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From: whitten@netcom.com (David Whitten)
Subject: Re: Online Hints.
Message-ID: <whittenCo2AyE.4vs@netcom.com>
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Date: Sun, 10 Apr 1994 21:13:26 GMT
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Ideas about Hints.

I still like the idea of the Plot Map with embedded Hint System.
(I ought to, I came up with it)

The idea is very simple, and incorporates the good idea of Dave Baggett with
a Directed Acyclic Graph.

The idea is simple. For each of the puzzles or situations that the player
may be in, you create a room. You create an object that 'ghosts' the
player.  You start the ghost object in the 'begin situation room'.
Every time your player solves a puzzle (or acts appropriately according to
the plot), you move the ghost object through the exit named for that
solution, or action.  This puts the ghost object in another room.
The game/story is over when there are no further exits from the room.

Every situation has possible hints that can be given to the user.  Each Hint
is an object stored in the room for that situation.  The Hint text is stored
in the descripton of the object.  The only complication is converting the
HINT command into a LOOK command in the room that the ghost object currently
is in.

This has the advantage of giving no hint before its time. (since the ghost 
object isn't in the room  with those hints anyway.)  But has the
disadvantage of being unable to give hints about things that have already
been done. (how often do you want a hint on how to solve something you
already have solved?)

I guess you could move all the previous hint objects to next room when you
move the ghost if you really had to give old hints...


PLOTMAPS, plotmaps! Rah Rah Ree!

DAVID (WHITTEN@NETCOM.COM) (214) 437-5255
