When in Rome 2: Far from Home — 13 of 22

Chapter 8 - The Capsule

Section 1 - Glue and Gluing

Instead of tying something to something, say "What are you, an Eagle Scout?"

Before putting something on something when the noun fits the second noun:

try gluing the noun to the second noun instead.

Understand "use [glue]" as a mistake ("You will have to be a bit more specific about how: e.g., GLUE FISH TO ME, PUT GLUE ON COOKIE, GLUE THE DRAWER SHUT, etc.")

Understand "use [blank label]" as a mistake ("You will have to say how: e.g., LABEL DRAWER, WRITE EARTH ON LABEL.")

Understand "use [filled label]" as a mistake ("You will have to say how: e.g., LABEL DRAWER, WRITE EARTH ON LABEL.")

Understand "use [pen]" as a mistake ("You will have to say how: e.g., THROW PEN AT ESTHER, WRITE EARTH ON LABEL, etc.")

Understand "use [guide]" as a mistake ("You may look things up in the guide: for instance, CONSULT GUIDE ABOUT PERIODICITY or LOOK UP SYSTEMS IN GUIDE.")

Understand "use [paperwork]" as a mistake ("You may look up individual home-world files in the paperwork: for instance, LOOK UP MARS IN PAPERWORK.")

Understand "use [a wearable thing]" as wearing. Understand "use [an edible thing]" as eating. Understand "use [an enterable container]" as entering.

Understand "label [something]" as labeling.

Labeling is an action applying to one thing.

Before labeling something when the player does not carry the blank label and the player does not carry the filled label:

if the player can see the filled label, try taking the filled label;

if the player can see the blank label, try taking the blank label;

if the player does not carry the blank label and the player does not carry the filled label, stop the action.

Carry out labeling:

let the means be the blank label;

if the player carries the filled label, let the means be the filled label;

try gluing the means to the noun.

Understand the command "attach" as something new. Understand the command "stick" as something new.

Fitting relates things to each other. The verb to fit (it fits, they fit, it fitted, it is fitted) implies the fitting relation.

Sticking relates things to each other in groups. The verb to be stuck to implies the sticking relation.

Definition: a thing is free if it is not stuck to the egg.

Understand "stick [a free thing] to/on/onto [something]" as gluing it to. Understand "stick [something] to/on/onto [a free thing]" as gluing it to. Understand "stick [something] to/on/onto [something]" as gluing it to. Understand the commands "glue" or "paste" as "stick".

Understand "stick [something] shut/closed" as gluing it shut. Understand "stick shut/closed [something]" as gluing it shut.

Understand the command "attach" as "stick".

Gluing it shut is an action applying to one thing.

Before gluing an open thing shut:

if the player is not carrying the glue, say "You are glue-less." instead;

try closing the noun; if the noun is open, stop the action.

Check gluing something shut:

if the noun is unopenable, say "[The noun] is already unable to be opened." instead;

abide by the need glue rule.

Carry out gluing something shut:

now the noun is unopenable.

Report gluing something shut:

say "With a long line of holdall, you glue [the noun] permanently closed."

Instead of closing a damaged unopenable container:

say "[The noun] no longer really closes."

Instead of opening a closed unopenable container:

say "You can no longer open [the noun]."

Instead of a creature trying gluing something shut when the person asked is not carrying the glue:

if the person asked can see the glue, try the person asked trying taking the glue;

continue the action.

Check a creature trying gluing something shut:

if the noun is unopenable, stop the action;

if the person asked is not carrying the glue, stop the action.

Carry out a creature trying gluing something shut:

now the noun is unopenable.

Report a creature trying gluing something shut:

say "Smiling to itself, [the creature] glues [the noun] permanently closed."

This is the need glue rule:

if the glue is visible and the player is not holding the holdall glue

begin;

try taking the glue;

if the player is not holding the glue, stop the action;

end if;

if the player is not carrying the holdall glue

begin;

say "You need some glue before that's going to work.";

stop the action;

end if.

Instead of gluing the egg to the egg, try gluing the egg shut.

Gluing it to is an action applying to two things.

Check gluing something to something:

abide by the need glue rule;

if the noun is the second noun, say "Topology is against you." instead;

if the noun fits the second noun, do nothing;

otherwise say "[The noun] and [the second noun] do not belong together." instead;

if the noun is stuck to the second noun, say "[The noun] is already connected to [the second noun]." instead.

Carry out gluing something to something:

[if the egg is the noun, now the second noun is part of the egg;

otherwise now the noun is part of the egg;]

now the noun is part of the second noun;

now the noun is stuck to the second noun.

Report gluing something to something:

if the number of things stuck to the egg is 2

begin;

say "Meticulously, so as not to get a single drop of the stuff on yourself, you apply glue to the surfaces of [the noun] and [the second noun] and then press them together.";

if the creature is visible

begin;

now the creature is passive;

if the creature is playful, say "[line break][The creature] watches with interest, biting its lower lip.";

end if;

otherwise;

say "You carefully glue [the noun] to [the second noun].";

end if.

Instead of gluing the egg to something:

try gluing the second noun to the egg.

Report examining something when something is part of the noun:

say "Attached to [the noun] [is-are list of things which are part of the noun]." instead.

Instead of taking something which is part of something (called the source):

say "The holdall glue defeats your strength. [The noun] is now permanently attached to [the source]."

Instead of gluing something to the creature:

say "Tempting though it may be to stick things to your little friend, you would probably be considered to be endangering its health."

Check a creature trying gluing something to something:

if the person asked is not carrying the glue, stop the action;

if the noun is the second noun, stop the action;

if the noun fits the second noun, do nothing;

otherwise stop the action;

if the noun is stuck to the second noun, stop the action;

Carry out a creature trying gluing something to something:

if the egg is the noun, now the second noun is part of the egg;

otherwise now the noun is part of the egg;

now the noun is stuck to the second noun.

Report a creature trying gluing something to something:

say "[The person asked][quickly] glues [the noun] to [the second noun][if the person asked is curious], then glances at you for approval[end if]."

Report a creature trying gluing something to something when the number of things stuck to the pod is 2 and the player is not in the pod:

say "[The person asked] efficiently applies glue to [the noun] and [the second noun] and puts them together.";

now Esther's utterance is "'If the boys knew you got the aliens to do all the work for you, they wouldn't pay you half as much,' comments Esther from the door.

'And I pay you to answer phones,' you remark. 'Have you got another alien on desk duty?'

The creature looks back and forth between the two of you, frowning. Esther withdraws." instead.

Report a creature trying gluing something to something when the number of things stuck to the pod is 3:

let leftover be a random free thing which fits the pod;

say "[The person asked] sticks [the noun] and [the second noun] together, leaving only [the leftover] to be glued in place." instead.

[After gluing something to the pod when the creature is in the pod:

say "The creature watches with interest from the inside of the pod as you glue on [the noun]."]

Report examining something when something alternate is stuck to the noun:

say "[The noun] is attached to [the list of alternate things which are stuck to the noun]." instead.

Definition: a thing is alternate if it is not the noun.

The propulsion unit fits the egg. The life-support unit fits the egg. The blank label fits the egg. The filled label fits the egg. The filled label has a moon.

Instead of gluing something to the player: say "That is the sort of thing you might do by accident, but not on purpose. Not unless you want to hear about it from Esther for the next three years."

Instead of gluing the player to something: try gluing the second noun to the player.

Report taking something:

say "You pick up [the noun][if the noun is heavy], though with a bit of effort[end if]." instead.

Report dropping something:

say "You set down [the noun]." instead.

Understand the command "wear" as something new. Understand "wear [something]" as wearing. Before wearing something which is not carried by the player: try taking the noun; if the noun is not carried by the player, stop the action.

Understand the command "give" as something new. Understand "give [something] to [something]" as giving it to. Understand "give [something] [something]" as giving it to (with nouns reversed). Before giving something which is not held by the player to someone: try taking the noun. Before giving a person to an inanimate thing: try giving the second noun to the noun instead.

Understand the command "show" as something new. Understand "show [something] to [something]" as showing it to. Understand "show [something] [something]" as showing it to (with nouns reversed). Before showing something which is not held by the player to someone: try taking the noun. Before showing a person to an inanimate thing: try showing the second noun to the noun instead.

Understand the command "eat" as something new. Understand "eat [something]" as eating. Understand "eat [something]" as eating. Before eating something which is not held by the player: try taking the noun.

Before entering a closed container: try opening the noun; if the noun is closed, stop the action.