talesprog

Talesprog is a domain-specific programming language and runtime designed for authoring interactive fiction and narrative-driven applications. It provides constructs for defining scenes, characters, and branching storylines, with an emphasis on readability for writers and designers.

Talesprog emerged from open-source projects aimed at narrative programming and game design. It has a collaborative history with contributors from software development, writing, and education communities. Tooling includes interpreters, compilers, and runtimes targeting text interfaces, web, and desktop environments.

Its syntax describes worlds with declarative blocks for scenes, transitions, and events. It supports variables, conditionals, loops, and a randomization API tailored to narrative pacing. Narratives are represented as data structures that can be serialized, deserialized, and executed by the runtime.

Key features include a scene graph, a branching decision engine, templated text, and built-in helpers for dialogue, pacing, and metadata. It integrates with external data sources and assets, enabling dynamic content adaptation while keeping authoring approachable.

Tooling and ecosystem includes code editors, linters, and debuggers designed for Talesprog projects. A standard library provides APIs for dialogue management, pacing control, and narrative state tracking. Community forks and tutorials extend the platform.

Usage and reception: Talesprog remains a niche tool mainly used by indie developers, writers, and educators. It is praised for its domain focus and readability but cited for limited ecosystem breadth and performance considerations compared with general-purpose languages.