Decorating

{ (set: $Mood to 50) (set: $budget to 100) (set: $day to 1) This story has been written in order to explore the technical aspects of creating a branched scenarios using <a href="http://twinery.org" target="_blank">Twine</a>. The storyline is abstract but one that you may well identify with. It has been deliberatly written in a way to generate emotional engagement with the reader. It is however, purely fictional, and no way does it reflect any recent, real life experiences of the author. There is a numerical value for mood that runs through this story. It starts at $Mood% You also have £$budget in your pocket that you can spend without having to dip into your savings. Can you complete with a better mood than when you started? [[Story Beginning]] }

{ It is Saturday morning. You have had a hard week at work and have been looking forward to a relaxing weekend with your partner. You are currently in the lounge, on the sofa reading an article about something extremely interesting and important. Your partner enters the room and comments how the room looks a bit scruffy and could really do with being redecorated. How do you respond? [[Could we do that tomorrow? We've both had really hard weeks at work and I'd like to spend some time with you.->Relaxing]] or [[You have a point. We have paint, rollers and brushes in the loft left over from the last time we decorated. We could use that.->Get Painting]] or [[How about we go for a walk and discuss this over lunch that I'll buy?->Go For A Walk]] }

Your partner agrees that it can wait and that it would be nice to relax together. You chat and before long are looking up holidays that you don't book and researching property that you can't afford. "I'm getting hungry" you say. "Do you fancy some lunch?" You offer to make something nice and head into the kitchen. (set: _chance to (random:1,2)) (if: _chance is 1) [ [[The kitchen->The Kitchen Holiday]] ] (else: )[ [[The Kitchen->The Kitchen Decorating]] ]

(set: $Mood to it + 20) (set: $budget to it -30) As you walk through the park, heading to a nice looking bistro that has just opened up you start to discuss the decorating task. "I know that we have some left over paint from last time but why don't we use this as an opportunity to change the colour to something a little more dramatic?" You say. "I knew you would suggest something like that." Your partner replies. "So I planned ahead and have the fabric samples with me so we can get a good match." You enjoy a nice light lunch that only costs £30 before heading next door to look at some paint. (display: "Summary") [[In the paint shop->PoshPaint]]

You go to the shed and find the part used tins of paint. The tins are more than half full and use a quick calculation that there will be enough paint to compelte a single coat. As the colour will be the same you decide that this will be sufficient. The brushes and rollers are also in good condition as you were very careful to wash and dry them properly. You return inside and both of you move everything necessary to have enough space to work. You also put down dust sheets and get to work with each having agreed areas to work on. The painting looks to be going well. [[Continue Painting->SameColourPainting]]

(set: $mood to it +30) You both sit down to a lovely lunch and agree that it would be really nice to go on holiday as you have both been working very hard recently. Any thoughts of decorating have been forgotten as you check your bank balance and decide that dipping into your savings so that you can treat yourselves and go away is very worthwhile. You book somewhere really nice in a month's time and settle down to watch a movie set in the location that you will soon be visiting. (display: "Summary") The end. (display: "ReturnToStart")

(set: $Mood to it -30) As you sit down to enjoy a really nice lunch you realise that your partner isn't saying very much. You pause for a moment before saying: "It's the decorating isn't it?" (display: "Summary") [[Would you like me to get the painting stuff in from the shed?->Get Painting]] [[Shall we pick out some paint colours?->PoshPaint]]

(set: $Mood to it +20) As you nearly finish you stop to admire your collective handiwork. You both agree it looks much better and that you will finish off, clean up the painting things and reward yourselves with a visit to that new bistro that has just opened up. [[Clean up and head to the new bistro->BistroDinner]]

[[Would you like to see how this story might have changed with a different course of action?->Story Beginning]]

{ (set: $initBudget to $budget) (set: $paint to (dm: "cost", 40, "Benefit", 50)) (set: $trimings to (dm: "cost", 10, "Benefit", 20)) (set: $brushes to (dm: "cost", 10, "Benefit", -20)) (set: $decorating to (a:)) You have a choice on how to spend your decorating budget of £$initBudget. |options>[(display: "PaintOptions")] Your remaining budget is: £|budgetStat>[$budget]. } [[Make your purchase and head home to put it to good use->changeColour]]

{ Paint £(print: cost of $paint): (if: $decorating contains "paint") [ Purchased. ] (else-if: $budget < (cost of $paint))[ Out of budget. ] (else:)[ (link: "Buy")[ (set: $budget to it - (cost of $paint)) (set: $decorating to it + (a: "paint")) (replace: ?budgetStat)[$budget] (replace: ?decoratingStat)[$decorating] (replace: ?options)[(display: "PaintOptions")] ] ] Trimmings £(print: cost of $trimings): (if: $decorating contains "trimings") [ Purchased. ] (else-if: $budget < (cost of $trimings))[ Out of budget. ] (else:)[ (link: "Buy")[ (set: $budget to it - (cost of $trimings)) (set: $decorating to it + (a: "trimings")) (replace: ?budgetStat)[$budget] (replace: ?decoratingStat)[$decorating] (replace: ?options)[(display: "PaintOptions")] ] ] Brushes £(print: cost of $brushes): (if: $decorating contains "brushes") [ Purchased. ] (else-if: $budget < (cost of $brushes))[ Out of budget. ](else:)[ (link: "Buy")[ (set: $budget to it - (cost of $brushes)) (set: $decorating to it + (a: "brushes")) (replace: ?budgetStat)[$budget] (replace: ?decoratingStat)[$decorating] (replace: ?options)[(display: "PaintOptions")] ] ] (link: "Reset")[ (set: $budget to $initBudget) (set: $decorating to (a:)) (replace: ?budgetStat)[$budget] (replace: ?decoratingStat)[$decorating] (replace: ?options)[(display: "PaintOptions")] ] }

(display: "Summary") (if: $Mood > 80)[You are both really happy with the decorating. Well done! ] (elseif: $Mood >60)[That seems to have gone well but could you have done better? ] (if: $Mood < 59)[That didn't go so well did it? Would you have made the same choices again? ] The End. (display: "ReturnToStart")

You enter the paint shop and are overwhelmed by the variations of colours available. There are display panels that show some complementary colours to the best. A friendly assistant approaches and introduces themself. They politley enquire about your preferences and exisiting furnishings that may influence your choice. Do you: [[Accept their advice.->AcceptAdvice]] [[Buy five tester pots and return home->ReturnHome]]

(set: $budget to it - 25) You get home and use the tester pots to put multicoloured patches around the room. The choice is almost too much and so it takes a week for you to agree on which colour to use. (set: $day to $day +7) [[Return to the shop to buy your choice of paint.->ChoosePaint]]

(set: $Mood to it +10) You work with the assistant to narrow down the posible colourscheme using both your preferences, and the fabric sample you brought with you. As well as paint you also consider some decorative trim that will compliment the look. You finally agree on a combiation of two colours and a suitable and agree to proceed. [[Purchase the paint->ChoosePaint]]

The mood is $Mood% The remaining money in your pocket is £$budget

You arrive at the bistro, tired and hungry. Your host presents you with a menu and recommeds a bottle of champagne. You check the cash in your pocket and decide that as you have £$budget left you will spash out on a nice supper. The end (display: "Summary") (display: "ReturnToStart")

(Print: $decorating) (if: $decorating contains "brushes") [You get to use the new brushes but half way through remember that you have already got some perfectly usable ones in the loft (set: $Mood to it -10) ] (if: $decorating contains "paint") [You use the new paint and the room looks looks much better. (set: $Mood to it +20) ](else:)[It seems you haven't bought any paint. This could be a really long evening. (set: $Mood to it -50) ] (if: $decorating contains "trimmings") [The trimmings you have purchased add the final touches. (set: $Mood to it +10) ] You have now finshed decorating! [[AllFinished]]