Phrases for Adaptive Pacing by Ron Newcomb


expands Chapter 9.11 "Future Events"

(event) on turn (number)

The phrase "if (event) is soon" asks if the event is currently scheduled, while "never shall (event)" will un-schedule the event. The phrase "if (event) is this turn" asks if the event is firing on that very turn. The latter is useful as a signpost to begin or end scenes, as well as for combining output from the event's rule into, say, a room description. For the if-phrases, "is" is optional.

Instead of saying no, I run the daily TPS reports at 6 PM.

At the time when I run the daily TPS reports: do nothing.

When play begins, your last chance passes you by on turn 5.

Carry out eating your agenda: never shall I run the daily TPS reports.

The rest of your life is a scene.
The rest of your life begins when your last chance passes you by this turn.

Your new life is a scene.
Your new life begins when we have eaten your agenda.

The phrases "the time since a scene began/ended" and similar for "the time when a scene began/ended" presented in 10.3 "Using the Scene Index" now accept a description of scenes. For example, 10.4. "During Scenes" applies adjectives such as "dull" to scenes. (Note the use of "the scene being referenced" that mirrors the built-in "scene being changed".)

Every turn when the time since a new scene began is four minutes
     say "It's been four whole minutes since a new scene, [the scene being referenced], began. So get a move on!"

Definition: a scene is new if it has happened.

Similar phrases for events now exist, but because we'll be talking about moments in the future rather than the past, we use "until" in lieu of "since". And again, we may get the measurement in either turns or time.

Every turn (this is the event debugging rule):
     repeat with E running through future events:
         say "The turn when [E]: the [the turn when E]th turn.";
         say "The time when [E]: [the time when E].";
         say "The turns until [E]: [the turns until E] turn[s].";
         say "The time until [E]: [the time until E]."

The say phrase "as a time period" answers section 16.9 "Understanding kinds of value" in that it will print the time as a duration such as three hours and thirty minutes, rather than 3:30 PM.

Understand "wait for [a time period]" as a mistake ("'But [the time understood as a time period] is so long!'").

Understand "wait until [a time]" as a mistake ("'But that's [the time understood minus the time of day as a time period]!'").

Test me with "wait for 3 minutes / wait until 3:30 pm".

Normally, one turn takes one minute of simulated game time. We can alter this ratio with phrases like "60 turns per minute", in which each turn would take one second, and "30 minutes per turn", in which each turn would take a half hour. We can retrieve this information with "minutes per turn" and "turns per minute", which are handy for converting between the minute and turn scales via multiplication. A value of zero puts time at a standstill.

Understand "ratio" as a mistake ("[turns per minute in words] turn[s] per minute[line break][minutes per turn as a time period] per turn").

Instead of drinking the Red Bull: four turns per minute.

Instead of sleeping when turns per minute is at least two, (turns per minute minus one) turns per minute.

Report examining the extension: say "'Well that only took [20 minutes divided by the turns per minute as a time period].'"

This extension allows us to have Scenes begin or end when a timed event happens. From section 9.11 on Timed Events:

An egg-timer is in the kitchen. "A plastic egg timer in the shape of a chicken can be pressed to set it going."

Instead of pushing the egg-timer: say "It begins to mark time."; the egg-timer clucks in four turns from now.

At the time when the egg-timer clucks: say "Cluck! Cluck! Cluck! says the egg-timer."

We can then write a scene to begin (or end) on that event:

Dinnertime is a scene.
Dinnertime begins when the turn count is at least 2 and the egg-timer clucks this turn.

Example: * Dinnertime - Schedules a future event, and begins a scene when it happens

"Dinnertime"

Include Phrases for Adaptive Pacing by Ron Newcomb.

The kitchen is a room.

An egg-timer is in the kitchen. "A plastic egg timer in the shape of a chicken can be pressed to set it going."

Instead of pushing the egg-timer: say "It begins to mark time."; the egg-timer clucks in four turns from now.

At the time when the egg-timer clucks: say "'Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!' says the egg-timer."

Test me with "scenes / push egg-timer / z / z/ z/ z/ z/ z/ z/ z/ z/ z".

Dinnertime is a scene.
Dinnertime begins when the turn count is at least two and the egg-timer clucks this turn.
When dinnertime begins: say "The most wonderful scents fill the air."

Example: ** Life Ticking Away - Demonstrates the many phrases.

Try "test me" for most of the time until/when phrases, "test wait" for how various waiting actions could work, or "test ratio" for testing the turns-to-minutes ratio via some caffeinated assistance.

"Life Ticking Away"

Include Phrases for Adaptive Pacing by Ron Newcomb.

Your office is southwest of your home. Your agenda is carried by yourself. It is edible.

Concert is a scene. Concert begins when jumping. Concert ends when the sand runs out this turn.
Introspection is a scene. Introspection begins when examining your agenda.

Every turn when the time since a new scene began is four minutes (this is the cure slow pacing issue rule): say "It's been four whole minutes since a new scene began. Get a move on!"

Instead of waiting: do nothing.

Every turn: say "Turn [the turn count], [time of day]: It's been [the time since a scene began] since a new scene, '[the scene being referenced]', began[if the sand runs out this turn]. We have now run out of sand[otherwise if the sand runs out soon]. The sand runs out in [the time until sand runs out as a time period], at [the time when the sand runs out][end if]."

Every turn (this is the event debugging rule):
     repeat with E running through future events:
         say "The turn when [E]: the [the turn when E]th turn.";
         say "The time when [E]: [the time when E].";
         say "The turns until [E]: [the turns until E] turn[s].";
         say "The time until [E]: [the time until E]."

Test me with "scenes / jump / z / x agenda / z / z / z / z / x agenda / z / z / z / z / x agenda / jump / x agenda / eat agenda / x agenda".
Test ratio with "ratio/ drink red bull / ratio / sleep / ratio/ sleep / ratio / sleep / ratio / sleep / z/z/z/ drink red bull / z/z/z/z/ sleep / z/z/z/z/z/z".
Test waiting with "wait for 3 minutes / wait until 3:30 pm / wait until 8 am".

Instead of jumping:
     the sand runs out in 4 turns from now;
     I go home in 10 minutes from now.

At the time when the sand runs out: say "Out of sand."
At the time when I go home: say "I'm outta here."

Instead of eating your agenda:
     never shall I go home.

Instead of saying no, I run the daily TPS reports at 6 PM.

Carry out eating your agenda: never shall I run the daily TPS reports.

At the time when I run the daily TPS reports: say "'Where did my life go wrong?'"

Understand "wait for [a time period]" as a mistake ("'But [the time understood as a time period] is so long!'").

Understand "wait until [a time]" as a mistake ("'But that's [the time understood minus the time of day as a time period]!'").

Instead of drinking the Red Bull: four turns per minute.

Understand "ratio" as a mistake ("[turns per minute in words] turn[s] per minute[line break][minutes per turn as a time period] per turn").

The red bull is in your office.

Instead of sleeping when turns per minute is at least two, (turns per minute minus one) turns per minute.

Definition: a scene is new if it has happened.