script.js

"use strict"
// display() is a function declared within <script> inside index.html
// display() is used here to display a welcomeMessage at the start of the game
var welcomeMessage = "----------The Matrix-----------\n" +
    "|\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 \
                          \xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0|\n" +
    "|\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 \
                          \xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0|\n" +
    "|\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 \
                          \xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0|\n" +
    "|\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 \
                          \xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0|\n" +
    "|\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0login:\xa0[your name]\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0|\n" +
    "-----------------------------------";

display(welcomeMessage);

// game is an object to store data for the game throughout the game
// to access the data inside game --> e.g. game.stage
var game = {
    prevOutput: null, // to store the current output which may be needed subsequently
    stage: -1, // -1 refers to a "stage" before stage 0
    started: false // before the game starts, we want to do some stuff to set up the game, like storing the player name
};
// console.log("Welcome Screen");
// console.log("initial game.stage: ", game.stage);
// console.log("----------------------------------");

// player is an object to store data for the player throughout the game
// to access the data inside player --> e.g. player.name
var player = {
    name: null
};

// stages is an array of objects
// each object inside the array is used to store data for each stage
// to access each stage object within the array --> e.g. stages[0], stage[1] etc...
// to access data inside each stage object --> e.g. stages[0].messages, stages[0].paths etc...
// stages.messages is an object that stores messages that will be displayed to the player
// each key (intro, questions etc) is paired with an array of strings
// each array can be considered as a paragraph, while the strings inside the array can be considered as words and sentences
// placeholder words such as playerName will be replaced later with values entered by the player
// stages.response is.a string that stores the input from the player
// stages.paths is an object that stores data about the next stage that the player will go to , given a particular stages.response
// the key in the paths object corresponds to stages.response
// the value in the paths objects corresponds to the index of the item inside the stages array, e.g. 0 in stages[0]
var stages = [{ //stage 0 - Wake Up
        messages: {
            intro: ["---", "playerName", "\'S ", "APARTMENT---\n\n", "Wake up, ", "playerName", "...\n\n\n\n"],
            questions: [],
            choices: [],
            hints: ["<Enter c to [c]ontinue>\n"],
        },
        paths: { c: 1 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 1 - Follow The White Rabbit
        messages: {
            intro: ["The Matrix has you...\n\n\n\nFollow the white rabbit.\n\n"],
            questions: [],
            choices: [],
            hints: ["[f]ollow\n"],
        },
        paths: { f: 2 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 2 - Rabbit Hole
        messages: {
            intro: ["---HOTEL LAFAYETTE---\n",
                "Welcome ", "playerName", ".\n\n",
                "As you no doubt have guessed, I am MORPHEUS.\n\n",
                "This is your last chance. After this, there is no going back.\n\n",
                "You take the *blue* pill and the story ends.\n",
                "You wake in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe.\n\n",
                "You take the *red* pill and you stay in Wonderland\n",
                "and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.\n\n"
            ],
            questions: ["Which pill would you take?\n\n"],
            choices: ["[b]lue   |   [r]ed\n"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { b: 3, r: 4 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 3 - Blue - DESTINATION 01
        messages: {
            intro: ["\n\n\nWelcome back to the Matrix.\n\n\n",
                "< TRY AGAIN? >\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[r]estart"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { r: 0 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 4 - Red
        messages: {
            intro: ["MORPHEUS:\n",
                "Have you ever had a dream, ", "playerName", ", that you were so sure was real?\n\n",
                "What if you were unable to wake from that dream?\n\n",
                "How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?\n\n",
                "You've been living in a dream world, ", "playerName", ".\n\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: [],
            hints: ["[c]ontinue"],
        },
        paths: { c: 5 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 5 - Combat
        messages: {
            intro: ["---MAIN DECK---\n\n",
                "You're plugged in, hanging in one of the suspension chairs.\n\n\n",
                "TANK:\n",
                "\We're supposed to load all these operations programs first,\n",
                "but this is some major boring shit.\n",
                "Why don't we start something a little fun?\n",
                "How about some combat training?\n\n",
                "A tall carousel is loaded with micro discs.\n\n"
            ],
            questions: ["Choose a disc:\n\n"],
            choices: ["[K]enpo   |   [T]ae Kwan Do   |   [D]runken boxing"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { k: 6, t: 7, d: 8 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 6 - Kenpo
        messages: {
            intro: ["playerName", ":\n", "I know Kenpo.\n\n\n\n"],
            questions: ["Load more combat training?\n\n"],
            choices: ["[y]es   |   [n]o"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { y: 5, n: 9 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 7 - Tae Kwan Do
        messages: {
            intro: ["playerName", ":\n", "I know Tae Kwan Do.\n\n\n\n"],
            questions: ["Load more combat training?\n\n"],
            choices: ["[y]es   |   [n]o"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { y: 5, n: 9 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 8 -Drunken Boxing
        messages: {
            intro: ["playerName", ":\n", "I know Drunken Boxing.\n\n\n\n"],
            questions: ["Load more combat training?\n\n"],
            choices: ["[y]es   |   [n]o"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { y: 5, n: 9 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 9 - Nebuchadnezzar
        messages: {
            intro: ["---NEBUCHADNEZZAR---\n\n",
                "MORPHEUS:\n",
                "How's he doing?\n\n",
                "TANK:\n",
                "We just finished the operation programs and he's showing great retention.\n\n",
                "MORPHEUS:\n",
                "Good. I want everyone alerted to 12-hour stand-by. We're going in.\n",
                "playerName", ", it's time for you to know why you're here.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "What's he talking about?\n\n",
                "TANK:\n",
                "He's taking you into the Matrix to see someone.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "See who?\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: [],
            hints: ["[h]int\n\n"],
        },
        paths: { "the oracle": 10, h: 16 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 10- The Oracle
        messages: {
            intro: ["---ORACLE'S CHAMBER---\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "You know why MORPHEUS brought you to see me?\n\n\n\n\n",
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["I [t]hink so   |   I [d]on't know"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { t: 12, d: 13 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 11 - The Architect
        messages: {
            intro: ["---TV SCREENS---\n", "THE ARCHITECT:\n",
                "I am the Architect.\n",
                "I created the Matrix.\n",
                "I've been waiting for you.\n\n",
                "You have many questions, and though the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human.\n\n",
                "Ergo some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not.\n\n",
                "Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also the most irrelevant.\n\n",
            ],
            questions: ["What's your first question?\n\n"],
            choices: [],
            hints: ["[h]int"],
        },
        paths: { "why am i here?": 18, h: 17 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 12 - Are You The One
        messages: {
            intro: ["THE ORACLE:\n",
                "So? What do you think?  You think you're THE ONE?\n\n\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[y]es   |   [n]o"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { y: 14, n: 15 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 13 - I'm Not The One - DESTINATION 02
        messages: {
            intro: ["playerName", ":\n",
                "I'm not THE ONE.\n\n\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "Sorry kiddo. You got the gift, but it looks like you're waiting for something.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "What?\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "Your next life maybe, who knows? That's the way these things go.\n\n",
                "< TRY AGAIN? >\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[r]estart"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { r: 0 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 14 - I'm The One
        messages: {
            intro: ["THE ORACLE:\n",
                "We can never see past the choices we don't understand.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "Are you saying I have to choose whether TRINITY lives or dies?\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "No. You've already made the choice, now you have to understand it.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "No, I can't do that. I won't.\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "You have to.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "Why?\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "Because you're THE ONE.\n\n\n",
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[c]ontinue"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { c: 11 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 15 - I'm Not The One - DESTINATION 03
        messages: {
            intro: ["The Oracle gestures to a wooden plaque,\n",
                "the kind every grandma has,\n",
                "except that the words are in Latin.\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "You know what that means?\n",
                "It's Latin. Means 'Know thyself'.\n",
                "I'm going to let you in on a little secret.\n",
                "Being THE ONE is just like being in love.\n",
                "No one can tell you you're in love, *you just know it.*\n\n\n",
                "< TRY AGAIN? >\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[r]estart"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { r: 0 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 16 - Hint - The Oracle
        messages: {
            intro: ["MORPHEUS:\n",
                "When the Matrix was first built there was a man born inside that had the ability to change what he wanted, to remake the Matrix as he saw fit.  It was this man that freed the first of us and taught us the secret of the war; control the Matrix and you control the future.\n\n",
                "When he died, *The Oracle* at the temple of *Zion* prophesied his return and envisioned an end to the war and freedom for our people.  That is why there are those of us that have spent our entire lives searching the Matrix, looking for him.\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[r]eturn"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { r: 9 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 17 - Hint - THe Architect
        messages: {
            intro: ["\n\n\nThe question of \"Why am I here?\" is pertinent for you to understand exactly why you have gone to so much trouble to get there.\n\n\n"],
            questions: [],
            choices: [],
            hints: ["[r]eturn"],
        },
        paths: { r: 11 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 18 - Why Am I Here
        messages: {
            intro: ["THE ARCHITECT:\n",
                "Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent to the programming of the Matrix.\n\n",
                "You are the eventuality of an anomaly, which, despite my sincerest efforts, I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision.\n\n",
                "While it remains a burden assiduously avoided, it is not unexpected, and thus not beyond a measure of control. Which has led you, inexorably... here.\n\n",
            ],
            questions: ["Has The Architect answered your question?\n\n"],
            choices: ["[y]es   |   [n]o"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { y: 19, n: 20 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 19 - The Perfect Matrix
        messages: {
            intro: ["THE ARCHITECT:\n",
                "The Matrix is older than you know. I prefer counting from the emergence of one integral anomaly to the emergence of the next, in which case this is the sixth version.\n\n",
                "The first Matrix I designed was quite naturally perfect, it was a work of art - flawless, sublime. A triumph equalled only by its monumental failure. The inevitability of its doom is apparent to me now as a consequence of the imperfection inherent in every human being.\n\n",
                "I have since come to understand that the answer eluded me because it required a lesser mind, or perhaps a mind less bound by the parameters of perfection. Thus the answer was stumbled upon by another - an intuitive program, initially created to investigate certain aspects of the human psyche. *If I am the father of the Matrix, she would undoubtedly be its mother.*\n\n\n",
                "You are here because Zion is about to be destroyed - its every living inhabitant terminated, its entire existence eradicated.\n\n",
                "The function of THE ONE is now to return to THE SOURCE, allowing a temporary dissemination of the code you carry, reinserting the prime program.\n\n",
                "Which brings us at last to the moment of truth, wherein the fundamental flaw is ultimately expressed, and the anomaly revealed as both beginning and end. There are *two doors*. The door to your *right* leads to THE SOURCE, and the salvation of Zion. The door to your *left* leads back to the Matrix, to *her* and to the end of your species. As you adequately put, the problem is choice.\n\n"
            ],
            questions: ["Which door would you choose?\n\n"],
            choices: ["[l]eft   |   [r]ight\n\n"],
            hints: ["<bonus: *If I am the father of the Matrix, she would undoubtedly be its mother.*>\n\n",
                "Who is she?\n\n"
            ],
        },
        paths: { l: 21, r: 22, "the oracle": 23 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 20 - Learn More About The Architect - DESTINATION 04
        messages: {
            intro: ["\n\nLearn more about what The Architect has said at\n",
                "www.matrixresolutions.com\n\n\n",
                "< TRY AGAIN? >\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[r]estart"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { r: 0 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 21 - Trinity - DESTINATION 05
        messages: {
            intro: ["---THE MATRIX---\n\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "TRINITY. I know you can hear me. I'm never letting go. I can't. I just love you too damn much.\n\n\n\n",
                "< TRY AGAIN? >\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[r]estart"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { r: 0 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 22 - The Source - DESTINATION 06
        messages: {
            intro: ["---THE SOURCE---\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "I only ask to say what I’ve come to say, after that, do what you want and I won’t try to stop you.\n\n",
                "DEUS EX MACHINA:\n",
                "Speak.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "The program 'Smith' has grown beyond your control. Soon he will spread through this city as he spread through the Matrix. You cannot stop him, but I can.\n\n",
                "DEUS EX MACHINA:\n",
                "We don’t need you. We need nothing.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "If that’s true, then I’ve made a mistake and you should kill me now.\n\n",
                "DEUS EX MACHINA:\n",
                "What do you want?\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "Peace.\n\n\n\n\n",
                "<THE END>\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["re[p]lay   |   [c]redits"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { p: 0, c: 24 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 23 - The Oracle Again - BONUS - DESTINATION 07
        messages: {
            intro: ["THE ORACLE:\n",
                "So. Let's get the obvious stuff out of the way.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "You're not human, are you?\n\n",
                "THE ORACLEO:\n",
                "Well it's tough to get any more obvious than that.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "If I had to guess, I'd say you're a program from the machine world. So is he.\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "So far, so good.\n\n",
                "We're all here to do what we're all here to do. I'm interested in one thing, ", "playerName", ",the future.\n",
                "And believe me, I know - the only way to get there is together.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "Are there other programs like you?\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "Oh, well, not like me. But... Look, see those birds? At some point a program was written to govern them. A program was written to watch over the trees, and the wind, the sunrise, and sunset. There are programs running all over the place. The ones doing their job, doing what they were meant to do, are invisible. You'd never even know they were here. But the other ones, well, we hear about them all the time.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "I've never heard of them.\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "Of course you have. Every time you've heard someone say they saw a ghost, or an angel. Every story you've ever heard about vampires, werewolves, or aliens is the system assimilating some program that's doing something they're not supposed to be doing.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "Programs hacking programs. Why?\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "They have their reasons, but usually a program chooses exile when it faces deletion.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "And why would a program be deleted?\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "Maybe it breaks down. Maybe a better program is created to replace it - happens all the time, and when it does, a program can either choose to hide here, or return to THE SOURCE.\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "The machine mainframe?\n\n",
                "THE ORACLE:\n",
                "Yes. Where you *must go*. Where the path of THE ONE ends. You've seen it, in your dreams, haven't you? The door made of light?\n\n",
                "playerName", ":\n",
                "[nods]\n\n\n\n\n",
                "<THE END>\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[g]o to THE SOURCE"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: { g: 22 },
        response: null,
    },
    { //stage 24 - Credits
        messages: {
            intro: ["Movie info:\n",
                "www.imsdb.com\n",
                "www.matrixresolutions.com\n",
                "www.matrixfans.net\n\n\n"
            ],
            questions: [],
            choices: ["[r]eplay   |   [b]ack to previous"],
            hints: [],
        },
        paths: {r: 0, b: 22},
        response: null,
    },

]

// function to replace placeholder words in an array of strings
// e.g. to replace "playerName" in stages[0].messages.intro[1] with player.name (input from player)
var updatePlayerName = function(messages, playerName) {
    for (var i = 0; i < messages.length; i++) {
        if (messages[i] === "playerName") {
            messages[i] = playerName.toUpperCase();
        }
    }
    return messages;
};

// function to retrieve each item in an array of strings (words and sentences) and concatenate them into a string (paragraph)
var getMsg = function(messages, playerName) {
    var output = "";

    messages = updatePlayerName(messages, playerName);

    for (var i = 0; i < messages.length; i++) {
        output += messages[i];
    }
    return output;
};

// function to retrieve each array of strings (words and sentences)from stages[i].messages object
// and pass each of them to getMsg() which will return concatenated strings (paragraphs)
// these returned concatenated strings will be concatenated to form a single string to be displayed to the player
var getAllMsg = function(messagesObj, playerName) {
    var messages = Object.values(messagesObj); //creates an array of values [ ["Wake up...", ], ["What" ] ]

    var output = "";

    for (var i = 0; i < messages.length; i++) {
        output += getMsg(messages[i], playerName);
    }

    return output;
};

// function to retrieve the next stage number , given a particular response
var getNextStage = function(response, paths) {
    return paths[response];
};

// main function that is called when a change event is triggered
var inputHappened = function(input) {
    // console.log("game.stage shown on screen a second ago: ", game.stage);
    // console.log("input:", input);
    // console.log("player object ", player);
    // console.log("stages object ", stages);
    // console.log("game object ", game);
    var output = "";
    // console.log("game.started: ", game.started);

    var currStage = {}; // object to store the current stage object from stages[i]
    var nextStage = {}; // object to store the next stage object from stages[i]
    var next = null; // number for retrieving the next stage object from the stages array, stages[next]


    if (!game.started) {
        // when the game has not started, i.e. when the screen is showing the welcomeMessage and asking for player name
        // do the following to set up the game:
        player.name = input; // player input will be stored as player.name
        game.started = true; // end of setup, game.started is now true and the stuff inside this if statement won't be run again
        // console.log("changed game.started to: ", game.started);

        // after the welcomeMessage, we want to show the stuff for the first stage,
        // i.e. data stored inside the stages[0].messages
        next = 0;
        nextStage = stages[next];
        // nextStage object now holds the stage object that the player will next go to
        // after the game has started, the nextStage object definitely has to be stages[0]

        // update the game.stage
        // game.stage will be used as an index to retrieve stage objects from the stages array,
        // and be assigned to currStage, so that we can then use the data stored inside currStage
        // e.g. when game.stage is updated to 100, stages[100] will be retrieved and assigned to currStage
        game.stage = next;

        // call getAllMsg to return a single string, which will then be assigned to output
        // output will be returned at the end of the inputHappened() function,
        // which will then be assigned to var output in <script> in index.html,
        // which will then be used by the display() function in <script> in index.html
        output = getAllMsg(nextStage.messages, player.name);

        // console.log("game.stage showing on screen now: ", game.stage);
        // console.log("currStage shown on screen a second ago): ", currStage);
        // console.log("nextStage showing on screen now)", nextStage);
    } else {
        // using game.stage as an index, which will be updated,
        // retrieve the stage object in the stages array --> stages[game.stage]
        // then assign this to the currStage object,
        // currStage can then be used to do useful stuff,
        // like retrieving the response and paths ---> currStage.response , currStage.paths
        // if we don't use the currStage object, then every time we have to use the equivalent stages[game.stage]
        // which is harder to read and longer to type
        currStage = stages[game.stage];

        // store the player input into currStage.response,
        // currStage.response will be used to determine the next stage that the player will go to
        currStage.response = input;

        // currStage.paths is an object containing info about what's the next stage the player will go to,
        // given a particular currStage.response,
        // e.g. if currStage.paths = {F: 1, D: 3},
        // then a currStage.response of "F" will allow the player to proceed to stage 1
        // getNextStage() function returns a number which is a value in the currStage.path object
        //.e.g. currStage.paths["F"] returns 1, currStage.paths["D"] returns 3
        // in other words, currStage.response is used a key to retrieve the value stored in the currStage.paths object
        // the condition in the if statement checks if a response exists in the currStage.paths,
        // i.e. whether a particular key exists in all the keys of the currStage.paths object,
        // if the condition is true, i.e. the key exists, e.g. "F" is found in {F: 1, D: 3},
        // then proceed to retrieve the data to be displayed to the player
        if (currStage.response.toLowerCase() in currStage.paths) {
            // the lines below follow the same pattern as above
            // except that instead of assigning next to be 0,
            // we want to assign next according to the player's response,
            // this is done by calling the getNextStage() function
            // toLowerCase() function is called so that uppercase input from the player is also acceptable
            next = getNextStage(currStage.response.toLowerCase(), currStage.paths);
            nextStage = stages[next];
            // nextStage now holds the data for the next stage that the player will go to

            game.stage = next;
            // as mentioned earlier, game.stage is now updated,
            // so that when this else statement runs again for the subsequent stages,
            // the correct stage object can be retrieved, via stages[game.stage]

            // call getAllMsg() function, just as it was done in the if statement
            output = getAllMsg(nextStage.messages, player.name);

            // console.log("game.stage showing on screen now: ", game.stage);
            // console.log("currStage shown on screen a second ago: ", currStage);
            // console.log("nextStage showing on screen now)", nextStage);
        } else {
            output = game.prevOutput; // do nothing if the player enters anything not found in stages[i].messages.choices
        }

    }

    game.prevOutput = output; // store the current output in game.prevOut for later use
    // console.log("----------------------------------");
    return output;
};