Re: [Inform] Perspective based coding of objects

["Don Rae" <gameman69@hotmail.com>]

>
> Classes, classes, classes.
>
> Class Perspective
>   with   short_name [;
>    switch(player) {
> joe: return self.joes_title;
> alien: return self.alien_title;
> beatnik: return self.beatnik_title;
>    }
> ],
> joes_title self.generic_title,
> alien_title self.generic_title,
> beatnik_title self.generic_title,
> generic_title "BUG:  This object has no unique short name.";
>

It's a good idea, but how would you deal with the "name" identifier part of
the ear of corn, ie:

Perspective corn with
name "ear" "of" "corn" "yellow" "joint" "seedling"
etc etc

In this case, Joe, the alien, and the beatnik can all refer to the same
object via the same names, which is wrong for these purposes.

Does inform actually parse the short_name (I can't remember for sure, but I
don't think so)?  (I'm starting to think that parsing changes are required
to make this whole approach work properly.)

The other problem I think I see with your approach, unless I'm wrong, is
that it looks like you're assuming that the "player object" is Joe, the
beatnik, or the alien - which is incorrect here.

The player, in this example, is meant to be a "godlike being" which is
ordering the various "puppets" around.

(I'm trying to describe how "Suspended" actually worked.....where the
characters in question were your eyes, ears, etc for you

POET, GO TO THE CONTROL ROOM THEN REPORT
WALDO, TAKE THE THICK OBJECT
AUDA, GO TO THE CONTROL ROOM THEN LISTEN

etc etc.)

Joe, the beatnik, and the alien should be merely "animate objects in scope"
of the player, and you're simply ordering them around, like any other
character - no matter where they are on the object map.

- Don