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Key & Compass presents:
A Quiet Evening at Home
by Ruth Alfasso

A Quiet Evening at Home is a Z-machine interactive fiction game written with Inform 7 and is © 2010 by Ruth Alfasso (writing as Anonymous). It was an entry in IF Comp 2010 where it took 25th place.

In this slice of life, you play as a homeowner returning home after a day of work. You have an urgent need to use the bathroom at first, but the rest of your evening is more relaxing. Exercise your hamster, make dinner, take out the trash, play with your laptop, then go to bed.

This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 of the game.

SPOILERS AHEAD. Reading a walkthrough prematurely can sometimes diminish one's enjoyment of an interactive fiction game. Please make an honest effort to play the game before reading this walkthrough.


Map

Back Yard The Deck SideYard MasterBedroom GuestBedroom Office Hall Bathroom Kitchen Living Room Foyer Stoop Sidewalk (tobasement) d

Walkthrough

Sidewalk

Since you're in a hurry to get to the bathroom, don't stop to examine everything.

> n.

Stoop

> i. open backpack. unlock door with key.

> open mailbox. take all from mailbox.

> n.

Foyer

> close door. n. n. n. e.

Bathroom

You automatically use the room on entry. Suddenly, you have no goal.

> x magazine. x envelope. open it. (nah)

> w.

Hall

> x photographs. ne.

Guest Bedroom

> x lid. take lid.

> x futon. open futon. (You find a flashlight.)

> take flashlight. x it.

Note that actions take time in this game. Dusk happens at 6:29 pm, and night falls at 6:45 pm. You will need the flashlight if you must go outside after nightfall.

> sw. s. s.

Living Room

> x bookshelves. x TV. x table. x couch. x loveseat.

> x cage. x hamster. x ball.

The hamster needs exercise and the ball needs its lid.

> take ball. open cage. take hamster.

> put hamster in ball. put lid on ball.

> sit on couch. (You find your laptop computer.)

> x laptop. turn on laptop.

When you try to turn on the laptop, you're told you ought to eat first.

> n. n. w.

Office

> x papers. drop ball.

When you drop the rodent ball, the hamster will normally roll around from one room to another at random. But when the ball rolls into the office, an opener will be revealed.

It's much faster (and less random) to drop the ball in the office. You'll find the opener immediately.

> take opener. x it.

Put the hamster back in its cage:

> take ball. e. s. s.

Living Room

> open ball. put hamster in cage. close cage.

> drop ball and lid.

> n.

Kitchen

Unusually, this game doesn't nag you that you need to make and eat something. You still gotta do it, though.

> x microwave. x fridge. open it.

> x condiments. close fridge.

> x sink. x stove. x cabinet. open it.

> x soup can. take it.

> x shelves. x bowl. take bowl.

> x bin. x bag. x garbage.

> open can. (with opener)

> look in can.

Note: The game doesn't know the verb POUR.

> put condensed soup in bowl.

Because the soup is condensed, you need water as well:

> turn on tap. put water in bowl. turn off tap.

> open microwave. put bowl in microwave.

> close microwave.

> turn on microwave. z. z. z. (ding!)

> open microwave. put bowl on table.

> close microwave. eat hot soup.

The trash now demands your attention.

> put can in bag. close bag. take bag.

> n. ne.

Guest Bedroom

> turn on switch. n.

The Deck

I'm assuming it's dark out by now.

> turn on flashlight. n.

Back Yard

> x grass. x tree.

> se.

Side Yard

> x fence. x can.

> open can. put bag in can.

It's trash night. The garbage can needs to be at the curb.

> close can. take can.

> sw.

Sidewalk

> drop can. ne. nw. s. s.

Guest Bedroom

> close door. turn off flashlight. turn off switch.

> sw. s.

Kitchen

You can't wash the dirty bowl.

> put bowl in sink.

> s.

Living Room

Using the laptop will advance the clock very quickly.

> turn on laptop. surf web. play game. g.

It's now after 11 pm and time for bed.

> turn off laptop.

To get ready for bed, you must:

> s.

Foyer

Oddly, you need the key to lock the door from inside.

> lock door with key.

> n. n. n. n.

Master Bedroom

By the way, you are only willing to sleep in your bed. You won't sleep on your futon or couch.

If you've left something undone when you try to get in the bed, you'll get a suggestion of the sort of thing you might've forgotten. You won't be told exactly what's wrong.

> x bed. look under bed.

> put all in backpack. drop backpack.

> get in bed.

> sleep.

*** The End ***


Extras

Characters

Mentioned:


Endings

Both endings end with The End:


Inventory


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