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The Balloon Game The Balloon Game was a popular multi thread participation dependent feature competition that I invented. It involved grabbing Balloons in a 'live' contest, it had a question & answer section, and of course there was the fantasy story thread where players simply gained a point for contributing to the story. The idea of the Competition was to acquire the set target amount of Balloons set at 1001. There were prizes for the first five top scores. In the first Game I put up the prizes myself, it was done for fun, in the second Game I put something together with Gary & Mark of EDIT & they took care of the prizes. Though there were plans to progress & continue the feature of the Forums, meetings to discuss the Balloon Games future fell to nothing. Things were supposed to be settled last November at the Cup. Anyway, things went to shit & I was aproached by WeedTalk.com with a view to getting things going over there. It never really took off & my having computer trouble the week of the launch didn't help at all. That was were I was happy to leave it. Except for some writing ideas which the Game inspired me to begin. However, it seems that the Balloon Game Players still have fond memorys of the Game & its surrounding madness. I must of hit on something, don't you think .................. ? Viper 14/12/2004 Below are the only remaining texts that I kept from the differing versions of the Game. The first was written for the Edit Game & was intended to give the Players with High Scores some incentive to carry on Playing even though they were disqualified from winning the next Competition. They were given space to be imaginative with what they could do with their Balloons. Start businesses & the like. The Balloon Game Guidelines (Version 1: For The EDIT Game 2003)
The Balloon Game was created by Viper as a way by which forum users could be praised or punished according to how they react with other forum users.
Under Viper’s influence the idea of ‘game furnishings’ was seized on & understood by Perforatedgirl whom Viper re-named Miss Jezabel Hurt. Jez presented an imaginary setting of a bar complete with décor. The next day Skanks walked through its imaginary doors & walked up to the bar to meet Jez for the first time. That was how The Boudior came into being.
The Boudior itself has undergone some changes since it opened. Skanks built a shop, beer garden, greenhouses for outside harvests, a grow room for inside harvests, decorated the entire upstairs including the Master Bedroom (shared with Jez) with private bathroom, the upstairs bathroom & five Guest rooms, a Cloak room & organized the Cellar.
As Creator Viper has a God like presence within the Balloon Game. Viper is the Gamemaster.
The Skankster character therefore is not one of the regular Players & needs no Account/Score. His role is to facilitate change & even out any problems & snags within the Game. Skanks also plays the role of instigator & catalyst.
The characters dwelling in the Cellar are there for the same, or similar, reasons - & to add a bit of imaginary spice when things get dull.
The Balloon Game’s Setting;- Day to day running of the Bar & bar area/stage is under Miss Jezabel Hurt’s rule. Drinks of all manner are available from the bar.
Jez’s wages are set at a basic 140 balloons a week paid direct into her account automatically midday Fridays.
All Balloons taken over the bar go into the Boudoir Coffers/Jez’s account, used for special occasions/buying stock/paying employees wages, repairs ect.
Boudoir Employees; presently Crazy & Tim as Barpersons & Dr_B as Bouncer. When needed Dr_B is assisted by Crazy & Tim. They are paid by Jez.
Skanks also acts as Bouncer from time to time, & if B is not about.
Pricing of drinks will be set by the Boudoir’s owner, Skanks, & may from time to time be subject to change.
Inside the Bar are the ball pit, mini beach, hot tub, Wurlitzer, sound system, stage with P.A. & mixing desk. There is a cloak room & bathrooms. Also a pool table & a much unused T.V. Lounge.
There are five Guest Bedrooms which can be rented for 12 balloons per night.
Food, hot & cold, can be ordered from the kitchen via the bar.
_______________________________________________
Kitchen Skanks controls the kitchen, but is looking for help. Balloons paid into the Kitchen go to Skanks for Jez’s wages.
______________________________________________
The Ital Bar The Boudoir’s very own Coffeeshop service. Though owned by Fogi & run by Dr_B, The Ital Bar is supplied by Skanks from the Greenhouse Crop & the Indoor Growrooms.
Skanks is looking for extra growers who can help him supply the Boudoir with fresh & interesting stock.
Minimum prices (Bought & Sold), for the time being, will be set by Skankster.
_____________________________________________
Skanks Shop Skankster Supply’s sells all manner of goods. These include clothing, food (uncooked, tinned ect), smoking products (skins, bongs ect), cat food, literature (papers & mags) & odd things/special items that cannot be obtained elsewhere.
All balloons go to Skankster who pays Jez’s wages.
Access to Skanks Shop for customers is through the bar, or in good weather, the Beer Garden.
_______________________________
The Cellar
The Cellar is off limits in the usual run of play to protect Players from what, or who, may greet them. Watch out for Cedric. Skanks has the only key to the Cellar door on a necklace.
Down in the Cellar are Eric, Cerilla, Cedric & Christabel. They are not mortal & can return from the dead, with a little help from each other.
The Beer Garden
The Beer Garden is enclosed on all four sides. There is no access to outside from the garden. On two sides are the greenhouses. On one side is the Boudior Bar & on the other is Skanks newly built shop.
There are raised flower beds filled with psychedelic herbs & medicinal plants shaped into a pentagram. There is a brick built barbecue to one side in the corner made by the Shop & the Bar.
__________________________________________
The Indoor Growrooms
Are accessible only through a secret door located within the Master Bedroom.
_______________________________________
Eric from Cerilla’s Cellar may very well be what the Christian’s term the Devil Incarnate, but what would that make Ripper ? As Balloons collected in Tax are dead to the game, just like life, it seemed natural to put such matters into the hands of a genuine bloodsucker. Even Skanks has to deal with ‘the ways of Eric’.
Balloons exchanged for property are kept by the Estate Agent. When buildings are sold/mortgaged these balloons again become available as Capital to the investor. Until the building/unit is sold the balloons are not to be counted as part of the Players Capital.
An interest of 2% will be added to the Invested Balloons on hold by the Estate Agent every 3 months. Only the interest may be counted into the Player Accounts/Scores.
Rent money is simply dead money lost from the game & will not be returned to the Tenant.
Property prices are;
750 balloons per unit 1750 per building.
Units/Buildings may be rented.
Rent of Units 120 balloons per month. Rent of Buildings 360 balloons per month. There is nothing at all to prevent Players forming partnerships in order to go into business.
I pity anyone who falls into debt or hasty agreement with Eric.
__________________________________
Like everything else about the Balloon Game the Guidelines are subject to continuous change. The Game itself is organic in nature. Stand by for updates.
Viper 13/11/2003
All images & text ©Viperslair.co.uk 2003. All rights reserved. Any un-authorized publication of texts, parts of texts, or images, will result in legal action.
First Published 13/11/2003 by Viperslair.co.uk
The Balloon Game (Version 2: WeedTalk.com
Game) March 2004 The Balloon Game is a bit of fun & a competition with a difference. The aim of the Game is to collect as many balloons as possible in either the time allowed, or until somebody hits & passes the target mark.
Prizes will be awarded for the first five HIGH SCORES.
The Game itself is organic in nature. That means it is subject to continual change as required, & so are the rules. Stand by for updates.
Any & all characters created within the Viperslair/WeedTalk Balloon Games story thread ‘Rumble Of Four Stroke Thunder’ by me are there to facilitate change within either the story or the Game itself. Viper_Skanks is Gamemaster & as such, within the confines of The Balloon Game, my word is LAW.
Viper_Skanks is the only GIVER of balloons, for now. That may change as the Game becomes established.
Players of the Balloon Game are obliged to drop into the Bar With No Name for a drink & a smoke once a week MINIMUM. Players will be awarded Balloons for each contribution. One word/one sentence contributions will not count.
In addition to the Story Thread are the Questions Thread & the Floating Balloon Thread.
Question Thread: is just that. I ask a question, first one to answer correctly scores the Balloons on offer.
Floating Balloons; these are balloons that I leave at the end of threads, place on odd posts, or leave on the Floating Balloons thread. First one to claim them gets them, but they must be claimed. Sometimes these may be awarded for something posted or of use or value to others.
The Bar With No Name
The only place my word is not law is inside the main Bar room (see sketch). This is the realm of Miss Jezabel Hurt. Miss Hurt rules & runs the Bar With No Name. She fires & hires Bar staff & has the authority to Ban or Barr Bar Members & Players at her discretion.
Dr_B will handle Bar Room security with Deputy Marshals Pedz & Crazy for the time being.
Day to day running of the Bar & bar area/stage is under Miss Jezabel Hurt’s control. Drinks of all manner are available from the bar.
All Balloons taken over the bar go into the Bar With No Name’s Coffers/Jez’s account, used for special occasions/buying stock/paying employees wages, repairs ect.
Skanks also acts as Bouncer from time to time, & if B is not about.
Pricing of drinks may from time to time be subject to change.
Inside the Bar are the ball pit, mini beach, hot tub, Wurlitzer, sound system, stage with P.A. & mixing desk. There is a cloak room & bathrooms. Also a pool table & a much unused T.V. Lounge.
There are five Guest Bedrooms which can be rented for 12 balloons per night.
Food, hot & cold, can be ordered from the kitchen via the bar.
Balloons are the currency within the Story Thread, taken at the Bar, for drinks & smoke & whatever else comes to mind you might wish to purchase at the Bar or Bar Shop. Skanks is open to barter at the shop.
Prices;
Pint of beer 4 Balloons
Half pint 2 Balloons
All spirits 3 Balloons per shot or 4 balloons for a double
Mixers 1 Balloon each
Tea (pot of) 2 Balloons
Coffee (per cup) 1 Balloon
_______________________________________________
Kitchen Skanks controls the kitchen, but is looking for help. Balloons paid into the kitchen are split 25% Skanks, 25% Jez, 50% split between kitchen staff.
Food
Sarnies & salads 4 Balloons per head
Full English breakfast 5 Balloons per head
Daily special 5 Balloons per head
Meals to order 7 Balloons per head
______________________________________________
The Ital Bar The Bar With No Name’s very own Coffeeshop service. Though owned by Skankster it is run by the House Dealer under licence from Skanks. The Ital Bar is supplied by Skanks from the Greenhouse Crop, the Indoor Growrooms & outside growers that Skanks buys from.
Skanks is looking for extra growers who can help him supply the Bar With No Name with fresh & interesting stock.
Minimum prices (Bought & Sold), for the time being, will be set by Skankster.
Weed from outside growers will be bought for between 5-10 Balloons per ounce depending on what it is & how much of it.
Smoke
1g hash commercial 1 Balloon
1g Ice-O-Later hash 3 Balloons
1g bud commercial 1 Balloon
1g named quality 2 Balloons
1g connoisseur grade (hash/weed) 4 Balloons min 10 Balloons max, depending on where Skanks got it.
ALL smoke deals go through Skanks who supplies the Bar With No Name’s Ital Bar. House dealer yet to be appointed.
_____________________________________________
Skankster Shop
Skankster Supply’s sells all manner of goods. These include clothing, food (uncooked, tinned ect), smoking products (skins, bongs ect), cat food, literature (papers, books & mags) & odd things/special items that cannot be obtained elsewhere.
All balloons go to Skankster, but he is open to other deals & exchanges.
Access to Skanks Shop for customers is through the bar, or in good weather, the Beer Garden.
_______________________________
The Cellar
The Cellar is off limits in the usual run of play to protect Players from what, or who, may greet them. Watch out for Cedric. Skanks has the only key to the Cellar door on a necklace.
Down in the Cellar characters like Eric, Cerilla, Cedric & Christabel can sometimes be found. They are not mortal & can return from the dead, with a little help from each other.
The Beer Garden
The Beer Garden is enclosed on all four sides by brick walls. There is no access to outside from the garden. On two sides are the greenhouses. On one side is the Bar & on the other is Skanks newly built shop.
There are raised flower beds filled with psychedelic herbs & medicinal plants shaped into a pentagram. There is a brick built barbecue to one side in the corner made by the Shop & the Bar. __________________________________________
The Indoor Growrooms
Are accessible only through a secret door located within the Master Bedroom.
_______________________________________
Eric from Cerilla’s Cellar may very well be what the Christian’s term the Devil Incarnate, but what would that make Ripper ? As Balloons collected in Tax are dead to the game, just like life, it seemed natural to put such matters into the hands of a genuine bloodsucker. Even Skanks has to deal with ‘the ways of Eric’.
Balloons exchanged for property are kept by the Estate Agent.
When buildings are sold/mortgaged these balloons again become available as Capital to the investor. Until the building/unit is sold the balloons are not to be counted as part of the Players Capital.
An interest of 35% of the Balloons Invested into property will be added to the Players Score at the end of the Game. Only the interest on bought property will be counted into the Player Accounts/Scores.
Rent money is simply dead money lost from the game & will not be returned to the Tenant.
Property prices are;
250 balloons per unit 550 per building.
Units/Buildings may be rented.
Rent of Units 20 balloons per month. Rent of Buildings 35 balloons per month. There is nothing at all to prevent Players forming partnerships in order to go into business.
I pity anyone who falls into debt or hasty agreement with Eric.
________________________________
Part of the fun of the past Balloon Games has been for new Players to determine just what the rules of the Game are. So in keeping with that tradition I don’t intend to be any more expressive over the rules than I have already been, for now at least.
Little else needs saying just now except, have fun & enjoy my creation.
Rev. Vern Paiyne 27/3/2004 ____________________________________________
All images & text ©Viperslair.co.uk 2003/4. All rights reserved. Any un-authorized publication of texts, parts of texts, or images, will result in legal action.
First Published 13/11/2003 by Viperslair.co.uk
Updated & re-published 27/3/2004. ______________________________________________________________________________________ I hope that makes it as clear as possible what the Balloon Game was & roughly how it worked. For money I might be persuaded to get it going again, but I would require help & support to do it. Thanks to all the old Players, I'm glad you all had fun & enjoyed it. Viper 14/12/2004 ______________________________________________
All images & text ©Viperslair.co.uk 2004 except where stated. All rights reserved. Any un-authorized publication of texts, parts of texts, or images, will result in legal action. Publishing permission can be obtained from Viperslair.co.uk by written request only. First Published 4/12/2004 by Viperslair.co.uk Re-published 1/1/2006
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