/* * This is the pretend transcript I wrote, from which I designed the game. * The goal was to make a game that played out like this transcript. The * final version doesn't manage to do all of this, but it's fairly close. */ FOUR IN ONE Interactive Fiction by J. Robinson Wheeler Copyright 1997-98. Playthrough (prototype/mockup). Written 4-8-97, 4-9-97. Typed 7-16-98. ------------------- [INTRO] "This is it, Sam!" Irving tells you. He turns red with frustration, and you worry about his heart condition. "Look, Mr. Thalberg," you say. "All I've gotta do is get this one master shot in the can before lunch, and with the rewrites we're back on schedule and on budget." "All you've gotta...!" Irving's face puffs and squinches. For a moment, you think he's about to have a seizure, and then suddenly Irving lets loose with a peal of laughter that frightens Val, his secretary and your assistant for the day. "You aces, Mr. T? I mean, are you all right?" she says. "You make it sound so easy, Sam," Irving says to you. He is smiling at some private joke as he escorts you out of his office. "Here, I'll give you a handicap start. You play golf, right Sam?" You nod. "Yessir, I do." Irving snaps his fingers with a manly click. "Val, go round up the boys and get them to the set." Val nods and leaves. "There," says Irving. "You've got them all teed up. You have TWO HOURS to get that master we can print. I'd say you've got the same chance as getting a hole-in-one. Or in this case, a four-in-one." [MORE] FOUR IN ONE Interactive Fiction by J. Robinson Wheeler. Version 1.0. Copyright 1998 JRW. On the Set The set, a mockup of a monastery winery, which is to say full of barrels, is lit and ready. The camera and sound crews are waiting to roll. The gaffers are in the rigging and the grips are having a smoke at the catering table, which is on the west side of the soundstage. Margaret Dumont is here. There are four Marx Brothers here. Val is here, by your side. There are four costumed extras here. Scotty the A.D. is here. Walter the D.P. is here. Scotty yells, "Director on the set!" Groucho quips, "If I were you, I'd mutiny." Harpo whistles to himself. >scotty, hello Scotty stands at attention. "Whenever you're ready to shoot, sir, just tell me: SCOTTY, ROLL and I'll do the rest!" >scotty, roll Scotty claps. "Actors on their marks!" Groucho quips, "Don't you mean, 'Marx, on your marks'?" Scotty shouts, "Roll sound!" Sound says, "Speed!" Scotty shouts, "Roll camera!" Camera says, "Clap it!" The 2nd A.D. says, "HOLY MACKERELS scene 62 take 1!" >call action "ACTION!" you shout. Zeppo flubs a line. "Ah, nuts. Sorry. I thought we were going to rehearse first." >rehearse scene (the actors) They zip through the scene perfectly. Scotty yells, "Redress the set! Makeup! Touch up the talent! Actors, stay on your places!" Scotty turns to you. "Ready to roll, sir!" >scotty, roll Scotty claps. "Actors on their marks!" Groucho quips, "On your marks, get set, GO!" Harpo honks his horn, and all four race a lap around the soundstage. Zeppo wins by a footlength ahead of Groucho. Chico comes in third by a nose, using the old, "Ah, I'm too old to race" ploy to gain a second's head start on gullible Harpo. >scotty, roll Scotty claps. "Actors on their PLACES!" Scotty shouts, "Roll sound!" Sound says, "Speed!" Scotty shouts, "Roll camera!" Camera says, "Clap it!" The 2nd A.D. says, "HOLY MACKERELS scene 62 take 2!" >call action "ACTION!" you shout. Camera says, "Cut! Boom in shot!" Scotty yells, "Boom in shot! Cut!" Zeppo exits. "I'll be back in five." Chico shrugs. "Call me when Zep gets back, hokay?" Chico exits. >follow zeppo Groucho says, "I guess this means we're all taking five if the director's leaving the set." Groucho exits. You follow Zeppo. Val follows you. Soundstage North. The north corner of the soundstage is as nondescript as the other three. The set is to the south, and the exit leads north to the MGM studio lot. There is a phone here. Zeppo is here, talking on the phone. >x Zeppo Zeppo is about 35 years old, with a keen sense of mechanical invention. He seems quite bored with playing the straight man in the act, and recently announced this is his last film. Zeppo is on the phone to RKO, tyring to work a deal for a new feature. >get Zeppo Zeppo cocks the phone to one side. "Are we ready? OK, hold on." Zeppo hangs up. >Zeppo, follow me Zeppo is already following you. >s Zeppo follows you. Val follows you. On the Set. Margaret Dumont is here. There is one Marx Brother here. Val is here, by your side. There are four costumed extras here. Scotty is here. Walter is here. Scotty yells, "Director on the set!" >scotty, where is Harpo? Scotty shrugs. "He ran off somewhere." >Val, find Harpo "OK, I'll find him." Val leaves. >scotty, where is Groucho? Scotty points south. "In his dressing room, I think." >Zeppo, follow me. Zeppo is already following you. "Lead the way," says Zeppo. >s Dressing Rooms. There are four doors here, labelled G, H, C, and Z. Zeppo is here. >knock on G door Groucho says, "Come in if you're a beautiful Swedish masseuse." >open G, enter Opened. Groucho's Dressing Room. Groucho keeps a tidy room, but it is stale with cigar smoke, mingled with the smell of books, which are in piles around the room. Groucho is here, reading a book and smoking a stogie. Zeppo is here. >x book Groucho is reading T.S. Eliot. >get all Marx bros Zeppo is already following you. Groucho marks his place and stands up. Zeppo exchanges a glance with Groucho. "Lead on, MacDuff," he says. >exits The exit is north. >n Zeppo follows you. Groucho follows you. Dressing Rooms. Zeppo is here. Groucho is here. Groucho says, "Is my mustache on straight?" Zeppo quips, "Yes, but your face is crooked." Val enters. "Harpo is playing pinochle with Mr. Thalberg." >knock on C Chico grunts. "Yeah?" >open C, go in C Zeppo follows you. Groucho follows you. Val follows you. Chico's Dressing Room. Chico keeps his room lived-in and messy. Stacks of old newspapers with horse racing statistics circled are in piles around the room. Chico has somehow finagled a phone of his own, which he keeps on his table. Chico is here, on the phone with his bookie. Groucho is here. Zeppo is here. Val is here, by your side. Chico says, "Hey, fellas." Groucho quips, "I bet you're all wondering why I've brought you here to Chico's dressing room when we're supposed to be shooting a picture. Well, it's not surprising. In fact, I've been wondering that myself." >drop Zeppo, Groucho Zeppo sits and picks up a magazine. Groucho lights a cigar. Chico says, "Nine to one?" into the phone. Zeppo says, "I'll give you twelve to one we don't get this shot before lunch." Chico says, "Fifteen!" Zeppo says, "Deal!" Chico says, "You in on this action, Sam?" >take bet Chico grins. "Hokay, itsa deal." Groucho quips, "I could have sworn I got out of bed today to make a movie. Silly me." Zeppo says, "Speaking of deals, RKO's biting, boys. Just you guys and Harp, a one-picture deal. Irving's willing to lend us out." >n Groucho says, "I'll be in my dressing room." Groucho exits. Val follows you. Dressing Rooms. Groucho is here. Groucho leaves. Val is here, by your side. >n Val follows you. On the Set. Margaret Dumont is here. Val is here, by your side. Scotty is here. Walter is here. Scotty yells, "Director on the set!" >n Val follows you. Soundstage North. There is a phone here. >n Val follows you. MGM Main Building. The bright California sunshine glints magically off of the towering walls of the great studio in its glory years. Just ahead of you is the main building, and a quick flight of stairs leads up to Irving's Office. >u Val follows you. Outside Irving's Office. Posters of Irving's past successes, from "Ben Hur" through "Grand Hotel" line the walls outside his office. Two impressive oaken doors, currently closed, lead north. >knock "Come on in," says Irving. >enter Val follows you. Irving's Office. Irving's office is as grand a production as the pictures he makes. His desk sits in front of a fantastic expanse of windows. Across from it is a huge fireplace, designed no doubt by Cedric Gibbons himself. Plush carpeting oozes under your feet. Irving is here, sitting on the floor, playing pinochle. Harpo is here, sitting on the floor, playing pinochle. Val is here, by your side. >x Irving Irving, once the "boy genius" of Hollywood, has beaten the odds by living well into his late thirties. His face is boyish, but the bags under his twinkling eyes and his wan complexion remind you of his precarious heart condition, aggravated by the pressures of his job. Irving is sitting on the floor, playing pinochle. >get Harpo Harpo stands. >get cards Taken. >exits The exit is south. Val starts laughing. Val says, "Sorry, sir. Harpo was making faces behind your back." >s.d.s.s.s. Irving says, "An hour and a half, Sam." Val follows you. Harpo follows you. Outside Irving's Office. MGM Main Building. Soundstage North. On the Set. Scotty yells, "Director on the set!" Dressing Rooms. Val is here, by your side. Harpo is here. >knock on C You try to knock, but you notice you're holding Harpo's leg. >drop leg You drop Harpo's leg. >knock on C You try to knock, but you notice you're holding Harpo's leg. >drop leg You drop Harpo's leg, but it makes a honking noise and bounces back into your hand. >bite leg You bite Harpo's leg. Harpo looks steamed and gives you a shove. >shove Harpo Harpo shoves you back, harder! >i You are holding: a deck of cards Harpo's leg >drop leg You drop Harpo's leg. He cuts off a lock of your hair with some scissors and gives it to Val. Val says, "Er -- thanks." >knock on C Chico says, "Yeah?" >enter Val follows you. Harpo follows you. Chico's Dressing Room. Chico is here, on the phone with his wife. Sally, the makeup girl, is here, sitting on Chico's lap. Val is here, by your side. Harpo is here. There are four costumed extras here. >drop Harpo Harpo yawns and scratches. When you look away, you feel a kick in the seat of your pants. >x Harpo The picture of innocence. >give cards to Chico Without missing a beat, Chico begins dealing a hand to Harpo. Harpo looks glum but picks it up. "You guys in?" Chico asks. >Val, play cards Val sits down. Chico deals her in, and a spare hand. Chico says, "Why don't you find us a fourth -- or are you the dummy today?" Val smirks. Harpo mimes a gut-busting laugh and points at you. >n Dressing Rooms. >knock on Z There is no response. >n.n. On the Set. Scotty shouts, "Director on the set!" Soundstage North. There is a phone here. Zeppo is here, talking on the phone. >get Zeppo Zeppo says, "Why does Chico have a phone in his dressing room but I don't?" Zeppo hangs up the phone, angrily. "I hope we're really ready this time." >s Zeppo follows you. On the Set. There is one Marx Brother here. Scotty is here. Walter is here. Scotty shouts, "Director on the set!" >scotty, get Margaret Dumont Scotty says, "I'll have her here in a jiffy!" Scotty leaves. >s Zeppo follows you. Dressing Rooms. >knock on G Groucho says, "Sorry, no vacancies." >enter G Zeppo follows you. Groucho's Dressing Room. Groucho is here, reading a book. Zeppo is here. Groucho says, "Say, is it just me or have we done this once before?" >get Groucho Groucho marks his place and stands up. Zeppo says, "This time for sure." >n Groucho follows you. Zeppo follows you. Dressing Rooms. Groucho is here. Zeppo is here. Scotty enters. Scotty says, "Miss Dumont is on the set, but she says if she has to wait more than ten minutes she's walking!" Groucho quips, "Why don't you wait for twenty minutes and see if she starts flying." Zeppo says, "Sounds like some kind of hypnosis to me. 'After you wait ten minutes, you will start walking... walking... I command it!'" Zeppo snaps his fingers. Groucho quips, "I used to walk ten miles every morning. After a while I ended up back where I started." >knock on C Chico says, "Yeah?" Val says, "Come on in!" Harpo honks. >enter C Groucho follows you. Zeppo follows you. Chico's Dressing Room. Chico is here, on the phone to his accountant, and is playing cards. Val is here, playing cards. Harpo is here, playing cards. Groucho is here. Zeppo is here. Sally is here. Ted the grip is here. There are four costumed extras here. Chico says, "Ay! The gang's all here, hah?" Zeppo says, "He's just trying to win the bet." There is a knock at the door. Groucho quips, "Sorry, you can't come in without the password." Zeppo says, "Unless your measurements are 35-25-36." Groucho wiggles his brows. "That is the password." >open door Scotty enters. Scotty says, "Sir -- Mr. Thalberg is on the set and he's boiling mad!" Groucho quips, "Tell him to boil some eggs while he's at it." Chico says, "I'll take two hard boiled eggs." Harpo honks. Groucho says, "Make that three hard boiled eggs." >get everyone Chico says, "I'll call ya back." He hangs up. Groucho is already following you. Zeppo is already following you. Harpo yawns and stretches. Val stands at attention. Scotty stands at attention. Sally stands at attention. Ted ignores you. The four costumed extras stand at attention. >n Chico follows you. Groucho follows you. Zeppo follows you. Harpo follows you. Val follows you. Scotty follows you. Sally follows you. The four costumed extras follow you. Dressing Rooms. Chico is here. Groucho is here. Zeppo is here. Harpo is here. Val is here, by your side. Scotty is here. Sally is here. There are four costumed extras here. >n Chico follows you. Groucho follows you. Zeppo follows you. Harpo follows you. Val follows you. Scotty follows you. Sally follows you. The four costumed extras follow you. On the Set. Irving is here. Margaret Dumont is here. There are four Marx Brothers here. Val is here, by your side. Scotty is here. Sally is here. There are four costumed extras here. Walter is here. Scotty yells, "Director on the set!" Irving says, "Less than an hour, Sam." Margaret Dumont says, "One more minute and I would have quit." Zeppo says, "I thought she was going to start walking." Chico says, "Maybe she means she was going to quit walking." Groucho quips, "I quit walking cold turkey. Now I'm dancing like a spring chicken." He does a silly dance. >rehearse actors (dropping them first) Irving interrupts. "You really need to do that, Sam? They seem ready to me." Groucho says, "Hey Irving, where are those boiled eggs we ordered?" Scotty looks at you. "Well, sir?" >rehearse actors They spin through the scene at an impatient pace. Groucho says, "Well, we're either ready to do a take or we're ready to change our act to 'The Marx Brothers Imitate a Broken Record.'" Scotty yells, "Redress the set! Makeup! Touch up the talent! Actors, stay on your places, PLEASE!" Scotty turns to you. "Ready to roll, sir!" Irving glances at his watch. "Well, Sam?" >scotty, roll Scotty claps. "Actors on their marks!" Scotty shouts, "Roll sound!" Sound says, "Speed!" Scotty shouts, "Roll camera!" Camera says, "Clap it!" The 2nd A.D. says, "HOLY MACKERELS scene 62 take 3!" >call action "OK boys," you say. "Let's go out there and sell 'em a load of clams!" Everyone stares at you blankly. "ACTION!" you shout. Groucho stumbles on a line, but ad-libs his way out of it. Other than that, it's a perfect take. >cut "CUT!" you yell. Everyone applauds. Irving says, "We can cover that flub in a pickup after lunch. What do you think, Sam?" Scotty looks at you. "Well, sir? Is it a 'print'?" >scotty, print it "PRINT!" you call. Scotty yells, "That's a print! Check the gate!" Camera says, "Gate's clean!" Scotty yells, "Camera, set up for a pickup, and THAT'S LUNCH, everyone!" Chico yells, "All right! Fifteen to one!" He extracts the cash from Zeppo and heads off to call his bookie. Irving claps you on the back. "Great job, Sam. Come see me tonight and we'll talk about your next picture for MGM." Irving leaves. Val follows him. Groucho leaves. Harpo leaves. The costumed extras leave. Walter leaves. Sally leaves. Margaret Dumont leaves. Scotty leaves. Zeppo hands you some money. "Well, my good man. Looks like you win." *** YOU HAVE WON *** [END]