Re: Help with Inform character interactions


12 Aug 1995 16:09:16 +0100

In article <1995Aug12.025450.36157@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu>,
ceforma@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Christopher E. Forman) writes:
>I could use some assistance getting the "Ask" verb in Inform to work.
>
>Here's the basic scenario: One of the earliest actions the player can take
>is obtaining a handful of nuts from the town baker. The nuts are on the
>counter in the bakery, and attempting to take them without permission gives
>the standard error message. If the player chooses to "ASK ABOUT" or
>"ASK FOR" the nuts, however, the baker will give permission to take them.

[...]

> life [;
> Ask: if ((noun == 'nuts') && (self hasnt general)) {

As I discovered by experimentation (my game has a virtually identical
puzzle at the start of the game), you must use second, not noun. This is
contary to what is in the manual, and what appears in the demonstration games,
but does appear to work. I have mailed Graham about this bug, but I haven't
heard back from him yet.

>Similar problems occur when I try to compile the "sullen snake" example from
>the Inform manual -- some of the text Graham has programmed simply will not
>appear.

And the kid in ToyShop, too. Anyway, hope this kludge will help.
____ ____ _ _ ____ __
_\__ \ _\__ \ / \ / \\__/ Ranulf Doswell ///
/ \_/ /_ / \_/ \ / / / /___ ///
\ __ \\ __ \\ \ _\ \\_/ ralf@dcs.warwick.ac.uk __ ///
\ \ \ \\ \ \ \\ \__/ \\ \ \\\///
\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \______/ \_/ http://www.csv.warwick.ac.uk/~mauer/ \XX/