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StoryHarp Product area Help System Index Introduction Definitions Tutorials Worlds Agent StoryHarp & IF StoryHarp & Java Registering |
Defining where a command is available (context)
The context field of a rule is the most important variable that must be true for the command defined by that rule to be available. Simplifying things a bit, a context is
like a room where a rule lives. If the player is not in the room, the rule’s command is not available. If the player is in the room, the rule’s command is available unless the rule has other unmet requirements. So, to
define where a command is available, you need to edit the context field of the
rule that defines it.
Editing the context field
The context field in the rule editor panel is a single edit box. You can type over the text in this field or paste text
into it. You can also drag text from the map or browser and drop it into the context field. To commit your change, press Tab.
Tips on editing contexts
 Contexts don't have to be rooms; they can be states of mind, topics in a
conversation, or parts of a task. Also, multiple contexts can be true at once. This
means that commands in several contexts could be available at once, subject to
the requirements being met for each rule.
Since a context is really a requirement (just the most important one), you
could use requirements and changes to accomplish what contexts and moves do, but
it would be more difficult to understand and organize. For example, to move
around a house, instead of moving from the context “front room” to the context “back room”, you could stay inside the context “house” and change a variable called “front room” from true to false, and “back room” from false to true. The rules for the house could then have requirements of “front room” or “back room”. But this would be more difficult, partly because you couldn’t map out the ideas as easily as if you were using different contexts.
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Updated: March 10, 1999. Questions/comments on site to webmaster@kurtz-fernhout.com. Copyright © 1998, 1999 Paul D. Fernhout & Cynthia F. Kurtz. |