| Chapter 16: Understanding |

| 16.4. Standard tokens of grammar

We have already seen "[something]" and "[someone]", which are standard examples of "tokens of grammar" - patterns matched by suitable named things. There are several other standard tokens, provided not so much from necessity but to allow the game parser to be more graceful and responsive. "[someone]" matches the same possibilities as "[a person]" would, but the parser handles it a little better in cases of failure. These special tokens are best explained by looking at some of the examples in the standard grammar, which can be browsed in the Index of any game.

> Understand "wear [something preferably held]" as wearing.

The named item must be held by the player, but the game will automatically pick it up if necessary, minimising nuisance.

> Understand "take [things]" as taking.
> Understand "drop [things preferably held]" as dropping.

"[things]" is like "[something]" but allows a list of items, or a vague plural like "all", to be typed. The result will be a sequence of actions, one for each item thus described. "[things preferably held]" is the analogous token for "[something preferably held]".

> Understand "take [things inside] from [something]" as removing.

"[things inside]" matches only what is inside the second-named thing, and ensures that (for instance) the command "take all from box" does not also try to take the box.

> Understand "put [other things] in/inside/into [something]" as inserting it into.

Similarly, "[other things]" will allow anything except the second-named thing. (Like "[things inside]" it is really only needed for handling containers.)

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| Example Shawn's Bad Day Allowing the player to EXAMINE ALL.

"Shawn's Bad Day" The Treasury is a room. The vault is a lockable locked closed openable container in the Treasury. It is fixed in place. "A massive vault fills up one wall." The description is "The vault's system includes [a list of things which are part of the vault]." A little green light, a little blue light, a little red light, a thin black pane of glass, a laser beam, a retinal scanner, a thumbprint ID plate, a dial, and a large lever are part of the vault. The security guard is a man in the Treasury. The description is "His name is Shawn, and he doesn't look happy." The description of the green light is "Off." The description of the blue light is "Tranquilly on." The description of the red light is "Angrily flashing." Understand "examine [things]" as multiply examining. Multiply examining is an action applying to one thing. Carry out multiply examining: try examining the noun. Test me with "examine all".

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