Conditions, Actions & Checkpoints

Ink can ask about the world and change it, through Pheno conditions and actions that you name in story.json or persona.json. The Ink then uses the names, so the story stays readable.

Conditions

"conditions": {
  "storm": { "type": "pheno:environment", "weather": "thunder" },
  "has_dock": { "type": "pheno:village", "has_building": "dock" },
  "is_child": { "type": "pheno:life_stage", "stage": "child" }
}

Each key is a name, and each value is a Pheno condition. Townstead tests it on the teller, with the player as other.

Use a condition in Ink with check():

{check("storm"):
    No boats out today.
}

A named condition is also a role. who("is_child") gives the name of the first resident it holds for, and # who: is_child has that villager say a line. See The Cast.

is("Marit", "is_child") tests a named condition on the resident called Marit.

Many conditions are useful in stories. See Story Tools for the ones made for stories, such as pheno:persona_roll and pheno:near_marker.

Actions

"actions": {
  "give_map": {
    "type": "pheno:mark_structure",
    "key": "old_wreck",
    "min": 300,
    "max": 900
  },
  "share_name": { "type": "pheno:share_family_name" }
}

Each key is a name, and each value is a Pheno action. Townstead runs it on the teller, with the player as other.

Run an action from Ink with act():

Here, I drew you a map. It's not far.
~ act("give_map")

Checkpoints

A checkpoint is a starting point for testing. It sets the story up as if the player had already played to a scene, then opens that scene.

"checkpoints": {
  "after_nets": {
    "note": "After the nets quest. The player knows the sailor's name.",
    "vars": { "met": 2, "done_nets": true },
    "knot": "wreck_offer",
    "act": ["share_name"],
    "counters": { "examplepack:nets_mended": 1 },
    "villager_counters": { }
  }
}

Field	Description
knot	The knot to open. The default is greet.
vars	Ink variables to set before the knot opens.
act	Named actions to run first.
counters	Chronicle counters to raise on the player, to at least these amounts.
villager_counters	Chronicle counters to raise on the teller.
note	A line shown in chat, to say what the checkpoint is for.

Open a checkpoint with /townstead scene <checkpoint> while you look at the teller. See Testing & Commands.