On the face of it, it seems easy. But what if the object can be ANY object?
Here’s what I mean–
Shrinktime is a number that varies. Shrinktime is 0.
After shrinking something:
say "Poof! Now you have a very tiny [noun]!";
choose row 1 of table 1;
now the shrunkthing entry is the noun;
now the printed name of the noun is "very tiny [noun]";
now shrinktime is 4.
Simple, now I have an item that is very tiny, and it is entered into the one-entry table of items which have been shrunk. Please note that being shrunk is not a permanent condition, because in about 3-4 moves, the item returns to its normal size…(of course I wrote rules about dealing with the shrunken item while it is in that state, and check rules defining which kinds of things can/not be shrunk)…
Now…
Every turn while shrinktime is greater than 0:
now shrinktime is shrinktime minus 1;
if shrinktime is 0:
choose row 1 in table 1:
say "Suddenly, your [shrunkthing entry] resumes its normal size!";
now the shrunkthing entry is the very tiny substitute.
The only problem here is that I can’t seem to find a way to return the printed name of the ‘shrunkthing’ to its original name. I can’t seem to eliminate the ‘very tiny’ designation.
It would be very easy for me to simply say –
Shrinktime is a number that varies. Shrinktime is 0.
A very tiny nonentity is a thing. It is scenery. The descripition is "This is just a marker, the player can't really 'see' it."
A mysterious box is a container.
After shrinking something:
say "Poof! The [noun] becomes so small that it blows out of your hand, and you can't seem to find it!";
now the very tiny nonentity is in the location of the noun;
now the noun is in the mysterious box;
now shrinktime is 4."
Every turn while shrinktime is greater than 0:
shrinktime is shrinktime minus 1;
if shrinktime is 0:
say "Now the [list of things which are in the mysterious box] suddenly reappears, as if by magic!";
now everything which is in the mysterious box is in the location of the very tiny nonentity;
now the very tiny nonentity is nowhere.
But I want to learn how to simply eliminate the words ‘very tiny’ from the printed name of the object, once I put them there. I have looked all over the manual and tried things like using ‘now word number 1 in the printed name of the shrunkitem entry is “”…’ etc.
Thanks