	For the last few weeks I have been concentrating on programming issues.
I spent most of this last week working out the new structure for deal-making.
My psycho-linguist consultant screamed about my old structure that separated a
character from his attributes, so I had to come up with a completely new
graphical structure for deals that was consistent with the internal structure
of sentences.  I eventually came up with a scheme, but it took most of this 
week getting it operating properly and installing the new drivers for the AI
to engage the player.  It was slow, tedious, and simple work, but it feels 
good to have something to show for my efforts.
	The problems that I have been thinking about in the background concern
the use of the language and the expression of personality.  The former problem
is not so much a game design problem as a matter of inertia. I had designed 
IIL to be tiny general-purpose language that would allow a broad range of 
expression.  But I find that general-purpose expression just doesn't seem to
work in the game.  It will confuse the player; what is the point of being able
to engage in small talk with a character if that doesn't directly propel you
toward victory?  I really did have a kind of small talk capability; you could
ask characters simple questions about other characters, and if they knew the
answer and were inclined to talk to you, they would answer.  I was very proud
of the idea but it just didn't seem to create a workable game.  So I tore it
out.  But now I am left with two problems:  just what is the purpose of IIL? 
and how I am to express the personalities of the characters?
	The first problem arises from my perception that IIL has become little
more than a snazzy human interface.  It no longer deals with perceptions of 
reality.  It is much less than a tiny general-purpose language.  To use an
analogy, I had hoped for tiny BASIC and what I have is an HP-35.  (By this
analogy, I suppose that the structures for games like BOP look like abaci.)
I keep hoping that IIL could be more.  Maybe this is something better left to
a sequel.  If the ideas of this game catch on, I could come back and do a 
full-blown IIL with general-purpose expressiveness.  The audience would be 
ready for that, maybe.
	The second problem is, how do I allow characters to express their 
personalities?  I am committed to the notion that the personalities of the
characters will be central to this game, but the steady whittling away of IIL
has made it more and more difficult to let them show their true colors in this
black-and-white language.  This message is too long already --- I'll expand on
this theme after I've gotten some reactions from readers.
.
