Writing a Script For A Game
by Andy Hawkins · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 10/04/2006 (5:03 pm) · 11 replies
Is there any software out there for writing scripts for games? I mean the dialog, description, branching storylines that sort of thing? If not, is there a way of rigging Excel or Access to work this way?
I basically need a scriptwriting system which would make a choose-your-own-adventure game, because that's the closest thing to a video game for dialog, character descriptions, scene descriptions etc.
For example I'd like to have something like this...
That sort of thing...
I basically need a scriptwriting system which would make a choose-your-own-adventure game, because that's the closest thing to a video game for dialog, character descriptions, scene descriptions etc.
For example I'd like to have something like this...
Scene description, NPC's here, what they could possibly say, what causes them to say this, combat NPC's, pickups Exits - Click here to go to this loc, Click here to go to this loc etc... EDIT - SAVE - LOAD - ADD NEW LOC - ADD ITEM
That sort of thing...
#2
10/07/2006 (3:07 pm)
I'm talking about a program for writing all the dialogue and action descriptions for a game, plus the ability to setup the locations, what's in them, where the exits lead etc and link each location, npc, dialogue to each other. It would be all text based, but linkable so you could use it to test the game's content before making the game. It could also be used during the game to add new characters, dialogue, descriptions and locations. 
#3
10/08/2006 (12:04 am)
I dont get what you really mean. there isnt any make my game button. I just write my game down on notepad what ya mean?
#4
10/08/2006 (3:01 am)
I'm not asking for a make my game button. All I need is a scripting program that allows the user to enter the dialog, and text based details for each location, and each possible path for a game to run down. It would be a sort of database program of which the data would be used to link to the 3d graphics and "proper" game. The proper game would be graphics, input, spfx, sound etc - that stuff I would code using the engine or Torquescript - the previous stuff I would write.
#5
10/08/2006 (3:31 am)
Ohhh... but i dont know about that. so wait for another response
#6
10/08/2006 (3:53 am)
No worries. Thanks for your interest anyway. I don't think something like this exists, I'm just hoping it does :) Then I don't have to write it. I guess I'll just use html right now. 
#7
10/08/2006 (10:15 am)
I think Storylines (now called Writer's Cafe) had some features for "interactive" stories. It isn't ment for driving a game so much as just being a writing tool.
#8
10/08/2006 (4:13 pm)
Thanks Tom, sounds good - I'll check it out.
#9
If you're wanting stand alone then HTML would be a good start, maybe Flash too. You could also look for some of those old-fassioned card-based editors like hypercard, hyperstudio or whatever. They'd be exactly what you're after and can usually export to an exe or app. However I have no Idea if they still exist for modern OSes
10/30/2006 (9:55 am)
If you're looking to integrate with TGE there's this: www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=3531If you're wanting stand alone then HTML would be a good start, maybe Flash too. You could also look for some of those old-fassioned card-based editors like hypercard, hyperstudio or whatever. They'd be exactly what you're after and can usually export to an exe or app. However I have no Idea if they still exist for modern OSes
#10
10/30/2006 (10:06 am)
Celtx is free and has a lot of great features that commercial applications such as Movie Magic Screewriter Pro and Final Draft have. It is made for film scripts, television plays, and stage plays, but it makes formatting very nice. In terms of Final Draft or Screenwriter, I like FD more, personally. It's just a matter of taste, though.
#11
10/31/2006 (2:56 am)
Yep - I've grabbed CelTX - it's perfect for what I want to do. Next thing I need to figure out is how to pipe all this stuff into the SQL / Adventure resource and then I'll be set. Thanks to everyone who helped out :) 
Torque Owner Mark Junior