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Story description
Six days ago a signal arrived from beyond the solar system. It repeats. It has structure. Someone has to answer.
First Words is an interactive science-fiction story about first contact, seen through language. You are the linguist on a small research team at a remote observatory.
Try to understand, then decide what to say
- Look for patterns, test readings and build a shared vocabulary from almost nothing.
- Deal with misreadings and false starts, because some ideas do not translate and some misunderstandings are dangerous.
- Decide what to send back, and who gets a say.
Dr. Voss directs the observatory and protects the work. Colonel Hale answers to people who want a security story. Ravi Menon is the mathematician who is often right. Who sent the signal, what they want and how they think is different every time you play.
Awe and unease
Patient, intellectual and human science fiction. The truth comes out late.
The loop resets and the paper is blank. What do you try first?
Characters
The observatory's director. Calm, exacting and protective of the team and the work.
The government liaison. Courteous and practical, under pressure from above to treat this as a security matter.
A young mathematician and the player's closest collaborator. Brilliant, anxious and often right.
