Editor for interactive storytelling projects
Storygraphia 0.9.3 (released under GNU General Public License version 3 - Vincenzo Lombardo) 21 November 2022
New features:
- Fixed bugs
- Export to Twine (Harlowe format)
- Reset narrative button
USER MANUAL
Storygraphia is a programme developed in Processing (download at processing.org) that implements the editing and visualization of an interactive story graph. Storygraphia provides a GUI for editing a story graph and analyzing the stories that are compiled from it.
DEFINITIONS
A story graph is a graph where nodes are units of the story and edges are transitions over units. A story graph consists of units and connections between units.
A unit is a graph node, consisting of:
- identifier (assigned automatically - but can be modified)
- text (input by the creator, possibly loaded from a text file, one line per node text, visualized through layover)
- x,y coordinates assigned through drag 'n drop
- tags (input by the creator)
Moreover, a unit has associated:
- agents (assigned by the author through keyboard press "a", after selection), visualised with border colors and a reference on the left side
- Propp tag
- tension value (integer between 1-100, to approximate an ideal dramatic arc, displayed in the background)
- states (i.e., preconditions and effects, assigned by the author through menu selection)
A graph edge consists of:
- identifier (assigned automatically - can be modified through keyboard press "i", after selection)
- label (input by the creator, visualized through layover on label - can be modified through keyboard press "l", after selection)
STORYGRAPHIA INTERFACE EDITING MODE Interface working with mouse and keyboard
START Select one of three possibilities:
- Start a new storygraph (blank window)
- Create a storygraph from a text file (one unit per row)
- Load a saved storygraph 3.1 Manual editing (only tags) 3.2 Propp (functional) tagging (in addition to content tags) 3.3 Constraints-based editing (preconditions and effects for each unit) 3.4 Tension value (for dramatic arc approximation in plot generation)
Commands CREATE A NEW UNIT: keyboard press "u"; unit appears at window center CREATE A NEW EDGE: select first node (tail); then, press "e"; then select second node (head); SELECT A UNIT/EDGE: MOUSE click on unit or edge label to select MOVE A UNIT: mouse drag'n'drop, while keyboard press "m" DELETE A UNIT/EDGE: after selection of unit/edge, keyboard press "d" (deletion of unit causes deletion of all edges connected to it) MODIFY IDENTIFIER OF A UNIT/EDGE: keyboard press "i"; then, enter new ID MODIFY TEXT OF A UNIT: keyboard press "t"; then, enter new text MODIFY LABEL OF AN EDGE: keyboard press "l"; then, enter new label ADD AGENT TO A UNIT: keyboard press "a"; then, enter agent name SELECT/ADD TAGS TO A UNIT: select node (tag menu appears); check tag boxes required, possibly after creating new tag, through menu item "NEW TAG" then, press "g"; SELECT/ADD PRECONDITION/EFFECT TO A UNIT: select node (preconditions and effects menus appears); check tag box on men, possibly after creating new tag, through menu item "NEW TAG" then, press "g"; INSERT/MODIFY TENSION VALUE: keyboard press "y"; then, enter tension value as integer [1,100] SAVE A STORYGRAPH: keyboard press "w" and file selection (.json extension) EXPORT TO TWINE: mouse click on Twine button (top left) RESET NARRATIVE: mouse click on SG button (top left) HELP: keyboard press "h" EXIT: keyboard press "q"
KEYBOARD RESUME w = write story graph (file xxx.json) d = delete the node currently selected and all edges connected to it
ZOOM-IN/OUT: keyboard press "+"/"-" MOVE GRAPH: keyboard press arrows RESTORE ORIGINAL DISPLAY SIZE: keyboard press "blank space"