Memory Example — 1 of 1

"Memory Example" by Jason Love

Abouting is an action out of world. Understand "credits" or "about" or "xyzzy" or "help" or "hint" as abouting.

Carry out abouting: say "Thank you for playing this demonstration game! This example was created for the Ryan Veeder Patreon Community's First-Ever IF Convention. It demonstrates a system by which the player may THINK ABOUT or REMEMBER various objects or memories. It is untested."

Winning is an action out of world. Understand "WIN" as winning.

Carry out winning:

end the story finally.

Release along with a website, an interpreter, and the source text.

Book 1 - The Mind's Eye

Part 1 - The Chain of Memories

A memory is a kind of thing. The description of a memory is usually "It's just an insubstantial recollection."

Allusion relates various things to one thing (called the follower).

The verb to allude to means the allusion relation.

A thing has some text called the thought. The thought of a thing is usually "You recall the object in question.[line break]".

When play begins:

repeat with item running through things:

say "The allusion of [item] is [the follower of the item].";

Part 2 - Thinking Intransitively

Ruminating is an action applying to nothing. Understand "remember" or "think" as ruminating. Carry out ruminating: say "[one of]Memory's not great, but let's try remembering something, shall we?[or]Oh, trust me: you remember.[stopping]"

Part 3 - Thinking Transitively

Remembering is an action applying to one thing. Understand "remember [something]" as remembering. Understand "think about [thing]" as remembering. Understand "t [thing]" as remembering.

Does the player mean remembering a memory: it is likely.

After examining something (called the target):

if a random chance of 2 in 7 succeeds:

say "You consider [the target]. [run paragraph on]";

try remembering the target.

Part 4 - Distraction

The present-topic is a thing which varies. When play begins, say "The present-topic is [present-topic]."

Repetition is a number that varies. Repetition is 0.

Check remembering something (called the subject):

if the subject is the present-topic:

now repetition is repetition + 1;

if repetition is greater than 1:

say "You try to focus on [the subject], but you find you're too distracted by [the follower of the subject] to concentrate." instead;

else:

now repetition is 0.

Carry out remembering something (called the subject):

if repetition is 1:

say "[one of]You try to consider [the subject], but your mind wanders to [the follower of the subject] instead. [run paragraph on][or]Your mind wanders to [the follower of the subject]. [run paragraph on][stopping]";

say "[The thought of the follower of the subject]";

otherwise:

now repetition is 0;

say "[The thought of the subject]";

now the present-topic is the subject.

Book 2 - The Main Room

The main room is a room. The player is in the main room.

The fifth of November is a memory in the main room. The thought of the fifth of November is "[one of]Remember, remember: the fifth of November; the gunpowder treason and plot.[or]This is Guy Fawkes day, isn't it? That's where the rhyme comes from.[or]I think it was in that movie that one time.[cycling][line break]".

The gunpowder treason is a memory in the main room. The thought of the gunpowder treason is "[one of]I know of no reason the gunpowder treason ought ever to be forgot.[or]I guess Guy Fawkes put barrels of gunpowder under parliament or something, but he got caught.[or]I don't think I ever bothered to research what his issue was. I'm just going along with the poem's implicit statement that he's bad.[cycling][line break]". The fifth of November alludes to the gunpowder treason.

The plot is a memory in the main room. The thought of the plot is "[one of]Presumably Guy Fawkes had an objective that was to be served by the explosion.[or]If I were more thorough, I'd add additional memories that could be remembered or thought about based on these other topics.[or]What a grisly holiday.[cycling][line break]". The gunpowder treason alludes to the plot.

The plot alludes to the player. The thought of the player is "[one of]Remember me? I'm you.[or]It's us.[stopping][line break]".

The player alludes to the fifth of November.