Add a "Use as story format" button in Twine - Story Formats menu

AlyxMS commented 2 years ago

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Having been on the Twine Games discord for a while, I've noticed a number of instances where a new Twine user just can't figure out how to change the story format. And it's always the same mistake as I first tried it, we search the menu for an option to change the story format, saw "Story Formats" right under "Twine", go in and select. But the actual story format remains the default.

I did a search in the discord using keyword "Change Format" and found that even experienced Twine users say it took them a while to figure out how.

Describe the solution you'd like.

I think adding a "Use as story format" button (clearer wording probably exists, English is not my first language) would help new users or first time 2.4 users a great deal. Even if they got to this menu instead of the Story - Details, they can still change the story format.

Describe alternatives you've considered.

Altearnatively there could be a button like "Change format for current story" that jumps to the Story - Details menu.

Additional context on this suggestion.

No response

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klembot commented 2 years ago

I'm a little confused, where do you picture this "Use as story format" button existing? Is it just another button next to the Details one, or something else?

I agree that this could be better in 2.4. The reason why I folded format in with other settings is that it felt overkill to have a dialog with a single dropdown menu in it. There is a section on it in the docs, but I think the app could do better to explain itself.

One thing I have pondered, but I think is not viable... yet... is to make the Story Formats route a dialog instead, and we would have more flexibility as to UI since it could exist inside the story map. It may not feel like it, but it's totally separate from the passage map route. (This is why it's not really feasible to add a "Set Format for Current Story" button--the route doesn't have any knowledge of the passage map route, and while I guess we could look back in the app route history, this feels like it could easily get confusing.)

greyelf commented 2 years ago

I think a logical place to specify the Story Format for a new Story is within "dialog" that is shown when the Author selects the Story > +New button.

That way the Author gets to specify both the Name and Story Format of their the new Story at the same time.

AlyxMS commented 2 years ago

I'm a little confused, where do you picture this "Use as story format" button existing? Is it just another button next to the Details one, or something else?

I agree that this could be better in 2.4. The reason why I folded format in with other settings is that it felt overkill to have a dialog with a single dropdown menu in it. There is a section on it in the docs, but I think the app could do better to explain itself.

One thing I have pondered, but I think is not viable... yet... is to make the Story Formats route a dialog instead, and we would have more flexibility as to UI since it could exist inside the story map. It may not feel like it, but it's totally separate from the passage map route. (This is why it's not really feasible to add a "Set Format for Current Story" button--the route doesn't have any knowledge of the passage map route, and while I guess we could look back in the app route history, this feels like it could easily get confusing.)

Within Twine - Story Formats, next to the "Use as Default Format" and "Use to Proof Stories". Most new users seem to have no trouble finding this menu. Though I think the alternative suggestion of jumping to the Details menu is better.

klembot commented 2 years ago

I'm a little confused, where do you picture this "Use as story format" button existing? Is it just another button next to the Details one, or something else?

Within Twine - Story Formats, next to the "Use as Default Format" and "Use to Proof Stories". Most new users seem to have no trouble finding this menu. Though I think the alternative suggestion of jumping to the Details menu is better.

I see--yes, I think this would have the same difficulties as a "Set Format for Current Story" button would have.

AlyxMS commented 2 years ago

I suppose adding a "To change the story format for the current story, go to Story - Details." tip could be a last resort/temporary solution.

klembot / twinejs