Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
Subject: Re: [Inform] Messages on the first turn
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Date: 19 Sep 2001 16:01:21 +1000
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"David A. Cornelson" <dcornelson@placet.com> writes:

>"Kenneth Alexander Finlayson" <kaf03@uow.edu.au> wrote in message
>news:3ba6ac6d$1@news.uow.edu.au...
>>
>> I would like to have my game start with the character's stomach growling
>> and white noise coming from a television in the same room (that is,

>It's not clear whether you want this statement to print once at the
>beginning of the game or to repeat indefintely in the first room until some
>action is taken.

Definitely the second option. That's why I've been trying to use each_turn
and a daemon for the two messages. I guess the use of the word "start" is
vague, sorry. I want the stomach to grumble every turn (until food is
eaten), and I want the TV to crackle every turn the player is in the same
room. But I also want these messages to be printed after the description
in the very first turn.

If I use a daemon or each_turn, no message is printed until the player has
taken their first action.

Now, I know I can modify the room's description so the messages are
printed (as part of the description) on the first turn only. But it seems
silly to have a room description contain messages that should be the
responsibility of the TV object and the player object.

I think (but I'm not sure) that this is the option you suggest when you
wrote:

>If you need this to print all the time, then write a function for the
>description property that will print varying texts for varying states.

>description
>[;    switch (somestate) {
>            state_1:
>            state_2:
>      }
>      "the rest of the description"
>],

Perhaps the following transcript will clear matters up.

TEST FILE
An Interactive Test
Release 1 / Serial number 010918 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10 SD

Test Room
The room has been plainted a bland white, in an attempt to give the place a
sterile feel, as befits a testing area.

You can see a television here.

Your stomach growls.

The infernal crackle of static comes from the television.

>I
You are carrying nothing.

Your stomach growls.

The infernal crackle of static comes from the television.

>LOOK AT MYSELF
Gaunt and starved. You do not look your best.

Your stomach growls.

The infernal crackle of static comes from the television.

--
Nineteen minutes of tosh masquerading as half an hour of comedy.
                       -- Tony Davis, writing about "The Drew Carey Show"
