| Chapter 18: Rulebooks |

| 18.12. Procedural rules

Before any rule or rulebook is followed, a special rulebook is always consulted first. This is called the "procedural rules", and it starts out empty: so if we write no procedural rules, empty it will remain.

Like the points of order which precede a debate, the procedural rules are not intended to contribute to any decision in themselves, but merely to sort out which voices are to be heard when the time for decision comes. Should some rules be waived, or others substituted? Should the rulebook be rearranged, in certain circumstances? And so on. Procedural rules offer enormous flexibility and with them one could deconstruct Inform and put it back together in a very different shape - but in practical situations they will only occasionally be needed.

Procedural rules are not allowed to say anything, or indeed to do anything which might have practical consequences; they are only allowed to think about the current situation (if they need to) and then use special phrases (if they choose to) which affect how other rules are to be followed. For instance:

> A procedural rule: if in the Timeless Void then ignore the advance time rule.

Since the "advance time rule" is the one which moves on the number of turns and the clock, this means that the Timeless Void lives up to its name.

In general, it works but is inefficient to use procedural rules to abolish or substitute rules throughout an entire game: it's much faster to use the "listed in" and "not listed in" sentences described earlier in the chapter. But if we want to bend rules in particular circumstances - as here, in the Timeless Void but nowhere else - then procedural rules are ideal.

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| Example Access All Areas The Pointy Hat of Liminal Transgression allows its wearer to walk clean through closed doors.

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