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Examining something (requires light) (past tense examined)

The act of looking closely at something. Note that the noun could be either a direction or a thing, which is why the Standard Rules include the 'examine directions rule' to deal with directions: it simply says 'You see nothing unexpected in that direction.' and stops the action. (If you would like to handle directions differently, list another rule instead of this one in the carry out examining rules.)

For arcane reasons to do with the Inform 6 library underlying what Inform does, these rules test to see 'if the noun goes undescribed by source text' (rather than more simply testing whether the description property of the noun is blank). If so, we search (i.e., look inside) a container, and show the status (switched on or off) of a device, but otherwise give up with a bland response. For traditional reasons, we also show the status of a device as a second paragraph even after any description property has been printed: this is done by the examine described devices rule.

Typed commands leading to this action

    "look at [something]"
    "examine [something]"
    "read [something]"

Rules controlling this action

    before    examining a detailer   
    instead    doing anything except preparing, finding responses to, giving text for, giving link to, taking inventory, examining, looking, thinking, smelling, listening to, waiting when the player is yourself and the Yes or No Boolean is false   
    instead    examining the magma in In a cage above the Magma   
    instead    examining the cage in In a cage above the Magma   
    instead    examining the magma   
    instead    examining The Prisoner   
    instead    examining the prisoner   
    instead    examining the patterns   
    instead    examining the cage   
    instead    examining hope   
    instead    examining the patterns   
    instead    examining the patterns   
    instead    examining the patterns   
    instead    examining the patterns   
    instead    examining here-backdrop   
    instead    examining the Speaker   
    instead    examining Samael   
    instead    examining yourself   
    instead    examining the prisoner   
    instead    examining the mountains   
    instead    examining the hot currents of air   
    instead    examining the bars   
    instead    examining the whispered words   
    carry out    examine undescribed containers rule
    carry out    examine undescribed devices rule
    carry out    examine undescribed things rule
    carry out    examine directions rule
    carry out    standard examining rule
    carry out    examine described devices rule
    report        an actor examining  report other people examining rule