Sparkle — 37 of 108

Book 8 - Hints

[The hint system is dead simple: Each report rule checks if the player has done the next step required to advance in the game, and if not, shows a hint towards how to achieve that goal. "Stop the action" prevents the rules from printing multiple hints at the same time.]

Hinting is an action out of world.

Understand "hint" and "hints" as hinting.

Report hinting for the first time:

say "The HINT command gives you more and more explicit tips on how to solve the puzzles every time you use it. Try to avoid using it unless you're really stuck.

The hint system does not include hints for any optional puzzles.

Type HINT again for your first tip.";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the Engine room is unvisited or the Hiking path is unvisited:

say "[one of]Explore the map: u[or]There are locations that you haven't visited yet. U[stopping]se compass directions like EAST and SOUTH to move around. If your system supports a status line (a black bar on the top of the screen) it shows the directions of unvisited locations in capitalized letters.";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the flute is unfamiliar:

say "[one of]You need to get rid of the dog.[or]When you first try to open the gate, you're given a hint of what to do.[or]You need to find a quiet place to meditate.[or]Command MEDITATE in a location that is quiet.[or]Go to the hiking path and command MEDITATE.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the Garden is unvisited:

say "[one of]Meditation reveals things that can be changed into other things.[or]This time meditation revealed that a dog can be changed into a flute.[or]Command CHANGE DOG INTO FLUTE at the hotel gates.[or]When the dog has been turned into a flute, you can enter the garden.[or]Command CHANGE DOG INTO FLUTE and then ENTER GATES at the hotel gates.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the Upstairs corridor is unvisited:

say "[one of]You can now explore the hotel.[or]There are locations that you haven't visited yet. Read the location descriptions carefully to see what exits are available. Don't worry about locked doors for now.[or][if the Hotel lobby is unvisited]You can enter the hotel by going SOUTH in the garden.[otherwise]You can go UP from the hotel lobby.[end if][stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the fish is unseen:

say "[one of]Remember to EXAMINE everything mentioned in location descriptions.[or]The important thing you haven't examined is in the garden.[or]Go to the garden and EXAMINE POND.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the tornado is unfamiliar:

say "[one of]Remember how meditating revealed deep secrets of the universe?[or]You need to have seen something before you can get a revelation about it.[or]Now that you've explored the map some more, MEDITATE again in a quiet place.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the fish is in the koi pond:

say "[one of]Meditating revealed more useful information.[or]You can now turn the fish into a tornado.[or]Go to the garden and CHANGE FISH INTO TORNADO.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the key is in the koi pond:

say "[one of]The tornado left something behind.[or]There's a key in the pond.[or]Go to the garden and TAKE KEY.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the door 102 is locked and the Hotel room is unvisited:

say "[one of]There's something written on the key.[or]It appears the key fits to a door that leads to room 102.[or]Go upstairs and UNLOCK DOOR 102.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the Hotel room is unvisited:

say "[one of]The room door is now unlocked and you can enter it.[or]Go upstairs and ENTER ROOM 102.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the sanitary napkin is not handled:

say "[one of]There are important items in the hotel room.[or]You'll need the sanitary napkin.[or]Go to the hotel room and TAKE SANITARY NAPKIN.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the umbrella is unfamiliar:

say "You need to MEDITATE again to gain insight on the nature of the universe.";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the doorknob is attached:

say "[one of]A doorknob can be turned into an umbrella.[or]Getting rid of a doorknob would be a handy way to get through locked doors.[or]Where are there locked doors?[or]The hotel rooms have handles, not knobs.[or]There's a locked door in the lobby.[or]Go to the hotel lobby and TURN DOORKNOB INTO UMBRELLA.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the umbrella is attached:

say "[one of]The doorknob has been replaced by an umbrella.[or]The door is still locked because the umbrella is holding the locking mechanism in place.[or]You need to take the umbrella out of the way.[or]Go to the hotel lobby and TAKE UMBRELLA.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the Dining hall is unvisited:

say "[one of]You can now go through the door in the hotel lobby.[or]Go to the hotel lobby and go EAST.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the player is not carrying the flute:

say "[one of]You need the flute now.[or][if the dog is somewhere]You need to change the dog into the flute and pick up the flute.[otherwise]Go to [the location of the flute] and pick up the flute.[end if][stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the right dumbwaiter is lowered and the bottle of gin is not handled:

say "[one of]Have you noticed the dumbwaiters in the dining hall?[or]There could be something useful in the lowered dumbwaiter.[or]You need to get enough weight in the left dumbwaiter so that it will bring up the right one.[or]A grid door blocks the left dumbwaiter so you can't put anything big there directly.[or]The dumbwaiter door is jammed and there's no way to open it. You'll have to think of something else.[or]The door blocking the dumbwaiter is a grid door, that is, metal bars make a mesh in front of it. You can still put small enough things inside the dumbwaiter through the holes in the mesh.[or]Anything you can put in the dumbwaiter through the grid door has to be so small that it's not heavy enough to push the dumbwaiter down.[or]The dog would be big enough, but it certainly doesn't fit through the dumbwaiter door. Or does it?[or]The flute fits inside the dumbwaiter.[or]PUT FLUTE IN LEFT DUMBWAITER, then CHANGE FLUTE INTO DOG.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the bottle of gin is not handled:

say "Now that the right dumbwaiter is up, you can TAKE THE BOTTLE.";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the diesel generator is dirty:

say "[one of]The generator that runs the cableway must be cleaned for it to work.[or]You now have everything needed to clean the generator.[or]You need some tissue to rub the generator clean and a cleaning solution to wet the tissue.[or]Go to the engine room. POUR GIN ON SANITARY NAPKIN. CLEAN GENERATOR WITH SANITARY NAPKIN.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the diesel generator is switched off:

say "You can now SWITCH ON DIESEL GENERATOR in the engine room.";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the monkey wrench is unfamiliar or (the glove is part of the toppled wardrobe and the cantaloupe is unfamiliar):

say "Have you remembered to MEDITATE recently?";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the glove is not part of the toppled wardrobe and the cantaloupe is unfamiliar:

say "[one of]There is an object somewhere that you should examine further.[or]The object you should examine is in the hotel lobby.[or]Go to the hotel lobby and EXAMINE WARDROBE.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the glove is part of the toppled wardrobe and the cantaloupe is familiar:

say "You can now go to the hotel lobby and CHANGE GLOVE INTO CANTALOUPE.";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the glove is not handled:

say "[one of]Even though the cantaloupe is only half a cantaloupe, the glove should still be good enough.[or]CHANGE CANTALOUPE INTO GLOVE. TAKE GLOVE.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the cable car is locked:

say "[one of]You should now be able to unblock the cable car door.[or]The cable car is attached to an iron bar and the iron bar is attached to the platform with bolts.[or]Change the sanitary napkin into a monkey wrench.[or]Go to the cable car platform and LOOSEN BOLTS WITH WRENCH.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the player is not in the cable car:

say "[one of]The cableway is running and the cable car door is unlocked. You're ready to go.[or]Go to the cable car platform and ENTER CABLE CAR.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the location is not the Mountain top:

say "[one of]The control panel in the cable car makes it go.[or]PULL LEVER.[stopping]";

stop the action.

Report hinting:

if the location is the Mountain top:

say "[one of]You're there! Just step out the car.[or]GO OUTSIDE.[stopping]";

stop the action.