[followup] common commands in IF games


28 Dec 1995 02:58:19 GMT

Well, sorry it took so long, but I caught someone's post about them wanting a
followup, so I spend like 20 minutes writing one, only to discover that my nntp
server had run out of disk space and that I couldn't post.

Anyway, my original question was concerning a list of common commands/verbs
that IF games recognize.
I got this response in e-mail from Robert M. Dickau <robertd@wri.com>:
(edited for brevity)

---
A good basic list is in the Designer's Manual for Graham Nelson's Inform 
language. I can explain cryptic ones, if you'd like.

"1a. Quit, Restart, Restore, Verify, Save, ScriptOn, ScriptOff, Pronouns, Score, Fullscore, LMode1, LMode2, LMode3, NotifyOn, NotifyOff, Version, Places, Objects.

2. Inv, InvTall, InvWide, Take, Drop, Remove, PutOn, Insert, Transfer, Empty, Enter, Exit, GetOff, Go, GoIn, Look, Examine, Search, Give, Show, Unlock, Lock, SwitchOn, SwitchOff, Open, Close, Disrobe, Wear, Eat.

3. Yes, No, Burn, Pray, Wake, WakeOther [person], Consult, Kiss, Think, Smell, Listen, Taste, Touch, Dig, Cut, Jump [jump on the spot], JumpOver, Tie, Drink, Fill, Sorry, Strong [swear word], Mild [swear word], Attack, Swim, Swing [something], Blow, Rub, Set, SetTo, WaveHands [ie, just "wave"], Wave [something], Pull, Push, PushDir [push something in a direction], Turn, Squeeze, LookUnder [look underneath something], ThrowAt, Answer, Buy, Ask, AskFor, Sing, Climb, Wait, Sleep."

---
This list is exactly what I was looking for.
Anyway, I downloaded the Designer's Manual for Inform, and I must tell you, 
it's one of the best things I've ever read... and I learned that the above list 
is not really what I was wanting, since these are the 'internal' names for the 
code (or whatever you want to call 'em), while I was looking for the actual 
strings that are recoginized and parsed.
Well, I found what I was looking for, along with a host of other information 
that I was going to ask for eventually (like the default messages and 
properties/attributes that objects can have).

Thanks much, everyone.

Andy

(download the Designer's Manual now!)