| St 1 Standards | Xt 2 Extras | Rules Index Inform's general workings

St 1 | Standards — From the Standard Rules About rulebooks ; About activities ; Moving or abolishing rules

Rules governing actions

These rules are the ones which tell Inform how actions work, and which affect how they happen in particular cases.

persuasion ... rulebook (0 rules)

persuasion ... rulebook | name

There are no rules in this rulebook.

unsuccessful attempt by ... rulebook (0 rules)

unsuccessful attempt by ... rulebook | name

There are no rules in this rulebook.

before ... rulebook (0 rules)

before ... rulebook | name

There are no rules in this rulebook.

instead ... rulebook (2 rules)

instead ... rulebook | name

doing something to the cables

doing something other than examining, talking, answering, looking, waiting, getting off or exiting when the player is on the sofa

default outcome is failure

check ... rulebook (0 rules)

check ... rulebook | name

Check rules are tied to specific actions, and there are too many to index here. For instance, the check taking rules can only ever affect the taking action, so they are indexed on the detailed index page for taking.

carry out ... rulebook (0 rules)

carry out ... rulebook | name

Carry out rules are tied to specific actions, and there are too many to index here.

after ... rulebook (1 rule)

after ... rulebook | name

asking the Petra about "Lynne"

default outcome is success

report ... rulebook (0 rules)

report ... rulebook | name

Report rules are tied to specific actions, and there are too many to index here.

Rules added to the sequence of play

These rulebooks are the best places to put rules timed to happen at the start, at the end, or once each turn. (Each is run through at a carefully chosen moment in the relevant top-level rulebook.) It is also possible to have rules take effect at specific times of day or when certain events happen. Those are listed in the Scenes index, alongside rules taking place when scenes begin or end.

when play begins ... rulebook (1 rule)

when play begins ... rulebook | name

every turn ... rulebook (0 rules)

every turn ... rulebook | name

There are no rules in this rulebook.

when play ends ... rulebook (0 rules)

when play ends ... rulebook | name

There are no rules in this rulebook.

How commands are understood

'Understanding' here means turning a typed command, like GET FISH, into one or more actions, like taking the red herring. This is all handled by a single large rule (the parse command rule), but that rule makes use of the following activities and rulebooks in its work.

does the player mean ... rulebook (2 rules)

does the player mean ... rulebook | name

taking something which is carried by the player very unlikely to mean taking what's already carried rule name unlist

taking off something worn

outcome it is very likely - a success

outcome it is likely - a success

outcome it is possible - a success

outcome it is unlikely - a success

outcome it is very unlikely - a success

reading a command ... activity (0 rules)

reading a command ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

deciding the scope ... activity (0 rules)

deciding the scope ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

deciding the concealed possessions ... activity (0 rules)

deciding the concealed possessions ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

deciding whether all includes ... activity (5 rules)

deciding whether all includes ... activity | b f a

for a person while dropping or throwing or inserting or putting exclude people from drop all rule name unlist

for scenery while taking or taking off or removing exclude scenery from take all rule name unlist

for things enclosed by the person reaching while taking or taking off or removing exclude indirect possessions from take all rule name unlist

for fixed in place things while taking or taking off or removing exclude fixed in place things from take all rule name unlist

for people while taking or taking off or removing exclude people from take all rule name unlist

outcome it does not - a failure

outcome it does - a success

default outcome is success

clarifying the parser's choice ... activity (0 rules)

clarifying the parser's choice ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

asking which do you mean ... activity (0 rules)

asking which do you mean ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

printing a parser error ... activity (0 rules)

printing a parser error ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

supplying a missing noun ... activity (4 rules)

supplying a missing noun ... activity | b f a

for while an actor smelling ambient odour rule name unlist

for while an actor listening ambient sound rule name unlist

for while an actor going block vaguely going rule name unlist 1

A "You'll have to say which compass direction to go in." name set

for while entering find what to enter rule name unlist

default outcome is success

supplying a missing second noun ... activity (0 rules)

supplying a missing second noun ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

implicitly taking ... activity (1 rule)

implicitly taking ... activity | b f a

for standard implicit taking rule name unlist 2

A "(first taking [the noun])[command clarification break]" name set
B "([the second noun] first taking [the noun])[command clarification break]" name set

default outcome is success

How things are described

These activities control what is printed when naming rooms or things, and their descriptions.

printing the name ... activity (2 rules)

printing the name ... activity | b f a

before a thing (called the item being printed) make named things mentioned rule name unlist

for standard name printing rule name unlist

default outcome is success

printing the plural name ... activity (1 rule)

printing the plural name ... activity | b f a

for something (called the item) standard printing the plural name rule name unlist

default outcome is success

printing a number ... activity (1 rule)

printing a number ... activity | b f a

for something (called the item) standard printing a number of something rule name unlist

default outcome is success

printing room description details ... activity (0 rules)

printing room description details ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

printing inventory details ... activity (0 rules)

printing inventory details ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

listing contents ... activity (1 rule)

listing contents ... activity | b f a

for standard contents listing rule name unlist

default outcome is success

grouping together ... activity (0 rules)

grouping together ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

writing a paragraph about ... activity (0 rules)

writing a paragraph about ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

listing nondescript items ... activity (0 rules)

listing nondescript items ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

printing the locale description ... activity (4 rules)

printing the locale description ... activity | b f a

before initialise locale description rule name unlist

before find notable locale objects rule name unlist

for interesting locale paragraphs rule name unlist

for you-can-also-see rule name unlist 6

A "[We] " name set
B "On [the domain] [we] " name set
C "In [the domain] [we] " name set
D "[regarding the player][can] also see " name set
E "[regarding the player][can] see " name set
F " here" name set

default outcome is success

choosing notable locale objects ... activity (1 rule)

choosing notable locale objects ... activity | b f a

for standard notable locale objects rule name unlist

default outcome is success

printing a locale paragraph about ... activity (9 rules)

printing a locale paragraph about ... activity | b f a

for a supporter (called the tabletop) initial appearance on supporters rule name unlist

for a thing (called the item) don't mention player's supporter in room descriptions rule name unlist

for a thing (called the item) don't mention scenery in room descriptions rule name unlist

for a thing (called the item) don't mention undescribed items in room descriptions rule name unlist

for a thing (called the item) set pronouns from items in room descriptions rule name unlist

for a thing (called the item) offer items to writing a paragraph about rule name unlist

for a thing (called the item) use initial appearance in room descriptions rule name unlist 1

A "On [the item] " name set

for a thing (called the item) describe what's on scenery supporters in room descriptions rule name unlist 1

A "On [the item] " name set

for a thing (called the item) describe what's on mentioned supporters in room descriptions rule name unlist 1

A "On [the item] " name set

default outcome is success

How accessibility is judged

These rulebooks are used when deciding who can reach what, and who can see what.

reaching inside ... an object based rulebook (2 rules)

reaching inside ... an object based rulebook | name

can't reach inside rooms rule name unlist 1

A "[We] [can't] reach into [the noun]." name set

can't reach inside closed containers rule name unlist 1

A "[The noun] [aren't] open." name set

outcome allow access - a success

outcome deny access - a failure

reaching outside ... an object based rulebook (1 rule)

reaching outside ... an object based rulebook | name

can't reach outside closed containers rule name unlist 1

A "[The noun] [aren't] open." name set

outcome allow access - a success

outcome deny access - a failure

visibility ... rulebook (1 rule)

visibility ... rulebook | name

can't act in the dark rule name unlist

outcome there is sufficient light - a failure

outcome there is insufficient light - a success

Light and darkness

These activities control how we describe darkness.

printing the name of a dark room ... activity (0 rules)

printing the name of a dark room ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

printing the description of a dark room ... activity (0 rules)

printing the description of a dark room ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

printing the announcement of darkness ... activity (0 rules)

printing the announcement of darkness ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

printing the announcement of light ... activity (1 rule)

printing the announcement of light ... activity | b f a

for look around once light available rule name unlist

default outcome is success

printing a refusal to act in the dark ... activity (0 rules)

printing a refusal to act in the dark ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

The top level

An Inform story file spends its whole time working through these three master rulebooks. They can be altered, just as all rulebooks can, but it's generally better to leave them alone.

startup rules ... rulebook (11 rules)

startup rules ... rulebook | name

initialise memory rule name unlist

virtual machine startup rule name unlist

seed random number generator rule name unlist

update chronological records rule name unlist

declare everything initially unmentioned rule name unlist

position player in model world rule name unlist

start in the correct scenes rule name unlist

when play begins stage rule name unlist

fix baseline scoring rule name unlist

display banner rule name unlist

initial room description rule name unlist

starting the virtual machine ... activity (1 rule)

starting the virtual machine ... activity | b f a

for enable Glulx acceleration rule name unlist

default outcome is success

printing the banner text ... activity (0 rules)

printing the banner text ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

turn sequence rules ... rulebook (12 rules)

turn sequence rules ... rulebook | name

parse command rule name unlist

declare everything initially unmentioned rule name unlist

generate action rule name unlist 2

A "(considering the first sixteen objects only)[command clarification break]" name set
B "Nothing to do!" name set

every turn stage rule name unlist

timed events rule name unlist

advance time rule name unlist

update chronological records rule name unlist

adjust light rule name unlist 1

A "[It] [are] [if story tense is present tense]now [end if]pitch dark in [if story tense is present tense]here[else]there[end if]!" name set

note object acquisitions rule name unlist

notify score changes rule name unlist

constructing the status line ... activity (0 rules)

constructing the status line ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

shutdown rules ... rulebook (4 rules)

shutdown rules ... rulebook | name

when play ends stage rule name unlist

resurrect player if asked rule name unlist

print player's obituary rule name unlist

ask the final question rule name unlist

amusing a victorious player ... activity (0 rules)

amusing a victorious player ... activity | b f a

There are no rules before, for or after this activity.

printing the player's obituary ... activity (3 rules)

printing the player's obituary ... activity | b f a

for print obituary headline rule name unlist 3

A " You have died " name set
B " You have won " name set
C " The End " name set

for print final score rule name unlist

for display final status line rule name unlist

default outcome is success

handling the final question ... activity (4 rules)

handling the final question ... activity | b f a

before print the final question rule name unlist 2

A "Would you like to " name set
B " or " name set

before print the final prompt rule name unlist 1

A "> [run paragraph on]" name set

before read the final answer rule name unlist

for standard respond to final question rule name unlist 1

A "Please give one of the answers above." name set

default outcome is success

How actions are processed

These form the technical machinery for dealing with actions, and are called on at least once every turn. They seldom need to be changed.

action-processing rules ... rulebook (11 rules)

action-processing rules ... rulebook | name

announce items from multiple object lists rule name unlist 1

A "[current item from the multiple object list]: [run paragraph on]" name set

set pronouns from items from multiple object lists rule name unlist

before stage rule name unlist

basic visibility rule name unlist 1

A "[It] [are] pitch dark, and [we] [can't see] a thing." name set

basic accessibility rule name unlist 1

A "You must name something more substantial." name set

carrying requirements rule name unlist

instead stage rule name unlist

requested actions require persuasion rule name unlist 1

A "[The noun] [have] better things to do." name set

carry out requested actions rule name unlist 1

A "[The noun] [are] unable to do that." name set

descend to specific action-processing rule name unlist

end action-processing in success rule name unlist

specific action-processing rules ... rulebook (8 rules)

specific action-processing rules ... rulebook | name

work out details of specific action rule name unlist

investigate player's awareness before action rule name unlist

check stage rule name unlist

carry out stage rule name unlist

after stage rule name unlist

investigate player's awareness after action rule name unlist

report stage rule name unlist

player's action awareness rules ... rulebook (4 rules)

player's action awareness rules ... rulebook | name

player aware of his own actions rule name unlist

player aware of actions by visible actors rule name unlist

player aware of actions on visible nouns rule name unlist

player aware of actions on visible second nouns rule name unlist

How responses are printed

The Standard Rules, and some extensions, reply to the player's commands with messages which are able to be modified.

issuing the response text ... activity (1 rule)

issuing the response text ... activity | b f a

for standard issuing the response text rule name unlist

default outcome is success

Xt 2 | Extras — Further rulebooks, from the source or extensions About rulebooks ; About activities ; Moving or abolishing rules