How to play guide for Not For Broadcast

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This page serves as a basic **how to play guide for *Not For Broadcast***. Feel free to edit this guide with any tips, tricks, and suggestions.

## Basic Gameplay

### Broadcast Days

The player controls how the news is broadcasted. They have to decide which camera to use and what to show on screen. There are many things to pay attention to and many mechanics to function.

At the beginning of the day the player has to flip every switch on and choose three adverts. Some adverts matter to the story and some don't have any effect on the overall outcome. After these are done, they have to choose the adequate screen to broadcast and wait till the news start.

There are three segments each day with different layouts and challenges. It's the player's task to provide an enjoyable news broadcast and raise the viewers till the end of the program. If the player fails to do so and they lose a significant amount of viewing, it's game over. However, that is very difficult to do and it requires a ton of mistakes and inattention.

Viewer ratings are increased by:

* Interesting editing
* Getting reaction shots and people talking right
* Censoring properly
* Avoiding interference

Viewer ratings are decreased by:

* Choosing a wrong screen
* Lingering on shots
* Frantic switching
* Not censoring or using the censor when there's no need for it
* Putting on an advert too early or too late
* Getting interference

After each segment, the game gives a grade and an opportunity to replay that segment. While an ad is playing, the player usually doesn't have to do anything, unless they decide to change the upcoming adverts. Sometimes they get a phone call with some additional information about next segments or circumstances. After the signal comes back, the player can choose the appropriate screen and resume playing normally.

At the end of each broadcast day, the player goes into the archives where there's an opportunity to check the broadcast, the rushes and the adverts out and watch them. This is optional and only 'obligatory' on the first day (it's in quotes because the player doesn't have to watch the entirety, they can quit after putting in the tape instantly).

### Non-Broadcast Days

Alex Winston has a life outside the Broadcast Room which has some dilemmas that need to be solved by the player. Referred to in-game as 'Incidents', these are presented through interactive text overlaid on a three-dimensional background that relates to the scenes being described. In Incidents, the player gets to interact with Alex Winston's family, their employer Channel One, and various other groups. Choosing certain options matter and can affect relationships with characters, as well as having an impact on future Incidents and Broadcasts.

## Controls

While controls can be manually re-configured in the settings, the default controls are as follows:

1. The four main screens can be switched by clicking with the mouse or pressing buttons '1/2/3/4' on the keyboard.
2. Censoring a swearword is done by pressing the red 'Censor' button or pushing 'space' on the keyboard.
3. Handling interference can be done by moving the knob or scrolling with the mouse wheel.
4. Choosing a headline is done by clicking either button 'A' or 'B' under the four screens. These are done at the first segment on the second and third day (so far in the early access).
5. Looking around can be done by 'WASD' or the arrow keys on the keyboard. Moving the cursor will not cause the character to look a certain direction.
6. Putting in adverts is done by clicking an advert tape and dragging it to the VHS player. The order of adverts is determined by the location of the players. Tapes can be ejected by pressing the eject button on the player. The ads can be played in any order by pressing the play buttons on the right side.

## Tips And Tricks

1. It's highly recommended to use the keyboard controls for some prompts instead of the mouse. These all make the game less tedious and result in having a faster reaction to everything.
2. If you're caught up with a mistake you made, don't start switching cameras frantically as that will rapidly decrease viewership. If you really need to restart the segment, either replay it once the segment finishes, or quit the broadcast and reload the segment in the Main Menu.
3. Don't glue your eyes to the screens as there are always other things to focus on, like the audio, the clock, and interference. Stay aware of those things and actively listen to what people say in the broadcast. Jeremy and Megan always announce an advert break so if you just pay attention to the audio, you'll catch it.

## See Also

* Update History
* System requirements