0808-1718

Incident #: 0808-1718

Description: this incident occurred in 1718, near N[REDACTED], Bahamas. A Fioncit Royal Navy ship set sail to retrieve the Book of Dreams (E-0808-a), an artifact said to be made by the gods and to be able to fulfill one's deepest desires. Months later, the ship returned empty, without its crew nor any remains of them.

Note: we have recently recovered the Captain's diary. We thought this would shed light on the fate of the crew, but it only brought more questions. We would like your professional opinion on this matter.

Was all this an act of gods or an act of Man?

Thank you for your aid.

Regards,

B. C.

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DISCLAIMER

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is a coincidence. The creator does not necessarily endorse all opinions and actions in this. This is a purely textual game but may contain subject matter that can be disturbing to some.

For best experience, please play in your desktop browser.

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ACTUAL CREATOR'S NOTE

Thanks for playing!

0808-1718 is a multi-ending (6 endings) text-based historical science fantasy fiction (no sound/image).

SUMMARY (with spoilers)

0808-1718 centers around a loyal naval captain leading his crew to retrieve the Book of Dreams, said to grant any wish - only for the voyage to take a dark turn.

Through the game endings, text formatting, and choices, the story explores the emptiness of human desires, portraying how obsessive pursuits (e.g., power, love, or innocence) can lead to self-deception and mutual destruction.

Some formatting example...

A quote from one of the characters, Dr. Hubris...

And for each ending's meaning and the true ending...

HINT

The error for each 404 ending isn't random.

Still not sure? (click here for an additional hint)

Use a hex-to-text converter.

HINT 2

Apart from the standard color (white) and the 'more details' color (yellow), there are two other colors for the text.

Still not sure? (click here for an additional hint)

Which one is truth? Which is delusion?

0808-1718 is the first work in the 0808 series ( same universe). YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE PLAYED OTHER WORK(S) IN THE SERIES TO PLAY THIS ONE.

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DISCLOSURE: 0808-1718 started from school projects aimed at leveraging GenAI to augment storytelling. Though 0808-1718's cover/banner is GenAI-made, but nothing inside the actual work is GenAI.

This was a submission to #NaNoRenO2023, which is a visual novel jam. Instead of images, 0808-1718 leverages text formatting and GUI design (computer system/file) as the 'visuals'. The use was approved by the organizers.

If you like narratives, make sure to check out the other submissions too!