The Anatomy of a Game: Set Dressings
March 1, 2022•383 words
Anything mentioned in the description of a location or problem may be something that the player wants to know more about. In an escape room game for example, the player will want to examine everything in the room in case it provides them with clues or helpful information.
Things that are mentioned in passing like fireplaces, furniture, pictures on the wall, or any other background item can be examined by the player if a set dressing is created for it.
A set dressing establishes a sort of “label” that a detailed description can be provided for. If a location description happens to mention a portrait hanging on the wall, it’s not unreasonable that that the player may ask to examine the portrait.
If you create a set dressing in the game for that portrait, called “portrait”, the player can issue the command examine portrait and TAF will respond by displaying a detailed description of the portrait. A set dressing may feasibly be modified or altered in some way due to the actions carried out to solve a problem, or the effects that result from solving a problem. Set dressings can have two detailed descriptions associated with them: an unsolved version and a solved version.
Set dressing definitions are tied to locations. A different portrait in a different room could also be examined with the same command, examine portrait, and TAF would know which portrait needed describing.
Set dressings add richness and detail to the game, and are a means to provide information to the player in subtle ways. They may also be red herrings! And sometimes set dressings are useful just as background colour, and to give a sense of realism to the game. They can be used to generate texture and atmosphere, and have no informational value whatsoever.
Sometimes stuff is just stuff. Whether it is useful to the game play or not, the player won’t know until they examine it. If they can’t examine it because there’s no set dressing and detailed description available, it’s a tell-tale sign that the items has nothing to do with the plot or the game play.
The more detail that is provided and the more immersive the interactive fiction, the more engaging the game play will be. And the player will have a better experience.