[pepijndevos]

Is it normal for text adventures you just have to try random stuff?

I had no clue how to get design. I thought I had missed a clue from the developer maybe. Turned out I just needed to enter a command that was not introduced before, or listed in the help page.

[myhf]

It was normal 30 years ago, as a cheap way to cut development time and pad play time. Parser technology and usability expectations have improved since then, but this piece is too committed to its retro aesthetic to care.

[moconnor]

The source is also its own clue; just search for the error message and read the source around it.

That's a strategy that works with many error messages in many programs, not just in this game.

[michaelmior]

The message when you try to get the design is a pretty big clue.