Fire

Fire is one of the Big Three objects - fire, liquids and rope - that have a reputation for being very difficult to implement realistically and fully. However, it is such a core component of human culture (and has so many practical uses) that it appears quite frequently in IF, although usually not in full simulationist glory.

Starting Fire

• Matches. Usually there will be a matchbox object; sometimes there will be individual match objects inside this, or sometimes matches will be dynamically generated. As a rule, matches will burn out quickly, and you may have a limited supply; they are best-used to light something more permanent.
• Cigarette lighter. If functional, this is the simplest fire source: just use LIGHT (object) or LIGHT (object) WITH (lighter).
• Flint and tinder. This may be implemented as a single item (a tinderbox) or as its separate elements - metal, flint and easily-combustible fuel. You may have to improvise - hitting a sword against a rock, for instance.
• Friction. This can come in many forms, from the archetypical two-sticks method to the fast movement of powders through pipes.
• Electricity. A bolt of lightning, a severed power cable, an overloaded or damaged circuit; you may want to take precautions, and as a firelighter it's a bit extreme, but as a last resort it's worth considering.
• Lava.
• Chemical. Certain chemicals will burst into flame on contact with water; others will conflagrate if exposed to air, if combined with other chemicals, or if knocked about too much.
• Flame-breathing monsters.

Dousing Fire

• Cut off the fuel source.
• Exhaust the supply of oxygen:
  • with a fire-extinguisher. These are implemented variously, and hence will often have instructions on.
  • with water.
  • by putting something non-flammable on top of it.
  • by containing it within an airtight area. If this works, wait for a while before unsealing again, or you may get an explosion.

Uses for Fire

• Fire is a convenient, if unreliable light source.
• Fire can be used to destroy objects that can burn, melt or evaporate.
• Fire makes a good weapon, if it can be harnessed properly.
• Fire can cauterise wounds, preventing further blood loss; it can also be used to sterilise equipment. Injuries from fire tend to become infected very easily, however.
• Fire may often be a component of cooking puzzles.
• If you or an NPC are suffering from the cold, fire is frequently the answer.
• Heat dries things out faster.
• The heat from fire can be used to make metals expand, and render them more pliable.
• Hot gases and fluids rise. You may need fire to lift a balloon, or something of the kind.
• Fire could be an energy source for various machines and engines.
• Fire is often a component of alchemy or elemental puzzles.
• You may need fire for cigarettes and their ilk.
• Fire generates (or can be made to generate) smoke, which has its own uses:
  • concealment; it's hard to be seen in a room full of thick smoke.
  • getting rid of NPCs or animals
  • signalling
  • depending on what's being burned, the smoke may be poisonous, soporific or have other effects; this might be used to sedate bees, knock out a room-full of enemies, or get rid of an unpleasant smell.
• Pain. Sticking a finger in a flame might bring a drowsy, asleep or drugged character to attention.
• Meditation. Staring into a candle-flame is a traditional technique for this.