[ANN] I7 Thing Creator
Juhana Leinonen
I've coded a small web tool for creating things in Inform 7, aptly named
I7 Thing Creator.
The name of the game is that there's a form with some input fields and
checkboxes where you select the name and properties of the thing you are
creating, then you go through a list of all standard Inform library
actions and write default responses the game should give with that
action. The form then shows complete I7 code you can paste into your game.
Having this kind of checklist means it's less likely that you miss
actions where the default library response doesn't make sense or should
for some other reason be changed (the default library is huge; it's not
that easy to remember all the actions available), for example you
probably don't want TASTE BACTERIA CULTURE to say "You taste nothing
unexpected."
I've found that while using the tool I get things (I7 things, that is)
done faster and with less out-of-the-stock library messages when the
time coding goes into writing more prose. I believe the most useful it
would be for those who want their in-game items have a unique response
to as many actions as possible.
Another target group would be the novice I7 authors who might not yet be
that comfortable with coding things. The Thing Creator doesn't
(shouldn't) allow to write non-compiling code - it gives error messages
and warnings if the user tries to select illegal combinations of options.
But enough with the advertisement: The URL is
http://www.nitku.net/if/thingcreator . It is still in beta and quite
rough around the edges with numerous bugs for sure, but I'll improve it
gradually. Suggestions and bug reports are very welcome.
And here comes the cool part: with just minor tinkering you can actually
integrate Thing Creator to the Inform 7 IDE! The form installs in the
documentation files and you can paste the code it creates to your game
source with a single click (just like with the tutorial examples). The
instructions are at http://nitku.net/if/thingcreator/IDEintegration.php
I would be interested to hear if people find this kind of tool useful
and if developing similar tools would be beneficial. Also, does
semi-automated code generation have ill side-effects?
Juhana
ps. The IF Transcript Beautifier ( http://www.nitku.net/if/beautifier )
has been updated as well with some new features.
--
Spamblock: remove all numbers from the e-mail address.
Stuart Moore
Looking quite useful, actually. Cheers! The only suggestion that comes
to mind so far is to have "worn" as well as "wearable"?
S. John Ross
Just from a quick play-through it seems very groovy. I'll give the
integrated version a try later this week, too. Thanks for posting it!
Mike
> Hello everyone,
>
> I've coded a small web tool for creating things in Inform 7, aptly named
> I7 Thing Creator.
>
> The name of the game is that there's a form with some input fields and
> checkboxes where you select the name and properties of the thing you are
> creating, then you go through a list of all standard Inform library
> actions and write default responses the game should give with that
> action. The form then shows complete I7 code you can paste into your game.
>
> Having this kind of checklist means it's less likely that you miss
> actions where the default library response doesn't make sense or should
> for some other reason be changed (the default library is huge; it's not
> that easy to remember all the actions available), for example you
> probably don't want TASTE BACTERIA CULTURE to say "You taste nothing
> unexpected."
>
> I've found that while using the tool I get things (I7 things, that is)
> done faster and with less out-of-the-stock library messages when the
> time coding goes into writing more prose. I believe the most useful it
> would be for those who want their in-game items have a unique response
> to as many actions as possible.
>
> Another target group would be the novice I7 authors who might not yet be
> that comfortable with coding things. The Thing Creator doesn't
> (shouldn't) allow to write non-compiling code - it gives error messages
> and warnings if the user tries to select illegal combinations of options.
>
> rough around the edges with numerous bugs for sure, but I'll improve it
> gradually. Suggestions and bug reports are very welcome.
>
> And here comes the cool part: with just minor tinkering you can actually
> integrate Thing Creator to the Inform 7 IDE! The form installs in the
> documentation files and you can paste the code it creates to your game
> source with a single click (just like with the tutorial examples). The
>
> I would be interested to hear if people find this kind of tool useful
> and if developing similar tools would be beneficial. Also, does
> semi-automated code generation have ill side-effects?
>
> Juhana
>
> ps. The IF Transcript Beautifier (http://www.nitku.net/if/beautifier)
> has been updated as well with some new features.
>
> --
> Spamblock: remove all numbers from the e-mail address.
This looks really good. However, when I try to load the webpage in
IE7 I get a javascript error in line 2744 (object required).
Juhana Leinonen
> IE7 I get a javascript error in line 2744 (object required).
Sorry about that. I'll fix it when I get access to a Windows machine;
until then, Firefox should work. Note that IDE integration might not
work either if IE complains about the code.
Juhana
some_girl
> Hello everyone,
>
> I've coded a small web tool for creating things in Inform 7, aptly named
> I7 Thing Creator.
>
> The name of the game is that there's a form with some input fields and
> checkboxes where you select the name and properties of the thing you are
> creating, then you go through a list of all standard Inform library
> actions and write default responses the game should give with that
> action. The form then shows complete I7 code you can paste into your game.
>
> Having this kind of checklist means it's less likely that you miss
> actions where the default library response doesn't make sense or should
> for some other reason be changed (the default library is huge; it's not
> that easy to remember all the actions available), for example you
> probably don't want TASTE BACTERIA CULTURE to say "You taste nothing
> unexpected."
>
> I've found that while using the tool I get things (I7 things, that is)
> done faster and with less out-of-the-stock library messages when the
> time coding goes into writing more prose. I believe the most useful it
> would be for those who want their in-game items have a unique response
> to as many actions as possible.
>
> Another target group would be the novice I7 authors who might not yet be
> that comfortable with coding things. The Thing Creator doesn't
> (shouldn't) allow to write non-compiling code - it gives error messages
> and warnings if the user tries to select illegal combinations of options.
>
> rough around the edges with numerous bugs for sure, but I'll improve it
> gradually. Suggestions and bug reports are very welcome.
>
> And here comes the cool part: with just minor tinkering you can actually
> integrate Thing Creator to the Inform 7 IDE! The form installs in the
> documentation files and you can paste the code it creates to your game
> source with a single click (just like with the tutorial examples). The
>
> I would be interested to hear if people find this kind of tool useful
> and if developing similar tools would be beneficial. Also, does
> semi-automated code generation have ill side-effects?
>
> Juhana
>
> ps. The IF Transcript Beautifier (http://www.nitku.net/if/beautifier)
> has been updated as well with some new features.
>
> --
> Spamblock: remove all numbers from the e-mail address.
Wow, this is great! This newbie very much appreciates the work you
put into this, finally I know how to have it say something witty when
you climb into that pool of spaghetti I have in the garden... (and I
hadn't even considered what should be said if you tried drinking it!)
ChicagoDave
IE 6 as well. I tlooks to be an issue with the prototype library, but
I couldn't, at a quick glance, determine what the problem is.
David C.
Arnel Legaspi
> I've coded a small web tool for creating things in Inform 7, aptly named
> I7 Thing Creator.
It works great for me, since I can put in the responses I need for any
particular object in the game.
> And here comes the cool part: with just minor tinkering you can actually
> integrate Thing Creator to the Inform 7 IDE! The form installs in the
> documentation files and you can paste the code it creates to your game
> source with a single click (just like with the tutorial examples). The
> instructions are at http://nitku.net/if/thingcreator/IDEintegration.php
I went there and tried it, but I don't see any folder named Resources
where I have Inform 7 (Builds 5J39 and 4K41 which I use for an old
WIP)* installed. Unless you meant the Documentation folder...
..which is where I installed it while I was typing this, and it
worked. Wish the "doc" links would point automatically to the local
copy of the manual, but that's probably something I can work around
with.
> I would be interested to hear if people find this kind of tool useful
> and if developing similar tools would be beneficial. Also, does
> semi-automated code generation have ill side-effects?
Definitely useful, at least to someone like me and a couple of people
I'm encouraging to try writing IF.
Thanks!
--Arnel
S. John Ross
> Definitely useful, at least to someone like me and a couple of people
> I'm encouraging to try writing IF.
Yeah, definitely. My first thought on seeing it was "this is so very
much in the spirit of Inform 7," of making the coding less scary to
newcomers and encouraging more folks to jump into the pool and splash
around :)
Dutchy (Rhian)
> I've coded a small web tool for creating things in Inform 7, aptly named
> I7 Thing Creator.
Thank you!! It was very interesting to have a go at it. It helps me
creating some funny responses for actions that shouldn't been carried
out with a thing.
> I believe the most useful it
> would be for those who want their in-game items have a unique response
> to as many actions as possible.
Yup, exactly!
> Another target group would be the novice I7 authors who might not yet be
> that comfortable with coding things.
Sounds like me too in a way.
> I would be interested to hear if people find this kind of tool useful
> and if developing similar tools would be beneficial. Also, does
> semi-automated code generation have ill side-effects?
Yes, it would be very useful to have more tools like this.
I noticed one thing so far. If you create a telephone (device) for
example which you want to place on a desk, the code produced says "in
desk". Your code assumes that a device is automatically *in* a
location.
Anyway so far I love it and I'm going use it for quite a few things.
Rhian
Victor Gijsbers
> Yes, it would be very useful to have more tools like this.
> I noticed one thing so far. If you create a telephone (device) for
> example which you want to place on a desk, the code produced says "in
> desk". Your code assumes that a device is automatically *in* a
> location.
I think that is correct. "A is in B" is interpreted by Inform as "B is
the parent of A", which leads to an "the A is on the B" message if B is
a supporter (rather than a container).
Regards,
Victor
Juhana Leinonen
>>> IE7 I get a javascript error in line 2744 (object required).
>> Sorry about that. I'll fix it when I get access to a Windows machine;
>> until then, Firefox should work. Note that IDE integration might not
>> work either if IE complains about the code.
>>
> I couldn't, at a quick glance, determine what the problem is.
The problem is now fixed. I had a line of JavaScript that Firefox
understood but IE didn't. Let me know if you find any more bugs.
Juhana Leinonen
Seems to me you are both correct. "A is in B" works for both rooms and
containers but not for supporters.
My original idea was that the location would refer only to rooms
(containers work only because the syntax is the same), but there's no
reason why the functionality couldn't be broadened. I've changed it so
that you can choose "in" (rooms and containers), "on" (supporters),
"carried by" or "worn by" (as suggested earlier by Stuart).
Juhana