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Your first adventure

Go through the whole process once, on an adventure small enough to be finished: three scenes to write, two endings, about an hour.

Step 1

Before writing

Three decisions are worth making on paper, because they steer everything else and are awkward to change once twenty scenes are written.

  • Which numbers exist? One or two values are enough for a first adventure. Add a resource only if something can bring it back up.
  • Is there money? If so, it is an item, and you need somewhere to spend it. If not, skip shops entirely.
  • How does it end? Write the two endings before the scenes. An adventure knows where it is going far more easily than it finds an ending afterwards.
The "New adventure" form filled out: the title "The mill cellar", a short description and the "Create the adventure" button.
Only the title is required; the short description is optional.

In "My adventures", choose "New adventure", type the title, then confirm with "Create the adventure". The adventure opens in the editor, on an empty graph.

Step 2

Declarations first

Open System mode and create the minimum: one value in the "Values" library and one item in "Items". In this page's example, the value is named Address and the item Rusty key. The rest will come: declaring everything ahead is the surest way to end up with things no scene uses.

Character creation is optional, and a first adventure does very well without it. It exists only if the "Character creation" setting in the "Settings" tab is not "No class", or if a trait group demands a choice: declaring a class is not enough. In that case, give the start scene the role "Character creation", or publishing is refused. The reader will fill a form there before seeing their choices.

System mode on the "Items" library: the Rusty key item is selected, with its detail next to the list of libraries.
"+Add" makes a row, then you set its detail. The "Address" value is created the same way in "Values".

For the details: The libraries: values, items, shops, tests and combats

Step 3

The scenes and the two endings

In the graph, "+New scene" adds a scene. Do this three times: a starting point, a scene offering a real dilemma, a closing scene. Give each a title and write its text, in the right panel or in Manuscript mode, more comfortable for long passages.

No scene is the start until you choose it: a new scene is "Normal". Select the first one and set its "Role" to "Start", in the "Mechanics" section of the right panel. Then use "+Add an ending" twice, and change the "Type" of the second ending to "Failure". Each ending is created with its own scene, bringing the graph to five scenes.

It is also the start scene that gives the item to the character: nothing else does. Still in "Mechanics", under "Entry effects", add a group with "+Entry effects group" (the trigger "On the first visit" works), then "+Effect", "Give an item" and your item. Without this effect, the choice asking for the item would never show.

Link the scenes as you go, without waiting. A choice with no destination is normal work in progress, but three linked scenes beat ten isolated ones: you can already play them. To reach an end scene, do not use "Go to a scene": the "Complete the adventure" destination leads to the success ending, and "Failure" to the failure ending.
The editor in Graph mode: five scene cards connected by arrows and, on the right, the inspector of the start scene, with its role "Start" and a group of entry effects that gives the Rusty key.
Three scenes written and two end scenes: the graph counts five. The start scene is known by its thick outline.

For the details: Scenes and choices

Step 4

One rule and one test

On the dilemma scene, add two choices. The first appears only if the character holds the item: "Rules…", "+Condition", then "Has an item". The sentence reads "has the item [Rusty key] in quantity at least [1]". That is your first rule, and a padlock appears on the matching arrow in the graph.

The rule builder open on the choice "Open the lock with the key", with the condition "the character holds at least 1 Rusty key".
A rule is written in plain language, not code.

The second choice is a test. It needs a formula, and the test lets you compose one on the spot: open its rules, choose "+Add a test", then, in the sentence "Roll ... and get ...", open the formula list and take "+Compose a new formula" to write "1d6 + your value". Set the difficulty next, and give a destination to each of the two outcomes: success goes to the closing scene, failure to the failure ending. The "Failure" destination asks for a short reason, which the reader will read.

For the details: Writing a rule

Step 5

Testing, early and often

Switch to Preview and play with "Start the trial run". Below the run, a list shows the scene's choices, offered or hidden, and gives the reason for each absence. This is the habit to pick up first: testing three scenes takes thirty seconds, and finding an inverted rule after twenty scenes costs an evening.

Preview mode on the dilemma scene: the scene text and its two choices, then, under the trial run, the list of choices with their state.
The key was given on arrival at the first scene: the choice asking for it is offered.

For the details: Checking and publishing

Step 6

Publish, even small

Switch to Validation, fix the blocking findings and read the warnings. Publication mode then gathers the checks and the "Publish this adventure" button. A published three-scene adventure teaches you more than a thirty-scene one left as a draft, because it takes you once through all the steps waiting for you next.

Nothing is final: you will republish as often as you like, and each publication writes a new version without touching the runs in progress.
Publication mode: the list of adventure checks and the "Publish this adventure" button.
A blocking error prevents publishing; a warning does not.

For the details: Checking and publishing

Step 7

Play, then move on

Once published, the adventure plays at its public address, shown in the "Settings" tab. Open it and play a run as a reader will.

The first scene of the published adventure, as a reader discovers it: the scene title, its text and the choices offered.
The first scene of the published adventure, seen by a reader.

The second adventure is the one where you add a shop, a combat, an ability. None of that is harder than what you have just done: same lists, same sentence builder, same "Publier" button. Come back to the matching chapter when you need it.

For the details: The libraries: values, items, shops, tests and combats