This Old Haunted House — 14 of 21

Part 4 - Launching

Chapter 1 - Begin of Play

[Before I added Han's basement as the framing device, the game opened with the text, "Historians will have much to say about this period of your rule. Be warned that their interest springs mainly from the number and the frequency of the difficult decisions you must imminently make."]

When play begins:

now the reset button is switched on;

say "[italic type]A content warning: this game describes or alludes to common elements of haunted houses, slasher movies, supernatural horror, body horror, crime scenes, and similar settings and genres, including the use of mental illness tropes like paranoia and disconnection from reality as a source of monstrous or self-destructive behavior. If the inclusion of these elements may cause you distress, please exit the game rather than playing. Thank you.";

pause the game; [% I think this comes from an extension and provides the "press a key to continue" prompt. and behavior.]

say "[paragraph break]A placard with accompanying voiceover reads:[roman type][paragraph break]This program is made possible in part by generous grants from The Boston Consolidated Blood Bank and from the New England Cemetary Workers Local 387.[paragraph break][italic type]The opening video and theme song play next, culminating in the title card:[roman type][paragraph break]";

now the current rank of Enone is 32;

now the current rank of EUBRG is 31;

now the current rank of EBRGW is 30;

now the current rank of ERGWU is 29;

now the current rank of EWUBR is 28;

now the current rank of EGWUB is 27;

now the current rank of ERG is 26;

now the current rank of EBR is 25;

now the current rank of EUR is 24;

now the current rank of ERW is 23;

now the current rank of EBG is 22;

now the current rank of EGU is 21;

now the current rank of EGW is 20;

now the current rank of EUB is 19;

now the current rank of EWB is 18;

now the current rank of EWU is 17;

now the current rank of ER is 16;

now the current rank of EG is 15;

now the current rank of EB is 14;

now the current rank of EU is 13;

now the current rank of EW is 12;

now the current rank of EBRG is 11;

now the current rank of EURG is 10;

now the current rank of ERGW is 9;

now the current rank of EUBR is 8;

now the current rank of EWBR is 7;

now the current rank of ERWU is 6;

now the current rank of EGUB is 5;

now the current rank of EBGW is 4;

now the current rank of EGWU is 3;

now the current rank of EWUB is 2;

now the current rank of EWUBRG is 1;

now the current rank of Echeat is 33.

A person can be educated or uneducated. A person is usually uneducated.

After printing the banner text:

if the player is uneducated:

now the player is educated.