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This language has been added on the site in order to give the writers a simple and easy way to write gamebooks.

With this language, you can write gamebooks "offline" with only a simple text editor like "notepad" (on Windows), "mousepad" or any other.
When it's written, the book will be imported directly on the site and put online very quickly.

We have searched to make a "tags" language as simple as possible, so that the writers can focus on the content without having to learn a complex syntax.

Here is the GBL syntax :

G.B.L. LANGUAGE

1.Presentation

The GBL language has been created for the site http://www.gamebook-land.com/en/, but also works on the Animation Source sites.

The software Gamebook Maker, created by redo_fr, allows to read gamebooks with that specific format offline. It's not required, but it can help you in writing fanfics offline.
Of course, the site also allows reads the GBL format.

2. Simple gamebook example with G.B.L.

Of course gamebooks must be longer than 3 paragraphs, but that's only an example.

Code: Select all

@title The school

@author redo_fr

@licence Creative Commons nc-by-sa

@version 1.0

@paragraphes 10

#1# Beginning
You are at school. You are sleeping, when suddenly the teacher asks you a question. Taken by surprise, you didn't understand the question...
>Ask the teacher to repeat the question=3
>Keep sleeping=2

#2# Sleeping
You keep sleeping. Unfortunately for you, this was an important lesson.

GAME OVER

#3# Ask again
You ask the teacher to repeat his question. He says : "I said : are you sleeping? Which seems to be exactly what you were doing."
Then he continues his lesson.

CONGRATULATIONS



3 Language syntax


3.1 Global parameters

Global parameters apply to the whole book. It allows to give elements on the way to read the source file, but also gives book information.

They all start with the character '@' ( arobas )

3.1.1 Title

@title <book title>


Ex: @title The school


3.1.2 Author

@author <book author>


Ex: @author BigBook

3.1.3 Licence

@licence <Chosen licence>

Ex: @licence Creative Commons nc-by-sa

3.1.4 Version

@version 1.0

Must be 1.0 for now.

3.1.6 paragraphs

@paragraphs <total number of paragraphs>

This tag define how many paragraphes (or pages) your gamebook will contain when it's complete.

Ex: @paragraphs 200


3.2 Paragraphs numbers and titles

Numbers are important on gamebooks. It allows the player to go from a paragraph to another, but also it identifies the paragraph so it must be unique.
The paragraph number must be put between two '#' characters ( sharp ). It can be followed by the paragraph title.

#<number>#<title>

Ex: #1# The beginning of the adventure


3.3 Possible choices

This symbol displays the possibilities given to the player to the paragraph currently read. Choices must be placed at the end of a paragraph, after the text. The character '>' ( greater ) is used for the text choice, followed by the '=' symbol ( equals ) for the number of the paragraph which the action will make the player go to.

><text for the choice>=<following paragraph number>

Ex: >If you wish to go north=28


3.4 Special characters

If you wish to use one of the special characters in the text (#,>,+ ou $), you need to add a slash character '/' before it.

Ex: This jewel will cost you 300 /$

To access the GBL interface, go to the send page for gamebooks on the site.

You will see a link "Import from a file or text format (GBL)", which allows to send one of your creation written under the GBL format.

The option "Export to GBL format", will do the opposite : you will be able to get a GBL formatted text of the gamebook you've written. It can be used to work on gamebooks that you've already send and modify them offline.

That's all for now. The topic will be completed progressively, according to the GBL format evolutions.

Don't hesitate to make suggestions, or tell if you haven't understood something

that sounds pretty, cool! i might try it some time..

Still, I have barely any idea on this.

You don't understand the point?
The goal is to write gamebooks offline, just like you can write fanfics then paste them on the site.
Just write your gamebooks the same way as the example given above, then use the "import from GBL" link on the site. => the gamebook will be entirely created automatically. (instead of creating page after page)

Oh right, I get the point now xD!

I've been curious about gamebooks, wanting to try making one myself... But I don't have Windows PC, I own a Mac, so no notepad or wordpad. I have what's called Text Edit, and Apple Script but don't know if that would work once I finish. And I suppose this format wouldn't work in Word, or would it?

Any text editor can be used. As long as you save your work in ".txt" format, or just copy/paste the text content on the site (just follow the instructions on the site)
But yes, it should work. (I haven't tried though)

And even if it didn't work, you would still be able to use the online interface to create or modify your gamebook.