UFO 54-40: CYOAbduction

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > UFO 54-40: CYOAbduction

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

CYOA!
UFO 54-40 is book #12 in the Choose Your Own Adventure series. These came out in American in the early 80's and are 80's as hell. Like Give Yourself Goosebumps (currently live in the forums), the plots are frequently bananas, and the books adhere to little or no internal consistency (at least when compared to most Fighting Fantasy or Lone Wolf works). Also, note that this book of 118 pages (of which many are simply illustrations), boasts 30 possible endings, so roughly 1 ending for every 3.5 pages.

Will we see them all?
We'll see many of them. All of them...that depends on the steam we keep up in the thread. This book is unique in endings (among pretty much all CYOAs by this brand or another) in achieving the successful ending. In fact, it was solely the existence of this book's unique "true" ending that made me aware of it in the first place. It was while working on another book with a rather unforgiving path to completion that running through this came to mind, and thankfully archive.org provided.

Do we get a prize for finding the best ending?...sure. Let's leave it at that. For those of you who may actually be aware of the true path to victory, whether by first hand experience or by reading an article on this book's quirks, please keep that to yourself.

Ah, nuts!
You're still free to send us careening off-kilter towards less satisfactory endings. Just be subtle about it.

I wanna turn into a shark and eat my previous octopus incarnation!
Please see You Are a Shark, by the same author of this book, Edward Packer.

posted:

A graduate of Princeton University and Columbia Law School, EDWARD PACKER lives in New York City, where he is a practicing lawyer. Mr. Packard conceived of the idea for the Choose Your Own Adventure series in the course of telling bedtime stories to his children, Caroline, Andrea, and Wells.

Anyhow, enough lead up. Let's Choose!

# ? Sep 21, 2017 05:54

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 22, 2024 08:51

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Warning!!!!
Do not read this book straight through from beginning to end! These pages contain many different adventures you can have inside UFO 54-40. From time to time as you read along, you will be asked to make a choice. Your choice may lead to success or disaster! The adventures you have will be the result of the decisions you make. After you make your choice, follow the instructions to see what happens to you next.

Special Warning!!!!
While you are on board UFO 54-40, you may hear about Ultima, the planet of paradise, and you may wonder if one of your adventures will lead you there. Sad to say, many never reach Ultima, because no one can get there by making choices or following instructions! There is a way to reach Ultima. Maybe you'll find it.

This image in included and may or may not be important. Make of it what you will.

# ? Sep 21, 2017 05:55

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Page 1 posted:

It's your first trip on the Concorde, the super-sonic jet airliner that crosses the Atlantic in three hours and forty-five minutes. Right now you're at 57,000 feet, in mid-flight from New York to Paris. You look up from the magazine you've been reading as a voice comes over the loudspeaker.

'This is Captain Ravel speaking. We're about halfway across the Atlantic now - at latitude 54, longitude 40. We've just come onto a new course that will bring us over the coast of France in about ninety minutes. Those of you on the left side of the plane may be able to see the southern tip of Greenland...'

You glance out of the window, hoping to see...

Page 2 posted:

Greenland. Instead, you see a gleaming white cylinder, several times larger than the Concorde, but without wings, engines, or ports. The object, glistening in the early morning sunlight, is coming straight at you!

'Look!'

The white-haired man sitting next to you leans toward the window to get a better view. 'At what?'

'Don't you see it? It's coming right at us?'

He opens his mouth to answer, but says nothing, because you are no longer there....

Turn to page 6.

Page 6 posted:

You are sitting on a thick, rubbery mat in a circular room. The room is bathed in a pale, white light, yet you see no windows or doors or lamps. You remember now - sitting in the Concorde...the huge white object coming at you...the plane shuddering, and...where are you?

The pale light turns violet, and, mixing with oranges and reds, it brightens, as if the sun were about to rise. A voice is speaking - except it is not speaking. You are hearing thoughts entering directly into your brain!

Page 7 posted:

WE ARE THE U-TY MASTERS. YOU ARE ON THE GALACTIC SHIP RAKMA, ORBITING THE PLANET EARTH. YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO BE A SPECIMEN IN THE GALACTIC ZOO ON THE IMPERIAL ZOO ON THE IMPERIAL PLANET OF RA. IF YOU REFUSE TO COOPERATE, YOU WILL BE SENT TO SOMO. YOU MAY MAKE ONE STATEMENT.

If you demand to be returned to Earth, turn to page 3.
If you want to know more about U-TY, turn to page 4.

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 01:11 on Sep 24, 2017

# ? Sep 21, 2017 05:59

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

"Return me to Earth at once, you foul alien jerk-bags!"

# ? Sep 21, 2017 06:06

anakha: Sep 16, 2009

Put me back on Earth, dammit!

# ? Sep 21, 2017 06:33

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Do you want to know more about U-TY. Can we join the Federation today? Does service grant citizenship?

# ? Sep 21, 2017 11:58

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

We want to go back to Earth. I�m curious to see if this book lets us fail out at the start.

# ? Sep 21, 2017 13:26

TheGreatEvilKing: Mar 28, 2016

Ask about alien planet

Let's be honest, demanding to go back to Earth is just going to result in derisive alien laughter.

# ? Sep 21, 2017 18:48

Mechanical Ape: Aug 7, 2007; But yes, occasionally I am known to smash.

Assuming SOMO means Southern Missouri, the alien zoo is a better fate.

Ask about the zoo and whether there will be breeding opportunities.

# ? Sep 21, 2017 20:30

Dong Quixote: Oct 3, 2015; Fun Shoe

Mechanical Ape posted:

Assuming SOMO means Southern Missouri, the alien zoo is a better fate.

Ask about the zoo and whether there will be breeding opportunities.

# ? Sep 21, 2017 20:54

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Page 4 posted:

'Tell me more about yourselves,' you say. 'Why did you choose to visit Earth?'

WE STUDY EARTH PEOPLE AS YOUR SCIENTISTS STUDY BACTERIA UNDER A MICROSCOPE. WE CAME TO EARTH IN SEARCH OF ULTIMA - THE PLANET OF PARADISE.

If you offer to help the U-TY masters find Ultima, turn to page 22.
If you ask the U-TY how they think they could reach Ultima by visiting Earth, turn to page 25.

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 06:49 on Sep 30, 2017

# ? Sep 22, 2017 04:36

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

'How did you think you could find Ultima by coming to Earth?'

And you want that Lord British guy, not me!

# ? Sep 22, 2017 04:39

Thuryl: Mar 14, 2007; My postillion has been struck by lightning.

Yeah, asking what the heck Earth has to do with any of this seems like the most productive move.

# ? Sep 22, 2017 06:10

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Ask the U-TY how they think they could reach Ultima by visiting Earth- we're mostly harmless!

# ? Sep 22, 2017 11:28

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Ask.

# ? Sep 22, 2017 11:32

Tuxedo Ted: Apr 24, 2007

Those nerds said we could only make one statement. Let's just Agree.

# ? Sep 22, 2017 17:54

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Page 25 posted:

'How could you find Ultima by visiting Earth?' you ask.

The moment you speak, sparks fly about your head, buzzing like angry bees. You dive to the floor, and cover your face with your arms. The sparks die own, except for a glowing ember that lands near your feet. It flares for a few seconds, then turns gray, then black. Cautiously, you touch it and then pick it up. It's like a tiny smooth pebble you might find on the beach, yet it's denser than lead!

YOU WILL COOPERATE.

The voice is speaking again. Trying to gather your wits, you answer, 'I am a human being. Please...'

The lights flicker. The ship is descending so fast that you are pinned to the floor.

YOU ARE UNSUITABLE. WE SHALL RETURN YOU TO THE EARTH. YOUR MEMORY WILL BE ERASED. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN IN SPACE.

Turn to page 114.

Page 114 posted:

You are sitting in your room at home, feeling very strange. What's happened? You remember having boarded the Concorde bound for France, sitting in a seat next to a white-haired man, then...

Reaching into your pocket, you pull out a pebble about the size and shape of a watermelon seed. Why is it so heavy? You turn it over and over in your hand, then toss it at the wastebasket.

It's just a matter of luck whether it lands in the wastebasket or not. You have about a fifty-fifty chance.

Does it go in or not?

Turn to either 41 OR page 50.

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 01:52 on Oct 3, 2017

# ? Sep 22, 2017 19:13

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Yeah it goes in.

# ? Sep 22, 2017 19:26

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Trash the alien talisman!. I bet that leads to an ending.

# ? Sep 22, 2017 19:29

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

He shoots he scores and ending?

# ? Sep 23, 2017 01:45

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

You're actually supposed to choose a page at random to see whether it goes in or not, but let's just go for success.

Page 50 posted:

The strange object lands in the wastebasket with a thud, and you think no more about it.

A few days later you are talking to a friend of yours, Todd Hawkins.

'Did you see the airline pilot on TV last night?' Todd asks. 'He and his crew swear that a couple of days ago they saw an alien space ship over the Atlantic.'

'Really?'

'Yeah; it was at latitude 54, longitude 40, so they've called it UFO 54-40. At first they thought a passenger was missing, but none of the doors had opened - there was no way a passenger could have disappeared. They finally decided that the passengerlist must have been wrong.'

Something about what Todd tells you sets you to thinking about what the flight you took on the Concorde, and something about a trip to France, but for some reason, no matter how hard you try, you just can't remember what happened.

The End

Tally Sheet posted:

Endings
Amnesia...but at least we got the Title Drop?

Choices
Demand to be returned to Earth
Agree to help the UT-Y
The heavy pebble misses

# ? Sep 23, 2017 05:57

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

I will help you, aliens.

First, heed the advice of the great Earth philosopher Bill Watterson. 'Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.'

Translation- don't be surprised if we screw up again. Or disappointed.

achtungnight fucked around with this message at 07:32 on Sep 23, 2017

# ? Sep 23, 2017 06:34

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Agree to help the UT-Y and find something MORE harmless than Earth.

# ? Sep 23, 2017 07:29

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Demand to be returned.

# ? Sep 23, 2017 11:31

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Page 3 posted:

Though there is no one in the room, you speak out in a loud voice. 'Return me to Earth! You have no right to hold me prisoner!'

THE ONLY LAW IS THE LAW OF THE U-TY

Again, the voice seems to be inside your brain. When it speaks this time, a whole wall dissolves before your eyes. A moment later you find yourself floating through the air, drawn by some mysterious force along a curving passageway. In the dim yellow light you can make out human figures. Sitting right in front of you, on thin white mats, are a girl with long black hair and a slender blond boy. Their legs are crossed and their arms are folded in front of them. They seem to be meditating.

You are excited to find other human beings, yet you suddenly feel very tired. You want to sleep. Maybe you'll be able to think better when you wake up....

If you lie down to sleep, turn to page 5.
If you fight off the urge to sleep and try to wake up the others, turn to page 16.
If you decide to explore elsewhere, turn to page 8.

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 03:35 on Nov 2, 2017

# ? Sep 24, 2017 01:09

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Fight the urge.

# ? Sep 24, 2017 01:14

Thuryl: Mar 14, 2007; My postillion has been struck by lightning.

Wake the others. Maybe they can help us, or at least share some information.

# ? Sep 24, 2017 03:16

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

We've been abducted by aliens! Everyone, wake up before you're probed!

# ? Sep 24, 2017 07:52

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

Wake them up.

# ? Sep 24, 2017 11:44

Friend Commuter: Nov 3, 2009; SO CLEVER I WANT TO FUCK MY OWN BRAIN.; Smellrose

This looks like a sensible place to take a nap.

# ? Sep 24, 2017 15:27

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Page 16 posted:

You shake the boy. He stirs, opens an eye and then slowly gets to his feet.

"My name is Ingmar," he says. "I'm glad to see you. You're the first new Earth person in over fifty years. How were you captured?"

"I was on an airplane, and I saw this huge spaceship coming, and then, somehow, they took me aboard."

"It was the same with me," says Ingmar. "Only it happened more than three centuries ago, long before airplanes were invented on Earth. I was working on my father's farm in Sweden. There was a tremendous thunder-and-lightning storm. I ran for the barn. The next thing I knew - here I was!"

"Three hundred years! Has anyone escape in all that time?" you ask.

Ingmar puts a hand on your shoulder. "I'm afraid not. This ship is controlled by the U-TY masters. They collect specimens of the most intelligent species in the galaxy. This is the chamber of the Earth people. Other chambers contain creaters from other planets."

Go on the the next page.

Page 17 posted:

'Is there any way to see the rest of the ship?'

'Sometimes we can move about, but we can never be sure when. You may find that you can do things here with your mind that you could only do with your hands on Earth. Or, if you have the right kind of mind, and you stand by the forward wall, and you think hard enough, you may gain entrance to the chamber beyond it. But what would happen you, I cannot say. I have never been willing to take a chance.'

If you try to get to the next chamber, turn to page 30.
If you try to wake up the girl, turn to page 32.

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 03:02 on Oct 5, 2017

# ? Sep 25, 2017 03:58

Dong Quixote: Oct 3, 2015; Fun Shoe

No time for chatting, go to the next chamber

# ? Sep 25, 2017 05:18

Friend Commuter: Nov 3, 2009; SO CLEVER I WANT TO FUCK MY OWN BRAIN.; Smellrose

There's always time for chatting, let's make friends with the girl.

# ? Sep 25, 2017 07:04

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Gather more info by waking the girl.

# ? Sep 25, 2017 08:01

The_White_Crane: May 10, 2008

Wake the girl. Ingmar is useless, and we need a companion.

# ? Sep 25, 2017 09:36

Comstar: Apr 20, 2007; Are you happy now?

They came to earth for intelligence?!?! I think we're found the clue why they haven't fount Utopia yet,

Wake the girl.

# ? Sep 25, 2017 09:39

CaptainCaveman: Apr 16, 2005; Always searching for North.

Use our mind to go to the next chamber.

# ? Sep 25, 2017 10:52

Ratatozsk: Mar 6, 2007; Had we turned left instead, we may have encountered something like this...

Page 32 posted:

You touch the girl. She stirs, then sits up, rubbing her eyes. She looks at you curiously for a moment, then says, 'I'm glad you're here. I'm Kim Lee.'

'You know my language?'

Kim Lee stands up, stretches and looks intently into your eyes. 'Language is no problem here. We have hundreds of years to learn.'

'You're hundreds of years old?'

'I was collected 475 years ago, during the reign of Emperor Cheng-te. I was a princess, but here that means nothing.'

'But you look only a few years older than I do!'

Kim Lee smiles. 'The U-TY masters stopped our aging process, so I have not grown up. But I have learned more than I would in a dozen lifetimes on Earth.'

'How long have you been sleeping?'

'It was just a short nap - about twenty-five Earth days.'

'Twenty-five Earth days?'

Turn to page 117.

Page 117 posted:

You talk with Kim Lee for a long time. Somehow you feel sure that she and you will be good friends. 'Is there any chance for us to escape?' you finally ask.

Kim Lee places a hand on your shoulder. 'We are like butterflies in a net - captured by the U-TY masters. Soon, very soon, the Rakma will leave Earth for its home planet, Ra, your new home, hundreds of light-years away. We shall never see Earth again.'

'I've got to get out of here,' you cry. 'I want to meet the U-TY masters. Maybe they will listen to me.'

Kim Lee shrugs. 'I could show you how to come face to face with the U-TY. I must warn you, though - no one who has tried it has ever returned.'

If you decide to meet the U-TY face-to-face, turn to page 38.
If you decide to leave Kim Lee and explore elsewhere in the ship, turn to page 8.

Ratatozsk fucked around with this message at 08:38 on Nov 6, 2017

# ? Sep 26, 2017 05:26

Dong Quixote: Oct 3, 2015; Fun Shoe

Meet them. No kings, no masters!

# ? Sep 26, 2017 05:43

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? May 22, 2024 08:51

achtungnight: Oct 5, 2014; I get my fun here. Enjoy!

Explore first. Until we find a ray gun or something, I don't want to meet the psycho alien overlords.

# ? Sep 26, 2017 08:00

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > UFO 54-40: CYOAbduction

«‹›7 »