Check/Carry Out/Report Before/Instead/After Best Way To Code

Authoring Inform 7
1

So when I’m creating a new action, which is the best way to implement the action.

Check Burning when the noun is the prom dress:
or
Instead of burning the prom dress:
or
Carry out burning the prom dress:

etc.

I have a couple of actions which could apply to people or to objects, such as cutting.

So should I have
Carry Out Cutting:
if the noun is bob…
if the noun is the prom dress…
if the noun is the curtain…

or
Carry out cutting the curtain…
or
Instead of cutting the curtain…

Which makes for smaller space, quicker Parchment/Quixe decsion time, etc?

Also, is it better to have multiple “insteads” or one in-depth “instead”
EX:
Instead of burning the prom dress:
if the prom dress is wet [a condition for when it has been soaked in alcohol]…
otherwise…

or

Instead of burning the prom dress when the prom dress is wet…
Instead of burning the prom dress when the prom dress is not wet…

2

There’s no significant difference between one long “instead” rule and several case-specific “instead” rules. Same goes for any other rulebook (“carry out”, “every turn”, whatever). Use whichever style you’re comfortable with maintaining.

The question of whether to set up a particular action in “check”, “instead”, or “carry out” is more complicated. The manual has a chapter on that. It’s not a question of speed – “instead” used to have a speed penalty but it’s been optimized – but of what rules override what. “Instead” conditions can bypass “check” rules, so one rule of thumb is: “check” rules are for changing default behavior, and “instead” rules are for specific situations.