Chapter 8: Change
8.5. Change of properties with values

Changing properties with values is very similar:

change the printed name of the Closet to "Suddenly Spooky Closet"

Inform checks three different things to ensure that this change is safe to perform. Firstly, the value must be the right kind for the property in question, so this for instance would be rejected:

change the printed name of the Closet to 7

Secondly, the object in question has to be allowed to have the given property. This, for instance, would be disallowed:

change the initial appearance of the Closet to "Dusty"

(since "initial appearance" is a property which only things can have, not rooms). Finally, the object has to actually have the property, not just have the right to have that property. Thus:

change the printed name of the Closet to "Suddenly Spooky Closet"

...is only permitted if the Closet is designed with a "printed name". In fact this is certain to be true: all rooms and things automatically have a printed name, which is the short boldface description in the case of rooms, and the usual text briefly describing something in the case of things.

Though the map is not a property (it is meshed together with relations, really), a similar phrase exists to change map connections:

change the east exit of the Closet to the Tsar's Imperial Dining Salon
change the west exit of the Closet to nowhere

Altering the map itself is not a very subtle way to adjust when and where the player can move - writing suitable rules is usually a cleaner solution - so this phrase is best avoided unless really needed.


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* Example  Thirst
A waterskin that is depleted as the player drinks from it.

RB
117
* Example  Thirst 2
A campfire added to the camp site, which can be lit using tinder.

RB


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