2.00 Sign In Act 2

Order

2.00.1

Status

::POLISH-READY::

Location

Status: Peach Frontier Laboratories, actually Highlands Elementary School, 2320 Newport St, San Mateo, CA 94402

GC PoC: Erik, on-site

Parking: School lot or street parking

Notes: Reserved location

Type

Mandatory Puzzle

Plot Setup

Players have all come to see Doctor When's return from time...but instead will sign in for a presentation by Prof. Chronos. They get a puzzle as part of the sign-in process.

Props

(Players already have badges--got them during Act I signin)
Instruction handouts and forms.
Flyer for reception at art history museum.

80 registration packs (one for each player), each including instructions and forms
Enough crayons for everyone
16 sets of security badge inserts
16 pamphlets for the International Museum Of Pretentious Art
Lab coat for each registrar
Peach Frontier name badge and lanyard for each registrar
Table (may be in school's storage area)
4 chairs (may be in school's storage area)
Peach Frontier badge inserts for all players

Plot Point to Convey

This is a new timeline...none of the actors or GC have any knowledge of what went on in Act I since for them it didn't happen
The players have all been invited to witness the unveiling of Prof. Chronos's life's achievement.

Short Description

Signing in to presentation is a complicated puzzle that requires collaboration between different roles.

Open Time Period

Saturday, Setup at 8:15 PM; Open 8:45-9:15 PM

Staff Instructions

Your Role: You are a lab assistant to Prof. Catherine Chronos, head of Peach Frontier Laboratories. Act I never happened, as far as you are concerned. Doctor Wesley When is a visiting scientist (with his wife Buffy).

Handout Instructions: There is only one puzzle to hand out here: "Registration Maze." You will be sitting at the registration tables outside of the lab. Teams will queue up to speak with you one at a time. Note that they may be very confused because the last time they were at this location it had a different name. Deny all knowledge of this different name. Profess that this is the very first time you have ever met them even if you've seen them during Act I.

Example interaction

Good evening. Welcome to Peach Frontier Laboratories.

TEAM: "Peach Frontier"?! But we were just here this morning. It was "Trenchwood Institute."

RECEPTIONIST: I've never heard of "Trenchwood Institute." This has always been Peach Frontier Laboratories. Are you here for the grand unveiling presentation?

TEAM: Uh, yes....

RECEPTIONIST: What are your names? I'll just look you up.

TEAM: ___________

RECEPTIONIST: Here you are...on our exclusive guest list. Welcome!

I wouldn't worry about that "Trenchwood" thing. Sometimes the lab equipment leaks a wee bit of radiation that causes people to have déjà vu. And cancer. Well, hardly ever. The cancer that is.

Here are your security badges.

Hand them their badges. RECEPTIONIST: I see you already have lanyards, and that you sent in your liability waiver.. But you still haven't given me C.R.A.P.

TEAM: Given you what?!?

RECEPTIONIST: Your C.R.A.P.: Cross Reference Approval Permit. I have to take C.R.A.P. from everyone. [sigh] They tell me it's part of the scientific method.

I guess you'll have to apply for a permit now. Here is a blank form.

The receptionist hands a form (and appropriate writing instrument, i.e., an appropriately-colored crayon) to the visitors. TEAM: Uh...thanks.

RECEPTIONIST: But how can you get your permit approved at this late hour? This form requires a lot of official notarizations and sign-offs.

Hold it...I have an idea: there are a number of officials among the other guests. Perhaps they will be able to help you get the required sign-offs.

Please go inside and fill out your form with their help. Just give it to any of the lab assistants when you're done and they will check that your permit application has been properly approved.

Then hand out the puzzle and point the team inside.

Site Close Down: Clean up a bit, join the presentation inside.

Other Instructions:

Stay in character.
Except ... if a team says "time out," break character and help them.

Detailed Description

"Cross-Referenced Approvals Permit" (or C.R.A.P. for short). This puzzle is isomorphic to the 4-desk version of Robert Abbott's Bureaucratic Maze.

Players navigate the maze by acquiring a sequence of signatures from other players, according to certain restrictions which are different for each role. The roles are color coded as follows:

Journalist = Yellow 
Government Official = Red
Scientist = Blue
Investor = Green

The puzzle is solved when they reach the only dead-end; that is, when no more signatures are possible in compliance with the restrictions.

How To Give To Teams

In person receptionist(s) gives to team with text on pp. 25-26 of script. After intro, teams enter Peach Frontier Laboratories and do puzzle.

Puzzle Answer

A correct answer should end in Blue-Red-Blue-Green-Yellow.

Puzzle Solution

The next signature is dependent on what the previous two colors are. This is a visual representation of the maze -- you can think of it as if there were highways connecting the four colored "interchanges" (people always drive on the right), and appropriate ramps determine where you can go based on where you were coming from and where you are. The maze has a lot of loops, but the last five interchanges before the exit are always the same, as you can see by tracing backwards from the Finish.

Budget

Crayons.
Color Printing.

Credits

Author: Wei-Hwa
Flavor: Erik

Manager

Wei-Hwa

Hints

Here are some different points of discovery for the players:

Noticing the implicit hint from the instructions that it is impossible to get two identically-colored signatures in a row.
Noticing that there is one particular set that doesn't seem to have an exit -- Green+Purple.
Finding the way to get to that exit.

Response to Correct Answer

In person lab assistant says words to the effect of:

Your C.R.A.P. looks good. Now we just have to wait for the other visitors to complete their forms.

While you're waiting, here is a preview of the reception we're hosting after the demonstration. The prestigious San Mateo International Museum Of Pretentious Art is letting us in for a private viewing. You're in for the time of your life!

To Do

Other Notes

Second Draft of the puzzle, in DOC form: http://weihwa.com/~whuang/nodir/doctorwhen/approval-maze/Approval_Form_Instructions%20v3.doc http://weihwa.com/~whuang/nodir/doctorwhen/approval-maze/Peach_Frontier_Approval_Form%20v3.doc

Second Draft of the puzzle, in DOC form:

First Draft of the puzzle, in DOC form:

This draft was playtested on 9/15. Erik and Sean each took 32 minutes to solve it.