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2. Using the IDE

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Matt edited this page Sep 25, 2025 · 3 revisions

This guide covers all aspects of the Scribe Engine Integrated Development Environment (IDE), your primary tool for creating, testing, and distributing games.

IDE Overview

The IDE is designed to provide everything you need in one window. It has four main components:

  1. Header Bar - High-level project actions like building and closing.

  2. Sidebar - File management and project settings.

  3. Editor Panel - Where you write your story and code.

  4. Preview Panel - A live, playable version of your game.

Header Bar

The header bar provides quick access to essential functions.

  • Project Info: Displays the name and file path of your current project.

  • Theme Toggle: Switches the IDE between light and dark modes.

  • Open in Browser: Opens your game in your default web browser for testing outside the IDE.

  • Preview Toggle: Shows or hides the Preview Panel to maximize editor space.

  • Build Game: Packages your game into a standalone executable for distribution. This creates a builds folder in your project directory containing a distribution-ready folder.

  • Project Actions: A dropdown menu to Reset Game State (clearing all progress) or Close Project.

Sidebar

The sidebar has two tabs for managing your project.

Files Tab

This tab organizes all your project's files. Use the + button in each section to create new files and the X button to delete them.

  • Story Files (.tgame): Your primary game files containing passages, logic, and text.

  • Game Logic (.py): Optional Python files for creating complex, reusable systems (e.g., a combat engine or a custom player class).

  • Styling (.css): CSS files to customize your game's appearance.

  • Assets: Your game's media, such as images, music, and sound effects.

    • NOTE Assets will need to be added to this directory on your device. When you open a project, any files found will show in this section and can be clicked on to copy the path for use in passages.

Settings Tab

This tab allows you to configure your project's metadata and features. Key settings include:

  • Game Title / Author: The metadata for your game.

  • Starting Passage: The passage where the game begins.

  • Features: Toggles for engine features like the default player object.

  • Development: Toggles for debug mode.

Editor Panel

This is where you'll do most of your writing and coding.

Syntax Highlighting

The editor automatically color-codes your .tgame files to make them easy to read:

  • Passage Definitions: :: passage_name

  • Python Code: {$ ... $} and {$- ... -$}

  • Template Variables: {{ variable }}

  • Template Logic: {% if ... %}

  • Links: [[ text->target ]]

  • Action Buttons: <<text||{$ ... $}>>

  • Comments: {# comment #}

  • HTML will also have syntax highlighting

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Ctrl+S: Save current file.

  • Ctrl+F: Find text.

  • Ctrl+H: Find and replace.

  • Tab / Shift+Tab: Indent or unindent lines.

Preview Panel

The preview panel provides a live, real-time version of your game.

Live Preview

  • Instant Updates: The preview automatically refreshes every time you save a file.

  • Full Interactivity: You can click links and play your game exactly as a player would.

  • Error Display: If you make a syntax error, the error message will be displayed in the preview if debug_mode is enabled.

Debug Terminal

At the bottom of the preview is the debug terminal, one of the most powerful features of the IDE. It shows you the current value of every variable in your game in real-time.

  • State Visualization: Watch variables change as you click links and progress through your story.

  • Object Inspection: Expand objects (like the player object) to see all their properties.

  • Troubleshooting: Instantly see if a variable isn't being set correctly or if a calculation is wrong.

Building and Distributing Your Game

Once your game is ready to share, the IDE makes it simple to package it for distribution.

The Build Process

  1. Click the "Build" button in the IDE's header bar.

  2. A progress window will appear, showing the status of the build. This process typically takes 10-20 seconds.

  3. Once complete, a link to the output folder will be shown.

Distribution Contents

The build process creates a distribution folder inside your project directory (in a new folder named builds). This folder contains:

  • YourGameTitle.exe (or an equivalent for your OS): The standalone executable file for your game.

  • game.dat: A file containing all your project's compressed and packaged assets (.tgame files, Python code, images, etc.).

Sharing Your Game

To share your game with others:

  1. Zip the entire distribution folder.

  2. Share the resulting .zip file.

Players can then unzip the folder on their own computer and run the executable to play your game. No installation is required.

Next: You're now familiar with the tools. Let's dive deep into the syntax for creating your story. Continue to Game Structure and Syntax.

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