9.8. Simple Machines

| Chapter 9: Props: Food, Clothing, Money, Toys, Books, Electronics |

| 9.8. Simple Machines

The "device" kind provides for the simplest form of machine: one which is, at any given moment, switched on or switched off. Inform looks after this state, but leaves it to us to make the machine actually do something:

> The air-conditioning unit is a device in the Florist's Shop. The air-conditioning is fixed in place and switched on.

> Every turn when in the Florist's Shop:
> if the air-conditioning is switched off, say "You worry about the cut flowers in this jungle-hot air.";
> otherwise say "There is an low susurration from the air-conditioning unit."

One primary dictionary definition for a machine is "an apparatus using or applying mechanical power and having several parts", and we often use the "part of" relationship to build machinery. Control Center provides a neat way to display the component parts of a machine to the player who examines it.

One component almost always part of an electrical machine is the (literal) switch, lever or button to control whether they are switched on or off. In Model Shop just such an on/off button is automatically made part of every device.

While an electrical device has only two states, a mechanical machine might have many, and for these the best approach is to define a kind of value naming the possibilities: see Signs and Portents, where the states are the possible destinations pointed towards.

Perhaps stretching the definition of "machine", What Makes You Tick demonstrates a fishing pole which the player can put together from several pieces.

See Bags, Bottles, Boxes and Safes for a safe that can be dialed to different combinations

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| Example Control Center Objects which automatically include a description of their component parts whenever they are examined. |
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It is straightforward to make a rule that anything with parts must mention all those parts during an EXAMINE command: "Control Center" After examining a thing when something is part of the noun: say "[The noun] includes [a list of things which are part of the noun]." The Control Center is a room. "Here you are at the Control Center of the universe." The Universe Management Computer is a fixed in place thing in the Control Center. "The Universe Management Computer sits directly before you, unguarded." The description of the Universe Management Computer is "The computer is so large that you would be unable to operate it all from one position. Alas, it does not come with a manual." A chartreuse indicator light, an ennui meter, a golden knob settable to 15,000 positions, a toothpick dispenser, and a button labeled RESTART are part of the Universe Management Computer. The command chair is an enterable supporter in the Control Center. It is pushable between rooms. "Because the computer is too large for you to reach all of the front panel from a standing position, there is a command chair on casters which allows you to push back and forth." The description of the command chair is "Quite ordinary, really, but for the heady rush of power that comes of sitting in it.". Some casters are part of the command chair. Now whenever we look at any object with components, we will first see the description, then a list of parts which belong to it. The following refinement brings in elements of later chapters, but it may be worth noting: because we've written our rule as an "After examining...", anything that pre-empts the operation of the examine command will also prevent that rule from occurring. So for instance: A hair-thick needle is part of the ennui meter. Instead of examining the ennui meter: say "You can't be bothered." ...would not result in the needle being mentioned. Test me with "x chair / x computer / x ennui meter"

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| Example Model Shop An "on/off button" which controls whatever device it is part of. |
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| Example Signs and Portents Signpost that points to various destinations, depending on how the player has turned it. |
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| Example What Makes You Tick Building a fishing pole from several component parts that the player might put together in any order. |
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