list_contents

list_contents, when true, precludes an object or room’s contents from being listed as usual. Because of this, it defaults to false, but it can be very useful.

Careful what you look for

Sometimes you’ll want to prevent contents from being listed altogether (like with vehicles or something). Other times, say, you might have a non-hidden, not-quiet container in a room, but you only want the player to see the contents if he specifically looks into it (and not, say, in the room description). Do something like this:

object cauldron "cauldron"
{
   noun "cauldron"
   in CauldronRoom
   is container, open
   list_contents
   {
      ! Skip contents-listing if not looking specifically inside
      if verbroutine ~= &DoLookIn
      {
           return 1
      }
      else
      {
            return 0
      }
   }
}

object oysters "oysters"
{
   noun "oysters"
   is plural
   in cauldron
}