C.I.N.D.-E 1.4: The Story

The story for C.I.N.D.-E 1.4 was developed over a ten month period. After I wrote a few page introduction, the scripting duties were handed over to Dr. C.J. Bode, a writer and scientist who lives by the ocean in San Clemente, CA. There is no formal game design for C.I.N.D.-E 1.4 other than the screenplay.

While you play the part of the pilot, the real protagonist of the story is Cind-E 1.4, the AI co-pilot for your ship. Cind-E is the fifth generation (after Cind-Es 1.0 through 1.3) of an AI system that is designed to bond to and learn from the pilot with whom she is working. At the beginning of the story, Cind-E is a trained killer, using the sensor and weapons of the Rover to destroy enemies as fast as possible.

As you explore the Caverns of Nebulon, you will come across the remains of three previous missions sent to infiltrate Nebulon without your knowledge. Each ship was destroyed in the attempt. But each pilot, like you, had a special chip embedded in their skulls that allow them to bond with their Cind-E units. These chips also allow the pilots thoughts and feelings to be recorded. With each discovery of a destroyed ship, Cind-E 1.4 is able to recover the thoughts and feelings of both the pilots and the Cind-E units. Therefore she experiences death - and love - first hand.

With each recovery, her sympathy with and for human life grows stronger. She becomes more human and begins to experience fear, love, and hate. It is your task to help her integrate these experiences and become a better co-pilot in order to successfully complete the mission.

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