How to use the Advanced Editor

Prerequisites

A wanting for knowledge about the best choose your own adventure editor in the world!

How to go advanced

Going advanced is quite simple.  When you decide to go advanced, all you have to do is create a new game, and when you get to the third page, go to more options and then click on the check box labeled Advanced Editor.  Beware though, its a lot harder to use then the Basic Editor, for those who haven't tried it yet.  It does end up getting quite familiar and very awesome after your first game or so.

Navigating through the Advanced Editor

The differences between the Basic Editor and the Advanced Editor are pronounced.  However don't be confused, its quite easy.We will go through the five blue links at the top of the page:

1. Game Properties: Clicking on Game properties will bring you to the description box, the three drop down boxes for length, difficulty and maturity and the co-author option (same as for classic editor).

2. Items: Will be explained later.

3. Variables: Will be explained later.

4. Chapters and Pages: The main section you will be using. Chapters and Pages, is the revolutionized way of viewing your game.  Heres what you should see.  - First Page.  Clicking on the cross will delete the page and clicking on the blue page will open the page for editing.  Writing in the big box will be the text the users see.  When you create a new link you will notice different symbols beside the link. Clicking on the stop sign, opens variable restrictions.  More on that later.  Clicking on the blue cross and line opens up variable changes, more on that later.  The X deletes the link. The Arrow, opens up the linked page in a new window.  The sack, drops selected items when the user clicks the link.

5. Save and Exit - Works the same way as pressing the X in the top right corner of your browser window, except it brings you back to MAG.

Items

What are Items - Things that the character carries around in his or her inventory.

How to add items - Go to the blue link at the top labeled Items and click on the button " item".

Customizing your Item - Enter the name of the object in the title box, type in a few words about it in the description, using the page found on drop down box decide where the user finds the item. Number of uses is simple, if you choose a number, (say five) then on the fifth time used the item will be dropped. If you have a picture in your pictures, you can make it so that the time will be displayed by that picture. The can be dropped selection allows the player to be able to drop his own item if you let him/her.  Regardless of your choice, you can drop the item by using the drop item buttom.

Default effect - This is very useful.  Say your making a modern adventure game and the player is a cop.  The players orders are to commit suicide if they are captured by the enemy.  They are implanted with a bomb in their brain, if ever they use the item (bomb) then they are brought to a page labeled Death. So make a page called Death, and set the default effect of the item: Bomb to bring them to death.  Then if they ever use it they will be brought to that page.

Item effects - Say you have a puzzle you've created in your game.  The player has to cut down a tree and they need to use their axe to do it.  Make a page labeled "TREE" and make the links non forwarding (they don't get the player anywhere) then make another page labeled "AXE USED ON TREE".  then go back to your time labeled "AXE" and click on add new effect.  Make the top list on TREE and the bottom list on AXE USED ON TREE.  Now if the player uses axe on the page called Tree it will bring them to Axe used on tree.
If you still need more help on items - http://myadventuregame.com/help/articles/article.aspx?ArticleId=2

Variables

Learning about Variables - http://myadventuregame.com/help/articles/article.aspx?ArticleId=1

Restrictions

What are restrictions - Restrictions are simply ways of limiting the players access to pages.

How do I add restrictions - Click on the  beside any link to limit the players access to the page that that link leads to.

Different kinds of restrictions

Visible when inactive - If you check this check box, then even if the player cannot access the link (because they haven't met other restrictions) they will still be able to see it.

Maximum number of uses - If you select a number, then after the player has used the link that number of times, it will disappear. (Or if Visible when inactive is checked, become a solid line of text and not a link)

Variable restrictions - The most commonly used and flexible restrictions. We will use score as our sum.
     

Between - Only if the variable is between the two given numbers can they access the link.

      = - Only if the variable is exactly the number given will they be allowed access.

      > - Only if the variable is more then the number given can they access.

      < - Only if the variable is less then the number given can they access.

      >= - Only if the number is more then or equal can they access.

      <= - Only if the number is less then or equal can they access.

      In List - Only if the number is one of the numbers you put into the box are they allowed access. The numbers have to be separated by only comma's and no spaces.

      Not, Or check boxes - If you click the Not check box, then only if the restrictions are NOT met are they allowed access, and if you click the OR check box then the player only needs to meet one of the given restrictions you put on it.

Item Restrictions - Find the item you want and click on the drop down box that corresponds to that item.  If you choose "Not has" - then the player can only access the page if they don't have the item and vice versa for has.

Chapters

What are chapters? Chapters are simply different ways to organize your pages into easier to access pages.
Why use chapters? To organize your game, especially if your making a large game this comes in handy.
How do I create a new chapter? The small blue link to the side of your first chapter on the Chapters and Pages section. To rename it, click on it and then put a new name into the text box. Make sure to save changes either after you select a start page or rename it.

The downside to chapters - You can only directly access the first page of a chapter from a different chapter.

You have now read a guide to the main ways of using the Advanced Editor, hopefully this will help you in bringing your stories to life!