Age of Steam

Example 156

★

The railway-station examples so far put together into a short game called "Age of Steam".

The following source is very short and simple, yet it already feels surprisingly interesting in play, because something is going on which the player does not control but must observe. The single scene both starts and finishes.

Play/modify in Borogove

Play in Quixe

"Age of Steam"

The Station is a room. "Eynforme Halt is a raised platform fringed with cowslip: a whistle-stop with no more than a signal and a water-tank."

The Flying Scotsman is fixed in place. "The Flying Scotsman, fastest train in the world, is now at a dead standstill."

Train Stop is a scene. Train Stop begins when the player is in the Station for the third turn. Train Stop ends when the time since Train Stop began is 3 minutes.

When Train Stop begins:

now the Flying Scotsman is in the Station;

say "The Flying Scotsman pulls up at the platform, to a billow of steam and hammering."

When Train Stop ends:

now the Flying Scotsman is nowhere;

say "The Flying Scotsman inches away, with a squeal of released brakes, gathering speed invincibly until it disappears around the hill. All is abruptly still once more."

Instead of entering the Flying Scotsman, say "Alas, the [time when Train Stop began] arrival is only to take on water, not to set down or pick up."

Test me with "z / z / z / enter flying scotsman / z / z".

Station
Eynforme Halt is a raised platform fringed with cowslip: a whistle-stop with no more than a signal and a water-tank.

>(Testing.)

>[1] z
Time passes.

>[2] z
Time passes.

The Flying Scotsman pulls up at the platform, to a billow of steam and hammering.

>[3] z
Time passes.

>[4] enter flying scotsman
Alas, the 9:02 am arrival is only to take on water, not to set down or pick up.

>[5] z
Time passes.

The Flying Scotsman inches away, with a squeal of released brakes, gathering speed invincibly until it disappears around the hill. All is abruptly still once more.

>[6] z
Time passes.