Form & Void — 3 of 22

Section 1.2 - Verb Trickery

[Is it bad that I apparently start all new projects with a "Trickery" section? Probably!]

A verb is a kind of supporter that is portable. A verb has a number called the tookness. The tookness of a verb is usually 0.

The player carries a verb called a Taker. The player carries a verb called a Looker. The player carries a verb called an Undoer.

Wug is an action-name that varies.

Before doing something (this is the verb-blocking rule):

now wug is the action name part of the current action;

if the wug is a behavior listed in the Table of Verb Correspondences and the verb corresponding to the behavior of wug in the Table of Verb Correspondences is carried by the player:

continue the action;

else if wug is a behavior listed in the Table of Verb Correspondences and the tookness of the verb corresponding to the behavior of wug in the Table of Verb Correspondences is 0:

say "That's not a verb I recognize yet.";

stop the action;

else if wug is a behavior listed in the Table of Verb Correspondences and the tookness of the verb corresponding to the behavior of wug in the Table of Verb Correspondences is 2:

say "That's not a verb I recognize anymore.";

stop the action;

else if wug is a behavior listed in the Table of Verb Exceptions:

continue the action;

else if wug is a behavior listed in the Table of Uncalled-For Verbs:

say "You probably don't need to do that.";

stop the action;

else:

say "Not dealt with yet.";

stop the action.

The verb-blocking rule is listed first in the before rulebook. [Awww yeah.]

Rule for deciding whether to allow undo:

if the player encloses an Undoer:

allow undo;

else:

say "That's not a verb I recognize anymore.";

deny undo.

Check dropping the Taker:

say "Are you sure?[line break][line break]>";

if the player consents:

continue the action;

else:

stop the action.

Check giving a verb to someone:

say "Are you sure?[line break][line break]>";

if the player consents:

continue the action;

else:

stop the action.

After taking a verb (called took-verb):

now the tookness of the took-verb is 1;

continue the action.

After dropping a verb (called dropped-verb):

now the tookness of the dropped-verb is 2;

continue the action.

Instead of examining a verb (called the examined verb):

say "It's an abstract, but right now [the examined verb] looks just like ";

say the description corresponding to the verb of the examined verb in the Table of Verb Correspondences;

say "[line break]".

To say verb default: say "potential energy."