Herobook simple version is a game engine for tiny text games. It simulates a simple branching story based on a list of pages each containing a list of choices allowing the player to go from pages to pages until the end of the story.


Write your story, add choices, styling and pictures then export your story to the world!

Updated 22 days ago
StatusIn development
CategoryTool
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, HTML5
Rating
Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars
(3 total ratings)
AuthorHellper
TagsGame engine, Text based

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Click download now to get access to the following files:

herobook-1.3.0-mac 8 MB
herobook-1.5.0-windows.exe 8 MB
herobook-player-1.5.0-linux 12 MB
players-1.5.0.zip 6 MB

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If this is Herobook the simple version... where is the advanced version?

(1 edit)

Hi, there are no advanced version. It was initally the plan to have one but it's been abandonned as this version already takes lots of work. 


I've thought of remaning herbook simple version to just herobook but that would break the links directing to this page so I chose to keep this name although there is only one version of herobook ^^"

Understood :) Thanks for the reply

Hello, Is it possible to do Name imputing and variables in this engine?

(+1)

Hi, it is not possible to get an input from the player, but you can have variables. 

The engine supports the ejs format avec provides an object named $state that persists between pages so you can write <% $state.name = "Paul" %> to set a variable called name inside $state and <%= $state.name %> to display it

Thank you!

(1 edit)

will there be a mac port? this is a very good software btw!

(+1)

Hi Jazzy, thx for your comment :)


I wish I could add a mac version but this is diificult because I need to build it from a mac, and I don't have access to one.

I have an idea that may help for that, but I'll need some time before I can do it.

Hi @Jazzy, I released a mac version of the Herobook engine a week ago. Feel free to try it and give feedback if you want :D

Hello, thanks for this software.... I have been looking for a basic picture and text builder for html that is simple to use...so far it has worked well. 

Do you have a way to run the application locally for offline use?

If you continue to develop this, it would be nice if you keep the base version as a option so people not needing any enhancements can depend on it. 

Of course it would be nice to be able to do more formatting, audio, video, and some simple decision tree VN like things but I love the simplicity it has now....

thanks

Hi @Argos_Rumpwhistle, thanks for your feedback.

For an offline local use, I plan to make a desktop version of the app.

For the addition of functionnalities, I try to keep the format as much consistent as possible so it doesn't add more complexity. So if you don't use it, it shoudn't be to much of a bother.


I was planing to add music support but the thing is, when you complie you currently insert everything into a single file, pictures included. With larger file I fear it to become quickly a size problem...

I'm a bit confused by what you say about decision tree. The tool already allow to make choices. But maybe I'm missing something ?

Hello Hellper, 

For the music and audio effects it might be time to use mp3's exclusively for this as the patents expired and use of mp3 has no apparent cost downsides for creators. This may help keep the file size smaller. Also I have noticed many applications supporting using compressed or deflated zip files to store the data and directly un-compresses the data files for use on the fly. This may be useful if you can easily integrate it with the html.

My bad on the decision tree comments. I was trying it from the first page and it was not obvious to me it did the choices....

thanks for your software! I look forward to using the desktop app version when its ready.

Argosa

Hello again, I was looking at some other programs and came across a feature that would be useful: having a visual format of the pictures on the left or right side with the text part going down the side or sides. This could be useful for some stories and give some variety of interfaces. Just a thought.

Argosa

If this is Herobook simple version, what is Herobook?

Hi, I started the project as a way to learn to program in many different technologies. For the same reason, I decided to create different versions of the herobook engine with an increasing complexity so I could progress over time.


I tried to make an "advanced version" where you play by typing commands in a prompt, but there never was a release.
This is why the simple version is currently the only one available.