recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Newspaper

The **Newspaper** is a Junk item. It can be purchased from Black's Market for $1 (fixed price).

Buying a Newspaper from Black's Market requires at least 1 Hour remaining on the clock. It advances time by 1 Hour on purchase.

A free Newspaper is also automatically received at the start of the turn, if a serious Economic event occured this Turn. This does not cost time to read.

Similarly, a Newspaper is provided if the player's Apartment, or the player themselves, are robbed by Wild Willy.

## Effect

When a **Newspaper** is purchased (or received at the start of a turn), the game displays the front page of the Daily News newspaper on the screen.

The headline of the Newspaper is selected at random at the start of the turn. However, if a major Economic event happens this turn, or if the player is robbed by Wild Willy during the turn, the headline will change to report that instead.

Unless the player is robbed by Wild Willy, the headline remains the same until the end of the Turn. Purchasing multiple Newspapers in the same turn simply repeats the same headline over and over.

## List of Headlines

### Specific Events

These headlines describe an event that occurred this turn. They supersede the Random Headlines (see next subsection).

 *WILD WILLY HAS LIFTED ANOTHER WALLET* | If the player has been robbed by Wild Willy outside the Bank or Black's Market.
Donation

A **Donation** is a random event that can occur at the start of a player's Turn under certain conditions, providing the player with some money from a relative who takes pity on their poor financial situation.

A Donation event will occur if the player has no Clothes, limited Cash, and very low Net Worth.

The amount of money received is enough to purchase a Uniform suitable for the player's current Job (if any), plus a small random amount of extra cash.

## Triggering the Event

The conditions required to trigger a **Donation** event are different depending on the version of the game.

Donations may occur repeatedly each time these conditions are met.

### CD-ROM version

In the **CD-ROM version**, a Donation will be triggered once all of the following conditions are *true*:

* The player has not owned any Clothes for two consecutive Turns.
* The player has less than $300 in Cash.
* The player's Net Worth is less than $300.

### Floppy Disk version

In the **Floppy Disk version**, a Donation will be triggered once all of the following conditions are *true*:

* The player has not owned any Clothes for two consecutive Turns.
* The player has exactly $0 in Cash.
* The total value of all Durables owned by the player, not including any Pawned items, is less than $200.

## Effects

Once a **Donation** is triggered, the game determines how much money was donated by their relative, and then adds this money to the player's Cash.

First, the game calculates how much money a player would need to purchase a new set of Clothes appropriate for their current Job. This takes the current Economy into account, so the final value is exactly equal to the amount needed to purchase the clothes at QT Clothing this Turn.

If the player does not currently have a Job, the money received for new Clothes is set to exactly $50 - typically (but not always!) enough to purchase a set of used Casual Clothes at Z-Mart.

To this, the game adds a random amount of money between $1 and $100.

The total price is displayed in a notice on the screen. It is then immediately added to the player's Cash total.

Once a donation is received, the game resets the number of Turns the player has been "naked". This means that it will take at least two turns before the player can receive another Donation.

## Net Worth

The **CD-ROM version** of the game requires a player to have less than $300 in Net Worth in order to qualify for a **Donation**. The player's current Net Worth is displayed in their Statistic Screen, though it is not used anywhere else in the game except for Donations.

Net Worth is calculated by adding together the player's Liquid Assets and the value of all Durables they currently own - including any Pawned Durables.

The value of each type of Durable is calculated by the price the player paid for the last instance of that Durable they had purchased. For example, if the player purchases a Color TV for $400, and then later purchased *another* Color TV for $500, the total value of these items is 2 \* $500 = **$1,000** (instead of the actual $900 paid for them).
Wild Willy

**Wild Willy** is a criminal who appears from time to time to rob players on the street for their Cash, or their Apartments for their Durable Items.

Street Robbery can only happen on or after Week #4, only as the player is leaving the Bank or Black's Market, and only if the player is carrying any Cash. There is a higher likelyhood of robbery outside the Bank.

Apartment Robbery can only happen at the Low-Cost Housing, and only if the player owns any Durables. The chance to trigger an Apartment Robbery each turn is inversely proportional to the player's Relaxation Stat.

## Street Robbery

Each time a player leaves the Bank or Black's Market, the game checks the following conditions:

1. Is it Week #4 or later? (only enforced in the **CD-ROM version**)
2. Is the player carrying any Cash?

If both conditions are true, the game rolls a random number to see whether the player will be robbed by **Wild Willy**. The chance to be robbed depends on the player's location:

* **Bank:** 1/31 chance (~3.2%)
* **Black's Market:** 1/51 chance (~1.95%)

If the random roll succeeds, the game plays the animation of Wild Willy approaching the player's marble and pulling out a gun. He then flees off-screen. The game then displays the Newspaper with a headline announcing the robbery.

A Street Robbery leaves the player with exactly $0 in Cash. The player also loses **-3 Happiness**.

There does not seem to be anything in the code preventing multiple Street Robberies from occurring in a single Turn to the same player.

## Apartment Robbery

At the start of a player's Turn, if that player lives at the Low-Cost Housing and owns any number of Durables, there is a chance for their apartment to be robbed by **Wild Willy**.

The chance of this event occurring at all depends on the player's Relaxation Stat:

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Relaxation ranges from 10 to 50, so the maximum chance is 1/(10+1) (~9% per Turn), and the minimum chance is 1/(50+1) (~1.95% per Turn).

Once the Robbery has been triggered, the game checks each item type among the player's Durables to see whether it was stolen. Each type of Durable has a 25% chance (1/4) to be stolen. Multiple types of Durables may be stolen simultaneously.

Note that this process rolls only once for all items of the same type. For example, if the player owns 3 Stereos, the game only rolls once for all Stereos; There is a 25% chance that all three Stereos will be stolen, and 75% chance that none will be stolen.

If at least one type of item has been stolen, the game displays a Newspaper with a headline announcing the robbery, and the player loses **-4 Happiness** (regardless of how many items have been stolen).

If all item types have avoided being stolen, the game simply continues as though no robbery happened.

### Exceptions

The following Durables can never be stolen by Wild Willy:

* Refrigerator
* Freezer
* Stove
* Computer
* Encyclopedia
* Dictionary
* Atlas
Manager (Black's Market)

**Manager** is the top Job at Black's Market.

To become a Black's Market Manager, the player needs 50 Experience and 50 Dependibility. Additionally, they require a Business Administration Degree.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Business Uniform.

The Base Wage for this job is **$18** ($144 per 6 Hours of Work).

This is the best Job at Black's Market, and one of the best jobs that does not require any Degrees from the Trade School branch. It is practically identical to the Executive Secretary job at the Factory, although there are advantages and disadvantages to working at either location. After working for a Week or two as a Black's Market manager, you might want to try switching to Bank Manager for a base $1 more and some extra Experience.

As with any Job at Black's Market, owning a Refrigerator allows the player to purchase food at their Workplace and save time on running to Monolith Burgers every Turn. On the other hand, there is a small risk of being robbed by Wild Willy each time the player leaves their Workplace. To avoid this happening, consider working until your turn is over.
Ai Akamatsu

**Ai Akamatsu** (赤松愛, *Akamatsu* *Ai*, February 14, 1951; Ashiya, Hyōgo {age 69} - ) is a Japanese musican and keyboardist for the Japanese rock band group, the Ox until 1969. His real name is **Yoshinobu Akamatsu** (赤松義信, *Akamatsu Yoshinobu*) and his nickname was **Ai-chan** (アイちゃん).

## Career

Born in Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture in 1951, His father is the president of the company and is the youngest of three siblings. Akamatsu learned the to play a piano from an early age, and when he was in the second year of junior high school, he said, "I want to play jazz," and his mother opposed "that kind of music is bad." However, in the end, he joined Hatari's and became a semi-professional at the dance hall "Fuji" in Osaka at that time. After that, he was invited to join Ox.

The looks of the red brown hair's bob head were lovely, and it became very popular as an idol. However, he disappeared on May 5, 1969 and leave the group. Yoko Ono and Toshimitsu Imai, an old painter, traveled to England on June 23 to "become a disciple of John Lennon" as guardian. While staying in London, he lived a life of hanging out at Apple's office, but during that time he returned to Japan temporarily and played the role of Aoyama with Shoji Ishibashi and others in the stage play "Ashita no Joe" sponsored by the new national drama from June 3 to 26, 1970. After that, Akamatsu retired from the entertainment world. His father returned to Japan on September 28, 1978 due to a sudden illness. Currently, he takes over the family business and runs an ironworks in Osaka.

After retiring, Akamatsu injured his finger due to the circumstances at the time of withdrawal and an accident during press work in the family business (there was a story that he lost his finger, but as far as the video after that, his finger is normal). He will not appear at all on sporadic reunions on old-fashioned programs (Akamatsu's vocal song is Hideto Maki, organ is represented by an external support member) and GS events, but on May 4, 1989 In addition to interviewing his wife on Fuji TV's idol special feature on the day, he appeared on TBS's GS special feature on October 4, 2003, delighting fans with the same appearance as at that time.
Stereo

A **Stereo** is a type of Appliance.

A new Stereo can be purchased at Socket City for a Base Price of **$412**.

Alternatively, a used Stereo can be purchased at Z-Mart for a Base Price of $450. This is the only item that is more expensive at Z-Mart than anywhere else. Despite the higher price, a used Stereo has a higher chance of breaking down each Turn and require Repairs.

If the player does not own a Stereo, purchasing one at Socket City gives them **+2 Happiness**, whereas purchasing one from Z-Mart gives only **+1 Happiness**. Subsequent purchases do not provide Happiness.

The Stereo has no effect once purchased.

Stereos can be stolen by Wild Willy from the player's Low-Cost Housing. They have the same chance of being stolen (25%) as any other stealable Appliance.
Murong Hu

## Description

**Murong Hu** is a member of Murong Family.

He belongs to the main branch of the Murong Family. He broke through to the Dao Emperor Realm 600 years ago, while cultivating the core cultivation technique of the Murong Family, the '**Soul Encompassing Lotus'**.

He wields a greatsword and although he has powerful physical strength that surpasses average early rank 3 Dao Emperors, his speed is his greatest weakness.
Lottery

The *Lottery* is weekly, government-operated gambling. Players may purchase Lottery Tickets for a chance to win one of three Cash prizes.

Tickets are purchased from Black's Market in batches of 10, for a total of $10. At the start of the player's next Turn, the game generates a random number to see whether that player has won any money. The more tickets the player has, the more likely they are to win the Lottery, and the more likely they are to win a larger prize.

After running the Lottery, all Lottery Tickets in the player's inventory are removed.

## Chance to Win

At the start of a player's Turn, the game checks to see whether the player owns *any* Lottery Tickets. If so, it will run the **Lottery** immediately.

The game rolls a number between 0 and 500 at random. If the result is *smaller than* the number of Lottery Tickets in the player's inventory, that player has won the Lottery.

This represents a chance of 1/501 *per Ticket*. The player would need 501 tickets to guarantee a win. Since each Ticket costs $1, and tickets can only be bought in batches of 10, the minimum investment to guarantee a win would be $510.

## Prizes

Once a player has won the Lottery, there are three possible prizes they could win: **$200**, **$500**, or **$5000**.

To determine which prize has been won, the game once again compares the same random number from the "Chance to Win" roll to the number of Lottery Tickets in the player's inventory, but this time the number of tickets is divided by a different factor for each prize.

1. If the Random Roll is *smaller than or equal to* the number of Lottery Tickets divided by 20, the player wins $5000.
2. Otherwise, if the Random Roll is *smaller than or equal to* the number of Lottery Tickets divided by 5, the player wins $500.
3. Otherwise, the player wins $200.

Note that *only one prize can be won*, in the order listed above.

The chance to win the big prize is therefore about 1/10000 per Ticket purchased. The chance to win the medium prize is about 1/2500 per ticket.

## Effects

Whether the player won the Lottery or not, all Lottery Tickets are removed from their inventory immediately.

If the player has won the lottery, there is a short animation where bills of money fall from the sky over their portrait. A notice then appears, showing the sum of money won.

Losing the lottery gives no special visuals, and is not even reported at all.
Salesperson (QT Clothing)

**Salesperson** is a low/mid-level Job at QT Clothing.

To become a QT Clothing Salesperson, the player needs 30 Experience and 30 Dependibility. They do not require any Degrees.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Dress Uniform (or better).

The Base Wage for this job is **$8** ($64 per 6 Hours of Work).

QT Salesperson is one of the best jobs in the game for a player who has no Degrees, although there are several downsides to this job as well. It has higher requirements than a Checker at Black's Market (who gets the same pay), and requires a costly Dress Uniform to boot. On the other hand, QT Clothing has the benefit of being close to both Monolith Burgers and Hi-Tech U, allowing players to buy Fast Food on their way to work, and jaunt over to the University whenever they find the time to study for their first Degree.
Computer

A **Computer** is a type of Appliance.

A new Computer can be purchased at Socket City for a Base Price of **$1599**. It is the most expensive Appliance in the game. There is nowhere to buy a used Computer.

If the player does not own a Computer, purchasing one at Socket City gives them **+3 Happiness**. Subsequent purchases do not provide Happiness.

As long as the player owns a Computer, they get +1 Extra Credit, which reduces the number of lessons they need to take in any course at Hi-Tech U to acquire a Degree.

Additionally, if the player owns a Computer, they have a chance to make extra money at the start of each Turn.

Computers cannot be stolen by Wild Willy from the player's Low-Cost Housing.

## Making Money

At the start of a player's Turn, the game checks to see whether they own a **Computer**. If so, there is a 1/7 chance (~1.42%) to trigger an event where the player made extra money using their Computer.

If the event is triggered, the player immediately receives **+3 Happiness**. They also receive a random amount of money **between $20 and $100**.

A notice will pop up indicating this event, whenever it occurs.

A computer is unlikely to pay for itself within any reasonable timeframe thanks to this event, especially since there's a chance each turn for a computer to break down and require a hefty repair cost - nullifying at least part of this income. Nevertheless, you are more likely to make money than lose money on a Computer, and you still get the above-mentioned Extra Credits and Happiness.
Workplace

A **Workplace** is a type of Location where players can Work for money. Alternatively, it could refer to the place where a player's current Job is.

To be allowed to work at all, the player must first get a Job at the Employment Office. The Employment Office lists all Workplaces in the game, each with its own list of Jobs. Once the player is successfully hired for a Job, they can go to the corresponding Workplace to Work.

When the player is at their current Workplace, a new button appears in the center menu labeled "Work". This button will not appear at any other location. Pressing this button attempts to trigger a Work session; Assuming all conditions are met, the player will spend up to 6 Hours working and earning their Wage.

Out of 13 Locations in the game, 9 are Workplaces. The Factory stands out as being nothing *but* a Workplace, whereas all other Workplaces also provide services and/or items for sale.

**Note:** The Rent Office remains open throughout the Month for any player who works there, even while closed to anyone who doesn't.
Machinist

**Machinist** is a high-tier Job at the Factory.

To become a Machinist, the player needs 50 Experience and 50 Dependibility. Additionally, they require a Engineering Degree.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Casual Uniform or better (essentially, they need to not be naked). This is the highest-paying job that allows players to work with their casual clothes.

The Base Wage for this job is **$19** ($152 per 6 Hours of Work).

Machinist is a very good job for players who have gone down the Trade School route, as it the best job that does not require Junior College at all. The lack of a requirement for medium- or high-end Uniforms also makes this job good as a mid-game strategy. With additional degrees from the Junior College branch, the player should be able to advance up to the top jobs at the Factory in no time.
Refrigerator

A **Refrigerator** is a type of Appliance.

A new Refrigerator can be purchased at Socket City for a Base Price of **$876**. Alternatively, a used Refrigerator can be purchased at Z-Mart for a Base Price of only $650. A used Refrigerator has a higher chance of breaking down each Turn and require Repairs.

If the player does not own a Refrigerator, purchasing one gives them **+1 Happiness** regardless of where it was purchased. Subsequent purchases do not provide Happiness.

As long as the player owns a Refrigerator, they can store up to 6 Weeks of Fresh Food without it Spoiling. Adding a Freezer increases this limit to 12 weeks.

Refrigerators cannot be stolen by Wild Willy from the player's Low-Cost Housing.

Pawning a Refrigerator while the player owns any Fresh Food results in all Fresh Food being removed from the player's inventory, as well as a penalty of **-1 Happiness** on top of the normal -1 given for Pawning an item.
Doctor Visit

The **Doctor Visit** is a random event that can be triggered at the start of a player's Turn if certain conditions are met.

A Doctor Visit has a chance to occur if the player Starves, if all of their Fresh Food Spoils due to lack of a Refrigerator, or if the the player simply doesn't have enough Relaxation.

In all three cases, the clock is advanced by 10 Hours immediately, the player suffers **-4 Happiness**, and loses an amount of money between $30 and $200. The more Cash a player has at the time, the more they are likely to lose.

A Doctor Visit can only occur if the player has more than $0 in Cash. Otherwise the event is bypassed completely.

## Triggering the Event

A visit to the **Doctor** can be triggered at the start of a player's Turn, under any of the following circumstances:

 Relaxation stat is at 10 (the minimum limit)

If multiple conditions are true, each is tested separately; Only one needs to succeed the roll in order to trigger a Doctor visit. The player can only visit the Doctor once per turn, even if multiple conditions are true.

The player must also have at least $1 in Cash. Otherwise, the event is not triggered regardless of anything else.

## Effects

Once a **Doctor Visit** is triggered, a notice pops up on the screen to inform the player that they had to visit the Doctor, and displays the amount of money paid for this visit. A small ambulance moves around the center menu to punctuate this event.

A Doctor Visit advances the clock by 10 Hours. It also gives the player **-4 Happiness**.

The amount of money paid for the visit is calculated at random, depending on the amount of Cash in the player's wallet at the time:

 Between $50 and $499
 Between $31 and $49
 $30 or less
Janitor (Bank)

**Janitor** is an entry-level Job at the Bank.

To become a Bank Janitor, the player needs 10 Experience and 20 Dependibility. They do not require any Degrees. These requirements are met by all players at the very start of the game.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Casual Uniform or better (essentially, they need to not be naked).

The Base Wage for this job is **$6** ($48 per 6 Hours of Work).

This job is one of several entry-level jobs that players can get at the very start of the game. Among these, the Bank Janitor job is not very desirable. Jobs like Groundskeeper or Factory Janitor pay a base $1 more, which can be quite a lot early in the game; whereas a job like Monolith Burgers Clerk pays the same but doesn't require the player to trek halfway across the map each Turn to eat.

Furthermore, as with any Job at the Bank, there is the risk of being robbed by Wild Willy each time the player leaves their Workplace. Players should consider depositing most/all of their money into their account before leaving the Bank, or simply working until their turn is over, to avoid this happening.
Research

A **Research Degree** (or simply **Research**) is a Degree that can be acquired by studying at Hi-Tech U.

To Enroll in Research, a player must already have the Post Doctoral Degree.

Acquiring this Degree allows the player to qualify for the Professor Job at Hi-Tech U. This job is one of the highest-paying jobs in the game, and has the benefit of allowing the player to switch seamlessly between Working and Studying - which is very beneficial for players with a high Education Goal.

Once a Research degree is acquired, the player may proceed to study Publishing - a "useless" Degree whose purpose is to help pad out the player's Education Stat.
Cash

Cash is the most accessible form of money, and is needed to make purchases and payments throughout the game.

Players can only spend cash - they may not spend money out of their Bank account, Stocks, or Durables without withdrawing/selling them for Cash first.

Any money earned by the player through Work, Lottery, Donations, Pawning, etc. is received in Cash.

Whenever the player is inside a Location (except for Apartments), a small calculator appears in the bottom right corner of the screen showing how much Cash they have on hand at the moment. The calculator also appears during the Weekend screen.

The amount of Cash on hand updates whenever the player spends or receives money. It can also be viewed by entering the Statistics screen (press F4 or RMB).

If the player is robbed by Wild Willy outside the Bank or Black's Market, they will lose all Cash they were carrying. This makes Cash the least secure method of storing money.

Cash counts towards the player's Liquid Assets.
Engineering

**Engineering** is a Degree that can be acquired by studying at Hi-Tech U.

To Enroll in Engineering, a player must already have the Pre-Engineering Degree.

Engineering is one of the most important Degrees in the game, as acquiring this Degree is at least one prerequisite for unlocking all four of the high-end jobs at the Factory, up to and including General Manager (the highest-paying job in the game). Additional Junior College and Business Administration Degrees are required for three of those, but getting the Machinist job (with Engineering alone) is already a career triumph.

The Engineering degree does not unlock any new Degrees.
Apartments

**Apartments** are Locations where players can live and Relax. Players start each and every Turn at their currently-owned Apartment.

There are two Apartments in the game: Low-Cost Housing and Le Security Apartments. All players start the game living at the Low-Cost Housing, but can freely switch to a Security Apartment later if they can get the money to pay for it.

Players must pay for their Rent one per Month, on the fourth (last) Week of the month. Initially, all players pay $325 in Rent. The Rent stays static so long as the player does not switch Apartments; Rent for other available Apartments fluctuates with the Economy.

Apartments notionally (and sometimes visually) contain the player's Durables. These can be stolen by Wild Willy from the Low-Cost Apartment, but not from the Security Apartment.

## List of Apartments

 Low-Cost Housing |  | $325
 Le Security Apartments |  | $475

## Relaxation

Main article: Relaxation
When a player visits their currently-owned Apartment, a button appears in the bottom-left corner of the center menu, labeled "Relax".

Pressing this button spends 6 Hours of the player's time. In return, the player receives a bonus of **+1 Relaxation**. The first time this is done each Turn, the player also receives **+1 Happiness**.

Relaxation reduces the chance of robbery by Wild Willy (at the Low-Cost Housing). Having any amount of Relaxation above the minimum limit eliminates the chance of having to visit the Doctor (except as a result of Spoiled Food).

## Rent

Main article: Rent
Players must pay their Rent on the fourth (last) Week of each Month. Normally it is not possible to pay on any other Week.

The Rent is initially set to $325 a month. If the player rents a new Apartment, their Rent is set to whatever price was initially paid for that Apartment. The rent for available Apartments fluctuates with the Economy, but once a new Apartment is acquired its Rent will not change at all.

Failure to pay the Rent on time results in players going into Rent Debt, which is Garnished from their Wage each time they Work until the entire amount is paid off.

Players who can't pay may attempt to ask for a Rent Extension of one Week. Their request may or may not be approved.

## Robberies

Main article: Wild Willy
The Low-Cost Housing Apartment can get robbed by Wild Willy at the start of each Turn, causing the loss of some or all of the player's Appliances. This is based on random chance, but is influenced by the player's Relaxation stat.

The Security Apartment cannot be robbed under any circumstances.
General Manager

**General Manager** is the the top Job at the Factory, and the single highest-paying Job in the game.

To become a General Manager, the player needs 70 Experience and 70 Dependibility. Additionally, they require both an Engineering Degree and a Business Administration Degree. These are the highest requirements for any job in the game.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Business Uniform.

The Base Wage for this job is **$25** ($200 per 6 Hours of Work).

The General Manager job is simply the best job available. So long as you qualify for this job, and your wage isn't already higher than whatever is being offered for it, getting this job ensures fulfilling the Career Goal and puts the player solidly on the road to fulfilling the Wealth Goal. Don't forget to ask for a Raise whenever the Economy improves.
Engineer

**Engineer** is the one of the top Jobs at the Factory, and one of the highest-paying Jobs in the game.

To become an Engineer, the player needs 60 Experience and 60 Dependibility. Additionally, they require both an Engineering Degree and a Junior College Degree. These are rather high requirements, making this Job achievable only during the late stages of the game.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Business Uniform.

The Base Wage for this job is **$22** ($176 per 6 Hours of Work).

The Engineer job is one of the most desirable jobs in the game, only slightly shy of the General Manager job. It requires the same qualifications as Department Manager, but earns a base $1 more. If there are "No Openings" for the Engineer job, try getting the Department Manager job instead. You can then keep trying to switch over to Engineer every Turn until you get an opening.
Soft Drinks

**Soft Drinks** are a type of Junk Item sold at Monolith Burgers. The first Soft Drink purchased during a player's turn gives a small bonus to Happiness.

Soft Drinks have no additional effect after purchase, and are not added to the player's inventory.

## Effects

The effect of **Soft Drinks** is very simple: The *first* Soft Drink bought by a player during their turn provides the Happiness bonus listed above. Additional Soft Drinks purchased during that same turn do nothing.

Soft Drinks disappear when bought; They do not have any lingering effect, they do not prevent Starvation like Fast Food does, and they are not added to the player's inventory. Purchasing more than one Soft Drink per turn is wasteful.
Graduate School

**Graduate School** is a Degree that can be acquired by studying at Hi-Tech U.

To Enroll in Graduate School, a player must already have the Academic Degree.

Acquiring a Graduate School degree does not unlock any new Job opportunities. However it does enable the player to enroll in a Post Doctoral course, which is another step on the way towards a Research Degree - required to become a Professor.
Microwave

A **Microwave** is a type of Appliance.

A new Microwave can be purchased at Socket City for a Base Price of **$330**.

Alternatively, a used Microwave can be purchased at Z-Mart for a Base Price of only $220. A used Microwave has a higher chance of breaking down each Turn and require Repairs.

If the player does not own a Microwave, purchasing one at Socket City gives them **+2 Happiness**, whereas purchasing one from Z-Mart gives only **+1 Happiness**. Subsequent purchases do not provide Happiness.

As long as the player owns either a Microwave or a Stove, they receive **+1 Happiness** at the start of each and every turn. Owning both items still only gives +1 per turn.

Microwaves can be stolen by Wild Willy from the player's Low-Cost Housing. They have the same chance of being stolen (25%) as any other stealable Appliance.
Fries

**Fries** are a type of Fast Food.

Fries can be purchased at Monolith Burgers for a Base Price of **$65**.

At the start of the player's next Turn after buying Fries, they will not Starve.

Fries do not provide any Happiness on purchase. If this is the first Fast Food item purchased during a player's Turn, they will not receive any Happiness from other Fast Food items purchased that same turn.
Time

*Jones in the Fast Lane* is a Turn-Based Game, where each player takes a single turn before passing control to the next player.

Beyond this, the game also tracks the passage of time within each turn, and from one turn to the next. As in-game time passes, the state of the game changes as well.

* **Turn**: From the moment a player gets control to the moment they pass it on to the next player. Each turn starts with a Weekend, followed by several potential events that could occur due to the player's previous actions and random rolls. After that, the player is placed at their current Apartment and is free to move around the board and perform actions.
* **Hour**: Each player's Turn is split into 60 Hours, which are essentially "time points" that players spend on various actions and on moving around the board. Each action costs a different number of Hours. The turn ends once all 60 points have been spent - though players may be allowed to perform extra "Free" actions before relinquishing control to the next player. The current Hours remaining are always displayed on the town clock at the bottom of the screen.
* **Week**: This measures the passage of time on a longer scale. Once each player has had their turn, control passes back to the first player, and the game advances by one Week. The sequential number of the current Week is shown at all times under the clock at the bottom of the screen. This number measures how long the game has been going for. Certain events can only take place once a specific number of Weeks has elapsed, to ensure that catastrophes don't happen too early on.
* **Month**: Every four Weeks of the game constitute one Month. The fourth (last) week of the Month is different from all the others, as it is the Week during which Rent becomes due and Loans must be paid. Months are not visibly tracked in the game.
Happiness Goal

The **Happiness Goal** is one of four Goals a player must meet in order to win a game of *Jones in the Fast Lane*.

The precise goal to fulfill is determined at the beginning of the game, separately for each player. Its range is between 10 and 100.

Fulfilling a player's Happiness Goal requires them to accumulate an amount of points into their Happiness Stat that is *equal to or greater than* their Goal.

Happiness can be acquired in multiple ways, including from purchases, Relaxation, and several other actions.

Happiness can also decrease due to a variety of events, such as being robbed by Wild Willy, being refused for a Loan, or being fired from one's Job.

## Happiness Stat

The player's current **Happiness Stat** is tracked for them individually using a single number. This number is increased or decreased during the game according to the events and actions listed in the following chapters.

This Stat is directly compared to the Happiness Goal to determine whether the player has accomplished that goal. For example, if the player has a Happiness Goal of 50 (the default), they need exactly 50 Happiness to meet that goal.

## Increasing Happiness

The following is a list of all actions and events that **increase** the player's Happiness Stat.

### Events

 Economic Boom | +5
 Weekend involves driving a senior citizen's bus
 Make money using the Computer | +3
 Win the Lottery small or medium prize.
 Win $5000 in the Lottery | +10

### Actions

 Get a new Job | +3
 Get a Raise | +3
 Get a Bank Loan | +5
 Get a Rent Extension | +1
 Get a new Degree | +5

## Decreasing Happiness

The following is a list of all actions and events that **decrease** the player's Happiness Stat.

### Actions

 Denied a Loan | -2
 Denied a Loan Increase
 Refused Rent Extension | -1
 Pawned any Item.
 Pawned a Refrigerator while owning Fresh Food | -1
Freezer

A **Freezer** is a type of Appliance.

Freezers can be purchased at Socket City for a Base Price of **$513**. They cannot be purchased anywhere else. All Freezers are considered "new" unless pawned and re-bought, in which case they gain the "used" flag and have an increased chance of breaking down and requiring Repairs.

If the player does not own a Freezer, purchasing one gives them **+2 Happiness**. Subsequent purchases do not provide Happiness.

As long as the player owns both a Refrigerator and a Freezer, they can store up to 12 Weeks of Fresh Food without it Spoiling.

If the player owns a Freezer without a Refrigerator, the Freezer has no effect whatsoever.

Freezers cannot be stolen by Wild Willy from the player's Low-Cost Housing.
Cheeseburger

**Cheeseburger** is a type of Fast Food.

Cheeseburgers can be purchased at Monolith Burgers for a Base Price of **$89**.

If this is the first Fast Food item purchased this Turn, the player receives **+1 Happiness**. Subsequent purchases of any type of Fast Food during the same turn do not provide Happiness.

At the start of the player's next Turn after buying a Cheeseburger, they will not Starve.
Assistant Manager (Monolith Burgers)

**Assistant Manager** is a low-tier Job at Monolith Burgers.

To become a Monolith Burger Assistant Manager, the player needs 20 Experience and 30 Dependibility. They do not require any Degrees.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Casual Uniform or better (essentially, they need to not be naked).

The Base Wage for this job is **$7** ($56 per 6 Hours of Work).

The Monolith Burger Assistant Manager job is *sub-optimal*, though it has its perks. The Checker has lower requirements and a slightly higher pay (a base $1 more), whereas the Groundskeeper and Factory Janitor jobs pay the same as this job while being easier to get. If you do get the Monolith Burgers Assistant Manager job, consider switching to a better job after about a Week or two of work.

On the other hand, as with any job at Monolith Burgers, the Monolith Burger Assistant Manager job makes it easy for the player to work throughout their entire Turn without having to go elsewhere to eat. This may or may not save you some money in the long run.
Shakes

**Shakes** are a type of Soft Drink.

Shakes can be purchased at Monolith Burgers for a Base Price of **$102**.

If this is the first Soft Drink item purchased this Turn, the player receives **+2 Happiness**. Subsequent purchases of any type of Soft Drink during the same turn do not provide Happiness.

As a Junk Item, Shakes are discarded immediately after purchase and have no lingering effect.
Colas

**Colas** are a type of Soft Drink.

Colas can be purchased at Monolith Burgers for a Base Price of **$69**.

If this is the first Soft Drink item purchased this Turn, the player receives **+1 Happiness**. Subsequent purchases of any type of Soft Drink during the same turn do not provide Happiness.

As a Junk Item, Colas are discarded immediately after purchase and have no lingering effect.
Electronics Repairman

**Electronics Repairman** is a mid-tier Job at Socket City.

To become an Electronics Repairman, the player needs 40 Experience and 40 Dependibility. Additionally, they require an Electronics Degree.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Casual Uniform or better (essentially, they need to not be naked).

The Base Wage for this job is **$11** ($88 per 6 Hours of Work).

This job is *sub-optimal*; If you qualify for this job, then by definition you already qualify for the Butcher job at Black's Market, which gets a base $1 more.

On the other hand, Socket City is closer to Monolith Burgers, which can save some time in the early game as you can purchase Fast Food on your way to work. It is also right next to Hi-Tech U, allowing the player to study a little faster to open up more options for career advancement.
Manager (Socket City)

**Manager** is the top Job at Socket City, and a mid-tier job overall.

To become a Socket City Manager, the player needs 40 Experience and 40 Dependibility. Additionally, they require an Electronics Degree as well as a Junior College Degree.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Business Uniform.

The Base Wage for this job is **$14** ($112 per 6 Hours of Work).

This job is somewhat *sub-optimal*; If you qualify for this job, then by definition you already qualify for the Assistant Manager job at Black's Market, which gets a base $1 more and does not require an expensive Business Suit.

On the other hand, Socket City is closer to Monolith Burgers, which can save some time in the early game as you can purchase Fast Food on your way to work. It is also right next to Hi-Tech U, allowing the player to study a little faster towards their Engineering degree and/or Business Administration degree, which would unlock the late-game job options.
Butcher

**Butcher** is a mid-tier Job at Black's Market.

To become a Butcher, the player needs 30 Experience and 30 Dependibility. Additionally, they require a Trade School Degree.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Casual Uniform or better (essentially, they need to not be naked).

The Base Wage for this job is **$12** ($96 per 6 Hours of Work).

This is the best job for a player who has only a Trade School degree, which is easily achievable very early on. The low requirements usually make it accessible as the player's second or third job. This gives the player a very solid wage while studying towards Engineering or Electronics.

As with any Job at Black's Market, owning a Refrigerator allows the player to purchase food at their Workplace and save time on running to Monolith Burgers every Turn. On the other hand, there is a small risk of being robbed by Wild Willy each time the player leaves their Workplace. To avoid this happening, consider working until your turn is over.
Teacher

**Teacher** is a mid-tier Job at Hi-Tech U.

To become a Teacher, the player needs 40 Experience and 50 Dependibility. Additionally, they require an Academic Degree.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Dress Uniform or better.

The Base Wage for this job is **$11** ($88 per 6 Hours of Work).

The Teacher job is technically sub-optimal, but only in the sense that an academic education is sub-optimal. There are multiple better-paying jobs for players who complete Business Administration instead, or go down the Trade School route. If you need to advance out of the Teacher job, a Business Administration degree will immediately open up the Broker job for you at $9 more (though you may need to work as a Teacher for several Weeks first, to acquire the necessary Experience and Dependibility).

On the other hand, the Teacher job has its advantages - especially for players who have a very high Education Goal - since you can switch between studying and working without wasting any extra time. There is also the benefit of not having to buy a Business Suit, which saves a little bit of extra money.
Janitor (Factory)

**Janitor** is an entry-level Job at the Factory, but a rather desirable first job.

To become a Factory Janitor, the player needs 10 Experience and 20 Dependibility. They do not require any Degrees. These requirements are met by all players at the very start of the game.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Casual Uniform or better (essentially, they need to not be naked).

The Base Wage for this job is **$7** ($56 per 6 Hours of Work).

Factory Janitor is one of the two highest-paying jobs available at the very start of the game (the other is Groundskeeper). Though only paying a base $1 more than Monolith Burgers Clerk, even a little bit of extra money is extremely important at this stage. This does mean, however, that the player will need to run over to Monolith Burgers each Turn - pretty much *across the entire map.*
Manager (Monolith Burgers)

**Manager** is the top Job at Monolith Burgers, but a low/mid-tier overall.

To become a Monolith Burger Manager, the player needs 30 Experience and 40 Dependibility. Additionally, they require a Junior College Degree.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Dress Uniform.

The Base Wage for this job is **$8** ($64 per 6 Hours of Work).

The Monolith Burger Manager job is *sub-optimal*, though it has its perks. The biggest downside is the pay - there are multiple other jobs that pay much better with similar requirements, such as the Apartment Manager. There are even jobs with lower requirements that pay the same as this job, including the Checker. If you do get the Monolith Burgers Manager job, consider switching to a better job after about a Week or two or work.

On the other hand, as with any job at Monolith Burgers, the Monolith Burger Manager job makes it easy for the player to work throughout their entire Turn without having to go elsewhere to eat. This may or may not save you some money in the long run.
Assistant Manager (Z-Mart)

**Assistant Manager** is a low-tier Job at Z-Mart.

To become a Z-Mart Assistant Manager, the player needs 20 Experience and 20 Dependibility. They do not require any Degrees.

In order to Work at this Job, the player needs to own a Casual Uniform or better (essentially, they need to not be naked).

The Base Wage for this job is **$7** ($56 per 6 Hours of Work).

The Z-Mart Assistant Manager job is *sub-optimal*, though it has its perks. The Checker has the exact same requirements and a slightly higher pay (a base $1 more), whereas the Groundskeeper and Factory Janitor jobs have even lower requirements. If you do get the Z-Mart Assistant Manager job, consider switching to a better job after about a Week or two of work.

On the other hand, as with any job at Z-Mart, the Z-Mart Assistant Manager job makes it easy for the player to check out discount offers every Turn, and to avoid spending a lot of time running to Monolith Burgers to eat.
Items

An **Item** is an object purchased with money at any store in the game. Items can be useful or useless, depending on their specific type.

There are several sub-categories of Items in the game, each of which behaves differently:

* **Durables**: Items that stay in the player's inventory permanently once purchased, barring special events.

* **Appliances**: Durables that can break and require Repairs.
* **Books**: Owning all three types of Books gives +1 Extra Credit, reducing the time it takes to finish each course at Hi-Tech U.

* **Consumables**: Items that stay in the player's inventory, but are consumed each turn until none remain.

* **Fresh Food**: Consumed one "Week's worth" at a time to prevent Starvation. Multiple units can be kept using a Refrigerator and/or Freezer.
* **Fast Food**: Consumed one turn after being purchased to prevent Starvation.
* **Clothes**: Consumed one "Week's worth" at a time. The best Clothes in a player's inventory determine which Uniform they wear to work.
* **Tickets**: Consumed at the start of the Turn to provide a cheaper and more enjoyable Weekend, or a chance to win the Lottery.

* **Junk**: Items that provide a Happiness bonus (or penalty) on purchase, but then immediately disappear.

* **Soft Drinks**: The first Soft Drink purchased during any turn provides a small bonus to Happiness.