a day in the life

it's morning, a day like any other for you. you're up! you're sober! you're rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. but who are you? (click: "who are you?")[(set: $name to (prompt: "No, srsly, who are you?", ""))] it's 8:30am! time [[to get working->research]]. (set: $playerstate to "sober") (set: $hasroadie to false) (set: $hassource to false) (set: $hasstoryidea to false) (set: $storystate to false) (set: $playerharass to false) (set: $writersblock to false) (set: $hasnewstoryidea to false)

{(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $playerstate is "drunk")[(set: $d20 to 1)] (if: $storystate is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $playerstate is "sober")[(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20))] (if: $playerharass is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $d20 is < 10 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is > 10)[(set: $fail to 0)]} (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "damn, needs more thought.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "hell yeah. you got this.")] (if: $storystate is true)[(print: "oh wait, you looked this stuff up yesterday! you should just [[get writing->writing 1]]!")] (if: $playerstate is "drunk")[(print: "fuck it. you should just [[post this shit->let's do this shit live]]!")] {(if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail1 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail1 to 0)]} (if: $fail1 is 1)[[[oh well... gotta hit this deadline. time to move on to the next phase: reporting.->reporting 1]]] (if: $fail1 is 0)[[[this is going to be a great day. time to move on to the next phase: reporting.->reporting 1]]] you rolled: (print: $d20).

you commute into vox media's new york city office. it's hell, like it is every day. by the time you get in, you're wet from other people's sweat. yuck! anyway, it's time to do some research. you have to blog today! what are you [[working on->story ideas]]?

(set: $storyidea1 to (a: "whirrbots, the new tech from whirr, inc., llc")) (set: $storyidea2 to (a: "reviewing the latest couch offering from boutique e-couch purveyor Couchd")) (set: $storyidea3 to (a:"listening to the new banger from virtual celeb Hatsune Miku")) (set: $storyidea to (either: $storyidea1, $storyidea2, $storyidea3)) (if: $storystate is false)[(print: "today's piece: you'll be writing about (print: $storyidea). you pitched it last week, remember?")] (if: $storystate is true)[(print: "today's piece: you'll be writing about (print: $newstoryidea). you pitched it yesterday, remember?")] of course you do. (mouseover: "do")[(set: $hasstoryidea to true)] [[[oh, yeah. sounds fun.->storyidea1]]]

it's time for you to report. (set: $reporting to (prompt: "Who do you call?", "")) (goto: "more reporting")

time to do some research. does it go well? [[roll 1d20->story idea 1: research diceroll]] -- that's 1 20-sided die, for you nerds who don't play dungeons and dragons -- to find out. you need to beat a 10. otherwise you're having a Bad Research Day, pal. (don't even get me started on what those are like.)

time to do some research. does it [[go well->story idea 2: research diceroll]]?

time to do some research. does it [[go well->story idea 3: research diceroll]]?

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is <5 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 6 < 10) [(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 10 < 15)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is 15 < 20)[(set: $fail to 0)] (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "damn, needs more thought.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "hell yeah. i got this.")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail1 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail1 to 0)] (if: $fail1 is 1)[[[oh well... gotta hit this deadline. time to move on to the next phase: reporting.->reporting 2]]] (if: $fail1 is 0)[[[this is going to be a great day. time to move on to the next phase: reporting.->reporting 2]]]

it's time for you to report. does anyone [[return your calls->story idea 2: reporting diceroll]]?

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is <5 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 6 < 10) [(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 10 < 15)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is 15 < 20)[(set: $fail to 0)] (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "damn, needs more thought.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "hell yeah. i got this.")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail1 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail1 to 0)] (if: $fail1 is 1)[[[oh well... gotta hit this deadline. time to move on to the next phase: reporting.->reporting 3]]] (if: $fail1 is 0)[[[this is going to be a great day. time to move on to the next phase: reporting.->reporting 3]]]

it's time for you to report. does anyone [[return your calls->story idea 3: reporting diceroll]]?

{(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $playerstate is "drunk")[(set: $d20 to 1)] (if: $storystate is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $playerstate is "sober")[(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20))] (if: $playerharass is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $hasnewstoryidea is true)[(set: $d20 to 11)] (if: $d20 is < 10 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is > 10)[(set: $fail to 0)]} (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "oh christ, nobody's answering.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "the exact person you need agrees to an interview!")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail2 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail2 to 0)] (if: $fail2 is 1)[[[ugh. but deadlines wait for no person. time to move on to the next phase: writing.->writing 1]]] (if: $fail2 is 0)[thanks and hope you're doing well, you hear yourself say as you hang up the phone. easy call, baby. now: to [[write.->writing 1]]] (if: $fail2 is 0)[(set: $hassource to true)] you rolled: (print: $d20).

you're typing so good, wow. (set: $article to (prompt: "Welcome to Chorus, the Vox Media content management system!", "Please write your article here.")) but... is it a [[good writing day]] or a [[bad one]]? or is it just... [[normal->story idea 1: writing diceroll]]? you have to beat a 10. you can do it! [[roll those bones->story idea 1: writing diceroll]].

{(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $playerstate is "drunk")[(set: $d20 to 1)] (if: $storystate is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $playerharass is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $writersblock is true)[(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20) + 3)] (if: $writersblock is false)[(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20) - 3)] (if: $playerstate is "sober")[(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20))] (if: $hasnewstoryidea is true)[(set: $d20 to (random: 13,20))] (if: $d20 is < 10)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is > 10)[(set: $fail to 0)]} (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "well... that didn't go great.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "hell yeah! writing is easy!")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail3 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail3 to 0)] (if: $fail3 is 1)[hm. you may have bitten off more than you can chew. that's some horse dookey!! but maybe your [[editor can help.->editing 1]]] (if: $fail3 is 0)[[[lol, writing is always this easy->editing 1]]] you rolled: (print: $d20).

(if: $hasnewstoryidea is true)[(print: "you've successfully brainstormed a new story, [[nice->story idea 1: editing diceroll]].")] (if: $fail3 is 1)[(print: "uh oh, it looks really busy today... you might not be able to get an edit until later. time to research another story idea [[until you can get an edit->new story idea]].")] (if: $fail3 is 0)[(print: "your editor is free, by an act of god or some other miracle! don't take this for granted. even so, you should probably brainstorm a [[new story idea while they're at work. you have to do this again tomorrow, lol->new story idea]].")]

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is <5 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 6 < 10) [(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 10 < 15)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is 15 < 20)[(set: $fail to 0)] (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "oh christ, nobody's answering.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "the exact person you need agrees to an interview!")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail2 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail2 to 0)] (if: $fail2 is 1)[[[oh well... gotta hit this deadline. time to move on to the next phase: writing.->writing 2]]] (if: $fail2 is 0)[[[thanks and hope you're doing well. next up: writing.->writing 2]]]

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is <5 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 6 < 10) [(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 10 < 15)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is 15 < 20)[(set: $fail to 0)] (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "oh christ, nobody's answering.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "the exact person you need agrees to an interview!")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail2 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail2 to 0)] (if: $fail2 is 1)[[[oh well... gotta hit this deadline. time to move on to the next phase: writing.->writing 3]]] (if: $fail2 is 0)[[[thanks and hope you're doing well. next up: writing.->writing 3]]]

it's time to sit down to write. is it a [[good writing day or a bad one->story idea 2: writing diceroll]]?

it's time to sit down to write. is it a [[good writing day or a bad one->story idea 3: writing diceroll]]?

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is <5 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 6 < 10) [(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 10 < 15)[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 15 < 18)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is 19 < 20)[(set: $fail to 0)] (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "well... that didn't go great.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "hell yeah! writing is easy!")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail3 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail3 to 0)] (if: $fail3 is 1)[[[oh well... gotta hit this deadline. time to move on to the next phase: getting an edit. i wonder if my editor's busy...->editing 2 reject]]] (if: $fail3 is 0)[[[god, i can't believe i wrote that many words so easily!->editing 2 reject]]]

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is <5 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 6 < 10) [(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 10 < 15)[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 15 < 18)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is 19 < 20)[(set: $fail to 0)] (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "well... that didn't go great.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "hell yeah! writing is easy!")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail3 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail3 to 0)] (if: $fail3 is 1)[[[oh well... gotta hit this deadline. time to move on to the next phase: getting an edit. i wonder if my editor's busy...->editing 3]]] (if: $fail3 is 0)[[[god, i can't believe i wrote that many words so easily!->editing 3]]]

(if: $fail3 is 1)[(print: "uh oh, it looks really busy today... you might not be able to get an edit until later. time to research another story idea [[until you can get an edit->story idea 2: editing diceroll]].")] (if: $fail3 is 0)[(print: "your editor is free, by an act of god or some other miracle! [[don't take this for granted->story idea 2: editing diceroll]].")]

(if: $fail3 is 1)[(print: "uh oh, it looks really busy today... you might not be able to get an edit until later. time to research another story idea [[until you can get an edit->story idea 3: editing diceroll]].")] (if: $fail3 is 0)[(print: "your editor is free, by an act of god or some other miracle! [[don't take this for granted->story idea 3: editing diceroll]].")]

{(if: $playerstate is "drunk")[(set: $d20 to 1)] (if: $storystate is true)[(goto: "editing 2")] (if: $playerharass is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $playerstate is "sober")[(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20))] (if: $d20 is < 13 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is > 13)[(set: $fail to 0)]} (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "this is good, but it needs to be completely rewritten, your editor says. uh oh.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "only minor edits, nice job! get me rewrite asap. let's get this on the site! your editor says.")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail4 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail4 to 0)] (if: $fail4 is 1)[[[oh god.->rewrite 1]]] (if: $fail4 is 0)[[[only minor edits, thank the lord.->rewrite 1]]] you rolled: (print: $d20).

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is <5 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 6 < 10) [(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 10 < 15)[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 15 < 18)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is 19 < 20)[(set: $fail to 0)] (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "this needs to be completely rewritten, your editor says.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "only minor edits, nice job! get me rewrite asap, let's get this on the site, your editor says")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail4 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail4 to 0)] (if: $fail4 is 1)[[[oh god.->rewrite 2]]] (if: $fail4 is 0)[[[only minor edits, thank the lord.->rewrite 2]]]

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is <5 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 6 < 10) [(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 10 < 15)[(set: $fail to 1)] (if: $d20 is 15 < 18)[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is 19 < 20)[(set: $fail to 0)] (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "this needs to be completely rewritten, your editor says.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "only minor edits, nice job! get me rewrite asap, let's get this on the site, your editor says")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail4 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail4 to 0)] (if: $fail4 is 1)[[[oh god.->rewrite 3]]] (if: $fail4 is 0)[[[only minor edits, thank the lord.->rewrite 3]]]

(if: $fail4 is 1)[(print: "[[oh well, you think. got to keep hacking away at this.->story idea 1: rewrite diceroll]]")] (if: $fail4 is 0)[(print: "[[you're looking forward to this.->story idea 1: rewrite diceroll]]")]

(if: $fail4 is 1)[(print: "[[shit.->story idea 2: rewrite diceroll]].")] (if: $fail4 is 0)[(print: "[[i'm looking forward to this.->story idea 2: rewrite diceroll]].")]

(if: $fail4 is 1)[(print: "[[shit.->story idea 3: rewrite diceroll]].")] (if: $fail4 is 0)[(print: "[[i'm looking forward to this.->story idea 3: rewrite diceroll]].")]

{(set: $alreadyrewritten to true) (if: $playerharass is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $storystate is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $playerstate is "drunk")[(set: $d20 to 1)] (if: $playerstate is "sober")[(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20))] (if: $d20 is < 9 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is > 9)[(set: $fail to 0)]} (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "...one whole-ass hour later, i'm done, you think.")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "wow! that only took 15 minutes.")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail5 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail5 to 0)] (if: $fail5 is 1)[[[finally.->2nd round of edits]]] (if: $fail5 is 0)[[[my beautiful son...->2nd round of edits]]]

Double-click this passage to edit it.

(if: $alreadyrewritten is true)[(goto: "copysocial 1")] (if: $fail5 is 1)[(print: "your editor doesn't like what you've written. time to [[go back to the drawing board!->story idea 1: rewrite diceroll]]")] (if: $fail5 is 0)[(print: "[[time for a copy edit. the social team has to take a look too, before you can take this live->copysocial 1]]...")]

you really hope that the copy edit desk and the social team have time to take a look at this. you wouldn't want readers to [[tweet->tweet]] at you with copy corrections! but whatever, i'm not your boss. maybe you should just [[tweet]] anyway.

(set: $fail7 to (either: 2,1,0)) (set: $tweet to (prompt: "Hello and welcome to Twitter! Don't ask how we logged you in through a Twine game!","What's happening?")) now that you've gotten that out of your system, let's see if copy and social have had time to take a look at your post! they work so fast, dang. but yeah, this will take another [[dice roll, friendo->copysocial diceroll]].

{(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $playerharass is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $copysocial is true)[(set: $d20 to 20)] (if: $playerstate is "drunk")[(set: $d20 to 1)] (if: $playerstate is "sober")[(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20))] (if: $d20 is < 7 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is > 7)[(set: $fail to 0)]} (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "oh no. they're real jammed up.")] (if: $copysocial is true)[(print: "well! they got to it! time to [[take this baby live->golive]].")] (if: $fail is 1)[(set: $fail6 to 1)] (if: $fail is 0)[(set: $fail6 to 0)] (if: $fail6 is 1)[uh oh... looks like it's going to be a minute. you know what time it is... time to [[tweet->tweet2]], baby!!] (if: $fail6 is 0)[they're free! but you should probably [[tweet->tweet2]] anyway, lol.] you rolled: (print: $d20).

(set: $hasnewstoryidea to true) you look at some memes. (memes are a good way to come up with cool stories. i mean, think about it: they're a function of our behavior as an online society.) but also, you could just come up with your own story idea. what do you want to write about today? (click: "write about today")[(set: $newstoryidea to (prompt: "Now's your chance to come up with a story on The Verge dot com!", ""))] (click: "?")[(print: "[[hell yeah. youre a writer->first new story idea]].")]

looks like you're ready to push this baby live. are you ready? well, are you? (click: "well, are you")[(print: "[[do it->live]].")] if you're not, that's cool too. [(print: "try [[surfing the web->surf the web]], maybe.")]

(set: $copysocial to true) (set: $fail8 to (either: 2,1,0)) (set: $tweet2 to (prompt: "Hello and welcome to Twitter! Don't ask how we logged you in through a Twine game!","What's happening?")) now that you've gotten that out of your system, let's [[return to the game->copysocial diceroll]]. I wonder if copy and social have had time to take a look at your post!

you're live! (if: $article is "")[(print: $article)] but how many comments are you getting? let's see... {(live: 0.5s)[ (print: "1")]} {(live: 1s)[ (print: "5")]} {(live: 2s)[ (print: "15")]} {(live: 3s)[ (print: "20")]} {(live: 4s)[ (print: "37")]} {(live: 5s)[ (print: "46")]} {(live: 6s)[ (print: "69(lol)")]} {(live: 7s)[ (print: "105")]} dang! that's a lot of comments! but are they [[positive or negative->epilogue]]?

let's take a look. (set: $bigfail to $fail1 + $fail2 + $fail3 + $fail4 + $fail5 + $fail6 + $fail7 + $fail8 + $fail9) (if: $bigfail is >= 6)[(print: "Oof. They hate it. Seems like they think you need to just... not write anymore. I wouldn't check your Twitter mentions either, because it's probably worse over there. Yikes. You really goofed this one up, according to your readers.")] (if: $bigfail is 5)[(print: "Well, they hate it. Sorry pal. Can't please everyone.")] (if: $bigfail is 4)[(print: "Well some people like what you wrote. I mean there are at least two in here! Crazy. Maybe you should have written that piece about (print: $newstoryidea) instead.")] (if: $bigfail is 3)[(print: "You're getting a good repsonse. People find what you wrote super insightful. You feel sorta fulfilled, even though it was a dumb blog.")] (if: $bigfail is 2)[(print: "People love this. You did good, kid. Now hit the bar, it's happy hour!")] (if: $bigfail is 1)[(print: "Every comment says hell yeah, this guy gets it! for some reason?")] (if: $bigfail is 0)[(print: "You are a golden god. You win this game.")] no matter what, you have to remember that your dedication to this profession -- with its weird hours, impossible processes, etc -- is more important than what some commenters think. you're a journalist! you do this because you want people to know what's happening in the world. your tweets, haha: (print: $tweet) (print: $tweet2) you called... who, exactly? (print: $reporting)? them, really? (print: "anyway, sounds like it's time to get working on (print: $newstoryidea).") nice work today, (print: $name). (set: $storystate to true) ready to [[do it again tomorrow->story state]]?

you're surfing so hard. just site after site after site. can you believe you're getting paid for this? you don't have to publish anything if you don't want to. you're in control. you can quit whenever you want! you live for this shit. {(live: 4s)[ (print: "but you feel a nagging sense of guilt. you really should publish this story.")]} (mouseover: "this story")[(print: " i mean, you could also just leave for the day and [[go to the bar]].")] (mouseover: "the bar")[(print: "it's like, what, (current-time:) already?")]

it's cool inside the bar. perfect weather for slamming back a couple brews. you're not hurting anyone! just taking the kind of break you crave. you deserve a couple cold ones for how hard you've been working. maybe you even take a couple for the road. your editor can go suck an egg if they complain. do they want copy or not? (mouseover: "copy")[ (print: "you think to yourself that this is going to be the best story ever. you are drunk.")] (mouseover: "drunk")[(print: "do you take one for the road?")] (mouseover: "one for the road")[take roadie?] (click: "roadie")[(set: $hasroadie to true)] |nice)[nice.](mouseout: "roadie")[(show: ?nice)] |back)[anyway, you should probably be getting [[back to the office]]. it's already (current-time:).](mouseover: "nice")[(show: ?back)]

[[check inventory]]

<h3>inventory</h3> (if: $hasstoryidea is true)[(print: "STORY IDEA. this is an idea you came up with. it's original! worth: 0")] (if: $hasroadie is true)[(print: "ROADIE. a beer for the road. it will help you on your quest to get where you're going.")] (if: $hassource is true)[(print: "SOURCE. a person who will give you good information that you can publish.")] (link-goto: "exit inventory", (history:)'s last)

{(set: $tags to (passage:)'s tags) (if: not ($tags contains "no-footer"))[ (display: "yesfooter")] (else:)[(display: "nofooter")]}

you're back in the office, nice and toasted. you're on fire. everything is clicking. you're typing so hard your editor notices. you are a golden god. but ... what are you writing? this wasn't the assignment. roll to see if it's so good it doesn't matter. you're gonna have to beat a 17, though. you're pretty drunk. if you don't beat it, you're going to have to start the whole journalism process over again. if you do, just post that mofo to the site. who cares. it's excellent. the best thing you'll ever write. wait, [[what are you writing again->drunk at the office]]? roll those god damn bones. (set: $playerharass to false)

it's up. it's on the site. (print: $drunkarticle) you can go [[home->going home after work]] now. you did your duty.

you just leave the office with no explanation. your coworkers are scratching their heads, but you're nice and liquored up so you don't notice. your editor is all, "huh????" (mouseover: "huh")[(print: "you're asleep now. the dreams you keep having come again. you're on that ship again, lost alone on the heaving sea. it's peaceful, almost.")] (mouseover: "almost")[(print: "but it's [[morning->the morning]] now.")]

(if: $playerstate is "drunk")[(set: $d20 to 1)]

you're awake. you check your alarm -- it's been going off for half an hour. shit. you message your editor frantically. they don't [[answer]].

(set: $drunkarticle to (prompt: "oh fuck yes im postin!!!", "")) (set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is < 17 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is > 17)[(set: $fail to 0)] you rolled: (print: $d20). (if: $fail is 1)[(print: "[[OK->story idea 1: research diceroll]]")] (if: $fail is 0)[(print: "[[let's do this shit live]]")] (set: $fail to $drunkfail) (if: $drunkfail is 1)[(set: $playerstate to "drunk")] (if: $drunkfail is 0)[(set: $playerstate to "drunk")]

the commute is hell, like it is every day. by the time you get in, you're wet from other people's sweat. yuck! anyway, it's time to do some research. you have to blog today! (click: "today")[(print: "you get to your desk. there's a note there. when you get in, please come into my office, it reads. there's no signature, but you know who [[it's from]].")]

you walk into your editor's office. you try to apologize. (mouseover: "apologize")[(print: "don't, they say. you let us down. you need to get some help.")] (mouseover: "help")[(print: "i... you start to say.")] (mouseover: "to say")[(print: "this is non-negotiable, $name. go [[home->home again]]. you're done for today.")]

you reverse commute. it's a virtual walk of shame. you get back into your bed, and that's when the tears come -- you're not in control. you drift off, and the dreams are instantly [[back->wake 1]].

(if: $storystate is true)[(goto: "research story state 2")]

(print: "no edits, nice job! let's [[get this on the site->live 2]], your editor says.")

you're live! (if: $article is "")[(print: $article)] but how many comments are you getting? let's see... {(live: 0.5s)[ (print: "100")]} {(live: 1s)[ (print: "200")]} {(live: 2s)[ (print: "500")]} {(live: 3s)[ (print: "900")]} dang! that's a lot of comments! wait, though. why are they so [[negative]]?

oh, you realize. it's gamergate. they found your post; now they're brigading your twitter mentions because you mentioned "ethics" too close to the phrase "video games." what do you do? [[tell your editor]] [[lock your twitter account]] [[do nothing]]

you decide to tell your editor. they're sympathetic. but they can't really do anything, they say. they encourage you to [[file a police report->call the police]].

you decide to lock your twitter account. it helps for a while -- you forget about the hundreds of people telling you to kill yourself. do you try to: come up with a [[new story idea->new story idea 2]]? [[call your partner]]? [[go to the bar->go to the bar]]? [[do nothing]]

you don't do anything. you sit in your chair and try to ignore the stream of hate that's steadily picking up and spreading across your social media presence. (mouseover: "presence")[(print: "first twitter. then facebook. then instagram, and snapchat, after a while, ok cupid.")] you let it [[wash over you]].

you wake up. do you get help? time to [[roll->wake 2]]. you have to beat a 15.

(set: $d20 to (random: 1,20)) (if: $d20 is < 15 )[(set: $fail to 1)] (else-if: $d20 is > 15)[(set: $fail to 0)] you rolled: (print: $d20). [[play again?->start]] or [[final boss?]]

(set: $newstoryidea to (prompt: "Now's your chance to come up with a story on The Verge dot com!", "")) $newstoryidea. you want to think about $newstoryidea. but you find it a little hard to concentrate.(mouseout: "concentrate.")[(replace: "concentrate")[breathe]] what are people online saying? is it dangerous? and if it is, what's there to do? [[call the police]]? try and [[wait it out->wash over you]]?

lol, the police boy says, what now? we [[can't help you->wash over you]].

it goes on for one week, then two, then it's a month. and then it's three months. nothing's happened yet, but you're on edge -- the torrent hasn't slowed down, really, at all. (mouseover: "at all")[(print: "you noticed that you've been drinking more. only a little, but it's enough to let you know that this has changed you.")] |stolen)[they've stolen a little bit of [[who you are]].] (mouseover: "changed you")[(show: ?stolen)]

by now it's been a year. i got through it, you think with pride one afternoon. i weathered the storm. and i did it by myself. do you: [[take the afternoon off and go to the bar->go to the bar]] [[work on a new story idea->new story idea 2]] [[call your partner]] [[do nothing->do nothing 2]]

you decide to call your partner, for support. even if it's not a hard day, it's kind of a hard day. (mouseover: "hard day.")[(print: "they're supportive, as usual -- and god, you think, i'm so lucky -- but it doesn't make you feel as good as you thought it would.")] (mouseover: "it would")[(print: "you hang up and you feel a little better. it's (currenttime:). what do you want to do?")] (mouseover: "to do?")[ (print: "you should probably [[get back to work->do nothing 2]], though, to be honest.")]

you're not at peace, not really, but you're at work. nothing happens. the clock ticks on. it's (currenttime:). (mouseover: "ticks on")[ (print: "you could [[tweet->tweet4]], maybe. or you could come up with [[another story idea->newstoryidea3]] and try to write it?")]

(set: $tweet4 to (prompt: "Hello and welcome to Twitter! Don't ask how we logged you in through a Twine game!","What's happening?")) you tweeted. nice. (print: $tweet4) you could do it [[again->tweet4]], if you wanted. or you could [[get back to work->newstoryidea3]].

(set: $article3 to (prompt: "Welcome to Chorus, the Vox Media content management system!", "Please write your article here.")) (set: $playerharass to true) it's a new day, and the 'net never sleeps. time to [[make the content->story idea 1: research diceroll]].

Double-click this passage to edit it.

it's morning again. you can hear birds chirping from where you're lying in your bed. (mouseover: "bed")[(print: "you're not hungover, which feels like a rare blessing these days. nothing's bothering you. you're totally rested. you didn't have the dreams again.")] (mouseover: "rested")[(print: "the light looks weirdly afternoon-ish, even though it has to be the morning. you check the clock. (currenttime:), it says. you get up anyway, and go outside, headed for the [[park->finalboss2]].")]

the park is so nice at this hour, you remember. when's the last time you came here? but wait, do you have your roadie? (if: $hasroadie is false)[(print: "looks like you don't have it. you'll probably need it, though. you should maybe [[go back to the bar->go to the bar]].")] (if: $hasroadie is true)[(print: "you pull on some clothes and remember you have one in your pocket. do you drink it?")] (mouseover: "do you drink it?")[(print: "[[yes]] or [[no]]")]

you sit down on a bench in the park, crack the beer and drink it. the sun looks like it's setting just for you, and the sky is on fire as it sinks below the horizon. (mouseover: "horizon")[(print: "you could sit here and take this in forever, you think. you take another sip.")] (mouseover: "sip")[(print: "and then the sun's below that line in the sky. your eyes adjust to the lengthening shadows, and as they do, you hear some faint thumping music start playing somewhere behind you.")] (mouseover: "somewhere behind you")[(print: "you turn around, and see a neon sign flicker to life. it flashes on once, then flickers out. then it flickers on again.")] (mouseover: "on again")[(print: "ice cold beer, it says.")] (mouseover: "it says.")[(print: "you stand up, and let your legs take you on a hard journey you've made at least a thousand times before.")] (mouseover: "a thousand times before")[(print: "[[credits]]")]

you sit down on a bench in the park, and crack the beer. the sun looks like it's setting just for you, and the sky is on fire as it sinks below the horizon. (mouseover: "horizon")[(print: "you hear a rustle behind you, and you see a man walk up and sit down beside you. he's not particularly noteworthy; just another guy in another park.")] (mouseover: "another park")[(print: "he's watching the sunset, you see. something comes over you now.")] (mouseover: "comes over you now")[(print: "you want this? you hear yourself ask. i didn't drink it, or spit in it or anything.")] (mouseover: "or anything")[(print: "he looks you over wordlessly.")] (mouseover: "wordlessly.")[(print: "and then he accepts after a pause, just as silently.")] (mouseover: "silently")[(print: "he takes a sip.")] (mouseover: "he takes a sip")[(print: "the sun sets further, and then suddenly it's gone. you hear faint music start up behind you, and as you turn to see where it's coming from, your eyes adjust to the lengthening shadows. you see the sign flicker to life.")] (mouseover: "flicker to life")[(print: "ice cold beer, it reads.")] (mouseover: "it reads")[(print: "you turn back toward the park, to the spot where the sun had just been.")] (mouseover: "sun had just been")[(print: "i can do this again tomorrow.")] (mouseover: "i can do this again tomorrow")[(print: "[[credits]]")]

thank you for playing! and thank you, verge, for giving me the time to screw around with twine for the first time. design / code: bijan stephen thanks to: laura hudson devon maloney rob dubbin adi robertson molly full

oh hell yeah baby. the words... they're coming and they don't stop coming... [[everything is so easy for me->story idea 1: writing diceroll]]!!! (set: $writersblock to false)

oh no.... [["writer's block."->story idea 1: writing diceroll]] it's happening to me.... (set: $writersblock to true)

nice. (mouseover: "nice.")[(print: "that seems like a good idea. do you want to start [[reporting the story->story idea 1: reporting diceroll]]? or is it more of a [[think piece->story idea 1: writing diceroll]]?")]

but do they answer? time to bust out those dice. [[roll another d20->story idea 1: reporting diceroll]]. you gotta beat a 10, otherwise nobody's answering your calls, homie.