Should moat be door or room?

I am new to Inform and enjoying the experience. Two questions, please,
for your help.

In the code below, is there a more elegant way to combine the many
"Instead of putting" rules?

Also in the code below, how to make "put boot in moat" (seems to need
Moat as room or container), yet treat Moat as door (goal of puzzle is
to make T shaped bridge with shovel and plank).

Thank you.

< code >

The Great Outdoors is a region. The water is a backdrop in the Great
Outdoors.

The Clearing is a room in the Great Outdoors with the description "A
vacant space in an otherwise dense forest. Over the moat to the north,
a maiden cries out for rescue." The forest is scenery in the Clearing
with the description "A tight stand of tall oak, and maple, pine, and
varietys uncertain."

Instead of taking some scenery, say "You lack the means, and it
probably wouldn't help anyway."

Instead of going nowhere, say "The thick forest blocks your path."

The Shed is a dark room, east of the Clearing. "[if unvisited]Years of
weathering have left the structure a shell of its former self. [end
if]The shed frame is too weathered to be of use." Some dirt, the floor,
the walls, the roof are scenery in the Shed. The description of the
walls is "Grayed slats too frail to be of use." The shovel, the plank,
the boot, and the wall lamp are here. Understand "shoe" as the boot.
Understand "board" as the plank. The description of the shovel is
"Long-handled; a bit rusted, but servicable." The description of the
plank is "Hefty, about 1 pace by 8 paces." The boot is wearable with
the description "Recently the home of a rodent family."

The wall lamp is a switched off device, fixed in place. Carry out
switching off the wall lamp: now the Shed is dark. Carry out switching
on the wall lamp: now the Shed is lighted. After deciding the scope of
the player: place the wall lamp in scope. Understand "light" as the
lamp.

The Moat is a closed door, north of the Clearing with the description
"10 paces wide on all sides. The moat surrounds a parcel of land on
which stands a modest cottage." Instead of jumping over the Moat, say
"Even your best leap would not be enough. Besides, ripples suggest
something inhabits the murky water."

After going through the Moat:
say "You step over the Moat on the makeshift bridge."; continue the
action.

Instead of putting the Boot on the Moat: say "A crocodile snatches it
away."; remove the Boot from play.
Instead of putting the Boot on, say "The boot is relocated, but that
doesn't do much."
Instead of putting the Plank on the Moat: say "The plank alone is too
short to span the Moat."
Instead of putting the Shovel on the Moat: say "The Shovel is now
across one corner of the moat."
Instead of putting the Plank on the Shovel: say "The plank and shovel
form a T shaped bridge."; now the Moat is open.

The Cottage is north of the moat."A simple dwelling." The Maiden is a
woman in the Cottage.

test me with "e / turn on light / take boot and plank and shovel / w /
put boot in moat"

< /code >

On 29 Jun 2006 17:44:32 -0700, "Neli" <nelipot.jowter.DeleteThis@gmail.com>
wrote:

>I am new to Inform and enjoying the experience. Two questions, please,
>for your help.
>
>In the code below, is there a more elegant way to combine the many
>"Instead of putting" rules?
>
>Also in the code below, how to make "put boot in moat" (seems to need
>Moat as room or container), yet treat Moat as door (goal of puzzle is
>to make T shaped bridge with shovel and plank).
>
>Thank you.

I'm sorry but I can't answer your questions. You might have better
luck posting them to rec.arts.int-fiction.