X-Git-Url: https://jxself.org/git/?p=ibg.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=appendices%2Fa.rst;fp=appendices%2Fa.rst;h=3934f5569bdfcfa2694aeba397c035b23e7ec904;hp=0000000000000000000000000000000000000000;hb=fbbce8f30ba93c89681b3b69e9060a5d044c084c;hpb=a421009b2d321b7bb80fe7465d67f1d377359705 diff --git a/appendices/a.rst b/appendices/a.rst new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3934f55 --- /dev/null +++ b/appendices/a.rst @@ -0,0 +1,161 @@ +====================================== + Appendix A -- How to play an IF game +====================================== + +Playing IF requires just a bit of instruction. All you have to do is read +the descriptions and situations that appear on the screen and then tell the +game what you'd like to happen next. Imagine that you're saying "I WANT TO +..."; you don't actually type those three words, but you *do* type what +follows, instructing the game to do something on your behalf. Commands +usually take the form of a simple imperative sentence, with a verb and a +direct object (for example, typing EXAMINE THE KETTLE will display a +description of the kettle, TAKE KETTLE will make it one of your belongings, +and so on). If there's more than one kettle around, you can be specific +(TAKE RED KETTLE); otherwise, the game will ask you something like "Which +do you mean, the red kettle or the rusty kettle?" Answering RED is enough +in a case like this. Some commands refer to two objects, like: PUT KETTLE +ON TABLE. + +To make them stand out on the page, we're showing the words that you type +in capital letters. You can actually use upper-case or lower-case letters +-- it makes no difference -- and you can usually omit words like THE +(though TAKE A BATH and TAKE THE BATH may have different effects, as will +TAKE A COIN and TAKE THE COIN if there are several to choose from). + +To move around, use the verb GO and one of the cardinal points: GO NORTH +will move you in the desired direction. Movement happens quite a lot, so +you can shorten that to just NORTH, and you can even use the initial(s) of +the direction in which you want to travel (easier and faster to type): N, +S, E, W, NE, NW, SE and SW. Also available are UP (U), DOWN (D) and, +occasionally, IN and OUT. There is quite an impressive stock of standard +actions which can generally be relied upon to do something, even if only to +tell you that you're wasting your time: + +.. hlist:: + :columns: 5 + + * ASK + * BURN + * BUY + * CLEAN + * CLIMB + * CLOSE + * CUT + * DIG + * DISROBE + * DRINK + * DROP + * EAT + * EMPTY + * ENTER + * EXAMINE + * EXIT + * FILL + * GIVE + * GO + * INSERT + * INVENTORY + * JUMP + * KILL + * KISS + * LISTEN + * LOCK + * LOOK + * OFF + * ON + * OPEN + * PRAY + * PULL + * PUSH + * PUT + * READ + * SEARCH + * SHOW + * SING + * SIT + * SLEEP + * SMELL + * STAND + * SWIM + * SWITCH + * SWITCH + * TAKE + * TASTE + * TELL + * THINK + * THROW + * TIE + * TOUCH + * TRANSFER + * TURN + * UNLOCK + * WAIT + * WAVE + * WEAR + +You don't have to play IF with a list like this open in front of you; the +idea is that a good game should understand whatever seems logical for you +to try next. Sometimes that will be a standard action, sometimes a verb +like SALUTE or PHOTOGRAPH which, although less common, makes perfect sense +in context. + +You'll discover that usually many of these actions are fairly irrelevant. +Try logical things first (if you have a torch, BURN may be promising, while +EAT probably not). Of special interest are LOOK (or just L), to print a +description of the current location; EXAMINE (or X) *object*, which gives +you a detailed description of the object; INVENTORY (INV or I) lists the +objects you are carrying. You may combine some of these verbs with +prepositions to expand the possibilities: LOOK THROUGH, LOOK AT, LOOK IN, +LOOK UNDER all perform different actions. Remember that we're mentioning +only a selection of the possible verbs; if you feel that something else +ought to work, try it and see. + +You can change the way the game offers descriptions of locations as you +arrive in them. The default setting is usually BRIEF, which provides you +with long descriptions only the first time you enter a new location. Some +people like to change this to VERBOSE, which *always* gives you long +location descriptions. Here are some other special commands and +abbreviations you should know: + +| AGAIN (G) repeats the action you've just performed. +| WAIT (Z) skips one turn of action while you loiter and see what happens. +| QUIT ends the game. +| SAVE saves your current position in the game. +| RESTORE reloads a previously saved position. +| RESTART starts again from the beginning. +| SCORE tells you the current state of progress. +| UNDO goes back one turn so that your most recent action never happened. + +Often, there will be characters that you'll have to interact with. Let's +suppose you find your cousin Maria: you may ASK (or TELL) MARIA ABOUT +something, GIVE (or SHOW) object TO MARIA or ASK MARIA FOR object. +Characters may be willing to help you, when you can indicate your wishes +with: MARIA, GO NORTH or MARIA, TAKE THE GUN. If you are really fond of +Maria, you may want to KISS her and if she offends you beyond measure, you +might like to ATTACK her. + +Once you've referred to an object or a character by name, you may use the +pronouns IT, HIM or HER to simplify the typing process. These pronouns +will remain set until you refer to any other object or character. If you +wish to check the current pronoun assignments, type PRONOUNS. As a rule of +the thumb, try to keep your actions simple. Most games will actually +understand long commands like TAKE ALL FROM THE BAG EXCEPT THE GREEN PEARL +THEN THROW CAMEMBERT CHEESE AT UGLY MATRON, but such things are hard to +type without mistakes. Also, you'll find that other inputs don't work as +well: GO BACK TO THE KITCHEN or GET NEAR THE SINGING PIRATE or READ +NEWSPAPER OVER THE SHERIFF'S SHOULDER will all give you error messages of +some kind. Understanding the conventions of command typing is fairly +intuitive and you'll quickly master it after a little experimentation. + +.. note:: + + We're talking here about the core capabilities that most Inform games + provide (though much of this is equally applicable to other IF systems). + Often the designer will have extended these capabilities by defining + additional commands appropriate to the nature of the game; either you'll + be told about these, or they'll come naturally to mind during play. + Less frequently, some designers like to tamper with the default + behaviour of the parser, the interface, or with the way that commands + work -- maybe even disabling some of the standard ones completely. When + this happens, it's common and polite practice for the game to let you + know.