<<if $marketing eq "yes">>\nYou get your work on the marketing material done and send it out. First task accomplished in the new job. Great! A few minutes later Paul comes in.\n"Good work!" he says. "That's the kind of marketing material we need to get everyone psyched about 'Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict 2'!"\nAnd he's off again.\n\n[[Continue|eatlastchance]]\n<<endif>>\n<<if $review eq "yes">>\nPaul comes in while you work on Jim's text. "Where's the marketing material?"\n"I'll need a little more time. First I'm doing a review for Jim."\n"But I assigned this task to you! Highest priority? You are not even capable of doing just one thing?"\n"I thought-"\n"No thinking! Just doing! You are not fit for this job."\nHe turns to Erin. "You a writer?"\n"Well, the intern," she says.\n"Need a job?"\nShe's taken by surprise and slowly nods.\n\n[[Continue|marketing_fired_epilogue]]\n<<endif>>\n<<if $internmarketing eq "yes">>\nYou get your work done on Jims text and then look through the marketing material that Erin has written. She's done a great job and you send everything to Paul. A few minutes later he comes in.\n"Good work!" he says. "That's the kind of marketing material we need to get everyone psyched about 'Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict 2'!"\n"It's Erin's work," you say\nPaul gives her a thumbs up. And he's off again.\nErin looks very reliefed. Almost as relieved as you are.\n<<set $paulsuperpleased = "yes" >>\n\n[[Continue|eatlastchance]]\n<<endif>>

<<set $clerkinterrupted = "yes">>"Ahem," you say.\nHe does not react.\nJust as you want to repeat your 'Ahem' a little louder, he speaks without looking up. "Please wait," he simply says.\nYou wait.\n"Ahem," you say.\n"Yes?" he asks.\n"It's my first day."\n"I know that. And I know who you are."\n"Well..."\n<<if $entrypunctual eq "yes">>"You are right on time. This is good. It's a sign that you value our company's ehtics and guidelines. But they are only on our Intranet and you cannot have read them. Have you hacked into our servers?" He eyes you suspiciously.\n"No, no!" you exclaim, "I'm a writer! Text, you know. Not code. I'm not a hack, ahem, hacker."<<endif>>\n<<if $entrypunctual neq "yes">>"You are too early." He raises his smartphone and studies the time on its display. "Way too early." He puts the smartphone down. "If you think this shows dedication you are wrong. We at Duzum Games value your time off the job. You need to recharge in order to give your best when you're here.<<endif>>\nHe turns to the screen, grabs the mouse and makes one click. Carefully you lean forward and you can make out that there's a huge spreadsheet on his screen. With names and numbers.\n\n[[Continue|uptothefloor]]\n

<<set $paperswoman = "yes" >>"Alright, thanks," you say and hand over the papers.\nShe takes them and places them on the messy pile next to her computer and smiles.\nYou keep smiling and hope the papers reach their destination.\n\n[[Continue|work1]]

<<set $internmarketing = "yes">><<set $internhelp = "yes">>\nHer eyes widen. "Thanks for trusting me!"\n"She's not changing my text!" Jim yells.\nNow YOU grin. "How about the marketing material?\n"I... I... can try."\n"That's fi... fi... fine," you say, and you both grin.\n\n[[Continue|noon]]

<<if $lunch eq "yes" >>\nJim is now wearing his headphones and seems to be content.\nNo one wants anything from you right now, so perhaps you can learn more things about your employer and the game on the intranet.\n\n[[Continue|meeting_change]]\n<<endif>>\n<<if $lunch neq "yes" >>\nYou are really hungry now. If you don't eat something your blood sugar might drop.\nBut there's so much to do. You didn't really have chance to learn the basics about the game you're supposed to be working on and the company culture. You should browse the intranet to be prepared.\n\nYou can [[go to canteen|canteen]] or [[go on the intranet|keepworking]].\n<<endif>>

It's your first work day as a "Junior Writer" at a game developer. And perhaps it's not your last.

Some of the doors in the hallway are shut, others are open. As you walk by you see people with headphones in front of their computers, but there is no indication who's who in this office.\nYou still have no idea where to find this Jim you take a look into a room at the end of the hallway.\nIt's a small for office with two workstations. They're occupied by the two guys you saw when you arrived this morning.\nBoth guys are sitting faced to each other and both their heads slowly turn in perfect synchronicity to you, as if they were telepathic.\n"It's him!" the left one says.\n"I know," the other replies.\n\nYou can [[ask who they are|2coders_who]] or [[ask about Jim|2coders_askjim]].

"Hey, I'm looking for Jim ... the Senior Writer."\n"He's crazy," the guy on the left says.\n"Survivor's guilt," the guy on the right says.\n"If they had fired him as well, it would have been fine by me," left says.\n"Yeah, writers. Crazy," right says.\n"Fired?!" you ask, but they ignore you.\n"Crazy," agrees left.\nThe turn back to their screens and type away.\n"Ahem. So, where is he again?"\nWithout looking up both point to the door right across the hall.\n"Thanks," you say and quickly leave.\n\n[[Continue|writersroom]]

You have made it!\nAfter sending out countless CVs a game developer finally has hired you. And it’s not just a bunch of guys doing their indie gig, no, it’s a big developer. Granted, they hired you just as a "Junior Writer", but you’re sure that you’ll make it big, because deep down you know that you'll be the next big ... guru ... visionary ... thing. Though you don’t really know what to expect now that you're about to start your job. Sure, you’ve played a lot of games and written a lot of stuff (mostly unpublished), and you've inhaled everything written about game writing. The interview went well and Human Resources were sure that you’ll adapt to the workflow in the games business in no time. After all, it’s not rocket science.\nSo here you are at the gates to development heaven. "Duzum Games" resides in a building with five floors. They have expanded massively due to the success of their recent release "Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict", and with the next hit right around the corner they will surely expand even more. You gaze in awe at the sign over the door and watch other people enter – a mixture of nerdy guys and people in suits – and for the hundredth time today you wonder if you’re dressed right with your everyday clothes. Not too much hipster, but not too casual.\nTwo guys are standing next to the entrance, having a smoke. They wear shabby black clothes and eye you warily. You take a look at the time on your smartphone. You’re almost half an hour too early for your first day.\n\nYou can [[go in right away|lobby]]. But you if you want to be punctual, you can [[wait half an hour|punctual]]. Or you could try to [[socialise with the guys|social]].

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\nThe sun rises over the mountains.\nYou open the letter.\nIt's another royalties check. Nice.\nYour book about how to correctly fill in important forms is still a bestseller.\n\nTHE END

It is late afternoon.\nJust as you're about to suggest to Jim that they should meet with the Game Design department to discuss the way the story is integrated into the game, Paul storms in.\n"EMERGENCY MEETING! DOWNSTAIRS! NOW!"\nAnd he's gone. You look to Jim who reluctantly gets up and walks out as if the room as if this was something that happens every day. You go downstairs as well.\nPaul is in the meeting room, so is Jane - still busy with her smartphone - and there are Tim, Carl, Kate and Burt. The same group as earlier that day.\n"'Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict 2' is cancelled," Paul says.\nNobody moves.\n"Focus group tests have shown that the target audience in Korea didn't like it. And Korea is so hot right now."\n"You have all fucked up," Jane says while tapping away.\n"Water under the bridge," Paul exclaims. "Managment always has a plan B. We are about to obtain the license for a big Hollywood franchise. The licensor wants a complete game design doc and then the contract will be signed."\n"Tomorrow," Jane adds.\nStill, nobody moves, as if the person who flinches is fired or has to write the whole game design doc.\n"So, we'll make it as easy as possible," Paul says and turns to Kate. "We need artworks from your department. It's also some SciFi flic, so just use some old stuff or buy something from freelancers. It's just for illustration, but write 'concept art' next to it. Tim, Carl!" Now he turns to the other side. "No technical changes at all. Just keep it going. Burt!" He turns again. "Same applies for Game Design. Essentially we're pitching what we've already done. Just make sure that ISC isn't mentioned anywhere in the document. Jim, ..." He struggles to remember your name and gives up. "Guys, we need a Story Bible. And story is highest priority here. After all, this is Hollywood we're talking about. Highly original, true to the license. Think you can pull that off by, say, 9 AM?"\nJim just exhales.\n\nYou can [[quit (with a vengeance)|quiteob]] or [[agree to a night shift|checkfatigue]].

You remember the papers the desk clerk wanted you to fill in before noon.\nIt's almost noon.\nYou get the papers from your bag and frantically write down all details about you, your life, your bank account, your insurance, your blood type.\nThen you rush to the elevator, get down to the lobby and approach the desk.\nThere's a female desk clerk now.\n"Hi," you say. "I'm looking for..." You never got his name. "... your colleague who was here earlier."\nShe moves away from her computer, folds her hands on the table and smiles warmly. "What's it about?"\nYou return the smile and place the papers on the desk. "I had to fill in these forms."\nShe takes them and inspects them. "Never seen those before."\n"How long have you been here?"\n"Oh, it's my second day. But no problem. I'm sure I can find out where to forward those to. Just leave them here."\nThere's a messy pile of papers next to her.\n\nYou can [[give her the papers|givepapers]] or [[hold on to the papers|keeppapers]].

<<set $lunch = "yes" >>You go the canteen. And you're too late. It's already closed. But there's a vending machine in which you invest most of your coins. At least your blood sugar should be stable now. Then you hurry back to the office.\n\n[[Continue|meeting_change]]

It may have been a wasted night, but it has taught you much.\nBeing productive is really exhausting...\nYou stumble home and sleep for two days, before you start do decide what to do with the rest of your life.\n\n[[Continue|afternight_epilogue]]

And so this first day as a Game Writer leads into a first night as a Game Writer.\nThis will be tough.\nYou will do your best, but you will need all the help you can get.\n<<if $followwriter eq "no" >>\n"Well," Jim says. "You said you wanted to write your own stuff. Here's your chance. Isn't that great?"\nHe packs his bag. "See you tomorrow at nine. I'm eager to find out what you've come up with."\nThen he leaves.\n<<set $jimnight = "no" >><<endif>>\n<<if $followwriter eq "yes" and $followlead eq "yes" >>\n"Well," Jim says. "You said wanted to follow my lead. But I heard you agreeing with Paul to spy on me. I don't work with backstabbers."\n"But that was just-"\nHe leaves.\n<<set $jimnight = "no" >><<endif>>\n<<if $followwriter eq "yes" and $followlead eq "no" >>"Well... your first day has just gotten a bit longer," Jim says. "Let's give it our best shot."\n<<set $help = $help + 1>>\n<<set $jimnight = "yes" >><<endif>>\n<<if $internhelp eq "no" >>\n"Oh, it's late," Erin says.\nShe sees your begging looks, but ignores them.\n"Sorry. Like you said... I need to get lost. Bye."\nThen she leaves.\n<<set $internnight = "no" >>\n<<endif>>\n<<if $internhelp eq "yes" >>\n"I'll stay!" Erin says. "This is so exciting!"\n<<set $help = $help + 1>><<set $internnight = "yes" >><<endif>>\n<<if $entrysocial eq "yes" >>\nYou look up as two people come in the office.\nIt's Tim and Carl.\n"Well... we heard you got hell of a lot to do."\n"And you seem to be a nice guy."\n"We'll stay longer today."\n"Give us a call in case you need help."<<set $help = $help + 1>><<endif>>\n<<if $doorsneak neq "yes" >>\nThe IT guy appears, scratching his beard.\n"You know, I love stories. Always wanted to work on them, but they didn't let me, because I know all that technical stuff. They said my talents would be wasted. I'll help you tonight!"<<set $help = $help + 1>><<endif>>\n\n[[Continue|afternight]]

Suddenly you are overwhelmed by doubt. Is this really what you want to make out of your life, you ask yourself. Write text for irrelevant pieces of software that won't change the world today and will be forgotten tomorrow? Perhaps you shouldn't even start. This may be a dead end job. And is there ANY game developer that has lasted more than a decade without losing its soul or being sold to a big publisher (which, well, is the same thing). And how about job security in this industry? There is none!\nYou should turn your back and run before you even start here.\n\nPerhaps you should really [[RUN ANYWAY!|run]] ... or do you really [[want this job|reversal]]?

And the pitch is a success.\nDuzum Games gets to develop the game with the big Hollywood license.\nAnd you have been a big part of this deal.\n<<if $papersdelivered eq "yes" >>\n\n[[Continue|perfectend]]\n<<endif>>\n<<if $papersdelivered neq "yes" >>But something goes wrong with the forms you filled in. They never reach the Accounting Department. You don't receive your first salary on time in the following month and have no savings.\nBecause of this you get evicted by the landlord.\nYou have to look for a place to live instead of doing your work and get fired two weeks later.\n\n[[Continue|papersmissing_epilogue]]\n<<endif>>

<<set $internhelp = "no">>"Get lost," you say. "I have more important things to do."\nErin goes to her PC and ignores you.\nYou start with your task.\n\n[[Continue|noon]]

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\n"I QUIT", you scream and storm out.\nThat's it. You've been doing this dead end job far too long.\nThree weeks, to be precise.\nSelling shower curtains really is no fun at all.\n\nTHE END

At the entrance door you wait.\nThe bearded man catches his breath as he approaches you.\n"You're the new Junior Writer, right?"\nYou nod.\n"So why are you running?"\n"Err, I remembered that I must have lost something in the parking lot."\nHe grunts. "You can get that later. And so you know: I hate it when people sneak in. HATE IT! Never do that again. Come with me."\nYou follow him back up the stairs, through the glass door, which he unlocks with a key card. You both enter the room that he came from.\n\n[[Continue|ITRoom]]

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\nYou have completed another night shift.\nAs you head out in the morning you are pleased with yourself. It's been a quiet night. No emergencies, all went well.\nYou've come to love night shifts. You're at the helm. You have responsibility. It's you and the stars.\nAnd helping people by working in a hospital is really rewarding.\n\nTHE END

The door is closed.\nYou can:\n1. Knock.\n2. Just open the door.\n\nThen you come to your senses.\nHOW COULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER IT! This is not a choice! Who would do such a crazy thing?\nYou knock gently and listen.\nNothing happens.\n\nYou can [[knock again.|knockagain]] or [[just open the door|justopen]].

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\nYou have attended university for the last 15 years and have collected eight diplomas.\nNow you are getting started with your next course.\nIt's "Comparative Egyptian Algebra".\n\nTHE END

Ding!\n"Third Floor," announces the woman's voice in the elevator and the doors open.\nYou step out and find yourself in a long hallway. Right in front of you is a Space Pirate, wielding an laser gun. He looks at you menacingly. Luckily he's made out of cardboard and depicts a character from the company's hit "Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict", a mobile in-app-purchase epic SciFi strategy action game in which players clone Space Pirates and equip them with starfighters, weapons and funny costumes.\nIt will be YOUR job to expand on the universe of this game in a new title. So far the universe and the story of this game consist of the description on the homepage: "It is an outlaw galaxy full of Space Pirates! Will you survive?"\nIn the interview you were told that ISC will be expanded into a huge universe with many plots and quests and that more writers have already been hired, because story is now a priority for Duzum Games.\nThere's a huge and very sturdy looking glass door in the hallway with a card reader on the right wall and a doorbell with the company logo. Just as you approach it, someone leaves from the other side. If you're quick you can grab the door and slide in.\n\n[[Yes, grab the door|door_sneakin]] or [[let it close and then ring|door_bell]].

All of a sudden it's noon and you realize that you are hungry. Your work came along well, but it's about time you ate something.\n<<if $lunch eq "yes" and $paperswoman eq "yes" >>\nErin returns - and she has something to eat from the canteen! She's a life saver!\n\n[[Continue|work1_outcome]]<<endif>>\n<<if $lunch eq "yes" and $paperswoman neq "yes" >>Erin returns - and she has something to eat from the canteen! She's a life saver!\nNow that you have eaten, you actually have time to deliver the papers to the clerk guy, so you go to the lobby.\n\n[[Continue|noon_detour]]<<endif>>\n<<if $lunch neq "yes" and $paperswoman eq "yes" >>\nWith the papers delivered you now have time to go to the canteen.\n\n[[Continue|noon_canteen]]\n<<endif>>\n<<if $lunch neq "yes" and $paperswoman neq "yes" >>You should go to the canteen. And you must hurry - you don't want to anger Paul. But there are still the papers to deliver to the clerk... that's the last chance to do this.\n\nYou can [[take a detour, deliver papers|noon_detour]] or [[go directly to canteen and not deliver papers|noon_canteen]].\n<<endif>>

<<if $lunch neq "yes">>"Yes!" you say and try to sound enthusiastically. "Let's get to it right away!"\nJim tries to become invisible.\nYou want to say something else, but it slips from your mind.\nThen you slip from the chair and the world goes dark.\n\n[[Continue|evening_fatigue]]\n<<endif>>\n<<if $lunch eq "yes">>"Yes!" you say and try to sound enthusiastically. "Let's get to it right away!"\nJim tries to become invisible.\n"That's the spirit! Back to work." His smartphone rings and he takes the call. "Yeah, almost on my way. See you in half an hour, honey."\n\n[[Continue|nightshift_check]]\n<<endif>>

He looks at you again. "You will now report to the third floor and briefed there. All you need to know is in the intranet, so make good use of it. Oh, and please fill in these forms for the Accounting Department." He places a pile of papers on the desk, which you reluctantly take. "Please do so at your earliest convenience... before lunch. If you don't comply we can't guarantee that your first salary gets a PO in time."\n"PO?" you ask.\nHe sighs. "A purchase order. If you don't have one, you might not get your money in time. We have guidelines."\nThen he turns to the screen and types away as if you were already gone. Or as if he needs to document what he just told you.\nYou stuff the papers in your bag go to the elevators and press the button. A few awkward moments pass. Finally the doors open und you hurry inside the empty elevator, press button number 3 and wait for the doors to close.\n"Have a nice first day," the clerk calls to you without turning away from the display.\nThen the closing doors cut him off.\n\n[[Continue|3rdfloor]]

<<if $help eq 0 >>The night drags on and never ends. You're on your own.\nWhen it's finally over you realize that you have not managed to pull off anything. Just fragments. That's not a story bible.\nAs Paul comes in at 8:30 you have already left the building.\nYou know you're fired.\n[[Continue|afternight_fired]]<<endif>>\n<<if $help eq 1 >>You really put effort in it, but it's not enough. Too much work. Too much text. Too much of everything. What you have in the morning is not enough.\nPaul comes in at 8:30. He glances at the material - and fires you.\n\n[[Continue|afternight_fired]]<<endif>>\n<<if $help eq 2 >>All of you work tirelessly through the night.\nYou think you've pulled it off. It may not be the mother of all Story Bibles, but it should be enough.\nPaul comes in at 8:30, looks through the material. He agrees - he should be able to sell this to the licensor.\n\n[[Continue|moderatesuccess]]<<endif>>\n<<if $help eq 3 >>The amount of work is huge, but there are enough people to tackle it. You breeze through the night together and emerge victorious.\nEven Paul, who arrives at 8:30, has to agree. That's a great Story Bible.\n\n[[Continue|moderatesuccess]]<<endif>>\n<<if $help eq 4 >>It's a huge group that is working together this night.\nIn the morning not only is there an impressive story bible, but the vending machine downstairs is empty.\nPaul, who arrives at 8:30, is impressed.\nHe finds a missing comma on page 27.\nYou can prevent Jim from throwing the printer at Paul.\n\n[[Continue|perfectsuccess]]<<endif>>

<<set $lunch = "yes" >>You're just in time, the canteen isn't open much longer. It's a huge room, but there are only few people left who eat something. Quickly you buy some noodles and eat them before you hurry back to the office.\n\n[[Continue|work1_outcome]]

You wake up.\nSomething is beeping next to you.\nYou are lying in a hospital bed. The EEG is the thing that's beeping.\nOn your other side there's a person.\nYou struggle to see who it is...\n"Sign this," the person says.\nIt's Paul.\n"What..." you mumble.\n"You agree that Duzum Games is not liable for your... accident."\n"What?"\nBefore you can do something he grabs your hand, puts a pen between your fingers and scribbles something by moving your hand over a piece of paper.\n"Thanks. Oh, and by the way... you're fired."\n\n[[Continue|evening_fatigue_epilogue]]

/* Your story will use the CSS in this passage to style the page.\nGive this passage more tags, and it will only affect passages with those tags.\nExample selectors: */\n\nbody {\n\tbackground-color: white;\n}\n.passage {\n\tcolor: black;\n\tfont-size: 16px;\n}\n.passage a {\n\tcolor: blue;\n\tfont-size: 16px;\n\t\n}\n.passage a:hover {\n\tcolor: red;\n\tfont-size: 16px;\n\t\n}

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\nYou are still working at Duzum Games.\nTwo years ago you've been promoted.\nNow you are a Senior Writer.\n\nTHE END

Sometimes everything falls in the right place.\nEverything is perfect.\nNot all decisions in life have a logical outcome. Sometimes it's the small things that bring you forward. In games you may call it poor design, but life just happens and you go along without knowing where you end up.\nThe games business is life.\nNothing is steady. Hardware changes all the time, companies come and go.\nThe only constant is the people in this business. You may not get along with all of them, but if you find the right people, your games will sing. You will conjure magic.\nAnd you will have more than just one day.\n\nTHE (perfect) END

<<set $followwriter = "no">>Jim looks at you. "This is your first mistake. If you keep up that spirit up... you will regret it. Like the others..."\n\n[[Continue|meeting1]]

"I QUIT!" you scream and storm out.\nThis was your first day in the games business.\nAlmost.\nA few hours were missing.\n[[Continue|quiteob_epilogue]]

"No!" you call out. "I'm the new Junior Writer!"\nFurther down the hallway people's heads appear in the door frames.\n"Prove it!" the bearded man says. "Rhyme something!"\n"I was not hired to rhyme!"\nCautiously he approaches you.\n"Well, you look like a writer," he says. "I hate it when people sneak in. HATE IT! Never do that again. Get in here."\nHe points into his room. You go in there and try to ignore the people down the hall who still look at you, and you are careful not to step into the spilled coffee.\n\n[[Continue|ITRoom]]

A Writer's First Day

You knock again.\nNothing happens.\n\nYou can [[knock again.|knockagain]] or [[just open the door|justopen]].

Written by <a href="http://www.falkoloeffler.de/english"><u>Falko Löffler</u></a>\nv1.0|April 27th 2015\nNot an autobiography\nMay contain satire

<<set $entrysocial = "yes" >>"Hi, I'm the new Junior Writer," you say. "What do you guys do?"\n"Why do you want to know?" the left one asks.\n"Whatever you want, we can't help you," the right one says.\n"Story is not a priority," left says.\n"And we'd have to rework the whole framework," right says.\n"There's no time for this," left adds.\n"And our players would hate it," right says.\n"They don't want a story anyway," left says.\nBoth stare at you intently.\n"I just wanted to know what you guys do."\n"When you have one of your grand ideas..." left says\n"... then we are the ones who have to go into the trenches and try to make it a reality," right says.\n"We are coders," they say in unison.\n"Um," you say and nod respectfully. "You don't happen to know where Jim is? The Senior Writer?"\nRight points to the door across the hall.\n"Thanks," you say and take two steps backwards.\nBoth their heads turn back to their screens.\n\n[[Continue|writersroom]]

<<set $review = "yes" >>"But every change needs to be discussed with me!" Jim says.\nYou so look forward to this.\nFinally you can log into your PC and open the files that Jim has sent you.\nErin, the intern, approaches you. "So ... what can I do?"\n\n[[Just look at the game|intern_play]].\n\n[[Get something to eat for us|intern_eat]].\n\n[[Get lost!|inter_getlost]]

You look up the building.\nThis has been your dream.\nBut nevertheless, you turn away and walk down the street.\n\n[[Continue|run_end]]

"Just a second, please," Paul says as you pass him by. He gets up and closes the door. You two are alone.\n"Look, I know it's your first day, but we can't afford to just exchange niceties. You got to understand my situation. Management is pressuring me to get 'Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict 2' out of the door as quickly as possible. Some of them want a huge story, others just want explosions. But I can't concern myself with every detail. Jim has to deliver - and so have you."\nHe takes a deep breath.\n"I have the impression that he is sabotaging the project. I'm not saying he's crazy ... but he's crazy. Don't let him give you assignments that don't make sense. You need to keep an eye on him. If he acts strangely - come to me right away and report. Okay?"\n\n[[Yes, I'll tell you everything|meeting1yes]]\n\n[[No, Jim and I are a team!|meeting1no]]\n\n[[I quit! This is insane!|meeting1quit]]

It's only a few minutes before ten, so you only have time to boot your PC and then find yourself without a password, so you hurry to the IT guy who mumbles something and then slips you a paper with your data, and hurry back.\n<<if $followwriter eq "yes">>"So, the meeting starts soon," Jim says. "Let's go, I'll show you."\nHe leaves the room and you follow him.<<endif>>\n<<if $followwriter eq "no">>Jim leaves the room while ignoring you.\nIt's ten. He must be going to the meeting that you should attend as well, so you follow him.<<endif>>\nThrough the staircase you go down one floor, where the hallway you enter is indistinguishable from the one above. Jim enters the first door to the right and you follow him.\nIt's one minute after ten, and there's only one other person in the room who regards Jim with cold indifference. The guy is wearing a simple dark suit, and his eyes light up as you enter. He approaches you, grabs your hand and shakes it enthusiastically. "Hi, I'm Paul, the Project Lead. So nice to meet you in person. Impressive CV. Just so you know, I personally wanted you on my team. I'm looking forward to your input to ISC 2."\n"Thanks," you say and take a seat at the huge, black table and realize that Jim is looking at you with killing eyes.\nThe two coder guys come in. Paul greets them and you learn that their names are Tim and Carl. They are the Lead Coders of the project.\nTwo more people arrive: A woman with a calm demeanor in colorful clothes and a guy with red hair and cargo pants. She introduces herself as Kate, the Lead Artist, and the guy is Burt, the Lead Game Designer. \nSomeone else shuffles into the room. She looks as if she hasn't slept at all and her eyes are fixed on her smartphone on which she types away while sitting down at the table, completely ignoring everyone else.\nPaul is standing at the head of the table. "Thanks for coming, everyone. In this meeting I'd like to-"\n"How's art coming along?" the woman interrupts.\nPaul blinks. "Err, Jane, this meeting is not about art."\n"I need to know the progress," she insists.\nKate, the lead artist turns to her. "I can give you an update after this meeting."\n"Good," she says. Her smartphone rings. "That's Korea. Gotta take this. Keep me in the loop, Paul." She gets up and leaves, closes the door behind her.\nPaul sees your puzzled expression. "That was Jane," he says. "She's our producer. Terribly experienced. Pretty sure, she'll be talking to you sometime this week about your deliverables."\n"Pray she doesn't," Jim mumbles.\n"What?" Paul asks.\n"Nothing."\n"So..." Paul rubs his hands. "Let's get to it. 'Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict 2'! Everybody's very excited, all systems are go. I know there's been some... well, misunderstandings about the focus of the project, but now we're all marching in the same direction. In this meeting I'd like to get everyone up to speed - and introduce the new Junior Game writer." He points to you and you can only wave, before he continues. "Tim, Carl - what's the status of the engine."\nThe following three minutes are just a blur for you. You recognize some of the words. Paul keeps nodding along and you have no idea if he really understands anything.\n"Excellent!" he exclaims. "Kate?"\n"As I will tell Jane later - we're on track with concept art and ingame assets."\n"Excellent! Burt?"\nThe Game Designer talks about game mechanics and monetization. You even understand most of it.\n"Excellent! Jim?"\n"Yeah?"\n"How is the story progressing?"\n"It is an outlaw galaxy full of Space Pirates," Jim says.\n"I know. But how about the story for the sequel?"\nJim takes his time. Then he says: "I'm working on it."\n"Did the fired writers work on the story for ICS 2, too?"\nEveryone's heads turn to you and you know that you have stepped on a landmine.\nPaul raises both hands as if he was surrendering. "I know, I know. Yes, they did. Those writers were fired and there's been an impression in the company that story was no priority. But that's not what this was about. Those were just ... creative differences."\nJim coughs a bit too loudly.\n"We need something great by the end of the week, as communicated earlier, Jim. Now that you have help, this shouldn't be a problem, right?" Paul is glowing with enthusiasm.\nJim shows no visible reaction.\nPaul claps his hands twice. "Alright, team. To the keyboards!"\nEveryone rushes out.\n\n[[Continue|projectlead_intro]]

You wait two seconds and the door closes. Then you press the button next to the card reader. There is no visible or audible feedback and just as you're about to press a second time a bearded man comes from the second door to the left.\nHe walks to the glass door and has the demeanor of someone who has just been interrupted while defusing an atomic bomb.\nAs he pushes the door open he looks at you for the first time.\n"Hi," you say, "I'm the new Junior Writer".\n"Hmpf," he says, turns on the spot and walks away.\nYou walk through the door before it closes again, wondering if he wanted you to follow him.\nThe bearded man looks to you. "You comin' or what?"\nSo he wanted you to follow him.\nWhich you now do. You both enter the room that he came from.\n\n[[Continue|ITRoom]]

<<set $entrypunctual = "yes">>You decide to have a closer look at the neighbourhood. There are many factories with chimneys and warehouses around here and not too many restaurants. Well, in the center of the city there were probably no vacancies, but with the coming success they will surely move to an office space that's a bit more... lively.\nWhen you return to your new employer you are right on time.\nNow that you had 30 minutes to think you feel an existential crisis coming up.\n\nYou can [[enter the building|lobby]] or [[give yourself into the crisis|crisis]].

<<set $papersdelivered = "yes" >>So you go the lobby.\nAgain.\nThere's no one there.\nYou wait.\nAnd wait.\nAnd wait.\nFinally someone comes to the counter. It's the desk clerk. You're happy to give him the papers.\nHe looks through them. "Seems to be okay. I'll forward those to Accounting."\n"Thanks," you say and you are glad to have this off your chest.\n<<if $lunch eq "yes" >>You return to your office.\n\n[[Continue|work1_outcome]]\n<<endif>>\n<<if $lunch neq "yes" >>You are still hungry, but the canteen must be closed now and you have lost too much time, so you return to your office.\n\n[[Continue|work1_outcome]]\n<<endif>>

You run through the entrance door as if the devil himself was behind you.\nTwenty minutes later you find yourself in some field of wheat, trying to catch your breath. The town is quite some distance behind you.\nYou don't exactly remember what just happened, but probably things could've been different.\nSlowly you stumble back into the direction from which you came and ask yourself if you should return to your new employer.\nNo. It's your former employer. The games business is just too crazy for you. The kind of job you need is one of solitude.\nNow what could that be...\n\n[[Continue|breach_end]]

<<set $internhelp = "yes">>Luckily, Erin already has access codes for the PC. You show her the internal documentation and how she can test the game. Then you continue with your task.\n\n[[Continue|noon]]

<<set $doorsneak = "yes">>\nAnd so you grab the door frame, step inside company ground and let the door close behind you.\nIn the hallway before you there are doors on both sides.\nFrom the second door to the left a bearded man appears with coffee cup in his hand.\nHe sees you.\nHis coffee cup falls to the floor.\nHe screams: "WE HAVE A SECURITY BREACH!"\n\nYou can quickly [[explain|breach_explain]] or [[run|breach_run]].

<<set $followlead = "yes">>"That's what I'm talking about! So, off you go. Much to write." He lifts his hands and starts hammering on an invsible typewriter. "Tiddly-ding!"\nThen he rushes out.\nShaking your head you return to the third floor und go to your office. \n\n[[Continue|internintro]]

You come to your senses.\nThis is real life. You can't just run away from your fate. All you ever wanted to achieve is waiting behind those doors. You take a deep breath and think of all the grand story ideas and visions you will see come true in this dream job... and take the plunge.\n\n[[Continue|lobby]]

"THERE YOU ARE!" you are greeted by Paul, the Project Lead, as you enter. "Look, we can't afford that you just wander about. You have to be ready all the time, because any second something important can come up. Boom, boom, boom! I need marketing material ASAP. And I need you to write it. This is HIGHEST PRIORITY!"\n"But I need to familiarize myself with the state of the game first."\n"Good. Do so and send me the material this afternoon."\nHe rushes out.\nJim gets up. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I need you to review a bunch of text that I've written last week."\n"But I can do only one of those things! I think I should ..."\n\n[[... write the marketing material for Paul|work1_marketing]].\n\n[[... do the review for Jim|work1_review]].\n\n[[... let Erin do one of the jobs|work1_intern]].

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\nYou look down from your lighthouse.\nNot a ship in sight.\nIt's been four days since you last saw one. And it was only passing by.\nThe Atlantic is quiet today. Well, you're in a part where the Atlantic is always quiet. Like yourself.\nYou take the pen and work on your novel.\n\nTHE END

"Erm, I think I'd rather wait for your collegue to return and give them to him. He specifically said he needed them personally." You cough to effetively mask this lie.\nShe looks a bit indignant. "Well, fine with me."\n"Do you know when he'll be at the desk again?"\n"Sorry, I only know my own schedule."\nShe begins typing on the keyboard to demonstrate her ignorance towards you.\n"Alright, thanks," you say and return to the third floor.\n\n[[Continue|work1]]

Through a huge revolving door you enter the lobby.\n<<if $entrysocial eq "yes" and $entrypunctual neq "yes">>\nThe two guys are in the lobby. They look at you. One of them whispers: "I think he's following us!" They hurry to the elevator, press the button and pretend to be very calm. As the elevator doors open they rush in.\n<<endif>>\nIt's a big lobby. In its center there's a wide desk with just one person sitting behind it, looking concentrated onto a display. It's a guy roughly your age wearing a white shirt and sharp haircut. He wears a bluetooth headset that keeps blinking. As you approach he does not look up and keeps typing away on his keyboard.\n\nYou can [[wait until he's finished|clerkfinished]] or [[interrupt him|clerkinterrupted]].

You need to show how dedicated you are. And who knows which surprise is lurking behind the next corner. Eating is for mortals. You better be prepared.\nYou open the browser and dive into the intranet.\n\n[[Continue|meeting_change]]

The room is full of PC parts as if he wanted to build his own Terminator.\n"Sit," the man says.\nYou remove a buch of hard drives from the chair and sit.\nHe places himself on his swiveling chair and wooshes close to you. "I'll have an eye on you. Is that clear? Nothing in this office happens without me knowing it. Now, I can help you make it here. Or I can break you. You can try-"\nHe's interrupted as someone else appears in the door. "Dammit, that piece of shit you assembled broke down again! Fix it NOW!" Then the person rushes away.\nThe bearded man has listened to these words, but kept looking at you. "We'll finish our talk later." He grabs some screwdrivers on his desk and gets up.\n"Go to Jim. He's the Senior Writer. Oh, and here's your ID card. Don't lose it." He reaches into his pocket and throws a piece of plastic in your lap. It's a blank white card with a magnetic strip on its back.\nThen he leaves.\nYou shake your head and get back into the hallway.\n\n[[Continue|2codersroom_morning]]

<<set $marketing = "yes" >>"Alright," Jim says. "Perhaps you should. If Paul wants something you better do it..."\nFinally you can log into your PC and start to look up all material concerning "Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict 2". Then you open a doc and start to write hymns about the revolutionary gameplay (and story, of course) that the game will deliver.\nErin, the intern, approaches you. "So... what can I do?"\n\n[[Just look at the game, too|intern_play]].\n\n[[Get something to eat for us|intern_eat]].\n\n[[Get lost!|inter_getlost]]

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\nYou have been working as a Game Writer for the last 15 years for various companies. At a conference you bump into Paul. He's still a really important guy in the business, but he changes his employer every year. Now he's in upper management.\nAs he passes you by he looks you straight in the eye for just a second and he seems to recognize you. "JIM!" he screams cheerful.\nYou choose to ignore him.\n\nTHE END

Paul looks at you condescendingly. "Fine with me. When I first saw your CV I immediately knew that you were not cut for this job. We need people with passion, with dedication, who are willing to give everything, to withstand the pressure. Go."\nSo you do.\nAs you leave the room you hear Paul mutter: "Story isn't a priority anyway."\n\n[[Continue|meeting1quit_epilogue]]

"HOW DARE YOU JUST BARGE IN?" someone screams a milisecond after you've opened the door.\nIt is an office like the others that you saw. Four workstations are set up, but three of them are deserted and there's only one guy on the second computer to the right. He looks angry, battered and old - as if he was over 30!\nThis must be Jim.\n"Hi, I was sent here. I'm the new Junior Writer. My name is-"\n"I don't care," he cuts you off. "Names are meaningless in this place. People just come and go. Mostly they go. If you actually stay for more than just a few days, THEN I'll bother to remember your name."\n"Thanks," you say and wonder what you're thanking for. "Where are the others? I was told I'd be working with a whole team."\n"Fired," Jim says.\n"Fired?"\n"Yeah, last week."\n"... why?"\n"Management thinks that story is no priority."\n"But I was hired for the story!"\nHe chuckles.\n"So... what do we do now?" you ask.\n"No idea. We'll have a meeting at ten. Paul, the Project Lead, will tell us what's next. Until then... settle in. You can sit there." He points to the first computer on the left.\n"Because that's the best one?" you ask.\n"Because that's the farthest away from me," he says.\nYou place your bag on the floor, sit down and turn on the computer.\nSuddenly Jim is standing right next to you, looking down on you. "Let's get this out of the way immediately. I'm here to put the magic into the game. It's soul. I will protect my vision with my life and don't want anyone to interfere. Everything you write will have to live up to my standards. I know how things work around here. I'm a pro. I've been in this business for THREE YEARS now! So ... I will tell you what we'll do and you will follow my lead. Right?"\n\n[[You have my sword!|followwriteryes]]\n\n[[I am an artist and don't take orders!|followwriterno]]

You press the button and wait for the elevator.\nThen you realize that laziness is often a stupid idea.\nThe bearded man reaches you. For a moment it looks like he wants to tackle you, but he hesitates, obviously surprised that you were dumb enough to take the elevator.\n"Wait," he says, "you're the new Junior Writer, right?"\nYou nod.\n"So why are you running?"\n"Err, I remembered that I have some papers to deliver downstairs."\nHe grunts. "You can do that later. And so you know: I hate it when people sneak in. HATE IT! Never do that again. Come with me."\nYou follow him back through the glass door, which he unlocks with a key card. You both enter the room that he came from.\n\n[[Continue|ITRoom]]

You run down the stairs, almost trip on the first floor. The sound of the steps and grunts of the bearded man follow you, as you emerge in the lobby.\nThe man behind the desk does not look up, as you rush by.\nYou reach the entrance door and hear the bearded man burst into the lobby behind you. "Wait!" he screams.\n\nYou can [[keep running|breach_flee]] or [[wait|breach_wait]].

<<set $followlead = "no">>Paul is pissed. He tries not to show it, of which he seems not to be capable. "Writers..." he says and leaves.\nLooks like the meeting is over.\nYou head back to the third floor and enter your office.\n\n[[Continue|internintro]]

<<set $followwriter = "yes">>Jim nods. "You're alright, kid. We writers gotta stick together. You have my back, I have yours!"\n\n[[Continue|meeting1]]

<<set $lunch = "yes">><<set $internhelp = "no">>"Get lost!" you say. "Sorry, I have really much stuff going on right now. Why don't you... get us something to eat?"\nShe shrugs and doesn't seem to be very happy about this job. "Okay. Where?"\n"There's a canteen in here somewhere, I was told... it's probably easy to find."\nYou slip her a few bucks and continue with your task.\n\n[[Continue|noon]]

You stop in the door.\nSomeone is sitting on your chair.\nIt is a young woman.\nShe gets up and approaches you. You lift your hand and want to ask who she is, but she grabs your hand and shakes it enthusiastically "Hi, I'm Erin. I'm the new writing intern. I'm so looking forward to learning everything about you! Jim has said that you'll show me the trade."\nYou see that Jim is grinning from ear to ear.\nFor a moment you want to tell her that your experience in the job is only two hours more than hers. \n"Why don't you go to IT and let them set up your account. You'll be using this PC." You point to the second workstation on the left.\n"Alright," Erin says and wooshes out of the door.\n"How... when..." you say with WTF in your eyes.\n"Don't care," Jim says. "I don't have time for her."\n"Alright, I'll see, what I can do..."\n"Good. I don't have time for beginners."\n"I'm a beginner, too."\n"I know." He continues typing.\n\n[[Continue|desk2withpapers]]

<<set $entrysocial = "yes">>\nYou walk up to the two guys. “Morning. You working here?” you ask and point to the sign.\nThey stare at you and suddenly throw their cigarettes to the floor, trample on them and scurry inside.\nYou are still too early.\n\nYou can [[enter now|lobby]] or [[wait some time to be punctual|punctual]].

So you wait.\nSlowly, very slowly the clerk looks up. There is no surprise in his eyes, as if he had known from the beginning of time that you'd be there.\n<<if $entrypunctual eq "yes">>"You are punctual. This is good. It's a sign that you value our company's ehtics and guidelines. But they are only on our Intranet and you cannot have read them. Have you hacked into our servers?" He eyes you suspiciously.\n"No, no!" you exclaim. "I'm a writer! It's only my words. Well, text, you know. Not code. I'm not a hack, ahem, hacker."<<endif>><<if $entrypunctual neq "yes">>"You are too early." He raises his smartphone and studies the time on its display. "Way too early." He puts the smartphone down. "If you think this shows dedication you are wrong. We at Duzum Games value your time off the job. You need to recharge in order to give your best when you're here.<<endif>>\nHe turns to the screen, grabs the mouse and makes one click. Carefully you lean forward and you can make out that there's a huge spreadsheet on his screen. With names and numbers.\n\n[[Continue|uptothefloor]]

You have lived through the night.\nBut... it was in vain.\nThe pitch falls through with the licensor.\nAs Paul delivers the bad news he is already pumped about the next pitch that Duzum Games will now prepare.\nIt's essentially "Intergalactic Starfighter Conflict" - set in medieval France.\nKorea will love it.\n<<if $papersdelivered eq "yes" >>\n\n[[Continue|moderate_epilogue]]\n<<endif>>\n<<if $papersdelivered neq "yes" >>But you aren't a part of it.\nBecause something goes wrong with the forms you filled in. They never reach the Accounting Department. You don't receive your first salary on time in the following month and have no savings.\nBecause of this you get evicted by the landlord.\nYou have to look for a place to live instead of doing your work and get fired two weeks later.\n\n[[Continue|papersmissing_epilogue]]\n<<endif>>

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\nThe Australian sun burns hot.\nYou have spent the day harvesting pineapples. Now your back aches and with the other workers you return to the farm.\nYou have not been thinking about video games for 15 years now.\n\nTHE END

EPILOGUE\n\n15 YEARS LATER\n\nYou look up.\nIt's almost five. In a few minutes you'll be allowed to get up from your desk and go home.\nAfter you decided not to join this crazy games industry you got into a job with stability, security and no creative differences.\nYou are now an accountant.\nAnother minute passes by. You power down your computer.\nYou start wondering on which project you'll work this evening. Should you work on that new novel? Or is it just a dead end like those twelve other novels you started with but never finished? Or should you rather work on your website? Or just write a poem, for the fun of it?\nEnd of work.\nYou get up, grab your bag and go home.\nThen you spend the rest of the evening playing video games. And whenever a line of dialogue comes up you mutter: "I could've written something better than this..."\n\nTHE END

You turn around, run back to the glass door, pull it open and rush through it.\n\n[[Press the elevator button|breach_elevatordown]] or [[take the stairs|breach_stairsdown]].