Hi. I'm making my first IF game for a class, and I have some questions...

Is there any way I can define alternate names for a room? The room is named "207 Parkhurst Hall" but I'd like to allow people to write "go to parkhurst" or "go to office" and have it work.

Also, can I have a "hidden" room? I have a puzzle where if you understand it right, you should write "go to mailbox" but I don't want "mailbox" showing up as a "go-to" place on the right side of the screen.

Thanks for any help.

All this is for QDK (i assume thats whats your using).

To your first question:


You have a few options.You could either add synonyms to 207 parkhurst hall or you could go into the room porperties and add an alternate name OR you could just create the command your self in game properties and add command.


To your second question:


Umm i don't really understand....all i can think of is don't add the goto exit, but insted wait untill the player has done something, then run script to create an exit to another place.

you could put it under a custom command

Why not just use the alt<> tag?
I expect it's available for room's as well as normal objects, so it should be fine.

The alt<> tag is a list of alternate names the room/object can be called. Don't know 100% if it's in QDK though - I'd expect it to be.

And to have a secret room - the old way was to have two rooms, and one of the rooms had the exit, where the first didn't. Then, once you want the exit to appear you just have the user switch rooms.
The new (better IMO) way is to have dynamic exit's. Create the exit to this 'secret room' when you want the exit to appear.
Look in QDK for "create exit to..." or something similar.

I had the Alt tag on my room, but I didn't realize it was working because of another mistake:

In the room where I start, I want the only possible action to be going to the other room (the user should type "go to parkhurst" or "go to phurst" or "go to office"). Right now, there's a script that says before each turn in that room, if the command is not "Go to 207 Parkhurst", complain a little and keep the command from happening. Do I just have to reprogram that script to account for every alternate name, or is there some quicker system?

Also, for my second problem, I think I'll use a custom command in the room - the dynamic exits still show up in the "go to" box at the right side of the screen. It's supposed to be a puzzle; I don't want the answer magically appearing on the screen when they're reading the question. I was shooting for something like those invisible objects that exist but aren't told to you in the descriptions.

Thanks for the help!

There are custom error commands that can be changed in game.

Im gonna go with tron on this one and say dynamic exits.Your thinking of "goto" exits.A dynamic exit is a script command that can be done in QDK.Just do something like:

Create an if staement for if the player has an object, in the "then" section, goto "rooms" on the menu and "create exit".

Easy as that.

[edit]

now ive thought about it i know wht your aiming for:

make a command for something like 'press button' and have the script create and exit.

Erm, you might be able to use this bit:
<goto #@roomname#>
if (#roomname# = whatever) then -->move player
else --> deny command

I think the #@# might work with alt's - but I haven't tried so I'm not sure - Alex?

Ok i know this is a little bit off topic but what exactly is "plaque"? Is it just a build up of food or what?

francisstokes wrote:Ok i know this is a little bit off topic but what exactly is "plaque"? Is it just a build up of food or what?

It's nothing - the fabrication of a conspiracy of dentists.

Erm, you might be able to use this bit:
<goto #@roomname#>
if (#roomname# = whatever) then -->move player
else --> deny command

I think the #@# might work with alt's - but I haven't tried so I'm not sure - Alex?

Yes, when you use the #@thing# variable form then it will work if the player types in one of the alt names.

Ummmm.... I can't get alt names for rooms to do anything at all... am I missing something?

alt <thing1; name two; name three>

Quite correct...
You can't even override the default quest "go to" command...

A plaque is a small metal sheet with an inscription that is nailed to things like memorials and monuments with information on what they are.

or any other kind of sign, such as for protesting with......lol

well, plaque seems to have been adequately defined in all contexts. enjoy, francis.