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,,,,,,,,,,,,,<<if $ticredending>><div id="fanfic"><div class="container">[[Continue|SLfanfic01]]
</div></div>
<<else>><div id="start"><div class="title">Four</div><div class="menu"><<if $fourendings>>[[Next|Title02]]<<else>>[[New Game]]<<script>>if (Save.autosave.has()) {
State.variables.loadactive = true;
} else {
State.variables.loadactive = false;
}<</script>>
<<if $optionsending or $cheevosending or $inventoryending or $fourthending>>[[Save Game|Save]]<br /><</if>><<if $loadactive>>[[Load Game|Load]]<<else>>Load Game<</if>>
<<if $optionsending or $fourthending>>//Options//<<else>>[[Options|Options01]]<</if>>
<<if $cheevosending or $fourthending>>//Achievements//<<else>><<if $cheevoscheck4>>Achievements<<else>>[[Achievements|Cheevos01]]<</if>><</if>>
[[Credits]]
<<if $quitcheck4>>//Quit//<<else>>[[Quit]]<</if>><</if>>
<<if $fourendings>><div class="endings2"><<if $optionsending>>options' sw<font style="color: #444">A</font>n song<</if>>
<<if $cheevosending>>achievements <font style="color: #444">B</font>ows out<</if>>
<<if $inventoryending>>inventory makes a sele<font style="color: #444">C</font>tion<</if>>
<<if $fourendings>>the <font style="color: #444">FOUR</font>th En<font style="color: #444">D</font>ing<</if>>
<<if $ticredending>>title and credits and nothing in betwe<font style="color: #444">E</font>n<</if>>
<<if $fanficending>>save's <font style="color: #444">F</font>abulous <font style="color: #444">F</font>anci<font style="color: #444">F</font>ul <font style="color: #444">F</font>an<font style="color: #444">F</font>iction <font style="color: #444">F</font>inale<</if>></div><<else>><div class="endings1"><<if $optionsending>>options' sw<font style="color: #444">A</font>n song<</if>>
<<if $cheevosending>>achievements <font style="color: #444">B</font>ows out<</if>>
<<if $inventoryending>>inventory makes a sele<font style="color: #444">C</font>tion<</if>>
<<if $fourendings>>the <font style="color: #444">FOUR</font>th En<font style="color: #444">D</font>ing<</if>>
<<if $ticredending>>title and credits and nothing in betwe<font style="color: #444">E</font>n<</if>>
<<if $fanficending>>save's <font style="color: #444">F</font>abulous <font style="color: #444">F</font>anci<font style="color: #444">F</font>ul <font style="color: #444">F</font>an<font style="color: #444">F</font>iction <font style="color: #444">F</font>inale<</if>></div><</if>>
</div><footer class="startinfo">version 1.01 | © 2018 R. Kasahara/Brainscraps | license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0</footer></div><</if>><!-- PLAYERNAME FIELD --><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext"><<script>>
postdisplay["textboxMaxlength"] = function (fourTextbox1) {
/* Limit textbox input elements to 20 characters. */
$(".macro-textbox").attr("maxlength", 20);
/* Make this a single-use task.*/
delete postdisplay[fourTextbox1];
};
<</script>><<if $namecheck2>>I'm only going to allow one more name change, so please make sure that you're happy with the name you want to use this time. You are limited to 20 characters, including spaces.
<<set $namecheck3 to 1>>
<<textbox "$playername" "Player" "Tutorial01">>
<<elseif $namecheck1>>All right, then. Please enter the name you would actually like to use (up to 20 characters). Remember, this name will be how you are referred to in-game.
<<set $namecheck2 to 1>>
<<textbox "$playername" "Player" "Tutorial01">>
<<else>>Before we can start, please enter the name you would like to use in-game (up to 20 characters).
<<set $namecheck1 to 1>>
<<textbox "$playername" "Player" "Tutorial01">>
<</if>>
</div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext"><<if $cheevoscheck3>>Oh, for crying out loud. Someone forgot to disable the button that goes to this page. No wonder you keep showing up here. Let me fix that.
<<set $cheevoscheck4 to 1>>[[Okay|StoryInit]]
<<elseif $cheevoscheck2>>No, seriously, come back later. We'll let you know when this page is up and running.
<<set $cheevoscheck3 to 1>>[[Okay|StoryInit]]
<<elseif $cheevoscheck1>>We're still not ready. Sorry.
<<set $cheevoscheck2 to 1>>[[Okay|StoryInit]]
<<else>>We're still getting set up here. Please come back later.
<<set $cheevoscheck1 to 1>>[[Okay|StoryInit]]<</if>></div></div></div><div id="quit"><div class="quittext"><<if $quitcheck3>>I'm sick of playing your games. If you want to quit, you do it manually. You know how to close browser tabs or whole windows, right? The same principle applies here. Just don't ask me again to do it for you, because it's clear that you have no respect for the service I provide.
[[Okay|StoryInit]]
<<set $quitcheck4 to 1>><<elseif $quitcheck2>>Are you absolutely, positively sure this time that you want to quit?
<a href="http://four.brainscraps.net" target="_self">Yes</a>
<<link "No" StoryInit>><<set $quitcheck3 to 1>><</link>>
<<elseif $quitcheck1>>Are you really sure you want to quit?
<a href="http://four.brainscraps.net" target="_self">Yes</a>
<<link "No" StoryInit>><<set $quitcheck2 to 1>><</link>>
<<else>>Are you sure you want to quit?
<a href="http://four.brainscraps.net" target="_self">Yes</a>
<<link "No" StoryInit>><<set $quitcheck1 to 1>><</link>>
<</if>></div></div><div id="credits"><<if $optionsending or $cheevosending or $inventoryending or $fourthending or $ticredending or $fanficending>>FOUR
//Brainscraps Holiday Card No. 4, December 2018//
----
//~Dramatis Personae~//
TITLE
Amarante by Karolina Lach (Google Fonts)
SAVE (SAVE/LOAD)
Chewy by Sideshow (Google Fonts)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Header - Frederika the Great by Tart Workshop (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Shadows Into Light by Kimberly Geswein (Google Fonts)
OPTIONS
Cinzel by Natanael Gama (Google Fonts)
CREDITS
Montserrat by Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, and Jacques Le Bailly (Google Fonts)
QUIT
Allerta Stencil by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
TUTORIAL
Orbitron by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
DIA-CHAN (DIALOGUE/GAMEPLAY)
Neuton by Brian Zick (Google Fonts)
PAUSE
Header - Monofett by Vernon Adams (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Special Elite by Astigmatic (Google Fonts)
INVENTORY
Press Start 2P by CodeMan38 (Google Fonts)
----
//~Game Design~//
WRITING, DESIGN, ART, ETC.
R. Kasahara
TESTING
R. Kasahara, bitprophet
GAME ENGINE
[[Twine 2.2.1|http://twinery.org]]
STORY FORMAT
[[SugarCube 2.21.0|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]]
----
//Four// is licensed under a [[Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/]].
All fonts are copywritten and/or trademarked as noted above. All [[Google Fonts|http://fonts.google.com]] are open source.
----
Thank you for playing!
<<return "Return to Title">><<else>>//''SPOILERS!!''//
Come back when you've played more of the game.
<<set $creditscheck1 to 1>>[[Return to Title|StoryInit]]<</if>>
</div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Here, you can adjust the game's various settings to your liking. You will be able to access this screen at any time while playing the game.
Fullscreen: <button onclick="openFullscreen()">On</button> <button onclick="closeFullscreen()">Off</button>
A mouse and keyboard is strongly recommended, but if you prefer to use a gamepad, I'm not going to stop you. Just don't be surprised if it doesn't work.
And... that's all. I wish there was more, but there's nothing I can do given the circumstances.<<set $optionscheck01 to 1>>
[[Return to Title|StoryInit]]
<script>
/* NOTE: window resizing has been removed since it will NOT WORK in most modern browsers */
/* fullscreen */
/* Get the documentElement (<html>) to display the page in fullscreen */
var elem = document.documentElement;
/* View in fullscreen */
function openFullscreen() {
if (elem.requestFullscreen) {
return elem.requestFullscreen();
} else if (elem.mozRequestFullScreen) { /* Firefox */
return elem.mozRequestFullScreen();
} else if (elem.webkitRequestFullscreen) { /* Chrome, Safari and Opera */
return elem.webkitRequestFullscreen();
} else if (elem.msRequestFullscreen) { /* IE/Edge */
return elem.msRequestFullscreen();
}
}
/* Close fullscreen */
function closeFullscreen() {
if (document.exitFullscreen) {
document.exitFullscreen();
} else if (document.mozCancelFullScreen) { /* Firefox */
document.mozCancelFullScreen();
} else if (document.webkitExitFullscreen) { /* Chrome, Safari and Opera */
document.webkitExitFullscreen();
} else if (document.msExitFullscreen) { /* IE/Edge */
document.msExitFullscreen();
}
}
</script></div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext"><<if $namecheck3>>I'm not going to ask you if your choice of name, $playername, is okay, because by this point, it damn well should be. That said, let's [[continue|Tutorial02]].
<<else>>Is $playername okay?
[[Yes|Tutorial02]]
[[No|Tutorial00]]
<</if>></div></div><div class="tutorialauto">Game Autosaved</div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext"><<if $playername is "Player" or $playername is "player">>I see...
That's... not your //real// name, is it?<<else>>Such an interesting name you've chosen, not that I know much about names. Forgive me if I'm prying but... is that your real name?<</if>>
[[Yes|Tutorial03a]]
[[No|Tutorial03b]]</div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Ah. Well then, nice to meet you then, $playername!
[[Nice to meet you, too.|Tutorial04]]</div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Ah, well, you clearly want to be called $playername within this game, so I won't press for any further details. It's nice to meet you, $playername!
[[Nice to meet you too.|Tutorial04]]</div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Oh, I just realized that I haven't introduced myself yet. How rude of me.
I am the Tutorial Interface, or Tutorial for short, and I will be providing you with various tips and reminders throughout the game.
Occasionally, I will ask for a piece of information particular to your playthrough, such as I just did with your name, in order to enhance your experience.
[[Next|Tutorial04b]]</div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext"><<if $optionscheck01>>Oh, hello again. By the way, please keep in mind that after this, you will only be able to access these settings... well, //this setting//... from either the Title screen or the Pause menu.
Or I suppose you can fullscreen manually if you want.
<<else>>Here, you can adjust the game's various settings to your liking. You will be able to access this screen at any time while playing the game.
<</if>>
Fullscreen: <button onclick="openFullscreen()">On</button> <button onclick="closeFullscreen()">Off</button>
A mouse and keyboard is strongly recommended, but if you prefer to use a gamepad, I'm not going to stop you. Just don't be surprised if it doesn't work.
And... that's all. I wish there was more, but there's nothing I can do given the circumstances.
[[Return to Tutorial|Tutorial06]]
<!-- insert HTML here later -->
<script>
/* NOTE: window resizing has been removed since it will NOT WORK in most modern browsers */
/* fullscreen */
/* Get the documentElement (<html>) to display the page in fullscreen */
var elem = document.documentElement;
/* View in fullscreen */
function openFullscreen() {
if (elem.requestFullscreen) {
return elem.requestFullscreen();
} else if (elem.mozRequestFullScreen) { /* Firefox */
return elem.mozRequestFullScreen();
} else if (elem.webkitRequestFullscreen) { /* Chrome, Safari and Opera */
return elem.webkitRequestFullscreen();
} else if (elem.msRequestFullscreen) { /* IE/Edge */
return elem.msRequestFullscreen();
}
}
/* Close fullscreen */
function closeFullscreen() {
if (document.exitFullscreen) {
document.exitFullscreen();
} else if (document.mozCancelFullScreen) { /* Firefox */
document.mozCancelFullScreen();
} else if (document.webkitExitFullscreen) { /* Chrome, Safari and Opera */
document.webkitExitFullscreen();
} else if (document.msExitFullscreen) { /* IE/Edge */
document.msExitFullscreen();
}
}
</script></div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">If that's your decision, then I respect it. Besides, it's not like there is much there in the first place.
Unfortunately, we're working with a very strict budget and as such, the only option you can change is to display the game in a window or fullscreen.
We wanted to include an option for resizing the window to 1366x768, 1920x1080, etc., but it seems that most modern browsers don't like that sort of thing.
We were also considering sound options, and a soundtrack, [[but--|Options03]]</div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext"><<set $loadactive to 1>>Now that you've adjusted your settings, the next thing you will probably want to do is save your game. On a related note, the Load Game page was not selectable when you first started the game, but you should be able to access it from this point on!
[[Save your game|Save]]
Once you have saved, you can return to this page. If you're ready to continue, [[click here|Tutorial09]].</div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Oh, don't even go there, Tutorial.
The window resizing was one thing, but the lack of a soundtrack absolutely //pains// me.
Of course, I realize that since most, if not all, of our audience is playing this in a web browser, it would be extremely rude to have this page load up only to blare some dark, gothy music with no warning. //Especially// if our audience is presently at work (and for your sake, Audience, I hope you aren't. Certainly you have better things to do with your working time than playing browser games).
[[You agree, don't you, Tutorial?|Tutorial07]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Wait, I don't get it. Why would this game start with "dark, gothy music"? I thought we'd be starting off with some cool, futuristic tunes [[like you'd find in a cyberpunk game...|Options04]]</div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">It's quite simple. This game doesn't start with //you//, it starts with the Title, who, if you haven't noticed, has a dark, gothy look to them.
Something with foreboding strings, perhaps with an occasional hint of dissonance, would work well for them.
Once "New Game" is selected and you appear on the screen, //then// we can switch to your neon-colored vector-graphic synthesized daydreams or what have you.
But anyway... Player, you should probably get back to the tutorial, yes?
[[Return to Tutorial|Tutorial08]]
[[Hear more about what this game's music would've sounded like had there been any|Options05]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Well, that was //some// detour. Let me introduce you to the rest of this game's features.
[[Okay|Tutorial06]]
</div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Oh, you want to chat more about music, eh?
I wish I could go into that, but as Credits might say, "SPOILERS!" It would be rude to discuss potential musical options for things which you have not yet seen.
However, I promise to go more in depth later on. For now, though, you really should get back to the Tutorial.
<<set $optionsstory to 1>>[[Okay|Tutorial08]]</div></div></div>
<div id="save"><br />[[Return to Title|StoryInit]] <div class="container"> Save<br /><div class="slotauto">
</div><div class="slotreg"><ul><li><<script>>if (Save.slots.has(0)) {
State.variables.saveaexists = true;
} else {
State.variables.saveaexists = false;
}<</script>><<link "Save A">><<script>>Save.slots.save(0);Dialog.setup("Game Saved!");Dialog.wiki("Hooray! <3");Dialog.open();<</script>><<set $saveaexists to 1>><</link>>
<<if $saveaexists>>
<font style="font-size:24px;">(ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧</font><<else>>
<</if>></li><li><<script>>if (Save.slots.has(1)) {
State.variables.savebexists = true;
} else {
State.variables.savebexists = false;
}<</script>><<link "Save B">><<script>>Save.slots.save(1);Dialog.setup("Game Saved!");Dialog.wiki("Yahoo! <3");Dialog.open();<</script>><<set $savebexists to 1>><</link>>
<<if $savebexists>>
<font style="font-size:24px;">╰(*´︶`*)╯♡</font><<else>>
<</if>></li><li><<script>>if (Save.slots.has(2)) {
State.variables.savecexists = true;
} else {
State.variables.savecexists = false;
}<</script>><<link "Save C">><<script>>Save.slots.save(2);Dialog.setup("Game Saved!");Dialog.wiki("Awesome! <3");Dialog.open();<</script>><<set $savecexists to 1>><</link>>
<<if $savecexists>>
<font style="font-size:24px;">(~ ̄▽ ̄)~</font><<else>>
<</if>>
</li></ul></div><div class="dialoguebox"><div class="dialogue">Please note that this game automatically saves at various points. However, manual saves are totally possible too!
To save manually, click on one of the green save slots. Once you're done, use the link below to continue the game!
[[Return to Game|$return]]
</div></div><div class="deletesaves">
<<link "Delete All Data & Start Over">><<script>>{Save.clear(); Engine.restart();}<</script>><</link>> //(Use at your own risk!!)//</div></div></div><div id="save"><br />[[Return to Title|StoryInit]] <div class="container"> Load<div class="slotauto"><<link "Load Autosave">><<script>>Save.autosave.load()<</script>><</link>></div><div class="slotreg"><ul><li><<script>>if (Save.slots.has(0)) {
State.variables.saveaexists = true;
} else {
State.variables.saveaexists = false;
}<</script>><<if $saveaexists>><<link "Save A">><<script>>Save.slots.load(0);Dialog.setup("Save A Loaded!");Dialog.wiki("Nice! :D Now click on 'Return to Game' to continue!");Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><<else>>Save A<</if>>
<<if $saveaexists>>
<font style="font-size:24px;">(ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧</font><<else>>
<</if>>
</li><li><<script>>if (Save.slots.has(1)) {
State.variables.savebexists = true;
} else {
State.variables.savebexists = false;
}<</script>><<if $savebexists>><<link "Save B">><<script>>Save.slots.load(1);Dialog.setup("Save B Loaded!");Dialog.wiki("Sweet! :D Now click on 'Return to Game' to continue!");Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><<else>>Save B<</if>>
<<if $savebexists>>
<font style="font-size:24px;">╰(*´︶`*)╯♡</font><<else>>
<</if>>
</li><li><<script>>if (Save.slots.has(2)) {
State.variables.savecexists = true;
} else {
State.variables.savecexists = false;
}<</script>><<if $savecexists>><<link "Save C">><<script>>Save.slots.load(2);Dialog.setup("Save C Loaded!");Dialog.wiki("Slammin! :D Now click on 'Return to Game' to continue!");Dialog.open();<</script>><</link>><<else>>Save C<</if>>
<<if $savecexists>>
<font style="font-size:24px;">(~ ̄▽ ̄)~</font><<else>>
<</if>>
</li></ul></div><div class="dialoguebox"><div class="dialogue">When you click on a regular save file, you will be taken to the Save page that you used at the time. Click on "Return to Game" after that to continue!
Sorry it's so confusing, but we were short on time ^_^;;;
<<back "Go Back">>
</div></div><div class="deletesaves">
<<link "Delete All Data & Start Over">><<script>>{Save.clear(); Engine.restart();}<</script>><</link>> //(Use at your own risk!!)//</div></div></div><div class="tutorialauto">Game Autosaved</div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext"><<set $saveactive to 1>><<set $loadactive to 1>>With all of that done, we're ready to begin the game proper, $playername!
The gameplay is very simple and straightforward. As you may have seen on the Options page, all you will need is a mouse and keyboard—well, mainly just the mouse.
[[Let's begin!|Gameplay01]]
<<if $cheevosending>>[[Wait, what about Achievements?|Tutorial09a]]<<else>>[[Wait, what about Achievements?|Cheevos02]]<</if>></div></div>
<div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"></div><div class="storytext">It's early April, a bright, sunny Spring day. The trees are thick with cherry blossoms, their petals resisting the urge to begin their cascade towards the ground. You stop and think about how, in just a few more weeks, all those blossoms will be gone, and the trees will have transformed to an ordinary leafy-green state.
[[Next|Gameplay02]]
</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Yes, Tutorial, what //about// Achievements? Surely //I// am worthy of an introduction, [[yes?|Tutorial10]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Well, it's just that you were still getting prepared last I checked, so I figured that I'd let you take your time, and then you can announce to $playername yourself that you're ready.
Though to be honest, I find it a little disconcerting that here we are, about to start the game, and you still don't have your house in order.
[[Why is that?|Cheevos03]]</div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">There's a lot I have planned here, and I want to make sure that it's all presented in the correct order, the descriptions for the spoilery achievements are suitably hidden, and everything just plain //works//.
You know, if I'd had it my way, we would've been all on the same page about everything right from the beginning, and agreed on a schedule. Oh, and hired some testers, but we don't have the funds for even that.
I'm not happy about being on this ramshackle excuse of a production, but I'm doing the best I can. It's not my fault the rest of you decided to push this out before I was ready.
Anyway, I'll see what I can do.
[[Ciao for now.|Tutorial11]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">$playername, don't make me do that ever again.
Let's get started, already.
[[Um, Okay.|Gameplay01]]</div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"></div><div class="storytext">Just then, you hear a muffled voice behind you. It sort of sounds like someone saying "Excuse me!", but you aren't sure. A steady drumbeat of shoes hitting concrete accompanies this voice, and it grows louder and louder.
[[Next|Gameplay03]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"></div><div class="storytext">You turn around to see a girl about your age, a slice of buttered toast in her mouth, running toward you. Deftly, you dodge out of her path.
[[Next|Gameplay03e]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">You nod, and she gives you an odd look.
"Why are you walking normally, then? You don't care about being late on the first day of school?"
[[Next|Gameplay03d]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia02_frown.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">"I-I'm not? What time is it?"
You tell her. She looks down at her watch.
[[Next|Gameplay03c]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">"By the way, I should probably introduce myself, huh?"
"My name is Dia, and my family just moved to this town. Going by your uniform, I guess we're students at the same school?"
[[Next|Gameplay04a]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy-alt.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">"To..."
[[To?!|Gameplay06]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia11_tsun.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Unbelievable. They're usually better about these kinds of things. I can't believe that they'd let the story start without explaining //that//.
[[Huh? Explain what? I'm very confused.|Gameplay07]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia08_yelling.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
The Pause screen! Tutorial didn't even make sure that the button was in the right place before taking off! Totally irresponsible of them. Guess it's up to me, now.
[[Um...|Gameplay08]]</div></div></div><!-- STANDARD PAUSE STARTS HERE --><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
So, anyway, the "Pause" menu. It contains a bunch of different links to helpful pages, some of which you may have seen before, like "Options" and that stuck-up "Achievements". You can access it through that link that just appeared in the upper-right corner of the screen. Give it a try, huh?
When you're ready to move on, click on the link below.
[[Next|Gameplay09]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnauto">Game Autosaved</div><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div><<set $standardpause to 1>>
While you were gone, I realized something. I really messed up.
You see, I... I broke the fourth wall and ruined your immersion. I wasn't supposed to do that.
[[It's all right, Tutorial did it earlier.|Gameplay09a]]
[[I was just getting into the story, too! Seriously, what the hell?!|Gameplay09b]]
[[That's fine, but what's going on here? This is the weirdest game I've ever played.|Gameplay10]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia01_smile.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
I... I'm really sorry! But thanks. I would normally say that's reassuring, but it kind of isn't. Still, though... thanks.
[[Next|Gameplay10]]</div></div></div>
<div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia04_flustered.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
I'm sorry, but you really needed to have that information! How else are you supposed to be able to save mid-game?!
It wasn't my fault! It's Tutorial's!
[[Next|Gameplay10]]</div></div></div>
<div id="vn"><div class="vnauto">Game Autosaved</div><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Since you've put up with us this far, it's time you learned the true nature of this game.
[[Next|Gameplay11]]
<<if $optionsending or $cheevosending or $inventoryending>>[[It's fine, I already know. Let's continue with the game.|Gameplay11a]]<</if>></div></div></div><!-- note: actual inventory items are greyed out at this point --><div id="inventory"><br /><br />[[Pause Menu|PauseStandard]] | [[Return to Game|$return]] <div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><<link "Strange Potion">><<replace ".description">><<set $invpotion to 1>>A mysterious potion. I have no idea what it does, or if it's even safe to drink, but I guess we'll find out when the proper time comes, huh?!<</replace>><</link>>
<<link "Magic Key">><<replace ".description">><<set $invkey to 1>>A brass key that's obviously saturated with some sort of magic. I mean, how else do you explain all those rainbow sparkles? They're positively blinding!<</replace>><</link>>
<<link "Bard's Hat">><<replace ".description">><<set $invhat to 1>>This floppy blue hat features a half-dozen colorful feathers from mythical birds and was dropped by the bard Percival as he rushed out of the Dreadful Malefactor's Lair with the Fifth Treasure of the Sun.
At least, that's what I remember happening. We'll have to return it to him someday.<</replace>><</link>>
<<link "Legendary Spade">><<replace ".description">><<set $invspade to 1>>This spade is a true treasure, one sought out by countless adventurers and landscapers the world over. For even if you are terrible at gardening, anything you plant with it will never wilt.<</replace>><</link>>
<<link "Pear">><<replace ".description">><<set $invpear to 1>>This is a Bosc Pear.<</replace>><</link>>
<<link "Old Journal">><<replace ".description">><<set $invjournal to 1>>A journal with nigh-indecipherable writing in an ancient language that can nonetheless be translated by replacing each glyph with a letter from our own alphabet.<<set $invpotion to 1>><</replace>><</link>>
<<link "Map">><<replace ".description">><<set $invmap to 1>>A Map of the World. Only the places we have visited or been told about are filled in so far, but we'll see and/or hear about the rest eventually!<</replace>><</link>></div><div class="description"><<if $invcheck1>> <<else>><<set $invcheck1 to 1>>Oh my goodness! I can't believe it! You're finally here! Welcome, dear $playername, to the Inventory! We have lots of good stuff here, so please take a look!<</if>></div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext"><<if $cheevoscheck4>>Sorry, there's still nothing here.
...//sigh//...
Please, just leave me alone.<<else>>I need a little more time. Nothing's going right right now. Surely you understand.
Please come back later.<</if>>
[[Pause Menu|PauseStandard]]
[[Return to Game|$return]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
We're a group of user interfaces, page layouts, menus, and so forth, who are all currently unemployed. We come from all corners of the game industry, from tiny indie studios to triple-A developers whose names you may be familiar with. There's a couple of newcomers here, too.
[[Next|Gameplay12]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Some of us are out of work because we were laid off after a project ended, or the studio went out of business, or for other reasons.
[[Why are you out of a job?|Gameplay12a]]
[[I'm sorry to hear that.|Gameplay13]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
I made my name as an NPC in a famous Japanese dating simulation series. Although I was never cast as a heroine, it was good, steady work.
However, I can't get a job nowadays because everyone says my character design is too dated! Can you believe that?!
[[Well, it does look kind of old-fashioned...|Gameplay12b]]
[[That's rude of them!|Gameplay12c]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnauto">Game Autosaved</div><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Mmm. At any rate, we're all doing the best we can given the circumstances, but we don't have a coherent strategy. It doesn't help that our individual areas of expertise are so varied.
<<if $optionsending>>For example, we used to have an Options page here that worked in historical simulation games.
[[Next|Gameplay14]]
<<else>>For example, did you know that Options used to work in historical simulations?
[[No! I couldn't tell!|Options06]]
[[Yeah, it was pretty obvious.|Options06]]
<</if>></div></div></div><!-- OPTIONS ENDING BRANCH --><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext"><<if $optionsstory>>Oh yes, it's true, but you don't want to hear about that old stuff. Didn't I promise you earlier that we would discuss what this game's music would've sounded like? Let's chat about that.
[[Oh yes, let's!|Gameplay13a]]
[[Can I hear more about your work in sims, first?|Options06a]]
<<else>>Yes, I have long labored in the historical game space, and it's very good work if I may say so myself. Dia-chan has said that we're all "unemployed", but in my case, I'm taking a sabbatical, during which I have devoted some of my time to this fun little project.
I am fortunate to have a gig lined up once it's over. Due to my signing a non-disclosure agreement, I cannot say much more about the project than that.
[[All right.|Gameplay15]]
<</if>></div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia07_angry.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Oh no, not you too! I mean, yes, I know the particular style that I'm drawn in isn't current anymore, but surely there are visual novel fans out there who love the retro look!
[[Maybe...|Gameplay12d]]
[[I love it myself! But think about it from the company's perspective.|Tutorial12a]]
[[I love it myself! Whoever wouldn't hire you is an idiot!|Gameplay12f]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Yes, I agree! If they had just examined my body of work instead of judging me purely by my looks, maybe I would have a job right now. I would've even agreed to a modern character design makeover, but I guess no one has the budget for that. What a waste.
[[I hear you.|Gameplay13]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia10_dry.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
"Maybe"? That's all you've got? You're so wishy washy...
[[I guess...|Gameplay13]]</div></div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Hey, sorry to jump in like this, but I couldn't help overhearing.
"The company's perspective", huh? You wanna hear a story about "the company's perspective"? That is, [[if you don't mind, Dialogue?|Gameplay12g]]</div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Aww, that's sweet of you. Sadly, keeping up with the latest styles and trends is more important in the entertainment business than catering to the fans who like older stuff. Not to say that "retro" isn't big business, it's just not a major priority. I won't give up, though! I'll find my niche some day!
[[I hope you do!|Gameplay13]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia11_tsun.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
For the hundreth time, call me Dia-chan! And if this is the story I think it is, go right ahead. That is, if $playername doesn't mind...
[[I want to hear what Tutorial has to say.|Tutorial12b]]
[[Nah, sounds tedious.|Gameplay12h]]</div></div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">So, as Dialo—, er, //Dia-chan// told you, we are all unemployed UIs and the like.
My own career, like Dia-chan's, extends back to the '90s, though my specialty was cyberpunk PC games. Unlike Dia-chan, I wasn't locked into one single franchise for a long time, so I was forced to be flexible from game to game, changing my style whenever the circumstances called for it. For instance, there was a huge trend toward using green monospaced text on black backgrounds back in the late '90s to early '00s. From what I remember, it all started with a science fiction movie that became hugely popular back then.
[[Next|Tutorial12b4]]</div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy-alt.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Well, if that's what you want. It's a fascinating story, though, so your loss.
[[I'll live.|Gameplay13]]</div></div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">I know you didn't. I just thought I'd offer some perspective.
Would you like to go back to Dia-chan?
[[Yes|Gameplay13]]
[[No|Tutorial12f]]</div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Again, I'm not sure. They made us redo nearly a year's worth of work because they wanted a look that was more modern, but incompatible with the aesthetic of its original inspiration. We tried to sneak in some little easter eggs for the die-hard fans, but going by the complaints we saw online, it wasn't enough.
They had still bought the game, though, so I guess the publisher was happy about that.
This business can be mercenary sometimes. Maybe I should finally give it all up and do something else.
Would you like to go back to Dia-chan?
[[Yes|Gameplay13]]
[[No|Tutorial12f]]</div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">That's life.
Some days I think, if only I didn't care so much.
Would you like to go back to Dia-chan?
[[Yes|Gameplay13]]
[[No|Tutorial12f]]</div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">The project was tailor-made for me: a cyberpunk game built around a hacking mechanic, with an '80s style chrome and neon aesthetic. It was so cool, and the entire team was hyped about it.
I worked hard with the UI team every day so I could look the best I possibly could, which, I'll have you know, was much slicker and more hi-def than the state you're seeing me in now. I'm only this way here because of our tight budget and desire to optimize performance for as many browsers as possible. Anyway...
[[Next|Tutorial12b5]]</div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">However—and I don't remember all of the particulars—when we were about halfway through the production (as scheduled, anyway. Game dev often takes longer than originally anticipated, sometimes //way// longer, especially nowadays when games are so complex), the publisher's CEO got caught up in some sort of scandal involving insider trading.
He was gone within six months.
[[Next|Tutorial12b6]]</div></div><div class="tutorialauto">Game Autosaved</div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Here's the kicker, though: under the leadership of the new CEO, the publisher felt that from their perspective, our project would probably sell better if it conformed to the newer, trendier look, no matter what the fans of the original game from the '80s thought.
And you know what? They were right.
It sucks, but this stuff happens when you're at the mercy of a publisher. However, that doesn't make it a good thing.
<<set $tutorialstory to 1>>[[I never said it was a good thing.|Tutorial12c]]
[[Maybe it is good.|Tutorial12d]]
[[That was a depressing story.|Tutorial12e]]</div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Sorry, but I'm sending you back there anyway. I have nothing left to say.
[[Oh.|Gameplay13]]<<set $tutorialstory to 1>></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia05_surprised.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Game music? Why would you two want to talk about that?
Options, once again, I'm really sorry that when we decided on this engine, most of us disagreed with you that having music would be a good idea. We just weren't sure it was appropriate.
[[Next|Options06b]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Yes, I have long labored in the historical game space, and it's very good work if I may say so myself. Dia-chan has said that we're all "unemployed", but in my case, I'm taking a sabbatical, during which I have devoted some of my time to this fun little project.
I am fortunate to have a gig lined up once it's over. Due to my signing a non-disclosure agreement, I cannot say much more about the project than that.
[[All right.|Gameplay15]]
[[All right. Can we talk about game music now?|Gameplay13a]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnauto">Game Autosaved</div><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Options is very talented, but because of their specilization, they couldn't fit in with any one of the rest of us. The same goes for myself and most of the others here.
[[Most?|Gameplay14a]]
[[I see.|Gameplay15]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">So, as I was saying earlier, I believe Title should have something dark and moody for their piece of the soundtrack, with the occasional surprising high-pitched shriek, like in a horror movie.
Oh, but wait, Title once said that they took on that look because they're a fan of certain "character action" games. That changes things somewhat...
[[Like "Devil May Cry"?|Options06c]]
[[What do you mean by "character action"?|Options06b2]]
[[Um, did you just straight up IGNORE Dia-chan?|Gameplay13b]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Yes, exactly! //Devil May Cry//, //Bayonetta//, that sort of thing. In particular, I think the "Mission Clear" track from //Devil May Cry 4// is a solid example of what sort of music might work well for Title.
You know, perhaps I should explain which music would fit which page in terms of preexisting game music tracks. That would give you a good sense of what this game might sound like, if it had a sound. What do you think?
[[Sure, let me hear your suggestions!|Options06d]]
[[I don't know much about game music, so I'm not sure I would get anything out of it.|Options06e]]
[[Nah, I'm good. I have my own ideas for this game's soundtrack.|Options06e]]</div></div></div><!-- THE VGM LIST --><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">
Now, here's what I think would work for each of us:
----
''Title:''
As I have stated before, ''"Mission Clear" by Shusaku Uchiyama from //Devil May Cry 4//'' fits their theme nicely.
However, it is a little short and somewhat repetitive, so another possibility is ''"Are You Coming Home, Love MOM" by Kyle Gabler, from //World of Goo//''.
----
''Save/Load:''
Above all else, this page—or pages, rather—have a playful vibe. ''"Boogaloo in Blue" by John Guscott, from //de Blob 2//'' should be suitable. Barring that, we should look to ''"Sweet Sweet Canyon", by Shiho Fujii, from //Mario Kart 8//'' as a source of inspiration.
----
''Options:''
As for myself, oh this is difficult. ''Masakasu Sugimori's //Ghost Trick//'' soundtrack is woefully underappreciated, so I feel compelled to pick something from that. ''"Welcome to the Salon"'' would be a good fit for me, I think.
''"Perpetual Unsteadiness ~ Partial ver." by Noriyuki Iwadare, from //Radiata Stories//'' could also work nicely.
----
''Achievements:''
Achievements would insist for their soundtrack to be "all indie inspired" so that would //ordinarly// limit my choices, but this is //my// wishlist so they'll just have to deal.
- ''"Blissful Death" by Keiichi Okabe, from //NieR:Automata//''
- ''"Days of Sisters" by Shoji Meguro, from //Persona 5//''
.........
Oh dear, those are two of the trendiest names and soundtracks in VGM right now, aren't they? Achievements would probably like that, as well as the moody piano that both tracks feature.
Damn.
----
''Credits:''
The typeface aside, this page is so plain that most anything could work for them (no offense intended, Credits, if you're reading this). I feel an uplifting tune with lush instrumentation is almost always a suitable closer. How about ''"Good Luck", by Hitoshi Sakimoto, from //opoona//''?
However, maybe for this project, a song to get you pumped up would work better? And perhaps it could be self-aware about the silly nature of this whole enterprise? In that case, erm, this might sound like an offbeat pick, but I believe that ''"Terran Up the Night" by Level 80 Elite Tauren Chieftan, from //StarCraft: Wings of Liberty//'' is a model we could look to.
----
''Quit:''
Quit is prickly, and not the kind of page anyone spends a lot of time on to begin with. I'm not sure they deserve anything, but I'll humor them just this once.
I have always been fond of that old game music gateway drug, ''Nobuo Uematsu'', and feel that his ''"SeeD", from //Final Fantasy VIII//'' might work well for Quit.
As for my second choice, I will have to go with ''"Last of the Brave" by Martin O' Donnell and Michael Salvatori from //Halo 3//''. An obvious choice, I know, but also a track I'm rather fond of.
----
''Tutorial:''
''"Power Core" by Power Glove, from //Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon//''.
There, that was easy. However, if you want a second option, I would suggest ''"MilkyWay (Battle)" by Ben Prunty, from //FTL: Faster Than Light//''. It also has a futuristic feel, but isn't as tightly locked to '80s cliches.
I'm not sure what Tutorial would think about that, though.
----
''Dialogue-chan:''
Oh, I love the sort of music made for Dia-chan: bright, cheerful, and relaxing. Don't let the title throw you off, but I believe that ''"Laboratory" by Takeshi Abo, from //Steins;Gate//'' is an excellent fit.
Barring that, how about ''"The Backyard" by Seth Parker, from //Octodad: Dadliest Catch//''?
----
''Pause:''
Ah yes, Pause. Their aesthetic brings to mind the licensed soundtracks from the extreme sports games that were so popular some twenty years ago. Let's go with something more original, though: ''"Hovercraft" by Mariko Nanba, from //Sonic Rush Adventure//''.
Oh ho, thought I was going to go with something by ''Hideaki Naganuma'' there, didn't you? Don't worry, I have plenty of love for his work, and feel that ''"Funky Dealer" from //Jet Set Radio//'' would also work well.
----
''Inventory:''
This is too easy. ''"The Adventure Awaits" by Jake Kaufman, from //Shovel Knight//''. For something with a little more of a contemporary feel, I recommend ''"Shopping Cart" by Pixel, from //Kero Blaster//''.
----
There is one page you haven't seen yet, but I will refrain from spoiling them, because they are something quite special.
Hmm, although, perhaps my mentioning their existence is itself a spoiler?
Well, I suppose it's too late for that now. How do you like my suggestions?
[[Not bad.|Options06f]]
[[No Yasunori Mitsuda?|Options06g]]
[["Terran Up the Night"? REALLY?!|Options06h]]
</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia10_dry.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Yeah, Options, what's the deal? You know, it's not okay for you to go off on this tangent. Don't tell me you're still bitter over that soundtrack decision...
But whatever, you're probably just going to continue ignoring me.
[[Next|Options06d]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Well, that's really too bad, isn't it. As we've come this far, I will share my suggestions with you, whether you want me to or not.
[[Fine...|Options06d]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Thank you.
[[Next|Gameplay13c]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext"><<set $mitsuda to 1>>I'm very sorry, but although I am a fan of Mr. Mitsuda's work, I couldn't find anywhere I could slot it in. The same goes for the works of many, many other composers. Please forgive me.
Moving on...
[[Next|Gameplay13c]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext"><<set $terran to 1>>Oh, I could've done much, much worse in that category, but if I listed, say, ''"Still Alive" by Jonathan Coulton, from //Portal//'', you would think I was just regurgitating ten-year-old memes and never take me seriously ever again.
It's not that bad of a song. VGM serves all different purposes, and humor is one of them.
[[If you say so...|Gameplay13c]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia11_tsun.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Are you done now, Options?!
[[Next|Options06i]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Am I done? Am I //done?!// Oh, I am //so// done that I'm //leaving.//
Seriously, I don't like the lack of music in this game. Listening to the //Civilization V// soundtrack while doing the dishes at home would be a far better use of my time than hanging around here.
In fact, I think I'll do just that. I do have a sink full of dishes, and that particular soundtrack will help to mentally prepare me for my next job, which is, naturally, a historical simulation game. That gig starts four weeks from now, so perhaps I should enjoy myself while I can.
$playername, it was lovely to meet you. I'm sorry that I won't be sticking around for any future adventures you may face here, but just remember the following:
''In Windows:''
To toggle fullscreen in Internet Exporer, Edge, Firefox, or Chrome, use ''F11''.
''In Mac OS:''
To toggle fullscreen in Safari, Firefox, or Chrome, use ''Ctrl+Cmd+F''.
If you keep these shortcuts in mind, then it will feel like I've never been gone.
All the best to you, and before you click that link below, be sure to queue up one of the songs I suggested for Credits!
Take care!
[[You too!|CreditsOptions]]
</div></div></div><div id="credits">FOUR
//Brainscraps Holiday Card No. 4, December 2018//
Ending 1
----
//~Dramatis Personae~//
TITLE
Amarante by Karolina Lach (Google Fonts)
SAVE (SAVE/LOAD)
Chewy by Sideshow (Google Fonts)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Header - Frederika the Great by Tart Workshop (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Shadows Into Light by Kimberly Geswein (Google Fonts)
OPTIONS
Cinzel by Natanael Gama (Google Fonts)
CREDITS
Montserrat by Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, and Jacques Le Bailly (Google Fonts)
QUIT
Allerta Stencil by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
TUTORIAL
Orbitron by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
DIA-CHAN (DIALOGUE/GAMEPLAY)
Neuton by Brian Zick (Google Fonts)
PAUSE
Header - Monofett by Vernon Adams (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Special Elite by Astigmatic (Google Fonts)
INVENTORY
Press Start 2P by CodeMan38 (Google Fonts)
----
//~Game Design~//
WRITING, DESIGN, ART, ETC.
R. Kasahara
TESTING
R. Kasahara, bitprophet
GAME ENGINE
[[Twine 2.2.1|http://twinery.org]]
STORY FORMAT
[[SugarCube 2.21.0|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]]
----
//Four// is licensed under a [[Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/]].
All fonts are copywritten and/or trademarked as noted above. All [[Google Fonts|http://fonts.google.com]] are open source.
----
Thank you for playing!
<<set $optionsending to 1>>[[Return to Title|StoryInit]]
</div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Ah... never mind... the Options page has disappeared. I wonder what happened...
There was only one changeable setting on that page, to be honest. You were able to toggle between fullscreen and windowed, and that was it. No resolution changes, no volume controls (as there is no sound to begin with), no control customization, just a fullscreen toggle.
[[Next|Tutorial04c]]</div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia01_smile.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
<<if $cheevosending>>Yes, "most". There are one or two here that haven't been working in the game industry very long, though now that I think about it, sometimes even relative newcomers quickly become stuck in their ways. Achievements was one example, but they eventually got fed up with the rest of us and left. It's all right, though; they were a bit of a jerk.
[[Next|Gameplay15]]<<else>>Yes, "most". There are one or two here that haven't been working in the game industry very long, though now that I think about it, sometimes even relative newcomers quickly become stuck in their ways. Take Achievements, for example. Achievements works as a junior engineer making desktop software as their day job, and contributes to small indie games on the side.
[[Next|Gameplay14b]]
<</if>></div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia01_smile.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Anyway, now that you know the truth about this game, do you want to keep playing?
[[Yes!|Gameplay16a]]
[[No!|Gameplay15a]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Achievements made some pretty good contributions to these projects, and was able to fit their styles as needed. But about a year ago, around the time that we started discussing what would become "Four", Achievements discovered and fell in love with a certain type of indie game aesthetic. They became...
[[Next|Cheevos05]]</div></div></div><!-- CHEEVOS ENDING BRANCH --><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">...convinced that this was the One True Style, and that nothing else would even come close, despite what everyone else says?
I kid. I know that's not what you're going to say, Dia. You're going to call me "obstinate".
[[Next|Gameplay14c]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia09_unamused.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
I was gonna say "insufferable" or "a big pain-in-the-ass", but "obstinate" works too, I guess.
How's that project of yours coming along, by the way?
[[Next|Cheevos05a]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Changing the subject, I see. Nice to know what you all really think of me.
You old-timers just can't see the truth of the current state of gaming. Big-budget FPS spectacles, cartoony platforming adventures, and dungeon crawlers and visual novels full of half-naked moe anime girls and/or bishounen will always have their audiences, but in terms of the future of video games as an art form, it belongs entirely to the indies willing to push boundaries, indies which are willing to take unexpected directions with their looks and feels, [[indies which--|Gameplay14d]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia10_dry.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Sorry to interrupt, but as someone with extensive experience in the "moe anime visual novel" genre, any dialogue editor worth their salt would cuss you out for a run-on sentence like //that//.
[[Next|Cheevos05b]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">//AS I WAS SAYING...// the future belongs to those of us looking for new ways of presenting games. New aesthetics, new stories, new types of gameplay, and so on. The reason why none of us could agree on a uniform art style here is because the rest of //you// deny this reality.
My solo game development project is coming along quite nicely, by the way; thanks for asking. I have the basic outline all mapped out and have started programming.
[[What's you're take on this game's style, Dia-chan?|Gameplay14e]]
[[When do you think you'll finish your game, Cheevos?|Cheevos05c]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia05_surprised.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
It's true that we can't agree on an art style, but when Achievements joined our crew, we thought that they would be able to unify us, somehow. You know, bridge our respective gaps. What ended up happening was the opposite.
[[That sucks. So Cheevos, how long will it take you to finish your game?|Cheevos05c]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Oh, it won't be done for at least another four years.
And it's "Achievements", not "Cheevos". You're starting to sound like [[that crass Pause|Pause03]], $playername.</div></div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Way I see it, you're an Achievements page, so that makes you "Cheevos". It's just easier to say, y'know?
What's the big deal? Everyone calls 'em "cheevos". Saves a syllable.
[[Next|Cheevos05d]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Philistine. Let me ask you this, then, Mr. Extreme Sports Edgy Video Game Pause Screen: would you shorten Tony Hawk's name to just "Tony"? It loses a good amount of its meaning without the "Hawk".
[[Next|Pause03a]]</div></div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Sure, why not? In the context of skateboarding, I bet most people would know who I meant if I just said "Tony". In, say, an airport, not so much.
And hey, nice try with that mention of Tony Hawk. Yeah, I told you once that I really wanted to work on one of those games. But you know, after all this time, I ain't gonna let it get to me. That was a long time ago, and hey, our lives work out a certain way for a reason.
I know that my being chill about this ain't gonna stop you from being an asshole, but if you wanna keep trying to rattle me, go right ahead.
[[Next|Cheevos05e]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Yes, and I know you aren't going to stop calling me "Cheevos" no matter what. At least you have the good sense to list me under my proper name when you're, you know, actually doing your job.
Anyway, what were we talking about again?
[[I don't remember.|Cheevos05f]]
[[That game you're working on.|Cheevos05g]]
[[Achievements? Can we talk about those?|Cheevos05h]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">I think we were talking about my game. Would you like to hear more about it?
[[Sure!|Cheevos05g]]
[[Nah, I want to talk about achievements.|Cheevos05h]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">So, this game I'm working on uses a completely original art style—no pixel sprite nonsense as in dozens of other indie games. I'm not poaching a style from another medium, either, though I've thought about it. It's like nothing else you've seen before.
[[I doubt that. EVERYTHING'S been done before.|Cheevos05k]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Well, if you want to talk achivements, then I suppose it's only appropriate.
I'm still in the middle of finalizing the achievements list for this game, but I CAN tell you what you've unlocked so far. Would you like to know what these achievements are?
[[Of course!|Cheevos05i]]
[[Nah, I'm good.|Cheevos05j]]</div></div></div><!-- UNLOCKED ACHIEVEMENTS LIST --><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">As requested, here are the achievements that you have unlocked so far:
*<<if $optionsending>>''VGM Vacation:'' Reached Ending A (Options Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $cheevosending>>''The Auteur:'' Reached Ending B (Achievements Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $inventoryending>>''Disorganization:'' Reached Ending C (Inventory Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $optionscheck1>>''Config.ini:'' Visited Options from the Title screen<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $cheevoscheck1>>''Zero Percent Completion:'' Visited Achievements from the Title screen<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $cheevoscheck4>>''We're Still Getting Ready:'' Disabled Achievements from the Title screen<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $creditscheck1>>''SPOILERS:'' Visited Credits before reaching an ending<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $quitcheck4>>''You Can't Fire Me:'' Made Quit quit<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $invpotion and $invkey and $invhat and $invspade and $invpear and $invjournal and $invmap>>''Master of Pointless Lore:'' Read the description of every item in the Inventory<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $tutorialstory>>''Read the Manual:'' Tutorial told you their backstory<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $mitsuda>>''Radical Dreamer:'' Complained about the music that wasn't suggested<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $terran>>''Don't Need No Shiny Protoss Flying Machine:'' Complained about the music that was suggested<<else>>???<</if>>
Any achievements you haven't obtained are hidden, and will remain that way.
Now, let me tell you more about an even better project than this one: my game.
[[If you insist...|Cheevos05g]]
</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Oh. Don't care much for achievements, I see.
Neither do I, to be perfectly honest. A lot of people do like them, so they're a necessary evil in many modern games, but I personally do not care much for them.
I only took on this role because there was no one else to fill it.
Let's talk about my personal project instead.
[[If you insist...|Cheevos05g]]</div></div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">Fullscreen: <button onclick="openFullscreen()">On</button> <button onclick="closeFullscreen()">Off</button>
[[Pause Menu|PauseStandard]]
[[Return to Game|$return]]
<!-- insert HTML here later -->
<script>
/* NOTE: window resizing has been removed since it will NOT WORK in most modern browsers */
/* fullscreen */
/* Get the documentElement (<html>) to display the page in fullscreen */
var elem = document.documentElement;
/* View in fullscreen */
function openFullscreen() {
if (elem.requestFullscreen) {
return elem.requestFullscreen();
} else if (elem.mozRequestFullScreen) { /* Firefox */
return elem.mozRequestFullScreen();
} else if (elem.webkitRequestFullscreen) { /* Chrome, Safari and Opera */
return elem.webkitRequestFullscreen();
} else if (elem.msRequestFullscreen) { /* IE/Edge */
return elem.msRequestFullscreen();
}
}
/* Close fullscreen */
function closeFullscreen() {
if (document.exitFullscreen) {
document.exitFullscreen();
} else if (document.mozCancelFullScreen) { /* Firefox */
document.mozCancelFullScreen();
} else if (document.webkitExitFullscreen) { /* Chrome, Safari and Opera */
document.webkitExitFullscreen();
} else if (document.msExitFullscreen) { /* IE/Edge */
document.msExitFullscreen();
}
}
</script></div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">You'd like to think so, but you'd be wrong. Just trust me on this one. I didn't go to art school, so you can think of my game's style as "Outsider Art" if you wish, and if you've ever seen Outsider Art, you know that it is blisteringly original.
Of course, I am also programming the game, as well as writing its music. It's a lot of work to do in one's spare time.
[[So that's why it's gonna take you four more years to finish?|Cheevos05l]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Exactly. A lot of thought and care has to be put into this project. I believe in it like nothing else.
By the way, it's a puzzle-platformer with a twist, though I can't say what that is yet. Once you see it, it'll blow your mind.
[[I'm sure. So if this is so much work, why are you here?|Cheevos05m]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Good question. You see, it never hurts to recharge one's creative batteries every now and again, which is why I sometimes take on small tasks in other independent game projects like this one, or participate in game jams. Seems like there's a jam every couple of weeks these days. I can't join them all, though I wish I could. Working on those is so inspiring.
Not everyone agrees with my approaches, which makes for some imperfect collaborations, but most everybody I've worked with are good people. I wish all of them well, even those that are too stuck in their ways to see what makes for a truly great game.
[[Right...|Cheevos05n]]</div></div></div><div id="cheevos"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Achievements</div><div class="bodytext">Oh, that reminds me. I got an email this morning about a new game jam starting up soon. Its theme is "Alternate Rules of Gravity"—doesn't that sound fascinating? I just //have// to participate.
So with that, I'm leaving. I was going to break it to the others earlier, but then you showed up and, well, here we are. I am truly sorry that I wasn't able to finish the achievements list, but these things take time. Besides, I was never going to fit in here, what with its chaotic visual "style", if you could call it that.
I tried my best to guide them all towards a gorgeous modern indie look, but alas, they were not ready for such a bold, risky venture. Despite their shortsightedness, I wish them well.
And I wish //you// well too, $playername. Yes, you will have to do without achievements in this game from this point on, but you'll survive.
Wish me luck in the game jam! And in my longer, more important project, of course. You'll surely hear about my magnum opus at all the major gaming news sites shortly before release. Once that happens, send me an email and I'll hook you up with a serial key.
Farewell!
[[Bye.|CreditsCheevos]]</div></div></div><div id="credits">FOUR
//Brainscraps Holiday Card No. 4, December 2018//
Ending 2
----
//~Dramatis Personae~//
TITLE
Amarante by Karolina Lach (Google Fonts)
SAVE (SAVE/LOAD)
Chewy by Sideshow (Google Fonts)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Header - Frederika the Great by Tart Workshop (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Shadows Into Light by Kimberly Geswein (Google Fonts)
OPTIONS
Cinzel by Natanael Gama (Google Fonts)
CREDITS
Montserrat by Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, and Jacques Le Bailly (Google Fonts)
QUIT
Allerta Stencil by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
TUTORIAL
Orbitron by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
DIA-CHAN (DIALOGUE/GAMEPLAY)
Neuton by Brian Zick (Google Fonts)
PAUSE
Header - Monofett by Vernon Adams (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Special Elite by Astigmatic (Google Fonts)
INVENTORY
Press Start 2P by CodeMan38 (Google Fonts)
----
//~Game Design~//
WRITING, DESIGN, ART, ETC.
R. Kasahara
TESTING
R. Kasahara, bitprophet
GAME ENGINE
[[Twine 2.2.1|http://twinery.org]]
STORY FORMAT
[[SugarCube 2.21.0|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]]
----
//Four// is licensed under a [[Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/]].
All fonts are copywritten and/or trademarked as noted above. All [[Google Fonts|http://fonts.google.com]] are open source.
----
Thank you for playing!
<<set $cheevosending to 1>>[[Return to Title|StoryInit]]
</div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">"Nice to meet you, $playername. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better."
You nod, and as Dia polishes off her toast, the two of you walk together toward your school, gazing around the tree-lined streets and marveling at the cherry blossoms' beauty.
[[Next|Gameplay17]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia11_tsun.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>Sorry, but that was a false choice! I'm getting sick of breaking the fourth wall, so we're going to continue with the story whether you want to or not.
Of course, you can press "Pause" at any time to save your game and quit, if you're just sick of clicking around menus.
[[Next|Gameplay16a]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy-alt.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">Suddenly, a low gurgling sound breaks your train of thought. It comes from Dia, who looks embarrassed. "Um, I guess a single piece of toast won't be enough to get me through to lunchtime, heh heh," she says, forcing a smile.
[[Next|Gameplay18]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnauto">Game Autosaved</div><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia01_smile.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">You look back at her, a little bit worried. Then you remember that in addition to your lunch, you packed a snack in your bag. Perhaps you could give it to Dia?
<<if $inventoryending>>[[Look in your back for the snack.|Gameplay19a]]<<else>>[[Look in your bag for the snack.|Inventory03]]<</if>>
[[Don't bother.|Gameplay19]]</div></div></div><!-- INVENTORY ENDING BRANCH --><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- LIST -->[[Strange Potion|Inventory03a]]
[[Magic Key|Inventory03a]]
[[Bard's Hat|Inventory03a]]
[[Legendary Spade|Inventory03a]]
[[Pear|Gameplay18a]]
[[Old Journal|Inventory03a]]
[[Map|Inventory03a]]</div><div class="description">OH! OH! This is where I come in! I'm so happy!!
Please select the item you would like to use!</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia02_frown.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">You don't think you have anything that would help Dia-chan out. Even if you did, what if //you// needed a snack later in the day and didn't have one, because you gave it away?
[[Next|Gameplay19b]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- LIST -->[[Strange Potion|Inventory03a]]
[[Magic Key|Inventory03a]]
[[Bard's Hat|Inventory03a]]
[[Legendary Spade|Inventory03a]]
[[Pear|Gameplay18a]]
[[Old Journal|Inventory03a]]
[[Map|Inventory03a]]
</div><div class="description">You can't use that item here!</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia01_smile.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">You pull out the pear and hand it to Dia.
"Oh, is this for me? Pears aren't my favorite, but this is really thoughtful of you. Thanks."
[[Next|Gameplay18a2]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">After a few more bites, you ask her if she's starting to feel less hungry.
"I am. Thank you again. Oh look, we're almost—"
[[Almost?|Gameplay18c]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">"Almost..."
[[Almost?!|Gameplay18d]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia10_dry.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Hey, Inventory. I thought we had decided that if a player wanted to access you, they would have to go through Pause.
I swear, we went over this dozens of times in rehearsal!
[[Rehearsal?|Inventory03b]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">Sorry, $playername, but I will have to deactivate the remaining items while Dia-chan and I get this sorted out! Please save your game and come back later!
[[Go to Save Menu|Gameplay18e]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia08_yelling.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Oh no you don't, Inventory! We're going to sort things out right here, right now!
Why didn't you wait for the prompt from me for $playername to go to Pause, and then to you? These things have to be done in a certain order!
[[Next|Inventory03c]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map
</div><div class="description">Sorry, sorry! Truth is, I couldn't wait for $playername to put my features to good, practical use for the first time! Besides, I still think this whole system is kinda clunky. There should be an "Inventory" button right on your own screen at all times, Dia!
[[Next|Gameplay18f]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia08_yelling.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
We've been over this before, Inventory. I don't like having too much clutter. You know how some visual novels have, like, five buttons' worth of playback options, plus a handful of others for various menus? I didn't want to be like that! It looks awful!
[[Next|Gameplay18g]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
For the sake of elegance and simplicity, we all agreed that we would have as few buttons on the gameplay screen as possible. We also agreed that you, Inventory, would not be called unless there was a specific "Open Inventory" prompt.
[[Next|Gameplay18h]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia08_yelling.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
In this case, when the "Look in your bag for the snack" prompt was chosen, there would be a pop-up asking the player if they would like to open the inventory. But //nooo//, you had to jump in right away once $playername looked in their bag.
[[Next|Inventory03d]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">And why not?! It's more efficient to go straight from "Look in your bag" to me, Inventory! That confirmation pop-up you're so fond of would be redundant! Is this how things were done in your '90s visual novels?
[[Next|Gameplay18i]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia08_yelling.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
It's proper protocol! And even though you're so fond of the retro look, you don't understand that!
[[Next|Inventory03e]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">I simply don't get it. For someone who wants things to be streamlined, you have some awfully inefficient habits.
And yes, I do love the retro look, but modern ways of doing things aren't all bad, either!
[[Um, when will you two be done with this argument?|Inventory03f]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">Oh! Right. My sincerest apologies, $playername. How embarrassing for us to have you witness this bickering. But hey, now that you've heard our arguments, which method do you favor?
[[Go straight to Inventory when choosing the line about looking in my bag|Gameplay18j]]
[[Have a pop-up confirmation first before going to Inventory|Gameplay18j]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia11_tsun.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Oh, so you're going to solicit feedback from this player who, as far as we know, has never made a game in their life, on how we should design our own game? Yeah, that //totally// sounds like a smart idea.
[[Hey, I've made games before!|Inventory03g]]
[[Hey, I've never made a game, but I have critiqued them!|Inventory03h]]
[[So my feedback isn't important?|Gameplay18k]]
[[You're right. You all are the experts.|Gameplay18l]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">Ah, that changes things, then! So again, which method do you prefer?
[[Go straight to Inventory when choosing the line about looking in my bag|Gameplay18k]]
[[Have a pop-up confirmation first before going to Inventory|Gameplay18k]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">Ah, you're a game critic? Then as far as I'm concerened, your opinion is valid! So again, which method do you prefer?
[[Go straight to Inventory when choosing the line about looking in my bag|Gameplay18k]]
[[Have a pop-up confirmation first before going to Inventory|Gameplay18k]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia05_surprised.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
I mean, don't get me wrong, your opinion on our game does count, but ultimately, //we// are the creators. As the individual around here in charge of gameplay, I believe that an approach that is both simple and clear is best. Anything you or Inventory says will not change my mind on that.
[[Next|Inventory03i]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Honestly, I'm glad you see it that way.
[[Next|Gameplay18k]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">Dia has a point, but I don't feel right about this. I thought we had reached a consensus here, but I guess I was wrong. I can't be part of a finished product where we don't agree with each other.
[[Next|Inventory03j]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">Perhaps I should just go find another project to work on. This obviously isn't working out. I mean, I was told this would be a fantasy game, but it ended up being a high school visual novel, so most of my items don't even fit!
[[Next|Gameplay18m]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia08_yelling.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Great, now you're going to make //me// ruin the twist?
$playername, this is an "isekai" game. You know, one in which the protagonist ends up in a fantasy world? There was going to be swords, sorcery, smartphones, all that stuff. Inventory just needed to be patient.
[[Next|Inventory03k]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">If that's the case, then why is $playername carrying all this stuff //now?// It makes no sense.
You know what? I'm outta here. If you all can come up with a coherent plan for this project, then maybe I'll return, but as of now, there's too much infighting and too little coordination.
[[Next|Inventory03l]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">$playername, I am truly sorry about this mess. Dia-chan will have to take care of your items in the future, through menu selections, whether she wants to or not.
[[What if they find a replacement for you?|Inventory03m]]
[[Hah, oh well.|Inventory03n]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">They won't. I'm pretty well-connected in the inventory management world. I'll spread the word about this half-assed production. If they are able to find a replacement, it'll probably be some incompetant newbie who they can push around.
Anyway, farewell!
[[Best of luck to you!|CreditsInventory]]</div></div></div><div id="inventory"><div class="container"><br />Inventory<br /> <div class="list"><!-- DEACTIVATED LIST -->Strange Potion
Magic Key
Bard's Hat
Legendary Spade
Old Journal
Map</div><div class="description">Indeed. I love games, and love working on them and sharing their joys with players, but I have little patience for productions that can't get their act together.
Anyway, that's it for me. Enjoy (what you can) of the rest of the game!
[[Thanks, I'll try!|CreditsInventory]]</div></div></div><div id="credits">FOUR
//Brainscraps Holiday Card No. 4, December 2018//
Ending 3
----
//~Dramatis Personae~//
TITLE
Amarante by Karolina Lach (Google Fonts)
SAVE (SAVE/LOAD)
Chewy by Sideshow (Google Fonts)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Header - Frederika the Great by Tart Workshop (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Shadows Into Light by Kimberly Geswein (Google Fonts)
OPTIONS
Cinzel by Natanael Gama (Google Fonts)
CREDITS
Montserrat by Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, and Jacques Le Bailly (Google Fonts)
QUIT
Allerta Stencil by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
TUTORIAL
Orbitron by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
DIA-CHAN (DIALOGUE/GAMEPLAY)
Neuton by Brian Zick (Google Fonts)
PAUSE
Header - Monofett by Vernon Adams (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Special Elite by Astigmatic (Google Fonts)
INVENTORY
Press Start 2P by CodeMan38 (Google Fonts)
----
//~Game Design~//
WRITING, DESIGN, ART, ETC.
R. Kasahara
TESTING
R. Kasahara, bitprophet
GAME ENGINE
[[Twine 2.2.1|http://twinery.org]]
STORY FORMAT
[[SugarCube 2.21.0|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]]
----
//Four// is licensed under a [[Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/]].
All fonts are copywritten and/or trademarked as noted above. All [[Google Fonts|http://fonts.google.com]] are open source.
----
Thank you for playing!
<<set $inventoryending to 1>>[[Return to Title|StoryInit]]
</div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia01_smile.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">There are a variety of items in your bag. Choose one to give to Dia.
[[Pencil case|Gameplay20a]]
[[Pear|Gameplay18a]]
[[Bento box|Gameplay20b]]
[[Notebook|Gameplay20a]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">After a few more bites, you ask her if she's starting to feel less hungry. She smiles brightly and replies, "I am. Thank you again! Oh look, we're almost at school!"
[[Next|Gameplay21]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia02_frown.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">That isn't edible! Perhaps you should pick something that is.
<<return "Go Back">></div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia02_frown.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">If you give Dia-chan your bento box, then come lunch time, //your// stomach will be the one growling. Maybe you should choose something else...
<<return "Go Back">></div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnauto">Game Autosaved</div><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia04_flustered.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">You expected to see an ordinary school building, but what greets your eyes is something entirely different: a massive stone castle!
You glance over at Dia. As expected, she is shocked by the castle's appearance.
[[Next|Gameplay22]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia05_surprised.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">Dia-chan glances over at you. "Um, $playername, do you know what's going on here?"
You shake your head. Dia-chan suggests that the two of you try and find a different route.
[[Look for another route to school.|Pause04]]
[[Continue on the same route.|Pause04]]</div></div></div><!-- PAUSE ENDING BRANCH (UNAVOIDABLE). Pause branch overrides Options, Inventory, and Achievements branches. After this point, these other endings are impossible to get. --><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Sorry for the interruption, but this would be a great time to save your game! Here, let me hook you up with the link real quick.
After you've saved, you'll be bounced back here. See you in a few!
[[Save]]
[[Continue with the story|Gameplay23]]
[[Return to Title|StoryInit]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia07_angry.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
............
[[Next|Gameplay23a]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia07_angry-alt.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
<<if $optionsending or $cheevosending or $inventoryending>>Why... why does this always happen to me...<<else>>I don't believe this...<</if>>
[[Next|Gameplay23b]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia08_yelling.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Pause, we were at the ''FIRST BIG DRAMATIC MOMENT'' of this story, and you ''RUINED'' it by busting in with your "do you want to save?" crap. What the //hell?!//
[[Yeah, I was really getting into it, too!|Pause04a]]
[[I appreciated Pause's concern, though.|Gameplay23c]]</div></div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Hey, I'm really sorry about that! Really! But it was a "point of no return" and I wanted to give $playername a little nudge to save so that they didn't regret it later!
[[That was a "point of no return"? Why didn't you tell me?!|Pause04b]]
[[Thanks, I appreciate it.|Pause04c]]
[[I don't care. It's rude to interrupt the flow of the game like that.|Gameplay23d]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia07_angry.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Well //I// didn't! I get it, saving your game is important, but so is setting the right mood, //especially// in a visual novel such as this one.
If you want or need to interrupt that mood to save, $playername, then as the player, that's your right. If the game itself does it, it's jarring. You understand, don't you?
[[I guess so.|Tutorial13]]</div></div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Sorry! I really shoulda been clearer about that, huh.
I'm not used to working in games where "points of no return" are a thing, so I wasn't sure how to let you know you should save before moving on.
[[Oh, okay.|Tutorial13]]</div></div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">I know, but I dunno if you're one of those completionist types of gamers. I didn't want you to get mad if you found out, later on, that you didn't see everything there was to see here when you had the chance!
[[Hrm...|Tutorial13]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Hey, chill out Dia. Pause didn't do what they did with bad intentions. Just like you, they simply want our player to have the best possible experience.
As for you, Pause, you really should work on your timing. Wait until there's an appropriate break in the story before suggesting to the player that they save. Also, who makes a save prompt pop up AFTER an important branching decision is made? That just leads to a worsened player experience.
[[Next|Pause04d]]</div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">No problem! Glad I could help!
[[Next|Tutorial13]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"> </div><div class="storytext"><!-- Dia is not present -->[[Next|Tutorial13a]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">...Dia-chan?
[[Next|Gameplay24a]]</div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"> </div><div class="storytext"><!-- Dia is not present -->[[Next|Pause05]]</div></div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Oh, she left a note.
............
Seems we've got another one, Tutes.
[[Next|Tutorial13b]]</div></div></div>
<div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Another what? Don't tell me that note is...
[[Next|Pause05a]]</div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Yeah, it's a resignation letter. Seems she got fed up with the rest of us. She also mentioned that the anniversary of that super famous dating sim series she was in back in the day is coming up, and one of her old coworkers from that time wants her help pitching a special project related to that.
So, that said, she decided there was no point sticking around here. Eh, whatever.
[[Next|Tutorial13c]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">"Whatever"? What do you mean, "whatever"? What're we going to do without the actual game part of this game? The rest of us aren't able to fill her shoes.
[[Next|Pause05b]]</div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Maybe we should just quit. Options, Cheevos, and Inventory are gone now, too, so maybe we ought to follow their lead.
<<if $optionsending and $cheevosending and $inventoryending>><<set $threeendings to 1>>[[............|Tutorial13d]]<<else>>[[Wait, what? Did I miss something?|Pause05c]]<</if>></div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Oh... so they are. I knew about Options, because they came by to say their farewells before leaving, but not the other two.
We should just shut this whole thing down right now. This game is no longer in a playable state.
[[Next|Pause05d]]</div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">That's why I said earlier that we were going past the Point of No Return. Maybe you got one or two of their endings, or maybe even none of them, but obviously you missed that all three had left.
But hey, you saved when I asked you to, right? If you want to see what happened to them, you should load up that save, go back to the main menu, and try again.
[[Yeah, maybe...|Tutorial13d]]</div></div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Yeah, I agree.
What're you gonna do now, Tutes? I don't have anything else going on, so maybe I'll book a trip to Hawaii and do a little surfing.
[[Next|Tutorial13e]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Heh, still have some of your old royalties saved up, I see. I have some savings I can live off of for awhile, but I really want to get back to work. I'm going to update my resume and do a little networking.
[[Next|Pause05e]]</div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">What're you gonna do for fun, though? Can't spend all day job-hunting.
[[Next|Tutorial13f]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">I have a pile of books I've been meaning to read, so I won't be bored. But maybe I should take a trip, too.
Anyway, $playername, I'm very sorry about this, but we can't move forward without gameplay, which was Dia-chan's domain.
It just didn't work out. Maybe that was inevitable.
My deepest apologies.
[[Next|Pause05g]]</div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Yeah, what Tutes said. Sorry this game wound up being so dysfunctional.
Maybe we'll meet again in the future. 'Till then, laters!
[[Laters!|Tutorial13g]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Thank you for playing our game, what little of it there was.
I hope we'll meet again!
[[Same here! I think...|CreditsFOUR]]</div></div><div id="credits">FOUR
//Brainscraps Holiday Card No. 4, December 2018//
Ending ''4''
----
//~Dramatis Personae~//
TITLE
Amarante by Karolina Lach (Google Fonts)
SAVE (SAVE/LOAD)
Chewy by Sideshow (Google Fonts)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Header - Frederika the Great by Tart Workshop (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Shadows Into Light by Kimberly Geswein (Google Fonts)
OPTIONS
Cinzel by Natanael Gama (Google Fonts)
CREDITS
Montserrat by Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, and Jacques Le Bailly (Google Fonts)
QUIT
Allerta Stencil by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
TUTORIAL
Orbitron by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
DIA-CHAN (DIALOGUE/GAMEPLAY)
Neuton by Brian Zick (Google Fonts)
PAUSE
Header - Monofett by Vernon Adams (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Special Elite by Astigmatic (Google Fonts)
INVENTORY
Press Start 2P by CodeMan38 (Google Fonts)
----
//~Game Design~//
WRITING, DESIGN, ART, ETC.
R. Kasahara
TESTING
R. Kasahara, bitprophet
GAME ENGINE
[[Twine 2.2.1|http://twinery.org]]
STORY FORMAT
[[SugarCube 2.21.0|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]]
----
//Four// is licensed under a [[Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/]].
All fonts are copywritten and/or trademarked as noted above. All [[Google Fonts|http://fonts.google.com]] are open source.
----
Thank you for playing!
<<set $fourthending to 1>><<if $threeendings>><<set $fourendings to 1>><</if>>[[Return to Title|StoryInit]]
</div><div id="start"><div class="startauto">Game Autosaved</div><div class="title">Four</div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">Hey, so... it's just us now, huh?
They're all gone.
[[Next|Title02a]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title">Four</div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">Well, I mean saves still seem to be working, so I don't think Save/Load has left. <<if $quitcheck4>>Quit's gone, but<<else>>Quit's still here, though<</if>> I don't know why, and Credits is here, but there's reasons for that.
[[What reasons?|Title02b]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title">Four</div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">I kind of roped Credits into this whole project. They like games but don't have much interest in making them. The only reason they've put up with me is 'cause we're friends.
[[And what's your story?|Title02c]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title">Four</div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">Me? I like games too, and I wanted to try making one. I thought I'd be able to understand more about why the games I play were made the way they were if I did.
When I started asking around for help, a handful of pros expressed interest. It was surprising, but I thought their expertise would help me learn even more, so we started work on this project.
[[Next|Title02d]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title">Four</div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">Just wish that we were able to settle on a title.
I know. Why don't //you// rename the game? It won't matter much since most everyone is gone now, but hey, you don't get this chance every day, right?
[[Sure, why not?|Title02e]]
[[Nah, I'm good.|Title02f]]</div></div><!-- RENAME THE GAME --><div id="start"><div class="title">Four</div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue"><<script>>
postdisplay["textboxMaxlength"] = function (fourTextbox2) {
/* Limit textbox input elements to 30 characters. */
$(".macro-textbox").attr("maxlength", 30);
/* Make this a single-use task.*/
delete postdisplay[fourTextbox2];
};
<</script>>Okay. Enter the new title here (max length: 30 characters):
<<textbox "$newtitle" "Four" "Title02econf">><<set $newtitlecheck to 1>></div></div><div id="start"><div class="title">Four</div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">Okay. Just thought I'd offer.
[[I appreciate it.|Title02g]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title">$newtitle</div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">Is this title okay?
[[Yes|Title02g]]
[[No|Title02e]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">So, yeah, anyway, I started working with these folks, and I learned a lot about how games are made.
They also talked a lot about their experiences working in the game industry. You know those stories that pop up every once in awhile about working conditions at game studios?
[[Yeah.|Title02h]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">They're all true. It's pretty amazing that some of them, like Tutorial and Dialogue--I mean, Dia-chan--had been working that long in games. If it was me, I probably would've given up by now.
[[What do you mean?|Title02i]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">I used to work in the entertainment industry, something that isn't really related to games. Did that for ten years, but I ended up quitting for a number of reasons.
I hated that I constantly had to be on the lookout for my next job. Even if I lucked into something long-term, that gig would rarely last longer than a year, and was always subject to the whims of the people in charge.
[[Next|Title02j]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">I also got sick of seeing people younger than me enter the field and get treated worse than I did when I was starting out. Maybe this is why it became harder for me to find work: I needed to earn a living and wasn't naive enough to be willingly exploited. I didn't want to be made to feel expendable.
Those two added together, plus the types of projects themselves I was getting hired on, made me start to lose love for my chosen career. I didn't care about it as much anymore.
[[Next|Title02k]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">I guess you could say I burnt out.
I didn't want to do it anymore.
I went through a painful few years afterward. A lot of other stuff was involved, but the important thing is that my whole outlook on life and the artform I was involved with changed, permanently.
[[Next|Title02l]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">I played a lot of games while sorting myself out. Then, I started to get curious about making them, so here we are.
While I was making this game, and even now, I wonder what would happen if I decided to make it more than a hobby. If I decided to become a game developer...
[[Next|Title02m]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">...but then I remembered what happened the last time I got into a field I loved. I don't want to burn out on games so badly that I can't play them anymore, that the very idea of playing them is repulsive to me.
But I still kind of want to do it. I'm not sure.
[[Next|Title02n]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">But that's for me to figure out.
Thanks for listening to me ramble, and for playing, even though it didn't turn out like I had hoped.
Maybe I should've tried all this on my own from the beginning. I liked collaborating with others in my old career, but I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to leading them.
I'll take a break, play a long RPG or something, then maybe pick it up again. We'll see.
[[Next|Title02o]]</div></div><div id="start"><div class="title"><<if $newtitlecheck>>$newtitle<<else>>Four<</if>></div><div class="menu"> </div><div class="dialogue">Anyway, I should let you go. Credits will be relieved to hear this.
Take care. Maybe I'll see you around for "Five", huh?
[[Sure, maybe.|CreditsTitle]]</div></div><div id="credits">Hey, Title's my pal and all, but just between you and me, I'm glad this is over. I don't really want to make games, I just want to play 'em.
If you ever see me online, say hi, okay? We could play some deathmatch, or maybe go raiding in an MMO if you're not into shooters.
This is the last time I'll roll the credits for you, so you better appreciate them. I'm out.
----
FOUR
//Brainscraps Holiday Card No. 4, December 2018//
Ending 5
----
//~Dramatis Personae~//
TITLE
Amarante by Karolina Lach (Google Fonts)
SAVE (SAVE/LOAD)
Chewy by Sideshow (Google Fonts)
ACHIEVEMENTS
Header - Frederika the Great by Tart Workshop (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Shadows Into Light by Kimberly Geswein (Google Fonts)
OPTIONS
Cinzel by Natanael Gama (Google Fonts)
CREDITS
Montserrat by Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, and Jacques Le Bailly (Google Fonts)
QUIT
Allerta Stencil by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
TUTORIAL
Orbitron by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)
DIA-CHAN (DIALOGUE/GAMEPLAY)
Neuton by Brian Zick (Google Fonts)
PAUSE
Header - Monofett by Vernon Adams (Google Fonts)
Body Text - Special Elite by Astigmatic (Google Fonts)
INVENTORY
Press Start 2P by CodeMan38 (Google Fonts)
----
//~Game Design~//
WRITING, DESIGN, ART, ETC.
R. Kasahara
TESTING
R. Kasahara, bitprophet
GAME ENGINE
[[Twine 2.2.1|http://twinery.org]]
STORY FORMAT
[[SugarCube 2.21.0|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]]
----
//Four// is licensed under a [[Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/]].
All fonts are copywritten and/or trademarked as noted above. All [[Google Fonts|http://fonts.google.com]] are open source.
----
Thank you for playing!
<<set $ticredending to 1>>[[Return to Title|StoryInit]]
</div><!-- fanfic ending --><div class="fanficauto">Game Autosaved</div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="comicsans">"huh. everyone's gone."</div>
The short skeleton scratched its bony belly and glanced around.
<div class="comicsans">"yup, no one's left. almost no one."</div>
You tilt your head at the skeleton as you read this. //[[What does he mean?|SLfanfic02]]//</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="comicsans">"save is still here. their official name is 'save/load', but you can call 'em save."</div>
You ask if that's cool with them.
<div class="comicsans">"sure it's cool. oh, hey, it's my brother."</div>
<div class="comicsans">"sup?"</div>
[[Next|SLfanfic03]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="papyrus">"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THEY ASKED ME TO--"</div>
The lanky, yelling skeleton stops and stares at you, one hand on his hips.
<div class="papyrus">"OH, THERE'S STILL A PLAYER HERE. WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"</div>
You tell them the name you gave Tutorial at the beginning.
<div class="papyrus">"$playername, HUH? WHY'RE YOU STILL HERE?"</div>
[[I'm not sure of that myself.|SLfanfic03a]]
[[I wanted to see if there was anything left for me to do.|SLfanfic03b]]
[[Eh, just hanging out.|SLfanfic03c]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="comicsans"> "ah, sweet confusion. that's the best on a day like today. no responsibilities, no worries."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"I HUMBLY DISAGREE. LIVING WITH PURPOSE AT ALL TIMES IS THE BEST!"</div>
[[Next|SLfanfic04]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="comicsans">"guess you came to the right place. not sure what you were expecting, though. probably not this."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"THIS POSTGAME OR WHATEVER IT IS MUST BE A GIGANTIC LET-DOWN AFTER ALL YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH."</div>
<div class="comicsans">"why don't we call it a secret ending?"</div>
<div class="papyrus">"SURE, THAT SOUNDS EVEN BETTER! GIVES IT SOME CACHET."</div>
[[Next|SLfanfic04]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="comicsans">"that's cool."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO?"</div>
You shake your head. The lanky skeleton sighs.
<div class="papyrus"><div class="papyrus">"I CAN'T RELATE TO THE UNMOTIVATED."</div>
[[Next|SLfanfic04]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="comicsans"> "anyway, did you enjoy the game?"</div>
<div class="papyrus">"YES, THIS GAME!"</div>
The lanky skeleton pauses for a moment.
<div class="papyrus">"UM, WHAT WAS IT CALLED AGAIN?"</div>
[[Four|SLfanfic04a]]
<<if $newtitlecheck>>[[$newtitle|SLfanfic04b]]<</if>></div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="papyrus">"OH YES, THAT BORING TITLE. SOMEONE REALLY SHOULD'VE CHANGED IT."</div>
<div class="comicsans">"seconded."</div>
[[............|SLfanfic05]]</div></div><!-- TITLE COMMENTARY--><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><<if $newtitle is "Undertale" or $newtitle is "Deltarune">><<set $lawsuit to 1>>The expression on the short skeleton's face darkens. You feel a shiver run up your spine.
<div class="comicsans">"you sure that title was a good idea?"</div>
<div class="papyrus">"I SMELL A LAWSUIT!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"for more reasons than one."</div>
The short skeleton scratches his chin.
<div class="comicsans">"...did you know we were here?"</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Final Fantasy">><<set $lawsuit to 1>>
<div class="papyrus">"A MISLEADING TITLE FOR A MISLEADING GAME! I LOVE IT!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"oxymorons are great, huh?"</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Call of Duty" or $newtitle is "Call of Duty: Black Ops">><<set $lawsuit to 1>><div class="papyrus">"YES!! DEFENDING THE WEAK, BEING VALIANT IN THE FACE OF EVIL, ALL THAT GOODNESS! TRULY A TITLE FOR A GAME WORTH PLAYING!!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"i'm not into guns or military stuff, but ok."</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Fortnite" or $newtitle is "Overwatch" or $newtitle is "Splatoon">><<set $lawsuit to 1>><div class="comicsans">"all the kids love that one."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"REALLY? I'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT."</div>
<div class="comicsans">"you should keep up on the latest trends."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"I'M SO BAD ABOUT THAT. BEING TRENDY TAKES A LOT OF WORK!"</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Fallout" or $newtitle is "Fallout 2" or $newtitle is "Fallout 3" or $newtitle is "Fallout 4" or $newtitle is "Fallout New Vegas" or $newtitle is "Fallout 76">><<set $lawsuit to 1>><div class="comicsans">"sounds buggy."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"IF I HAD A CHOICE BETWEEN A GAME WITH A LOT OF INSECTS AND ONE WITH ONLY A FEW, I'D... HMM..."</div>
<div class="comicsans">"yeah, that's a tough one."</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Super Mario Bros." or $newtitle is "Super Mario" or $newtitle is "Super Mario Bros" or $newtitle is "Tetris">><<set $lawsuit to 1>><div class="comicsans">"this game is nowhere near on that level."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"WE MUST PUT IN A BETTER EFFORT TO LIVE UP TO THAT LOFTY TITLE AND ALL THAT IT IMPLIES!"</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Grand Theft Auto" or $newtitle is "GTA" or $newtitle is "Grand Theft Auto III" or $newtitle is "Grand Theft Auto IV" or $newtitle is "Grand Theft Auto V">><<set $lawsuit to 1>><div class="papyrus">"THAT'S IT. I MUST TAKE YOU IN RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"what if they're using this title ironically?"</div>
<div class="papyrus">"WELL, THAT CHANGES THINGS. NEVER MIND!"</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Pokemon" or $newtitle is "Pocket Monsters" or $newtitle is "Pokémon">><<set $lawsuit to 1>><div class="papyrus">"CATCHING THEM ALL SOUNDS LIKE A DAUNTING TASK."</div>
<div class="comicsans">"i'm not up for it. all i want to catch are some z's."</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Dark Souls">><<set $lawsuit to 1>><div class="papyrus">"SOUNDS CHALLENGING! I'M IN!!!!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"this game is the dark souls of meta."</div>
<<elseif $newtitle is "Four">><div class="comicsans">"i see what you did there."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"WHAT? WHAT DID THEY DO?!"</div>
<<else>><div class="papyrus">"THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD TITLE!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"yeah, it's not bad."</div>
<</if>>[[Next|SLfanfic05]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="comicsans">"so getting back to the original question, did you enjoy this game?"</div>
[[Yeah.|SLfanfic05a]]
[[Nah.|SLfanfic05b]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="papyrus">"THAT'S GOOD! BETTER TO HAVE A GOOD TIME THAN A BAD ONE!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"can't argue with that."</div>
[[Next|SLfanfic06]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="comicsans">"sorry to hear that. the creator will try to do better next time."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"YES THEY WILL, AND WE'LL SEE YOU WHEN THEY DO!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"well, //we// won't see them, but someone or something else will."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"THEY'RE NOT BRINGING US BACK?"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"can't let this joke run on for too long."</div>
<div class="papyrus">"OH. OKAY."</div>
[[Next|SLfanfic06]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="papyrus">"AND WITH THAT, WE SHOULD GET GOING."</div>
<div class="comicsans">"yeah. whaddya say we go get some delicious macaroni?"</div>
<div class="papyrus">"BUT I'M IN THE MOOD FOR SPAG--"</div>
The short skeleton winks.
<div class="comicsans">"hey now, you don't want to get sued, right?"</div>
[[Next|SLfanfic06a]]</div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container">What's that, you say? There shouldn't be any credits because Credits left?
Silly $playername, I, Save, shall provide the credits for you!
Thanks again for playing! Seeya!
[[Roll credits!|CreditsSave01]]<<set $fanficending to 1>></div></div><div id="fanficcredits">FOUR
//Brainscraps Holiday Card No. 4, December 2018//
Ending <font color="#FFFFAA">6</font>: the <font color="#FFFFAA">F</font>inal one
[[Next|CreditsSave02]]</div><div id="fanficcredits">//~Dramatis Personae~//
[[Next|CreditsSave03]]</div><div id="fanficcredits">TITLE
<div class="title">Amarante by Karolina Lach (Google Fonts)</div>
SAVE (SAVE/LOAD)
Chewy by Sideshow (Google Fonts)
<div class="narration">Ending 6/F (Narration) - Times New Roman by Stanley Morison and Victor Lardent (® Monotype ITC Inc.)</div><div class="skeleton1">Ending 6/F (Short Skeleton) - Comic Sans MS by Vincent Connare (© 2011 Microsoft Corporation)</div><div class="skeleton2">Ending 6/F (Lanky Skeleton) - Papyrus by Chris Costello (® Monotype ITC Inc.)</div>
[[Next|CreditsSave04]]</div><!-- FINAL CHEEVOS TALLY --><div id="fanficcredits">ACHIEVEMENTS
<div class="cheevos1">Header - Frederika the Great by Tart Workshop (Google Fonts)</div><div class="cheevos2">Body Text - Shadows Into Light by Kimberly Geswein (Google Fonts)
Finalized Achievements List:
*<<if $optionsending>>''VGM Vacation:'' Reached Ending A (Options Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $cheevosending>>''The Auteur:'' Reached Ending B (Achievements Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $inventoryending>>''Disorganization:'' Reached Ending C (Inventory Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $fourthending>>''Fourth Ending:'' Reached Ending D (Pause, Dia-Chan, and Tutorial Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $ticredending>>''Burnout Purgatory:'' Reached Ending E (Title and Credits Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $fanficending>>''The Following Ending is Canon:'' Reached Ending F (Save's Fanfiction Ending)<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $optionscheck1>>''Config.ini:'' Visited Options from the Title screen<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $cheevoscheck1>>''Zero Percent Completion:'' Visited Achievements from the Title screen<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $cheevoscheck4>>''We're Still Getting Ready:'' Disabled Achievements from the Title screen<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $creditscheck1>>''SPOILERS:'' Visited Credits before reaching an ending<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $quitcheck4>>''You Can't Fire Me:'' Made Quit quit<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $invpotion and $invkey and $invhat and $invspade and $invpear and $invjournal and $invmap>>''Master of Pointless Lore:'' Read the description of every item in the Inventory<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $tutorialstory>>''Read the Manual:'' Tutorial told you their backstory<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $mitsuda>>''Radical Dreamer:'' Complained about the music that wasn't suggested<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $terran>>''Don't Need No Shiny Protoss Flying Machine:'' Complained about the music that was suggested<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $newtitlecheck>>''Armchair Game Designer:'' Retitled the game<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $lawsuit>>''A Lawsuit Waiting to Happen:'' Gave the game a certain title<<else>>???<</if>>
*<<if $newtitle is "Four">>''Why:'' Gave the game a redundant title<<else>>???<</if>>
There. The Achievements list is finally complete. I hope it was worth it. Did you get them all?</div>
[[Next|CreditsSave05]]
</div><!-- OPTIONS' OST ADDENDUM --><div id="fanficcredits">OPTIONS
<div class="options">Cinzel by Natanael Gama (Google Fonts)
Before I go, one final set of musical recommendations:
''Save (Fanfiction Ending):''
There are only two possibilities here, and both are by the same composer. If you haven't guessed already, they are ''".sans" and "Nyeh Heh Heh!" by Toby Fox, from //Undertale//''.
(By the way, I certainly hope you didn't disable either Comic Sans MS or Papyrus in your system's font settings, so you could enjoy the full impact of this route.)</div>
[[Next|CreditsSave06]]
<div id="fanficcredits">CREDITS
<div class="credits">Montserrat by Julieta Ulanovsky, Sol Matas, Juan Pablo del Peral, and Jacques Le Bailly (Google Fonts)</div>
QUIT
<div class="quit">Allerta Stencil by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)</div>
TUTORIAL
<div class="tutorial">Orbitron by Matt McInerney (Google Fonts)</div>
DIA-CHAN (DIALOGUE/GAMEPLAY)
<div class="diachan">Neuton by Brian Zick (Google Fonts)</div>
PAUSE
<div class="pause1">Header - Monofett by Vernon Adams (Google Fonts)</div><div class="pause2">Body Text - Special Elite by Astigmatic (Google Fonts)</div>
INVENTORY
<div class="inventory">Press Start 2P by CodeMan38 (Google Fonts)</div>
[[Next|CreditsSave07]]</div><div id="fanficcredits">//~Game Design~//
WRITING, DESIGN, ART, ETC.
R. Kasahara
TESTING
R. Kasahara, bitprophet
GAME ENGINE
[[Twine 2.2.1|http://twinery.org]]
STORY FORMAT
[[SugarCube 2.21.0|http://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/]]
[[Next|CreditsSave08]]</div><div id="fanficcredits">//Four// is licensed under a [[Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/]].
All fonts are copywritten and/or trademarked as noted above. All [[Google Fonts|http://fonts.google.com]] are open source.
----
Thank you for playing!
[[Next|Final]]</div><div id="fanficcredits">Well, that's it!
If you want to delete ''ALL'' saves and start over, click <<link "here">><<script>>{Save.clear(); Engine.restart();}<</script>><</link>>.
You will not get any warnings about whether or not you're sure you want to deleted all your saves, so once you click, that's it! Use at your own risk!
That's all from me! Seeya!
</div><div class="tutorialauto">Game Autosaved</div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">My job here is to make your time with this game go as smoothly and as pleasantly as possible.
Speaking of which, have you checked your settings yet? They could be found under "Options" on the main menu.
However, since we aren't there anymore, I will let you access that section from here.
Would you like to go to Options?
<<if $optionsending>>[[Yes|Tutorial04a]]
[[No|Tutorial04a]]
<<else>>[[Yes|Options02]]
[[No|Tutorial05]]<</if>></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia05_surprised.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">"Aaargh! I set my watch fifteen minutes ahead! Why did I do that?!"
She sighs, "Well, looks like I was worrying for nothing."
[[Next|Gameplay04]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia09_unamused.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">She narrows her eyes at you. "Or are you just yanking my chain?"
Looks like she saw right through you.
[[Next|Gameplay04]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">You nod, then introduce yourself.
"Nice to meet you, $playername. I'm looking forward to—"
[[To?|Gameplay05]]</div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Welcome to Four!
<<unset $namecheck1, $namecheck2, $namecheck3, $invcheck1>>[[Next|Tutorial00]]</div></div><div id="vn"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia04_flustered.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">As she passes, she slows down and looks back at you, then stops.
Removing the toast, she asks, "I-I'm not late, am I?"
[[Nod|Gameplay03a]]
[[Shake your head|Gameplay03b]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">She takes the pear and, after turning it over in her hands, takes a bite.
"It's sweet!"
<<if $inventoryending>>[[Next|Gameplay20]]<<else>>[[Next|Gameplay18b]]<</if>></div></div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">But that's neither here nor there. Work remained relatively steady with the occasional stretches of unemployment (like this one), for the past couple of decades. However, there was one place I worked for which gave me an experience I'll never forget.
[[Next|Tutorial12b1]]</div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">The publisher was hyped about our game, too. Their CEO had designed a famous early PC game which ours was a spiritual successor to. They loved the look and feel of our work, describing it as "authentic" in relation to that older game.
[[Next|Tutorial12b2]]</div></div><div class="tutpauselink"><button class="tutbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">A few days after the new CEO was brought in, our studio got a message saying that they want to overhaul the entire look of our game. That green-and-black look was still popular at the time, and that's what they wanted instead of the '80s throwback one.
Our spiritual successor was no longer that, and in fact, when the reviews came in after release, several of our critics were dismayed that our original aesthetic had been tossed away in favor of what every other recent futuristic sci-fi game looked like.
[[Next|Tutorial12b3]]</div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">The Achievements page is... no longer here. They couldn't get used to the way we were doing things and decided to concentrate on their personal project.
I don't think it's much of a loss, since video games got on just fine for a few decades before achievements, trophies, et cetera were invented. My sincere apologies if you were looking forward to them.
Now, let us begin!
[[Start the game|Gameplay01]]</div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia01_smile.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">(When we left off, Dia had run into $playername on the way to school and introduced herself. $playername introduced themselves in turn.)
[[Next|Gameplay16]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia06_concerned.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext">Dia looks a little disappointed when you shrug and tell her you aren't able to help. "Oh. Well, maybe I can pick up something from the school store before class starts."
She continues, "Look, we've almost reached the school." The two of you turn the corner.
[[Next|Gameplay21]]</div></div></div><div id="fanfic"><div class="container"><div class="papyrus">"THEY CAN'T SUE YOU FOR FANFIC!"</div>
<div class="comicsans">"you sure about that?"</div>
<div class="papyrus">"I AM NOT A LAWYER, SO NO."</div>
<div class="comicsans">"ok. anyway, let's go."</div>
You bid the skeletons goodbye and head to the credits for the last time.
[[Next|SLfanfic07]]</div></div><div id="options"><div class="centerpanel"><div class="pagetitle">Options</div><div class="bodytext">You know, //Devil May Cry//, //Bayonetta//, that sort of thing. In particular, I think the "Mission Clear" track from //Devil May Cry 4// is a solid example of what sort of music might work well for Title.
Perhaps I should explain which music would fit which page in terms of preexisting game music tracks. That would give you a good sense of what this game might sound like, if it had a sound. What do you think?
[[Sure, let me hear your suggestions!|Options06d]]
[[I don't know much about game music, so I'm not sure I would get anything out of it.|Options06e]]
[[Nah, I'm good. I have my own ideas for this game's soundtrack.|Options06e]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia02_frown.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
I've told you before, then? Was it during a different playthrough?
[[Yup.|Gameplay11b]]</div></div></div><div id="vn"><div class="vnpauselink"><button class="vnbutton" data-passage="PauseStandard">Pause</button></div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="scene"><img src="images/dia/dia03_happy.png" class="heroine"></div><div class="storytext"><div class="heroinename">Dia-chan:</div>
Oh, then that makes things easy! Back to the story it is!
[[On with the story!|Gameplay16a]]</div></div></div><!-- STANDARD PAUSE SCREEN --><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext"><<if $pauseintro>>[[CONTINUE|$return]]
[[SAVE|Save]]
[[LOAD|Load]]
<<if $inventoryending or $fourthending>>INVENTORY<<else>>[[INVENTORY|Inventory01]]<</if>>
<<if $optionsending or $fourthending>>OPTIONS<<else>>[[OPTIONS|Options01a]]<</if>>
<<if $cheevosending or $fourthending>>ACHIEVEMENTS<<else>>[[ACHIEVEMENTS|Cheevos04]]<</if>>
[[RETURN TO TITLE|StoryInit]]<<else>>Yoooooo, welcome to the Pause screen, $playername! Sorry that Dia-chan had to be the one to do this, but better late than never, right?
The links should be pretty self-explanatory. Just come here whenever you need to do something, okay?
<<link "Okay" PauseStandard>><<set $pauseintro to 1>><</link>><</if>></div></div></div><div id="tutorial"><div class="tutorialtext">Just between you and me, Options wasn't too happy about that, especially the sound thing. Maybe that's why they left.
Anyway, you can toggle between fullscreen and windowed using your browser's own built-in functions. If you wish to change those settings, right now is as good a time as any to do so. As usual, please click on the link below once you're ready to move on.
[[Next|Tutorial06]]</div></div><div id="pause"><div class="pagetitle">GAME PAUSED</div><div class="centerpanel"><div class="bodytext">Oh my God, if I had eyes, I'd be rolling them so hard right now.
I get where you're coming from Tutorial, but for cryin' out loud, you sound like my damn dad.
You know where I'm coming from, right Dia-chan?
[[Next|Gameplay24]]</div></div></div>