Scroll Thief — 42 of 138

Book S3 - Scope Hackery

Definition: a thing (called X) is local rather than nonlocal if the location of X is the location.

[Definition: a door is local rather than nonlocal if it is adjacent.]

After printing the name of a nonlocal thing (called X) while asking which do you mean: if the location of X is not nothing, say " in [the location of X]".

Understand "in [something related by reversed containment]" as a thing [when the item described is nonlocal].

Should the game suggest doing something with a nonlocal thing when the person asked is the player: it is a bad suggestion.

Should the game suggest doing something with a local thing when the nonlocal visibility flag is true and the person asked is the player: it is a passable suggestion.

Should the game suggest doing something with a nonlocal thing (called the item) when the person asked is not the player and the location of the item is the location of the person asked: it is a passable suggestion.

After deciding the scope of the player while parsing the nouns (this is the allow distant nouns if the actor can see them rule):

if the person asked is not the player:

let the place be the location of the person asked;

place the place in scope.

After deciding the scope of a marked in scope person (called the subject) (this is the allow other people to see the player rule):

place the location in scope.

The most recent actor is an object that varies.

After reading a command (this is the reset distant actor before multiple-command rule):

now the most recent actor is nothing. [This ensures we don't leave the actor in scope for multiple command-entries, only when multiple commands are entered on the same line.]

First persuasion (this is the reset most recent actor rule):

now the most recent actor is the person asked.

After deciding the scope of the player while parsing for persuasion (this is the multiple commands to a distant actor rule):[1]

if the most recent actor is not nothing:

place the most recent actor in scope, but not its contents.

A thing can be marked in scope. A thing is usually not marked in scope.

A room can be marked in scope. A room is usually not marked in scope.

The nonlocal visibility flag is initially false.

This is the re-cache scope at start of turn rule: recalculate scope.

The re-cache scope at start of turn rule is listed after the parse command rule in the turn sequence rulebook.

First every turn rule (this is the re-cache scope at end of turn rule): recalculate scope.

After deciding the scope of the player (this is the use cached scope if available rule):

repeat with the item running through marked in scope things:

place the item in scope, but not its contents;

repeat with the item running through marked in scope rooms:

place the item in scope, but not its contents.

The scope adjustment rules are a rulebook.

To recalculate scope:

now every thing is not marked in scope;

now every room is not marked in scope;

now the nonlocal visibility flag is false;

follow the scope adjustment rules.