Post by Garry Francis in Documentation

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4. Please don't use LOOK AROUND, as this is what the basic room description gives you. The convention for two-word input is VERB NOUN and "AROUND" is not a noun, so no one will think to use it. If you want to provide more details, then use EXAMINE OBJECT or, if you insist, SEARCH OBJECT. Some authors use EXAMINE and SEARCH to mean different things, but SEARCH is usually frowned upon. For example, ignoring the two-word restriction, imagine you're in a barn with a haystack:

>EXAMINE HAYSTACK
That would be a good place to hide things.
>SEARCH HAYSTACK
You find a needle.
>SEARCH HAYSTACK
You don't find anything else.

Don't forget to prevent the second search from finding the needle again!

Adventuron4 years ago

I personally don't recommend the use of examine and search when applied to the same object in text lite games. It's just two commands you have to try for every noun and it slows down the flow. If there is something to be discovered, then examining something should be enough to reveal it. But this is just a personal opinion.

Garry Francis4 years ago (1 edit)

I agree. That's why I used an example without the two-word restriction. You can make SEARCH a synonym for EXAMINE, but a better way is to have a handler for SEARCH that says, "Use EXAMINE.", then there is no doubt that you don't need to use SEARCH.

Artem Flo / aturbidflow / kubikámi4 years ago

Yes, I've already got it. I came up with another mechanics that fit into the story.

Dethmunk4 years ago

Why is Examine and Search not a two word restriction? Your example only uses two words for each command. I personal have used Examine and Search like this, because I see Examine as purely a visual look at the item, where as Search is a much more detailed hands on examination of an object. I may have to re-think some of my adventure if this isn't allowed. ;)

Adventuron4 years ago

I do think that using EXAMINE and SEARCH as separate verbs makes gameplay a bit of a chore.

Essentially examine and search play the role of revealing something hidden, and if it is clear that SEARCH needs to be used sometimes, it forces the player into EXAMINE ing and SEARCH ing for every object in the game. I think it's reasonable to examine most objects once, to get a clue, but SEARCH ing is essentially a deeper examine, that may or may not have a custom response. It places a huge burden on the player to do everything twice.

MOVE, PUSH, PULL, TALK, SWIM, THROW, LIGHT, ... all of these are individual actions, but requiring a deep examine isn't really an act of creativity by the player. It just forces the player to type EXAMINE OBJECT then SEARCH OBJECT, and with some players not expecting to search at all.

I'll write something in the rules about this, but if you have a game that absolutely requires search, then it'll be permitted.

Dethmunk4 years ago

I see what you mean... what if the first examine command reveals in its description a second potential item to examine.... for instance
EXAMINE TABLE
THERE LOT'S OF BROKEN POTTERY HERE
EXAMINE POTTERY
YOU FOUND SOME MOLDY CHEESE!
The pottery doesn't become a found object but it is reveal as a secondary item for the player to examine? Would that be ok/better?

Adventuron4 years ago

Yes, this approach is better. Make sure you create the pottery as a listed object too (scenery). You can also play the : success; command to give an audio clue that the player made some progress.

Dethmunk4 years ago

Actually reviewing my game. I've only got two places where the Search command is used without the back up of Examine. So a short rework will fix that, so its not a big deal for me to take Search out of the game. Makes things simpler to be honest. ;)

Adventuron4 years ago

Separate point, but be sure to select "MENU / SAVE FILE" regularly. Also set up the game_information / game_name field as soon as you can too.

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