Jon Ingold
@jon.inkle.co
Narrative @inkle.co he/him
Writer: EXPELLED! / A Highland Song / Heaven's Vault / Overboard! / Over the Alps / Sorcery! / 80 Days. ink co-creator.
“Life doesn't always work out like it's s'posed t' / Like bread doesn't pop when you watch the toaster"
Writer: EXPELLED! / A Highland Song / Heaven's Vault / Overboard! / Over the Alps / Sorcery! / 80 Days. ink co-creator.
“Life doesn't always work out like it's s'posed t' / Like bread doesn't pop when you watch the toaster"
Pinned
Jon Ingold
@jon.inkle.co
· Oct 18
AdvX 2018 - Jon Ingold - Sparkling Dialogue: A Masterclass
YouTube video by AdventureX
www.youtube.com
Little thread of talks about writing and interactive narrative I've done, so I can pin it here:
First up - Sparkling Dialogue from Adventure X; how to make interactive conversations that have flow and meaning to them
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vRf...
First up - Sparkling Dialogue from Adventure X; how to make interactive conversations that have flow and meaning to them
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vRf...
update - there are enough responses to believe that this will probably happen, after taking into account the no-shows.
(You can still put your name down if you want to! There will be no shows, and if we need to make 2+ volumes, we can also do that.)
(You can still put your name down if you want to! There will be no shows, and if we need to make 2+ volumes, we can also do that.)
okay, seriously: if we were to corral this, would anyone be interested in contributing? Here is the google form:
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
November 10, 2025 at 7:30 PM
update - there are enough responses to believe that this will probably happen, after taking into account the no-shows.
(You can still put your name down if you want to! There will be no shows, and if we need to make 2+ volumes, we can also do that.)
(You can still put your name down if you want to! There will be no shows, and if we need to make 2+ volumes, we can also do that.)
okay, seriously: if we were to corral this, would anyone be interested in contributing? Here is the google form:
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
November 10, 2025 at 5:18 PM
okay, seriously: if we were to corral this, would anyone be interested in contributing? Here is the google form:
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
forms.gle/m2V4j4cDvwNu...
A brief defence of dialogue choices (286 words):
A brief defence of dialogue choices
In games, the player needs to have something to do.
medium.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:42 PM
A brief defence of dialogue choices (286 words):
ha! I was just listening to an old interview with Douglas Adams about Hitchhiker's and he says explicitly his style is directly influenced by Winnie the Pooh. I've been saying this for years, ever since i read to my kids as an adult and thought, wait a minute, I've seen this before
November 10, 2025 at 4:13 PM
ha! I was just listening to an old interview with Douglas Adams about Hitchhiker's and he says explicitly his style is directly influenced by Winnie the Pooh. I've been saying this for years, ever since i read to my kids as an adult and thought, wait a minute, I've seen this before
Gosh, if only someone had already covered how to use choices to build subtext is a characterful linear scene already, in a talk that takes less time to read than a medium post from a guy who seems to have only played one game and that’s cos he wrote it
November 10, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Gosh, if only someone had already covered how to use choices to build subtext is a characterful linear scene already, in a talk that takes less time to read than a medium post from a guy who seems to have only played one game and that’s cos he wrote it
Extraordinary to hear a BBC journalist actually *pressing* a Reform politician about anything, let alone to the point (not very distant) of hanging themselves. I’d pretty much forgotten what that was even like. Like A Robin Reliant; takes about 5 mins to fall apart completely
"You, like Nigel Farage, are simply lying about what the ONS says."
I somewhat lost my patience with Reform Councillor Bill Piper here.. (from about 1h 27 min in)
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
I somewhat lost my patience with Reform Councillor Bill Piper here.. (from about 1h 27 min in)
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Stephen Nolan - 08/11/2025 - BBC Sounds
The day's main news stories, topical debate and interviews.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Extraordinary to hear a BBC journalist actually *pressing* a Reform politician about anything, let alone to the point (not very distant) of hanging themselves. I’d pretty much forgotten what that was even like. Like A Robin Reliant; takes about 5 mins to fall apart completely
Reposted by Jon Ingold
UK based trans peeps! Have been approached by a charity working with LGBTQIA+ communities and I’d like to double check that the good vibes I’m seeing are legit.
If you’re chill with me DMing you about it, please drop a reply below 🙏
If you’re chill with me DMing you about it, please drop a reply below 🙏
November 10, 2025 at 9:58 AM
UK based trans peeps! Have been approached by a charity working with LGBTQIA+ communities and I’d like to double check that the good vibes I’m seeing are legit.
If you’re chill with me DMing you about it, please drop a reply below 🙏
If you’re chill with me DMing you about it, please drop a reply below 🙏
The image includes something from every project we've done (I think. I bet I forgot something) including some rarities:
- the pirate one
- the supernatural crime VN
- the letter-editing game (by Emily Short)
- the poem-learning game, which later became the language game in HV
- the next one
- the pirate one
- the supernatural crime VN
- the letter-editing game (by Emily Short)
- the poem-learning game, which later became the language game in HV
- the next one
November 8, 2025 at 11:56 AM
The image includes something from every project we've done (I think. I bet I forgot something) including some rarities:
- the pirate one
- the supernatural crime VN
- the letter-editing game (by Emily Short)
- the poem-learning game, which later became the language game in HV
- the next one
- the pirate one
- the supernatural crime VN
- the letter-editing game (by Emily Short)
- the poem-learning game, which later became the language game in HV
- the next one
Reposted by Jon Ingold
Happy to announce that my debut novel, The Halter, is now available for preorder.
You’ll find it at all major online outlets, but if you can pre-order it from an indie shop near you, please support your local folks instead.
www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ha...
You’ll find it at all major online outlets, but if you can pre-order it from an indie shop near you, please support your local folks instead.
www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ha...
The Halter
Combining the inventive worldbuilding of Philip K. Dick and the elegiac longing of Raymond Chandler and for fans of Ready Player One and Rabbits, T...
www.simonandschuster.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:08 AM
Happy to announce that my debut novel, The Halter, is now available for preorder.
You’ll find it at all major online outlets, but if you can pre-order it from an indie shop near you, please support your local folks instead.
www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ha...
You’ll find it at all major online outlets, but if you can pre-order it from an indie shop near you, please support your local folks instead.
www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Ha...
Reposted by Jon Ingold
inspired by someone on a call this week saying they'd lost hours to it, here's my little toy/tool for making spirograph like patterns vbuckenham.com/epicycles/
epicycles
a tool for making patterns out of nested circles
vbuckenham.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:40 AM
inspired by someone on a call this week saying they'd lost hours to it, here's my little toy/tool for making spirograph like patterns vbuckenham.com/epicycles/
Reposted by Jon Ingold
We are down to last tickets for #AdvX25! We added a few more single-day tickets, but they're flying fast.
The ticket sale will close on midnight 19 Nov (or earlier if sold out). So make sure you get yours before they're gone!
adventurexpo.org
The ticket sale will close on midnight 19 Nov (or earlier if sold out). So make sure you get yours before they're gone!
adventurexpo.org
November 6, 2025 at 3:44 PM
We are down to last tickets for #AdvX25! We added a few more single-day tickets, but they're flying fast.
The ticket sale will close on midnight 19 Nov (or earlier if sold out). So make sure you get yours before they're gone!
adventurexpo.org
The ticket sale will close on midnight 19 Nov (or earlier if sold out). So make sure you get yours before they're gone!
adventurexpo.org
Should have used ink
Obsidian had a huge and ambitious investigation-like component to key dialogue moments in Outer Worlds 2, which would've been a big step forward for RPGs. The catch? It took months to fully write a single conversation
www.polygon.com/outer-worlds...
www.polygon.com/outer-worlds...
Outer Worlds 2's most ambitious (but cut) feature would have added years to development
A cut feature and a compromise led to more player choice
www.polygon.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Should have used ink
Somehow the acting in this season of the Witcher has gotten even worse. I don’t think it’s the script - it’s fine, fairly matter of fact fantasy stuff with the odd “okay” and ”hey guys”. But somehow everyone is reading it out like it’s a high school play. It’s so consistent it’s watchable
November 3, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Somehow the acting in this season of the Witcher has gotten even worse. I don’t think it’s the script - it’s fine, fairly matter of fact fantasy stuff with the odd “okay” and ”hey guys”. But somehow everyone is reading it out like it’s a high school play. It’s so consistent it’s watchable
Reposted by Jon Ingold
"You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new novel, If on a winter's night a traveler. Would you like me to summarize the major themes of this book in a bulleted list? Okay! You got it!"
November 3, 2025 at 12:07 PM
"You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new novel, If on a winter's night a traveler. Would you like me to summarize the major themes of this book in a bulleted list? Okay! You got it!"
Reposted by Jon Ingold
Elemental Flow will be at the Aesthetica Short Film Festival this year - as will we! If you're there in person this Saturday and Sunday, come say hi, and if you're checking it out online, we hope you enjoy the Elemental Flow demo!
#ASFFestival
#ASFFestival
November 3, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Elemental Flow will be at the Aesthetica Short Film Festival this year - as will we! If you're there in person this Saturday and Sunday, come say hi, and if you're checking it out online, we hope you enjoy the Elemental Flow demo!
#ASFFestival
#ASFFestival
Reposted by Jon Ingold
This looks absolutely gorgeous and here's a working link store.steampowered.com/app/4102890/...
The Many Sins of House Ocampo on Steam
The bloody roots of the Ocampo family tree run deep and dark in this mystery point-and-click adventure. Investigate the last moments of your ancestors and put together the pieces of the family's macab...
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4102890/The_Many_Sins_of_House_Ocampo/⬅️
November 3, 2025 at 10:42 AM
This looks absolutely gorgeous and here's a working link store.steampowered.com/app/4102890/...
Four Travellers was great. Here’s their next:
The Steam page for The Many Sins of House Ocampo is now LIVE!
➡️https://store.steampowered.com/app/4102890/The_Many_Sins_of_House_Ocampo/⬅️
Wishlist, repost, tell your friends, tell the press! 📢
➡️https://store.steampowered.com/app/4102890/The_Many_Sins_of_House_Ocampo/⬅️
Wishlist, repost, tell your friends, tell the press! 📢
November 3, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Four Travellers was great. Here’s their next:
Just realised the David Mitchell quote on the cover comes from Cloud Atlas David Mitchell not Peep Show David Mitchell. Which makes a lot more sense
I’m reading for the first time If On A Winters Night A Traveller by Calvino, and it’s a lot of fun. Only now I’ve put it down; not sure why; to write this thread about it. But I may not finish - in fact, I’m sure I won’t - i might read an article instead, one I’m sure I will agree with by the end
November 2, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Just realised the David Mitchell quote on the cover comes from Cloud Atlas David Mitchell not Peep Show David Mitchell. Which makes a lot more sense
I’m reading for the first time If On A Winters Night A Traveller by Calvino, and it’s a lot of fun. Only now I’ve put it down; not sure why; to write this thread about it. But I may not finish - in fact, I’m sure I won’t - i might read an article instead, one I’m sure I will agree with by the end
November 2, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I’m reading for the first time If On A Winters Night A Traveller by Calvino, and it’s a lot of fun. Only now I’ve put it down; not sure why; to write this thread about it. But I may not finish - in fact, I’m sure I won’t - i might read an article instead, one I’m sure I will agree with by the end
I've played the opening chunk of this and if you like Citizen Sleeper, well then, I think you very well might enjoy this too!!
I've loved dice rolling through Duskpunk's opening! www.gamesradar.com/games/advent... @jamespatton.bsky.social
Dishonored and Citizen Sleeper collide in this dice-rolling steampunk RPG, and I can't wait to explore its dangerous city
Hands-on | Duskpunk's steampunk city is powered by the dead, and I could be next
www.gamesradar.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:21 AM
I've played the opening chunk of this and if you like Citizen Sleeper, well then, I think you very well might enjoy this too!!
Reposted by Jon Ingold
Finally getting around to watching this brillaint talk by @jon.inkle.co where he expounds upon the value of banter for making game narratives richer / more replayable.
As it happens Innkeep is practically entirely about NPC banter (and stealing things).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX6k...
As it happens Innkeep is practically entirely about NPC banter (and stealing things).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX6k...
October 29, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Finally getting around to watching this brillaint talk by @jon.inkle.co where he expounds upon the value of banter for making game narratives richer / more replayable.
As it happens Innkeep is practically entirely about NPC banter (and stealing things).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX6k...
As it happens Innkeep is practically entirely about NPC banter (and stealing things).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX6k...
In my limited experience writers block is what happens when you haven’t brought together enough disparate yet compatible ideas yet, and it’s always a good thing.
The other thing is burnout. AI might help with that, I suppose, in the same way that young people help with aging by partying for you
The other thing is burnout. AI might help with that, I suppose, in the same way that young people help with aging by partying for you
People who aren’t writers think writer’s block is at least as big and real a problem as I thought quicksand would be, as a child.
AI can help authors beat writer’s block, says Bloomsbury chief
Publisher last week reported jump in revenue in academic and professional arm thanks to AI licensing deal
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:06 PM
In my limited experience writers block is what happens when you haven’t brought together enough disparate yet compatible ideas yet, and it’s always a good thing.
The other thing is burnout. AI might help with that, I suppose, in the same way that young people help with aging by partying for you
The other thing is burnout. AI might help with that, I suppose, in the same way that young people help with aging by partying for you
Reposted by Jon Ingold
Two great storyworlds in one neat package
Jackson & Livingstone pioneered #gamebooks with series like #Sorcery, #FabledLands kicked off the #openworld #gamebook genre, and that in turn inspired the digital adaptation of Sorcery. And now @steampowered.com has both series in a special-offer bundle.
store.steampowered.com/bundle/61017...
store.steampowered.com/bundle/61017...
Saga of Ink and Paper on Steam
store.steampowered.com
October 23, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Two great storyworlds in one neat package