The Encounter Editor is the simplest possible introduction to interactive storytelling. It contains all the essential elements used in interactive storytelling. An Encounter is a two-ply dramatic interaction with a character, consisting of three steps:
1. The player reads text describing an event leading to an interpersonal dilemma.
2. The player must choose one Option among the several provided by the author.
3. The Antagonist (the other character in the interaction) reacts to the player’s choice.
The backstory for the Encounters is presented in the included materials. You already have the characters defined for you and their history. Your task is to create one or more Encounters that will be incorporated into the Siboot game.
The Encounter Editor is described in these three lectures. If you prefer text, read the manual included in the download.
Lecture #1: https://youtu.be/yH-g7GLe0Uc
Lecture #2: https://youtu.be/l87BcwMMP6U
Lecture #3: https://youtu.be/JjU7OtMGcdM
I expect that there shall be bugs and flaws in the manual, so please report them directly to me using the Contact Form above.
The Encounter Editor is a Java application. This will work fine on Windows and Unix, but Apple frowns on Java and so does not include it in the standard OS setup. Macintosh owners may need to install or activate Java. You can download the latest version of Java here:
https://www.java.com/en/download/
Activation is accomplished through the System Preferences where a Java icon will appear at the bottom.
Here’s a short description of the backstory: the player is a colonist on Kira, a moon of the planet Lamina, which was cut off from the home planet by a nuclear war. 120 years later, the colonists have managed to survive, inspired by the leadership of a remarkable person name Siboot. Over the course of time, they have discovered a kind of telepathic language, eeyal, which is still simplistic. It seems to be tied to the perception of color as well as three fundamental emotions. The previous leader has just died, and a new leader must be selected, and this is done with “mind combat” in which contestants wield “auras” against each other. Is this getting weird enough for you? The key to victory in mind combat lies in knowing what auras your opponent has. You obtain this information in conversations with others during the day. To accomplish this, you must use your social skills in your conversations to convince others to reveal information to you. Oh, and the conversations are all carried out in the telepathic language using symbols.
Pretty much just Dick and Jane and Spot.
Zipped package containing Encounter Editor
