[Tool] Chronicler - ChoiceScript Visual Code Editor

Game Development
201

Yeah, I’m getting really curious about where the glitch is. Seems to be something from my system than anything.

Oh, I have no problem about the stat screen. I’m not exactly having difficulties working in CS. Just wondering, is all.

Most of the story I tried to import is still in .doc form (and that’s mostly a few paths), there isn’t much I’ve turned into branching text in CS actually. Ending is nonexistent at this point/could’ve been replaced by any generic or empty text, the startup.txt is still short too. Still, I do want to see how the current branches open up. I have a feeling I had too much fun in some of the branches and left the other empty. Thus, I need to correct the imbalance.

Hmm, you mean I can’t send files over private message in the forum? (I have no idea on what’s possible and not here, still familiarising myself with the features).

EDIT:

Update because I found an odd glitch when I tried writing a new game in Chronicler directly. So, I made choices leading away from the initial start bubble, and connect each choice to a text bubble. No problem so far. Then I wanted to change the connection that Text Bubble no. 1 leads to…and failed? It wouldn’t adjust, for some reason, while I can easily change the connections leading away from Text Bubble no. 2 and no. 3 (which stems from choice number 2 and 3 instead of 1).

Also, I was wondering if there’s a way to label choices the same way we can label text bubbles? If not, it might be something worthwhile to consider for the next version.

202

Ah, that is not a glitch, Choice Bubbles are integrally linked with their connecting Story Bubble. As such, choices technically do have a title: the one on their story bubble.

If you want to reassign the output of the story bubble, you have to delete the choice bubble.
(In this case, you could move the text into a new bubble, and leave the one connected to the choice blank. which will essentially make the choice bubble a stand alone instance.)
Now that I think about it, that does seem like a bit of a design flaw… I’ll change it in Chronicler-Next.

Oh, that error about the “Data structure with index does not exist” actually has an “ignore” button. So just hit that when importing and it should attempt to finish.

203

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but how do you turn all these files into an executable and playable game for other people to play?

204

@Icura
ChoiceScript doesn’t have an “executable” it is a set of javascript and html scripts for running in your browser.

  • Go ahead and download the source from the github link.
  • Extract it to wherever. (I keep mine in my downloads folder)
  • Open the extracted folder and find the “Web” subdirectory.
  • Copy and rename it with the name of your game.
  • Inside you will find “mygame/scenes”
  • Delete the .txt files in there (they’re just examples)
  • In Chronicler “Save As” your project to the scenes folder
  • ensure that “startup.txt” etc. is also placed in the scenes folder
  • The “mygame” folder has an “index.html” file
  • Open it with Firefox (Chrome blocks certain features, and IE doesn’t support others)
  • Whenever you save your Chronicler project, you can just refresh Firefox to get the latest changes.

All Chronicler does is write the CS .txt files for you.

Hope this helps!

  • BenSeawalker
1 Like
205

So I have to package the entire development folder and have them open up index.html…

I guess that works…

206

@Icura
Ah, if you want to share it, you can upload it @dashingdon’s free ChoiceScript web hosting.

I have an account, but haven’t uploaded any projects yet. The interface looks nice and seems easy to use. :slight_smile:

207

I can’t exactly use it in the contest if it is public now. I am trying to send it to a friend, so I just put the whole folder in a zip and told him to go into web/mygames/index.html. I don’t think this is the ideal way to submit something either, but I don’t see anywhere that says how to make it into a simple package.

Edit: Didn’t read it thoroughly. It has a private option. Still, I would have liked a way to make a package, but this can work.

208

1.How can I make stats? And how do I display those states in more complex manner (mostly, inventory system)
2.How can I make a choice that require high enough state to be able to active, and how do I hide reuse?
3.How do I make a ‘else_if’ scene?
4.How I allow people to name their character?
5.There might be more questions, but I need more time to try out the program.

209

6.Forget question 4.
7. What do ‘T’ and ‘F’ in ‘*If’ bubble mean?

210

True and False. Basically, if you’ve got a skill check of, for example, strength > 50 the T links to what happens if your strength skill is bigger than 50 and the F links to what happens if your strength skill is equal to or smaller than 50.

211

There’s a compile.html file packaged with the Choicescript download, that should allow you to create a standalone index.html

212

@555sarin

@Icura & @CJW
Excellent advice, it’s been long enough since I’ve explored the CS folder that I had forgotten such a thing existed. >_<

213

@CJW Oh thank you! That was exactly what I was looking for!

1 Like
214

This tool is really useful :slight_smile:
It helps me visualise everything better ~

Though there is somehow a little problem. If I want to make a little testplay, it somehow messes up the choices for me.

1928×1080 124 KB

728×845 43.8 KB

It either makes the choice part on a different indent, or it makes the following:
728×434 29.5 KB

It puts the *finish part behind a goto for some reason I don’t know.
Otherwise, how do I make a *fake_choice? So far, I only get the normal *choice.

215

@Nekumura
Those are rather troublesome bugs…

I would love to fix them, and I’d probably have the update out later today, but Game Maker: Studio updated several times since I last worked on it and has completely changed how certain things are done. (I can’t revert these updates, I’ve tried doing a system restore even)
As it stands it would take me days, if not weeks to update all of Chronicler with these changes. (It doesn’t even compile anymore, and there’s over 1000 errors…)

In my mind this is not worth it as I am developing a new version of Chronicler with QtWidgets.

My suggestions for the indentation problem would be to put some text in the story bubbles above the second level of choices (even a period or perhaps a space might work). Or slip a couple of action bubbles with a *comment in between might work as well. Sorry I can’t do more at the moment. ):

Not sure about the *finish bug, I must have missed a newline character somewhere >_<

Chronicler doesn’t generate *fake_choice’s.
It is something that I am working on in the new version however.

Your story seems pretty awesome btw!

216

Ah, alright.

Well, don’t worry, I am sure you will finish the new Chronicler as soon as you can in your own pace and I am also sure that it will work wonderfully ^^ Bugs can happen as it is normal. Some just slip by ~shrugs~

Ah, that is great :smile:
Can’t wait to test out the new version when it is out ~

And thank you! There is not much yet, though ^^
But I can leave a link here if you would like when I post a preview of it. ~

1 Like
217

That would be awesome!

I’m hard at work on the new Chronicler. Most of the core features are already in place.
I just need to finish cleaning up the UI a bit, add the condition, action, and choice bubbles, and figure out how to import existing projects.

My thought right now is to create a new tool in GM:S to convert old projects to the new format, as it would be easier than trying to parse GM:S’s hex code serialization scheme.

It will be completely cross-platform, easier to debug, and have vastly reduced system requirements. It uses almost zero processing power at the moment. (I have yet to test it with more than 10 bubbles on screen at one time tho…)

218

Will do that then in a few days ^^

Good thing I have no idea about coding/programming such things. I guess I would just screw it up, as I have no idea how exactly this works.

Anyway, I wish you good luck with the program and that everything works fine.
Oh, and I almost forgot! Merry Christmas to you :smile:
And of course to everyone else ~

1 Like
219

That dev log thing that happens every blue moon 9
12/27/15

Greetings all, Progress on Chronicler-Next is running smoothly, I keep getting sidetracked by all the cool features that QtWidgets has tho. It’s like the most awesome thing ever, why didn’t I use it to start with??? D:

I’ve recently fell into a slight conundrum regarding “Action” bubbles. My idea for their new format is to have a “Label” and a text area where you can insert multiple commands rather than having to chain multiple action bubbles together. However, this makes it the same as a “Story” bubble in all but name. I, in fact received a demo project (from the current Chronicler) wherein the user had simply put all their actions into story bubbles, and it worked just fine.

I honestly see no reason to keep a “useless” bubble around, and wish to simply remove Action bubbles altogether, leaving Story, Condition, and Choice bubbles. If one wishes to differentiate their “Action” bubbles from Story bubbles, they only need change the color.

Hopefully this is an acceptable change for all of you, it certainly makes sense to me at least.

Now for a screenshot!
bear in mind that this is still the early alpha version, and the UI is definitely going to improve over the next few weeks.

1282×752 42.8 KB

As you can see, bubbles are no longer edited directly. Rather, a context sensitive properties view is placed on the side. The interface itself is completely modular. You can dock the properties view on either side of the screen, resize it, or pop it out and keep it on your second monitor if you so wish. The same goes for the toolbar at the top.

You now have the ability to change the font used in the interface. (This will NOT affect your generated .txt files)
I feel the Bold, Italic, and Underline options are unnecessary tho.

You may also have noticed the color options for the text, outline, and fill of bubbles. I think I will change it to a “Pallet” system, wherein you can create your own paint pallets for bubbles, name them, and apply them to whatever bubbles you wish. In the “Dragon Example Project” for example, I used Red bubbles to denote aggressive routes, Blue for the common route, and Green for disdainful routes.

Right now, I’m thinking that Story bubbles will have output points on the left, bottom, and right side. You will use the connection editor tool to highlight and drag arrows to other bubbles. Condition bubbles will have the customary True and False outputs, and Choice bubbles will still have individual links on the right side.

Let me know what you think of the new interface.
Suggestions and Criticisms (constructive or otherwise), are most welcome!

-BenSeawalker

2 Likes
220

how do u test ur game if it is working?