I’ve been looking at the landscape of interactive fiction on Android and it’s made me curious about ChoiceScript’s capabilities. Many of the text-based games in the Play Store, unlike typical ChoiceScript titles, are enhanced with visuals, music, character portraits, and even voice acting. I’ve also noticed that many games built with Twine appear more advanced and visually dynamic.
This leads me to my main question: can ChoiceScript games be developed to include those engaging elements—like portraits, voice acting, and slight animations—that I see in Twine games? The game i am looking to make will include all these faetures and im wondering if Twine might be a better option. Also my game will actually include game play elemenst which choice script games seem to lack for the most part.
What about actual game play elements. I know you can do that in renpy but curious about choice script . Ive also seen several online interactive fiction with actual gameplay but it seems like in choice script games that actual gameplay part is lacking. I saw one literally make a pokemon like fighting game in twine.
I guess both turned based rpg elements and strategic rpg elements. Like for instance in my game there will be a few wars the player will be able to place their soliders and position them at certain points on 3d or maybe 2d map. The choices in game will be more similar to text rpgs like suzerain and games like Disco Elysium but instead of you picking choices from one political branch it will come from 4 seperate patheways. Also i want to make so the player is influecned to make choices they want not choices to get the best scenario so i dont want stats to influence outcome.
Choicescript is definitely not good for your use case. Twine could work, but you’ll need to to be a bit code savvy. Depending on the gameplay elements you want to include you might even want to go for a full game engine, like godot.
I mean, other than the map which would have to be fudged, the described gameplay absolutely could be done in CS. “Assigning units to places” isn’t some particularly rockety science.
But if you really want some music and/or animations then no, CS won’t do that.
I’d also caution going for Godot – my third-hand experience here (as in, rubbernecking some projects which did) is mostly seeing various people complain how the resulting games have all sorts of issues with various android devices, mostly thanks to poor driver support etc.
Yea. Flat out Choicescript (And maybe not even Twine) is not what you need. What you’re asking for is something that Godot might even struggle with. Not to do, everything you want is beyondpossible, but to do it yourself in a reasonable time and have it run well on the phone.
Basically what I’m saying is, do it. Go for it. I know you can! You just won’t be doing on Choicescript. You’re gonna have to learn whatever you end up using (If you don’t choose something you already know.) and that may take a while.
But keep us informed! We love Authors-in the broad sense of the word-and will me more than happy to help with whatever you decide!
I’ve heard of rpgmaker but I don’t particularly like the engine all their games look pretty much look the same to me . I think it’s because so many of the users use the premade assets so it’s like you can almost immediately tell and rpgmaker game right away . If anything I use game maker studios but I’ve heard some good things about godot.
Funny enough chatgpt mentioned godot to me and even helped me prototype a version of the game along with code . Code that I don’t know if it actually works since I don’t program.
I was leaning towards using an a full blown game engine but wanted to see if choice script or twine could it pull off but yeah . I think going with a full engine might be for the best .
Yeah I think of go for a full game engine . I made a out line and prototype for the actual gameplay portions in chatgpt. It’s gonna be a visual novel with action rpg and strategic rts elements with some card game based game play too.
The voice acting kind of a pipe dream so initially I do without voice but I’m definitely going to have a soundtrack . I think text is an interesting format but it lacks the game play and RPG elements I want to add in the game . Something like the life and suffering of sir brante is what my end goal for this project would be when it’s completed .
I’ve heard unity and unreal engine is good too problem is I don’t like the royalty fee . Also unreal engine has just like over kill Im almost certain I’m going with Godot .
I’m willing to leave out voice acting in the initial first release . I kinda came with an outline for the type of game and gameplay I want using Chatgpt and then collaborating with it. Next I’m gonna take online classes learning how to program . Afterwards I will take classes on godot , unity or unreal engine. ( It most likely will be Godot). I will also take game design and game writing classes along with general writing classes.
Below is the general concept and outline for the game Chatgpt even gave me code for it . Im gonna have the whole plot outline along with events then all I need to do is come with dialogue .
Here is the concept below
Game Title:
Heirs of the Empire
Genre:
Narrative Strategy RPG • Visual Novel • Political Simulation • Action RPG • Fighting Game
Overview
Heirs of the Empire is a hybrid visual novel and grand-strategy RPG set in the aftermath of Alexander the Great’s death in 323 BCE.
You step into the sandals of the Diadochi — the generals, rulers, and heirs who carved his empire apart — each driven by ambition, loyalty, and destiny.
Blending the political storytelling of Suzerain, the moral depth of Disco Elysium, the card-driven tactics of Ash of Gods, and Tekken-style duels, it’s a saga where every decision reshapes history.
The game unfolds through three interwoven systems:
A fully story-driven mode with no choices or gameplay — just immersive narrative, music, and voice acting.
Ideal for players who want a cinematic historical epic.
2. Interactive Mode
The full hybrid experience — visual novel choices, card strategy, and pixel-art exploration.
Players balance politics, war, and philosophy through the Five Pathways system.
Includes:
Tactical card battles
Pixel-art overworld for exploration
Character interactions, diplomacy, and fate events
Optional Auto Mode for players who want story without gameplay repetition
3. Fight Mode
Standalone or story-integrated Tekken-style real-time battles.
Used for duels, challenges, and narrative combat moments.
Each Diadochus has a unique fighting style and finisher based on their archetype and Pathway.
Example:
Antigonus uses powerful defensive grapples and counter-blows.
Demetrius fights with acrobatic flair and siege-engine-inspired attacks.
Seleucus mixes spear mastery with elephant-charge supers.
Art & Presentation
Painterly or Live2D character portraits for storytelling and dialogues.
Pixel-art environments for exploration, movement, and army management.
2.5D / stylized 3D battles for the Fight Mode.
Dynamic transitions between story, world, and combat keep immersion intact.
Core Systems
1. The Five Pathways
Each choice, card, or action aligns with one of five philosophical “paths” — shaping both personal fate and world history:
Pathway
Symbol
Belief
Values
The Lion (Power)
Power is seized through strength and charisma.
Glory, dominance, decisive action
The Fox (Cunning)
Power belongs to those who deceive, persuade, and manipulate.
Secrets, diplomacy, subterfuge
The Ox (Stability)
Duty is to build institutions and legacies that outlast men.
Order, prosperity, continuity
The Hound (Loyalty)
Oaths, blood, and tradition bind the world together.
Honor, kinship, legitimacy
The Ghost (Shadow)
True power hides in terror, espionage, and silence.
Fear, mystery, control from the dark
Choices add points toward one or more pathways.
When a character’s Pathway dominance peaks, it unlocks special cards, dialogue options, or endings.
2. The Card System
Cards represent tactics, ideas, and relationships.
Archetype Cards define personality and playstyle.
Character Cards represent historical figures and allies.
Action Cards represent duels, commands, or stratagems.
Conviction Cards symbolize the player’s ideals (tied to the Five Pathways).
Event Cards trigger historical or political crises.
Romance / Intrigue Cards influence alliances, betrayals, and marriages.
Cards come in Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers — unlocked through battles, diplomacy, or fate milestones.
3. Archetypes of the Diadochi
Each playable general embodies a dual archetype that defines their playstyle and personality:
Character
Archetypes
Antigonus
The Conqueror / The Supreme Commander
Demetrius
The Dashing Prince / Master of Sieges
Ptolemy
The Builder / The Economist
Seleucus
The Explorer / The Empire Builder
Cassander
The Ruthless Politician / The Usurper
Lysimachus
The Survivor / The Opportunist
Eumenes
The Genius Underdog / The Loyalist
Perdiccas
The Regent / The Dream’s Keeper
Polyperchon
The Elder Statesman / The Loyal Guardian
Antipater
The Patriarch / The Arbiter
Leonnatus
The Heroic Idealist / The Romantic Warrior
Each archetype comes with five Signature Cards unique to that leader’s tactics and personality — from Ptolemy’s “Build the Lighthouse of Alexandria” to Cassander’s “Poison the Heir.”
4. The Fate Meter
Each major figure’s fate can diverge from history based on decisions and Pathway alignment.
If the meter remains low → they die their historical death.
If the meter reaches its peak → an alternate timeline unlocks, changing who survives, marries, or rules.
However, some deaths (like Alexander’s) remain immutable, grounding the narrative.
5. Family & Dynasty System
Borrowing inspiration from Crusader Kings:
Manage marriages, heirs, and dynastic politics.
In canonical routes, families remain historical.
In alt-history routes, new unions and children may appear — shaping future legacies.
Family trees dynamically evolve, showing both real and “what-if” branches.
Romance & Intrigue
Love and ambition intertwine through Romance Cards, courtesans, and royal marriages.
Courtesans like Lamia or Badia influence politics and hearts alike.
Queens such as Eurydice, Roxane, and Olympias have playable or major roles in alt-history routes.
Gameplay Loop
Dialogue & Story Choices (Painterly/Live2D VN scenes)
Okay. I’m gonna..start from the top and work my way down. RPG Maker. Absolute work horse of an engine. If you think it, you can almost certainly do it; If ya can’t? Just try again but differently.
They do indeed. Because, making unique assets, or at least enough for what you need, is really bloody time consuming! You have to make a crazy amount of bits and bobs while making sure each bit and/or bob, fits into the whole.
That is a large part of the joy. Knowing you’re playing a RPG Maker game is a big part of the game. It’s a community like ours; It doesn’t matter that you used ChoiceScript, just howyou used it to make something that’s yours.
I can’t say anything on GameMaker since I have zero experience, just that I have liked games made in the engine when playing them on steam. And it’s true, I have nothing but praise for Godot.
We’ll come back to this^
It’s for the best. Choice is about text (Mostly..) while Twine can do it all…In Twine. It really struggles to be better than any dedicated thing but it can do it all with some work. A real engine is what you need.
I agree with the first anwser. That is exactly what Renpy does best. That sounds awesome, and something Renpy is able to work with extensively because, well, that’s what it does. Blend anything into a…Renpy. I genuinely have no other way to say what it does other then it just works with what you give.
I’m sorry to say, I think you’re just trying to make an actual Video Game instead of an IF.
Never heard of this, and it seems like something I’d like. Thank you!
Not that Godot would struggle to make it, it won’t. Like I said it’s workhorse! What I mean is, it’ll struggle to work “on Android” which is what I assumed you’re planing on using from your first comment:
Godot is fine. Godot is great. Godot only works on Android if you make it work. Id est, you’ve probably only seen Godot games from an app. That’s because without being really efficient and optimizing your code routinely it runs pretty bad on Android. I will avoid a Godot game when surfing on Chrome and Internet while on my phone.
So what that means is you’ll have to be really good at Godot, or code an app. Which means downloading Android Studio and learning that too.
Absolutely! I think anyone that hears that should wish you above and beyond. Live your bloody dream! A couple pointers though; Classes on programing what? Game design for what facet? Game writing? I think I understand what your trying to say by game writing, but that’s not really a..field. Game writers are almost always just writers, who wrote for a game. (Not saying it isn’t a thing, it is. It’s just more about experience and nuance than teachable lessons.(I’m talking out my ass though; I never wrote for a game..))
They are classes for programing. But most are about a specific program language. Think about which one you need first. You can find many, many classes on Godot, Unity and Unreal. What if you don’t use them though? Decide on the engine of use first, before you learn it. Game Design is a vast and certainly teachable subject, but what part? Games are made of untold parts, many of which have had devs focus on singularly their whole career. Test the waters a bit.
But this forum is about ChoiceScript. It exist, because of ChoiceScript. It’s made by CoG; ChoiceofGames. I’m more than will to help you, almost everyone is! We’re people who love people! (..Mostly..) But as some told you on the interest check thread, we can’t help you make a game on the forum for ChoiceScript games, if it’s not a ChoiceScript game.
You’re free to stick around, we’ll love to have you. I’m certain you have ideas that no other has ever considered, I want to see them realized! So if you hang a while, feel free to private message me, or make an Off-Topic thread (If you have access, I don’t think even I do.) and I’ll anwser every question I can.
For my game, I want to be clear that I’m not going to use AI for the actual writing. Honestly, I don’t think it’s good, and you can usually tell when it’s been used. However, I did use AI to help me brainstorm the initial concept and create an outline for my goals. This gives me a clear target to work towards. I might change a few things as I learn more, but having this foundation is essential.
Furthermore, I don’t think you should have to disclose using AI for preliminary brainstorming, especially since it has nothing to do with the final creative products—the actual writing, art, or code.
The writing courses I’m taking are focused on general and creative writing. My technical classes will be on using the Godot engine, where you actually build games. I found a few on Udemy that directly teach some of the concepts I want to implement. I also plan to take classes on game theory and game design.
This game isn’t something I plan to start soon; the outline is just for defining my goals for the final product. It’s about having a vision to work towards. I’ve noticed that many people start projects without a clear idea of the features, length, or overall direction. I want to have all that settled before I begin. Then, as I take these classes, build smaller games, and better understand the engine’s capabilities and my own skills, I can go back and revise my goals.
Personally, I like to learn as much as possible before diving into a big project, but I also need a clear goal to motivate me to even start the journey.
Don’t you think it’s a good idea to have an outline for your goals, story concept, characters, and gameplay before you begin? I’m doing all this preparatory work so I won’t have to figure it out later. I won’t be learning the fundamentals as I build the game. By the time I start development, I plan to have a decent knowledge base built from everything I learn online.
I do want to make a text-based game, but mine will have more integrated gameplay elements. So you’re right, ChoiceScript might not be the best fit for me. I initially thought Twine might work because I’ve seen legitimate visual novels made in it—several on Itch.io include images, music, and even slight animations. I had mistakenly thought ChoiceScript and Twine were linked, especially since many games on Itch.io started in one and moved to the other.
In fact, it was a game called ’ Shepard’s of Heaven’ that introduced me to this site. It’s so beautifully designed that I signed up, wondering if ChoiceScript could achieve something similar. I’ve even seen a developer create a Pokémon-style battle game in Twine, which shows its potential for more complex mechanics.
I do have more fully text based idea I wanted to try out also. that final product would be done in twine but I’m like it is allowed to use choice script for the demo or do they frown on that .
I ask because I can name a few games I don’t wanna say who to not get nobody in trouble who started off as hosted works in progress that are now twine games or even visual novels . The very game that made me discover this site has a thread in hosted works in progress but is now on a completely different platform and it is the game that kind made me question if choice script had the capabilities I wanted . I never played the choice script version of the game just the twine version .
Oh no it’s more than fine. WIP’s are just that. Work In Progress. Until you start to actually sign with CoG you’re free to use ChoiceScript however you want. Just Don’t Suck is basically the number one rule in the community. You can find the rules all over the place on the forum and CoG site. But the majority of them are about not being a horrible person, and respecting others even if you are horrible. It’s a place of respect, reading and writing.
If you start making something in ChoiceScript feel more than free to post here about it. Just don’t put it in the WIP category as that is only for games that intend to eventually get hosted. It should be in Hobby Projects category (It’s a sub-category in Game Development) no problem.
You can take a look at JavaScript based engines like Phaserjs and Pixijs. There are ways to wrap a web app and deploy as a standalone app to different platforms. My beef with godot is that they invented a new language and I’m not about to learn a whole new programming language just to use godot. (I know you can use bindings for other languages but it was a pain in the ass, at least when I tried 2 years ago.)
Just keep in mind you have a very ambitious project. Not to discourage you, just be realistic about the time frame so you don’t get frustrated and abandon it, but it’s probably going to take many years, specially if you’re learning everything from scratch. Anyway good luck!
. Also unreal engine has just like over kill Im almost certain I’m going with Godot .
Game Title:
Genre:
Overview
Game Modes
1. Kinetic Mode
2. Interactive Mode
3. Fight Mode
Art & Presentation
Core Systems
1. The Five Pathways
2. The Card System
3. Archetypes of the Diadochi
4. The Fate Meter
5. Family & Dynasty System
Romance & Intrigue
Themes
Art Direction
Sound & Tone