DEPTHS OF SANITY
OPENING CUTSCENE CONTEXT:
Depths of Sanity opens with a 5-minute playable sequence/tutorial, immediately throwing the players into the deep end to experience where things will go by the finale. At the end of the sequence, Abe is attacked, at which point he is told to “Wake Up”, and we discover that he’s no longer in the ocean, but in a psychiatrist’s office. You can see this sequence fully during this guy’s playthrough.
One important note: Depths of Sanity did not have voice acting, so every time you see an (X) in the script, it meant the player had to hit the X button to progress to the next line of dialogue.
Int. Dr. Mariah Thurston’s Office – Day
We fade in on Dr. Mariah Thurston's office. She sits in the chair opposite Abe, who currently looks like a medical patient. His white beard is scraggly. There are pictures in the background. Degrees. An oak desk.
Abe comes to.
MARIAH
Bad dream?
Abe stares at her. Looks around the room.
ABE
...How...?
(X)
Where am I?
MARIAH
The G.O.A.A. basecamp.
ABE
...G.O.A.A.?
(X)
But how did I...
MARIAH
You've had a long week, Abe. And you probably don't remember most of it.
(X)
I'm doctor Mariah Thurston. I'm a psychologist for the organization.
ABE
Never heard of you.
MARIAH
Well, technically you're my first assignment. I only arrived 4 days ago, and then they plopped you in my lap.
(X)
This isn't the first time I've tried to speak to you. You've been in and out all week. I asked them to halve your sedative dose.
ABE
What happened?
She hands him a stack of papers.
MARIAH
They picked up your vessel about a week ago, about 400 klicks south of the Cayman Islands. Nearly 1,000 miles from where basecamp last talked to you.
(X)
Do you remember why you were out there?
ABE
It's...bits and pieces.
(X)
How did you find me?
MARIAH
Luck. An ocean liner passed by and saw your ship floating on top of the water.
(X)
They thought you were dead. No communication in over a week. It's a miracle someone spotted you.
(X)
Do you remember how you got there?
ABE
...A little.
(X)
We'd sent a ship –The Baroness – to investigate a signal. An ultra-low frequency sound in the ocean. Biggest ever recorded. Bases across the world picked it up.
(X)
I think they were calling it “The Bloop”? Dumb name if you ask me.
(X)
Two weeks in and we lost contact with the ship and the crew. A week passed. And then we got a distress call that came in scrambled. Couldn't make anything out.
MARIAH
And?
ABE
We went looking for them. Or at least I did.
(X)
...Why am I here? Why am I not in a medical bay?
MARIAH
...
(X)
To be frank Abe, a lot has happened.
(X)
They still haven't recovered the crew from the first ship. And you turning up where you did...
(X)
They want to hear your side of the story. And clear you. Physically and mentally.
(X)
You've been rambling in your sleep. Things that don't make sense. That's why they brought you to me.
(X)
What do you remember?
ABE
It's all...
(X)
It's all jumbled up.
MARIAH
Start at the beginning. Wherever you can. I'll call some lunch in for you. Nice break from the intravenous stuff they've been giving you all week.
ABE
Appreciate it.
(X)
Uh...well, my job was to look for the crew. Determine if there were any survivors. And bring them back.
MARIAH
And what happened while you were out there?