Monday, 8:00 AM. A 35-Mark Hardcover in the Bathtub. And It Floats.

“Books don't float. Unless eighty percent of their thickness is compressed air.”

Remember the golden age of 90s LucasArts adventures like Zak McKracken, Maniac Mansion, and Day of the Tentacle?

Die Luftnummer takes the classic SCUMM point-and-click formula and reimagines it as an in-browser cooperative multiplayer adventure for 1 to 4 players. No downloads. No plugins. No user accounts. Just click, share a 5-letter room code, and start investigating.

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The Story: The Day Before Operation Hardcover

In post-war Frankfurt-Bockenheim, a corrupt publisher cartel called the Preisbindungstreuhand controls the literary market. They enforce mandatory 35-Mark prices for hardcover books using „Bulk Paper 2.0“—chemically foamed fibers full of microscopic air bubbles. Production cost: 1.40 Mark. Retail price: 35 Mark. Cheap paperbacks for 3.80 Mark have been outlawed and pulped.

When mechanic Ruth Kalander accidentally drops a hardcover into the bathtub, it bobs on the surface like cork. Together with proofreader Ansgar, master forger Selma, and terminal operator Nuri inside the cartel headquarters, the crew sets out to prove the fraud, print underground paperbacks, and steal the secret cost ledger from the high-security paper mill.

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Classic SCUMM Mechanics Meets Modern Co-op:

• Authentic Verb Interface: Click or use keyboard hotkeys for classic commands:
  [WALK] · [LOOK] · [PICK UP] · [USE] · [TALK] · [GIVE]
• Asymmetric Character Abilities: Each character possesses a unique verb that only they can use:
  • Ansgar: [READ] – Only he can decipher legal paragraphs, small print, and proofreader marks.
  • Ruth: [WRENCH] – Repairs heavy machinery, operates hydraulic lifts, and bypasses fuses.
  • Selma: [INSPECT] – Authenticates binding materials, carves duplicate stamps, and detects hidden panels.
  • Nuri: [COUNT] – Decodes ISBN checksums, terminal matrices, and teleprinter logs.
• Physical Item Handoffs: No magic item teleportation. Items can be handed over directly in the same room, loaded into pneumatic capsules, or transported between floors using a working paternoster lift.
• Shoulder-Cam Observer Mode: Want to see what your buddy is doing three rooms away? Click the eye icon next to their portrait to spectate their screen live in real-time.
• Solo or Multiplayer (1–4 Players):
  • Solo: Switch seamlessly between all four characters on the fly.
  • Co-op: Each player takes command of their own operative. Small groups of 2 or 3 players can share companion roles.
• 30-Day Auto-Save: Got called away? Rooms remain saved on the server for 30 days. Bookmark your room link or note down your 5-letter dossier code and continue next weekend.

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Key Features:

• Rich 4-Chapter Campaign: From the cramped Bockenheim apartment to the 24h gas station, the cartel headquarters, an underground cellar press, and the paper mill on the river.
• Red Pencil Duels: Engage in battle-of-wits proofreading duels inspired by Monkey Island's insult sword fighting.
• Graphic Novel Noir Visuals: Hand-crafted 21:9 ultra-wide panoramic scenes with a strict retro 4-color palette (soot black, aged ivory, dirty crimson, and mustard yellow).
• Tactile Web Audio: Click-clack switches, rotary phone rings, hydraulic hums, and footsteps generated directly in your browser.
• Bilingual: Fully playable in both German and English.

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Technical Specifications:

• Platform: Web Browser (PC, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, Tablet in landscape)
• Players: 1–4 Players (Solo & Co-op)
• Duration: Approx. 80–120 minutes (Auto-saving enabled)
• Controls: Mouse / Touch & Keyboard Shortcuts ([S] Look, [N] Pick Up, [B] Use, [R] Talk, [G] Give, [1]–[4] Character Select, [D] Mission Dossier)