Story Lab [extended] #

In this lab, you are introduced to the structure for writing a branching story. You will use this in your unit project.

[0] Setup #

💻 Start by going into your unit02_games folder.

cd ~/desktop/making_with_code/unit02_games

💻 Clone your starter code. Be sure to change YOUR-GITHUB-USERNAME to your actual Github username.

git clone https://github.com/the-isf-academy/lab_story_extended_YOUR-GITHUB-USERNAME

cd lab_story_extended_YOUR-GITHUB-USERNAME

poetry shell
poetry install

This repo includes the following files:

• game.py
• story_setup.py
• view.py
• model_node.py
• model_story.py

[1] How do you write a story? #

Stories are made up of connected connected Node() objects.

Node #

Let’s start by looking at the Node class:

classDiagram class Node { +id: str +option_title: str +description: str +children: [] Node +Node(id, option_title, description) +__ str __(): str +__ repr __(): str +add_child(Node) +find(id): Node }

A few things to take note of:

• The Node() method is to describe how to create a Node - it requires 3 arguements
• __str__(): defines how a Node is printed
• __repr__(): defines how a Node is represented (this will help with debugging)
• add_child(child_node): this apends child_node to its children
  • this is how the story pieces are connected to each other.
• find(id) - searches through the Nodes to return the Node with the id

Story #

Now, let’s look at the Story() class. This is the primary class you will be interacting with when writing your story.

classDiagram class Story { +title: str +first_node: Node +current_node: Node +Story(title, first_id,first_option_title, first_description) +get_current_node(): Node +get_current_children(self): [] Node +chosen_node(current_node) +add_new_children(parent_id, child_title, child_option_title, child_description) +is_running(): Boolean }

A few things to take note of:

• first_node - is a Node created from the arguements when a Story is created
• current_nodde - when a Story is created, holds first_note - this changes as the Story progresses
• add_new_children() is used to to add new paths to your story

Setting up a Story #

👀 Let’s start taking a look at story_setup.py As you can see, the current story has only has 4 unique Node() objects and it calls .add_new_child() to build the story.

from story import Story

def story_setup():
    main_story = Story(
        title='Lunch.',
        start_id = 'lunch',
        start_option_title = "It's lunch time.",
        start_description= "Where will you go?"
    )

    main_story.add_new_child(
        parent_id = 'lunch', 
        child_id = 'bball_court',
        child_option_title='Head down to the basketball court.',
        child_description="It's a nice day, I'd like to go to the basketball court."
        )

    main_story.add_new_child(
        parent_id = 'bball_court', 
        child_id = 'game',
        child_option_title='Play a basketball game.',
        child_description="You see your friends have started playing a game. You join in."
        )

    main_story.add_new_child(
        parent_id = 'lunch', 
        child_id = 'isf_ablock_cafe',
        child_option_title='Walk down to A Block Cafeteria.',
        child_description="You're hungry, better to grab something to eat downstairs."
        )

    main_story.add_new_child(
        parent_id = 'isf_ablock_cafe', 
        child_id = 'optionA',
        child_option_title='Char Siu Rice',
        child_description="Yum, pork!"
        )

[3] Implementing the Game Loop #

Now that we have a simple story, let’s create the game loop so a user can play through it.

💻 Implement the game loop flow chart in game.py so it properly plays through the story.

🧐 Consider…:

• Try testing the classes before you implement the game
• What methods exist in the View() and Story() that you should use?
• How do you loop until a condition is met?

👾 Be sure to play test the game to ensure it works as expected: python game.py

$ python game.py

==================================================
Title: Lunch.

It's lunch time.
Where will you go?
==================================================

[what will you do?] Walk down to A Block Cafeteria.
You're hungry, better to grab something to eat downstairs.

[what will you do?] Char Siu Rice
Yum, pork!


==================================================
End of Story
==================================================

Continue the Story #

Now that you’ve gotten a working game.py, let’s build out the story.

Come up with your own options to continue the story! We’ll share out at the end of class.

💻 Continue the story, add at least 3 unique Node() objects. Some ideas…

• add additional lunch options in ISF A Block Cafeteria
• add options at the basketball court
• add other places to go for recess

👾 Be sure to play test the game to ensure your story additions work as expected: python game.py

[3] Deliverables #

⚡✨

Once you’ve successfully completed the game be sure to fill out this Google form.

💻 Push your work to Github:

• git status
• git add -A
• git status
• git commit -m “describe your drawing and your process here”

  be sure to customize this message, do not copy and paste this line

• git push

[4] Extensions #

For your project, you will need to build out one additional feature to this Story framework. Here are a few suggested features:

• looping stories with the ability to set an Node as a existing Node’s child
  • e.g. player can go back to a previous area
• a Player class with unique properties
  • e.g. hunger, money, health
• variable messaging in the story
  • e.g. "you have visited this store 5 times"
• a special Node child-class that gives items or status effects
  • e.g. a locked door where you need to first collect the key in a certain room.

💻 Use this time to experiment with of these features! If you have your own ideas, feel free to experiment with that!