Running into inconsistencies in my simulator

I'm not on a machine with SL, so I can't look at your file. However, I can say that a common reason for the inconsistent behavior you describe is the failure to use unique variables. Another common problem is indicating the wrong variable in a trigger. So carefully check those. 

Hi StevenBlea are you able to provide a simplified version of your file that isolates the issue. I opened your file and it's a complex one to work through, and it might even be helpful from a debug perspective to make a copy of the file and remove anything that is not needed to demonstrate the error. Can it be demonstrated over a couple of slides rather than several slides?

One thing I do when I'm working with multiple variables, is to check the usage count against those variables. It can sometimes uncover where you've reused a variable instead of using a unique one. If for example, your scenes are similar and should all have similar variable usage count, seeing that one variable has been use more than expected can lead you to the trigger that is using the incorrect variable.

If you have a simplified file you can share, I'd be happy to take a look, otherwise, this would take a bit too much time to pick through I'm afraid. There may be somebody else with a bit more time and energy to do it.

I'll second SamHill's suggestion: checking the usage count for variables can help you spot problems.

Also, you can click the Use Count number to open details.

Here's another suggestion for troubleshooting: add temporary text boxes and insert references to the variables used on a given slide. That helps you check whether variables are being adjusted as expected. 

BTW, I also agree with Sam that files should be simplified when one is asking for help in the community. Here's my boilerplate guide to best practices for uploading a .story file:

• Only include slides that are related to the problem.
• Be sure objects, layers, motion paths, and variables have meaningful names.
• If there is proprietary content, replace or delete it. For example, replace proprietary text with “ipsum lorem” text.
• Be sure to clearly describe the following in the file and/or in the post with the attachment (if you haven’t already done so): what you want to happen, what is not happening that should happen, what is happening that should not happen, and what you have already tried

I will try working it down, that may even uncover the issue for me. The reason I uploaded the file that I did though is because there are definitely multiple issues across multiple slides and I'm wary of accidentally deleting one that is causing an issue and not catching it. I'll post back when I have the pared file.

Here's a stripped down version. Though I would note that this problem does exist in my other simulators even without the Panviva windows preceding the revelation of the message options.

StevenBlea : I looked at both the full and stripped-down versions of your project. With all the variables and branching, I can't be sure if something in preview is supposed to happen or not. And, frankly, I'm not willing to spend any more time trying to figure it out. 

I suggest you follow the advice from previous replies: 

• Double check that the triggers refer to the appropriate variables. To help with this, check the variable count and usage. 
• Add variable references to the slides, and then preview it. That will let you see if the variables are changing when and how you want them to. 

I'll add a few more things to check: 

• If you have triggers that run "when [variable] changes," be sure you only use such triggers on the same slide that the variable changes. (The program doesn't "see" a variable change that happens on another slide.)
• Be aware that if a trigger adjusts a variable to the same value it already is (e.g., adjust a T/F variable that's already True to True), the program doesn't count that as the variable changing. A "when [variable] changes" trigger won't run in that situation.
• Check trigger order to ensure that the trigger that jumps to another slide always comes after any other trigger that happens at the same time.