For Demonstration Purposes

Example 239

★★★

A character who learns new actions by watching the player performing them.

Suppose we want to have a character who can dynamically learn new actions by observing the player performing them. We could do this by adding the actions to a list of things the character can do, but using a relation to express the same idea allows for tidier, easier-to-read code.

Thanks to Jesse McGrew for the initial design of this example.

Play/modify in Borogove

Play in Quixe

"For Demonstration Purposes"

Section 1 - Procedure

Capability relates various people to various stored actions. The verb to be capable of means the capability relation.

Persuasion rule:

let CA be the current action with no specific actor;

if the person asked is capable of CA:

persuasion succeeds;

otherwise:

say "[The person asked] look[s] confused. Maybe a demonstration would help.";

persuasion fails.

The action requester is an object that varies. The action requester variable is defined by Inter as "act_requester".

To decide which action is the current action with no specific actor:

let old actor be the person asked;

let old requester be the action requester;

now the person asked is the player;

now the action requester is nothing;

let CA be the current action;

now the person asked is the old actor;

now the action requester is the old requester;

decide on CA.

The learning by observation rule is listed after the report stage rule in the specific action-processing rules.

Definition: a person is other if he is not the player.

This is the learning by observation rule:

repeat with the viewer running through other people who can see the player:

if the player is the actor and viewer is not capable of the current action:

say "[The viewer] watches your behavior with interest. Seems like [they] [are] learning.";

now the viewer is capable of the current action.

Section 2 - Scenario

The Daily Planet is a room. Clark is here. He is a man.

When play begins:

now Clark is capable of taking inventory.

Test me with "Clark, inventory / Clark, x me / x me / Clark, x me".

Daily Planet
You can see Clark here.

Clark watches your behavior with interest. Seems like he is learning.

>(Testing.)

>[1] clark, inventory
Clark looks through his possessions.

>[2] clark, x me
Clark looks confused. Maybe a demonstration would help.

>[3] x me
As good-looking as ever.

Clark watches your behavior with interest. Seems like he is learning.

>[4] clark, x me
Clark looks closely at yourself.