§18.39. Amusing a victorious player

1. When it happens. When the player chooses "AMUSING" from the short menu of choices after a game has been won. Traditionally, this is where the author gets to point out quirky by-ways of the game, or make some final acknowledgements, or simply salute the player's perseverance. Note that the AMUSING option is only offered when the story has ended finally, and that it is only offered if there is at least one rule present in the "for amusing a victorious player" rulebook.

2. The default behaviour. None. The "for amusing a victorious player" rulebook is empty by default, and no amusement is available.

3. Examples. The format would be like so:

paste.png Rule for amusing a victorious player: say "Hmm. You're easily amused."


arrow-up.pngStart of Chapter 18: Activities
arrow-left.pngBack to §18.38. Printing the player's obituary
arrow-right.pngOnward to §18.40. Starting the virtual machine

Building a menu is moderately tedious, so we will rely on the standard menu extensions provided. Thus:

paste.png "Xerxes"

Include Basic Screen Effects by Emily Short. Include Menus by Emily Short.

Table of Amusing Matter

title

subtable

description

toggle

"Cult Revisions"

--

"Did you try... [paragraph break] banning the worship of Seth? [line break] of Dionysus? [line break] assigning all your priests to Re? [line break] assigning male priests to Cybele? [line break] assigning married priestesses to Hestia? [line break] identifying one god as another (e.g., Isis and Hecate)? [line break] identifying a mortal as a god (e.g., Alexander as Helios-Apollo)?"

--

"Military Revisions"

--

"Did you try... [paragraph break] allying a Greek city-state with the Persians? (try >MEDIZE) [line break] playing Athens as a land-based power?"

--

Rule for amusing a victorious player:
    now the current menu is the Table of Amusing Matter;
    now the current menu title is "Things to Try";
    carry out the displaying activity;
    clear the screen.

Omitting about a half million words from this rigorous and educational but nonetheless enthralling simulation of centuries of history, culture, and religion, we will skip directly to:

Athens is a room.

Use scoring.

Every turn:
    if the score is greater than 10000, end the story finally.

When play begins: now the score is 10001.

Test me with "z".

**ExampleXerxes
Offering the player a menu of things to read after winning the game.

Building a menu is moderately tedious, so we will rely on the standard menu extensions provided. Thus:

paste.png "Xerxes"

Include Basic Screen Effects by Emily Short. Include Menus by Emily Short.

Table of Amusing Matter

title

subtable

description

toggle

"Cult Revisions"

--

"Did you try... [paragraph break] banning the worship of Seth? [line break] of Dionysus? [line break] assigning all your priests to Re? [line break] assigning male priests to Cybele? [line break] assigning married priestesses to Hestia? [line break] identifying one god as another (e.g., Isis and Hecate)? [line break] identifying a mortal as a god (e.g., Alexander as Helios-Apollo)?"

--

"Military Revisions"

--

"Did you try... [paragraph break] allying a Greek city-state with the Persians? (try >MEDIZE) [line break] playing Athens as a land-based power?"

--

Rule for amusing a victorious player:
    now the current menu is the Table of Amusing Matter;
    now the current menu title is "Things to Try";
    carry out the displaying activity;
    clear the screen.

Omitting about a half million words from this rigorous and educational but nonetheless enthralling simulation of centuries of history, culture, and religion, we will skip directly to:

Athens is a room.

Use scoring.

Every turn:
    if the score is greater than 10000, end the story finally.

When play begins: now the score is 10001.

Test me with "z".

Building a menu is moderately tedious, so we will rely on the standard menu extensions provided. Thus:

paste.png "Xerxes"

Include Basic Screen Effects by Emily Short. Include Menus by Emily Short.

Table of Amusing Matter

title

subtable

description

toggle

"Cult Revisions"

--

"Did you try... [paragraph break] banning the worship of Seth? [line break] of Dionysus? [line break] assigning all your priests to Re? [line break] assigning male priests to Cybele? [line break] assigning married priestesses to Hestia? [line break] identifying one god as another (e.g., Isis and Hecate)? [line break] identifying a mortal as a god (e.g., Alexander as Helios-Apollo)?"

--

"Military Revisions"

--

"Did you try... [paragraph break] allying a Greek city-state with the Persians? (try >MEDIZE) [line break] playing Athens as a land-based power?"

--

Rule for amusing a victorious player:
    now the current menu is the Table of Amusing Matter;
    now the current menu title is "Things to Try";
    carry out the displaying activity;
    clear the screen.

Omitting about a half million words from this rigorous and educational but nonetheless enthralling simulation of centuries of history, culture, and religion, we will skip directly to:

Athens is a room.

Use scoring.

Every turn:
    if the score is greater than 10000, end the story finally.

When play begins: now the score is 10001.

Test me with "z".