ehm… i guess firefox is just needed to open the index.html file so im confused why did you need to sign up 
Thank you.
I need someone to tell me how to put my first chapter in Firefox.
Look, I can do word processing etc, but this next stage has me floored.
Help.
i cant help much as i’ve never learn choicescript yet.
but i think you misunderstood something there. firefox is just a browser engine to read your finished (or WIP) work. as of how to put your first chapter… you need notepad++ (or something similar) to work on your code and story.
Just right click on index.html in the web folder and select ‘Open with… Firefox’ (if Firefox isn’t your default browser) IE works too but I think Firefox is the recommended one.
Here’s an advice. When starting to learn a coding language, the very first thing you must do is test to see if you can get a program to run correctly. In order to do that, you start with the most basic of basic programs, to make sure that there aren’t any other factors that might create an obstacle for you.
For choicescript, what I said above basically boils down to downloading firefox, downloading the choicescript zip file, unzipping the choicescript zip file, and then launching the index.html file to see if the already included example works.
You should only start working on your own game after you make sure that the example included works properly for you.
If you made sure that the example worked properly for you, and only your own code is making problems, then the next step is to paste the code here on the forums, so that someone with choicescript experience can take a look at it and tell you what’s wrong. When I say “code”, I am referring to the combination of the text from your story and the choicescript commands, which make up the content of the startup.txt file.
1 Like
Ok so here goes a very basic tutorial starting from the beginning (assuming you’re on Windows).
STEP 1: Downloading ChoiceScript
Download the ChoiceScript files here.
STEP 2: Extracting the .zip file
Download and install 7zip if you don’t already have it. When that’s done, extract the dfabulich-choicescript-515e4ef.zip file like so:
Then a new folder will appear, with the same name as the .zip file:
STEP 3: Opening index.html to view your game
Go to dfabulich-choicescript-515e4ef > web > mygame and open index.html in Firefox, like so:
Firefox is a web browser like Internet Explorer, Google Chrome or Safari. you won’t be able to add your story here, only view it. When you open index.html, you should see this:
If you see this, that means everything’s working fine.
##STEP 4: Opening your game files in Notepad
Go back to your files, and go to dfabulich-choicescript-515e4ef > web > mygame > scenes. These files are the ones you will edit, and where you will write your story and code your game. Now open startup.txt in Notepad, like this:
Now you will see a new window pop up, that looks like this:
Notice the part I highlighted with the red rectangle. This is the same text you saw when you opened
index.html earlier. If you change, remove or add to the text here and open index.html again, you will see the difference.
Notepad, the program we just opened is where you do your writing and coding. You can’t use Microsoft Word, just Notepad or another text editor.
##STEP 5: Editing your game.
So, in Notepad, delete the copyright stuff that I highlighted in the red rectangle earlier:
Now save by either going to
File > Save or doing Ctrl + S on your keyboard.
When you open the index.html again (or if it’s already opened you can just reload the page - Ctrl + R), it won’t have that copyright text we saw earlier anymore, and the first line will be the one I underlined above “Your majesty…”:
So there, now you can replace that “Your majesty” example with whatever you want to write in your game.
Tips for easier editing
Getting files to always open with the right program
It can be a pain to right-click and select the program you want to open a file with every time. If you want index.html to open in Firefox every time when you double click it, just right click index.html, go to Properties and right there in the new window you can change “Opens with” to Firefox and then click ok twice. You can do the same for startup.txt, and choose Notepad.
Getting a better Text Editor
Notepad is a very basic text editor, it’ll do the job, but you might want to look into other text editors like Notepad++, Atom or Sublime Text. (Which are all free to my knowledge)
Resources for beginners
As the others have pointed out before, there are quite a few resources for beginners out there, so be sure to really check those out.
In addition to those, I’d like to point out a few wiki articles that are particularly relevant to this topic:
4 Likes
Would it be possible to show my first chapter in Firefox to everyone? It doesn’t look right and I don’t have a clue what is wrong?
Sorry again for bothering everyone.
Take a screenshot and upload it here. And copy/paste your code here too.
I’m sorry, this is the best I can do.
This is what is on firefox from my notepad.
Every time I copy the notepad script and try to paste it, it doesn’t come out.
I’m a bit of a disaster I’m afraid.
file:///C:/Users/Jack/Desktop/Game-%20Half-blood%20by%20Jack%20Scoltock/Half-blood001.html
Did you get the example from the site to work properly? That is the number one step you need to take if you want to get anywhere with this.
This is what I have done.
I’m really afraid I’m not up to this.
*Half-Blood
*Jack Scoltock
*Copyright 2016
*Chapter 1
*Talisman stood on the bluff gazing down on the valley. Gor village, with its many white cottages, lay snug against the high mountains. A narrow river sparkling in the bright twin suns, wound its way through the village and disappeared into a massive cave that ran under the mountains.
*finish
*‘He’s down there somewhere, Eon,’ Talisman muttered to his pet. ‘I’ll need to hurry.’
*finish
*Eon, a fierce looking bird creature that sat on his left shoulder, screeched irritably, as the tall bowman suddenly turned and walked back into the trees.
*finish
*Almost at once, Talisman felt the security of being within the shelter of the giant oaks. As he strode down the winding path between the eighty meters tall trees, his pet gave a sudden screech, leapt from his shoulder, and flapping its wide wings it soared upwards.
*finish
*Grinning, the bowman watched it for a few seconds until it disappeared, then hitching his long ash bow and quiver of arrows higher he hurried on. Talisman was well over two meters tall with broad shoulders to match his height. He had fair hair that was tied back in a ponytail by a piece of leather thong. His thick hair hung almost halfway down his back. The bowman wore a brown leather tunic, knee-length boots and green shorts made of rough cloth. The only other weapon he carried was a broad long-bladed knife that sat snugly in a tasseled sheath. The sheath slapped lightly against his thigh as he walked. He also carried a small leather satchel that contained flint, diamond hard arrowheads, thick twine and some herbs.
*finish
*Talisman smiled now, his craggy scarred face changing dramatically as the screeching Eon came plummeting suddenly from above to land with a thud on his right shoulder.
*choice
#What type of creature is Eon?
*goto claws, as sharp as the keenest razors
#Is it huge?
*goto Eagle-size?
#Is it wicked?
*goto glaring blood-shot eyes
#Is it the kind of pet you would want?
*goto a cross between an eagle and an owl
*finish
*Eon had the body of an Eagle and the head of an Owl. Its claws were as sharp as the keenest razors. It screeched again as its head sank into its broad chest and its glaring blood-shot eyes closed.
*finish
*As Talisman walked on, his pet chewed silently on the rest of the bird it had torn to pieces a few seconds ago.
*finish
*Twenty minutes later, Talisman was almost halfway down the valley. He stopped for a second or two taking in the position of the village to the mountains and the trees, shaking his head with disgust at how defenseless it was. Trees grew up each side of the valley, good cover for an attack, he thought. There would be no escape for the villagers if Tamworth’s beasts came, and he knew they would come soon. But suddenly, remembering the urgency of his visit, he hurried on down.
*finish
*When Talisman came walking into the village, those old enough to know who he was, gaped at him, Talisman, legendary hunter and guide. They couldn’t believe he was here, yet it was he. Each knew the tall bowman must have a very good reason to come into their village. Each wondered with a growing apprehension, what it was.
*finish
*About a hundred meters into the village Talisman called to a young girl, who was playing with a leather ball. Startled she gaped up at him, her eyes growing wide with fear when she saw Eon open its mouth and glare at her.
*finish
*‘Could you direct me to teacher Ignatius’s house,’ asked Talisman, his blue eyes crinkling with amusement at the little girl’s fear. He knew Eon wouldn’t harm her.
*finish
*‘Tea…tea…teacher Ignatius’s house?’ she stammered, then, suddenly backed away.
*finish
*An old man, who had been sitting outside his cottage paring the leather on the sole of a moccasin with a well-worn paring knife, had been listening. Leaving down his knife he stood up and pointing said, ‘The teacher’s house is at the far end of the village, great Talisman. You couldn’t miss it. It’s one of the few two story dwellings.
*finish
*Talisman smiled. ‘Thank you, sir.’ then strode away, unaware the girl and the old man were staring after him, their hearts pounding like trip hammers.
*finish
*Two minutes later Talisman was approaching the teacher’s house. He had become aware that several adults, and some small children, including the little girl, had been following him. They don’t matter, he thought as he studied the tall house.
*finish
*It was the boy he had come for, the boy, Calle. Inside the house he could hear children rhyming off the ancient formulas.
*finish
*‘One times crie five equals zen.’
*finish
*‘Two times crie six equals zen zee.’
*finish
*‘Three times crie seven equals zen zeb…’
*finish
*Talisman smiled. How long ago had it been since he had learned the tables. He had never needed them.
*finish
*He tugged lightly on the knotted three-ply white rope that hung by the oak door and rang the bell. The peal of the bell was sharp and echoed around the small square. Almost at once the children’s rhyming stopped. A few seconds later a man with short, gray-flecked black hair and piercing blue eyes opened the oak door. He studied the tall bowman his face registering no surprise, but frowned when Talisman said, ‘I would speak to the boy, Calle. Is he here?’
*finish
*Ignatius’s frown increased. ‘Calle, No? He’s gone on a nature hike into Salavar Forest with Francis my assistant and twelve other pupils.’
*finish
*Immediately Talisman grew alarmed. ‘How long ago?’
*finish
*‘An hour-a little over,’ said Ignatius. ‘They went…’
*finish
*As Talisman raced away Ignatius whispered, ‘Calle.’ Then sighing deeply he closed the door and began to walk upstairs to the classroom. His thoughts were still on the strange boy as he instructed his pupils to resume reciting the tables again.
*finish
*Calle had been eight years old when his parents had brought him to Ignatius. They had come from out of the Salavar late one evening. The woman was the most beautiful creature the teacher had ever seen. Obviously of the elf race. She had pointed ears, slanted eyes, white skin and the blackest hair. Her husband was a tall, quiet man. Judging by his gait he had been injured. Calle’s parents asked Ignatius to teach their son. Ignatius knew that Calle was a half-blood, half elf and half human, half-bloods were despised by most races. He knew the other pupils would give Calle a hard time if he joined his class. Ignatius had been on the verge of telling Calle’s parents he couldn’t take on another pupil because his class was full, when Calle’s mother fixed him with a look. Her piercing beautiful eyes seemed to see into his mind. Ignatius couldn’t remember saying whether he would or wouldn’t teach Calle, when the boy’s parents were gone leaving Calle holding Ignatius’s hand. Neither of them saw Calle’s parents again. They disappeared into the forest as suddenly as they had come.
*finish
*For a while, Calle stayed with the Gnard family, until one night Mrs. Gnard called at Ignatius’s house and begged him to take Calle back. She almost cried as she explained she couldn’t look after him anymore. Her explanation was, ‘There’s something about the half-blood that unnerves me. He upsets my children too. He has a way of looking at you as if he knew exactly what you are thinking. No, I can’t have him at our house anymore. You’ll have to take him back. I’ll bring him around tomorrow.’
*And so Calle came to live with Ignatius, his wife and their four children. Within three months Calle was so far ahead of Ignatius’s brightest pupils that the teacher began to give him lessons after school. Because of this special treatment Ignatius’s children grew resentful of Calle. Still Ignatius didn’t mind. He knew there was something special about the boy, something hidden within him that even Calle was not aware of. The teacher was determined to find out what it was. He never did. Calle had been living with the teacher and his family for the past two years.
*Ignatius wondered now what Talisman wanted. He knew who Talisman was of course. He also guessed he would never see Calle again.
*finish
*‘One more time,’ he said when his pupils finished. As they began to recite the tables again Ignatius turned away. A tear rolled down his sallow face.
*finish
*‘One times crie five equals zen…’
*finish
*Meanwhile in a clearing, a monster that resembled a wolf, only twenty times bigger, was spitting and snarling as it stood on two legs facing Francis, a tall, thin-faced young man with red hair who stood protectively in front of his pupils. Saliva dripped from the monster’s glistening brown teeth and ran down its wet snout onto the ground as it glared past him at Calle, a tall pale-faced boy with long black hair, and slightly slanted eyebrows. The monster’s eyes widened as it tensed ready to throw tear at Francis and throw him out of the way to get at Calle. It was only intent on killing him. Suddenly it gave a snort and glanced into the trees its ears pricking up as the silent command from someone hidden there told it to tear the helpless boy apart. Without hesitation and in two lumbering steps it moved towards Francis and the children. Horrified, everyone except Calle backed away. He seemed to be in a trance too terrified to move.
*finish
*‘Kill him! Kill him now!’ a voice from the trees behind screamed.
*finish
*Frowning Francis looked around. He could see no one.
*Finish
*'Kill him! Kill him!’ the voice repeated, screaming like a demon.
*finish
*The monster, its claws cracking loudly took another step closer to the helpless boy.
*finish
*‘Now!’ screamed the voice. ‘Kill him!’
*finish
*‘Now!’ screamed the voice. ‘Kill him!’
*finish
*Chapter 2
You should only use * for commands such as *finish, *choice, *page_break, etc.
Use *author and *title for the author and titles. *finish goes to the next chapter, enter for page breaks. Make sure all of this is posted in startup.txt
In folder startup.txt
*title Half-Blood
*author Jack Scoltock
Copyright 2016
*comment (you can put a document titled chapter1.txt in the scenes folder or still write in startup.txt)
folder/Chapter 1.txt
Talisman stood on the bluff gazing down on the valley. Gor village, with its many white cottages, lay snug against the high mountains. A narrow river sparkling in the bright twin suns, wound its way through the village and disappeared into a massive cave that ran under the mountains.
'He's down there somewhere, Eon,' Talisman muttered to his pet. 'I'll need to hurry.'
Eon, a fierce looking bird creature that sat on his left shoulder, screeched irritably, as the tall bowman suddenly turned and walked back into the trees.
Almost at once, Talisman felt the security of being within the shelter of the giant oaks. As he strode down the winding path between the eighty meters tall trees, his pet gave a sudden screech, leapt from his shoulder, and flapping its wide wings it soared upwards.
*page_break
Grinning, the bowman watched it for a few seconds until it disappeared, then hitching his long ash bow and quiver of arrows higher he hurried on. Talisman was well over two meters tall with broad shoulders to match his height. He had fair hair that was tied back in a ponytail by a piece of leather thong. His thick hair hung almost halfway down his back. The bowman wore a brown leather tunic, knee-length boots and green shorts made of rough cloth. The only other weapon he carried was a broad long-bladed knife that sat snugly in a tasseled sheath. The sheath slapped lightly against his thigh as he walked. He also carried a small leather satchel that contained flint, diamond hard arrowheads, thick twine and some herbs.
Talisman smiled now, his craggy scarred face changing dramatically as the screeching Eon came plummeting suddenly from above to land with a thud on his right shoulder.
*comment remember to indent for choice- either space or tab
*choice
#What type of creature is Eon?
*comment it will break game if you don't have a label for your goto and there can be no spaces in goto, or capitalization. Or is this suppose to be body text? Use a fake_choice iif you don't need to goto a label.
*goto claws_as sharp_as_the_keenest_razors
#Is it huge?
*goto eagle_size
#Is it wicked?
*goto glaring_blood_shot_eyes
#Is it the kind of pet you would want?
*goto a_cross_between_an_eagle_and_an_owl
Eon had the body of an Eagle and the head of an Owl. Its claws were as sharp as the keenest razors. It screeched again as its head sank into its broad chest and its glaring blood-shot eyes closed.
As Talisman walked on, his pet chewed silently on the rest of the bird it had torn to pieces a few seconds ago.
Just continue like this.
1 Like
Lillith,
Thank you very much.
Is this all OK? If it is I can carry on.
Thanks again.
*title Half-Blood
*author Jack Scoltock
Copyright 2016
Talisman stood on the bluff gazing down on the valley. Gor village, with its many white cottages, lay snug against the high mountains. A narrow river sparkling in the bright twin suns, wound its way through the village and disappeared into a massive cave that ran under the mountains.
‘He’s down there somewhere, Eon,’ Talisman muttered to his pet. ‘I’ll need to hurry.’
Eon, a fierce looking bird creature that sat on his left shoulder, screeched irritably, as the tall bowman suddenly turned and walked back into the trees.
Almost at once, Talisman felt the security of being within the shelter of the giant oaks.
As he strode down the winding path between the eighty meters tall trees, his pet gave a sudden screech, leapt from his shoulder, and flapping its wide wings it soared upwards.
*page_break
Grinning, the bowman watched it for a few seconds until it disappeared, then hitching his long ash bow and quiver of arrows higher he hurried on. Talisman was well over two meters tall with broad shoulders to match his height. He had fair hair that was tied back in a ponytail by a piece of leather thong. His thick hair hung almost halfway down his back. The bowman wore a brown leather tunic, knee-length boots and green shorts made of rough cloth. The only other weapon he carried was a broad long-bladed knife that sat snugly in a tasseled sheath. The sheath slapped lightly against his thigh as he walked. He also carried a small leather satchel that contained flint, diamond hard arrowheads, thick twine and some herbs.
Talisman smiled now, his craggy scarred face changing dramatically as the screeching Eon came plummeting suddenly from above to land with a thud on his right shoulder.
*choice
#What type of creature is Eon?
*goto claws as sharp_as_the_keenest_razors
#Is it huge?
*goto hawk_size?
#Is it wicked?
*goto glaring_blood_shot_eyes
#Is it the kind of pet you would want?
*goto a_cross_between_an_hawk_and_an_owl
Eon had the body of a hawk and the head of an Owl. Its claws were as sharp as the keenest razors. It screeched again as its head sank into its broad chest and its glaring blood-shot eyes closed.
As Talisman walked on, his pet chewed silently on the rest of the bird it had torn to pieces a few seconds ago.
Twenty minutes later, Talisman was almost halfway down the valley. He stopped for a second or two taking in the position of the village to the mountains and the trees, shaking his head with disgust at how defenseless it was. Trees grew up each side of the valley, good cover for an attack, he thought. There would be no escape for the villagers if Tamworth’s beasts came, and he knew they would come soon. But suddenly, remembering the urgency of his visit, he hurried on down.
*page-break
When Talisman came walking into the village, those old enough to know who he was, gaped at him, Talisman, legendary hunter and guide. They couldn’t believe he was here, yet it was he. Each knew the tall bowman must have a very good reason to come into their village. Each wondered with a growing apprehension, what it was.
About a hundred meters into the village Talisman called to a young girl, who was playing with a leather ball. Startled she gaped up at him, her eyes growing wide with fear when she saw Eon open its mouth and glare at her.
‘Could you direct me to teacher Ignatius’s house,’ asked Talisman, his blue eyes crinkling with amusement at the little girl’s fear. He knew Eon wouldn’t harm her.
‘Tea…tea…teacher Ignatius’s house?’ she stammered, then, suddenly backed away.
An old man, who had been sitting outside his cottage paring the leather on the sole of a moccasin with a well-worn paring knife, had been listening. Leaving down his knife he stood up and pointing said, 'The teacher’s house is at the far end of the village, great Talisman. You couldn’t miss it. It’s one of the few two story dwellings.
Talisman smiled. ‘Thank you, sir.’ then strode away, unaware the girl and the old man were staring after him, their hearts pounding like trip hammers.
Two minutes later, Talisman was approaching the teacher’s house. He had become aware that several adults, and some small children, including the little girl, had been following him. They don’t matter, he thought as he studied the tall house.
It was the boy he had come for, the boy, Calle. Inside the house he could hear children rhyming off the ancient tables.
‘One times crie five equals zen.’
‘Two times crie six equals zen zee.’
'Three times crie seven equals zen zeb…
Talisman smiled. How long ago had it been since he had learned the tables. He had never needed them.
He tugged lightly on the knotted three-ply white rope that hung by the oak door and rang the bell. The peal of the bell was sharp and echoed around the small square. Almost at once the children’s rhyming stopped.
A few seconds later a man with short, gray-flecked black hair and piercing blue eyes opened the oak door. He studied the tall bowman his face registering no surprise, but frowned when Talisman said, ‘I would speak to the boy, Calle. Is he here?’
Ignatius’s frown increased. ‘Calle, No? He’s gone on a nature hike into Salavar Forest with Francis my assistant and twelve other pupils.’
Immediately Talisman grew alarmed. ‘How long ago?’
‘An hour-a little over,’ said Ignatius. ‘They went…’
As Talisman gave a grunt and suddenly raced away, Ignatius whispered, ‘Calle.’ Then sighing deeply he closed the door and began to walk upstairs to the classroom. His thoughts were still on the strange boy as he instructed his pupils to resume reciting the tables again.
Calle had been eight years old when his parents had brought him to Ignatius. They had come from out of the Salavar late one evening. The woman was the most beautiful creature the teacher had ever seen. Obviously of the elf race. She had pointed ears, slanted eyes, white skin and the blackest hair. Her husband was a tall, quiet man. Judging by his gait he had been injured. Calle’s parents asked Ignatius to teach their son. Ignatius knew that Calle was a half-blood, half elf and half human, half-bloods were despised by most races. He knew the other pupils would give Calle a hard time if he joined his class. Ignatius had been on the verge of telling Calle’s parents he couldn’t take on another pupil because his class was full, when Calle’s mother fixed him with a look. Her piercing beautiful eyes seemed to see into his mind. Ignatius couldn’t remember saying whether he would or wouldn’t teach Calle, when the boy’s parents were gone leaving Calle holding Ignatius’s hand. Neither of them saw Calle’s parents again. They disappeared into the forest as suddenly as they had come.
For a while, Calle stayed with the Gnard family, until one night Mrs. Gnard called at Ignatius’s house and begged him to take Calle back. She almost cried as she explained she couldn’t look after him anymore. Her explanation was, ‘There’s something about the half-blood that unnerves me. He upsets my children too. He has a way of looking at you as if he knew exactly what you are thinking. No, I can’t have him at our house anymore. You’ll have to take him back. I’ll bring him around tomorrow.’
And so Calle came to live with Ignatius, his wife and their four children. Within three months Calle was so far ahead of Ignatius’s brightest pupils that the teacher began to give him lessons after school. Because of this special treatment Ignatius’s children grew resentful of Calle. Still Ignatius didn’t mind. He knew there was something special about the boy, something hidden within him that even Calle was not aware of. The teacher was determined to find out what it was. He never did. Calle had been living with the teacher and his family for the past two years.
Ignatius wondered now what Talisman wanted. He knew who Talisman was of course. He also guessed he would never see Calle again.
‘One more time,’ he said when his pupils finished. As they began to recite the tables again Ignatius turned away. A tear rolled down his sallow face.
‘One times crie five equals zen…’
*page_break
Meanwhile in a clearing, a monster that resembled a wolf, only twenty times bigger, was spitting and snarling as it stood on two legs facing Francis, a tall, thin-faced young man with red hair who stood protectively in front of his pupils. Saliva dripped from the monster’s glistening brown teeth and ran down its wet snout onto the ground as it glared past him at Calle, a tall pale-faced boy with long black hair, and slightly slanted eyebrows. The monster’s eyes widened as it tensed ready to throw tear at Francis and throw him out of the way to get at Calle. It was only intent on killing him. Suddenly it gave a snort and glanced into the trees its ears pricking up as the silent command from someone hidden there told it to tear the helpless boy apart. Without hesitation and in two lumbering steps it moved towards Francis and the children. Horrified, everyone except Calle backed away. He seemed to be in a trance too terrified to move.
‘Kill him! Kill him now!’ a voice from the trees behind screamed.
Frowning Francis looked around. He could see no one.
'Kill him! Kill him!’ the voice repeated, screaming like a demon.
The monster, its claws cracking loudly took another step closer to the helpless boy.
‘Now!’ screamed the voice. ‘Kill him!’
‘Now!’ screamed the voice. ‘Kill him!’
2
Did the game work when you played it on firefox? Press the code (< />) at the top to keep the spacing. I fixed the page break. It needs underscores not hyphens.
*title Half-Blood
*author Jack Scoltock
Copyright 2016
*scene_list
startup
*comment It might be useful to have a scene list in your startup file. If you *finish, then you go to the next scene/chapter.
*comment You can *create variables and stats only in the top portion of the startup file. You can make temporary variables that last only in that file/scene/chapter with a *temp
*comment If you like *line_break can be used for a line break or you can just use enter.
*comment Thongs remind me of skimpy underwear.
*comment remember to never start paragraphs with indentation.
Talisman stood on the bluff gazing down on the valley. Gor village, with its many white cottages, lay snug against the high mountains. A narrow river sparkling in the bright twin suns, wound its way through the village and disappeared into a massive cave that ran under the mountains.
'He's down there somewhere, Eon,' Talisman muttered to his pet. 'I'll need to hurry.'
Eon, a fierce looking bird creature that sat on his left shoulder, screeched irritably, as the tall bowman suddenly turned and walked back into the trees.
Almost at once, Talisman felt the security of being within the shelter of the giant oaks.
As he strode down the winding path between the eighty meters tall trees, his pet gave a sudden screech, leapt from his shoulder, and flapping its wide wings it soared upwards.
*page_break
Grinning, the bowman watched it for a few seconds until it disappeared, then hitching his long ash bow and quiver of arrows higher he hurried on. Talisman was well over two meters tall with broad shoulders to match his height. He had fair hair that was tied back in a ponytail by a piece of leather thong. His thick hair hung almost halfway down his back. The bowman wore a brown leather tunic, knee-length boots and green shorts made of rough cloth. The only other weapon he carried was a broad long-bladed knife that sat snugly in a tasseled sheath. The sheath slapped lightly against his thigh as he walked. He also carried a small leather satchel that contained flint, diamond hard arrowheads, thick twine and some herbs.
Talisman smiled now, his craggy scarred face changing dramatically as the screeching Eon came plummeting suddenly from above to land with a thud on his right shoulder.
*fake_choice
#What type of creature is Eon?
*comment claws as sharp_as_the_keenest_razors These comments keep the game from breaking without a label.
#Is it huge?
*comment hawk_size?
#Is it wicked?
*comment glaring_blood_shot_eyes
#Is it the kind of pet you would want?
*comment goto a_cross_between_an_hawk_and_an_owl
Eon had the body of a hawk and the head of an Owl. Its claws were as sharp as the keenest razors. It screeched again as its head sank into its broad chest and its glaring blood-shot eyes closed.
As Talisman walked on, his pet chewed silently on the rest of the bird it had torn to pieces a few seconds ago.
Twenty minutes later, Talisman was almost halfway down the valley. He stopped for a second or two taking in the position of the village to the mountains and the trees, shaking his head with disgust at how defenseless it was. Trees grew up each side of the valley, good cover for an attack, he thought. There would be no escape for the villagers if Tamworth's beasts came, and he knew they would come soon. But suddenly, remembering the urgency of his visit, he hurried on down.
*comment no hyphens. Use underscores
*page_break
When Talisman came walking into the village, those old enough to know who he was, gaped at him, Talisman, legendary hunter and guide. They couldn't believe he was here, yet it was he. Each knew the tall bowman must have a very good reason to come into their village. Each wondered with a growing apprehension, what it was.
About a hundred meters into the village Talisman called to a young girl, who was playing with a leather ball. Startled she gaped up at him, her eyes growing wide with fear when she saw Eon open its mouth and glare at her.
'Could you direct me to teacher Ignatius's house,' asked Talisman, his blue eyes crinkling with amusement at the little girl's fear. He knew Eon wouldn’t harm her.
'Tea...tea...teacher Ignatius's house?' she stammered, then, suddenly backed away.
An old man, who had been sitting outside his cottage paring the leather on the sole of a moccasin with a well-worn paring knife, had been listening. Leaving down his knife he stood up and pointing said, 'The teacher's house is at the far end of the village, great Talisman. You couldn't miss it. It's one of the few two story dwellings.
Talisman smiled. 'Thank you, sir.' then strode away, unaware the girl and the old man were staring after him, their hearts pounding like trip hammers.
Two minutes later, Talisman was approaching the teacher's house. He had become aware that several adults, and some small children, including the little girl, had been following him. They don't matter, he thought as he studied the tall house.
It was the boy he had come for, the boy, Calle. Inside the house he could hear children rhyming off the ancient tables.
'One times crie five equals zen.'
'Two times crie six equals zen zee.'
'Three times crie seven equals zen zeb...
Talisman smiled. How long ago had it been since he had learned the tables. He had never needed them.
He tugged lightly on the knotted three-ply white rope that hung by the oak door and rang the bell. The peal of the bell was sharp and echoed around the small square. Almost at once the children's rhyming stopped.
A few seconds later a man with short, gray-flecked black hair and piercing blue eyes opened the oak door. He studied the tall bowman his face registering no surprise, but frowned when Talisman said, 'I would speak to the boy, Calle. Is he here?'
Ignatius's frown increased. 'Calle, No? He's gone on a nature hike into Salavar Forest with Francis my assistant and twelve other pupils.'
Immediately Talisman grew alarmed. 'How long ago?'
'An hour-a little over,' said Ignatius. 'They went...'
As Talisman gave a grunt and suddenly raced away, Ignatius whispered, 'Calle.' Then sighing deeply he closed the door and began to walk upstairs to the classroom. His thoughts were still on the strange boy as he instructed his pupils to resume reciting the tables again.
Calle had been eight years old when his parents had brought him to Ignatius. They had come from out of the Salavar late one evening. The woman was the most beautiful creature the teacher had ever seen. Obviously of the elf race. She had pointed ears, slanted eyes, white skin and the blackest hair. Her husband was a tall, quiet man. Judging by his gait he had been injured. Calle's parents asked Ignatius to teach their son. Ignatius knew that Calle was a half-blood, half elf and half human, half-bloods were despised by most races. He knew the other pupils would give Calle a hard time if he joined his class. Ignatius had been on the verge of telling Calle's parents he couldn't take on another pupil because his class was full, when Calle's mother fixed him with a look. Her piercing beautiful eyes seemed to see into his mind. Ignatius couldn't remember saying whether he would or wouldn't teach Calle, when the boy's parents were gone leaving Calle holding Ignatius's hand. Neither of them saw Calle's parents again. They disappeared into the forest as suddenly as they had come.
For a while, Calle stayed with the Gnard family, until one night Mrs. Gnard called at Ignatius's house and begged him to take Calle back. She almost cried as she explained she couldn't look after him anymore. Her explanation was, 'There's something about the half-blood that unnerves me. He upsets my children too. He has a way of looking at you as if he knew exactly what you are thinking. No, I can't have him at our house anymore. You'll have to take him back. I'll bring him around tomorrow.'
And so Calle came to live with Ignatius, his wife and their four children. Within three months Calle was so far ahead of Ignatius's brightest pupils that the teacher began to give him lessons after school. Because of this special treatment Ignatius's children grew resentful of Calle. Still Ignatius didn't mind. He knew there was something special about the boy, something hidden within him that even Calle was not aware of. The teacher was determined to find out what it was. He never did. Calle had been living with the teacher and his family for the past two years.
Ignatius wondered now what Talisman wanted. He knew who Talisman was of course. He also guessed he would never see Calle again.
'One more time,' he said when his pupils finished. As they began to recite the tables again Ignatius turned away. A tear rolled down his sallow face.
'One times crie five equals zen...'
*page_break
Meanwhile in a clearing, a monster that resembled a wolf, only twenty times bigger, was spitting and snarling as it stood on two legs facing Francis, a tall, thin-faced young man with red hair who stood protectively in front of his pupils. Saliva dripped from the monster’s glistening brown teeth and ran down its wet snout onto the ground as it glared past him at Calle, a tall pale-faced boy with long black hair, and slightly slanted eyebrows. The monster's eyes widened as it tensed ready to throw tear at Francis and throw him out of the way to get at Calle. It was only intent on killing him. Suddenly it gave a snort and glanced into the trees its ears pricking up as the silent command from someone hidden there told it to tear the helpless boy apart. Without hesitation and in two lumbering steps it moved towards Francis and the children. Horrified, everyone except Calle backed away. He seemed to be in a trance too terrified to move.
'Kill him! Kill him now!' a voice from the trees behind screamed.
Frowning Francis looked around. He could see no one.
'Kill him! Kill him!’ the voice repeated, screaming like a demon.
The monster, its claws cracking loudly took another step closer to the helpless boy.
'Now!' screamed the voice. 'Kill him!'
'Now!' screamed the voice. 'Kill him!'
It’s different from the usual Cog-kind of booky so far. The difference between writing a standard novel and a choice game is that there needs to be choices. You can have a well defined protagonist, but that takes away personality choices that help break up the narrative. Think about the different branches and choices people can make and how to interweave that into the narrative.
If you can’t figure out how to get the game to play on firefox, try dashingdon.com
Make an account and upload your startup.txt file and you should be able to play (if the game doesn’t break) it online from there. You can even make the game private.
You’ll want to be sure that your *goto points to a *label:
So if you say *goto claws, you’ll want to be sure that you have *label claws, so the *goto knows where to go.
I also believe that after the *goto command, you may only have a single word, so *goto as_sharp_as_the_keenest_razors is ok, but *goto as sharp_as_the_keenest_razors is not, because there’s no underscore between “as” and “sharp.” But that’s pretty long for a label. I usually use one or two words (connected with an underscore!)
1 Like
Thank you.
I have tried to upload my first chapter to Dashingdoin but a 404 error comes up.
I don’t know what you mean by pressing the code (</>).
I’ve put in a couple of new questions. Are they alright?
*title Half-Blood
*author Jack Scoltock
Copyright 2016
Talisman stood on the bluff gazing down on the valley. Gor village, with its many white cottages,
lay snug against the high mountains. A narrow river sparkling in the bright twin suns, wound its
way through the village and disappeared into a massive cave that ran under the mountains.
‘He’s down there somewhere, Eon,’ Talisman muttered to his pet. ‘I’ll need to hurry.’
Eon, a fierce looking bird creature that sat on his left shoulder, screeched irritably, as the
tall bowman suddenly turned and walked back into the trees.
Almost at once, Talisman felt the security of being within the shelter of the giant oaks.
As he strode down the winding path between the eighty meters tall trees, his pet gave a sudden
screech, leapt from his shoulder, and flapping its wide wings it soared upwards.
*page_break
Grinning, the bowman watched it for a few seconds until it disappeared, then hitching his long ash
bow and quiver of arrows higher he hurried on. Talisman was well over two meters tall with broad
shoulders to match his height. He had fair hair that was tied back in a ponytail by a thin strip
of leather. His thick hair hung almost halfway down his back. The bowman wore a brown leather
tunic, knee-length boots and green shorts made of rough cloth. The only other weapon he carried
was a broad long-bladed knife that sat snugly in a tasseled sheath. The sheath slapped lightly
against his thigh as he walked. He also carried a small leather satchel that contained flint,
diamond hard arrowheads, thick twine and some herbs.
Talisman smiled now, his craggy scarred face changing dramatically as the screeching Eon came
plummeting suddenly from above to land with a thud on his right shoulder.
*choice
#What type of creature is Eon?
*goto label claws as_sharp_as_the_keenest_razors
#huge?
*goto label hawk_size?
#Wicked?
*goto label glaring_blood_shot_eyes
#Is Eon a pet you would want?
*goto a_cross_between_a_hawk_and_an_owl
Eon had the body of a hawk and the head of an Owl. Its claws were as sharp as the keenest razors.
It screeched again as its head sank into its broad chest and its glaring blood-shot eyes closed.
As Talisman walked on, his pet chewed silently on the rest of the bird it had torn to pieces a few
seconds ago.
Twenty minutes later, Talisman was almost halfway down the valley. He stopped for a second or two
taking in the position of the village to the mountains and the trees, shaking his head with
disgust at how defenseless it was. Trees grew up each side of the valley, good cover for an
attack, he thought. There would be no escape for the villagers if Tamworth’s beasts came, and he
knew they would come soon. But suddenly, remembering the urgency of his visit, he hurried on down.
*page-break
When Talisman came walking into the village, those old enough to know who he was, gaped at him,
Talisman, legendary hunter and guide. They couldn’t believe he was here, yet it was he. Each knew
the tall bowman must have a very good reason to come into their village. Each wondered with a
growing apprehension, what it was.
About a hundred meters into the village Talisman called to a young girl, who was playing with a
leather ball. Startled she gaped up at him, her eyes growing wide with fear when she saw Eon open
its mouth and glare at her.
‘Could you direct me to teacher Ignatius’s house,’ asked Talisman, his blue eyes crinkling with
amusement at the little girl’s fear. He knew Eon wouldn’t harm her.
‘Tea…tea…teacher Ignatius’s house?’ she stammered, then, suddenly backed away.
An old man, who had been sitting outside his cottage paring the leather on the sole of a moccasin
with a well-worn paring knife, had been listening. Leaving down his knife he stood up and pointing
said, 'The teacher’s house is at the far end of the village, great Talisman. You couldn’t miss it.
It’s one of the few two story dwellings.
Talisman smiled. ‘Thank you, sir.’ then strode away, unaware the girl and the old man were staring
after him, their hearts pounding like trip hammers.
Two minutes later, Talisman was approaching the teacher’s house. He had become aware that several
adults, and some small children, including the little girl, had been following him. They don’t
matter, he thought as he studied the tall house.
It was the boy he had come for, the boy, Calle.
*choice
#What age would you want Calle to be?
*goto label, ten or twelve
Inside the house Talisman could hear children rhyming off the ancient tables.
‘One times crie five equals zen.’
‘Two times crie six equals zen zee.’
'Three times crie seven equals zen zeb…
Talisman smiled. How long ago had it been since he had learned the tables. He had never needed
them.
He tugged lightly on the knotted three-ply white rope that hung by the oak door and rang the bell.
The peal of the bell was sharp and echoed around the small square. Almost at once the children’s
rhyming stopped.
A few seconds later a man with short, gray-flecked black hair and piercing blue eyes opened the
oak door. He studied the tall bowman his face registering no surprise, but frowned when Talisman
said, ‘I would speak to the boy, Calle. Is he here?’
Ignatius’s frown increased. 'Calle, No? He’s gone on a nature hike into Salavar Forest with
Francis my assistant and twelve other pupils.’
Immediately Talisman grew alarmed. ‘How long ago?’
‘An hour-a little over,’ said Ignatius. ‘They went…’
As Talisman gave a grunt and suddenly raced away, Ignatius whispered, ‘Calle.’ Then sighing deeply
he closed the door and began to walk upstairs to the classroom. His thoughts were still on the
strange boy as he instructed his pupils to resume reciting the tables again.
Calle had been eight years old when his parents had brought him to Ignatius. They had come from
out of the Salavar late one evening. The woman was the most beautiful creature the teacher had
ever seen. Obviously of the elf race. She had pointed ears, slanted eyes, white skin and the
blackest hair. Her husband was a tall, quiet man. Judging by his gait he had been injured. Calle’s
parents asked Ignatius to teach their son. Ignatius knew that Calle was a half-blood, half elf and
half human, half-bloods were despised by most races. He knew the other pupils would give Calle a
hard time if he joined his class. Ignatius had been on the verge of telling Calle’s parents he
couldn’t take on another pupil because his class was full, when Calle’s mother fixed him with a
look. Her piercing beautiful eyes seemed to see into his mind. Ignatius couldn’t remember saying
whether he would or wouldn’t teach Calle, when the boy’s parents were gone leaving Calle holding
Ignatius’s hand. Neither of them saw Calle’s parents again. They disappeared into the forest as
suddenly as they had come.
For a while, Calle stayed with the Gnard family, until one night Mrs. Gnard called at Ignatius’s
house and begged him to take Calle back. She almost cried as she explained she couldn’t look after
him anymore. Her explanation was, 'There’s something about the half-blood that unnerves me. He
upsets my children too. He has a way of looking at you as if he knew exactly what you are
thinking. No, I can’t have him at our house anymore. You’ll have to take him back. I’ll bring him
around tomorrow.’
And so Calle came to live with Ignatius, his wife and their four children. Within three months
Calle was so far ahead of Ignatius’s brightest pupils that the teacher began to give him lessons
after school. Because of this special treatment Ignatius’s children grew resentful of Calle. Still
Ignatius didn’t mind. He knew there was something special about the boy, something hidden within
him that even Calle was not aware of. The teacher was determined to find out what it was. He never
did. Calle had been living with the teacher and his family for the past two years.
Ignatius wondered now what Talisman wanted. He knew who Talisman was of course. He also guessed he
would never see Calle again.
‘One more time,’ he said when his pupils finished. As they began to recite the tables again
Ignatius turned away. A tear rolled down his sallow face.
‘One times crie five equals zen…’
*choice
#Why did Ignatius feel sad?
*was it because Talisman was looking for Calle?
*was it because the believed he would never see Calle again?
#Now that you know Calle is half elf and half human
#goto label Has he slanted ears?
*page_break
Meanwhile in a clearing, a monster that resembled a wolf, only twenty times bigger, was spitting
and snarling as it stood on two legs facing Francis, a tall, thin-faced young man with red hair
who stood protectively in front of his pupils. Saliva dripped from the monster’s glistening brown
teeth and ran down its wet snout onto the ground as it glared past him at Calle, a tall pale-faced
boy with long black hair, and slightly slanted eyebrows. The monster’s eyes widened as it tensed
ready to throw tear at Francis and throw him out of the way to get at Calle. It was only intent on
killing him. Suddenly it gave a snort and glanced into the trees its ears pricking up as the
silent command from someone hidden there told it to tear the helpless boy apart. Without
hesitation and in two lumbering steps it moved towards Francis and the children. Horrified,
everyone except Calle backed away. He seemed to be in a trance too terrified to move.
‘Kill him! Kill him now!’ a voice from the trees behind screamed.
Frowning Francis looked around. He could see no one.
'Kill him! Kill him!’ the voice repeated, screaming like a demon.
The monster, its claws cracking loudly took another step closer to the helpless boy.
‘Now!’ screamed the voice. ‘Kill him!’
‘Now!’ screamed the voice. ‘Kill him!’
2
Also when I upload my notepad chapter the spacing, (tabs) don’t show.
I am such a disaster.
I don’t want to put you to a lot of bother, but if I can crack this first chapter and get it to upload properly to Dashingdon I’ll be able to work from there.
To get things properly aligned on the forum, select all the code and press the button in the message box that looks like < / > Make sure to have one blank line before and after the code.
If you’re on a phone or similar device you might have to click an icon that looks like three horizontal stripes to get the bar with special formatting options.
Thanks to everyone for your kind help.
I will study up all the good advice and see how I get on.
That should be *goto ten_or_twelve
and then later on in the text (in the place you want it to jump to):
*label ten_or_twelve
I highly recommend working through a tutorial. People can probably recommend the best one, but possibly
http://www.maderealstories.com/game/ChoiceScriptTutorial.html#.1g
could be useful.
See ChoiceScript Full Tutorial (finished!) for a discussion of that tutorial.