Paper Signal: Small Impossible Things

About Paper Signal: Small Impossible Things

Paper Signal: Small Impossible Things is an illustrated interactive story set in the Ashgrove Playhouse, a theatre that closes on Saturday. You are the new prompter at the last rehearsal of The Lamplighter's Daughter, and nobody can say who typed the fair copy: the leading lady learned a script where the daughter sails, the Harbourmaster learned a comedy with a song and a cabbage, an eleven-year-old learned the lamplighter from a drawing, and the stage manager calls cues from a sheet nobody else has. Each chapter is one gentle vignette of magic: a ghost light that leans toward whoever is about to lose a line, rain that follows a yellow coat, a mirror that shows the part each person remembers, and a lighting desk that fades the lights before the line is spoken. You look closely, pick up two notes, and lay them side by side to understand the impossible thing. Then you decide what that actor will remember as the last lines, and the others bring it up in later scenes. On closing night the company plays the scripts you gave them: one ending for everyone, four plays at once, the prompt book as written, or a patchwork. A new twist each session changes what is in your way, and there is a daily challenge. Nothing is timed against you, you can go back to an earlier choice, every line is announced to screen readers, and the text goes up to Largest.

How to play

Press Next line or tap the text to read on, and tap a choice (or press 1 to 5) to answer. Z or the Back button returns to your last choice.
From the green room, visit the stage, the wings, dressing room three and the cue desk in any order. Look at things to pick up notes.
Open the notes (E, or the Notes button) and pick two to hold them side by side. A pair that fits explains the impossible thing, and opens a line of your own for that actor.
Decide what each actor remembers as their last lines: their own script, the prompt book's, or a line of yours. They will bring it up in later scenes.
Open the doors once at least two are settled. The closing night depends on what the company was given.
Change the text size with T or the Text button. Your story saves as you go, and Restart begins a new one with a new twist.

Controls

Tap the text, or press Enter, Space or Ⓐ — next line
Tap a choice, or press 1 to 5 — choose
Z, Backspace or Ⓑ — go back to the last choice
E or Ⓨ — notes; L or Ⓧ — what the prompt book says so far; T — text size
P, Escape or Start — pause

Frequently asked questions

How long is a story?

About ten to twenty minutes, in four small chapters. There are four closing nights, so you will want to give the company different lines and play again.

What does it mean that the cast remembers what I decide?

Each chapter ends with you choosing the last lines for one actor. The others bring that up in later scenes, and the closing night plays the scripts you gave them.

Is anything timed?

No. A few choices show a quick-answer window for a small extra, but a slow answer loses nothing and never removes a choice. You can turn the window off in Settings.

Can I take a choice back?

Yes. Press Z or the Back button to return to your last choice with everything as it was, as often as you like.

Can I play with a keyboard or a screen reader?

Yes. Every line, choice and note is announced, every button works with the keyboard or a controller, the text size goes up to Largest, and reduced motion shows each line at once.

Does it save?

Yes, in this browser: the story you are in, the endings you have seen and your settings. Nothing is uploaded.