So I was just approached to do a text-adventure game, sort of a digital choose-your-own adventure. I leapt at the opportunity of course, but I’m not sure where to begin. I’m used to writing pretty linear, one-reality novels, and the idea of writing something with multiple endings and a maze of possible courses seems daunting. I’m not even sure I’ve read/played enough game/books like this to be qualified to write one.

But, as they say, great people do things before they’re ready. There’s something neat about diving into a project, not knowing how it will come out or if it’ll even be worth the effort in the end. I imagine I’m going to work very hard at something for a sub-par product, but that’s not a bad thing, because it’s worth it just for the experience. The next one will be better. This is why it’s also cool to have friends with similar interests but different talents. You get approached to do what you do best and help play a role in building something you’d never be able to make on your own (although it suddenly occurs to me that all that java programming I learned for my IT minor might be put to extremely good use by programming narrative if/else scenarios)

I’m thinking about a storyline that involves solving a supernatural murder mystery in a rural environment. Having simple locations, each with information or objects you could put to use, might be the best course of action. I think the idea of an out-of-towner stumbling onto evidence of supernatural evil in a tiny, close-knit town might give a chance for a lot of intrigue and combative character relationships.

What do you think of choose-your-own adventures? Does anyone here write for games or want to? I’ve always thought it would be neat to do video games, and maybe this is my chance to map out something simple in this format.