Ah, interactive fiction. Easily my second favourite kind. Choose-your-own-adventure stories are just such an amazing thing. Oh, and one of the most popular tools for making them just got a sizeable new release. It isn’t a Twine 1.0 update/patch either, as so much has changed, this one’s more like… a sequel.
What I mean by that last bit is that unfortunately, aspiring writers with stories written in the original Twine won’t be able to simply ‘import’ them into this one. According to its creator, this is due to the simple fact that “its markup and syntax is not backwards-compatible”. A shame, but not like there’s any reason to port a finished project – or at least, I don’t think there is. I’d say start writing a new one instead and enjoy all the new toys Twine 2.0 brings instead.
Now, since I haven’t had time to take it for a spin yet, I’m gonna stick to the facts for the time being. First up is the much-requested addition of Linux support, along with… wait for it… tablets! Heck, seeing how it’s a browser-based application, anything capable of running modern browsers should be useable with it. The darn thing even works on my ageing Galaxy S Advance phone, even if it’s obviously less than efficient for the actual writing aspect. Oh, and as was the case with Twine, its successor is also both free and open source.
After a quick glance at the engine, I’d say it’s useable for newcomers and experienced coders alike. Complex strings, bits, and pieces can be implemented through the use of JavaScript and CSS, while those who just want to write interactive fiction with little to no hassle can do that too. Never thought I’d use the phrase ‘easy to learn, hard to master’ about a game engine, but there ya go.
(Thanks to IndieGames.com for the heads up)
