Sam & Max text-adventure, engine done: now we need content
I'm still sick and in bed, so I've got a little too much time on my hands and you know the saying about idle hands.
I wanted to see if I could write a little text adventure featuring Sam and Max, maybe incorporating some of the speculations about episode 2. The engine was done in an evening and while the code is a mess, at least it works (in Firefox 3.6: sorry for users of other browsers, but this uses some Javascript 1.8 features as well as DOM storage for autosaving) and is very easy to develop content for. Basically, there's just a demo room so far, but if we can come up with a decent story and some good lines I think it could make a nice little toy while we're waiting for episode 2.
The game:
http://www.tapper-ware.net/devel/js/js.textAdventure/index.xhtml
The demo data file:
http://www.tapper-ware.net/devel/js/js.textAdventure/data.js
So, any ideas?
I wanted to see if I could write a little text adventure featuring Sam and Max, maybe incorporating some of the speculations about episode 2. The engine was done in an evening and while the code is a mess, at least it works (in Firefox 3.6: sorry for users of other browsers, but this uses some Javascript 1.8 features as well as DOM storage for autosaving) and is very easy to develop content for. Basically, there's just a demo room so far, but if we can come up with a decent story and some good lines I think it could make a nice little toy while we're waiting for episode 2.
The game:
http://www.tapper-ware.net/devel/js/js.textAdventure/index.xhtml
The demo data file:
http://www.tapper-ware.net/devel/js/js.textAdventure/data.js
So, any ideas?
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A strange toybox
Skelletons of Sam and Max
Skunkape's abandoned spaceship
A museum location
How this could fit together I do not know yet.
I think, with the plot, you should go in some completely ridiculous that's obviously not what's going to happen.
I hope this is sarcasm
We should work together! Come visit Perth, theres slightly more stuff to do than in Canberra! Oh, wait, they took down the ferris wheel... There is one more thing to do!
Besides, Perth's too hot... Can it wait until July?
The skeletons are actually remains of a time travel paradox that was created when Sam and Max tried to use the new toy they found to time travel to ancient times (thinking that the bones originated from there), instead ending up in an archeological museum in the not so distant past where Mack Salmon was trying to use the power of remains from aliens who visited ancient Egypt to fix his "condition".
Seems ridiculous enough for me.
I've thought some more about the paradox idea and the more I think about it, the more I think it would be impossible to include in a coherent storyline: In order for duplicates to exist when Sam and Max discover the tomb, they would have had to timetravel before, otherwise the causality doesn't work unless we have a timetravel and a cloning device, which would be a bit much. We need another explanation and as much as it pains me, that means that the skeletons can't be Sam and Max.
The nearest thing I can think of right now would be:
After Sam and Max discover the tomb, they link it to ancient Egypt and head for the museum where an evil archeologist of some sort is experimenting to use the mystical abilities of certain artifacts from ancient Egypt to open wormholes to different times and places. The "artifacts" are actually inhabitants of Gordon's planet who, without being stripped of their body like Skunkape did, are able to assume the form of existing objects. They had studied ancient Egypt and laid dormant when it collapsed, until they were dug out by archeologists. The villain wants to use their powers to basically overcome a inferiority complex by fixing the timeline so that archeologists are seen as the cream of the crop (supported by an invisible puppet master with an agenda of his own). Sam and Max have to stop him and in the course of this they create duplicated of themselves from banana jelly and styrofoam which are prompty sent back in time during the final battle with the evil archeologist.
I think we can build a story on that.
Also, I don't think the brain's species is supposed to be inherently psychic. The brain was using his power to impress girls when Skun-ka'pe showed up, which makes it sound like it's not common.
...Or he's just really good at it.
TOMB
-Sam and Max find hieroglyphs and a tunnel
-take the toy box
-take the skeletons
-follow the tunnel to
EXCAVATION SITE
-meet depressed archaeologist
-archaeologist reveals that skeletons are made of styrofoam and some glue
-get directed to the history museum for more information
MUSEUM
-meet the disgruntled director who wants to change the past
-get him to open the toy box
-find out that he's using alien remains to work on a time machine that he wants to use to make archeology more popular
-find out that he has support from /somewhere/
-fight him and his timemachine
-create duplicates of themselves to distract him which he sends back in time
"The Cave of the molemen sect has apparently been abandoned. The devil's toy box is still there and so are the skeleton that look like you and your little buddy."
or
"Sam: Here we are. The molemen have run off and the disturbing skeletons are still here."
What or who can we add to the cave that would make things more interesting? Should the mole-people still be there? Are there any reasons for puzzles there?
OK now, we're a bit limited when it comes to ingredients in the first room, so I'd actually leave the mole-people in there. Now we need a task that they can give to Sam and Max that unless completed would realistically keep them from going through the tunnel unless completed.
How about the tunnel behind the skeletons having collapsed and Sam and Max have to find a way through, eventhough there's just a tiny opening... which is easy with Stinky's cellphone: Problem is that the phone would break if thrown through, so we need to find a way to protect it. Something sick and strange, yet plausible: Think banana-jelly (which we can't use, since getting it would involve going back to the street, which we don't want to do).
It must be something that the mole-worshipers would hand out... what do mole-people have that is shock-absorbing? Only their clothes really: that would mean getting them to follow their idol's (max) behaviour of walking around naked... Is there any way to convince them through anything but dialogue? A puzzle solution requiring dialog is at best annoying, I'd prefer the "use x with y" approach. What do Sam and Max have that they could use to convince them?
Alternatively, how could we make them loose their faith at which point they would drop the silly robes and leave?
The more I think about it, I think it would get to complex if we asked the user to understand that in order to get through the hole, he would have to use stinky's cell, in order for which to work he'd need the robes, for which he would have to convince them to drop their faith. Better let them loose their faith automatically. We'd still need an explanation for that though.
OK, so the revised timeline for Room1 would be (I've dropped taking the skeletons along, we'll just use the Box itself or some drawings in the tunnel to link to the museum):
====TOMB===
/TAKE BOX
/LOOK AT SKELETONS (at which point they fall apart and the collapsed tunnel and the tiny hole though are revealed)
/TALK TO WORSHIPERS (who now have nothing to worship and will drop their robes and leave)
/PICK UP ROBES
/USE ROBES WITH STINKY'S CELL (so you get a shock-protected cellphone)
/USE PROTECTED PHONE WITH HOLE (in order to get a teleportation target inside the tunnel)
/TELEPORT TO STINKY'S CELL
So now we're inside the tunnel... should anything be there? Except for hieroglyphs maybe? Should there be anything to do? Or should it just lead straight to the digging site?
Sam: Well, here we are in this great dirty hole, little buddy.
Max: Yeah, and this cave's pretty filthy, too.
Sam: Yeah, and this... Wait, what did you think I was talking about?
Max: What did I think who was something about what?
Sam: Never mind. Let's find a way out of this cave.
Max: I hope it involves overly-complicated puzzles!
Sam: I'm sure it will, little buddy.
TALK TO MAX (serves as sort of a hint service)
Sam: I'm baffled, little buddy!
Max: Me too. Luckily I have much too short of an attention span to really care abou... Hey! Skeletons! Lookie, Sam! Let's make them pick their noses!
DISCOVER OPENING
Sam: Well, what do you know!? A convenient little opening in this caved in wall that everyone can see! Except for YOU!
Max: Except for who, Sam?
Sam: The Government, of course! They're always watching us!
Max: Sam, I pretty much AM the government, so there is no way in Hell that they know anything about anything!
Sam: Well then... Let's try getting out of here, hey little buddy?
Max: You read my mind, Sam!
Sam: No, I think it's the other way around. Goofball.
INVENTORY
Sam: {Just says everything in the inventory}
MOLE PEOPLE
Max: Hey! Filthy Mole Men!
Sam: Max, be a little more sensitive to the... Eughh!
Mole Man: What?
Max: As I am your leader, I believe it is only fitting to behave exactly like me.
Sam: Ummm, maybe not EXACTLY like him... Like, only act like him in the wearing-of-clothes-part.
Mole Man: But he doesn't wear clothes!
Max: Exactly
Sam: Sweet Moleman Nipples on a ride to Santa Monaco on a Cheese Log! My eyes are burning!
Mole Man: Where should I put my forbidden clothing, Leader?
Max: I don't care, dump it on the ground; Sam's the one who has to pick it up and carry it around in his suit anyway!
Sam: &%$#
Max: Ampersand, percent, dollar, hash? Your cursing has gone downhill ever since you took that anger management class!
BOX
Sam: Ooh, it's an unholy box of terrible evil, Max! I dare you to touch it!
Max: Ok. (Max absorbs power from the box, floats in midair, and smacks Sam across the face with his power. Then, it vanishes, and Sam pockets the Toybox. Bet you wish this was a graphical game now, huh?)
Max: Who was that?
Sam: Don't worry about it, it was just pesky narration. But I have a feeling we won't be hearing from him any more...
Max: Right. Because I just cleaned his clock!
Sam: You killed him!?!
Max: What? No, I literally cleaned his clock in exchange for him not butting in anymore!
ROBES
Sam: God, the things I do... Shudder...
USE ROBES WITH CELL
Sam: Oh, great, the sweat shorted out the phone's camera!
Max: Did it erase the harddrive?
Sam: No, why?
Max: Uh, no reason. By the way, Sam, can I see that phone for a second?
USE PROTECTED CELL WITH HOLE
Sam: Conveniently, it fits right through, even with the extra padding!
Max: I hope it doesn't fall into the river!
TELEPORT (anytime)
Max: Got your barfbag, Sam?
Sam: Barfbag? What the...
{TELEPORT}
Sam: Blarrrghh!
Max: It's OK, Sam, even men throw up sometimes!
Sam: Max, that's not like you to say that!?
Max: I wasn't done! Even men throw up sometimes... Sissy men!
Sam: {slap}
That's all I could be bothered doing for the time being. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's 12:15, and I need sleep!
UNIDENTIFIED SCRIPT
Sam: No, don't do that, idiot!!
Max: But it seemed like such a good idea!
Sam: Just don't.
1. See if there's a literal room-specific match ("look at max" -> "not in this light")
2. See if there's a wildcard room-specific match ("look at *" -> "it's too dark to see anything")
3. See if there's a literal global match
4. See if there's a wildcard global match
5. Trigger room default action
6. Trigger global default action