Romy
Troubadour
Spinning off from the 'tools to write' topic... Not sure if this really is the proper place...
I'm at early stages so not too much 'expert voice' and only written a few trials for how to get the flow going...
My main issue was that I want to simply publish online but looking for something else than just pure text, the pure 'digital book' form with online books don't work for me. Wiki got close, not linear but better to explain a world, characters and places you know from a story. The world builders in here will know how dangerous and satisfying writing that is but you can't really guide readers through the story. Easy to pick up spoilers everywhere.
I didn't want a game but just something to keep readers out of sections they are not supposed to know yet.
My princess flees the castle (don't they all...think it is in the job description) but before you get to that bit, it is my job as author to show you why. What is she afraid of. How does she know she is in danger? Just being a princess might work in comedy but the reader needs to know why. Seems this is a specific type where several minor plots combine, 'solve' a chapter and get on with the next. Playing with minor 'optional' bits, knowing who the narrator is opens 4th wall but dangerous to balance. Options for the type of reader that asks too many questions and "we'll get to that bit, just shut up" can't be the answer all the time. Just some things exploring the possibilities and making it worth it for the reader too...
There are many tools for this, ren'py seems popular but needs more graphic work. I'm more of a landscape/hard surface modeler and suck at characters. Not too negative, just reality. Might make illustrations for my own story but they will be pure illustrations. If ever.
RPG maker is popular over here too, more for real games and not my intention.
Settled on twine and inky. Both still focus on writing. Twine immediately seemed too complex, drowning in terminology like picking story format...
Inky is ok. Mostly just writing and easy references to know where the reader has been and for me enough possibilities for story flow. Unfortunately the html 'presentation' format is very limited and for me only useful for short 'text adventure' style paragraphs. Very limited for presenting longer passages. Might be with reason, in a true interactive game you don't want to read an hour long description of 'you enter a room'. Or an action... you look at the hobbit and two books lotr spinoff happen before you empty your glass. Also very often in documentation you notice it is more geared towards use in game engines, the html bit being a bit of a sidequest. The positive bit, doesn't get too much in the way of writing, certainly if you are used to basic markdown/wiki.
Twine does write html first... and it should do more for my purpose: web... so reluctantly back and crossing the threshold.
Twine sugarcube seemed to be the way to go for "all the features", docs read as an API reference and feels like work. I ran away from professional development 'hobby turned job' long ago. It is very involved and might be the way to go for the RPG storytellers in here. Including character sheets/stats and dice rolling for randomness. Fun, interesting and powerful but gets in the way of my actual writing. Feels like it will be easy to get stuck in the development parts.
Settled on Chapbook, very inky like writing with minimal interference from the tech bits. Powerful enough for me, there are variables (that don't really always do what you expect as a developer from them... openscad people will feel your pain...) to keep state and how/where/what the reader is doing. Logic stuff is mostly kept separate from the text so it keeps on being readable. Don't think you can get away with very long texts but you do have basic formatting without having to dig deep into css, not limited to tiny paragraphs either. Mostly the regular web style 'try to limit scrolling' rule to keep in mind.
Anyway, seems there are a few with the same search and ideas so hope this is of use to some. Might update the flow a bit when I have actual stuff to show.
I'm at early stages so not too much 'expert voice' and only written a few trials for how to get the flow going...
My main issue was that I want to simply publish online but looking for something else than just pure text, the pure 'digital book' form with online books don't work for me. Wiki got close, not linear but better to explain a world, characters and places you know from a story. The world builders in here will know how dangerous and satisfying writing that is but you can't really guide readers through the story. Easy to pick up spoilers everywhere.
I didn't want a game but just something to keep readers out of sections they are not supposed to know yet.
My princess flees the castle (don't they all...think it is in the job description) but before you get to that bit, it is my job as author to show you why. What is she afraid of. How does she know she is in danger? Just being a princess might work in comedy but the reader needs to know why. Seems this is a specific type where several minor plots combine, 'solve' a chapter and get on with the next. Playing with minor 'optional' bits, knowing who the narrator is opens 4th wall but dangerous to balance. Options for the type of reader that asks too many questions and "we'll get to that bit, just shut up" can't be the answer all the time. Just some things exploring the possibilities and making it worth it for the reader too...
There are many tools for this, ren'py seems popular but needs more graphic work. I'm more of a landscape/hard surface modeler and suck at characters. Not too negative, just reality. Might make illustrations for my own story but they will be pure illustrations. If ever.
RPG maker is popular over here too, more for real games and not my intention.
Settled on twine and inky. Both still focus on writing. Twine immediately seemed too complex, drowning in terminology like picking story format...
Inky is ok. Mostly just writing and easy references to know where the reader has been and for me enough possibilities for story flow. Unfortunately the html 'presentation' format is very limited and for me only useful for short 'text adventure' style paragraphs. Very limited for presenting longer passages. Might be with reason, in a true interactive game you don't want to read an hour long description of 'you enter a room'. Or an action... you look at the hobbit and two books lotr spinoff happen before you empty your glass. Also very often in documentation you notice it is more geared towards use in game engines, the html bit being a bit of a sidequest. The positive bit, doesn't get too much in the way of writing, certainly if you are used to basic markdown/wiki.
Twine does write html first... and it should do more for my purpose: web... so reluctantly back and crossing the threshold.
Twine sugarcube seemed to be the way to go for "all the features", docs read as an API reference and feels like work. I ran away from professional development 'hobby turned job' long ago. It is very involved and might be the way to go for the RPG storytellers in here. Including character sheets/stats and dice rolling for randomness. Fun, interesting and powerful but gets in the way of my actual writing. Feels like it will be easy to get stuck in the development parts.
Settled on Chapbook, very inky like writing with minimal interference from the tech bits. Powerful enough for me, there are variables (that don't really always do what you expect as a developer from them... openscad people will feel your pain...) to keep state and how/where/what the reader is doing. Logic stuff is mostly kept separate from the text so it keeps on being readable. Don't think you can get away with very long texts but you do have basic formatting without having to dig deep into css, not limited to tiny paragraphs either. Mostly the regular web style 'try to limit scrolling' rule to keep in mind.
Anyway, seems there are a few with the same search and ideas so hope this is of use to some. Might update the flow a bit when I have actual stuff to show.
Myth Weaver
