Writing

Writing is a feature added to the game on February 27, 2006. "Writing on the tree (or sand)" had been suggested by Snarf on January 27, 2006. As with speech, natives and ousiders have difficulty understanding each other. A player without language skills will see messages written by the other side as gibberish.

Players can write on huts in camps, on trees in the jungle, or in sand on the beach. Each method uses 1 AP per message unless the new message is identical to the old one, in which case there is no AP cost. (E.g., writing nothing over "Trading post" costs 1 AP, but writing nothing where nothing is written costs 0.) Players with multiple pieces of driftwood can construct signposts which are more visible and durable than other forms of essay writing (although you cannot post a sign at a location containing a hut, fruit tree or bush, or other detail).

Carving on huts

You can carve a message onto the side of a hut if you have a knife or dagger.

You carve [message] onto the side of a hut.

Anyone who visits that square will see the terrain description and your message.

Carved on the side of a hut is [message]

If there is already a message carved on the hut, your message will replace it.

You scratch out what was carved there before.

Carving an empty message removes any previous message on the side of the hut.

You scratch out what was carved there before.

You make a few practice scratches on the side of a hut.

Carving on a tree in the jungle (density 5-10)

You can carve on trees in the jungle if you have a knife or dagger.

You can't carve a message on a tree in jungle terrain with density ranging from 0 to 4.

You look around for something to carve onto but there doesn't seem to be anything obvious.

You can carve a message onto a tree in jungle terrain with density ranging from 5 to 10.

You carve [message] onto a tree.

Anyone who visits that square will see the terrain description and your message.

Carved on a nearby tree is [message]

If there is already a message carved in that square, you won't be able to carve another one.

You can't find any room to carve anything.

You can destroy the carving by chopping the jungle down to density 4.

The tree with the carvings is chopped down, blade marks obscuring all trace of what was there.

Drawing in the sand on the beach

You can draw a message in the sand in beach terrain.

You draw [message] in the sand.

Anyone who visits that square will see the terrain description and your message.

Drawn in the sand is [message]

If there is already a message drawn in that square, your message will replace it.

You draw [message] in the sand obliterating what was there before.

Drawing an empty message removes any previous message in that square of the beach.

You kick sand around obliterating what was there before.