Chapter 4: Time and Plot
4.4. Scene Changes

In a plot that takes place over multiple locations or has several distinct scenes, we may want to move the player or change the scenery around him. Age of Steam brings a train on and off-stage as the plot requires. Meteoric similarly brings a meteor into view at a certain time of day, showing off several implementations depending on whether or not the player is supposed to be able to refer to the meteor after it has gone.

Entrevaux constructs an organized system such that all scenes have their own lists of props and associated locations, and props are moved on and off automatically. Scene changes are also announced with a pause and a new title, such as "Chapter 2: Abduction".

Space Patrol - Stranded on Jupiter inserts an interlude in which the player's possessions and clothes are switched for new ones and the player moved to a new location - and then put back where he started from.

* See Flashbacks for more ways to move the player from one level of reality to another


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

WI

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.

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

When Train Stop ends:
    remove the Flying Scotsman from play;
    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".

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** Example  Meteoric I and II
A meteor in the night sky which is visible from many rooms, so needs to be a backdrop, but which does not appear until 11:31 PM.

WI
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*** Example  Entrevaux
Organizing the game by scenes, where each scene has a location and prop lists so that it can be set up automatically.

WI
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** Example  Space Patrol - Stranded on Jupiter!
We'll be back in just a moment, with more exciting adventures of the... Space Patrol!

WI


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