Handle singular/plural and singular(s) forms in display strings.

Platform/Apple/virtual/src/plasma/gameloop.pla

@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ byte q_dir
 // For decimal conversion and display tabbing
 byte decimalBuf[7]
 byte tabBuf[5]
+byte isPlural
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Definitions used by assembly code
@@ -134,6 +135,7 @@ DEBUG   = 0
 ; General use
 tmp         = $2
 pTmp        = $4
+ysav        = $34
 ysav1       = $35
 
 ; 16-bit random number seed - incremented by ROM kbd routine
@@ -250,6 +252,8 @@ asm pushAuxStr     // params: none; ret: $200 (inbuf)
 end
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// String building for display with the font engine. Includes plurality processing to handily 
+// handle things like "Dirt bag(s)" and "his/their"
 asm buildString
         +asmPlasm 1
         sta cswl
@@ -269,12 +273,78 @@ asm addToString
 end
 
 asm finishString
-        +asmPlasm 0
-        jsr setvid
+!zone {
+        +asmPlasm 1
+        sta tmp     ; save isPlural flag
+        jsr setvid  ; put the cout vector back to default
+        bit monrts  ; V flag for prev-is-punctuation
+        ldy #1      ; dest offset in Y
+        ldx #1      ; source offset in X
+        cpx inbuf
+        beq +       ; only process if string has at least 1 char
+        bcs .done
++       sty tmp+1   ; offset of last punctuation
+.fetch  lda inbuf,x
+        cmp #"("
+        bne .notpar
+        bvs .notpar ; skip paren processing right punctuation
+        lda tmp     ; check isPlural flag
+        bne .plurpr
+-       lda inbuf,x ; it's singular, so skip everything in parens
+        cmp #")"
+        beq .next
+        inx
+        cpx inbuf
+        bne -
+        beq .done   ; handle missing trailing paren
+.plurpr inx         ; it's plural, so copy everything within the parens
+        lda inbuf,x ; copy characters
+        cpx inbuf   ; handle missing trailing paren
+        beq .store
+        cmp #")"    ; go until we reach ending paren
+        beq .next
+        sta inbuf,y
+        iny
+        bne .plurpr ; always taken
+
+.notpar cmp #"/"
+        bne .notsl
+        bvs .notsl  ; skip slash processing right after punctuation
+        lda tmp     ; check isPlural flag
+        bne .plursl
+-       inx         ; loop that skips plural form
+        cpx inbuf
+        beq +
+        bcs .done   ; handle end of string
++       lda inbuf,x
+        cmp #"A"    ; eat letters (and stop when we hit punctuation)
+        bcs -
+        bcc .store  ; copy the ending punctuation and continue normal processing
+.plursl ldy tmp+1   ; erase singular form by backing up to prev punc
+        iny         ;     plus 1 to retain prev punc
+        bne .next   ; resume regular copying of the plural form
+
+.notsl  cmp #"A"    ; if <= ASCII "A", consider it punctuation
+        bcc +
+        clv         ; clear last-is-punc flag
+        bvc .store  ; always taken
++       bit monrts  ; set prev-is-punc flag
+        sty tmp+1   ; save dest offset of last punctuation
+
+.store  sta inbuf,y ; save to dest
+        iny
+
+.next   inx
+        cpx inbuf   ; compare src offset to length
+        bcc .fetch  ; loop while less than
+        beq .fetch  ;       or equal
+
+.done   dey
+        sty inbuf   ; save new length
         lda #<inbuf
         ldy #>inbuf
-        ldx inbuf
         rts
+}
 end
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -782,7 +852,7 @@ def printf3(str, arg1, arg2, arg3); printf4(str, arg1, arg2, arg3, 0); end
 def displayf4(str, arg1, arg2, arg3, arg4)
   buildString(@addToString)
   printf4(str, arg1, arg2, arg3, arg4)
-  displayStr(finishString())
+  displayStr(finishString(isPlural))
 end
 
 def displayf1(str, arg1); displayf4(str, arg1, 0, 0, 0); end
@@ -1463,15 +1533,13 @@ include "playtype.pla"
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 def combat()
-  word p, p2
+  word p, p2, n, s
 
   // Create the enemy group(s).
   global=>p_enemyGroups = NULL
   addToList(global + p_enemyGroups, new_EnemyGroup_Dirt_Bags())
 
   // Display portrait of first group
-  printf1("enemy: $%x\n", global=>p_enemyGroups=>p_enemies)
-  printf1("portrait: %d\n", global=>p_enemyGroups=>p_enemies=>ba_images[0])
   setPortrait(global=>p_enemyGroups=>p_enemies=>ba_images[0])
 
   // Say who we're fighting
@@ -1480,7 +1548,21 @@ def combat()
   displayStr("Uh oh, it's gunna' be one of THOSE days.\n")
   p = global=>p_enemyGroups
   while p
-    displayf2("%d %s draw their weapons on you!\n", countList(p=>p_enemies), p=>p_enemies=>s_name)
+    n = countList(p=>p_enemies)
+    isPlural = (n <> 1)
+    when rand16() % 5
+      is 0
+        s = "From out of nowhere comes/come %d %s to have their way with you!\n"; break
+      is 1
+        s = "%d nasty %s comes/come to stake their claim on you!\n"; break
+      is 2
+        s = "It's gone from bad to worse, %d %s is/are looking for trouble!\n"; break
+      is 3
+        s = "%d %s is/are sniffing you out, shoulda' bathed last week!\n"; break
+      otherwise
+        s = "You mutter a curse under your breath as you see %d %s approach you with malice!\n"; break
+    wend
+    displayf2(s, n, p=>p_enemies=>s_name)
     p = p=>p_nextObj
   loop