After the Sirens

Cinevva's analyzer read this game's design doc and its source, then wrote the brief below. "Make your own" hands it to the game creator as your opening message, so you start from a real spec rather than a one-line idea.

Create a browser-based playable interactive fiction game titled “After the Sirens,” subtitled/tagged “Interactive narrative · Episode one.” It is a dark, literary post-apocalyptic choice-based story rather than an action game: no animated characters or combat, just a polished responsive narrative interface where the player reads scenes and clicks choices.

Visual design: use a nearly black/charcoal green palette with a subtle radial vignette/gradient, warm ivory serif typography for the title and story, muted gray-green secondary text, thin gray borders, and amber/gold accents. Center the game in a large bordered shell with a soft dark shadow. Desktop layout: header on top, a two-column main area, and a footer. Header shows the amber uppercase eyebrow “INTERACTIVE NARRATIVE · EPISODE ONE,” the large title “After the Sirens,” and the tagline on the right, “The world ended quietly. Then your sister woke up.” The story column is wide and scrollable, with generous padding; the right sidebar is about 250px wide with a vertical divider. On small screens, collapse to one column: hide the tagline, put the status panel beneath the story, and keep the footer at the bottom. Use responsive large serif headings and readable body text. Buttons should be dark green-gray rectangular cards with a thin border; each has a main choice label and a smaller muted hint below it. On hover/focus, subtly shift the button right, brighten its border amber, and lighten its background.

The premise and characters are fixed: the player is Eli, age 17, protecting his little sister June during the first night after an unexplained catastrophe. June is eight. The world has gone quiet except for strange sounds and “them”; Eli and June must get through the night and reach safety. Present each scene with a small uppercase chapter label, a scene title, atmospheric prose, then 2–3 choices. Choices branch to the next scene and modify three clamped 0–100 stats: June’s trust (shown as “Brave”), supplies/food and water, and noise (shown as “How close they are”). Start at Night 1 · 01:00 AM with trust 72, supplies 58, noise 18. Each selection advances the displayed time by one hour, capped at 06:00 AM. The progress footer should show `Night 1 · 01:00 AM` initially and update in that format; at the ending show `Morning · Episode complete`. Include a “Start over” button that resets every value and the story to the initial scene. The interface should update immediately after every selection, and should be accessible with live-updating story text and keyboard-focusable buttons.

Implement this complete authored story graph and exact choice effects/content:

1. Node `wake`, chapter “01 · The apartment”, title “The sound below”: “June wakes you with one hand clamped over your mouth.\n\nBelow the floorboards, something drags itself across the lobby. Then comes a knock at the front door — three slow hits, exactly like Dad used to make.” Choices: (a) “Whisper: “Stay behind me.”” / hint “Protect her with certainty.” -> `hall`, trust +5, noise +2. (b) “Tell June the truth.” / ““That is not Dad.”” -> `truth`, trust -3. (c) “Reach for the kitchen knife.” / “Prepare before you speak.” -> `knife`, noise +5.

2. `hall`, chapter “01 · The apartment”, title “A promise in the dark”: “June grips the back of your shirt. The knocking stops.\n\n“Do we go to Mom’s?” she whispers. Mom’s apartment is six blocks east, past the pharmacy and the overpass. The emergency broadcast said the bridges were closed. It did not say why.” Choices: “Promise you’ll get her there.” / “Even if you don’t know how.” -> `map`, trust +8; or “Say you need to decide one room at a time.” / “No false promises.” -> `map`, trust +2, noise -2.

3. `truth`, chapter “01 · The apartment”, title “The truth has a weight”: ““That is not Dad,” you say.\n\nJune’s eyes shine, but she nods. She is eight years old and already learning which sounds belong to the living.\n\nSomething bumps the front door hard enough to shake dust from the ceiling.” Choices: “Move to the fire escape.” / “Quiet, exposed, possible.” -> `escape`, trust +3, supplies -4, noise +1; or “Search the apartment for another way out.” / “Time is the price.” -> `map`, supplies +4, noise +8.

4. `knife`, chapter “01 · The apartment”, title “Metal in your hand”: “The knife is too small. It is still better than empty hands.\n\nJune sees it and stops breathing for a second. You lower the blade. “I’m not going to let anything get you,” you say. You hope the promise can hear you too.” Choices: “Take the fire escape.” / “Get above the street before it fills.” -> `escape`, trust +4, supplies -6; or “Barricade the door and wait.” / “Safe is not the same as still.” -> `wait`, trust -4, supplies +5, noise +10.

5. `map`, chapter “02 · The route”, title “Six blocks east”: “You spread the old street map on the floor. The pharmacy has a back entrance. The overpass is the fastest route, but the broadcast mentioned movement there.\n\nJune points to a pencil mark near the river. “That’s where we used to get ice cream.”” Choices: “Take the pharmacy route.” / “Shelter, medicine, and a locked back door.” -> `pharmacy`, trust +2, supplies +6, noise +4; “Risk the overpass.” / “Fast is its own kind of safety.” -> `overpass`, noise +12; “Follow the river path.” / “Longer, quieter, colder.” -> `river`, trust +6, supplies -8, noise -6.

6. `escape`, chapter “02 · The route”, title “Down, not out”: “The fire escape groans under both your weight. The street below is empty except for a city bus with its doors hanging open.\n\nJune asks if empty means safe. You tell her it means you can’t see the danger yet.” Choices: “Cross the street to the bus.” / “A chance to find supplies.” -> `bus`, trust +2, supplies +12, noise +8; or “Keep to the shadows and head east.” / “No detours.” -> `river`, trust +4, supplies -5, noise -5.

7. `wait`, chapter “02 · The route”, title “The waiting room”: “You push the sofa against the door. June curls beneath the kitchen table, holding the flashlight like a candle.\n\nFor forty minutes, the building stays quiet. Then a child begins crying in the hallway. The crying sounds wrong — too steady, too patient.” Choices: “Leave through the window now.” / “Break the quiet before it breaks you.” -> `escape`, supplies -3, noise +6; or “Stay silent until dawn.” / “Make June hold her breath.” -> `dawn`, trust -10, supplies -12, noise -3.

8. `pharmacy`, chapter “03 · The pharmacy”, title “The door with the red cross”: “The pharmacy’s back door is unlocked. Inside: overturned shelves, a smell like wet pennies, and a hand-drawn sign that says TAKE ONLY WHAT YOU NEED.\n\nJune finds children’s fever medicine. There is one bottle left.” Render the sign as emphasized text. Choices: “Take the medicine.” / “You might need it later.” -> `supply`, trust +3, supplies +10, noise +3; or “Leave it for whoever comes next.” / “A small act of faith.” -> `supply`, trust +8, supplies -8.

9. `supply`, chapter “03 · The pharmacy”, title “A light in the stockroom”: “A battery lantern flickers on in the stockroom. Behind a stack of boxes, someone has made a nest: blankets, canned peaches, a child’s drawing.\n\nJune studies the drawing. “They had a little brother,” she says.” Choices: “Leave a note and some food.” / “Tell them they are not alone.” -> `dawn`, trust +7, supplies -8; or “Take the blankets and go.” / “Survival makes thieves of everyone.” -> `dawn`, trust -6, supplies +4, noise +2.

10. `overpass`, chapter “03 · The overpass”, title “The road is not empty”: “The overpass is crowded with abandoned cars. Between them, silhouettes turn their heads in the same direction.\n\nJune’s hand slips into yours. Somewhere ahead, a car alarm starts and refuses to stop.” Choices: “Run for the maintenance stairs.” / “Fast, loud, alive.” -> `stairs`, trust +4, supplies -4, noise +18; or “Hide under the nearest car.” / “Let the wave pass.” -> `hide`, trust -2, noise -8.

11. `stairs`, chapter “03 · The overpass”, title “The last step”: “You make the stairs. June stumbles on the final step and bites her lip to keep from crying out. Below, the silhouettes gather at the railing.\n\nA maintenance door stands open. Beyond it: a tunnel beneath the river.” Choices: “Carry June through the tunnel.” / “She is lighter than your fear.” -> `dawn`, trust +10, supplies -9, noise +4; or “Rest for one minute.” / “One minute can be a lifetime.” -> `tunnel`, trust +2, supplies -2, noise +8.

12. `hide`, chapter “03 · The overpass”, title “Under the cars”: “The herd moves past. One pair of feet stops beside you. June’s fingers tighten around yours until they hurt.\n\nThe feet move on. You wait another ten minutes before breathing again.” Choices: “Take the long way around.” / “Never use the same road twice.” -> `river`, trust +5, supplies -10, noise -5; or “Follow the herd at a distance.” / “They are moving toward something.” -> `dawn`, trust -5, supplies +2, noise +4.

13. `river`, chapter “03 · The river path”, title “The cold route”: “The river path is dark and wet. You give June your hoodie and pretend you are not shivering.\n\nA radio crackles from somewhere across the water: “Survivors, head north. Greenhouse district. Repeat—” Then static.” Choices: “Head north toward the greenhouse district.” / “A voice is still a reason.” -> `dawn`, trust +6, supplies -7; or “Stay on course to Mom’s apartment.” / “Promises point east.” -> `dawn`, trust +9, supplies -11, noise +2.

14. `bus`, chapter “03 · The city bus”, title “Someone left the lights on”: “The bus smells of rain and gasoline. You find a half-full bottle of water, two granola bars, and a child’s backpack with a plastic dinosaur clipped to it.\n\nJune reaches for the dinosaur, then looks at you first.” Choices: “Let her keep it.” / “A small thing to carry forward.” -> `dawn`, trust +7, supplies +8, noise +3; or “Take only the food and water.” / “Weight is life.” -> `dawn`, trust -4, supplies +12.

15. `tunnel`, chapter “04 · Beneath the river”, title “The dark between”: “The tunnel swallows the city noise. June asks you to tell her a story. You tell her about the day she was born, before the sirens, before the empty streets.\n\nHalfway through, you hear something breathing ahead.” Choices: “Turn off the lantern.” / “Let the dark hide you.” -> `dawn`, trust +3, supplies -2, noise -5; or “Keep the light on.” / “You refuse to be surprised.” -> `dawn`, trust +1, supplies -2, noise +9.

16. `dawn`, chapter “05 · Morning”, title “The first light”: “Dawn arrives gray and thin. You and June reach the edge of a neighborhood garden surrounded by chain-link fence. Someone has painted a white arrow on the gate.\n\nBehind you, the city is waking up in pieces.” Choices: “Follow the arrow.” / “Trust the mark.” -> `end`, trust +4, supplies -4, noise +3; or “Make your own shelter here.” / “No more unknown doors tonight.” -> `end`, trust +8, supplies -8, noise -5.

17. `end`, chapter “End of episode one”, title “Keep walking”: “The garden is not a cure. It is a fence, a rain barrel, and a place where June can sleep without holding her breath.\n\nShe asks if you think Mom is alive. You look north, toward the greenhouses and the smoke beyond them.\n\n“Maybe,” you say. Then you take her hand. “But we’re going to find out.”” This is terminal: show no choices, and append a highlighted ending panel reading “June sleeps beside the rain barrel. You take first watch. Episode one complete.”

Right sidebar/status panel: three labeled horizontal meters, each with a numeric value. “June’s trust” with sublabel “Brave,” a pale green meter; “Supplies” with sublabel “Food & water,” an amber meter; and “Noise” with sublabel “How close they are,” a red meter. Add the note: “You are Eli, 17. June is your little sister. Every choice changes what she remembers about the end of the world.” Use bars whose widths equal the clamped percentage values. Footer has the progress text at left and underlined Start over control at right. Do not add combat, inventory screens, random events, audio, images, or mechanics not described here; the intended experience is a focused, atmospheric branching narrative with consequences visible through trust, supplies, noise, and time.