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Storytron > Swat > Immersive tutorial (Part 1) > Adding Options Adding Options So Dick has just assumed a Role, which means he is set to react to Fred's Sentence. How does he react? He makes a Plan. What is a Plan? It's simply a Sentence that hasn't happened yet. After making his Plan Dick might decide to perform it immediately or defer it. We won't go into the details of this decision, because dick has a much more interesting problem: which Plan to make. Plans are Sentences, and a Sentences' form depends on that Sentences' Verb. Therefore, Dick should first choose which Verb to use for his Plan. Obviously some Verbs would make more sense than others. As a reaction to Fred's Sentence, Kiss would hardly seem appropriate, as would Hide or Steal. Other Verbs would seem very apropos, such as Contradict. Furthermore, some Verbs might be appropriate for one Role but ridiculous for another. For example, as TheftVictim Mary might well respond to the Verb Steal by calling the police, but as Thief Robert would do no such thing. For this reason, each Role has a number of Verb Options. When an Actor assumes a Role, he or she selects one of that Role's Verb Options. The Actor then bases his or her reaction Plan on that Verb. Back to our hero, Dick: "Well, that was easy enough, to assume that Role. But now I'm itchin' to make a Plan! First I gotta find the right Verb - let's see what Verb Options I get from my Role…" Let's see what he finds.
Do you think these three Options are enough? Adding Options is a very subjective decision - you as storybuilder get to decide what makes sense and what doesn't. One thing I can imagine is that, if Dick is a friend of Jane, he might take offense at the insult to her. If that happens, and he's a violent person, he might Punch Fred. Let's give him that Option:
So Dick needs to select one of these four Verb Options to base his reaction Plan on. How will he choose? If dick were the Protagonist, he'd be under the player's control, so the player would make this choice. Since Dick is under the computer's control, and, through the computer, under your control, you'll have to guide him through this choice. Next chapter I'll show you how to do that.
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