I wrote a lengthy narration and noticed that if screen size is reduced to 640x480, the narration is pushed down so that the end of the narration is displayed while the beginning is chopped off. This could confuse the player if they didn't realize that they should scroll up to read the narration's beginning. I suggest that the start of the narration should always be at the top of the game window, at least after the game-window is cleared.

-Witch

There are ways of making sure the user reads the full narration.

You can have them read a certain amount at a time, and get them to press a key when they are ready to read the next section. Like so (Prepare yourself for this one...)

startscript {
	msg <first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah first section blah blah >

This is your first message (You can also perhaps use a different colour for each section)

wait <Press a key to continue>

This is the script that waits for the player to pess a key before the other scripts are performed.

msg <second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh second section blah blah blah de bloo de bahhh >
	}

You can then perform your next script after a key is pressed.

You can do this for however many times you like, and use different font formats in the messages.

Thanks Zelimos,

I've already considered the "Wait for player to press a key" option. Too much of that can ruin the aesthetic quality of the storyline, especially since I use that option for a very specific reason in my game, and deviating from that purpose will more than likely deter a normally non-gamer from associating it with the purpose I use it for. Plus the fact that if I write narration for 640x480 screen-size, there would be too many of those commands appearing if someone is using a larger screen-size.

The color-code idea bears the same aesthetic problem. Colors can also be turned off if chosen to by the player, which would then eliminate its effect and purpose.

Thanks for the suggestions, but I still think when a lengthy narration is displayed, the start of the text in the game-window should be upper-left aligned, so the player can scroll down as one would normally do when reading. The difficulty should not be placed upon the gamer or the game writer, but should be fixed in how it's displayed.

-Witch

I wish there was some way to tell if the text goes past the height of the text window.

I guess you could always have the player "set-up" their window size at the start of a game, and use these in your own output function.

I'd like quest to be able to handle these by default though - pausing after a full page.

You'll find that most of the MUDs have long narrations at the beginning. Since telnet uses a small screen size (Unless you use Telnet Clients built by people other than Microsoft), narrations may sometimes have the 'Wait For Key To Be Pressed' or even 'Wait 60 seconds'.

I think a text adventure game (tag) revolution is in order. To eliminate the "wait for player to press key" option abd to eliminate long texts from being cut-off... Instead of player's entries and subsequent generated text flowing down the screen, flow it up. Imagine...

The game window is cleared.
Text section longer than screen size is displayed in game window.
The game window shows text section starting at top.
Player scrolls down to read full text section.
Player enters command.
Command displays above the text in game window.
Command appears at top left of game window, pushing text section down.
Generated response appears above players command in game window.
Etcetera.
Player scrolls down to read past resposes/commands/texts.
Much easier.

-Witch