Start of a transcript of JIGSAW An Interactive History Copyright (c) 1995 by Graham Nelson Release 3 / Serial number 951129 / Inform v1600 Library 6/1 Standard interpreter 1.1 Interpreter 1 Version C / Library serial number 951024 >x me As good-looking as ever. >i You are carrying: a white party ticket You feel a few spots of rain. >x ticket Century Park Invites You To... The Party of the Century! Wear White and Bring a Sense of Hope for the Future! >e Beer Tent Hours ago, this was a popular beer tent; long since, the drink ran out and the party moved on, leaving just canvas walls and bare benches. Sticking out of an unpleasant baked potato is a sparkler, still fizzing away. The canvas flutters slightly and you can just make out that figure in black rushing away back to the park. It must be that tantalising stranger again - who else would be wearing black at this party? >get sparkler Taken. >w Century Park Somebody (and you have a pretty good idea who) seems to have dropped, of all things, a jigsaw piece here. >get piece Taken. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >se Behind Beer Tent There are many places better not visited tonight, and chief among them is this one, despite a certain fin de siecle decadence. It's a crevice behind the beer tent, between dense trees and the rear wall of the Park. The most politely describable use to which it has been put is as a dump for old plastic crates of beer bottles. Mingled amongst the beer crates is a wooden packing box, broached at the top. Discarded beside the old box is an empty rucksack. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >x crate An old tea-chest of a box, open-topped, the variety which once swung ashore on ropes in East India Docks in the great Victorian heyday. Branded on one side is "A.4". >search it In the old packing box are a tagged key and a curious device. >get all from box tagged key: Removed. curious device: Removed. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >x key The label on the tag is in some east European language. >x device A highly curious device, like a wood-mounted gimballed compass, with dials and swinging arrows, inscribed "tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis". The main feature is a white button. The easiest arrow to read points to 99. >get rucksack Taken. >x it It looks oddly like a rucksack you once took with you to Paris on holiday, but perhaps all rucksacks look that way. >push button Nothing obvious happens. >nw Century Park This party is giving you a headache. >verbose JIGSAW is now in its "verbose" mode, which always gives long descriptions of locations (even if you've been there before). >ne Churchyard A few remains of fences and a crumbling wall are all that divides the overgrown edge of the Park from this long-neglected churchyard, serene and dappled with blacks and greens. Ivy and brambles curl their slow arms around the stones, and the door of the Victorian red-brick chapel (to the east) has gone altogether. A night-jar flutters from perch to perch along an old iron fence. >undo Century Park [Previous turn undone.] >u The poplars are unclimbable. This party is giving you a headache. >d The path's level. >undo Century Park [Previous turn undone.] >undo [Can't "undo" twice in succession. Sorry!] >ne Churchyard A few remains of fences and a crumbling wall are all that divides the overgrown edge of the Park from this long-neglected churchyard, serene and dappled with blacks and greens. Ivy and brambles curl their slow arms around the stones, and the door of the Victorian red-brick chapel (to the east) has gone altogether. A night-jar flutters from perch to perch along an old iron fence. >x ivy That's not something you need to refer to in the course of this game. >e Victorian Chapel An odour compounded of desiccated, pressed flowers, incense and wax makes you feel somehow rested in this modest and now deconsecrated chapel. The old brass fittings and altar have been stripped, and the vestry to the east is heaped with debris. In pride of place is a shocking modern-art statue of a man, and it is a kind of collage. He has an air-raid warden's helmet, a sickle in one hand, a soldering iron in the other: an old-fashioned cavalry officer's tunic and a pair of miner's trousers, then Indian sandals. >x statue Written around the base, in large Roman letters, is: "Grad Kaldecki, 1917-95: Inventor, Sculptor, Philanthropist", and his motto: "felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas". >e Vestry The vestry once held surplices. Today, it holds a surplus. Debris, broken furniture, blown-in leaves, panes of dusty glass and mildewed cloth, all unwanted. There's even an old Victorian piano stool, but no sign of a piano. >x stool An old wheeled piano stool, wide and tall, with a hinged and padded seat. >look under stool There's a charcoal pencil underneath the stool. >look in stool You can't see inside, since it is closed. >open stool You lift the hinged lid. >look in stool In the piano stool is Emily's sketch book. >get sketch book and pencil charcoal pencil: Taken. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >get book (putting the white party ticket into the canvas rucksack to make room) Taken. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >x book An old child's sketch book, pages of cartridge paper sewn up in cloth binding. On the front, in faded copper-plate handwriting, is written "Emily's Animals Book". Emily has yet to sketch anything in it, though. There is a sudden roar from the crowd. Five minutes to midnight! >w Victorian Chapel An odour compounded of desiccated, pressed flowers, incense and wax makes you feel somehow rested in this modest and now deconsecrated chapel. The old brass fittings and altar have been stripped, and the vestry to the east is heaped with debris. In pride of place is a shocking modern-art statue of a man, and it is a kind of collage. He has an air-raid warden's helmet, a sickle in one hand, a soldering iron in the other: an old-fashioned cavalry officer's tunic and a pair of miner's trousers, then Indian sandals. >w Churchyard A few remains of fences and a crumbling wall are all that divides the overgrown edge of the Park from this long-neglected churchyard, serene and dappled with blacks and greens. Ivy and brambles curl their slow arms around the stones, and the door of the Victorian red-brick chapel (to the east) has gone altogether. A night-jar flutters from perch to perch along an old iron fence. >sketch night-jar You sketch in a picture of the night-jar, with a curious sense of deja-vu, and the feeling that drawing such pictures is somehow a worthwhile aim. >nw You can't go that way. >sw Century Park At one side of the great Park, on a gravel path which runs west to northeast beside poplar trees. Crowds of celebrants are enjoying themselves to the north, having abandoned the canvas marquee east. >w Kaldecki's Monument A corner of the Park, beside copses of trees and some fencing. Standing about here is the outdoor equivalent to always being in the kitchen at parties. The pyramidal Monument, built by the (very eccentric) Hungarian who laid out the park, dominates this corner. It isn't very pleasing to the eye. Although the party's organisers planned to bounce flashy lasers off the tip, somehow they don't seem to have got round to it. >save Ok. >e Century Park At one side of the great Park, on a gravel path which runs west to northeast beside poplar trees. Crowds of celebrants are enjoying themselves to the north, having abandoned the canvas marquee east. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. This party is giving you a headache. >w Kaldecki's Monument A corner of the Park, beside copses of trees and some fencing. Standing about here is the outdoor equivalent to always being in the kitchen at parties. The pyramidal Monument, built by the (very eccentric) Hungarian who laid out the park, dominates this corner. It isn't very pleasing to the eye. Although the party's organisers planned to bounce flashy lasers off the tip, somehow they don't seem to have got round to it. >restore Ok. >script Transcripting is already on. >x monument A crazy, pyramid-like construction, the height of a small tree, but wide at the base. Walking around it, you see no obvious beginning or end. >u Atop the Monument The anticipated good-view-of-the-party is spoiled somewhat by the perilous nature of the footing - on a sharp triangular wedge of metal. "exegi monumentum aere perennius," says an inscription. Let's hope so. Poking out of the top of the monument is a rickety lightning-conductor. >undo Kaldecki's Monument [Previous turn undone.] >climb monument Atop the Monument The anticipated good-view-of-the-party is spoiled somewhat by the perilous nature of the footing - on a sharp triangular wedge of metal. "exegi monumentum aere perennius," says an inscription. Let's hope so. Poking out of the top of the monument is a rickety lightning-conductor. >x conductor Made of very thin fuse wire, the kind which would practically melt on a hot day, which seems highly inappropriate for a lightning conductor. >i You are carrying: Emily's sketch book a charcoal pencil a canvas rucksack (which is open) a white party ticket a curious device a tagged key a corner piece a sparkler (providing light) >light fuse (with the sparkler) The fuse wire in the lightning rod begins to burn down. It shrivels away with a disappointing fizzing sound, and then the whole monument is rocked slightly by a bang from within. A little smoke rises from the base. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >down Kaldecki's Monument A corner of the Park, beside copses of trees and some fencing. Standing about here is the outdoor equivalent to always being in the kitchen at parties. The Monument dominates this corner, yet only you seem to have noticed the charred and saw-toothed doorway open in one side. >in Corridor in the Monument A short metal corridor running along the inside of one wall of the pyramid, and sloping slightly inward. The scene out through the south entrance is perfectly, even alarmingly still. The far end turns and opens inside to the east. Mounted on the inner wall is a glass display case. >undo Kaldecki's Monument [Previous turn undone.] >x case You can't see any such thing. >in Corridor in the Monument A short metal corridor running along the inside of one wall of the pyramid, and sloping slightly inward. The scene out through the south entrance is perfectly, even alarmingly still. The far end turns and opens inside to the east. Mounted on the inner wall is a glass display case. >undo Kaldecki's Monument [Previous turn undone.] >in Corridor in the Monument A short metal corridor running along the inside of one wall of the pyramid, and sloping slightly inward. The scene out through the south entrance is perfectly, even alarmingly still. The far end turns and opens inside to the east. Mounted on the inner wall is a glass display case. >x case The display case, which is sealed with an elaborate, carved metal lock, contains a papier-mache model of parkland. >x lock The display case, which is sealed with an elaborate, carved metal lock, contains a papier-mache model of parkland. >score You have so far scored 6 out of a possible 100, in 46 turns, giving you the rank of Partygoer. >in Inside the Monument A sloping crevice of metal, sunken into the ground some way to make a larger-than-expected room. Short flights of steps lead up to west and southeast. The air is frigid. At the centre is a heavy old table, as grimy as the rest of this cavity, a thick layer of dust shadowing its beautiful marquetry. On a kind of steel mantelpiece sits a late Victorian ormolu clock, with a curious single hand on the sixty-minute dial, pointed upwards in the zero position. >look under table With all jigsaw puzzles, no matter how careful you are a piece always ends up on the floor. With a judicious kick you manage to push this one clear of the table. >x clock The ormolu clock sits on the mantelpiece, but might well be portable. On the base of the ormolu clock is engraved "Labuntur et imputantur" together with the maker's mark (William Snelson the Clockmaker). Via clockwork you can set the position of the single hand, and around the back is a small latch with two positions: to judge from the engraved icons, alarm on and alarm off. Presently, the latch is on. The clock stands at 0. >s The only exits are out west to the narrow corridor, and southeast via a low doorway. >w Corridor in the Monument A short metal corridor running along the inside of one wall of the pyramid, and sloping slightly inward. The scene out through the south entrance is perfectly, even alarmingly still. The far end turns and opens inside to the east. Mounted on the inner wall is a glass display case. >s Some kind of invisible wall blocks the doorway. Through it you can see absolute stillness, smoke hanging rigid as if photographed. >n The corridor enters from the south, and exits to the east. >e Inside the Monument A sloping crevice of metal, sunken into the ground some way to make a larger-than-expected room. Short flights of steps lead up to west and southeast. The air is frigid. At the centre is a heavy old table, as grimy as the rest of this cavity, a thick layer of dust shadowing its beautiful marquetry. Lying about on the floor by the table is a centre jigsaw piece. On a kind of steel mantelpiece sits a late Victorian ormolu clock, with a curious single hand on the sixty-minute dial, pointed upwards in the zero position. >se Disc Room This is a tiny tetrahedral annexe of a room, whose only clear feature is a broad black disc embedded in the floor. >x disc The disc is jet black and about six feet in diameter. Around the circumference is inscribed "rari nantes in gurgite vasto". >turn it You are unable to. >nw Inside the Monument A sloping crevice of metal, sunken into the ground some way to make a larger-than-expected room. Short flights of steps lead up to west and southeast. The air is frigid. At the centre is a heavy old table, as grimy as the rest of this cavity, a thick layer of dust shadowing its beautiful marquetry. Lying about on the floor by the table is a centre jigsaw piece. On a kind of steel mantelpiece sits a late Victorian ormolu clock, with a curious single hand on the sixty-minute dial, pointed upwards in the zero position. >get piece (the centre piece) (putting the corner piece into the canvas rucksack to make room) Taken. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >x mantelpiece That's not something you need to refer to in the course of this game. >x table A heavy old table, high and wide over a doubtless dusty floor, with fine inlaid marquetry decoration. On one side is a brass plaque, declaring it to be "by Mr Gm. Nelson, begun at the Holywell Stables, MCMXCIII; completed at the Waynflete and Summertown, MCMVC". >clean talbe You can't see any such thing. >clean table The table comes up a shine. On top of it seems to be a some kind of frame, or board, which perhaps bears further examination. [Your score has just gone up by one point.] >x frame A four-by-four square grid of mahogany, with gold leaf inscriptions denoting the squares "a1" to "d4", and giving the Latin tag "nec deus intersit nisi dignus vindice nodus inciderit". [Note: to put a jigsaw piece onto the frame, try "put piece at c3", for instance: if it won't fit, try turning it first. To get one back again, try "take c3". To look at a played piece, try "examine c3". Pieces are displayed in a chequerboard-style for contrast on your computer's screen, and their colour has no game significance. Try "style 1" for b/w, "style 2" for a spartan look and "style 3" for colour (on some machines only).] >save Ok. >restart Are you sure you want to restart? yes Welcome to JIGSAW [Please press SPACE to begin.] [ After such knowledge, what forgiveness? Think now History has many cunning passages, contrived corridors And issues, deceives with whispering ambitions, Guides us by vanities. -- T. S. Eliot, Gerontion (1920)] Prologue - Century Park New Year's Eve, 1999, a quarter to midnight and where else to be but Century Park! Fireworks cascade across the sky, your stomach rumbles uneasily, music and lasers howl across the parkland... Not exactly your ideal party (especially as that rather attractive stranger in black has slipped back into the crowds) - but cheer up, you won't live to see the next. JIGSAW An Interactive History Copyright (c) 1995 by Graham Nelson Release 3 / Serial number 951129 / Inform v1600 Library 6/1 Standard interpreter 1.1 Century Park At one side of the great Park, on a gravel path which runs west to northeast beside poplar trees. Crowds of celebrants are enjoying themselves to the north, having abandoned the canvas marquee east. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. This party is giving you a headache. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. This party is giving you a headache. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. There is a huge cheer from the distant centre of the crowd. >z Time passes. Lasers suddenly strobe magnificently over your head. >z Time passes. You feel a few spots of rain. >z Time passes. You feel a few spots of rain. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. You feel a few spots of rain. >z Time passes. Lasers suddenly strobe magnificently over your head. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. You feel a few spots of rain. >z Time passes. You feel a few spots of rain. >z Time passes. There is a huge cheer from the distant centre of the crowd. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. There is a sudden roar from the crowd. Five minutes to midnight! There is a huge cheer from the distant centre of the crowd. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. Lasers suddenly strobe magnificently over your head. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. This party is giving you a headache. >z Time passes. There is a huge cheer from the distant centre of the crowd. >z Time passes. >z Time passes. The clocks, amplified by an unbelievable mass of electronics, begin to chime the hour... Lasers suddenly strobe magnificently over your head. >z Time passes. Bong! Bong! Bong! >z Time passes. The chimes reach midnight! You rush to join the happy throng, your petty investigations forgotten as the new century begins. *** You have succumbed to the party *** In that game you scored 0 out of a possible 100, in 46 turns, giving you the rank of wet blanket. Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game, give the FULL score for that game or QUIT? >