taking piled objects
Przemyslaw Wstrzemiezliwy
inventory) what should then happen to A? Should A fall off or should it be
inserted in the inventory together with B? B is a book and A is a small key.
Kevin Lighton
In real life, the key will almost certainly fall off if one just picks up the
book with no concern for the key, while it will stay on if one tries to pick
up the book without dropping the key (and there aren't any factors that would
affect this).
In a game, it would depend on a couple of factors, which would probably need
to be worked out in the coding:
-Is the character even aware the key is present?
-Is the only apparent way of getting the key to take the book?
-Is it likely the character would care whether or not they got the key?
If the first or both of the other two are answered no, the key will probably
be let fall.
If the first and either of the other two are answered yes, it's more likely
that the character will try not to lose the key (even if they don't care
about it now, they might try not to lose it just as a matter of principle).
If the key is necessary and there's no other way to get the key, it should
stay on the book unless the player does something guaranteed to cause it to
fall off (or the game should say that it's now unwinnable when it does fall
off).
Ja, mata
--
Kevin Lighton lig...@bestweb.net or shin...@operamail.com
http://members.tripod.com/~shinma_kl/main.html
"Townsfolk can get downright touchy over the occasional earth-elemental in
the scullery. Can't imagine why..." Quenten _Winds of Fate_
StarWeaver
<GeS56.2824$iK.3...@monger.newsread.com>:
>Przemyslaw Wstrzemiezliwy <p_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> If object A is lying on top of object B and the PC takes B (puts it in
>> his inventory) what should then happen to A? Should A fall off or
>> should it be inserted in the inventory together with B? B is a book
>> and A is a small key.
>
>In real life, the key will almost certainly fall off if one just picks
>up the book with no concern for the key, while it will stay on if one
>tries to pick up the book without dropping the key (and there aren't any
>factors that would affect this).
>In a game, it would depend on a couple of factors, which would probably
>need to be worked out in the coding:
>-Is the character even aware the key is present?
>-Is the only apparent way of getting the key to take the book?
>-Is it likely the character would care whether or not they got the key?
>
>If the first or both of the other two are answered no, the key will
>probably be let fall.
>If the first and either of the other two are answered yes, it's more
>likely that the character will try not to lose the key (even if they
>don't care about it now, they might try not to lose it just as a matter
>of principle). If the key is necessary and there's no other way to get
>the key, it should stay on the book unless the player does something
>guaranteed to cause it to fall off (or the game should say that it's now
>unwinnable when it does fall off).
>
>Ja, mata
How about:
>take book
There is a key on the book. Do you want to take the book such as to recieve
the key as well?
>yes
You're a clutz! The key falls as you lift the book anyway. (Not that this
is a good way about it...)
I was also thinking about a menu-conversation method where you get to
pick HOW to say things; angrily, empathicly, dispassionatly, etc. Perhaps
even such that you pick what kind of thing to say ("cheer her up"), and how
to do it ("friendlyly";) and then have your character's dialog based on
that. Perhaps a menu for those situations where you can turn the handle
gently, strongly, or just check it... explosional, no doubt :\.
-RASX -Sayonara et al
Roger Firth
Me, I'd take a simple view on this. The default action in Inform is that
taking the book also takes the key; if I want it to fall off, I've got to write
(and test) a lump of code. This is Bad News (both for me, and for the
iritated player who then has to explicitly take the key). Remember, you're
writing an enjoyable entertaining game, not replicating real-world physics.
If having A fall off B is both necessary and predictable (perhaps a jewelled
egg balanced on the neck of a bottle?) then write the code; otherwise,
keep it simple, concentrate your energies on writing interesting code.
Cheers, Roger
--
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
You'll find my Cloak of Darkness, Parsifal, Informary
and more at http://homepages.tesco.net/~roger.firth
Kaia Vintr
. . .
> TAKE BOOK
You carefully pick up the book with the small key still balanced on it.
> INVENTORY
You are carrying:
A book (on which there is a small key)
> N
North End of Library
You stumble over a crease in the carpet. The small key slides off the book
onto the floor.
There's a small key here.
> TAKE KEY
You pick up the small key. Where the metal touches your fingers they begin
to tingle, faintly.
> EXAMINE KEY
You notice a resinous residue on the small key.
The tingling becomes a numbness and spreads upward through your hand. The
key must have been magically poisoned! Wait, this is not fair, it violates
Articles 1 and 3 of the Bill of Player's Rights! Unhindered by your
protests, the numbness reaches your shoulder and neck...
*** You have died ***
Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE a saved game or QUIT?
P.S. Geoffrey tried to warn you about the key.
. . .
- Kaia