seriously bumps up your dexterity."; continue the action. [code for hiding the magic box] after taking the sword: say "The magic box and the items still contained within vanish"; after taking the wand: say "The magic box and the items still contained within vanish"; after taking the dagger: say "The magic box and the items still contained within vanish"; after taking the sword: move the magic box to the Abyss; continue the action. after taking the wand: move the magic box to the Abyss; continue the action. after taking the dagger: move the magic box to the Abyss; continue the action. after taking the sword: remove the dagger from play; continue the action. after taking the sword: remove the wand from play; continue the action. after taking the wand: remove the dagger from play; continue the action. after taking the wand: remove the sword from play; continue the action. after taking the dagger: remove the sword from play; continue the action. after taking the dagger: remove the wand from play; continue the action. [code for run lola room] Run Lola Room is a room. "You step through the blue energy portal and feel a vague tingling sensation ripple across your skin. For a moment you think you can taste blood in your mouth, but you decide to ignore it. When you emerge from the portal you find yourself in a room with walls that are made entirely of glass. You can’t see through it but it doesn’t quite reflect anything either; your image comes out warped and strange, bouncing across the four walls. On the wall in front of you a phrase is scrawled in colorful, cartoonish script: Nach dem Spiel ist vor dem Spiel. The mirror-wall behind you is interrupted by a blue portal that leads back to the Atrium, and you notice that if you squint and tilt your head a little you can just barely see the outline of an orange portal behind the scrawled words, like it’s sealed beneath the glass itself.The floor and ceiling are the same light gray stone as the dias you stood on in the Atrium, and the only sound you can hear is a subtle ticking noise, as if from a clock. The longer you stand in the room, the more overwhelming the ticking becomes. You feel a pressure building in your throat, as if you want to scream..." the glass wall is a thing. the glass wall is scenery. the glass wall is in the run lola room. the writing on the wall is a thing. the writing on the wall is scenery. the writing on the wall is in the Run Lola Room. after examining the writing on the wall: say "'Nach dem Spiel ist vor dem Spiel' is scrawled across one mirror-wall. It looks like finger-painting from a cartoon, and the effect is a bit disorienting.". screaming is an action applying to nothing. understand "scream" as screaming. understand "screams" as screaming. [code for removing the glass wall] after screaming in the run lola room: move the glass wall to the abyss; continue the action. after screaming in the run lola room: say "The pressure becomes overwhelming and you let out a blood-curdling scream. The glass around you shatters, its shards evaporating into nothing, revealing walls of the same gray stone as the dias from the Atrium. Set into the wall to the South of you is an orange portal. Having nothing further to do in this room, you continue onward through the orange portal."; move the player to the war games room;. [code to prohibit movement until the glass wall is shattered] before screaming in the run lola room: instead of going south in the run lola room: say " the glass wall is blocking your path"; instead of going north in the run lola room: say "why would you go back theres nothing for you there"; instead of going east in the run lola room: say " hey look! a wall..."; instead of going west in the run lola room: say "hey look! a wall..."; instead of going northeast in the run lola room: say "you can't help but think 'why am I sitting in the corner did I do something wrong?'"; instead of going southeast in the run lola room: say "you can't help but think 'why am I sitting in the corner did I do something wrong?'"; instead of going northwest in the run lola room: say "you can't help but think 'why am I sitting in the corner did I do something wrong?'"; instead of going southwest in the run lola room: say "you can't help but think 'why am I sitting in the corner did I do something wrong?'"; [code to handle blue portal and description] the blue portal is a door. the blue portal is scenery. the blue portal is north of run lola room and south of the atrium. after examining the blue portal: say "The portal in front of you is a glowing oval of energy that pulses and swirls. You feel the surface of your skin tingle slightly as you get close to it, and you can almost make out the fuzzy outline of another room on the other side."; [code for the war games room] the War Games Room is a room. "The portal deposits you at the north wall of a massive room lined with rows of long tables, all lined with outdated computers. They look like they might have been state-of-the art machines in the 1980’s, but seem comically outdated by today’s standards. When you step into the room towards the lowest tier of computers, you glance behind you and find that the wall above the orange portal you came through is paneled with several rows of massive computer screens; they’re all showing simple white, red or green outlines of various countries on black backgrounds. The floor is gray concrete and the rows of tables are bounded by metal railings, and the dim light in the room comes primarily from the soft glow of the computer screens behind you. Most of the individual computer terminals are turned off, but the few that are powered on are rapidly cycling through game after game of tic-tac-toe.The entire space is suffused with the muted sound of computers beeping. To the South you can see that almost the entire other end of the room is taken up by an enormous metal blast door with a wheel attached to its face. If you want to keep going you’ll have to try and open it." [code for objects in the war games room] The computers are a thing. the computers are scenery. the computers are in the war games room. after examining the computers: say "Most of the displays are turned off, but the few that are still on show streams of data or outdated menus. When you try the keyboard, though, nothing happens." the Screens are a thing. the Screens are scenery. The Screens are in the war games room. after examining the screens: say "The screens are massive, even by today’s standards. They show low-res pixel displays of countries outlined in red, green or white, with different readouts and projected data scrolling beside them. The US and Soviet Union are especially prominent." the tic-tac-toe game is a thing. the tic-tac-toe game is scenery. the tic-tac-toe game is in the war games room. after examining the tic-tac-toe game: say "The black screen shows a white 3 by 3 board cycling through different combinations of x’s and o’s so quickly that it starts to make you dizzy. As you watch, the game gets faster and faster until you lose track of the moves entirely. Suddenly the screen flashes black, and a message spells itself out on the screen: WHAT A STRANGE GAME. THE ONLY WINNING MOVE IS NOT TO PLAY." [code for the orange portal and its description] the orange portal is a door. the orange portal is scenery. the orange portal is north of the war games room and south of run lola room. after examining the orange portal: say "This portal is like the previous one; a glowing oval of energy that pulses and swirls (except this one is orange). You feel the surface of your skin tingle slightly as you get close to it, and you can almost make out the fuzzy outline of another room on the other side." [code for Heavy Metal door and its description] the Heavy metal door is a door. the Heavy Metal Door is scenery. the Heavy metal door is north of the Antechamber and south of the war games room. after examining the heavy metal door: say " it's a massive metal blast door and the huge wheel attached to its face." [code for the antechamber] the Antechamber is a room. "You walk up to the massive metal blast door and the huge wheel attached to its face starts to spin automatically. The looming metal structure swings gradually open. The door itself looks like it must be five feet thick, and the hallway beyond is dimly lit by fluorescent light strips along the walls. You walk past the door and it swings shut behind you with a resounding thud. South is the only way forward now." instead of going north in the antechamber: say "you cannot get passed the door it seems to be locked". instead of opening the heavy metal door in the antechamber: say "the door is locked". [code for the stone tunnel and its description] after examining the stone tunnel: say "It's a stone tunnel that seems to continue a ways". after going through the stone tunnel: say "The hallway gradually transitions from a well-lit concrete passage into a long, sloping tunnel carved through thick stone. It looks like the same stuff the dais in the Atrium is made of. The hallway continues to slope gradually downward, but you notice that the further you go the more it cants to the East. After a while the floor transitions into shallow stairs, and soon you’re walking down a spiralling stone stairwell. Just when you begin to think you’ll never see the tunnel’s end, it straightens out again and opens up into a large stone chamber. Above the entrance there is a message in the stone: 'BEYOND DWELLS THE LAST WIZARD.'"; continue the action. The stone tunnel is door. the stone tunnel is open. the stone tunnel is scenery. the stone tunnel is south of the Antechamber and north of the Final Circle. [code for the final circle ] the Final Circle is a room. "You cautiously make your way into the large chamber at the end of the passageway, all carved out of the same gray stone. The room is circular and lit all around by flickering torches, and at the far end of the room there’s a larger version of the same stone dais from the Atrium, but the strange markings on this one are glowing with a faint blue light. On the dais itself stands... a guy. An incongruously ordinary-looking guy. He’s wearing jeans, a plaid button-down t-shirt and sneakers, and the light from the torches glints off of his glasses. You suppose that he’s the so-called 'last wizard.' 'Oh, hi,' he says, and waves. 'So, at this point you’ve got to figure out how to win the game. I’m technically the final boss, and, uh, I’ll be over here while you make up your mind about what to do next. Remember, you have two options: play the game, or uh don’t.' Okay. This wasn’t what you expected at all. Now what?" [code for the magic circle] the Magic Circle is a thing. the Magic Circle is scenery. The Magic circle is in the Final Circle. [code for the wizard] The Wizard is a thing. the Wizard is scenery. The Wizard is in the Final circle. [code to restart the game] instead of doing something in the final circle: follow the immediately restart the VM rule;. [code to win the game on quit] Carry out quitting the game: say "Are you sure you want to quit? "; if the player consents: end the story finally saying " Congratulations you have broken the Magic Circle. 'Indeed, as soon as the rules are transgressed the whole play-world collapses. The game is over. The umpire's whistle breaks the spell and sets 'real' life going again.' - J. HUIZINGA"; otherwise: rule fails.
