| ||||
Rules governing actions
These rules are the ones which tell Inform how actions work, and which affect how they happen in particular cases.
persuasion
... rulebook (1 rule)
outcome persuasion succeeds - a success outcome persuasion fails - a failure | ||||
unsuccessful attempt by
... rulebook (0 rules)
before
... rulebook (11 rules)
instead
... rulebook (86 rules)
default outcome is failure | ||||
Check rules are tied to specific actions, and there are too many to index here. For instance, the check taking rules can only ever affect the taking action, so they are indexed on the detailed index page for taking. | ||||
carry out ... rulebook (0 rules)
Carry out rules are tied to specific actions, and there are too many to index here. | ||||
default outcome is success | ||||
Report rules are tied to specific actions, and there are too many to index here. | ||||
Rules added to the sequence of play
These rulebooks are the best places to put rules timed to happen at the start, at the end, or once each turn. (Each is run through at a carefully chosen moment in the relevant top-level rulebook.) It is also possible to have rules take effect at specific times of day or when certain events happen. Those are listed in the Scenes index, alongside rules taking place when scenes begin or end.
when play begins
... rulebook (45 rules)
| ||||
every turn
... rulebook (60 rules)
| ||||
when play ends
... rulebook (0 rules)
How commands are understood
'Understanding' here means turning a typed command, like GET FISH, into one or more actions, like taking the red herring. This is all handled by a single large rule (the parse command rule), but that rule makes use of the following activities and rulebooks in its work.
does the player mean
... rulebook (21 rules)
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 | ||||
reading a command
... activity (5 rules)
| ||||
deciding the scope
... activity (2 rules)
deciding the concealed possessions
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
deciding whether all includes
... activity (3 rules)
outcome it does not - a failure outcome it does - a success default outcome is success | ||||
clarifying the parser's choice
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
asking which do you mean
... activity (1 rule)
NB: after printing the name of something while asking which do you mean ( this is the numbered disambiguation choices cleanup disambiguation-busy flag rule ) NB: before printing the name of something ( called macguffin ) while asking which do you mean ( this is the numbered disambiguation choices preface disambiguation objects with numbers rule ) | ||||
printing a parser error
... activity (1 rule)
default outcome is success | ||||
supplying a missing noun
... activity (4 rules)
default outcome is success | ||||
supplying a missing second noun
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
implicitly taking
... activity (0 rules)
How things are described
These activities control what is printed when naming rooms or things, and their descriptions.
printing the name
... activity (16 rules)
default outcome is success
| ||||
printing the plural name
... activity (1 rule)
default outcome is success | ||||
printing a number
... activity (1 rule)
default outcome is success | ||||
printing room description details
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
listing contents
... activity (1 rule)
grouping together
... activity (0 rules)
writing a paragraph about
... activity (0 rules)
listing nondescript items
... activity (0 rules)
printing the locale description
... activity (5 rules)
default outcome is success | ||||
choosing notable locale objects
... activity (1 rule)
printing a locale paragraph about
... activity (7 rules)
default outcome is success | ||||
How accessibility is judged
These rulebooks are used when deciding who can reach what, and who can see what.
reaching inside
... an object based rulebook (2 rules)
outcome allow access - a success outcome deny access - a failure | ||||
reaching outside
... an object based rulebook (1 rule)
outcome allow access - a success outcome deny access - a failure | ||||
visibility
... rulebook (1 rule)
outcome there is sufficient light - a failure outcome there is insufficient light - a success | ||||
Light and darkness
These activities control how we describe darkness.
printing the name of a dark room
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
printing the description of a dark room
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
printing the announcement of darkness
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
printing the announcement of light
... activity (1 rule)
printing a refusal to act in the dark
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
The top level
An Inform story file spends its whole time working through these three master rulebooks. They can be altered, just as all rulebooks can, but it's generally better to leave them alone.
startup rules ... rulebook (11 rules)
| ||||
starting the virtual machine
... activity (1 rule)
printing the banner text
... activity (0 rules)
turn sequence rules ... rulebook (10 rules)
NB: the generate action rule is not listed in the turn sequence rules
NB: the abide by the combat round rules rule is listed instead of the parse command rule in the turn sequence rules
| ||||
constructing the status line
... activity (2 rules)
default outcome is success | ||||
shutdown rules ... rulebook (4 rules)
| ||||
amusing a victorious player
... activity (0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
printing the player's obituary
... activity (9 rules)
default outcome is success
| ||||
handling the final question ... activity (4 rules)
default outcome is success | ||||
How actions are processed
These form the technical machinery for dealing with actions, and are called on at least once every turn. They seldom need to be changed.
action-processing rules ... rulebook (12 rules)
NB: the update ambiguous pronouns for actions rule is listed after the set pronouns from items from multiple object lists rule in the action-processing rules
| ||||
specific action-processing rules ... rulebook (9 rules)
| ||||
player's action awareness rules ... rulebook (4 rules)
| ||||
Procedural rules
Procedural rules are super-powerful, controlling how all other rulebooks are read. Like any drastic solution, a procedural rule should only be used when all else fails. (Procedural rules are now deprecated: they'll likely be withdrawn in a future release.)
procedural
... rulebook (0 rules)
New rulebooks and activities from Menus by Emily Short
displaying ... activity
(1 rule)
default outcome is success NB: rule for constructing the status line while displaying ( this is the constructing status line while displaying rule ) | ||||
New rulebooks and activities from Glulx Entry Points by Emily Short
glulx timed activity ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx redrawing ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx arranging ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx sound notification ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx mouse input ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx character input ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx line input ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx hyperlink ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx zeroing-reference ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx resetting-windows ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx resetting-streams ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx resetting-filerefs ... rulebook
(0 rules)
glulx object-updating ... rulebook
(0 rules)
command-counting ... rulebook
(1 rule)
input-cancelling ... rulebook
(1 rule)
command-showing ... rulebook
(1 rule)
command-pasting ... rulebook
(1 rule)
New rulebooks and activities from Dynamic Objects by Jesse McGrew
cloning a new object from ... activity
(3 rules)
| ||||
New rulebooks and activities from Alternative Permadeath by Victor Gijsbers
restoring from a saved game ... activity
(1 rule)
failing to restore from a saved game ... activity
(1 rule)
automatically saving the game ... activity
(0 rules)
There are no rules before, for or after this activity. | ||||
failing to automatically save the game ... activity
(1 rule)
failing to delete a saved game ... activity
(1 rule)
New rulebooks and activities from Inform ATTACK by Victor Gijsbers
after reporting ... rulebook
(2 rules)
attack modifier ... rulebook
(58 rules)
| ||||
contact ... rulebook
(3 rules)
| ||||
damage modifier ... rulebook
(32 rules)
| ||||
damage multiplier ... rulebook
(9 rules)
| ||||
aftereffects ... rulebook
(24 rules)
| ||||
lose concentration prose ... a person based rulebook
(3 rules)
aI weapon selection ... a weapon based rulebook
(7 rules)
| ||||
chance to win ... rulebook
(32 rules)
| ||||
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip Dungeon Generation by Victor Gijsbers
further generation ... rulebook
(0 rules)
resetting the map ... rulebook
(3 rules)
creating the map ... rulebook
(2 rules)
additional placement ... rulebook
(4 rules)
| ||||
placement possible ... rulebook
(7 rules)
| ||||
placement scoring ... rulebook
(3 rules)
final monster placement ... rulebook
(2 rules)
monster placement possible ... rulebook
(3 rules)
monster placement scoring ... rulebook
(0 rules)
treasure placement ... rulebook
(34 rules)
| ||||
treasure scoring ... rulebook
(3 rules)
dungeon interest ... rulebook
(13 rules)
| ||||
dungeon finish ... rulebook
(2 rules)
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip Events by Victor Gijsbers
falling destination ... rulebook
(1 rule)
preempt falling ... rulebook
(0 rules)
falling ... rulebook
(3 rules)
| ||||
fragmentation ... rulebook
(4 rules)
| ||||
killing ... rulebook
(3 rules)
shatter ... rulebook
(2 rules)
teleportation event ... rulebook
(1 rule)
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip ATTACK Additions by Victor Gijsbers
ability test ... rulebook
(2 rules)
perception test ... rulebook
(5 rules)
| ||||
dexterity test ... rulebook
(1 rule)
willpower test ... rulebook
(4 rules)
| ||||
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip Systems by Victor Gijsbers
absorbing ... a power based rulebook
(13 rules)
repelling ... a power based rulebook
(11 rules)
absorption stopping ... rulebook
(1 rule)
blindness ... rulebook
(3 rules)
teleport impossible ... rulebook
(1 rule)
special teleportation destination ... rulebook
(2 rules)
followers ... rulebook
(3 rules)
beloved of Aite ... rulebook
(3 rules)
heat resistance ... rulebook
(4 rules)
| ||||
rusting ... rulebook
(2 rules)
corroding ... rulebook
(2 rules)
sudden combat reset ... rulebook
(3 rules)
impeded movement ... rulebook
(2 rules)
physical damage reduction ... rulebook
(6 rules)
| ||||
falling-test ... rulebook
(3 rules)
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip Systems - Hiding Smoke Ethereal by Victor Gijsbers
detection ... rulebook
(11 rules)
| ||||
| ||||
smoke immunity ... rulebook
(2 rules)
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip Items by Victor Gijsbers
unholy wave ... rulebook
(1 rule)
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip Scenery by Victor Gijsbers
extra scoring ... rulebook
(2 rules)
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip Actions and UI by Victor Gijsbers
status ... rulebook
(20 rules)
| ||||
status skill ... rulebook
(11 rules)
| ||||
New rulebooks and activities from Kerkerkruip Start and Finish by Victor Gijsbers
victory message ... rulebook
(2 rules)
New rulebooks and activities from Inform ATTACK Core by Victor Gijsbers
combat round ... rulebook
(9 rules)
| ||||
starting the combat round ... rulebook
(2 rules)
initiative update ... rulebook
(11 rules)
| ||||
standard AI ... a person based rulebook
(6 rules)
| ||||
aI target selection ... a person based rulebook
(14 rules)
| ||||
aI action selection ... a person based rulebook
(58 rules)
| ||||