I just finished my first inform7 game, and thought I’d share the extensions I used. These extensions add many simple features over vanilla inform7 with no additional work (such as an exits command)…
Include Locksmith by Emily Short.
Include Basic Literacy by Bart Massey.
Include Small Kindnesses by Aaron Reed.
Include Extended Grammar by Aaron Reed.
Include Basic Screen Effects by Emily Short.
Include Swearing Reloaded by Shin.
And they enable some other features such as an improved status bar. Here’s mine…
Chapter 4 Status bar
To say current rank:
let result be "plain ole you"; [Default value]
repeat through the Table of Rankings:
if the score is less than the score entry, break;
now result is the rank entry; [Assign rank]
say result.
Table of Fancy Status
left central right
" [if in darkness]Darkness[otherwise][location][end if]" "" "Score: [score]"
"" "" ""
" Rank: [current rank]" "" "Moves: [turn count]"
Rule for constructing the status line:
fill status bar with Table of Fancy Status;
rule succeeds.
Good luck to all the new developers out there. This forum is a HUGE help for beginning inform7 world builders!
Any basic features you’d add to ANY game you’d build?
I only used Basic Screen Effects and Wade Clarke’s two menu extensions in Repeat the Ending’s first few releases (that’s my first/only game).
Looking at more recent efforts, I use
include object response tests by juhana leinonen. to help with some general testing and troubleshooting. include undo output control by nathanael nerode. not only for undo tweaks but also to handle empty command input
I have Include Hybrid Choices by AW Freyr. in something, but I’m not sure I’ll keep it. Not because of the extension, it’s just that I’m not sure I am on that path anymore.
I try to push myself to do whatever I can on my own, just because I’m a beginner and enjoy the challenge. This has led to some pretty clunky code! But this kind of messing around is fun to me. I don’t think I’ll ever try to learn any Inform 6 stuff, though.
I can see Include Command Preloading by Daniel Stelzer. is used with my own Story Mode extension, but I’m not sure it’s been published. It allows you to automatically fill in the command line (EDIT: this has been uploaded!)
I wrote my own extension containing all the default responses, but it’s mainly for reference and organization. It doesn’t do anything mechanical.
e: I also experimented with glulx text effects, but decided not to stick with it.
Same here, exactly for the same reason, and because I work on a long-term project (well, I hope so) and as a control-freak, I try to reduce dependencies and build custom specific code. However, I use 2 built-in extensions : Basic Screen Effects and Glulx Text Effects by Emily Short.
And congratulations for that, my first one is still a WIP.
Section 1 thanks
Understand "thank [someone]" or "thanks [someone]" or "say thank you to [someone]" or "say thanks to [someone]" as thanking. Thanking is an action applying to one visible thing.
thanking to default is an action applying to nothing. Understand "thanks" or "say thanks" or "say thank you" or "thanks" or "thanks again" or "thanks a lot" or "thank you" or "bless you" or "cheers" or "much obliged" as thanking to default.
Instead of thanking someone (this is the standard thanks redirection rule):
say "[one of]You are very welcome[or]Thank you too![or]No Problem[or]Sure thing[at random]";
Instead of thanking to default:
say "[one of]No, thank you[or]Thank you too![or]You are very welcome![or]Sure thing![at random]";
