Choices and Buttons (YAML)

Choices define the exits available from a room - navigation, access conditions and buttons shown to the player.

The simplest form: a destination, nothing else.

choices:
  - to: forest
  - to: village

The room forest is reachable by typing go forest. No button is displayed.

button: displays a clickable button below the room text.

choices:
  - button: "⬆️ Go north"
    to: forest

  - button: "🏠 Back to village"
    to: village

command: defines a keyword the player can type (in addition to the button).

choices:
  - command: north
    button: "⬆️ Go north"
    to: forest

The player can click the button or type north or go north. Without command:, use the destination id, for example go forest.

With choice lists in the text, a choice without an alias uses its position in the list. An explicit numeric alias takes priority over a room number or an automatic button shortcut.

See Aliases and commands for global shortcuts and action aliases.

If the destination room has a button:, choices pointing to it without their own button: inherit that label automatically.

rooms:
  - id: laboratory
    button: "⚗️ Laboratory"
    text: "..."

  - id: corridor
    choices:
      - to: laboratory    # displays "⚗️ Laboratory" without repeating it here

to: previous returns to the room the player came from.

choices:
  - command: back
    button: "↩️ Back"
    to: previous

text: describes the attempt, including when if: fails. text_ok: and text_ko: describe the result of that condition.

choices:
  - command: enter
    button: Enter
    to: secret_room
    text: "You push the door."
    if: "key"
    text_ok: "The lock gives way."
    text_ko: "The door stays locked."

Texts follow their order in the YAML. In the editor, use the move buttons beside the text fields to change that order; a new choice starts with the Text field.

effect: runs after checking if:, before the texts and movement. Texts therefore read the values updated by the effect, even when effect: is written after them.

This rule applies to choices. An action uses text_ok: on success, including without a condition. An event uses text: when it runs; that text is not shown when its condition fails.

choices:
  - command: expert
    button: "🏆 Expert mode"
    to: expert_room
    visible-if: "v_score_v > 50"    # button hidden if score <= 50

  - command: move
    button: "💀 Move on"
    to: next_room
    disabled-if: "v_hp_v <= 0"      # button visible but inactive if HP = 0

• visible-if: - the button disappears if the condition is false
• disabled-if: - the button stays visible but cannot be clicked

effect: runs an action before moving to the destination.

choices:
  - command: buy
    button: "🪙 Buy (-10 gold)"
    to: shop
    if: "v_gold_v >= 10"
    effect: "gold.-.10"

choices:
  - command: back
    button: "↩️ Back"
    to: home
    clear-hud:
      - all