Object inside object problem

[P/o Prune]

Is it just me, or is it not possible to get rid of the default message "Inside the %object% is %object% ?
It may seem like just a little thing, but I find it a bit irritating.
In my game I have a clock. the clock has a small compartment and inside that compartment there is the clock mechanism.
The thing is that I have made a task >look inside compartment with a description of the mechanism-compartment and I get this response.

> look inside compartment
It's not very big and seems to be full of various rods and gears. All with are not moving. Inside the small compartment is the clock mechanism.

I have tried checking the exclude object from location description (No success)
I have tried making a blank space in the window "When the object is listed in location, display this: (No success)

Any ideas, please?

[David Whyld]

Can you use a text override?

In the top bit: Inside the small compartment is the clock mechanism.

Leave the bottom bit blank.

[P/o Prune]

Can you use a text override?

In the top bit: Inside the small compartment is the clock mechanism.

Leave the bottom bit blank.

Maybe I could use a text override. But that shouldn't be necessary.
Maybe the check windows only works for locations and not for containers.

I've tried to leave the bottom bit blank. That didn't change anything.

[saabie]

That message should only appear if the Look inside object task runs.
Is this a specific task set to override 'Look in{side} %object%'? (Not run-before or a general task)
Check the debugger output to see what tasks actually run.

[Lazzah]

The way to get rid of this message is to delete the OBJECTS ON/IN tab on the EXAMINE OBJECTS general task.

I don't like these extra messages about objects being open or closed, in or on, or characters on/in the object being referenced. I delete all three tabs, leaving just the TOO DARK one. If I think that if extra information is needed for the player, I can add my own messages where appropriate.

[P/o Prune]

That's what I have ended up doing. But thanks anyway

[Denk]

If you go with Lazzah's method, which removes this behaviour for all objects, not just the clock mechanism, you may also want to change it for the task "open objects" since it will also tell the player: "Inside the small compartment is the clock mechanism.". This is only the case if the compartment can be opened and closed.

[Lazzah]

If you go with Lazzah's method, which removes this behaviour for all objects, not just the clock mechanism, you may also want to change it for the task "open objects" since it will also tell the player: "Inside the small compartment is the clock mechanism.". This is only the case if the compartment can be opened and closed.

I forgot about that, thanks Denk!

[rovarsson]

And I have learned something I will certainly need further in developing my game!
Thank you all!

[Denk]

And I have learned something I will certainly need further in developing my game!
Thank you all!

I just want to add, that it is a matter of taste, whether you want to delete this behaviour from the Examine-task and the Open-task. If you do this, you may at some point need to create your own "LOOK IN{side} %object%"-task, so the player has a chance of knowing what is inside a container.

An alternative is to override "Examine object" and "Open object" only in those cases where it is a problem that the contents get listed.

[Denk]

Just want to state more clearly, that removing the OBJECTS ON/IN tab on the EXAMINE OBJECTS general task has significant impact on your game. Then the game will never tell you if things are on supporters (e.g. on a table) or in a container (e.g. in an open box). You might like this behaviour but I just want to mention it here, since some might delete those tabs and not being aware of the impact on their game. This is why I in my above post propose just to override "examine object" and "open object" in those cases where it is a problem that the contents get listed.