<h1>The Pitch. </h1>\
By Kay Slater.
This project was created in 1-day to represent a conversation and opportunity for a future residency.
* use only twine 2 / harlowe 3.3.9
* use quick draft story from a chat conversation dated March 13, 2026
* spend no more than 1 day designing and implementing.
<nav>\
<!--[[Start]]--!>\
(link: "Start")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Start")]</nav><h2>Outside</h2>\
Before you is an nine story building, with scaffolding lining the sides. A large crane rises crates up and onto the top.
<!--[[Look at building]]--!>\
(link: "Look at building")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Look at building")]
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Rush in and run up to the top floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")](if: visits >1)[<h2> The first floor</h2>\
](else:)[<h2>The building</h2>\
The building is nine stories tall, with a variety of mismatched windows and asymmetrical floor widths. Some floors are brick, others shiny stone, and others a mix of textured plaster and stucco. Activity on the rooftop suggests the development plans to grow. You step inside.
]The first floor is solid and spacious, but the décor feels timid, almost lost in the room’s size. The styles used are a mix of materials and techniques, giving the space a DIY, hand-painted aesthetic. One wall is painted a matte, solid colour. Another is covered in stencilled patterns. It is interesting, though a little distracting.[
The furniture is mismatched and seemingly without purpose. A toilet sits next to a sofa. An umbrella stand beside a bed. Pictures hang in a neat row along one wall, each in a different coloured frame, their contents simple, quick gestures.
The stairs lead upward, but the steps are uneven. It screams amateur, yet it is nonetheless charming.
[](inventory|](next|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Go to the second floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go to the second floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the second floor")]
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Head up eight flights of steps")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "distracting")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "charming" or "uneven")[
(click: "charming")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "charming"), _word to "charming")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(click: "uneven")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "uneven"), _word to "uneven")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]<h2>The ninth floor</h2>\
(unless: (history:)'s last is "Go to the eighth floor")[You climb the steps, moving past the lower floors.
](unless: visits >0)[You step up onto the top floor.] The artist is standing, facing away from you, staring at plans affixed to the side of a stack of crates. In the centre of the space is a large table[, covered in notes and tools. Three different kinds of flashlights and an overhead projector sit near a bag of tea light candles. A laptop sits open to the loading screen for a game called (link: "Shadow Work")[(open-url: "https://kdot.ca/sick-and-residency/")] //(warning - clicking here may end your game playthrough by navigating to a new page)//[]<fire|](table|.[
The space is well lit, with framed works on the walls, though their views are obscured by stacked crates. A small freight elevator is also open and filled with boxes, the key still in the control box. A small automated bot drives the crates from the elevator and stacks them in the room. [](interact|
Even though this floor is finished and on display, it is obscured by the planning for what comes next.
[](inventory|](next| [](magic|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
[<!--[[Examine the crates]]--!>\
(link: "Examine the crates
")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Examine the crates")]](next|\
<!--[[Ride the elevator]]--!>\
(link: "Ride the elevator")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Ride the elevator")]
<!--[[Approach the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Approach the artist")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Approach the artist")]
<!--[[Go to the eighth floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go down a floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the eighth floor")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "crates")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(click: "table")[
(show: ?table)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "mischief-maker" or "interrupt")[
(click: "tea light candles")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "mischief-maker"), _word to "mischief-maker")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?fire)[.
You pick up a candle and search for a lighter. There is none. With a dramatic sigh, you replace the candle. The artist doesn't turn around or notice]
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
(click: "bot")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "interrupt"), _word to "interrupt")
(set: $negative to it +1)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?interact)[You attempt to block the bot but it deftly floats around you, its gyroscopic stabilizers working their magic to keep the crate steady and secure.]
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]<h2>The second floor</h2>\
The second floor has the same jumble of techniques and styles. Colours, materials, and construction methods clash with one another, as if the designer was determined to try everything at once.[
The floor is the same size as the first, but it feels less bare. The walls are lined with basic moulding and baseboards, though the colour palettes vary from wall to wall.
Most notable are the twenty-three chairs positioned in a grid at the centre of the space. You weave your way through them, taking time to sit in or circle each one. They are all a different height. Some have seat cushions, others do not. They are made from a variety of materials, and upon closer inspection the chairs reveal the use of different fixtures and joints - even within the same piece.
[It is ambitious, but exhausting.]<choice|
[](inventory|](next|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Go to the third floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go to the third floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the third floor")]
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Head up seven flights of steps")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
<!--[[Look at building]]--!>\
(link: "Go down a floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Look at building")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "try everything")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "ambitious" or "exhausting")[
(click: "ambitious")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "ambitious"), _word to "ambitious")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?choice)[It is ambitious.]
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(click: "exhausting")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "exhausting"), _word to "exhausting")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?choice)[It is exhausting.]
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]<h2>The third floor</h2>\
This floor shares the restless energy of the two below it. At first glance the combination of styles and colours seems haphazard, almost slapped together. Yet as you spend time examining different corners of the room, a shaky harmony begins to emerge.[
The space itself feels less ordered than the floors beneath it. Objects are scattered more wildly, and even when some arrangements appear intentional, the overall design still resists a clear plan.
However, as you move through the room, small scenes begin to appear. An adjustable chair sits next to a[n accessible,]<access| modular table. When viewed from the west side of the room, the décor on the east wall aligns neatly with the surrounding trim and moulding, as though someone briefly found a rhythm before moving on to something new.
Along the west wall, stretching between each stairwell, stands a series of bookshelves. The earliest shelves closest to the second floor staircase are simple and functional, though even they show unusual joints and improvised brackets. Farther along the wall the shelves become stranger. Some twist outward with carved animals spilling from their sides. Others are more sculpture than furniture, left partially empty so their surfaces can be admired. The final shelf barely resembles a shelf at all. Its boards are warped and carved with figures and stories pressed into the wood, leaving little room for books.
[The floor is still lacking in overall vision and would make a strange library indeed should the shelves be filled, but its vibrant chaos encourages you to explore.]<choice|
[](inventory|](next|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Go to the fourth floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go to the fourth floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the fourth floor")]
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Head up six flights of steps")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
<!--[[Go to the second floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go down a floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the second floor")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "emerge")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "accessible" or "lacking")[
(click: "accessible")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "accessible"), _word to "accessible")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?choice)[It's still a bit messy but more comfortable.]
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(click: "lacking")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "lacking"), _word to "lacking")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(hide: ?access)
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]<h2>The fourth floor</h2>\
Unlike the other floors, this stairwell opens into a small antechamber with a doorway leading into the space beyond. The floor itself is divided into many small rooms, requiring the visitor to pass through each one before reaching the next staircase.[
Each room is painted a solid colour that repeats in the single work displayed inside it. The lighting changes from room to room; sometimes suspended overhead, other times built into the baseboards to create an eerie, underlit atmosphere. The objects on display are varied. Some are sculptures. Others are two-dimensional works affixed to the wall. Even the methods of display shift: some pieces are taped, others stapled, framed, or simply laid on a shelf.
[The maze-like gallery encourages you to focus on each work in isolation, but by the time you reach the final rooms you have already forgotten what the earlier works looked like, or whether they shared any theme at all.
Similar to]<choice| the chaos of the previous floor, the restricted presentation on this floor makes it difficult to understand the big picture.
[](inventory|](next|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Go to the fifth floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go to the fifth floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the fifth floor")]
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Head up four flights of steps")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
<!--[[Go to the third floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go down a floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the third floor")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "pass")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "encourages" or "isolation")[
(click: "encourages")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "encourages"), _word to "encourages")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?choice)[The maze-like gallery encourages you to focus on each work. However, like]
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(click: "isolation")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "isolation"), _word to "isolation")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?choice)[While the maze-like gallery gives you space to explore each work in isolation, there is simply too much to take in.
Similar to]
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]<h2>The fifth floor</h2>\
This floor feels very different.
You take a moment to consider the differences. [The floor is open, without walls or partitions, but it is filled with things to look at. The style is [what you could call crazy aunt décor.]<choice| One wall is crowded with fabric-mounted antlers and a string of party lights framing a studio hang of LP covers and CD liners. A circular bar sits at the centre[, its resin surface trapping bottle caps, ticket stubs, and small curios like insects in amber](tabletop|.
Everywhere you look, there is something to examine. A leopard-print couch and rocker sit beneath a shifting arrangement of objects. Nearby, a glass vitrine contains a miniature gallery of this very room[, itself containing a tiny version of the model within a shrunken vitrine](maquette|. Murals stretch across opposing walls[: one of reaching hands with plaster elements emerging from the surface, the other a dense layering of illustrated plants built from pasted drawings](wall|.
You find yourself wandering. Tables and plinths hold flipbooks, prints, and piles of sketchbooks. You could spend hours here and still miss something.
And yet, even with the abundance, there is more stylistic cohesion than in the floors below. [The aesthetic is undeniably eccentric but ultimately deliberate.]<choice2|
[](inventory|](next|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Go to the sixth floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go to the sixth floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the sixth floor")]
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Head up four flights of steps")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
<!--[[Go to the fourth floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go down a floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the fourth floor")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "consider")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(click: "bar")[
(show: ?tabletop)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(click: "gallery")[
(show: ?maquette)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(click: "murals")[
(show: ?wall)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "deliberate" or "crazy")[
(click: "deliberate")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "deliberate"), _word to "deliberate")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?choice)[maximalist.]
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(click: "crazy")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "crazy"), _word to "crazy")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(hide: ?choice2)
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]<h2>The sixth floor</h2>\
The floor is bare. Your footsteps echo in the empty space.[
You turn slowly, taking in the room. Small details begin to emerge. The corners are exposed, revealing straight, clean lines with no dimples or imperfections in the beading. The hardwood is solid, yet it softens your steps as though the floor were padded. solid but also cradles your footsteps as if you were walking on a padded floor.
You [smile at the skill on display, but ]<choice2|do not linger. [It feels kind of boring here.]<choice|
[](inventory|](next|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Go to the seventh floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go to the seventh floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the seventh floor")]
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Head up three flights of steps")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
<!--[[Go to the fifth floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go down a floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the fifth floor")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "empty")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "skill" or "boring")[
(click: "skill")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "skill"), _word to "skill")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(hide: ?choice)
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(click: "boring")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "boring"), _word to "boring")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(hide: ?choice2)
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]<h2>The seventh floor</h2>\
The floor echoes the sixth. The craftsmanship carries through, clean and careful. A single window lets in soft light through a gauzy curtain. [You move closer and push the curtain aside. The glass is cracked. Frosting obscures the bright view beyond.](curtain|[This room is not empty. Rows of desks fill the space, each topped with a different computer. The chairs are mismatched. Each station holds small personal items that hint at the different characters who have spent time here. [[One desk has a talking (link-repeat: "magic eight ball")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'eightball', 'play'). You shake it and it says, "(if: $positive >$negative)[(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")](else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")](else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]"(show: ?eightBall)]. ]<ball|[One desk, from which you took the magic eight ball, has a salt crystal lamp. ](balled| Another holds a heating pad and a cluster of framed photos of a fat cat. ](wonder|[The station nearest the stairs uses a large mirror as a divider.](weird|
[There is care here, even if the work itself feels unfinished.]<opinion|[It feels abandoned, as though the desk's occupants stepped away and never returned.](wonder|
[](inventory|](next| [](magic|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[(link: "Take the magic eight ball
")[(replace: ?magic)[ You pick up the magic eight ball and take it with you.](masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'twinkle', 'play')(set: $eightball to 1)(hide: ?ball)(show: ?balled)]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Go to the eighth floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go to the eighth floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the eighth floor")]
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Head up two flights of steps")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
<!--[[Go to the sixth floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go down a floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the sixth floor")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "echoes")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(click: "curtain")[
(show: ?curtain)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "characters" or "mismatched")[
(click: "characters")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "characters"), _word to "characters")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(show: ?wonder)(hide: ?opinion)
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(click: "mismatched")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "mismatched"), _word to "mismatched")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(show: ?weird)
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1 and visits > 1)[(hide: ?eightBall)(hide: ?ball)(show: ?balled)]<h2>The stacked crates</h2>\
The crates are made of raw wood, stacked into four columns on top of a thin, straining pallet. Text is sprayed onto the crates using stencils in dark yellow and red paint. [T[he labels suggest t]<return|hese crates carry more than materials.]<next1|
[](inventory| [](magic|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Turn back to the artist")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "yellow")[
(replace: ?next1)[The dark yellow labels read: archives.]
(unless: $inventory contains "references")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "references"), _word to "references")
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(if: $inventory contains "references" and "experience")[(append: ?next1)[The crates hold everything needed to begin again.]]
]
(click: "red")[
(replace: ?next1)[The red labels read: mistakes.]
(unless: $inventory contains "experience")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "experience"), _word to "experience")
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(if: $inventory contains "references" and "experience")[(append: ?next1)[The crates hold everything needed to begin again.]]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]
(if: $inventory contains "references" and "experience")[(hide: ?return)]<h2>Chat with the artist</h2>\
You step behind the grey-haired artist and wave to get their attention. They turn, smiling, "Hey, thanks for visiting. What do you think?"
[](magic|
(if: $positive >0)[\
(if: $compliment is "")[\
<!--[[Set compliment]]--!>\
(link: "Compliment the building `[choose a sentence]`")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Set compliment")]\
]\
(else:)[(link: "Share your compliment with artist")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'confirm', 'play')(append: ?magic)[You tell the artist your compliment: "$compliment". They put a hand to their chest. "Thank you. I appreciate that." ]]]
]\
(if: $negative >0)[\
(if: $critique is "")[\
<!--[[Set critique]]--!>\
(link: "Critique the building `[choose a sentence]`")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Set critique")]\
]\
(else:)[(link: "Share your constructive criticism with artist")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'confirm', 'play')(append: ?magic)[You give the artist your feedback: "$critique". They watch your mouth closely, following along as you speak. "I’ll think about that. It’s important to get feedback. Thanks for sharing." ]]]
]\
(if: $inventory's length is 0)[You ran up the stairs so quickly that you didn't have time to form an opinion. You are a little out of breath. The artist says, "Did you run up eight flights without stopping? That’s some stamina. I’m impressed."
[(link: "Tell the artist you were just saying hello, before checking out the building")[(hide: ?nope)(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'confirm', 'play')((replace: ?magic)[The artist grins. "Ah, cool. Hello!" They watch as you step back towards the stairs and turn back to their plans before you descend down the stairs. You decide to stretch your quads and head back down to the first floor.
(link: "Go to first floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Look at building")]]]]<secondChance|
[(link: "Tell the artist you can't stay but maybe you'll be back another time")[(hide: ?secondChance)(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'negative', 'play')((show: ?end)(replace: ?magic)[The artist looks surprised but shakes it off. "Of course, it was cool that you came by - even just to use the stairs as a workout. Come back again any time..."]]]]<nope|
[(link: "Shake the magic eight ball")[(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "(if: $positive >$negative)[(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")](else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")](else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")] ](masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'eightball', 'play')
(append: ?magic)[The artist grins. "Oh, you found the magic eight ball on the sixth floor. I made a tarot card game a few years ago. That was fun. I challenged myself to write it in a single day. My partner took half the suits and created their own descriptions and I did the other half. Have you played it?"
The artist holds out their hand, and you give them the magic eight ball.](set: $eightball to 0)]
](eightBall|\
[(link: "Offer your expertise `[final turn]`")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'confirm', 'play')(replace: ?magic)[You tell the artist your thoughts and about the time you spent exploring their building. You explain that you are studying interior design and will graduate next year. They are interested and ask if you have a portfolio to share. They bring up your website and marvel at your staging designs.
The conversation goes on for over an hour. The artist remarks that they need to be getting back to work, but asks if they would consider a future project or collaboration together. You can almost see the wheels turning in their head.
"If you build it, I will fill it with luxury and textured things." You hand them your card and begin making your way down to the first floor.
Before you leave the stairs, they text and ask to meet next week. You agree and open a note file on your phone and start jotting down ideas.](show: ?end)]](next|\
[<h2>The End</h2>
(link: "Play again?")[(restart:)]](end|
{=
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)](unless: $compliment and $critique is "")[(show: ?next)](set: $inventory to (a:), $positive to 0, $negative to 0, $eightball to 0, $compliment to "", $critique to "")woosh: ./audio/woosh.mp3, ./audio/woosh.ogg
twinkle: ./audio/twinkle.mp3, ./audio/twinkle.ogg
back: ./audio/back.mp3, ./audio/back.ogg
confirm: ./audio/confirm.mp3, ./audio/confirm.ogg
positive: ./audio/positive.mp3, ./audio/positive.ogg
negative: ./audio/negative.mp3, ./audio/negative.ogg
eightball: ./audio/eightball.mp3, ./audio/eightball.ogg
(set: $inventory to (a: "accessible", "experience"))
[[Set compliment]] <h2>The freight elevator</h2>\
You wait for the bot to fill its mast and move away from the elevator. You step inside and push the single button. The door slides shut and you ascend.
The doors open onto an open-air rooftop. The area near the doors is clear but is surrounded on all sides by crates. Above, the tall crane places another crate onto a stack near the edge of the rooftop. [](magic|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[
You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
[<!--[[Examine the crates 2]]--!>\
(link: "Examine the crates
")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Examine the crates 2")]](next|\
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Ride the elevator down")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "crates")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]You picked up the word "_word". Your inventory contains (print: $inventory's length) words.<h2>The roof</h2>\
You approach one of the nearby stacks of crates.
The crates nearest the elevator are marked “2027” and “scaffolding.” The text is stencilled onto the raw wood in orange paint[.
Beyond these crates, the paint colour is different[...]<next1|]<return|
[](inventory| [](magic|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Ride the elevator")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "different")[
(replace: ?next1)[. In bright, gem blue, the crates beyond are labelled with the word possibilities. The paint seems to shimmer[ and sparkle](2| in the sunlight. [Beyond the initial layer of accessible crates, it appears that the blue stencils outnumber the orange ones in front.](3|]
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "shimmer")[
(click: "shimmer")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "shimmer"), _word to "shimmer")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(show: ?2)
(set: $positive to it +1)
(if: $inventory contains "shimmer" and "possibilities")[
(append: ?next1)[ The crates beyond seem endless, each one catching the light in a different way.]
]
]
]
(unless: $inventory contains "possibilities")[
(click: "possibilities")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "possibilities"), _word to "possibilities")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(show: ?3)
(set: $positive to it +1)
(if: $inventory contains "shimmer" and "possibilities")[
(append: ?next1)[ The crates beyond seem endless, each one catching the light in a different way.]
]
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]
(if: $inventory contains "shimmer" and "possibilities")[
(replace: ?return)[ and blue sparkle paint. The labels read scaffolding, and possibilities.]
]{(set: _positiveWords to (a: "accessible", "ambitious", "characters", "charming", "deliberate", "encourages", "experience", "intricate", "possibilities", "references", "shimmer", "skill"),
_positiveSentences to
(dm:
"accessible", "What impressed me most is how accessible the building feels. Even as it grows more complex, you keep in mind the needs of others to welcome them into your practice.",
"ambitious", "Your work is clearly ambitious. You have not been afraid to try new techniques and new tools. It's brave.",
"characters", "Every floor feels full of character. Even without physical bodies, the rooms, the objects, even the empty desks seem to have stories waiting inside them.",
"charming", "I found your building charming. Each floor reveals a moment where curiosity mattered more than polish, and that makes the whole structure feel alive..",
"deliberate", "It is clear that your decisions have been deliberate. Even the strange corners feel like they were built with care and intention.",
"experience", "The building carries the weight of experience. Each floor shows something learned from the one before it. It is good that you started with such a solid foundation.",
"encourages", "Every floor encourages a focused kind of viewing, even when the subject matter or number of objects are intense.",
"intricate", "The structure has become wonderfully intricate. The more closely I look, the more connections I begin to notice between its many parts.",
"possibilities", "Standing on the roof, I can see that your path forward is full of possibilities. The building feels ready to grow in directions even you might not yet expect.",
"references", "Your building is rich with references to places you’ve been, things you’ve tried, and ideas that continue to evolve.",
"shimmer", "Some moments in the building truly shimmer with brief flashes where play, place, and imagination come together beautifully.",
"skill", "The building shows real skill. Not just in craft, but in knowing when to change direction and when to keep going.",
))}\
<h2>Craft a compliment</h2>\
You think back on your time spent in the building. You have collected the following positive words:
(for: each _word, ...$inventory)[\
(if: _positiveWords contains _word)[\
(link-repeat: _word)[\
(set: $compliment to _positiveSentences's _word)\
(replace: ?instruct)[Pending compliment: (print: $compliment)]\
]\
(unless: _word is $inventory's last)[, ]\
]\
]
[Click a word to reveal a compliment.]<instruct|
If this is the compliment you want to give, (link: "return to the artist")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Approach the artist")]
<!--[[Approach the artist]]--!>{(set: _negativeWords to (a: "boring", "crazy", "exhausting", "interrupt", "isolation", "jumble", "lacking", "mischief-maker", "mismatched", "uneven"),
_negativeSentences to
(dm:
"boring", "I get what you're trying to do, but when your prototypes are made public, unfinished ideas run the risk of being boring. Maybe not because they lack thought, but because their purpose is hidden too carefully.",
"crazy", "There is a wonderfully crazy energy here, but occasionally it overwhelms the quieter ideas or styles that deserve more space to breathe. It can feel like too much and it makes me want to move on to another floor.",
"exhausting", "At times the building feels exhausting to move through. There is so much energy in each space that it can be difficult to see where to pause. Do you ever think about going back and editing things down?",
"interrupt", "There are moments where new ideas interrupt promising ones before they have time to develop. It makes me want to build on those ideas myself, which is exciting for another artist, but not all visitors are going to want or be able to do that kind of labour...",
"isolation", "The gallery floor was interesting, but the restrictive isolation of each work per room makes it difficult to follow. Once I reached the end, I had already forgotten the earlier works but I couldn't be bothered to go back.",
"jumble", "On the earlier floors, the concepts and rooms are a jumble of ideas. The ambition is exciting, but a clearer thread might help guide visitors through it and encourage them upward.",
"lacking", "In a few places the building feels lacking, especially when there are so many strong concepts being showcased at once. Connecting them together is hard to follow, even though I understand you're experimenting. It's challenging as a visitor.",
"mischief-maker", "At times the building invites me to embrace my inner mischief-maker, but then I am left wanting because the interactions I expect are not available...",
"mismatched", "Some elements feel mismatched. The pieces are interesting on their own, but they do not always speak to each other clearly, which isn't a problem between floors, but I expect more cohesion within a room.",
"uneven", "Some floors feel...uneven. Certain features and ideas are clear, while others seem to stop before they are fully explored. It left me wanting more.",
))}\
<h2>Craft a critique</h2>\
You think back on your time spent in the building. You have collected the following critical words:
(for: each _word, ...$inventory)[\
(if: _negativeWords contains _word)[\
(link-repeat: _word)[\
(set: $critique to _negativeSentences's _word)\
(replace: ?instruct)[Pending critique: (print: $critique)]\
]\
(unless: _word is $inventory's last)[, ]\
]\
]
[Click a word to reveal a critical observation.]<instruct|
If this is the critique you want to give, (link: "return to the artist")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Approach the artist")]
<!--[[Approach the artist]]--!><h2>The eighth floor</h2>\
You step up the stairs into a room that is drafty and cool.
All of the windows stand open and there are heavy sweaters and jackets hanging from hooks near the entrance stairs. [You move to close a window and notice that there is no glass in the frames. The room is otherwise finished, but not sealed.
A large table in the centre holds [a jumble]<2| of half-finished projects. A series of silkscreen prints, still tacky. Small [intricate]<1A| dioramas made of paper, all replicas of the surrounding room. A laptop is open showing lines and lines of markup code.
You shiver from the cold. [A breeze catches the paper dioramas and tosses them onto the ground](1B| [The work continues, even if the space resists it.]<2B|
[](inventory|](next| [](magic|
<h2>Next steps</h2><nav>\
[\
(link-repeat: "Shake the magic eight ball
")[\
(replace: ?magic)[You shake the eight ball and it says, "{
(if: $positive >$negative)[
(either: "it is certain", "outlook good", "it is decidedly so")]
(else-if: $positive is $negative)[(either: "reply hazy, try again","ask again later","concentrate and ask again")]
(else:)[(either: "don't count on it","my sources say no","very doubtful")]."}\
]\
(masteraudio: 'stopall', 'play')\
(track: 'eightball', 'play')\
]](eightBall|\
<!--[[Visit the artist]]--!>\
(link: "Go to the ninth floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'woosh', 'play')(go-to: "Visit the artist")]
<!--[[Go to the seventh floor]]--!>\
(link: "Go down a floor")[(masteraudio: 'stopall')(track: 'back', 'play')(go-to: "Go to the seventh floor")]
</nav>
{=
(click: "drafty")[
(show: ?next)
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'confirm', 'play')
]
(unless: $inventory contains "intricate" or "jumble")[
(click: "intricate")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "intricate"), _word to "intricate")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'positive', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(replace: ?2)[an assortment](replace: ?2B)[Despite the conditions, something here is taking shape.]
(set: $positive to it +1)
]
(click: "jumble")[
(set: $inventory to it + (a: "jumble"), _word to "jumble")
(masteraudio: 'stopall')
(track: 'negative', 'play')
(replace: ?inventory)[(display: "inventory")]
(hide: ?1A)(show: ?1B)
(set: $negative to it +1)
]
]
(if: $eightball is 1)[(show: ?eightBall)]