Part 44: INTERMISSION

INTERMISSION

code:

Note: Fate, or is it something else that
      decides the future?
Note: Something you said or didn't say?
      Something you did, or didn't do?
      I wonder.     Lun
FORK Optn: Varbl[0846:Lexus+]-7abov
[LEXUS runs down the top hallway while the Arastotzi runs down the bottom one.]
ELSE Case
[The Arastotzi runs down the top hallway while LEXUS runs down the bottom one.]
END Case
Teleport: 0148:Twin Tunnels (011,001)

code:

Play SE: thunderrumble
Fade-Out BGM: 5s.
RHUE: (Someone is coming!)
Play SE: steps   (20 times)
[Footsteps.]
FORK Optn: Varbl[0846:Lexus+]-9abov
[The Arasotitzi runs in and RHUE kills him.]
Play SE: thunderrumble
Play SE: SwordSpin
Play SE: Kill8
RHUE: Well, I did what they told me to
do.  I think it's time to get out
of here.
Note: ...  Later.  Celebrate at the cafe.
Note: Are the secret blank switches thrown?
      Otherwise everything will be screwed up.
Fade-Out BGM: 3s.
Teleport: 0112:Entrego's Room (007,008)
ELSE Case
[LEXUS runs in and RHUE kills her; he is shattered by her death and STOKYO must persuade him to leave.]
END Case

So, to explain that for the RPGMaker 2k illiterate, if you have more than seven Lexus points, Lexus picks the other path and is not killed. This version of the sequence isn't even commented out or anything. However... it is impossible to get more than seven Lexus points.
Don't overlook those comments labeled as Notes in the code either. You should ahhh... get used to that. Especially by the time of episode 6 where I'll be posting basically... well... I shouldn't spoil the surprise. But there's a lot of commentary for certain parts.

Anyway, unlike with Gaius where I think the evidence points strongly to some roles/ideas involving him being changed during the course of the first couple episodes... I have no idea what this is about. I mean, there's a few -possible- obvious reasons? But I have no damn idea what's more likely than not.

The things I can think of off the top of my head are:

1. Lun realised how much work a huge branching path like this would be (unless you did some Mass Effect/Telltale games type bullshit and mostly sidelined Lexus) and said FUCK IT.

2. He realised the story worked better if she died.

3. PLANS CHANGED AGAIN/Getting sick of making the game!! (This could be closely tied to number 2.)

And of course, it could be any combo of the above. Given what we see later... I think Number 2 and 3 are most likely but... I don't know.

The Val Parra Cafe is also in the game but unfinished, so he got pretty far along this train of thought.

Also something I missed: In the puzzle house, if you go back to look at the mirror again after having opened the secret passage...

code:

RHUE: It's a mirror.

Event Conditions: Switch [0610:Found Proper Brick] - ON
RHUE: (I always feel weird looking
at myself in a mirror.  It
even scares me a little.)

Besides this, Episode 4 is actually rather bare on the 'strange stuff in the code' front. Episode 5 has some stuff but not much. More notes and things. Episode 6 is... special.

Also I don't think I should have to explain that the stuff in brackets in the code is not how RPGMaker scripting looks. It IS absurdly simple though, to the point even 12 year olds can and HAVE managed it. Lexus walking down the hall would look something like LEXUS MOVE LEFT 20x at speed whatever. I think you can set how many steps in one command, and the speed and if there's pauses inbetween steps. Been a long time since I worked on my own game, I don't even have RPGMaker 2k installed right now.
Speaking of, did any of the post XP RPGMakers ever go back to simple scripting or did they stick to using Ruby?

the end