Code changes for Oct. 2025: (NEW) Story Grammar (github.com/videlais/sto...). Think of it Probably Too Complicated Tracery(TM). (UPDATE) Quis (github.com/videlais/quis). Handles complex expressions. (UPDATE) SimpleQBN (github.com/videlais/sim...). Added event-based state.

As there has not been a new Twine update, I'm also not updating the Story Formats Archive this month. However, I did update the search functionality (videlais.github.io/story-format...) and provide some new API endpoints. You can now ask for JSON results or use files from GitHub Pages directly.

The #DiGRA2026 conference theme is Intersectional Pleasures. The theme invites a critical and celebratory exploration of how digital games enable, mediate, or restrict pleasure across lines of identity, genre, platforms, politics and more. www.digraconference2026.com #DIGRA

Roll with Advantage: Creative, Collaborative, and Critical Responses to Dungeons & Dragons (Play Story Press 2025) edited by Suzanne Richardson & Edmond Y. Chang: playstorypress.org/books/roll-w... - in print or open access PDF! #analoggamestudies #creativewriting #dungeonsanddragons #dnd

Snowman has also now been updated to latest dependencies across all branches. 3.X: github.com/videlais/sno... 2.X: github.com/videlais/sno... 1.X: github.com/videlais/sno...

Extwee was just updated to 2.3.4 Mostly a minor, maintenance release with an extra demo added on how Extwee could be used in the browser (videlais.github.io/extwee/demos...). github.com/videlais/ext...

My DSL for data filtering, quis, has been updated to 1.1.0 It now supports using dot-notation, $user.name, and bracket access, $user['name'], as part of value lookup. github.com/videlais/qui...

As we get near to Oct., I've been messing around with Extwee to prepare for its minor update. Tonight, I put together a quick demo of how the web build of Extwee could be used. In the example, you can type or paste Twee code and create a HTML file without Twine. videlais.github.io/extwee/demos...

🗓️ We are thrilled to announce the Call for Papers for the conference+journal track of the 5th annual Conference of Computational Literary Studies, May 28-29, 2026, in #Potsdam, #Germany! #CCLS26 #CfP Submit your article by January 8, 2026, and be part of our big 5-year jubilee edition! 🥳🥳🥳

The Bitsy book needs to be done first, but, yes, I'm also basically sitting on a mostly done "Volume 1" of a series I started back with my Twine 2.6 -- now Twine 2.10 -- video tutorial series a couple years ago. Currently, it is around 145 pages, but it needs new screenshots and an editing pass.

And finally for the night (and mostly for the month of September), there is also a new Snowman 3.0.0 build as well (github.com/videlais/sno...). The extensive (github.com/videlais/sno...) end-to-end testing doesn't work, so I can't verify past code, but folx can at least try it!

For those feeling adventurous, a beta build of Snowman 2.1.0 is available now (github.com/videlais/sno...). I've been trying to address some long-standing JavaScript issues. I have no fixed timeline for when it will make it to Twine itself, but hopefully by the end of the year (2025).

New update for SFA-Get is now out. It is now 1.0.1. As mentioned in the notes, unless a new version of a story format comes out, I plan to update the tool every couple of months. github.com/videlais/sto...

Monthly update for Extwee is now out. It is now 2.3.3. I did some long overdue optimizing of the web build process, reducing the core functionality build from 290 KiB to 78.5 KiB. (A 73% reduction!) github.com/videlais/ext...

NEW ‼️ TWINE TEMPLATE: 🗺 DESTINATIONS a fully customizable template for the sugarcube format, featuring a navigation dropdown check out the demo and download directly on itch! gcbaccaris.itch.io/template3

This is open to anyone! You can reserve your spot at the link below. Note that classes meet Saturday nights New York time / Sunday morning Beijing time.

I'm continuing my slow progress toward recording early works created using various tools. I've added six more videos to the Bitsy series this week. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Huh. POML (Prompt Organization Markup Language) for organizing conplex prompts to LLMs. Love an example that starts with "You are a patient teacher...". Can't wait for that to be the subtitle of a talk in the future. microsoft.github.io/poml/latest/

My new set of "traversals" are now out with 20 new videos of Twine works (from July 2009 to September 2012). Next week, the plan is at least 10 (mix of Bitsy, Ren'Py and Twine), as I'm still focused on preparing for my new courses starting in 10 days. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

We're excited to announce that applications are open for the Draknek New Voices Puzzle Grant 2025 🎉 The grant will award $15,000 to five thinky puzzle game developers from all over the world, and a year's mentorship with genre veterans. Deadline: September 28th More info 👇 grants.draknek.org

Very cool! I know collections like The Next (the-next.eliterature.org) have been using emulated systems to preserve access. During my recent traversals through early Ren'Py works, I had to experiment with different virtual machines (Windows 98, Windows XP, and even Windows 10) to play projects.

This is exciting news! A Sharp is the King of Dragon Pass group.

Monthly update for Extwee, which is now at 2.3.2. I'm liking this new process of spending an hour or less reviewing dependency updates once a month and pushing a minor release rather than waiting months and it taking many hours to sort through everything. github.com/videlais/ext...

🏆 We've passed $25,000 for queer artists. Get the bundle now: itch.io/b/3062/

As mentioned last week, I've now "traversed" 20 Ren'Py works (from 2005 towards end of 2006) and uploaded all the recordings. I'm planning to circle back to more Ren'Py works in the future, but this coming week is a focus on Twine. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

And we're officially kicking off the 2025 Edition of the IFComp! From now until August 1st, you can submit your authorial intent! Come show off the best of your best! blog.ifcomp.org/post/7880675... #interactivefiction #gamedev #indiedev #ifcomp #ifcomp2025 #interactivefictioncompetition

I've been working on Bitsy open education resources including tutorial videos, mapping releases, and preparing for a book. Today, I am sharing recordings of the 30 earliest works I have found to help preserve them. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Historiographies of Game Studies: What It Has Been, What It Could Be, Edited by Alisha Karabinus, Carly A. Kocurek, Cody Mejeur, Emma Vossen... punctumbooks.com/titles/histo...

I'm part of the august team tasked with editing the FIFTH volume of the Electronic Literature Collection (w/@videlais.bsky.social @zachwhalen.bsky.social and others not on Bsky). We're hoping to reach as far as possible beyond the historic contours of the ELO. Ping me or follow the link to the form.

Mark Sample (@samplereality.bsky.social) talks about scenes in e-lit. He mentions examples like the decade of "Flash scene", years of "Twitter bot scene" and then "golden age of Twine." (I'll try not to take the last one too personally as I _still_ do Twine stuff, but I also totally understand.)

As announced at #elo25, work toward the Electronic Literature Collection 5 (to be published in 2027) has begun and a call for submissions will soon be released. We are asking for help translating and spreading the upcoming call. Past ELCs: collection.eliterature.org

Carried over from NarraScope 2025 (driven from PA back to IL and now to Toronto), I have a stack of Twine Cookbook postcards. If you see me at #elo25 and would like one, let me know! All money goes to the non-profit IFTF.

If you missed my #elo25 talk earlier today, More History for the "Little Engine": Preserving the History and Works of Bitsy, here are my slides. Summary: Bitsy will be 10 next year; I've been working on documenting its journey. Slides: docs.google.com/presentation...

I've run out of time to anything more on this code in the short term, but the 2.X branch of Snowman is finally working again. The vague timeline is to finish testing, make sure fixes are in place for existing issues, and get a new build out. The hope is for a new long-term version out this year.

I just put out a maintenance release of Extwee, moving it to 2.3.1. To reduce the amount of weekly labor I was doing trying to go through dependabot updates, I've set it to "monthly" and hope to put out smaller releases every 1-2 months to keep things updated. www.npmjs.com/package/extwee

New issue of ROMchip: A Journal of Game Histories is live, & this is a special one. First: its mostly non-US focused content & contributors. There's a French and English interview w/ a Swiss game dev. A long read about Brazilian game history. Our first ever translation of doujinshi!

I started working on the LGBTQ Video Game Archive just over a decade ago (although the site was made public in May 2026). Last semester I used my tuition remission benefits to take a class on infographic design to make a resources to accompany the site (particularly for teachers of all kinds).

This is a very cool thing. As someone who needs to use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to run a bunch of analysis code in Python, it would be super useful to have another tool to quickly edit a file without dipping into WSL for something like nano. arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...

In my rush to get this posted before I left the room, I just realized I didn't tag @eblong.com. (And here is the 2019 picture as the reference. The same message many years later.)

Chris and I have even more Twine Cookbook postcards. If you are at @narrascope.org and want one, please talk to me or @chrisklimas.com. (I'll also be at @eliterature.bsky.social in a few weeks with some.)

I have to leave early today from NarraScope, but am delighted to replicate a picture from 2019 (that's still on the website!) of Andrew discussing the importance of community singing to end the conference.

Did you miss Chris Klimas and I at @narrascope.org today? I will have some of these postcards with me tomorrow (Sunday, 21 June 2025) until I need to leave in the early afternoon. Come say "Hi!" and I can pass you one! (I also hope to bring some with me during @eliterature.bsky.social in mid-July.)

Still on my long drive to @narrascope.org for this weekend. I am hoping to get @chrisklimas.com to sign my copy of the Twine Cookbook and catch some talks. I may need to leave early on Sunday for a family thing, but I'd be happy to chat with folks between things tomorrow, Saturday.

This is great! I talk up the Radiant AI system (and Skyrim's "Radiant" quest system) pretty often when discussing narrative system design in my design courses. Most students, I've found, get really excited about knowing about how these systems work behind-the-scenes.

📣 CFP DROP: SIGCIS 2025 ONLINE: POWER SURGE // 9/25-27 📣 the best conf in the biz for computer history ppl. CFP due 6/30. ft. keynote @lilygeismer.bsky.social PLUS ➕➕ SIGCIS is bringing back Works in Progress sessions for grad students! This is a great organizing team 🔜 APPLY! meetings.sigcis.org

The cool conference: narrascope.org Link to toss them some $$ to keep the lights on: iftechfoundation.org/give/ This is a great org and event! If you support narrative in games, every little bit helps!

🎉 YARN SPINNER 3 IS OUT NOW 🎉 for Unity, Godot, VSCode + try.yarnspinner.dev Including: - Storylets, enums, simple "run this bit only once" syntax - Better variables, easier-to-customise views - Bugfixes + QoL improvements galore - All-new docs + guides Check it out at yarnspinner.dev/v3 💚

Installing Debian on my 2015 MacBook Pro was surprisingly easy with the other major issue getting wireless working because it requires non-free drivers. For anyone else attempting it, I highly recommend a USB-to-Ethernet adapter to start and then following this page (wiki.debian.org/wl).