This Old Haunted House — 6 of 21
Count Fibula
Book 2 - The Raw Materials
Part 1 - Paths
[So the way the game works is that there are ten randomized scenes representing the various crises the player must confront. In each of these crises, the player is given two paths to choose between. By taking one of these paths, we modify the score of the various potential endings the player will encounter after the last crisis is resolved.
A note on scoring, because I'm pretty proud of how carefully I've balanced this: I got the numbers below by trying to decide how many questions are "meaningful" for any of the 32 possible outcomes. Since these are based on Magic color combinations, there are five single-color outcomes, ten two-color outcomes, ten three-color outcomes, five four-color outcomes, and one five-color outcome, as well as the colorless outcome. The ten questions are just a randomized presentation of each two-color pair (out of five colors total) and a request to confirm which the player prefers. As such, I determined the following:
Of the five one-color outcomes, each outcome cares about four questions. (That color vs each of the other four.)
Of the ten two-color outcomes, each outcome cares about six questions. (Color one vs the three colors not in the pair, and color two vs the same three colors.)
Of the ten three-color outcomes, each outcome cares about six questions. (Color one vs the two colors not in the triad, color two vs the same two, and color three vs the same two.)
Of the five four-color outcomes, each outcome cares about four questions. (Each of the four colors in the quad vs the one color not in the quad.)
The five-color and colorless outcomes are special cases to be addressed momentarily.
Based on those conclusions, I set the "target" for a perfect score at 24 points, which I then scaled up to 2400 to allow a little bit of probably-meaningless weighting; given a hypothetical tie, which a better mathematician could prove or disprove is even possible, I wanted the game to favor two-color outcomes over single-color outomes, which are themselves favored over three-color outcomes (arcs slightly over wedges, in Magic parlance), over four- and five-color outcomes. That's why the scoring isn't a uniform 400 or 600 points assigned to each ending.
7/25/21 UPDATE: I just gave the endings a default priority order so I could revert back to uniform scoring.
For the colorless ending, I created a special "neither" path to give players the option to just not engage with a particular crisis. Using this too many times will get you the colorless ending, How many times is too many times? That will vary based on how focused the player is; haphazard and inconsistent answers will "neither" responses more likely to result in a colorless ending.
The five-color ending, then, is somewhat the opposite. Using "neither" makes it nearly impossible to get the five-color ending, but you need to be deliberately balanced and avoid favoring one philosophy over another. I tried to adjust the scoring such that it's not necessary to be PERFECTLY balanced to get the ending, but it's still relatively rare unless you know what you're doing.]
[% Paths are obects that correspond with the actions created in 1.1.3: "whiting", "bluing", "hoarying", "terrying". Those actions. During each decision scene, the three relevant actions cause the player to take one of three paths, which in turn increases the rank of a subset of outcomes (which I refer to as "endings" elsewhere). "Take Hoary's proposal" is a figurative expression, but here it works quite literally.]
A path is a kind of thing with description "The proposal is exactly as Han described it[first time], so consider it well. (If you want Han to recap the proposals, try talking to him directly[only].".
A path has a number called the selectedness. The selectedness of a path is usually 0.
Rule for deciding whether all includes a path: it does not.
[% After all ten decisions have been made, a few end-of-cycle operations need to occur, and I was having some trouble getting the timing to work out. I wound up just having the player stick around an extra turn before moving to the room to see their outcome. I suspect the mechanism I created to accomplish this was more cumbersome than needed, but basically, there's an intermediate room before the outcome is displayed with a path called FINAL in it, and waiting or taking FINAL moves you to the room with the outcome. I guess the code below supports that somehow.]
Before taking a path (called the distantRoad) while the location of the player is not the Present:
if the distantRoad is FINAL:
continue the action;
otherwise:
say "That's not one of the options currently available. (Please just wait for a moment.)" instead.
[% The paths are color coded to list which two-color decision they're present within. The uppercase color is the path the player chose, while the lowercase color is the path the player declined. That selectedness number described above allows us to track to make sure every path is chosen before cheating is enabled.]
WHITEblue is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "white" and "justice" and "of" as WHITEblue.
Instead of terrying while the location of WHITEblue is the Present: try taking WHITEblue.
Instead of whiting while the location of WHITEblue is the Present: try taking WHITEblue.
After taking WHITEblue:
now the selectedness of WHITEblue is 1;
increase the current rank of EW by 600; [590] [% I tried a few different score breakdowns to weight the likelihood of different outcomes, but I wound up switching back and forth between two different configurations. The comments here are for the unchosen configuration.]
increase the current rank of EWB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EWBR by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EBGW by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of ERGW by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EBRGW by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
BLUEwhite is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "blue" and "of" and "discovery" as BLUEwhite.
Instead of hoarying while the location of BLUEwhite is the Present: try taking BLUEwhite.
Instead of bluing while the location of BLUEwhite is the Present: try taking BLUEwhite.
After taking BLUEwhite:
now the selectedness of BLUEwhite is 1;
increase the current rank of EU by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EUB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUBR by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EURG by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EGUB by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EUBRG by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
WHITEblack is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "white" and "democratic" as WHITEblack.
Instead of terrying while the location of WHITEblack is the Present: try taking WHITEblack.
Instead of whiting while the location of WHITEblack is the Present: try taking WHITEblack.
After taking WHITEblack:
now the selectedness of WHITEblack is 1;
increase the current rank of EW by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERWU by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of ERGW by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EGWU by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of ERGWU by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
BLACKwhite is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "black" and "autocratic" as BLACKwhite.
Instead of hoarying while the location of BLACKwhite is the Present: try taking BLACKwhite.
Instead of blacking while the location of BLACKwhite is the Present: try taking BLACKwhite.
After taking BLACKwhite:
now the selectedness of BLACKwhite is 1;
increase the current rank of EB by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EUB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUBR by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EBRG by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EGUB by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EUBRG by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
BLUEblack is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "blue" and "of" and "literacy" as BLUEblack.
Instead of hoarying while the location of BLUEblack is the Present: try taking BLUEblack.
Instead of bluing while the location of BLUEblack is the Present: try taking BLUEblack.
After taking BLUEblack:
now the selectedness of BLUEblack is 1;
increase the current rank of EU by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERWU by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EURG by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EGWU by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of ERGWU by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
BLACKblue is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "black" and "of" and "ignorance" as BLACKblue.
Instead of terrying while the location of BLACKblue is the Present: try taking BLACKblue.
Instead of blacking while the location of BLACKblue is the Present: try taking BLACKblue.
After taking BLACKblue:
now the selectedness of BLACKblue is 1;
increase the current rank of EB by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EWBR by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EBRG by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EBGW by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EBRGW by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
BLUEred is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "blue" and "of" and "truth" as BLUEred.
Instead of hoarying while the location of BLUEred is the Present: try taking BLUEred.
Instead of bluing while the location of BLUEred is the Present: try taking BLUEred.
After taking BLUEred:
now the selectedness of BLUEred is 1;
increase the current rank of EU by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EWUB by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EGUB by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EGWU by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EGWUB by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
REDblue is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "red" and "of" and "beauty" as REDblue.
Instead of terrying while the location of REDblue is the Present: try taking REDblue.
Instead of redding while the location of REDblue is the Present: try taking REDblue.
After taking REDblue:
now the selectedness of REDblue is 1;
increase the current rank of ER by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of ERW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERGW by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EWBR by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EBRG by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EBRGW by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
BLACKred is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "black" and "of" and "vision" as BLACKred.
Instead of hoarying while the location of BLACKred is the Present: try taking BLACKred.
Instead of blacking while the location of BLACKred is the Present: try taking BLACKred.
After taking BLACKred:
now the selectedness of BLACKred is 1;
increase the current rank of EB by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBGW by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EWUB by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EGUB by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EGWUB by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
REDblack is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "red" and "of" and "blindness" as REDblack.
Instead of terrying while the location of REDblack is the Present: try taking REDblack.
Instead of redding while the location of REDblack is the Present: try taking REDblack.
After taking REDblack:
now the selectedness of REDblack is 1;
increase the current rank of ER by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of ERW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERGW by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of ERWU by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EURG by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of ERGWU by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
BLACKgreen is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "strict" and "path" and "black" as BLACKgreen.
Instead of hoarying while the location of BLACKgreen is the Present: try taking BLACKgreen.
Instead of blacking while the location of BLACKgreen is the Present: try taking BLACKgreen.
After taking BLACKgreen:
now the selectedness of BLACKgreen is 1;
increase the current rank of EB by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EWUB by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EUBR by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EWBR by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EWUBR by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
GREENblack is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "merciful" and "path" and "green" as GREENblack.
Instead of terrying while the location of GREENblack is the Present: try taking GREENblack.
Instead of greening while the location of GREENblack is the Present: try taking GREENblack.
After taking GREENblack:
now the selectedness of GREENblack is 1;
increase the current rank of EG by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EGW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERGW by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EGWU by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EURG by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of ERGWU by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
REDgreen is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "of" and "danger" and "red" as REDgreen.
Instead of terrying while the location of REDgreen is the Present: try taking REDgreen.
Instead of redding while the location of REDgreen is the Present: try taking REDgreen.
After taking REDgreen:
now the selectedness of REDgreen is 1;
increase the current rank of ER by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of ERW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERWU by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EWBR by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EUBR by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EWUBR by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
GREENred is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "of" and "safety" and "green" as GREENred.
Instead of hoarying while the location of GREENred is the Present: try taking GREENred.
Instead of greening while the location of GREENred is the Present: try taking GREENred.
After taking GREENred:
now the selectedness of GREENred is 1;
increase the current rank of EG by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EGW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGWU by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EGUB by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EBGW by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EGWUB by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
REDwhite is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "of" and "peasantry" and "red" as REDwhite.
Instead of terrying while the location of REDwhite is the Present: try taking REDwhite.
Instead of redding while the location of REDwhite is the Present: try taking REDwhite.
After taking REDwhite:
now the selectedness of REDwhite is 1;
increase the current rank of ER by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EUR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBRG by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EUBR by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EURG by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EUBRG by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
WHITEred is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "of" and "nobility" and "white" as WHITEred.
Instead of hoarying while the location of WHITEred is the Present: try taking WHITEred.
Instead of whiting while the location of WHITEred is the Present: try taking WHITEred.
After taking WHITEred:
now the selectedness of WHITEred is 1;
increase the current rank of EW by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EWB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EGWU by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EWUB by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EBGW by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EGWUB by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
GREENwhite is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "of" and "bread" and "box" and "green" as GREENwhite.
Instead of terrying while the location of GREENwhite is the Present: try taking GREENwhite.
Instead of greening while the location of GREENwhite is the Present: try taking GREENwhite.
After taking GREENwhite:
now the selectedness of GREENwhite is 1;
increase the current rank of EG by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EGU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBRG by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EGUB by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EURG by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EUBRG by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
WHITEgreen is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "of" and "coin" and "purse" and "white" as WHITEgreen.
Instead of hoarying while the location of WHITEgreen is the Present: try taking WHITEgreen.
Instead of whiting while the location of WHITEgreen is the Present: try taking WHITEgreen.
After taking WHITEgreen:
now the selectedness of WHITEgreen is 1;
increase the current rank of EW by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EWB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EWUB by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EWBR by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of ERWU by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EWUBR by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
GREENblue is a path with printed name "Terry's proposal". Understand "terry" and "proposal" and "terry's proposal" and "terry's" and "terrys" and "t" and "the" and "path" and "of" and "pyre" and "green" as GREENblue.
Instead of terrying while the location of GREENblue is the Present: try taking GREENblue.
Instead of greening while the location of GREENblue is the Present: try taking GREENblue.
After taking GREENblue:
now the selectedness of GREENblue is 1;
increase the current rank of EG by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EGW by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EBG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERG by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of ERGW by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EBRG by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EBGW by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EBRGW by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
BLUEgreen is a path with printed name "Hoary's proposal". Understand "hoary" and "proposal" and "hoary's proposal" and "hoary's" and "hoarys" and "h" and "the" and "path" and "of" and "lab" and "blue" as BLUEgreen.
Instead of hoarying while the location of BLUEgreen is the Present: try taking BLUEgreen.
Instead of bluing while the location of BLUEgreen is the Present: try taking BLUEgreen.
After taking BLUEgreen:
now the selectedness of BLUEgreen is 1;
increase the current rank of EU by 600; [590]
increase the current rank of EWU by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUB by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EUR by 400; [400]
increase the current rank of EWUB by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of EUBR by 400; [385]
increase the current rank of ERWU by 400; [380]
increase the current rank of EWUBR by 560; [560]
increase the current rank of EWUBRG by 170. [170]
NEITHER is a path with printed name "neither path". Understand "neither" and "path" and "both" and "all" as NEITHER.
After taking NEITHER:
now the selectedness of NEITHER is 1;
increase the current rank of Enone by 250. [250]
Instead of neithering while the location of NEITHER is the Present: try taking NEITHER.
Carry out taking a path (called the route):
say "You [one of]signal that[or]indicate that[or]sign that[or]indicate to the camera that[or]confirm that[or]pantomime that[as decreasingly likely outcomes] you'll accept [the route][one of] with a nod[or][or]. The ghosts circle each other in affirmation[or][or][or] with a nod[or]. The boo-thers bob their acknowledgment of your choice[or][or][or], without question[or][or], and everyone seems satisfied[or]. Confirmed[or][or], and the other boo-ther wilts dramatically[or] by pointing with both fingers before clapping once[as decreasingly likely outcomes]."