Starting out

JehuLove
16 Aug 2011, 02:23
As a guy who's never really done much coding, this program is great. Playing with it for a few days now, and really impressed.

Has anyone taken the time to create a more in-depth user's manual, though? The tutorial packaged with the software is great for starting out, but doesn't really give me much insight on how to create more complex scripts or how to troubleshoot errors.

The number of things I'm constantly screwing up merits some more documentation, I think.... I can't even figure out how to properly manage an object's properties.

On a completely unrelated note: Why is it that directional movement isn't more specific. If I've only got one exit, "northwest," and the player types "north," they'll still end up in the northwest location. What gives?

JehuLove
16 Aug 2011, 02:57
I guess I can give an example:

I've uploaded my game- once you open it, if you do the following:

North
North
Open Mailbox

You'll find a pin. I'd like the player to be able to put it on and take it off at will. I'd also like them NOT to be able to put it on if they're already wearing it, of course, so my conditional reads something like "if the player has "pin" AND "pin"'s property is "not worn" then modify the property to "worn" and print the message. Instead, I've got something like this:

> open mailbox
You open it.
It's an ordinary mailbox, painted black. On one side, three metallic decals read "417."
It contains a campaign pin.

> take pin
(first removing it from mailbox)
Done.
You pick it up.

> wear pin
You don't have the pin.

I ALSO have no idea why the mailbox's description prints whenever the player opens it. BAH.

JehuLove
16 Aug 2011, 03:27
Managed to fix it with a workaround, but I still don't know what I was doing wrong to begin with. Mailbox still prints a description when I open it. Posted the updated file, if anyone wants to tell me where I went wrong.

JehuLove
16 Aug 2011, 05:53
Annnnd now it's being a dick again. I moved on and began editing another room after figuring out the last bit....

And now when I try to open the mailbox (go north twice from the starting location), I get no response. I haven't edited anything in that room or the objects that interact with it. Anyone ever had this issue? Seems more like a bug than a mistake...

You are outside a trading post.
You can go south or west.
The sweet smell of peppered smoke fills your nostrils. Across the road, you can see a narrow unpaved driveway and parking area leading to a well-kept but humble establishment built in the style of a log cabin. Its entrance is located to the west.

A tall post at the roadside supports some ad hoc-cum-permanent signage- high above, painted actoss a wedge of whitewashed plywood, is the word JERKY. Perhaps as an afterthought, a second sign is nailed below. Beef! Elk! Buffalo! Venison! Below the signs, you see a mailbox.

> open mailbox


> close mailbox
It is already closed.

> open mailbox


> close mailbox
It is already closed.


WTF?

Pertex
16 Aug 2011, 13:24
JehuLove wrote:
Has anyone taken the time to create a more in-depth user's manual, though? The tutorial packaged with the software is great for starting out, but doesn't really give me much insight on how to create more complex scripts or how to troubleshoot errors.


I dont think that there will be a better manual for Quest4 any more. The lifetime of Q4 is nearly at its end and all work is concentrated on Q5.

But I think I can help you with your problem with 'open'. You defined a verb 'open' in your game. This overrides the internal open-command. If you want to open an object, this object must be a container und you have to use the open-functionality of the container.