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Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with Argode in just a few minutes! This guide will help you create your first visual novel scene.

Prerequisites

  • Godot Engine 4.0+ (Download here)
  • Basic familiarity with Godot projects

Step 3: Create Your First Script

Create a new file scenarios/story.rgd:

# story.rgd - Your first visual novel script

# Define characters
character narrator "Narrator" color=#ffffff
character alice "Alice" color=#ff69b4  

# Set up player variables using dot notation (NEW!)
set player.name = "Hero"
set player.level = 1
set player.stats.hp = 100

label start:
    narrator "Welcome to your first Argode visual novel!"

    show alice happy at center with fade
    alice "Hello! I'm Alice, your guide to this new world."
    alice "I can see you're {player.name}, level {player.level}!"
    alice "What would you like to do first?"

    menu:
        "Learn about the story":
            jump learn_story
        "Explore the world":
            jump explore_world
        "Check my stats":
            jump check_stats

label check_stats:
    alice "Let me check your status..."
    alice "Name: {player.name}"
    alice "Level: {player.level}"
    alice "HP: {player.stats.hp}"

    # Update stats with dot notation
    set player.stats.hp = player.stats.hp + 10
    alice "I've healed you! Your HP is now {player.stats.hp}."
    jump continue_story

label learn_story:
    alice "This is where your amazing story begins!"
    alice "You can create complex narratives with branching paths."
    narrator "Use 'jump' to move between story sections."
    jump continue_story

label explore_world:
    scene background_forest with fade
    alice "Welcome to our magical forest!"
    alice "Scenes can change backgrounds with smooth transitions."

    # Gain experience for exploring
    set player.level = player.level + 1
    alice "Exploring gained you experience! You're now level {player.level}!"
    jump continue_story

label continue_story:
    narrator "This is just the beginning of your visual novel journey."
    narrator "Variables make your story dynamic and personal!"
    narrator "Check out the documentation to learn more advanced features!"

Step 4: Create the Main Scene

  1. Create a new scene (Scene → New Scene)
  2. Add a Control node as root and save as Main.tscn
  3. Attach this script to the Control node:
extends Control

func _ready():
    # Initialize Argode and load the script
    if ArgodeSystem:
        ArgodeSystem.start_script("res://scenarios/story.rgd", "start")
    else:
        print("ArgodeSystem not found! Make sure it's in autoload.")

What You Just Created

Congratulations! You've created a complete visual novel with:

  • ✅ Character definitions with names and colors
  • ✅ Dialogue system with character portraits
  • ✅ Choice menus for player interaction
  • ✅ Scene transitions and background changes
  • ✅ Branching narrative with labels and jumps

Next Steps

Ready to dive deeper? Explore these topics:

🎨 Enhance Visuals

🎯 Add Interactivity

📚 Study Examples

Having trouble? Check the Troubleshooting Guide or join our Discord community!

For detailed setup instructions, refer to:

Installation Guide → Basic Setup Guide →