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[> Examine the papers on table]

> Examine the papers on table

You take a look at the papers on the table. You recall seeing most of them before, or at least ones similiar to these. Most are daily or weekly reports on the dig, consisting of terse notifications of the slow progress and confirmations of the camp personnel numbers so that the nearest field HQ can send out adequate supplies. One report catches your eye, having been set apart from the others. You haven't read this one before, as the Unterfeldwebel in charge of the expedition chose to make radio that report in personally.

It is dated just a week before, and details the uncovering of an entrance to an underground structure by the resident archaeologists. The discovery was quite a morale boost after months of sifting through sand and you clearly recall the celebrations, despite some haziness that may or may not be due to the alcohol that was imbued that night. You read on, as the report begins to detail some of the carvings on the stone slabs, as well as some estimations to the age of the structure made by the archaeologists. At the bottom of the paper is a hand-written note: "HQ requests exped. int. investigation".

Objects on & around the table:
REPORTS (Papers will do too)
MAPS (which were just examined)

New update later today.

[> Examine maps]

> Examine maps

You examine the maps laid out around the table. Most of the maps are military ones, depicting the surrounding area in general and at varying degrees of scale. There are very few markings on any of the maps, as you know the Unterfeldwebel in charge of your expedition carries the most valuable maps in his personal map-pouch. You can tell that you are currently over 70 kilometers away from the nearest settlement, which is situated far north-east. Your camp is nestled just north of a small desert oasis, which has been marked in at least one of the maps. To the west, though not marked on the map, is the archaeological dig, and some 35 kilometers to the east is the nearest field HQ. Other than these and aside the occasional rock formation jutting out of the sand dunes, or the distant mountains to the far south, there is little to see in the surrounding desert.

You don't think the maps will be of much use to you, especially with so little landmarks to navigate by. You already remember all there is to see anywhere nearby and you know the way to the field HQ and back fairly well.



[Ponch, that image is AWESOME! ]

[> Check radio. Take hat.]

> Check radio. Take hat.

You grab the field cap off the table and place it over your head.



You take a look at the field radio. It's a very basic model, heavy and boxy. The reception here has been a bit patchy, but in clear weather it has managed to reach the nearest bases without issue.
It has a pair of straps attached to it so it can be carried like a backpack, although you know from experience that it's a pain in the ass to haul around for any significant period of time.

If this thread is going to be shown in Germany, shouldn't you replace that flag with something else? 

I've actually read up on this, and current german law does not oppose displaying historically accurate insignia and flags in entertainment. Then again, most game devs and movie makers still stick to the old rules simply out of tradition and fear. I am not like most!

[> Carefully check out tent I]

> Carefully check out tent I

You cautiously approach tent I, peeking in. As you realize this tent, too, is abandoned and void of any signs of life you brave the interior.

You are now inside the command tent. You can see the hammock the officers use next to the proud flag of the fatherland, which has been hung from the wall of the tent.
Next to the door flap is a table with several maps and written reports strewn about. Atop one of the maps lies a discarded officer's cap.
Next to the table, atop a supply crate, is a man-portable radio.

Okay, going to have to give you guys a heads up, I'm having a real busy two weeks at work and will have guests over for weekend, so expect an update every other day or so. I'll try and have some time to finish up the interior of tent I tomorrow.

[> (carefully) Take a peek outside of the tent to get an idea what is going on]

> (carefully) Take a peek outside of the tent to get an idea what is going on

You fold the letter from home back into your backpack, careful not to cause any damage to the worn paper, and decide it's time to figure out why it's so quiet all of a sudden.
You poke your head out of the tent, the bright mid-day sun hurts your eyes as you glance around.

You can see the campsite, consisting of a total of four numbered tents. On the western side of the camp, tent I is the command tent, tent II is the crew tent in which you were sleeping. On the eastern side of the camp tent III is for storing and studying objects from the archeological dig and tent IV is the mess / field chapel. On the EAST side of the camp is the small area designated as a vehicle depot, although there is currently only a single vehicle there. To the WEST is a path, if you can call it that with all the shifting sands, leading to the ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG.

The only sound you hear is the soft flapping of the tent cloth in the faint wind that rolls through the desert. Nothing seems out of place as far as you can see from here, unless you count the fact that none of the other soldiers are anywhere to be seen. You wonder where they've all gone and why...



EDIT: Oh, and sorry for the lack of updates. Who would have guessed that a game like XCOM might be somewhat addictive and cause me to lose sleep over several days as I try to keep these goddamn... GODDAMMIT! NO! BAD TROOPER, STOP MISSING! OH NOW LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE GONE AND DONE, MY BEST HEAVY TROOPER IS DEEEAAAAD!!!

[> Read letter]

> Read letter

You thoughts turn, above all else, to your family back home. You pick up the letter you have been storing in your backpack, the one you received shortly after your arrival in Tripoli.
The paper is worn and frayed as a result of the many times it has been read. Despite being short, the words within have given you strength to make it through many a difficult day.

"Dear Hans,

I hope this letter find you well, despite the distance.
Erma and Björn send their love to you as well.

I'm sorry I haven't written to you before, but it has been hard for us as well.
Hilde and her family, surely you remembed them from the summer before the last, fled Ruhr because of all the bombing and they have come to live with us for now, so the house is busier than ever.
There have been lots of talks in the news lately, I'm sure you've heard, of the Americans entering the war. We all pray and wish for the best, and the news tell us that the Americans, as well as the English, are being shot down more and more, but we still hear the bombs in the night.

I want you to not worry for us, all is well and the bombing is far away from us. Instead worry for yourself, and come back to us alive and well, like you promised.

You have to write as the soonest, I fear little Björn has not been handling your last letter with too much care and there is little left of it. I tried to scold him, but couldn't, as he had actually been displaying the letter to Erma outside and had tripped when trying to show little Erma how to march. There was mud and twigs and leaves everywhere and we all could not stop laughing.

With love and longing
Your Hanne"

You have gained the trait: HOMESICK

[> Pick up rucksack and field bottle]

> Pick up rucksack and field bottle

You tie the strap of the canteen on your rucksack and strap the rucksack onto your back.
Now you are ready for adventure!



Side note: An inventory and stats will be added to the FIRST POST of this thread, where they will be available for all viewers without a risk of me having copy/paste mistakes with them all the time. They will be text-only for now, but will be updated with graphics as soon as I have time to draw them, as I am currently preoccupied (read: playing Planetside 2 beta, and soon the new X-Com and Dishonored, which are both coming out this friday).

Why am I not surprised that WHAM chooses the nazi army's "Afrika Korps" as a game theme, and an "oberreiter" as main character?

Well, I wanted to choose a theme that wasn't overused, and I will tip my hat to you if you can find an adventure game with a theme anything like this.

(His smile does look like he's high on morphine)

Well, we do have experience of THAT, don't we?

[> Open rucksack on top hammock]

> Open rucksack on top hammock

You open the rucksack on the floor and examine it's contents. There are all sorts of small objects, including:
- a pair of footwraps
- a pair of socks
- White scarf
- boot polish and a small brush
- Mess tin and spork
- Chocolate
- Hip flask (containing alcohol)
- A letter from home
- Crucifix pendant

You recognize your belongings, and as far as you can tell no-one has been tampering with them.

[> GET jacket> EXAMINE jacket> WEAR jacket]

> GET jacket
> EXAMINE jacket
> WEAR jacket

You grab your jacket from the side of the hammock and take a look at it. It is your trusty uniform jacket, complete with a belt and ranking insignia identifying you as an Oberreiter.
You wear the jacket, as the lieutenant commanding your expedition always says: "A man is nothing without his uniform."

[> Open rucksack on top hammock]

> Open rucksack on top hammock

You open the rucksack on the top hammock and examine it's contents. There are all sorts of small objects, including:
- two pairs of footwraps
- Leather gloves
- White scarf
- boot polish and a small brush
- Mess tin and spork
- Chocolate
- Moustache wax

Judging by this last article you are quite sure this rucksack is not yours.
Then again, yours is on the floor, next to your hammock, precisely where you left it.

[beaten]

I have just beaten Dark Souls for the first time in my life. It took me well over a year and my playtime clocked at over 120 hours, and I finally did it. I think I've just sat here for about an hour or so, trying to digest the information... I can't remember the last time a game felt this good to beat. The level of challenge, the frustration of being stuck and still finding the game world interesting enough to bring me back to make that one last push, and then breaking the back of a boss and uncovering an entire new area to explore, those made Dark Souls unforgettable and precious to me.

We all have had that feeling of accomplishment sometime, what games made you feel like going out to the streets to shout and scream in joy upon beating?

[> EXAMINE surroundings]

> EXAMINE surroundings

You glance around you to see if anything is wrong.
There are a total of three hammocks, one of which you just got out of. Your uniform jacket is lying on the side of your hammock. There is a rucksack on the top hammock, and another rucksack next to your hammock, next to some gas mask containers. A pair of canteens are also hanging on the wooden stakes that hold up the hammocks.
A couple of wooden ammunition crates are piled up in the corner, next to a small stove.
A rifle rack is also in the corner, although it would seem to be devoid of any weaponry at this time, which is unusual to say the least, as you recall leaving your own rifle there when you went to sleep.
A small lantern hangs from the ceiling of the tent.

Not to argue Tabata's command, but one question regarding gameplay: is there a general time limit for user input before next in-game event happen, or this "timer" is used only in certain critical situations?

If there is no input from players for a few days, the game will "skip" a turn, advancing in-game time by a short while. Other than that, no restrictions. I will update roughly once a day.

[> Get up]

> Get up

You decide that it's high time you got up yourself, since nobody seems to be coming to wake you up.
You sit up and yawn, stretching your arms.



As you stand up you realize it is unusually quiet.
Usually there are sounds of people talking, the radio chattering and perhaps even music being played, but this morning there isn't a single sound in the air.

This thread is about to be locked, as it's story has been told and we must part with the memory of poor Andrei.
No fear, my friends, for a new adventure is about to begin and can be found here: http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=46933

I hope you all enjoy this new adventure as you did the last one!

-WHAM