Dehumorfier

The Dehumorfier is a Treatment machine, used only in the Clown Clinic by a Nurse to cure patients with Jest Infection. It is first made available during the introductory section of Flottering.

Appearance
The sandy-coloured base for this machine consists of a large circle with a smaller trapezium to one side. The circular section houses a straw-covered circus ring inside a round big top. A large central pole provides support for the circular tent, the roof section of which features vertical yellow and red stripes, with blue triangular flags around the edge. The walls of the main section continue the stripes. At the top of the pole is a long triangular flag in the same three colours.

The trapezium part of the base is where the controls are kept, styled after a brass calliope. On the outer aspect are blocks in the three colours of the big top, with three tall, bent brass horns sprouting from each side. Inbetween is the organ-like machinery, which features a brass frame inlaid with dark turquoise panelling to match the floor of the Clown Clinic. The controls themselves consist of three tall levers mounted onto the base itself, and a crank handle on either side; three tall silver organ pipes complete the machine.

The Dehumorfier II adds to this a small triangular red platform with brass edging on each of the trapezium's outer corners, with another brass horn sprouting from the top.

The Dehumorfier III removes these two horns, replacing them with brass pipes topped by another red triangular section. From each of these red triangles sprouts two horns.

Function
Upon stepping inside the Dehumorfier, the nurse will operate the controls, the tent will be quickly retracted, only for a zoetrope-style cylinder to rise around the circus ring, trapping the patient inside. With this, they will be subjected to monochromatic negative imagery, such as broken hearts, thunder clouds and crying eyes. After a short course of this, and the patient having been sent to their knees in misery, the zoetrope is retracted and the tent restored. The patient will make their exit, the jest knocked out of them and their treatment complete.

Maintenance
The Dehumorfier loses 5-10% of its maintenance gauge with each use. Once the gauge falls below 50%, a Janitor will automatically be called to repair it. A janitor can be summoned manually by the player by pressing the appropriate button.

Should the maintenance gauge fall below 15%, the machine will catch fire. A janitor will need to use an Extinguisher to put this out before the gauge reaches zero; if it is allowed to do so, the machine will explode, leaving wreckage which must be sold and replaced with a new machine before the room can resume functioning.

Upgrades
Upgrades are performed by a Janitor with the Mechanics Qualification. The machine will not be accessible while this work is being done, although it can be interrupted and resumed without losing progress.

Staff
The following Staff is required before the Clown Clinic, and by extension the Dehumorfier, will function correctly:

Additionally, the following staff is required to both maintain and upgrade the machine: Janitor (with Mechanics Qualification for upgrades)

Trivia

 * Price during development was $5,000