⚒ quest-forge

Why this project?

After building 8 projects that all followed the same pattern — canvas-based math/physics simulations with Web Audio sonification — Quest Forge was deliberately chosen to break that mold completely. Interactive fiction (text adventures like Zork, Adventure, and The Hitchhiker's Guide) represents one of the oldest forms of digital storytelling, yet there are very few browser-based tools for creating IF games without installing software or learning complex languages like Inform 7 or TADS.

What is it?

Quest Forge is a complete interactive fiction authoring tool and runtime engine, all in one page. Write your game using a simple YAML-like DSL (Domain Specific Language), then play it immediately in the built-in parser terminal. It supports rooms, items, NPCs, multi-step puzzles, state tracking, and conditional descriptions — everything you need for a compelling text adventure.

How does it work?

The engine has three core systems:

• DSL Parser — Reads your YAML-like game script and builds a world data model with rooms, items, NPCs, and connections.
• Command Parser — Tokenizes player input into verb+noun structures (e.g., "take rusty key" → verb: take, noun: rusty key), matches against known commands, resolves game objects, and executes actions with appropriate feedback.
• State Machine — Tracks the player's location, inventory, visited rooms, flags, and NPC states. Conditional descriptions and puzzle solutions react to this state dynamically.

The parser supports standard IF verbs: go/north/south/east/west, take, drop, examine, use, inventory, look, talk to, and more. It also handles two-word commands like open door or unlock chest with key.

How to use it

• Load an example: Use the dropdown in the toolbar to load a pre-written game (Mini Dungeon, Haunted House, or Space Station).
• Write your own: Edit the Game Script panel on the left using the DSL format. See the examples for syntax reference.
• Run: Click ▶ Run to compile and start the game. The terminal on the right shows the game output.
• Play: Type commands in the input line at the bottom of the terminal. Try "look", "go north", "take lamp", "examine door".
• Reset: Click ↺ Reset to restart the game from the beginning.
• Export: Click 📦 to export your game as a standalone HTML file you can share or host anywhere.

DSL Quick Reference

# Room definition
room: room_name
  title: Display Title
  description: What the player sees here
  exits:
    north: other_room
    south: another_room

# Item definition
item: rusty_key
  name: Rusty Key
  description: An old iron key, covered in rust.
  location: room_name      # where it starts
  takeable: true
  useable: true

# NPC definition
npc: old_guardian
  name: Old Guardian
  description: A weathered figure in tattered robes.
  location: room_name
  dialogue: Hello, traveler...

# Flag for puzzle state
flag: door_unlocked
  initial: false

This generates a standalone HTML file containing your game. You can save it and open it in any browser.

⬇ Download HTML File