Index: Novice mode offers suggestions before each prompt
Description: Novice mode that prefaces every prompt with a list of possible commands the player could try, and highlights every important word used, to alert players to interactive items in the scenery.
Observation of novice IF players suggests that they often have a hard time figuring out how to get started, especially if they are encountering the game in a context where they don't have time to settle in and read instructions. Here we provide some training wheels to help them learn to communicate.
This is divided into several parts. The first part is the system of rules for general guidance, which could be excerpted and used anywhere. The second part is a scenario using these rules.
The rationale for asking the question this way, and not another, is that novices asked whether they would like instructions very often say no, even if they need them.
if the player carries something and a free-standing supporter is relevant, say " [bold type]put[roman type] something [bold type]on[roman type] [the list of relevant supporters]".
if a relevant thing is worth entering, say " [bold type]enter[roman type] [the list of worth entering relevant things], or [bold type]get out[roman type]".
if an unlocked openable thing is relevant, say " [bold type]open[roman type] or [bold type]close[roman type] [the list of unlocked openable relevant things]".
if a closed lockable thing is relevant, say " [bold type]lock[roman type] or [bold type]unlock[roman type] [the list of closed lockable relevant things]".
if another person is relevant, say " [bold type]kiss[roman type] or [bold type]wake[roman type] [the list of relevant other people][if the player carries something], or [bold type]give[roman type] things [bold type]to[roman type] someone[end if]".
The suggestion about asking for help is no good unless we provide some. This might take any of a number of forms, but for the sake of example we'll use an easy way out:
{**}Include Basic Screen Effects by Emily Short. Include Menus by Emily Short. Include Basic Help Menu by Emily Short.
After taking inventory when novice mode is true: say "To get rid of any of these objects, [bold type]drop[roman type] it."
A thing can be examined or unexamined. Carry out examining something: now the noun is examined.
Definition: a thing is relevant if it is seen and it is visible. Before printing the name of something (called the target): now the target is seen; if novice mode is true, say "[bold type]". After printing the name of something: say "[roman type]".
Definition: a supporter is worth entering:
if the player carries it, no;
if it is enterable, yes.
Definition: a container is worth entering:
if the player carries it, no;
if it is enterable and it is open, yes.
Definition: a person is other if it is not the player. Definition: a person is another if it is other.
Definition: a thing is free-standing if it is in a room.
To say exit list:
let place be location;
let count be 0;
repeat with way running through directions:
let place be the room way from the location;
if place is a room:
increment count;
say "[if count is greater than 1] or[end if] [bold type][way][roman type]".
Antarctic Research Station is a room. "Though not always the most stimulating of environments, the station is far from your ex-wife and most of the things in the world that annoy you, namely the other 6+ billion people. There is a second room to the south." The station contains a radio. The radio is a device. It is fixed in place.
South of the Station is Sitting Room. The description of the Sitting Room is "Just big enough for a very [comfortable chair]." The Sitting Room contains an enterable supporter called a comfortable chair. The chair is scenery. A monograph about penguins is in the Sitting Room.
Blistering Cold is a room. "It is white out here and very very very cold." The white door is a door. "[The white door] leads to [the other side of the white door]." It is west of the Blistering Cold and east of the Antarctic Research Station.