Sugarcane

Now the enemy starts moving towards you. They are short and slender, has some sort of suit themselves, really colorful ones. \n\nThere are a couple of ways in which you could handle this. What do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Aliens talking" 23s >>\n<<endsilently>>

The sergeant goes on for a while but stops and apologizes; seems he was just really stressed out and afraid and did not know what to do without you ordering him and the others around. And there has not been any shooting since that first attack; the enemy is just standing there. \n\nWhat do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Enemy on the move" 25s >>\n<<endsilently>>

Out of the scary-looking room an alien comes and greet you in your language. The vowels sound a bit strange, but it is fully understandable. \n\nYou should probably say something. \n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Reasonable responses" 20s >>\n<<endsilently>>

''Peter'': ... when Kelvin overcomes gravitation, it turns out one universe is real, but the other is just a fiction.\n''Paul'': How does that happen?\n''Peter'': What do I know! It was a kind of model projection in cyberspace. \n''Paul'': And where is your hero now? In reality or fiction?\n''Peter'': His family is in reality and he’s in fiction.\n''Paul'': But the fiction is real, isn’t it?\n''Peter'': How do you mean?\n''Paul'': Well, you see it in the film, right?\n''Peter'': Of course.\n''Paul'': So, it’s just as real as the reality which you see likewise, right? \n''Peter'': Crap. \n''Paul'': Why?\n\n[[« Back|MESSAGE TERMINAL]]

“The 1143-year-long war had been begun on false pretenses and only continued because the two races were unable to communicate.\n\nOnce they could talk, the first question was ‘Why did you start this thing?’ and the answer was ‘Me?’”\n[[The Forever War|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forever_War]], Joe Haldeman (1974)\n\n“because games are made up of systems, they’re uniquely suited to be critical of systems and how they’re used as forces of great power and oppression.”\n[[re: fuck videogames|http://ellaguro.com/refuckvideogames/10.html]], Liz Ryerson\n\n“dynamic difficulty system will send you to harder or easier levels depending on whether you succeed or are defeated!”\n[[Certain Defeat|http://l.j-factor.com/gmhtml5/Certain_Defeat/]], Leon Arnott (2013)\n\n“Point is, these games aren’t real experiences. What you choose and how you choose to go about it doesn’t matter.”\n[[Why Do We Respond to Bioshock the Way We Do?|http://tay.kotaku.com/why-do-we-respond-to-bioshock-the-way-we-do-1333713872]], DocSeuss\n\n“But the fiction is real, isn’t it?”\n[[Funny Games|http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119167/]], Michael Haneke (1997)\n\n[[« Back|MESSAGE TERMINAL]]

Please wait<<timedcycle 1s>><<gains>>.<<gains>>.<<gains>>.<<endtimedcycle>>\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "trueStart" 5s >>\n<<endsilently>>

The sergeant is talking to you on the private channel. He says you have to make a decision or we’re all dead do you hear me lieutenant... lieutenant... if you don’t do something now I will have to relieve you of command... or something. \n\nThis could be a sign of mutiny. And the privates are probably not too fond of you by now. Your life may be in danger, from both directions. \n\nWhat do you do? \n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Afraid" 31s >>\n<<endsilently>>

Seems like in their culture not agreeing to something means no, so they beam you down, wish you all the luck and hope you will get in touch with them again soon. \n\nA ship comes to pick you up, and you find yourself standing before the major. \n\nYou should probably say something or risk being accused of treason.\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "History changed" 28s >>\n<<endsilently>>

The shooting stops and all you do is stand there. You can hear some of the privates screaming on the open channel, but at least they are following your orders, or lack thereof. \n\nWhat do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Mutiny" 19s >>\n<<endsilently>>

It understands if you’re shy, it’s a reasonable response it says, we just shot at you because we were afraid of those weapon-like things you’re carrying, but at least nobody got hurt, it’s a reasonable response to be afraid, you see we have been studying you to try and make contact, but we thought you didn’t come in peace, sorry about that, and hope my pronunciation isn’t too bad, I’m afraid I’m the only one who talks your language here, would you like to stay for dinner? \n\nThis could be a way of tricking you all to one place and kill you of in one sweep. What do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Before the major" 38s >>\n<<endsilently>>

It is the year 3142. You are Lieutenant O’ie of the Fifth Explorers. You are on an alien planet hundreds of light-years from your home planet, Earth. You are wearing a suit that is protecting you from the planet’s toxic atmosphere. The world is unlike anything you have ever seen. \n\nYou were born in a ship. The gravity feels strangely solid – you feel heavy, but the suit can compensate for all this. You stop feeling heavy. \n\nYou look around. Intel says there are signs of some form of alien life on this planet. There have been readings coming from caves in the mountains. Your mission is to explore the world and to verify these readings. You have a list of possible objectives, which may or may not get activated. \n\nYou are getting close to the mountains. What do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Aliens in the distance" 55s >>\n<<endsilently>>

You are standing firmly on this alien planet. \n\nThere is movement in the distance, between the high, glittering crags. Some tiny figures. \n\nOne of the specialists says it’s some kind of humanoid, alien life form – and they’re armed! They’re coming this way, lieutenant! \n\nWhat do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Aliens attacking" 25s >>\n<<endsilently>>

The major goes on and on about how cool it is that you were on board an alien ship and that they were peaceful and in the future we will all live amongst aliens and a new step in human history has been taken this day and we will discover new ways to see the world, oh, I hope we will meet them soon she says and smiles. I’m going to contact the other explorers so they don’t attack the aliens or go do some other stupid thing. \n\n<html>ERROR: UNKNOWN VARIABLES DETECTED. FURTHER CALCULATIONS IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT. HISTORY CHANGED. ABORTING SIMULATION...</html>\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "ERROR" 35s >>\n<<endsilently>>

Rebooting system<<timedcycle 1s>><<gains>>.<<gains>>.<<gains>>.<<endtimedcycle>>\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "trueStart" 5s >>\n<<endsilently>>

version.extensions.timedgotoMacro={major:1,minor:1,revision:0};macros["goto"]=macros["timedgoto"]={timer:null,handler:function(a,b,c,d){\nfunction cssTimeUnit(s){if(typeof s=="string"){if(s.slice(-2).toLowerCase()=="ms"){return Number(s.slice(0,-2))||0;\n}else{if(s.slice(-1).toLowerCase()=="s"){return Number(s.slice(0,-1))*1000||0;}}}throwError(a,s+" isn't a CSS time unit");\nreturn 0;}var t,d,m,s;t=c[c.length-1];d=d.fullArgs();m=0;if(b!="goto"){d=d.slice(0,d.lastIndexOf(t));\nm=cssTimeUnit(t);}d=eval(Wikifier.parse(d));if(d+""){if(this.timer){clearTimeout(this.timer);\n}s=state.history[0].passage.title;this.timer=setTimeout(function(){if(state.history[0].passage.title==s){state.display(d,a);\n}},m);}}};

History Lesson, by [[kristoffer zetterberg|http://withoutpillow.tumblr.com/]], made possible with\n[[Leon Arnott’s|http://l.j-factor.com/]] Macros and CSS stylesheets,\nConversations in the [[Tweecode / Twine|http://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/tweecode]] google groups.\n\n[[« Back|MESSAGE TERMINAL]]

This simulation is based on the story about our first encounter with another intelligent species through a rudimentary text-based interface. The purpose of the simulation is to teach about as well as to learn from history through interaction. This is made possible by an advanced AI that can calculate for any possible scenario through its unique access to historical and cultural data.\n\n[[BEGIN|Lieutenant O'ie]]\n[[MESSAGE TERMINAL]]\n[[QUIT|http://withoutpillow.tumblr.com/history-lesson]]\n\n<html>Version 1.1 Copyright and -left 5279 IOE EEE</html>[img[http://www.hit-counts.com/counter.php?t=MTI3OTY2NA==]]

History Lesson

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The inside of the ship is spacious, brightly lit and full of color, like someone had spray painted graffiti all over the walls, and there are some strange, intimidating-looking machines in the next room. \n\nAccording to Space explorer law you should under no circumstances be taken hostage. But perhaps it is too late for that. What do you do? \n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Bilingual" 27s >>\n<<endsilently>>

It does not seem like you know how to communicate with each other. \n\nThere is this big ship coming down from the sky now and it feels like gravity is changing. The staff sergeant says we ought to do something or we’ll get beamed up. \n\nYou should probably listen to her. You have no way of knowing what is up there. What do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Prisoners of war" 26s >>\n<<endsilently>>

<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "rebooting" 20s >>\n<<endsilently>>

[[Transcription (incomplete)|Transcription]]\n[[Historical documents/cultural artifacts|Links and inspiration]]\n[[Old scribblings|Credits]]\n\n[[« Back|trueStart]]

They begin shooting at you! You have to act! What do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Soldiers screaming" 13s >>\n<<endsilently>>

kristoffer zetterberg

The aliens are standing in front of you making gestures with their hands and heads, pointing and making signs. \n\nWhat do you do?\n\n<html>can't find matching softwarecan't find matching softwarecan't find matching software</html>\nFailed. Recalculating...\n<<silently>>\n<<timedgoto "Beamed" 16s >>\n<<endsilently>>

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