Story Explorer

Do you need funding?

Yes. We're always interested in funding, sponsorship, and partnership opportunities. Our crowdfunding campaign came to a close at the end of September (2012), and unfortunately did not raise the funds we had hoped for. Please contact us if you are interested in helping us make Story Explorer as awesome as it can be. [top]

Do you sell any merchandise?

Currently, no. As part of our fundraising campaign in Autumn 2012 we had planned to produce books and gold coins as rewards for contributions, but as the funding target was not reached these items were never produced. In the future, when we have the resources we need, these items may be produced and sold, along with some other cool stuff. [top]

What is that 'beta' ribbon all about?

Story Explorer is currently in it's beta testing phase. This means that you might come across bugs or other problems with the website while you use it. If you do, please use the contact page to tell us what you've found, so that we can fix it. Once we're happy that the website has been thoroughly tested, and all the bugs have been eradicated, we'll take the beta ribbon off. [top]

What are interactive stories?

The interactive stories on Story Explorer are like traditional stories, but with one important difference --the reader influences the flow. In a typical interactive story, the reader would read a passage and then be asked to select what the main character(s) should do next. The story would continue on like this until the reader reaches an ending. [top]

What is a true ending?

Interactive stories can have as many endings as the author writes, but every story must have one true ending --the best, or 'correct', ending of the story. Any badges that can be earned by completing stories, will only be awarded if you reach the true endings. You'll know when you reach a true ending, because it will display a special banner. [top]

Can I save my progress when reading a story?

You can! Although stories don't have a special save button, you can use your browser's bookmark or add to favourites feature to save your progress. Whenever you need to leave a story part-way through, simply bookmark the page. When you're ready to return, come back using the bookmark you created. This way, you'll be right back where you were when you left off! [top]

Can I enter my story into a competition?

Yes! We're pleased to say that stories written on Story Explorer are eligible to be entered into the official annual Interactive Fiction Competition, where you could win a number of fabulous prizes! For the 2013 competition, we will add a special button to Story Explorer that will export one of your published stories into a competition-ready file. For more information about the competition, please see www.ifcomp.org, and good luck! [top]

Does joining really take one minute?

Yes, it really does. The process is very straight-forward. To give you an idea of how simple it is, the whole thing looks like this:

• 1 Fill out the form on the Join Us page. All you need to provide are a screen name, a password, and your email address.
• 2 Check your emails. We will have sent an email to the email address you provided, with a special link inside. Click the link.
• 3 Sign in. You will now have successfully joined and activated your profile, thats all there is to it!

So there you have it; one minute. You might even have spent more time reading about how long it takes to join just now, than it would have taken you to actually do it. Neat, huh. [top]

How do I change my password?

To change your password you'll need to be signed in, if you can't remember your password use the forgotten password link at the top of the page. To change your password when you are signed in: click Settings at the top of the page, select the Password tab, fill out the form, and you're done! Easy as pie. [top]

What are chapter and passage labels used for?

In the story creator you will be encouraged to provide names, or 'labels', for your chapters and passages. These labels will never be shown outside of the story creator; they are there simply to help you write your story. Afterall, a passage called "East hallway - castle exit" is much more descriptive than a passage called "Passage 37" in a list of maybe 50 passages! [top]

I received a message with a broken link, why?

The address of each explorer's profile page is based on their unique screen name. If an explorer sends you a message, then later changes their screen name, the link in your message email (back to their profile page) will be broken. If this happens, contact us. If you provide their id number, we will be able to track them down for you --the number will be in your email. [top]