I’m writing a story where I want the player to start outside a building, and have to go inside it. The problem is, there are two other exits. They aren’t described in the room, but the player could still move north or south, when I only want them moving east.
Basically, what I have is:
While the player is in the Front Step for the first time:
If the player tries to go north, say "You're much too eager to see what's inside!";
If the player tries to go south, say "You're much too eager to see what's inside!";
I bet there is a more simple and elegant way of doing it, but right now I can only think of applying 2 different instead rules (one for every direction to be avoided), something like:
[code]
Location_01 is a room. Inside is Location_02. North is Location_03. South is Location_04
Instead of going north when player is in Location_01 for the first time: say “No North!”
Instead of going south when player is in Location_01 for the first time: say “No South!”[/code]
That seems to work, but I’ve only tested it briefly.
Instead of going north when player is in Location_01 for the first time: say "No North!"
That will only stop the player from going north the first time he/she tries it, I think.
I guess I would do it this way:
Front Step is a room. East is Home. North is Away. South is Afar.
Before going somewhere from Front Step when Home is unvisited: if the noun is not east, instead say "You're much too eager to see what's inside!"
(Of course the condition “when Home is unvisited” could be replaced with “when Captain Kidd’s map is not examined” or whatever the player is supposed to accomplish inside the building,)