TST: Graveyard.tab (Part 3)

Well, another TableSmith Wednesday I guess. But we’ll make the most of it and get into some table development. Last time we talked about how to really incorporate some important tables on how to customize our tables, and other alternatives were proffered and I am still looking into them but on to the table.

:Size of Burials
1,single family       |int_burial_size_mod = -3|
2,very small           |int_burial_size_mod =- 2|
3,small                    |int_burial_size_mod = -1|
4,medium              |int_burial_size_mod = 0|
5,big                        |int_burial_size_mod = 1|
6,large                    |int_burial_size_mod = 2|
7,huge                    |int_burial_size_mod = 3|

There are a couple of little tricks I did here that will help us out later as we continue to develop the table. First off I rarely decide before hand if I am going to use parameters, so I find it best to use a group call that allows us to not go back and muddle with probabilities. Secondly I’ve added an integer int_burial_size_mod which I can now use to influence all kinds of different groups. For instance when I make my loop to generate headstones, I will already have a limiter or expander on that loop.

What I’ve decided however is that I need a couple of more ‘modifier’ groups. This often happens when you develop tables, my suggestion when an idea strikes, go with it. If nothing else make the group heading and slap down a #comment about what your idea was. For instance:

:Age
# This will give us an adjective to help describe the age of not only the graveyard but could also be used to describe the age of a headstone/monument.

:Upkeep
# This will give a description which will help describe the upkeep of the graveyard, and could also be used to describe a headstone/monument.

At least, that’s what I would do if I wasn’t planning on laying out those tables now.

:Age
1,new                       
_{If~int_age_graveyard < 1 ? |int_age_graveyard = 1|} |int_age_headstone = 1|
2,weathered          
_{If~int_age_graveyard < 1 ? |int_age_graveyard = 2|} |int_age_headstone = 2|
3,old                       
_{If~int_age_graveyard < 1 ? |int_age_graveyard = 3|} |int_age_headstone = 3|
4,very old              
_{If~int_age_graveyard < 1 ? |int_age_graveyard = 4|} |int_age_headstone = 4|
5,ancient               
_{If~int_age_graveyard < 1 ? |int_age_graveyard = 5|} |int_age_headstone = 5|

Well, here we go again, there’s a lot going on in this group. Big surprise, huh? Basically, the If~ check is sitting there making sure that we don’t overwrite the int_age_graveyard every time we call it. It might be better for us to break it into two separate groups, and I’d be willing to listen to comments on what you think is the best way to do this.

:Upkeep
1,well kept
_ {If~int_upkeep_graveyard < 1 ? |int_upkeep_graveyard = 1|} |int_upkeep_headstone =1|
2,maintained
_ {If~int_upkeep_graveyard < 1 ? |int_upkeep_graveyard = 2|} |int_upkeep_headstone =2|
3,degrading
_ {If~int_upkeep_graveyard < 1 ? |int_upkeep_graveyard = 3|} |int_upkeep_headstone =3|
4,falling apart
_ {If~int_upkeep_graveyard < 1 ? |int_upkeep_graveyard = 4|} |int_upkeep_headstone =4|
5,near completely destroyed
_ {If~int_upkeep_graveyard < 1 ? |int_upkeep_graveyard = 5|} |int_upkeep_headstone =5|

Amazing, it’s almost as if [Upkeep] is pretty close if not identical to [Age]. I wonder how that happened? Probably because one idea led directly to the other. So now that I have added these groups I should go back to [Display] and make sure that it includes these new groups. But first, I am going to do a quick little exercise that helps me a lot. You’ll probably see me do this many many times throughout this series.

The Talosian Cemetery in Talos, is a very large cemetery. It is ancient and well-kept. It features …

Which translates to our Planning stage:
[GRAVEYARD NAME] in [CITY], [NATION], is a [SIZE OF BURIALS]. It is [AGE] and [UPKEEP]. It [ADDITIONAL FEATURES] . . .

That leads exactly to our very next stage:

: DISPLAY
1,%graveyard_name%, in %city%, %nation%, is a %size_of_burials%.
_It is %age% and %upkeep%.
#_ as well as %additional_features%.
#_%history_of_graveyard%
#_%description_of_graveyard%
#_%notable_internments%
#_
#_%monuments%
#_
#_%hauntings%
#_
#_%notable_burials%

That’s it for this version of TST err, TSW, see you next Tuesday (I hope!).