What is Interactive Fiction? #
Interactive fiction (IF) is a form of digital storytelling where the reader becomes an active participant, making choices that influence the direction or outcome of the story. This can take the form of branching narratives, text-based adventures, or interactive visuals and dialogue. It’s a unique way to combine creative writing with design and technology.
Why Choose This Format? #
Interactive fiction is a great choice if you want your audience to be part of the story, not just read or watch it. Instead of telling a single, fixed tale, you can let players make choices that change the outcome. This format is especially good if you enjoy creative writing, like experimenting with “what if” scenarios, or want to practice thinking about how stories can branch in different directions. It also helps you build skills in digital storytelling and problem-solving, since you’ll need to design paths that make sense and keep readers engaged.
What You Might Learn #
- Narrative design: structuring branching stories, pacing, and multiple outcomes.
- Systems thinking: planning how player choices affect the world and outcomes.
- Light scripting or coding: many IF tools use simple markup or code-like logic.
- UX writing: writing clear, concise prompts and descriptions for players.
- Iterative design: testing with players, revising text, and debugging logic.
General Process #
- Pick a Platform: Decide whether you want to use text-based tools or a visual/interactive engine
- Outline Your Story: Map out key plot points, decision branches, and possible endings. Flowcharts can help.
- Write the Content: Draft dialogue, narration, and descriptions, keeping in mind how player choices affect tone and pacing.
- Add Interactivity: Use the chosen platform’s tools to implement decision points, variables, and outcomes.
- Test Your Game: Have friends or peers “play” through it to find broken links, unclear instructions, or overly complex paths.
- Polish & Share: Add visual design, sound effects, or images if appropriate, and publish/export to share online.
Accessibility Considerations #
Accessibility considerations for interactive fiction will vary based on the kinds of interactive fiction (text based or visual) as well as where your game is being hosted. Below are some considerations that may or may not be in your control depending on the output.
- Ensure full keyboard navigation; don’t rely on mouse-only interactions.
- Maintain clear focus outlines and logical tab order for easy navigation.
- Use high contrast and readable fonts; avoid small or decorative text.
- Provide alt text for images and captions or transcripts for any audio.
Resources #
Get Support #
Book an appointment with a consultant at the DKC. We would love to help you with your interactive fiction project!
Guides #
Here are some guides that could help you on your journey:
- Free media resources guide for free fonts, illustrations, and photos
- Considerations when picking a digital tool guide
Software #
- Twine – free, browser-based, beginner-friendly for branching text stories.
- Ink / Inky – scripting tool for more complex branching narratives.
- ChoiceScript – good for stat-based, choice-heavy stories.
- Ren’Py – visual novel engine for text plus images, dialogue boxes, and multimedia.
- Bitsy – simple tool for small, pixel-art games with movement and dialogue.
- WordPress (on Sites@UMW or Domain of One’s Own) – use pages and links/buttons to map out your story
Examples #
Student Example #
- The Labors of Herakles pixel art style game – Mackenzie Hoffman