If someone wanted to make a text based game where decisions you make in the story affects your attributes that ultimately changes the way the story progresses, what kind of software is available for this? I can't script for shit so a helpful program would be nice.
I tried textadventures.co.uk but I didn't like the format.
a very simple programming language that you could make something like this in is python, it's worth checking out as it is high level enough to be quite simply readable, but it can also be quite powerful (like any language really).
i'd be going in blind though, never used it before
That's fine, there's a lot of places to get help from and tons of libraries to help you get started. If you've never ever programmed anything before, Python is alright.
Twine is a simple HTML editor that uses simplified javascript. It shits out .html files ready for everyone to use, and if you use the javascript part you can actually make games with stats and the like. It supports multimedia as well.
Twine also has an undeserved bad reputation because there are tons of shitty fanfic-tier text-based games using it. So make sure your game isn't shit, OP.
Yeah, depression quest was made on it I believe ? If you just use the basic passage/link structure it gives you braindead CYOA shit, but Twine can do much more with programming and assets. Get the Sugarcube expansion and you've got a good toolbelt.
I tried Twine 2, it seemed like hot garbage so stick with 1.4.2
While it has that reputation, the worse offender is HTML and JS being fucking awful on lowend hardware. They're extremely inefficient and the way they're structured leads to some odd design for your code. Not to say that good games can't be made in it, but using anything that can be compiled instead of interepreted would be better, in my opinion.
Have you tried Twine?
No, seriously. It might help you since you can't code.
I cant connect any of the boards or even figure out how to make links on it, let alone make attributes or skill levels.
Well, you need to look up some documentation first. Twine may be simple but it's no exception. Links are made in [[This Format|PassageName]]. Otherwise check this twinery.org
To use variables with javascript, use this extension. motoslave.net
You're talking about basic interaction.
Honestly I might be bias because I love Javascript, but you should give it a shot. Also making it browser accessible makes it more likely that people will play it, since nobody is going to download a text based game with the industry in this state.
It's really simple, just connecting together functions and a few variables. It's good practice and will help you if you actually want to make something more complex in the future.
RAGS
god no
Thanks for making this thread OP i've been wanting to make a text adventure for ages and appreciate you saving me the effort of an OP
I'm eager to learn python as i look at as cheating really, thank you for the recommendation.
are there any main advantages to javascript? i remember having problems with it before
Javascript was a mistake.
It's s h i t
Accessibility, massive amounts of support, easy to learn, graphical interface easily done thanks to html inputs (text boxes, buttons, etc) mainly.
I'm gonna go ahead and say that it's the easiest language to learn compared to the amount of stuff it can do.
It was my gateway language for learning C and C#
Maybe if you've never written code before. Going from C to JS for a project was like bashing my skull in for a few hours until I was retarded enough to make it work. The best languages to learn on and grow from are Python for general purpose scripting and BennuGD for game development specifically. If you need more flexibility or control over hardware, you can move into C/C++.
I hear this a lot but i've seen some friends work wonders with it, it wasn't too grand when i attempted using it however.
Would you say python is a good place to (re)start learning how to program? if i can make a basic text adventure using it that would be enough, as that's the project i'm most interested in doing.
...
No shortcuts
JS is easy to learn though.
Also I never said JS and C were similar, I just said JS was the thing that got me into programming.
I never actually used pything because, as far as I remember, you have to go trough hoops to make it work in the first place and it's kinda annoying
RPGMaker was a shortcut, that was pretty easy to use.
Why not just learn to code?
Python and java are quite easy from what I hear, and at least you won't be just an ideas guy any more.
Did you make a good game with it?
u wot
Not to mention anything you'd be using to hand-hold would be basically scripting anyhow. I mean, you can fuck about with Construct2 or whatever it's called.
ANY FUCKING LANGUAGE
FUCKING 2016
I don't know which one on textadventures.co.uk you tried, but there are two
Quest
textadventures.co.uk
Squiffy
textadventures.co.uk
I reccomend you use the downloadable program version as the web versions are awful.
Not OP but TY user
Well a task you set is so basic there is no need for any engine and at the same time you could use any gaming engine there is, so people started with the basics.
Just to your knowledge there will always be scripting in game making, so learn how to code.
If you don't have time to learn C++, RPG maker or VN engines shouldn't be hard to use.
renpy.org
Here, they made Long Live The Queen on it, this game was essentially your concept with the difference you choose which skills to raise instead of story awarding them.
excellent taste
Inform