Rules

reset combat variables 
        standard reset combat variables rule 
whether attacking begins 
        separation rule 
        check sublocation accessibility rule 
        cannot be attacked when gaseous rule 
preliminary results of attacking 
        turn all indifferent monsters hostile rule 
basic attack roll 
        standard attack roll rule 
whether attack modifiers apply 
        no attack modifiers when cleaving rule 
        attack modifiers apply unless something intervenes rule 
attack modifiers 
        concentration attack modifier rule 
        deadly combat attack bonus rule 
        excitement attack bonus rule 
        standard attack bonus rule 
        dodging attack bonus rule 
        cursed attack penalty rule 
        burning hands attack bonus rule 
        await attack bonus rule 
        onholder attack penalty or bonus rule 
always-present attack modifiers 
        cleave to-hit bonus rule 
        excitement defence bonus rule 
        dodging defence bonus rule 
        elda armour defence bonus rule 
        visibility attack penalties rule 
        an onholder gets a defence penalty rule 
        guarding stick defence bonus rule 
show results of the attack roll 
        standard result of the attack roll rule 
whether the attack hit 
        standard whether the attack hit rule 
immediate results of hitting 
        hitting removes curse rule 
basic damage roll 
        standard damage roll rule 
        damage when using burning hands rule 
        display damage roll rule 
damage modifiers 
        temp rule 
always-present damage modifiers 

Making new rulebooks 


Rules occurring at given times

When play begins 
        (let current node be the chat node after no quip chosen; ...) [E1]
        (change DiceLock to a random number between 1000 and 9999) [E2]
        (seed the random-number generator with 23481) 
        (repeat with the patient running through people begin; ...) 
        (repeat with the patient running through people begin; ...) 
        (repeat with the patient running through people begin; ...) 
        (repeat with patient running through rooms begin; ...) 
        (choose row 1 in Table of Basic Help Options; ...) 
Every turn 
        when a hostile alive monster is enclosed by the location   
        when no hostile alive monster is enclosed by the location   
        when a not summoned hostile alive monster is enclosed by the location   
        when a summoned alive monster is enclosed by the location   
        when the bomb is enclosed by the location   
        when the player is poisonous   
        when a killed onholder monster is enclosed by the location   
        when the player is in The Lair of the Troll for the first turn   
        (if the noun is a thing and the noun is ambiguously plural, notice the plurality of the noun; ...) [E3]
        (if no hostile monster is alive enclosed by the location, now deadlier combat boolean is false) 
        (repeat with burner running through on fire persons begin; ...) 
        (if no alive monster is in the Bat Cave and the location of the player is not in the Bat Cave begin; ...) 
        (if no alive monster is in the Forest and the location of the player is not in the Forest begin; ...) 
        (repeat with the patient running through alive regenerating monsters begin; ...) 
        (repeat with the potential stick running through broken sticks of illumination begin; ...) 
        when the beat is not 0   
        (run the combat) 
        when no hostile alive monster is enclosed by the location and no indifferent monster is enclosed by the location   
        when no hostile alive monster is enclosed by the location   
        (repeat with current person running through gaseous persons enclosed by the location begin; ...) 
        when a hostile alive monster is enclosed by the location  global combat variables rule 
When play ends 

Rules taking place when scenes begin and end can be found in the Scenes index.


Rules governing actions

Before 
        going west in Lesson Four - Concentrating for the first time   
        going west in Lesson Five - Defending for the first time   
        going west in The Hall of Scenarios for the first time   
        going south in Antechamber   
        retreating in Lesson Six - Retreating for the first time   
        retreating in the Professor's Laboratory   
        doing anything except examining with the yellow button   
        examining a determinable   
        examining a detailer   
        behaving randomly   [E2]
        doing anything   

Reaching inside 
        can't reach inside rooms rule
        can't reach inside closed containers rule
        outcome  allow access - a success
        outcome  deny access - a failure
Reaching outside 
        can't reach outside closed containers rule
        outcome  allow access - a success
        outcome  deny access - a failure
Visibility 
        can't act in the dark rule
        outcome  there is sufficient light - a failure
        outcome  there is insufficient light - a success

Instead of 
        going west in Lesson Eight - Excitement   
        going west in Lesson Nine - Skills   
        opening the crude closet when a hostile alive monster is enclosed by the location   
        going down when the player is on a supporter   
        pulling the lever when the grating is switched on   
        pulling the lever when the grating is switched off   
        inserting a ruby into the Groth idol   
        inserting a diamond into the Groth Idol   
        inserting a ruby into the Elda idol   
        inserting a diamond into the Elda Idol   
        inserting a ruby into the Duncan idol   
        inserting a diamond into the Duncan Idol   
        inserting a ruby into the Shliss idol   
        inserting a diamond into the Shliss Idol   
        asking someone about something   
        telling someone about something   
        giving something to an idol   
        putting the sword on something   
        inserting the sword into something   
        throwing a fire grenade at something   
        dropping the sword   
        examining the Groth Idol   
        examining the Elda Idol   
        examining the Duncan Idol   
        examining the Shliss Idol   
        examining the grating   
        examining the green button   
        examining the red button   
        examining the bomb   
        listening to the bomb   
        examining the golden hair   
        examining the instruction leaflet   
        examining the instruction poster   
        examining the Blood Poster   
        examining the Deadly Combat Poster   
        examining the Excitement Poster   
        examining the excitement button   
        pushing the excitement button   
        examining the Zeal Poster   
        examining the Smash Poster   
        examining the Bronze Poster   
        examining the Burning Poster   
        examining the Waiting Poster   
        examining the lever   
        examining the buttons   
        examining the yellow button   
        pushing the yellow button   
        taking, pushing or pulling the bomb   
        giving text for no quip chosen   [E1]
        giving link to c_silence   
        giving text for c_silence   
        finding responses to c_silence   
        giving text for c_determinable_1   
        finding responses to c_determinable_1   
        giving link to c_determinable_2   
        giving text for c_determinable_2   
        finding responses to c_determinable_2   
        giving link to c_determinable_3   
        giving text for c_determinable_3   
        finding responses to c_determinable_3   
        giving link to c_determinable_4   
        giving text for c_determinable_4   
        finding responses to c_determinable_4   
        examining the player   
        giving text for c_GrothSkills_1   
        finding responses to c_GrothSkills_1   
        giving link to c_GrothSkills_2   
        giving text for c_GrothSkills_2   
        giving link to c_GrothSkills_3   
        giving text for c_GrothSkills_3   
        giving link to c_GrothSkills_4   
        giving text for c_GrothSkills_4   
        giving link to c_GrothSkills_5   
        giving text for c_GrothSkills_5   
        giving text for c_EldaSkills_1   
        finding responses to c_EldaSkills_1   
        giving link to c_EldaSkills_2   
        giving text for c_EldaSkills_2   
        giving link to c_EldaSkills_3   
        giving text for c_EldaSkills_3   
        giving link to c_EldaSkills_4   
        giving text for c_EldaSkills_4   
        giving link to c_EldaSkills_5   
        giving text for c_EldaSkills_5   
        giving text for c_DuncanSkills_1   
        finding responses to c_DuncanSkills_1   
        giving link to c_DuncanSkills_2   
        giving text for c_DuncanSkills_2   
        giving link to c_DuncanSkills_3   
        giving text for c_DuncanSkills_3   
        giving link to c_DuncanSkills_4   
        giving text for c_DuncanSkills_4   
        giving link to c_DuncanSkills_5   
        giving text for c_DuncanSkills_5   
        giving text for c_ShlissSkills_1   
        finding responses to c_ShlissSkills_1   
        giving link to c_ShlissSkills_2   
        giving text for c_ShlissSkills_2   
        giving link to c_ShlissSkills_3   
        giving text for c_ShlissSkills_3   
        giving link to c_ShlissSkills_4   
        giving text for c_ShlissSkills_4   
        giving link to c_ShlissSkills_5   
        giving text for c_ShlissSkills_5   
        listening to an alive wild boar   
        touching a killed wild boar   
        tasting a killed wild boar   
        listening to an alive young boar   
        touching a killed young boar   
        tasting a killed young boar   
        listening to an alive dog   
        touching a killed dog   
        tasting a killed dog   
        listening to an alive snake   
        touching a killed snake   
        tasting a killed snake   
        listening to an alive mud crab   
        touching a killed mud crab   
        tasting a killed mud crab   
        listening to an alive water serpent   
        touching a killed water serpent   
        tasting a killed water serpent   
        listening to an alive giant mud crab   
        touching a killed giant mud crab   
        tasting a killed giant mud crab   
        listening to an alive troll   
        touching a killed troll   
        tasting a killed troll   
        listening to an alive young troll   
        touching a killed young troll   
        tasting a killed young troll   
        listening to an alive straw being   
        touching a killed straw being   
        tasting a killed straw being   
        examining a killed tarrasque   
        listening to an alive tarrasque   
        touching a killed tarrasque   
        tasting a killed tarrasque   
        listening to a killed monster   
        touching an alive monster   
        tasting an alive monster   
        examining a wild boar   
        smelling a wild boar   
        examining a young boar   
        smelling a young boar   
        examining a doberman   
        examining a pit-bull   
        examining a terrier   
        examining a bouvier   
        examining a German shepherd   
        examining a Rhodesian Ridgeback   
        examining a dog   
        smelling a dog   
        examining a snake   
        smelling a snake   
        examining a mud crab   
        smelling a mud crab   
        examining a water serpent   
        smelling a water serpent   
        examining a giant mud crab   
        smelling a giant mud crab   
        examining a troll   
        smelling a troll   
        examining a young troll   
        smelling a young troll   
        examining a straw being   
        smelling a straw being   
        examining a tarrasque   
        smelling a tarrasque   
        examining a stick of guarding   
        attacking a stick of guarding   
        examining healing herbs   
        eating healing herbs   
        examining a fire grenade   
        throwing a fire grenade   
        examining a stick of illumination   
        attacking a stick of illumination   
        examining a diamond   
        examining a ruby   
        throwing something   
        going or retreating when an alive indifferent bouvier is enclosed by the location   
        swimming   
        xyzzying   
        waking up   
        kissing   
        saying yes   
        saying no   
        waiting   
        waving hands   
        jumping   
        singing   
        sleeping   
        default outcome is failure

After 
        attacking in Lesson Three - Attacking for the first time   
        attacking in Lesson Three - Attacking for the second time   
        concentrating in Lesson Four - Concentrating for the first time   
        concentrating in Lesson Four - Concentrating for the second time   
        concentrating in Lesson Four - Concentrating for the third time   
        parrying in Lesson Five - Defending for the first time   
        parrying in Lesson Five - Defending for the second time   
        dodging in Lesson Five - Defending for the first time   
        dodging in Lesson Five - Defending for the second time   
        attacking in Lesson Four - Concentrating   
        going   
        going   
        default outcome is success

Does the player mean 
        taking something which is carried by the player  very unlikely to mean taking what's already carried rule
        attacking a hostile alive monster   
        smashing a hostile alive monster   
        burning a hostile alive monster   
        needling a hostile alive monster   
        attacking a killed monster   
        smashing a killed person   
        cursing a killed person   
        burning a killed person   
        needling a killed person   
        attacking a broken stick of illumination   
        snuffing a killed person   
        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
Persuasion 
        outcome  persuasion succeeds - a success
        outcome  persuasion fails - a failure
Unsuccessful attempt by 
        default outcome is success

Rules for checking, carrying out and reporting on actions can be found in the Actions index. Summary of action rules 


Before, for and after activities

Printing the name 
    before     a room in a dungeon   
    before     a thing (called the item being printed)  make named things mentioned rule
    for         xyzzied tarrasque   
    for         standard name printing rule
        default outcome is success
    after       a killed monster while not grouping together   
    after       an alive monster while asking which do you mean   
    after       an on fire monster   
    after       an ambiguously plural thing (called the suspect)   [E3]
    after       something (called the target)   [E3]
Printing the plural name 
    for         something (called the item)  standard printing the plural name rule
        default outcome is success
    after       a killed monster while not grouping together   
Printing a number 
    for         something (called the item)  standard printing a number of something rule
        default outcome is success
Printing room description details 
Listing contents 
    for         standard contents listing rule
        default outcome is success
Grouping together 
Writing a paragraph about 
    for         a monster   
        default outcome is success
Listing nondescript items 
Printing the name of a dark room 
Printing the description of a dark room 
Printing the announcement of darkness 
Printing the announcement of light 
    for         look around once light available rule
        default outcome is success
Printing a refusal to act in the dark 
Constructing the status line 
    for         while displaying  constructing status line while displaying rule [E4]
    for         (fill status bar with Table of Fancy Status; ...) 
        default outcome is success
Printing the banner text 
Reading a command 
Deciding the scope 
Deciding the concealed possessions 
Deciding whether all includes 
        outcome  it does not - a failure
        outcome  it does - a success
Clarifying the parser's choice 
Asking which do you mean 
Printing a parser error 
Supplying a missing noun 
    for         while an actor smelling  ambient odour rule
    for         while an actor listening  ambient sound rule
    for         while an actor going  block vaguely going rule
        default outcome is success
Supplying a missing second noun 
Implicitly taking 
Starting the virtual machine 
Amusing a victorious player 
Printing the player's obituary 
    for         print obituary headline rule
    for         print final score rule
    for         display final status line rule
        default outcome is success
Handling the final question
    before     print the final question rule
    before     print the final prompt rule
    before     read the final answer rule
    for         standard respond to final question rule
        default outcome is success
Printing the locale description 
    before     initialise locale description rule
    before     find notable locale objects rule
    for         interesting locale paragraphs rule
    for         you-can-also-see rule
        default outcome is success
Choosing notable locale objects 
    for         standard notable locale objects rule
        default outcome is success
Printing a locale paragraph about 
    for         a thing (called the item)  don't mention player's supporter in room descriptions rule
    for         a thing (called the item)  don't mention scenery in room descriptions rule
    for         a thing (called the item)  don't mention undescribed items in room descriptions rule
    for         a thing (called the item)  set pronouns from items in room descriptions rule
    for         a thing (called the item)  offer items to writing a paragraph about rule
    for         a thing (called the item)  use initial appearance in room descriptions rule
    for         a thing (called the item)  describe what's on scenery supporters in room descriptions rule
        default outcome is success
Displaying [E4]
    for         basic menu contents rule [E4]
        default outcome is success
Giving the await bonus 
    for         (say "[bold type](Remember: you now have your await bonus!)[roman type][paragraph break]"; ...) 
        default outcome is success
Taking away the await bonus 
    for         (now the await bonus is 0) 
        default outcome is success
Unprotecting 
    for         (say "The effect of the stick of guarding wears off."; ...) 
        default outcome is success

What are activities?  How to make new activities 


Procedural rules

Procedural 


Some internally-used rulebooks

Startup rules 
        virtual machine startup rule
        initialise memory rule
        seed random number generator rule
        update chronological records rule
        position player in model world rule
        start in the correct scenes rule
        when play begins stage rule
        fix baseline scoring rule
        display banner rule
        initial room description rule
Turn sequence rules
        parse command rule
        generate action rule
        (if acting fast, rule succeeds) 
        (consider the scene changing rules)
        every turn stage rule
        scheduled events rule [E5]
        timed events rule
        advance time rule
        update chronological records rule
        (consider the scene changing rules)
        adjust light rule
        note object acquisitions rule
        notify score changes rule
Shutdown rules
        when play ends stage rule
        print player's obituary rule
        resurrect player if asked rule
        ask the final question rule


Action-processing rules
        announce items from multiple object lists rule
        set pronouns from items from multiple object lists rule
        before stage rule
        basic visibility rule
        basic accessibility rule
        carrying requirements rule
        instead stage rule
        requested actions require persuasion rule
        carry out requested actions rule
        descend to specific action-processing rule
        end action-processing in success rule
Specific action-processing rules
        work out details of specific action rule
        investigate player's awareness before action rule
        check stage rule
        carry out stage rule
        after stage rule
        investigate player's awareness after action rule
        report stage rule
        (rule succeeds)
Player's action awareness rules
        player aware of his own actions rule
        player aware of actions by visible actors rule
        player aware of actions on visible nouns rule
        player aware of actions on visible second nouns rule


[E1]. Defined in Simple Chat by Mark Tilford
[E2]. Defined in Dice-lock by S John Ross
[E3]. Defined in Plurality by Emily Short
[E4]. Defined in Menus by Emily Short
[E5]. Defined in Scheduled Activities by John Clemens