Build your game
Once you’ve worked through the tutorial, these guides cover the things you’ll want to do as your game grows. They’re grouped by what you’re trying to do, so start with whichever part of your game you’re working on.
Rooms and exits
Section titled “Rooms and exits”Laying out your world: rooms and objects, exits (including locked exits and exits that run a script), doors, locks and keys, dark rooms, and the map.
Objects
Section titled “Objects”What the player can do with things: features that give objects built-in behaviour, taking and dropping, containers, things that switch on and off, clothing, food and liquids.
The player
Section titled “The player”Changing which object the player controls, and letting the player create their own character.
Characters and conversation
Section titled “Characters and conversation”Start with Talking to characters, which compares the ways to write conversations: Ask/Tell topics, SPEAK TO, and conversations with Pages. Characters that move covers characters that follow the player, patrol, wander or go about their own business.
Commands and verbs
Section titled “Commands and verbs”How the player’s typing is understood: how commands work, verbs, commands with two objects, and what a command can see.
Time and events
Section titled “Time and events”Making things happen as the game goes on: turn scripts, events a few turns later, time-limited puzzles and keeping track of the time of day.
Score, health and money
Section titled “Score, health and money”The built-in score, health and money, scoring achievements and shops. For combat and character stats, see Designing an RPG.
Text and messages
Section titled “Text and messages”The text processor lets you vary descriptions and add links without writing script. You can also change the game’s built-in messages and write responses that work for any object.
Pictures, sound and video
Section titled “Pictures, sound and video”Pictures, and sound and video.
Hints and extras
Section titled “Hints and extras”Hints, a journal, and giving the player a memory.
Scripting
Section titled “Scripting”When the editor’s options aren’t enough: an introduction to coding, asking the player a question, functions, lists, dictionaries, randomness and clones.
Testing and debugging
Section titled “Testing and debugging”The debugger, walkthroughs that replay your game automatically, transcripts from your testers, common problems, and backing up your work as you go.
A complete example
Section titled “A complete example”Cloak of Darkness builds the classic small example game from start to finish.
Going further
Section titled “Going further”- Understanding Quest Viva explains what goes on underneath: when scripts run, scope, expressions and object types.
- Customise and extend covers the player’s look and feel, custom CSS and JavaScript, your own types and libraries, and translation.
- The language reference lists every script command, function and attribute.