Here’s a TADS3/adv3 module for handling generic sense memories, intended to be a more-or-less drop-in replacement for the stock seen/knowsAbout()/gRevealed() system: memoryEngine github repo.
THE BASIC IDEA
Instead of relying on flags on objects, the module by default creates a MemoryEngine instance on each Actor which uses a LookupTable to keep track of sense memories. This is intended to make it somewhat more straightforward to handle situations where you want to keep track of what a bunch of NPCs know about/have seen.
METHODS/USAGE
By default the module replaces the stock methods handling “seen”, “known”, “revealed” and “described” stuff: knowsAbout() and setKnowsAbout(), hasSeen() and setHasSeen(), gReveal() and gRevealed() and so on.
In addition, it provides (on Actor):
canSense(obj)returns boolean true if the actor can current detect the given object via any sensehasSensed(obj)returns boolean true if the actor has previously detected the given object via any sense
There are also getters and setters for most of the memory properties. E.g. getDescribed(obj) returns boolean true if the actor has directly examined the given object and setDescribed(obj) sets the flag. Listing just the getters, theres:
getDescribed()has the actor directly examined the objectgetKnown()does the actor know about the object. Automatically set when the object is sensed, can be set other ways as wellgetRevealed()in stock adv3 this is only for conversational topics, but the module is agnostic about the object type revealedgetSeen()equivalent tohasSeen()
In addition, the module by default extends the tracked senses to include hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. The compile-time flag -D MEMORY_ENGINE_NO_SENSES disable this behavior. With the extra sense logic enabled, Actor also gets:
getHeard()getSmelled()getTasted()getTouched()
…as well as the corresponding setters. Also, the given object will be flagged as known if detected by any sense (instead of just sight in stock adv3).
OTHER MEMORY PROPERTIES
In addition to replicating the stock seen/known/revealed behavior and extending it to other senses, the module by default tracks additional information about memories:
roomthe last-known location of the objectcreateTimethe turn the memory was created onwriteTimethe last turn the memory was updated onwriteCountthe number of times the memory has been updatedreadTimethe last turn the memory was “remembered”readCountthe number of times the memory was read
Tracking of this additional stuff can be disabled by compiling with the -D MEMORY_ENGINE_SIMPLE flag.
NPCS THAT NOTICE THEIR SURROUNDINGS
The module also provides an Alert class as a mixin for Actors who should automagically sense their environments (in more or less the same way the player does).
DECLARING MEMORIES
Actors can also be assigned memories via declaration:
+alice: Person, Alert 'alice' 'Alice'
"She looks like the first person you'd turn to in a problem. "
isHer = true
isProperName = true
;
++Memory ->pebble
seen = true
room = startRoom
;
…to have Alice have the memory of having seen the pebble in the location startRoom.
DEBUGGING COMMANDS
If compiled with the -D __DEBUG_MEMORY_ENGINE flag, the module provides some debugging commands:
>MA [actor]shows a summary of each of the actor’s memories>MA [actor] actor|object|roomshows a summary of each of the actor’s memories about other actors, objects, or rooms>MA [actor] [object]shows a summary of the actor’s memories about the given object>MO [object]shows a summary of the player’s memories about the given object>MEdisplays information about the total number of memory engines and memories currently in the game