Items & Recipes

Items represent physical objects that players can collect, store in their inventory, inspect, equip, consume, or combine. They allow stories to include inventory systems, crafting mechanics, item-based puzzles, and player-facing equipment or resource choices.

Recipes define how multiple items can be combined to create a new one.

Together, items and recipes enable interactive mechanics such as crafting, survival systems, puzzle solving, and branching narrative interactions.

The Items section lists all objects available in your story. Each item represents something the player can acquire, use, equip, consume, or interact with during gameplay.

Common examples include:

• Key objects such as keys, maps, or access cards
• Materials used for crafting or puzzles
• Tools required to progress through scenes
• Food, ingredients, or survival resources

Items appear in the player's inventory when they are granted through actions in your story.

To create a new item, open the Items panel and click Add Item.

Each item includes the following properties:

• Name: The display name shown to the player.
• Type: Defines the item's player-facing role: Default, Consumable, or Equippable.
• Description (optional): A short text describing the item. This text is used when the player inspects the item.
• Show in Inventory: Determines whether the item is visible in the player's inventory. This can be disabled for hidden items used only for internal logic.
• Icon: The image representing the item in the inventory. Icons should be clear and easily recognizable, since they help players quickly understand what they are carrying.
• Can be inspected: Allows the player to examine the item in more detail. When enabled, the description becomes visible during inspection.

Items can be edited or removed at any time. Any changes are automatically reflected wherever the item is referenced.

Item types describe how an item should be understood by the player.

• Default: Use this for keys, notes, clues, collectibles, or other objects that mainly need to exist in the inventory.
• Consumable: Use this for items that are meant to be spent or used up, such as potions, food, ammunition, charges, or limited story resources.
• Equippable: Use this for items that represent something the player can wear, hold, or keep active, such as armor, tools, charms, weapons, or special gear.

The type helps communicate the item's role clearly. The exact effect still depends on the actions, conditions, and events you build around that item.

During gameplay, items are automatically added or removed through story logic.

Typical actions include:

• Give Item – adds an item to the player's inventory
• Remove Item – removes an item from the inventory
• Craft Item – combines ingredients into a new item

During testing, all defined items are visible in the Inventory section of the Debug Menu, where you can:

• add or remove items manually
• adjust quantities
• test crafting recipes or item conditions

This makes it easier to verify puzzle logic and inventory behavior.

Recipes define how items can be combined to produce another item.

Each recipe contains two parts:

Result
The item that will be created after crafting.

Ingredients
The list of items required to craft the result.

Example:

Result
Herbal Noodle Bowl

Ingredients
Basil + Eggplant + Pasta

When all ingredients are present, the recipe can be crafted. The ingredients are then consumed and replaced by the resulting item.

Recipes can represent simple combinations or more complex multi ingredient crafting systems.

Items integrate with multiple logic systems inside Talescape.

Actions

• Give item
• Remove item
• Craft item

Conditions

• Check if the player owns a specific item
• Check if the player owns a certain amount

Triggers

• React when an item is collected
• React when an item is used or crafted

This allows stories to implement mechanics such as:

• unlocking areas when a key item is present
• consuming ingredients to craft tools
• spending consumable items as part of story events
• checking whether an equippable item is available for a specific path
• enabling alternate dialogue when the player carries certain objects

Use clear icons so players can immediately recognize items in the inventory.

Choose the item type based on how the player should understand the item: ordinary object, spendable resource, or equipment.

Keep item names consistent with the tone and setting of your story.

Avoid unnecessary items. Every item should serve a clear narrative or gameplay purpose.

Combine crafting with story logic. For example, characters might react differently once the player crafts a certain tool.

Well designed item systems add a tactile dimension to interactive storytelling, allowing players to experiment, discover solutions, and influence the outcome of the story.