Classic Arcade Benchmark 04 · Ninefold quarantine terminal
Signal Ward:
Whack Protocol
Triage a compact nine-pod signal field. Strike real Faults, spare shielded Wardens, wait for Echo clocks, resolve numbered links in order, and turn a clean chain into a short-lived golden Jackpot.
Identity beyond colourFaults carry spikes. Protected Wardens carry a shield arch. Delayed Echoes show a rotating clock and visibly change to ARMED. Sequence links carry one, two, or three physical pips. The Jackpot has twin gold rings.
Rules escalate fairlyTwo simple waves teach triage. Every few waves an announced card adds delayed holds, ordered links, or a named row/column zone. Later waves overlap those rules but keep a generous visible clock.
Errors cost, Focus recoversWrong, early, out-of-order, and empty strikes visibly remove one of four Integrity cells and break the chain. Two Focus Patches restore one Integrity and add two seconds to the active wave.
Controls: tap/click a visible pod or press 1–9 in reading order. Press F / Space for one of two Focus Patches. Four correct strikes without breaking chain spawn a brief gold Jackpot target. Clear 12 waves; zero Integrity ends the run. Sound is supplementary: every role, valid state, protocol, error, and timer remains visible.