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If you are using a given variable in a page script or in the page body, do you need to define that Variable in the variables list for the storygame, or can you just use them on the fly if you don't need them to persist page to page?

You can make up a variable on the fly. It will default to zero and any value it's given will persist like any other variable.

This script only outputs 0, which leads me to think I am not setting the %TEXTADD variable properly.  Can someone trouble shoot this simple thing for me?  According to everything I have looked at in the way of scripting articles, this should be functional, and it passes validation.

IF %RUNFROM > 1 THEN 
%TEXTADD := "Fleeing from the moving shadows, you pelt through alleyways and parking areas.  Several times you trip or stumble over piles of snow or spots of ice, yet even so whatever they are that is chasing you never quite catch you.  Eventually you realize that you haven't seen them for a minute or two.  Taking a couple more turns, you emerge suddenly at a familiar intersection.<br/><br/>" 
ELSE
%TEXTADD := "You head down towards the old industrial district.  You paused for a moment to take a couple shots of the shadowy buildings against the backdrop of the river and rest of the city on the other side.  As you walk you start to consider some of the history of the area.<br/><br/>"
$PAGETEXT := %TEXTADD + $PAGETEXT

The output is always 0 + $PAGETEXT.  I've also tried just referencing the variable in the text block (%%TEXTADD%%) but get the same output.

I've tested and confirmed that I can change %TEXTADD to a numeric value and it outputs as expected.

So I guess you just can't put text in variables?  That is an odd limitation, although I guess it is an easy way to eliminate people trying to do injection attacks on the DB.

Reworked the check to drop adding the text to a variable and just adjust $PAGETEXT in the expression and it works as I would expect it to.

IF %RUNFROM > 1 THEN 
$PAGETEXT := "Fleeing from the moving shadows, you pelt through alleyways and parking areas.  Several times you trip or stumble over piles of snow or spots of ice, yet even so whatever they are that is chasing you never quite catch you.  Eventually you realize that you haven't seen them for a minute or two.  Taking a couple more turns, you emerge suddenly at a familiar intersection.<br/><br/>" + $PAGETEXT
ELSE
$PAGETEXT :=  "You head down towards the old industrial district.  You paused for a moment to take a couple shots of the shadowy buildings against the backdrop of the river and rest of the city on the other side.  As you walk you start to consider some of the history of the area.<br/><br/>" + $PAGETEXT

Is there any particular pro/con to doing it one way or the other?