Are you aware of any way to do scripted, multiple choice conversation? I get the creation of an action like talk to... but how could I create a list of possible things to say... so that I press, 1, 2 or 3 and get a response and go on... like typical point and click adventure game conversations work .
Good question - I know I've seen the answer to this on the Inform7 forums, but I haven't tried it myself. My experience as a game designer tells me that you shouldn't try to fight the nature of the game engine you're using, but embrace it. Inform is built around keywords, e.g.. "ask Sally about basket" and this gives other options and game experiences you won't have in a multiple choice system. Of course you want to avoid people getting lost and not knowing what word to type. So be sure to highlight the key words in the NPC dialogue so the player knows exactly what they can ask about and doesn't have to guess. Tell (as opposed to ask) is for objects that exist in the game, such as inventory items and NPCs. Always start the game with "type HELP for instructions!" or something, and also have this message appear whenever the command isn't recognised. As long as your help text covers how to use your game, the player shouldn't have to get lost.
Great video! But is it possible to make a game where you don't have to type the commands but rather commands are given as like "hyperlinks" and the user navigates or plays with those choices given? like give a hyperlink to "go north" rather than typing the command "go north"? Thanks :-)
There's an example of exactly that here media.textadventures.co.uk/games/C_5iJqEQQ0eMCz-_Aluuaw/index.html but that's made using a text engine called "Quest" (available from the same site) which I since left behind for Inform 7, because visual programming languages are only good for very simple games. You need a typed language when your game gets even slightly complex. It could be possible to play an Inform 7 game with text links though. You're best asking at the forums, I've got all my questions answered there, they're extremely helpful!
I definitely dont find inform easy. I have thorough experience in python, yet while back I couldn't get a simple if else statement working for the life of me. I just gave up after hours spread across three days reading documentation and watching tutorial and still failing. I was just trying to make a bowl of ice cream only be edible when the player has a spoon lol.
SSo this program makes it really easy to do text adventures. You just need to be precise with your description, make sure to make rooms- to then making decisions and actions the player can perform or do, while making sure to have results for said actions to make it work?
Neat, sadly there's no dark mode. On the account I have been sensitive to light recently, because of losing my vision last year. Even if I lower the brightness on my computer, I still need to be able to see the menu lol. Sigh ah well, would've been fun to try it out. But how often you see consumers being sensitive to light.@@Domarius64
Yep! Of course the most accessible and easiest option is to publish it to the web with the instructions from the manual, and then any desktop computer can play it via the browser. But here are some local interpreters for Windows, Mac and Linux - you could maybe distribute it with them. inform7.com/if/interpreters/
Absolutely! The most common option is to publish it as a web page. That makes it "executable" in the sense that the interpreter is written in JavaScript, so it works as an offline web page. It's not going to be an .exe file. To do an exe file, you need something like Lectrote. That's basically the same as the above, but bundled as an Electron app. You can find it at github.com/erkyrath/lectrote/releases.
@@amalbalindong4539 as far as I can tell, that is not a game it's an AI they are training to play games. But you don't need anything special to start learning AI, you can use any programming language and any game framework. AI Is whatever you wanted to be really. I program some AI for my platform game
Great tutorial! I was looking to make a text-based murder mystery game and this seems like the perfect tool. So interesting 👌🏽
You're welcome, I'm glad the video was helpful. It really is a powerful piece of software.
Thank you! Very helpful and informative!
Guy Incognito you're welcome, glad it was useful :)
Are you aware of any way to do scripted, multiple choice conversation? I get the creation of an action like talk to... but how could I create a list of possible things to say... so that I press, 1, 2 or 3 and get a response and go on... like typical point and click adventure game conversations work
.
Good question - I know I've seen the answer to this on the Inform7 forums, but I haven't tried it myself.
My experience as a game designer tells me that you shouldn't try to fight the nature of the game engine you're using, but embrace it. Inform is built around keywords, e.g.. "ask Sally about basket" and this gives other options and game experiences you won't have in a multiple choice system.
Of course you want to avoid people getting lost and not knowing what word to type. So be sure to highlight the key words in the NPC dialogue so the player knows exactly what they can ask about and doesn't have to guess.
Tell (as opposed to ask) is for objects that exist in the game, such as inventory items and NPCs.
Always start the game with "type HELP for instructions!" or something, and also have this message appear whenever the command isn't recognised. As long as your help text covers how to use your game, the player shouldn't have to get lost.
Thank you Imma practice this soon.
Have fun :)
Great video! But is it possible to make a game where you don't have to type the commands but rather commands are given as like "hyperlinks" and the user navigates or plays with those choices given? like give a hyperlink to "go north" rather than typing the command "go north"? Thanks :-)
There's an example of exactly that here media.textadventures.co.uk/games/C_5iJqEQQ0eMCz-_Aluuaw/index.html but that's made using a text engine called "Quest" (available from the same site) which I since left behind for Inform 7, because visual programming languages are only good for very simple games. You need a typed language when your game gets even slightly complex. It could be possible to play an Inform 7 game with text links though. You're best asking at the forums, I've got all my questions answered there, they're extremely helpful!
I definitely dont find inform easy. I have thorough experience in python, yet while back I couldn't get a simple if else statement working for the life of me. I just gave up after hours spread across three days reading documentation and watching tutorial and still failing. I was just trying to make a bowl of ice cream only be edible when the player has a spoon lol.
Thanks !
SSo this program makes it really easy to do text adventures. You just need to be precise with your description, make sure to make rooms- to then making decisions and actions the player can perform or do, while making sure to have results for said actions to make it work?
Yes it really is intuitive :)
Neat, sadly there's no dark mode. On the account I have been sensitive to light recently, because of losing my vision last year. Even if I lower the brightness on my computer, I still need to be able to see the menu lol.
Sigh ah well, would've been fun to try it out. But how often you see consumers being sensitive to light.@@Domarius64
Is there any way to export the game so its playable through a windows executable?
Yep! Of course the most accessible and easiest option is to publish it to the web with the instructions from the manual, and then any desktop computer can play it via the browser. But here are some local interpreters for Windows, Mac and Linux - you could maybe distribute it with them. inform7.com/if/interpreters/
Absolutely! The most common option is to publish it as a web page. That makes it "executable" in the sense that the interpreter is written in JavaScript, so it works as an offline web page. It's not going to be an .exe file. To do an exe file, you need something like Lectrote. That's basically the same as the above, but bundled as an Electron app.
You can find it at github.com/erkyrath/lectrote/releases.
Great tutorial!
Animae thanks! Hope it was useful!
Is it possible to do OpenAI games in this program like ai dungeon and facade
Not as far as I know. Treat it like a traditional game with branching conversations.
Clint Hobson sorry to disturb you but may I ask what programs that could do games like that OpenAI
@@amalbalindong4539 as far as I can tell, that is not a game it's an AI they are training to play games. But you don't need anything special to start learning AI, you can use any programming language and any game framework. AI Is whatever you wanted to be really. I program some AI for my platform game
Clint Hobson ty very much for the info