Pressure Pads
We all know and love Pressure Pads. And they are particularly easy to understand even though they exist in many varieties. But the code is very straight-forward and the various varieties are created by a simple 'case' statement that determines whether the Pressure Pad has been 'pressed' (or 'activated'). For example, a Pressure Pad might be 'pressed' by a Screamer Slice being placed upon it. Any of the types may specify any of the possible Floor Decorations.
In all cases, one of three things can happen:

1. 'Nothing'. (That was the easiest to explain.)
2. The pad is 'pressed'.
3. The pad is 'released'.

There are eight possible types of Pressure Pad:

- Type 0 - An inoperative Pressure Pad. Does 'nothing'. But it is useful because it may have a Floor Decoration.
- Type 1 - Operated by anything. The pad is 'pressed' if the pad is empty and an object or monster is placed on it. Otherwise 'nothing'. What about Party????
- Type 2 - The pad is 'pressed' if the Party steps onto the Pad or a monster steps onto the pad. Otherwise 'nothing'.
- Type 4 - The pad is 'pressed' if a particular Object type (Screamer Slice, for example) is placed on the pad and it is the only Object of that type on the pad. The pad is 'released' if the last object of a particular type is removed from the pad. Note the important fact....placing a second Object of the same type on the pad accomplishes 'nothing' and removing an Object while leaving one or more of that type accomplishes 'nothing'.
- Type 6 - The pad is 'pressed' by the party being on the pad and facing in a particular direction. This is the most complicated of the Pressure Pads. If the Party did not move or turn then 'nothing' happens. Otherwise, the specified direction can be either a particular direction (north, east, south, or west) or 'ANY'. If 'ANY' direction was specified then the pad was 'pressed' or 'released' if the party stepped onto or off the pad and 'nothing' happens if the party simply turned. If a particular direction was specified, then things get more complicated. If 'ANY' direction is specified then the party must have moved (not turned) and the pad was 'pressed' or 'released' depending on whether the party stepped onto or off the pad. If a particular direction was specified then the pad is 'released' if the party steps off the pad (irrespective of the direction it was facing.....so the pad can be 'released' over and over again without ever having been 'pressed') or if the new direction is not the specified direction and the pad is 'pressed' if the party is now on the pad facing the proper direction.
- Type 7 - The pad is 'pressed' if a monster steps onto the pad and is 'released' if a monster steps off the pad.
- Type 8 - The pad is activated if the party moves onto or off the pad or turns while standing on the pad. The pad is 'pressed' if the party possesses a particular type of object and is otherwise 'released'. Notice the anomaly----The pad will be pressed if the party steps off the pad while possessing the object and the pad will be released if the party steps onto the pad without that object.
- Type 9 - The pad is activated only if the party steps onto the pad. The pad will be 'pressed' or 'released' depending on the value specified in the actuator - if the value is less than 21 the pad will be 'pressed' else it will be 'released'. I have no idea what the designers had in mind.