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What Are Variables?

A Variable is something you give to the player to reference later. It could be narratively abstract, like whether or not a character listened to their mom’s advice, or narratively physical, like coins. Both are handled in the same way by your script.

• Variables can either be integers, strings, or objects (covered in their own section).
• Variable names are case sensitive & should be in ALL CAPS. No numbers. Each unique variable should have its own unique name.
• They’re modified by using hard brackets [], an operator give, take, set, and a variable label placed inside brackets. Example: [give: HEALTH 10]
• Variable activity (adding, subtracting) can be shown or hidden to the reader.
• Variables that are shown to the reader & have their value tracked are referred to as “tracked variables”. Example: HEALTH would be a tracked variable if it is visible to the reader & if the reader is able to gain and/or lose HEALTH within an episode.
• Tracked variables are tallied in each episode with a Score.
• You can set a default starting point for your variable other than 0 by using the “loadout” command. This is especially useful if you intend to track relationships and want the reader to start with a specific relationship to other characters – more on that below! Example: [set: HEALTH 20 -loadout]

Operators

Variables are given to a reader by using hard brackets with an opening operator, a named variable, and an optional quantity/string.

• [give: ALICE] Increment inventory value ALICE by 1. Notice the 1 is implied.
• [give: ALICE 5] Increment inventory value ALICE by 5
• [take: ALICE] Decrement inventory value ALICE by 1
• [take: ALICE 5] Decrement inventory value ALICE by 5
• [set: ALICE 10] Set inventory value ALICE to 10, regardless what it was before
• [set: HOUSE "Stark"] Set your HOUSE to Stark

Quantity can be a variable instead of constant number:

• [give: ALICE LOW] Adds the variable LOW to the variable ALICE