ink - The Narrative Scripting Language for Games
Welcome to ink, the powerful narrative scripting language designed to bring your interactive stories to life! Whether you're a seasoned game developer or just starting out, ink provides a robust framework for crafting branching narratives that engage players in unique ways.
Getting Started with ink
If you're new to ink, the best way to dive in is by downloading Inky, our user-friendly ink editor. Inky allows you to write, test, and export your ink stories all in one place. You can find the basics tutorial tailored for non-technical users, covering everything you need to start writing stories for the web. For a deeper understanding of ink's capabilities, check out the or purchase the official user's guide.
Key Features of ink
- Markup, Not Programming: ink prioritizes text, allowing you to insert code and logic seamlessly within your narrative.
- Simple, Elegant Syntax: Get a taste of ink's syntax through our .
- Proven Track Record: Millions of words of content have been created using ink, showcasing its reliability and effectiveness.
- Easy to Learn: While ink is simple enough for beginners, it also offers powerful constructs for advanced scripting.
- Middleware Design: ink is conceived as a narrative engine that integrates smoothly into game engines.
Inky - Your Writing Companion
Inky is more than just an editor; it’s your writing companion. Here are some of its standout features:
- Play as You Write: The play pane refreshes automatically, allowing you to see your choices in real-time.
- Error Highlighting: Inky highlights errors as you type, making debugging a breeze.
- Jump to Definition: Quickly navigate your script by alt-clicking on diverts (similar to hyperlinks).
- Export Options: Export your stories to JSON or generate a web page ready for customization.
Integration with Game Engines
ink seamlessly integrates with popular game engines:
- Unity: Our Unity plugin recompiles ink files automatically as you edit, complete with a simple previewer for testing your stories directly in the editor.
- Unreal Engine: Thanks to The Chinese Room, you can use Inkpot for ink integration within Unreal Engine.
Open Source and Community Driven
ink, Inky, and the ink-Unity integration plugin are available under the MIT license. We encourage developers to use and contribute to these tools. If you find bugs or have improvements, feel free to submit a pull request!
Sample Game: The Intercept
To see ink in action, check out The Intercept, a simple game we built to demonstrate how to structure ink files and utilize the Unity plugin effectively. It was created in just a couple of days during a game jam!
Need Help?
Join our to ask questions about writing with ink, Unity integration, or anything else. You can also participate in discussions on our .
ink vs. inklewriter
While inklewriter is an easy-to-use online tool for basic interactive stories, ink is a more powerful narrative scripting language designed for professional game development. It’s easy to learn, but for simplicity, inklewriter might be a better fit for beginners.
Convert inklewriter Stories to ink
If you want to convert your inklewriter story into ink, we offer an online tool for that.
Support Us!
ink is the result of years of design and development. If you find ink useful, consider making a donation to support our ongoing efforts. Thank you!
Conclusion
ink is a versatile tool for anyone looking to create interactive narratives. Whether you're developing a game or writing a story, ink provides the features and flexibility you need. Download Inky today and start crafting your narrative masterpiece!
Ready to get started?
