The Unseemly Virus

by Chris Pollett

Credits

Saves

Restart

You

Sam

Cure

start

images/virus_hunter_stable_diff.webp

Backpacker

interview

images/backpacker_dalle.webp

Credits

Development was done using FRISE, an interactive story engine by Chris Pollett.
Images with filenames ending in _stable_diff.webp were created with Stable Diffusion (License).
Images with filenames ending in _dalle.webp were created with DALL-E 2 (License).
Wikimedia's PCR Machine Photo by Mmparedes was the starting point for the game's PCR machine.
The picture of reversed Stuxnet code was taken from code at: https://github.com/research-virus/stuxnet.
All other images, text, and code are (c) 2023 Chris Pollett.

Return to game start.

Seemless Virus Protection, Inc.

... is where you work.

Unseemly Virus Infection (UVI)

... is a ...

Dr. , Virus Hunter

... is who you are. You research UVI by:

Contact Tracing
Genome Sequencing
Infiltrating a mysterious lab

Searching its origins
Trying to decompile it

Origins

The outbreak began in Kurstown brought by a hiker by way of a squirrel infected by a tick virus. After brain inflammation subsides, sufferers start to cuss randomly. Why is it spreading so fast?

Interview hiker.
Study genome.

UVI infects Expo Tax software.

Refunds go to...
If you owe money...

Interview

How did the squirrel bite you?

The animals in the cages I cleaned in that lab were always ?*!$! agitated. When I got bit, I decided ?*!$! this and ghost quit. I didn't know I was sick, but for insurance took this third floor vaccine fridge key. Take it, Dr. ${mc().lname}. The lab won't acknowledge their work. No one else should get this ?*!$!

Study UVI genome.
Wash hands and infiltrate lab.

?*!$! You've got it!

It must be more contagious than you thought. Your virus hunting days are over. ?*!$!

Replay

Study

UVI has twice the base pairs as a normal flavivirus. It has papillomavirus code for skin cell penetrating peptides. It is not natural.

Study outbreak origins.
Interview hiker.
Infiltrate a mysterious lab.

Decompile

You discover networking calls in two labeled pieces of code.

Trace aquila_furtim code.
Trace subridens_ursus code
Investigate UVI origins.

Decryption

${here().hint}

You can trace UVI's origin by guessing a passkey.

You try:

Enter

After test executing aquila_furtim code,

Arrested

${here().cause} federal agents arrive. Your virus hunting days end.

Replay

Reward

You expose Smiling Bear! The Expo Tax CEO comes and says, "Dr. ${mc().fname} ${mc().lname}, here is your reward!"

Replay

Infiltrate

You flash your virus hunter ID and they let you in to the infectious disease lab. You look around, but don't see anything UVI related. You decide to:

Study outbreak origins.
Interview hiker.
Study UVI Genome.
Go to the third floor fridge.

... Pay Smiling Bear

Decompile code to find their address.
See effects if owe taxes.

... it replaces fields on your tax form:

Taxes

1. xxxxx...........$1056

1. xxxxx...........$?*!$!

2. yyyyy...........$1343

2. yyyyy...........$?*!$!

....

You Owe:.........$9451

You Owe:.........$?*!$!

Decompile code.
See effects on a tax refund.

Vaccine Fridge

You have a cooler to store vaccines. You can take one tray. You take the:

Ebo-Han tray.
Fla-Pap tray.

Arrested

Staff catch you taking the Ebola and Hantavirus tray. You are jailed. No more virus hunting. ?*!$!

Replay

Disaster Averted!

You take the vaccine back, synthesize it, and inoculate the townsfolk of Kurston. The mayor honors you, "Dr. ${mc().fname} ${mc().lname}, everyone is ?*!$! grateful for your service!"

Replay

if (args[0]) { game.saveLoadSlot(args[0]); }

if (args[0]) { game.deleteSlot(args[0]); }

game.deleteSlotAll();

game.save();

game.load();

baseLoc().virus = args[0];

game.reset(); loc('start').visited = -1;

loc('owed').visited = -1; loc('ursus').attempts = Math.max(loc('ursus').attempts, 2);