Text Foosball

Use scoring.

The Lounge is a room. "The Lounge is appointed with everything necessary to rest and relaxation: a vending machine, a potted palm, a stack of Entertainment Weekly issues from 1993, and -- your pride and joy -- a foosball game."

The foosball game is scenery in the Lounge. Understand "table" or "football" or "foozball" or "fussball" or "soccer" as the foosball game. The game is a supporter. On the game is a small white ball. The ball can be still, approaching, receding, or unreachable. The description of the ball is "Currently [small white ball condition]."

After printing the name of the small white ball, say " ([small white ball condition])".

When play begins:

   now left hand status line is "You: [score]";

   now right hand status line is "Joey: [Joey's score]".

Some tiny men on sticks are part of the game. Understand "handles" as the tiny men. The description is "Okay, a couple of the tiny men have had their feet broken off, and the table surface itself is a bit warped, and the ball resembles a quail egg in respect of shape and color. This makes for a game of unusual randomness, but skill is overrated."

Instead of attacking or pulling or pushing the game when the ball is unreachable:

   say "You give the table a good shove, and the ball moves ever-so-slightly.";

   now the ball is still.

Instead of taking the white ball:

   say "You'd forfeit the game if you did that."

Instead of turning the tiny men when the ball is unreachable:

   say "The ball has somehow gotten to a mystical point on the table where it cannot be reached, no matter what. Close inspection reveals that this point has been marked in chalk with a tiny X. Not that that does any good."

Instead of turning the tiny men when the ball is approaching:

   if a random chance of 2 in 3 succeeds:

      if a random chance of 1 in 2 succeeds, now the ball is receding;

      otherwise now the ball is still;

      say "[if the ball is still]Thunk. [otherwise]Thwack! [end if]You keep the ball from reaching its goal! Now it is [small white ball condition].";

   otherwise:

      let Joey score.

To let Joey score:

   now the ball is still;

   now Joey's score is Joey's score + 1;

   say "The ball rolls neatly into your goal, despite your efforts. ";

   if Joey's score < score, say "You put the ball back in the center with a snap. No reason to worry yet; you're still ahead. Joey looks determined, though.";

   otherwise say "After allowing a moment or two for Joey's gloating to pass, you replace it at the center."

Instead of turning the tiny men when a random chance of 1 in 13 succeeds:

   if the ball is unreachable, continue the action;

   now the ball is unreachable;

   say "You hit the ball off-center and it rolls sluggishly into a little dip in the surface of the foosball table. ";

   if Joey's score > 7, say "'You did that on purpose!' Joey exclaims indignantly.";

   otherwise say "You and Joey exchange glances. This is never good."

Instead of turning the tiny men:

   say "You madly rotate the tiny men on sticks! ";

   if a random chance of 1 in 2 succeeds:

      say "Hoorah! You hit the ball!";

      now the ball is receding;

   otherwise:

      say "Somehow you fail to bring your monopodal player into contact with the ball."

Joey is a man in the Lounge. "Joey is hunkered over the foosball handles on his side of the table." Joey can be active or inactive.

Joey's score is a number that varies.

Every turn: now Joey is active.

Every turn when the ball is approaching and Joey is active:

   let total be Joey's score + score;

   if total > 9, make no decision;

   now Joey is inactive;

   let Joey score;

   rule succeeds.

Every turn when the ball is unreachable and Joey is active:

   let total be Joey's score + score;

   if total > 9, make no decision;

   now Joey is inactive;

   say "Joey glares angrily at the stuck ball."

Every turn when the ball is receding and Joey is active:

   let total be Joey's score + score;

   if total > 9, make no decision;

   if the ball is unreachable, make no decision;

   now Joey is inactive;

   if a random chance of 1 in 2 succeeds:

      if a random chance of 1 in 2 succeeds, now the ball is still;

      otherwise now the ball is approaching;

      say "Joey connects with your shot. Now the ball is [small white ball condition]!";

   otherwise:

      now the ball is still;

      say "Joey tries to block, but misses! Back it goes in the center, where it is [small white ball condition].";

      increment the score.

Every turn when the ball is still and Joey is active:

   let total be Joey's score + score;

   if total > 9, make no decision;

   if the ball is unreachable, make no decision;

   now Joey is inactive;

   if a random chance of 1 in 2 succeeds:

      now the ball is approaching;

      say "Joey hits the ball solidly down towards your goal. Now it is [small white ball condition].";

   otherwise:

      say "Joey fails to hit the ball in your direction. It remains [small white ball condition]."

Every turn:

   let total be Joey's score + score;

   if total > 9:

      if Joey's score > score, end the story saying "Rats! Joey wins!";

      if Joey's score < score, end the story finally saying "Victory is yours!";

      if Joey's score is score, end the story saying "A perfect tie."