I have a number of fantasy books published.
I would like to make a six part series into a game or games. What should I be doing?
Thank you,
Jack

if you want your game to have RPG-like mechanics/features, then you'd want to use the Text Adventure, letting you do the full coding capability of quest, otherwise, if you just want your game to be a CYOA with very limited RPG-like coding, than use the Game Book.

Then it's a matter of learning quest, learning how to make/develop a game, and very possibly needing to learn how to code or to code better, lol.

That's a very general question, so I'll start from the top. Please skip any steps that don't apply.

First, shop around. Play a bunch of interactive fiction. Once you find some games in the style you want to make, see what they were made with. Try out the respective authoring systems. If you find one you like, persist. The hardest part isn't making a game, it's making a fleshed out, quality game. To get a little into details, interactive fiction often works best for set-piece stories that focus on a here-and-now. That's especially true for parser-based games. CYOA can carry sprawling adventures more easily.

Since we're on textadventures.co.uk, I'll point out the platform natively supports two authoring systems: Quest and Squiffy, and the former in turn supports two flavors of interactive fiction. But you can also upload here games made with Texture, or Twine for example.

Last but not least, if the technical side is just not for you, consider collaborating with someone skilled in creating interactive fiction.

By the way, do you want to sell the resulting games, or use them to promote your novels? Speaking of which, now I'm curious to at least see your books. Link, please?

Felix, thank you.

My Six part, Mushroom Series is for kids and as each page is "excitement" I figure they would be the best stories to begin.
You can find them all on amazon, smashwords, create space who published all of my forty odd books and draft2digital- kobo, iTunes etc.
Im just putting out feelers but I would love to make games and sell them.
I have some of my film scripts on amazon studios if you care to look.
Thank you,
Jack
I would like to collaborate with someone who is good at making games with a view to selling them.

I've just read the first chapter of Mushroom. Given the format and the target audience, it would be best adapted to a gamebook in my opinion. Maybe also a parser-based text adventure, but more likely a gamebook. Kids love those, you know. I certainly used to.

But selling this kind of text-based game today is not so easy. Inkle Studios have experience with adapting old-style gamebooks to computers, but I suspect they're after bigger fish. Choice of Games may be a better choice (no pun intended), as they just let you write and publish games on their platform, and offer monetization options. And just this summer someone was asking here in the forums how to run advertising on a Squiffy game. So, possibilities exist.

So far, though, selling any kind of game has largely eluded me. You need someone else.

Felix,
Thank you for all your information and help.
Best wishes,
Jack

From what information I've received, I've found I'm looking to collaborate with someone who is skilled in creating interactive fiction.
Look, I'm an old guy who writes fantasy and would love to see one of my stories used in a game or games that might sell.
I have had quite a few kids books published in my own name and my pen name.
Thank you,
Jack

I am also an old guy who dabbles in fantasy games on quest. I don't do any coding at all and manage to muddle by just using the basic Quest programme It's not that difficult. You just pick up a bit at a time. Start off simple, then go back and flesh it out as you learn more. I would think that with kids books, you wouldn't need anything too complicated. Perhaps game book mode on Quest would be more suitable.

Father, thank you.
I'm afraid I'm not able to do this.
I write fantasy stories for kids of all ages but I've tried to make a text adventure but it's quite beyond me.
I can make covers for my books and edit the script, but doing this text adventure is something I thought I could do over the winter months.
I'd like to be able to do it.
Thank you for your help.
Jack

Before you give up entirely, at least take a look at Squiffy. At worst, it can be used to create kinetic versions of your novels, where readers have to click a link to go on; while not especially compelling, it's a start, and more interactivity can be added later -- like the ability to learn more about various things mentioned in the story that the original, non-interactive text skims over out of necessity. And while selling the resulting game may be tricky, it will make for excellent advertising if nothing else.

Say, want me to take a couple hours today and show you what I mean? It would be easy enough to turn the first couple chapters of Mushroom into kinetic text, and show you how it was done (mostly, as explained here). Then you can make a more informed decision. What do you say?

Felix,
That would be great. Mushroom book one is an exciting adventure.
If you like I can email the complete story.
I hope I'm not putting you to too much trouble.
Kindest,
Jack

Well, it's Sunday. A diversion is welcome. And I don't plan to go very far at all; the five chapters included in the free sample from Smashwords are more than enough. Stay tuned!

Thanks Felix.
Jack

All right, here we go. (You can see how I did it over here.) It's very linear of course, and maybe the pacing could be better, but it's a rush job. It also looks very plain, but that can be changed easily. Speaking of which: kinetic novels are more commonly done in a richly illustrated format, with a soundtrack and other goodies. That of course tends to cost time and money, but it's worth keeping in mind as that increases the appeal.

As for adding more interactivity, one obvious way would be putting in what Squiffy terms "passages" (think of them as footnotes), that say more about the town of Kilkee for example -- it sounds like an interesting place to me! Won't make the story any less linear, but it will give the reader things to do, while taking better advantage of the format. And more can be added as you figure it out better.

What do you say?

Felix thanks again.
This looks great.
I'd like to team up with you, (if you have time), and produce something we could sell, if you are interested?
There are six books in the Mushroom series altogether.
I'll look more into how you did this.
As I said, I can write adventures, I have many stories published.
I have a couple of nice Christmas short stories we could work on, if you are interested.
Thank you very much, Felix for all you've done.
Kind regards,
Jack

Jack,

Thanks for the nice words. Unfortunately I can't commit to a project like that, and definitely can't promise to come up with something that will sell, since my own commercial track record is dismal. But I'll be around to answer questions. To get started, copy-and-paste the source code from my second link into a new Squiffy project, and play around with it. I'll delete my copies when you're all set.

Best wishes and hope this helps,
Felix

I have copied and pasted Mushroom into Squiffy.
Felix, thanks very much for all your help.
I'll have a go at this.
It'll keep me busy over the long winter months.
Thanks again.
Kind wishes,
Jack

You're welcome! I'd love to see what you come up with.

Hi again, Felix.
I'm trying to use ChoiceScript to make a game.
How do I upload into a blank folder to begin?
Sorry to bother you again.
Kindest,
Jack

I'm not sure I understand, Jack. What's ChoiceStart? Perhaps you mean ChoiceScript? I looked at it but haven't actually tried to use it. Their own forums are a better place to ask.

That said, to upload a 3rd party game here, click Create in the toolbar at the top, then Upload Game, and you'll get an upload form. You'll need to package your game as a ZIP archive to do that. You can make one with a variety of apps.

There's a catch though. Right here on textadventures.co.uk, you can only edit Quest or Squiffy games. If you make your game with a different tool, all you can do is upload it for others to play (finished or not). All work would then have to be done on your own computer, or on some other online service.

Sorry, and hope this helps,
Felix

Sorry Felix,
I meant ChoiceScript. (I corrected my query)
I noticed on ChoiceScript's website that they pay an advance, if they are interested in your story.
They asked for my CV, so I'm waiting to see what happens after I sent them five pages of Mushroom. (Two Weeks)
Felix, this is just something to keep an old man like me interested over the winter.
Thanks again for your help.
Jack

No need to apologize, Jack! And I hope you get a positive answer. It's definitely a nice way to keep oneself occupied, and could have a practical result, too. Good luck!