So I am not sure how I should go about doing this. Another thread was about how to make an object both a surface and a container hybrid at the same time- meaning it could have something on top (a surface), while still have objects inside it (a container). And although I am still working on that, and I had hinted at this problem in that thread, I figured I would make a whole dedicated thread for this here.

How much do you complicate things to seem real, while not over burdening the player on mechanics of the game play? I assume as the game dev it would be much simpler to keep it simple, but it is not about me, it is about the players.

Bear in mind I have not played a lot of IFs, but I have played some Point and Click Adventure games and tried quite a few MUDs. How does the IF community as a whole, regard the nature of searching for objects? I do not want to make the general practice of searching objects a puzzle or tedious. But I do want them to have to search. So if I make a desk with three drawers, meaning I described it as such, having three drawers. Should I make them search all three drawers? If so how does one do that?

"Open drawer1"? "Open drawer 2"? "Open drawer 3"? (I assume I would have to tell the player it is a three drawer desk)

Or

"Open top drawer"? "Open middle drawer"? "Open bottom drawer"? (I assume I would not only have to tell the player it is a three drawer desk, but that they are in a vertical position)

Or "open desk" or "desk drawer(s)" and everything that can be found, should be found all at once, complete with unimportant descriptions of other things in the drawers that the player wont need?

Or I could have a dresser or an armoire with six drawers of varying sizes and doors as well. That would be a nightmare.

"Open drawer 1"? "Open drawer 2"? "Open drawer 3"? "Open drawer 4"? "Open drawer 5"? "Open drawer 6"? "Open armoire doors"?

or

"Open top drawer"? "Open second from top drawer"? "Open third from top drawer"? "Open third from bottom drawer"? "Open second from bottom drawer"? "Open bottom drawer"? "Open armoire doors."? I am pretty sure this answers my own question, but thinking allowed and in typing form. ^^! I also assume the game will ask the player which drawer if they simply typed "open drawer", but that still does not make it any less complicated.

And that does not take into account I have both the desk and the armoire and a closet all in the same room or that there will be dozens or more rooms just like this with varying things to search... o_0

Confused yet? Because I sure as hell am! ^^!

I always make separate drawers, and I make them a component of the dresser (or armoire, or what have you).

Plus, I do not let the player LOOK IN or TAKE anything from an open drawer which has an open drawer above it.

...but I like the old-school, difficult-as-hell INFOCOM games. So, I guess that makes me sort of masochistic.

<trolling>Most players aren't in it for the challenge these days, though. So, you should probably stick to whatever is easiest for a novice player to figure out.</trolling>

"Plus, I do not let the player LOOK IN or TAKE anything from an open drawer which has an open drawer above it."

You Sir, are a sadistic bastard! ^^!

To be honest I would want the same thing, however it would be automatic. The player would not have to type "close drawer", it would just close on it's own as part of the searching process. But for sake of my sanity, there may just be open drawers (._.) every where. Those with OCD could just close them all. ^^!

How do you word the drawers though? 1, 2 and 3? Top, middle and bottom? Left, center and right? Do you even have more drawers on an object that makes it harder to describe for searching purposes as I mentioned with the armoire. Or making it a component of the dresser means something else than I am thinking?

My game is not to annoy, but to simulate. But it has to be fun or at least worth while for the player to bother with the searching. There is a lot of drawers that will have absolutely nothing in them that can be taken (but almost always descriptions of what is inside), while others will have collectable, but not NEED to be found and taken, while some objects you DO have to grab them for use later.

To be honest I would want the same thing, however it would be automatic.

I do this where I can but it is not always appropriate. Also, I now generally pick up items automatically when they are found, so the following would occur:
OPEN drawer
You look inside the drawer and find a brass key, which you pick up.
CLOSE drawer
It is already closed.
OPEN drawer
You check the drawer again but find nothing more of interest.

How do you word the drawers though? 1, 2 and 3? Top, middle and bottom? Left, center and right?

Just how you would describe them in real life. ...i.e. don't use numbers unless they are marked on the drawers.

I try to do the same thing with doors...i.e. open, go through, and close, also unlocking automatically if the right key is held.

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Hi KV / Richard Headkid /... Nice to see you back or perhaps you have never been away?

Make things as intuitive as possible for the player, not easy necessarily.

If you describe a desk with drawers, try and lead the player in an intuitive way, for example:

What now? Exam desk

The polished oak desk is large and sturdy. There are three drawers set into the front of the desk, one above the other. The top drawer has strange scratches across its surface.

That's only an example of course, but you tell the player explicitly there are three drawers set one above the other, then you plant the seed to imply the correct nouns to use by stating "the top drawer". This should subconsciously lead the player onto the path of top, middle and bottom.

Alternatively, you could always explicitly state the desk has a top, middle and bottom drawer stacked above one another.

It's up to you!

Me, I prefer leading the player, gently guiding them without the player realising it too much, so they feel the satisfaction of working it out even when you have actually guided them.

Of course if you include such things as scratches you would have to have a separate item scratches. Otherwise the player might assume the marks to be a clue and be rewarded by. I can’t see them. Frustrating! Of course the the scratches could be in the shape of a fish and reveal the red wood beneath and be a complete red herring.

Currently I am finding if I just type "open armoire draw" or perhaps "open drawer", several options appear that are clickable. The player then knows how many drawers there are and I assume in their head will realize better which ones to still open. The desk with three drawers is easy. But an armoire with several drawers, sounds a bit trickier.

I am going to make my game with different rooms and each room or most rooms will try something different. I then will publish the game, hidden or otherwise, just so I can get the beta able to be played and see how people react to it and I will take suggestions. The game is for all, but since it is a fan based game, there is a core audience in mind already.

So in the end this will be a demo/experiment more than anything else. Those reactions will let me see how in fact the rest or most of the game should behave and then I can work on the other parts of the game from there. It will save me a lot of frustration later. ^^! Although going back to fix the original content is not going to be such an easy task either. o_0

I will take more suggestions and or insights if you got them. Thank you.