§7.3. Reactive Characters
As we observe characters, so they observe us. Those who seem to have no awareness of what the player is doing often come across more like waxworks than like people. Zodiac demonstrates a scenario where the watchful presence of a dangerous criminal keeps the player from doing what he otherwise might, while Police State expands on this idea with a policeman who reacts to entire types of behavior in his presence, regardless of whether the culprit is the player or a third party. Noisemaking has a crow who will fly away in response to any loud noises the player makes.
And, of course, we definitely want to have characters react to being looked at or otherwise interfered with. Search and Seizure implements a smuggler who reacts when we try to confiscate his possessions. Pine 1 gives us a sleeping princess who can be woken by a variety of methods.
We wrap up this section with two complete puzzle scenarios that demonstrate what can be achieved by giving characters reactions to the player's behavior. A Day For Fresh Sushi has a fish who watches the player's actions and comments on them, while the live furnishings in Revenge of the Fussy Table instead comment every turn on the current state of the world, until the player has successfully sorted out all their complaints.
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Suppose we want a character who carries hidden objects, but only while he is wearing his jacket. If we deprive him of this, his other possessions become known. Furthermore, if we ever search him, his possessions also become known, and can thereafter be mentioned by us.
Now, we want the character to be able to hide small things if he has some sort of concealing garment on. We also want to be able to see anything that the player has already found once, perhaps by using the >SEARCH PERSON command. So:
The following rule, borrowed from a later chapter, assures that any items that are ever mentioned to the player will be treated as known from then on:
Notice that we can talk about what the smuggler wears, what he carries, and what he "has": things the smuggler has can be either worn or carried, so the phrase is useful if we don't care to make that distinction.
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Suppose we want a character who carries hidden objects, but only while he is wearing his jacket. If we deprive him of this, his other possessions become known. Furthermore, if we ever search him, his possessions also become known, and can thereafter be mentioned by us.
Now, we want the character to be able to hide small things if he has some sort of concealing garment on. We also want to be able to see anything that the player has already found once, perhaps by using the >SEARCH PERSON command. So:
The following rule, borrowed from a later chapter, assures that any items that are ever mentioned to the player will be treated as known from then on:
Notice that we can talk about what the smuggler wears, what he carries, and what he "has": things the smuggler has can be either worn or carried, so the phrase is useful if we don't care to make that distinction.
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