Hi. Yeah I'm the same user who uses Gamebook because it's simpler but currently my files are at home and could not access it until the weekends. (I'm sorry HK I will reply as soon as weekends begin!) For the meantime, I want to see if I have what it takes to learn Text Adventure.

So my question is, how do I kickstart my journey to use Text Adventure?
I want to use Text Adventure to make a Gamebook-styled game.
My idea of this second game is a person inside a house /building and solving a mystery. This part is the first stage of the game and I'd focus on that before asking more questions.

I don't know how objects and rooms work.
Does the codes from Gamebook work the same in Text Adventure? (Like move player to page, font color, attribute points, etc.)
I know there's a map but how do I make it/do it?
Stats panel/menu that players can open and close within the game anytime they want?

Thank you thank you very much!

First off... Welcome to the big leagues...
There are many more "toys" to use in Text Adventure over Game Book...
BUT don't let that scare you away...
First, the similar:
Pages now become rooms...
Links (to pages) now become exits...
Objects are the same...
Move player is done automatically with the exits, but there is also the move (player, Room_1) command to move the player without using the exit... IE: a trap door that drops the player into a pit, or into the tunnels below...
Exits can now be tied to a compass... To go to the room to the north, use a north exit... to enter a house, you can use the in direction...
Where pages were like pages in a book (hence the name) you are now playing with a map...

• Does the codes from Gamebook work the same in Text Adventure? (Like move player to page, font color, attribute points, etc.)*
  simple answer... yes... Pluss many more. player is the main one to attach the attribute points on, as well as any other ones you would want as well... IE: NPC, or ship, or door... yes, a door can have hit points to determine how much damage it can take before you break it down.
  Back to exits... you can now make the exit (or door) locked and requiring a key to open easily, hide it so that the player cannot see it or go through it, and, even have it do something to the player when they do go through it... IE: msg("a bucket fall down and hits you on the head doing 5 points of damage.")
  As for the map... there is a check box that will automatically do all the mapping work for you... as long as all your exits use the compass directions.
  As for the differences... reread the above passage for starters... plus LOTS more that I don't have figured out!

If it were my choice... I would drop game book as a programming option and just use text adventure only. Most of the support is on the TA side anyway, so why use a stripped down version anyway...
TA can do everything GB does and lots more!

(Just my $0.02.)

That's actually my fear of trying Text Adventure hehe. But a lot of other users suggest I use TA instead of GB so I will give it a try. After reading your reply it sounds like a lot of things I wanted to do in GB is made simpler here (in a way).

Can you guide me in using TA? I'm not that fast to study on my own. I usually follow a guide or step-by-step thingy like another user does.

Something like "Add Script" --> Set variable [variable] = expression [asdasd]
Something like that. I'm sorry if I'm asking much. I'm still not familiar with TA but once I got the gist of it, I will be able to understand the terms you're explaining to me.

Thank you again!

If you under stand GB, you know 80% of TA... just a few new names for what you already know (as above).
And yes, I and any number of people can help you here.
FYI... on another thread, I think I "accidently" volunteered to make a new Quest TA tutorial...
It would be a slightly different approach than the existing one, but hopefully, one new people can follow because it will be based on what they know best... their own house, and the objects inside it...
So, they will be converting their own house into a game.
That way, they can connect the rooms and objects in the game to what they see every day.
(or/and vice verse .)

Oh I see. Thank you that would be great, I would really appreciate all the help!
Is it okay if we start now? Help in setting up the character, objects and rooms I need to prepare?

In GB I usually start with going to "game" then "Script" then I input the variables and stuff for the character attributes. Is it okay if you send a skeleton guide or whatever instruction you think is best for me to start with? Something that I can follow through. Hands-on application is the usual effective way I learn something new.

if you want to take the full plunge (learning to code with quest, which will make, making your game, so much easier and faster)...

(in learning to use the Text Adventure, it'll also help with using the Game Book, if you decide to go back to using that, as well)

you can see if you can follow these guides of mine... I tried to make them non-coder friendly... but seemed to have failed for most people... but you could take a shot at them if you're brave/daring... lol

try to start with this guide of mine (learning to write directly in code for quest, learning how quest works in code, which will make everything so much easier/faster for you, if you can learn/understand this stuff):

http://textadventures.co.uk/forum/quest/topic/mu7itzjqv0yxrkdwgsbmzg/how-to-make-npc-confront-you-with-chioces#46cdb25b-4767-40a6-8bf4-3cd84e805781

and see if you can follow/understand it or not...

and then (if/once you got the above stuff), we can move onto Attributes and the 'if' script:

http://textadventures.co.uk/forum/samples/topic/5559/attributes-and-if-script-guide-by-hk

here's a link to multiple guides/tutorials of various people (including some of my own):

http://textadventures.co.uk/forum/general/topic/ljjm32av4e2t9ot49k478g/help#710be61e-eae1-4af1-8363-520cc718ba1c

if you want to check out more guides/tutorials

Is this

http://textadventures.co.uk/forum/quest/topic/mu7itzjqv0yxrkdwgsbmzg/how-to-make-npc-confront-you-with-chioces#46cdb25b-4767-40a6-8bf4-3cd84e805781

Applicable for Online quest editor?
Currently I am using the website to edit because my laptop is at home. I am in the office and their equipment (mac) is password-protected by the admin. Which means I can't install anything. Although the Quest program is only Windows I think.

jessitayylor ,
Sure, send me what you got, and I'll show you what you need to change to convert it from GB to TA.
But, I plan on only doing a sample to get you started. You may need to do all the changes in notepad, then save it, and rename the file like MyGame.Aslx before Quest can read it.
You may, (read this as will) have some errors that Quest will choke over, but that would be expected if you try to do it this way.
If you haven't gone very far, then the practice of re-entering the code in Quest may help to get the differences set in your mind.
(This is how I learned Basic... buy a book of programs, type them in by hand... You kids get it easy with just cut and paste...)

(filler for getting my edited post, updated/posted)

I think (I've not used quest online, so could be wrong), unfortunately, not for the online editor: you can only open up individual/specific scripting Elements' scripting boxes for writing/editing in their code/scripting (for parts of your game/code only --- scripting Elements: an Object's Script-Attribute, Verbs, Turnscripts, Timers, Commands, Functions, etc scripting Elements), so you can't get access (with using online quest) to your entire game code, unless you download your online game file onto your computer:

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/elements/ (Elements: these are the main/"physical" things of Quest, some/many can do/hold scripting: some/many are scripting Elements)

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/types/ (Attribute Types / Data Types)
http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/types/script.html (the Script Attribute)

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/quest_code.html

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/using_verbs.html

http://docs.textadventures.co.uk/quest/copy_and_paste_code.html (a section on online-vs-offline example with using the 'Function' Element from this link is shown below)

Create a new function (commands are similar)
Right click in the left pane, and select add function. Give it the right name (same capitalisation, etc.). Bottom of the stuff on the right is Script.

Click on the seventh icon (Code view) if off-line.

If you are working on-line, click the “Code view” button at the bottom. You should now get a text box below. Just paste the code into this box.

Click on Code view again, and you should see the normal Quest view. If you see some red text, something has gone wrong. Check that you copy-and-pasted the whole code and nothing but the code (though it could even be a mistake in the code). You may need to set the return type or add parameters - see what the forum post says. To add a parameter, just click on the plus by the word “Parameters”. Make sure you give the exact names specified and in the same order.

you can actually create your own game with just notepad (or Apple: text editor), and if able (not sure how restricted/protected are: your job's/company's computers and/or their rules/policies), save it to a flash drive, then play it (or open and edit in its GUI/Editor) on your computer at home (need the quest software to play it and/or to have/use its GUI/Editor, of course)

an example here of creating a default new game, (pretend I opened up notepad, or Apple: text editor), and am writing this to the notepad/Text-Editor file (NAME_OF_GAME_FILE.txt, but change its extension, to make it playable as a quest game with the quest software: NAME_OF_GAME_FILE.aslx)

(I'm still using an older version of quest, so it might be slightly different from the newest version of quest)

<asl version="550">

  <include ref="English.aslx" />
  <include ref="Core.aslx" />

  <game name="NAME_OF_YOUR_GAME">

    <attr name="gameid" type="string">SOME_RANDOMLY_GENERATED_HASH_STRING</attr>

    <attr name="author" type="string">NAME_OF_AUTHOR</attr>

    <attr name="version" type="string">1.0</attr>

    <attr name="firstpublished" type="string">2019</attr>

  </game>

  <object name="room">

    <inherit name="editor_room" />

  </object>

  <object name="player">

    <inherit name="editor_object" />
    <inherit name="editor_player" />

    <attr name="parent" type="object">room</attr>

  </object>

</asl>

ta-da, a default new game of quest has just been created! (using only notepad/Text-Editor)