How Can I Help? by Sanai Broxton

How Can I Help?

Played 417 times
View game source (spoilers!)
Download the .z8 file
Source Code

"How Can I Help"

The intro is a room. "Welcome to my text-based adventure game. This game is for a college project. I hope you enjoy and learn something new! Please look at the desk." There is a black door. The black door is north of the classroom. The black door is south of the intro. The intro contains a gray desk. The gray desk is fixed in place.

The description of the gray desk is "Here are the instructions. To move, type the direction you wish to go in: n, e, s, or w. To examine something, type 'x-insert object/self/person.' To check your inventory, type 'i'. To speak to an NPC, type 'ask/tell--person--something'. Try to be as specific as you can when it comes to initiating dialogue! Now, use south to continue through the story."

[Classroom] The classroom is a room. 

The classroom contains a brown desk. 

The friend is a person in the classroom. 

The table is fixed in place. The classroom contains a table. 

The teacher is a person in the classroom. 

The test is an object. The test is on the brown desk.

Player is carrying a pencil. The description of the pencil is "A small wooden pencil that used to take the test."

Player is carrying a stress ball. The description of the stress ball is "A small squishy ball that helps with anxiety."

Player is carrying a note. The description of the note is "A small note that most likely wouldn't be noticed if you passed it to them."

Player is carrying a cheat sheet. The description of the cheat sheet is "A small index card that you made to cheat off of the test, but you didn't use it."

Instead of showing pencil to the friend:
say "Your friend looks at you, confused. They raise their pencil slightly to show you that they have one."

The description of the teacher is "She's an old lady who stands in front of the classroom. She's extremely mean."

The description of the friend is "They are really anxious. What should I do to help?"

After asking the friend about "Test", say "The friend looks at you with tears brewing in their eyes. The teacher snaps at you and tells you to stop talking."

After asking the friend about "Okay", say "The friend's tears begin to fall down their eyes silently. The shake their head urgently."

[Good Portal] The blue portal is a closed, locked, openable door. It is scenery. The blue portal is east of the classroom and west of the bedroom.

[Bad Portal] The green portal is a closed, locked, openable door. It is scenery. The green portal is west of the classroom and east of detention.

[Friendly Portal] The red portal is a closed, locked, openable door. It is scenery. The red portal is south of the classroom and north of the Cafeteria.

Instead of showing stress ball to the friend:
now the blue portal is open;
say "Your friend smiles at you and you see a blue portal open in the class room east of you."

Instead of showing cheat sheet to the friend:
now the green portal is open;
say "Your friend looks over at the cheat sheet, then back at you. The teacher watches you as you pass the sheet to the friend and snaps. She sends you both to detention. Go through green portal."

Instead of showing the note to the friend:
now the red portal is open;
say "Your friend smiles at you and gains a small bit of confidence in themselves to complete the test. You invited them to lunch so you could comfort them. Go through the red portal."

[Bedroom] The Bedroom is a room. "You are now in your bedroom after a series of conversations that inclined you to invite the friend over to show them your favorite books."

Instead of entering the bedroom:
now the blue portal is closed;
now the blue portal is locked;
say "The blue portal closes behind you."

There is a black bookshelf in the bedroom. The bookshelf is fixed in place. 

There is a book in the bedroom. The description of the book is "A book of pure fantasy and adventure. It sucks you into an utopian world that you could get lost in forever." 

Instead of taking the book:
say "You pick up the book."

Instead of showing book to friend:
say "You give the friend your favorite book. First, establishing a connection with them and making them feel important. Second, since your friend enjoys reading books, you are actively supporting their interests. This makes your friend feel loved. Good job!";
end the game in victory.


[Party] The Party is a room. 

The Party contains a chewy berry.

Instead of entering the party:
now the purple portal is closed;
now the purple portal is locked;
say "The purple portal closes behind you."

The chewy berry is edible. After eating the berry: say "You have tried the chewy berry with you friend and jumpstarted their drug addiction. Giving friends with anxiety or depression drugs does not help them get over their feelings, it only influences their addiction. Do better."; end the game in death.

When play ends:
say "If you ended the game in death you are welcome to restart. Death is not a literal term, just the only way I know how to end the game."

[Detention] The Detention is a room. "You and your friend arrive right as the PE Teacher returns from the bathroom. They tell you to sit down and you take a seat beside the student."

The PE Teacher is a person in the Detention.

The detention contains a wooden table.

The purple portal is closed, locked, openable door. There is a purple portal in the Detention. The purple portal is south of the Detention and north of the Party.

The anxious friend is a person in the Detention. 

The student is a person in the Detention. 

The description of the student is "The student looks at you and smirks. He hands you a flyer that says 'Party at 9! 39240 Madman St. BYOB'. You look at your friend. Do you show them the flyer or drop the flyer?"

There is a flyer in the detention. The description of the flyer is "A party invitation."

Instead of showing flyer to the anxious friend:
now the purple portal is open;
say "Your friend agrees to go to the party in order to get their mind off of how mad their parents would be because they got detention. Please go through the purple portal."

Instead of entering the Detention:
now the green portal is closed;
now the green portal is locked;
now player is carrying the flyer;
say "The green portal is now closed."



[Cafeteria] The Cafeteria is a room. "You and your friend enter the cafeteria during your lunch period. You both completed your tests after your friend calmed down and are ready to eat."

There is a table. 

The girl is a person in the cafeteria. The description of the girl is "Caroline. One of your closest friends. You introduce her to your friend from class."

The boy is a person in the cafeteria. "David. One of your closest friends. You introduce him to your friend from class."

There is a phone. The description of the phone is "A device used to communicate with people you like (or not). Don't you want to get your new friend's number?"

Instead of entering the Cafeteria:
now the red portal is closed;
now the red portal is locked;
now the player carries a phone;
say "The red portal is closed and there is a new item in your inventory."

Instead of showing phone to the friend:
say "You give your phone to your new friend and get their number. This makes them feel like they have a community. Having a community while suffering from any mental illness could have a positive effect on emotional wellbeing. Keep building support systems for that person and you will begin to see an improvement in behavior. Good job!";
end the game in victory.