October 2024's Writer Support Thread

[Eiwynn]

I’m not sure how to answer this because there are two customary ways of getting feedback at this point. First is the Interest Check Thread found here:

Interest Check Thread

This thread is for anyone that wants to do an interest check. If you have yet to make a demo, post in this thread rather than making a new thread. Once you have a demo, you make a thread for your game specifically (either by clicking the link button at the bottom of your post, then selecting “New Topic”, or by just creating a new post in the #hosted-games:works-in-progress catagory.

The second way is to make a demo and then create a Work in Progress thread.

Here are a couple of threads that might help you understand when to do this:

Master List: Links for Beginners

Since this gets asked a lot I thought I’d try and create a master list of links for beginners. If anyone wants to add links to the list please feel free to since I’m making this wiki format. Start here for newcomers The Wiki ChoiceScript Basic Tutorial on wiki RETowers’ Tutorial by @RETowers Lglasser’s Tutorial by @Lglasser Dedicated ChoiceScript Development Tools You do not need to download or update ChoiceScript when using either of these tools. Chronicler Visual Code Editor by @Ben…

and

Help with First Game in ChoiceScript

If you’re looking specifically for feedback sent directly to you, maybe it’s worth making a WIP thread to ask for private beta testers when you have a working demo of your game. Or make a WIP thread with the link to your game so people can see that you’re making a game.

Here is some general advise we have concerning making a WiP thread:

Making a WiP thread

Hosting Your ChoiceScript Project:
DashingDon.com or Moody.ink at https://cogdemos.ink/

DashingDon is a completely free hosting site for ChoiceScript projects. There are no fees whatsoever.

Making A Demo Topic

To make a demo topic, first you should figure out which section your game might fit best in: the Hosted Games WIP section or the Hobby Projects section. The difference between them is that the Hosted Games WIP section is for games that are intended for publication, and the Hobby Projects section is for games that are not intended for publication for whatever reason. Perhaps it’s a fanfic of an IP you don’t own, or you’re simply using the game to practice ChoiceScript, or maybe you just don’t intend for this specific project to be published.

Please note that if you ever change your mind on publishing a Hobby Project, we can always move it to the WIP section, or even make a brand new WIP thread and close the Hobby Project thread (unless it is a fanfic, then none of that is possible).

When you’ve chosen which section to make it in, just click on the button that says +New Topic at the top of the page, below your avatar.

Introducing Your Game

The only requirement of what should go into a first post is a link to a demo (it will be locked if it doesn’t have the demo link. Outside of that, it’s really up to you. however, readers really appreciate a summary of the plot, features, characters, and romanceable characters (if you have any).
It’s also a good idea to include a small list of the kind of feedback you’re looking for, as that will help in getting feedback that is actually useful versus generic statements of approval (“i liked your game”).

Here are some links to what I think are the very best examples of a first post, though it is not expected that emulate them completely.

The Seven Heirs of Ophaesia: Part One (WIP)

Shepherds of Haven (WIP) (DEMO UPDATE: 3 Aug 2021)

Mind Blind (04/30 Demo Update. A Story Where You Are NOT The Chosen One!)

And if you need figuring out how they did things like hide text, make words larger, etc, here’s a topic on the markup language that can be used on the forum.

[Barry_Joseph]

Super helpful! Just what I needed. Thank you. Bookmarking this!

And where may I ask is the best place to ask questions re: CSIDE (I can’t figure out how to get my images to appear)?

[Cat-Toes]

You could try search the game development topic to see if someone else asked the same question. But most of the time when people have choicescript questions they just make a separate thread for that question.

[Eiwynn]

In this case, I’d make a post directly in the CSIDE thread, located here:

[CSIDE] The ChoiceScript IDE (v1.3.3 Now Available — 05/09/2022)

The new version of CSIDE (The ChoiceScript IDE) is now available! CSIDE (seaside) is an unofficial application designed to help writers of interactive novels who use ChoiceScript, from Choice of Games. Desktop Downloads: Release ChoiceScript IDE - Public Release · ChoicescriptIDE/main · GitHub Web Version (Requires a Dropbox Account) ChoiceScript IDE More information available at: https://choicescriptide.github.io/ https://twitter.com/ChoiceScriptIDE And Discord for real-time discussio…

If it is a question about Choicescript then I’d make a thread in the help subforum.

[Niki_Christopherson]

@Anna_B

wouldn’t recommend having all your characters have the same hair color, unless you have an in-world explanation.

Such as (in my case) the characters coming from a mainly singular ethnostate (but even in that case, the variations on shades and textures allows for differentiations.)

@Lan

Speaking of Lsd currency, if you have 5 pounds and 9 pence, how do you express it symbolically? £5-0-9? 100/9? £5 9d.?

Oh no. Don’t do this to me. TAT don’t make me figure out how to set up a money system that is accurate historically. My little 1 money-type system is okay. Its good. I don’t need to go on a tangent and fix it. I don’t even have uses for the money built in yet. TAT don’t give me this brain worm, please

@Lan

you can condense it down to

*temp stat_descriptor 6 "Appalling" "Poor" "Average" "Average" "Excellent" "Incredible"
*stat_chart
    percent charisma Charisma (

HOLD THE FUCK UP! you can ROUND variables via CODE???

Ohhhh my god I… Why am I learning so many better ways to code now.

@Cataphrak

@leiatalon

WTAF? How did that happen?

Welcome to my life.

My initial estimate for Lords of Infinity’s length was about 500k words.

I haven’t checked today, but last I looked, the word count on my first chapter was like, in the hundred thousands. (I’ll get back to you with real numbers.)

@Eiwynn

horticulturists and plant pathologists,

Thank you for reminding me I need to research this.

@Barry_Joseph

Today I am starting with ChoiceScript for the first time. So fun!

Welcome! Definitely do yourself a favor and read some other games code. Trust me, it’ll help.

@Barry_Joseph

That is, do you write your words then adapt them into the code, or do you build the code from top to bottom and write the text along the way?

I’ve explained this before, but I just got a really cute metaphor for it, so imma repeat myself. My process is a never ending matryoshka doll of processes. First, I hot down the systems I want to work in the game and how I want it to play, then I outline the story. Then, I bare ones the code into the story with the outline as comments. Then I add flavor text clues for myself, like an outline. Then I refine the code further in case the flavor text revealed code shit that I didn’t realise I needed. Then I write the flavor text. …then I test it. XD

@Remnant

Side tangent, I always wonder using these cute bear images make people take me less seriously of an author (I can’t help it, they just look so silly)

One of my favorite authors of all time draws herself as a weird little bunny. She’s sold millions of dollars worth of merch and copies of her stories. Be weird, be cute, be yourself.

@AletheiaKnights

text and code as inseparable as warp and woof.

I like your metaphor better. TAT

@MeowMeow422

Hopefully, I actually stick to it this time lol

Lol I know this feeling intimately. Fighting the auDHD urge to hobby-bounce is a nightmare

@Dakimomoe

sometimes I end up just doing a paragraph or two (not me taking a break after every 2 words) for the day.

Hey give yourself some credit here. This is amazing! You’re doing so well, so make sure you self-acknowledge, ok?

---

I managed to work on my game a little last weekend. I had to correct a lot of weird variables. But unfortunately, I missed excerpt day. XD maybe next month.

In the meantime, hope you guys have a good day!

[Anna_B]

@Barry_Joseph

For you, which comes first, the code or the text? That is, do you write your words then adapt them into the code, or do you build the code from top to bottom and write the text along the way?

Personally (though I don’t have a ton of experience), I write a chapter, edit a chapter, and then code a chapter. Though I do still put indications of what the code will be. For example, choices are given bullet points, I highlight variables like hair color and name, etc. So I sort of build a basic foundation of the coding ahead of time

[LiliArch]

@Dakimomoe

sometimes I end up just doing a paragraph or two

I have NO idea how I read this as “doing a pharaoh or two”, but it was an awesome image.

[Cataphrak]

Akhenaten had almost all written record of his reign erased (because of the whole heresy thing), so a paragraph or two might actually be more than some pharaohs.

[JBento]

@Lan

Speaking of Lsd currency, if you have 5 pounds and 9 pence, how do you express it symbolically? £5-0-9? 100/9? £5 9d.? I can’t find anything describing how it was typically written when you only have pounds and pence.

ma26mone-e3-f-money-pounds-and-pence.pdf

[Cataphrak]

That’s post-decimalisation.

The most common predecimalisation form that I can find has been " £/d/p".

So, five pounds, sixpence would be £5/-/6 or something.

[ViIsBae]

A little snippet that I actually kind of forgot I put in the game. Doing the final finishing touches now. I kind of wish I didn’t implement a system to check all your evidence with It’s so much work lol

[poison_mara]

Well, I am sure that is a code you could implement or adapt to future projects and all that. It sounds amazing and sure readers would benefit from it to tracking all the stuff.

In many stories and games tracking that turns a nightmare.

As kid I had a notebook for Graphical adventures. If not returning to saves on some Sierra online games would be almost a puzzle on its own.

[ViIsBae]

I have officially finished my game for the Jam, and… wow it took a lot more out of me than last year, actually. I have learned many lessons through this jam. The first of which being - WHODUNNITS ARE VERY TEDIOUS TO CODE. Having to connect five pieces of evidence, and come up with an updating evidence list that changes each time you find something new, is one of the most labor intensive things I’ve ever coded. It’s not difficult to code, but it’s just coming up with sixteen or more different variations of the same piece of information dependent on what evidence the character has collected so far just melts your brain.

I feel like there might be a better way to set up the evidence collection, but I feel like if I sectioned it off anymore it would be too much clicking in the stats screen.

Another couple of things I’ve learned. Variables have to start with a letter, and cannot start with a number. Also, the *hide_reuse function does not remember it was used if the player goes to a different scene, then goes back to that same scene. It only remembers it was used up until the player leaves the scene. Also, if it’s a non-linear game and more of a sandbox, free roam style of investigation game, then randomtest will not be able to find it’s way to the end, which was highly amusing once I realized it. All learning experiences!

It came out to be about 43k words excluding code, and 49k words including code.

[Cataphrak]

@ViIsBae

Also, if it’s a non-linear game and more of a sandbox, free roam style of investigation game, then randomtest will not be able to find it’s way to the end, which was highly amusing once I realized it.

Oh yeah, Lords of Infinity is far from a sandbox, but some of the more non-linear parts of it could get randomtest running in circles for 200-300 choice points.

[LiliArch]

@Cataphrak

running in circles for 200-300 choice points

…I may be confused because I was just recently reading about automated IF-playing softwares, but what is a “choice point”? I’m now picturing choices score points to a scoreboard.

[Cataphrak]

Basically, any time the player (or something approximating a player) has to make a choice.

[ViIsBae]

Just in case people didn’t know, demos are starting to go live for the Halloween Jam here Halloween jam 2024 private testing begin. I realize it’s in the OP of this topic but people who tend to browse topics sometimes only look at new replies rather than the OP. Go check out @Eiwynn’s game!

[Hazel]

Today, I’m visiting the local SFF convention to catch some panels, hopefully meet some friends, browse the newest graphic novels, and if I’m lucky, learn something new. One of the evening workshops was too relevant to my interests to ignore, even though I had planned to go for only a short while. At least the train makes the way there shorter and more convenient. Time was, me and my brother would make the trek by bus, which made the end-to-end trip about two hours, each way.

[LiliArch]

Have fun!

[poison_mara]

Sadly after being in hospital and several medical issues I cant end my game. But I decided do a small project to have something even if will be something rushed. I will write a children Story Called Madame Racoon and The murder Disco party.