As you see,I want to see how other people write their stories,because when I tried writing one it was then that I realized I didn’t know what to come up with first.So,do you write the whole story first somewhere and then write it in CS with all the branchings and other stuff or do you think up the story as you’re writing?
Also,another question I’ve been wondering,if someone can answer.Does it matter if you use Choicescript IDE instead of Notepad++ or something else,because it seems easier to me to write with that but not many people seem to use it.
I write a rough outline that covers the main plot. Depending on how long the main plot is, I’ll either wing it or draw up a mindmap. It depends on the story - some practically write themselves, while others require some coaxing.
Personally, I use Sublime Text 2. Just use whichever tool you feel most comfortable with. Writing is hard enough without learning a new interface!
I don’t think I would wanna work on more than 1 project anyway.
Yeah,your writing method seems effective,but it’s kinda hard trying to make a game with a lot of branching and different outcomes,I wonder which game in this website has the most endings,Seven Bullets maybe?Also,if I ever plan to make a game I’ll be putting in a lot of different outcomes,since that’s what CS is suited for I think,giving you choices that impact the story.
Lets say you want to write a story about bank robbers. You could write it normally, like anyone would, or you could add unexpected elements, such as another group of bank robbers trying to rob the same bank, or maybe a time travelling cop, you could even add magic if you wanted.
The point is, there are many different ways of telling the same story, you just need to add a plot twist here, a plot twist there, try to write something unusual.
But I am no expert. Maybe you could come up with something more interesting, who knows.
Hah,time traveling cops,knowing your crime and catching you before you do it.
Some people don’t usually like these “unique touches” but I love them.I think it makes a game different and unpredictable,which I think is a good thing.
I put one letter next to another, one word with space between after previews one. Suddenly I see, there is place for a choice, or a character, or anything else. I live in the flow, feel the scene and let my finger dance on my keyboard. My story might had started as one, but I won’t set it in stone if something interesting comes in mind.
I code as I write. I keep order that way. I don’t even know how others orient in there works if they not written like this:
Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
Text Text $!{Text) Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
*choice
#Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text ${Text} Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
*set Text
*choice
Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
*choice
Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
#Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
*choice
#Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
*choice
#
#
*if (text)
Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
*if (text2)
Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text
I just got comfortable with writing in CS, and I found that the best way to keep things cohesive is to make a brief outline of the scenes (and possible choices) that I want to write, and then fill everything in later.
If while I’m writing I feel like I could add another choice, or if another way of presenting the scene would work better, I write that option but put a comment near it saying that its experimental… just in case it doesn’t match up with later parts.
Basically, in my experience, CS works better when your thoughts are organized… but don’t let that stop you from being creative along the way.
My very first ideas always come from characters and their unique situations. I then think through in my head (or write down) the basic idea of the game. Then the different endings and some of the major choices that can be made. It’s also very helpful to kind of have an idea of the flow or how the game will be structured code wise from going to each scene. Other than that I just write whatever comes to mind as I go.
I have only used notepad++ but I do like it. Although spell check on there isn’t perfect.
I’m using Notepad++ and my favourite feature is that the line numbers are on the side so it’s super easy to find errors.
I write an outline with just a few words of “setting” info per chapter to remind myself, then a couple of choices and how they’d work out for the player (and what stats are relevant).
Then I’d cut and paste a scene from the outline into Notepad ++, and fill in the program properly (writing little bits of text very badly - or quite well, if I had an idea for a section that I didn’t want to forget), including testing. When it seems to be error-free, I do the text writing “properly”.
I’m not done writing my game yet, and I can tell my stats will need tweaking for balance - but although I looked at that while outlining, things have changed a bit along the way. So when it’s all finished and debugged, I’ll edit for statistical balance. Then, finally, re-edit all the words (sometimes by “playing” the game with Notepad++ on a tab so I can tweak it as I go along; sometimes within the program).
I’ve written “normal” novels before, and my usual novel outline is about one hand-written page. For games, it’s thousands of words. Choices are hard
An idea comes to me that I love, then from the concept and setting I come up with characters, and then I let them do stuff. With short stories and novels I jump around to whatever scene I have an idea for, then edit it later if it contradicts some other great idea I had. I have had to adapt to a more linear writing style with Choicescript because you need to have a certain amount of consecutive writing and code done in a scene to effectively test it. Plus it delays a working demo if you can’t stay focused on one day at a time.
Branches, options and stat changes/necessary variables suggest themselves as I write the scene, except for a few major branching points that seem obvious to the structure of the story and I know I’ll be building up to.
As for my Writing Process it involves caffeine, nicotine, and sometimes other substances. Since I’m of age, “write drunk, edit sober” works in cases of extreme writer’s block. I also like to pace a lot and to multitask; I often write while listening to a TV show, paying bills, or chatting on forums.
Lol… I guess im a little nerdy with the style im using for my WiP. I have an idea, jot that down, do a little research, (helps to inspire me), jot those down. Make notes for the basic storyline, major plots and twists; ideas that I think might be interesting to the story. I do this to help guide me as I write otherwise I’d probably branch out the story too much. If I have no inspiration, I try not to write or I’d get bored and I think that shows in writing. I believe its important to plan the story. Even a little, like having a goal to work towards. Hope this helps a little
I think much depends on the author’s personal style, as what suits one person definitely won’t suit another. I am however firmly in the “plan it out first” camp, as I find that this way I’ve already mapped out 80% or so of the main storyline, know at any point where I’m heading next, and so seem less likely to fall victim to writer’s block. If I’m temporarily stumped on one part for some reason, I simply switch to starting work on another section for which I’ve already had some ideas and an overall plan for where that’s headed. Somewhere at the back of my mind I’m still mulling over the bit I was stumped on, and later go back to that section with a new and clear vision for it. It works for me, anyway - and wouldn’t be possible if I hadn’t already planned out the bulk of what I want to achieve in the game.
As for tools, I’m one of those fortunate enough to be involved in the testing group for the new Desktop IDE, which is a superb development tool and one I would now be completely lost without (and yes, it supports multiple projects). I guess I’m biased as I’ve had chance to help influence its development since the early days, but it’s so far along now that I suspect it will be only a few months more before you’ll all be able to try it and decide for yourselves.
@Felicity_Banks Well,good luck with your game,and YES,choices are hard and I’ve figured that when I tried CS myself.Every god damn time,I make a dumb error because I forget to write something.
@Sashira Maybe that’s a good idea,writing while you’re drink,maybe my writer soul will come out that way
I usually start with a draft of the ending, and then start writing, so I’ll atleast have a small idea where the story is going. You can always change the ending, if it doesn’t fit the story, after you’ve finished.
Though I’ve been told, that my process of writing tends to be somewhat peculiar at times. I write a sentence here, and another one there, basically just going back and forth. It also seems that I have my best ideas when I’m doing something else, other than writing. Usually when I’m playing, watching movies or reading. Once I had this incredible idea while I was running, so I ran as fast as I could back home to write it, and in the end it didn’t fit anywhere in the story, so it was kind of a wasted effort.
I prefer to use standard Notepad when I’m on my windows computer, and if I’m on my laptop or on my another desktop I’ll use Kate Advanced Text Editor. Now that I’ve actually started translating a “book” that I wrote 12 years ago to a game, I’ve noticed that Kate is vastly superior to Notepad, because I had to learn how to make the code work too, at the same time as I was translating the story.
