When I select an item in my inventory and choose "use", a list of objects appear for me to select which object I want to use my object on. However, the list includes other items in my inventory etc. and I imagine could get quite long and confusing. Is there a way to limit the list of objects that appears in the "use on" list? Also, a suggestion: add a locked description and an unlocked description for exits. Like -- Locked: The Skeleton guards the western door Unlocked: There is a pile of ash in front of the western door.

duggold wrote: Is there a way to limit the list of objects that appears in the "use on" list?

Do you have a suggestion how to limit the list of objects? I was thinking about this, too, but coudn't find a good solution

duggold wrote:Also, a suggestion: add a locked description and an unlocked description for exits. Like -- Locked: The Skeleton guards the western door Unlocked: There is a pile of ash in front of the western door.

Yes this could be done. It could be handled the same way as inroom descriptions. I will talk with Alex about it.

I guess the simplest way would be a list of objects to show "skeleton;dragon;ogre"
Barring that, show only objects with a particular flag set.

Then you would need a list of objects for every room. What happens if the object is moved to another room? If you change attributes of the object? If the object is cloned? So that is not that easy.

A flag does not solve the problem because all "normal" objects could be used in any way. So you would need a flag for every object/puzzle in your game. If you want to cut paper with a scissor, they need there own flag. If you want to kill a rat with the same scissor they need another flag and so on.

I would make the list in the object, not the room. Call it the "use on" list or something. Each object with a list does the restriction. Objects without any objects in the list will behave as they do now.

Does this make your game not to easy? In the Usebox you could only see the items, which can really used on each other? And mostly you would see only one object in the box.

I would only use this solution for obvious combinations. Example: A scroll of fireball can only be used on monsters in the room. No point showing the sword on the ground and the shield in my hand. That doesn't make the game harder, just sillier. For other more elaborate use ons, I wouldn't restrict the list. I don't think showing a more filtered list makes it easier from a game perspective, just less hassle for players. If I really wanted to be able to use the scroll on the shield (perhaps to magically enhance it), I wouldn't use the filter option for that particular scroll.