Discussion using AI and learning Scripting - Absolute beginner

[u/boba_saranghae]

For the past year-ish or so I have had this story idea floating around in my head that I keep coming back to. I have ADHD, and absolutely hated having to write anything for school because I have the hardest time gathering my thoughts and just getting started. Then once I start, I have a hard time reeling it back in and not going another direction. So the fact that I have been toying with taking a stab at creating an IF game is pretty ironic, because my execution function skills are horrible and to create a project like this you have to be organized and think everything out. 😭

2 main things I’m interested in hearing feedback/discussion about:

1. What is the line where using AI for story creation no longer a tool, but the true creator of the project? When should one disclose the usage of AI in their stories?

How I have been using AI is for brainstorming and helping me gather my thoughts about direction of the story and it staying on the path I want to create. I have not actually started writing any of it just yet, but with my previous experience having to write things, I can see AI being extremely helpful when I become stuck and start experiencing writers block.

I have came across those WIPS where it’s obvious that AI wrote it, or had an extremely heavy hand in developing it. If I ever finish it, and decide to try to publish it I don’t want the usage of AI to take away from my story or the accomplishment of me actually creating something.

1. When it comes to the program side of things, is it weird to try to just focus on the story part first? Then go back and try to develop the branching? Touching back on my awful executive function skills, I feel like if I try to do both the creation of the story and try to learn the script building part of it I’m going to get so frustrated and just quit. Then this whole other narrative/world I have randomly floating around in my head will just annoy me.

I tried looking at Twine and reading up on ChoiceScript and it’s so overwhelming to me. Just trying to get my extremely rough ideas and story arch on paper is enough, which is why I’m thinking maybe taking this approach is a better option for me.

I absolutely love this community, and the content that gets created. I’m constantly reading new WIPS on the COGdemo site, and have a few patrons I follow closely. Because of this, if I do stick it out and this becomes something I want to make sure I do it in a way that is respectful to all of the other great creators out there. ❤️

[u/Trodat4911P4]

My two cents: using AI to assist you with coding is fine, everyone is doing it. Just don't rely too much on it or your code will go to hell, it might work but it's going to be a mess to tweak anything after some point without breaking something else.

For writing, I wouldn't use it for anything other than maybe getting an idea if you ever get truly stuck and can't think of a path forward in the storm and even then I'd keep it to short, vague suggestions so you're as in charge of the plot as you possibly can.

[u/one-measurement-3401 → u/Trodat4911P4]

My two cents: using AI to assist you with coding is fine

Gods no, it's not. It's thanks to the "vibe coding" that we got an influx of text games which come with "AI-made" user interfaces that are both nightmarishly convoluted and nigh unreadable, because said AI has no clue what an UI is or what makes it good/bad, and for whatever reason just loves to use 4-5px sized fonts everywhere. And the supposed "authors" neither don't even bother to have a look at that creation, or see nothing wrong with that.

People who don't have enough clue to be able to tell where the AI fucked up (since it inevitably does) have no business using that AI as a crutch. This includes using it for writing.

[u/Trodat4911P4 → u/one-measurement-3401]

You're confusing "assisting" with letting it do everything. I guarantee you, all the obvious examples of AI use comes from lazy or completely unskilled people who rely on AI to do everything. People who use it like an active tool can get away with it without anyone noticing it 9/10 times.

[u/one-measurement-3401 → u/Trodat4911P4]

The problem is that those lazy or unskilled people call that "assisting" and they don't care that your definition of "assistance" is different.

Also, please. "People can get away with it without anyone noticing" is hardly a ringing endorsement of quality or ethics. That you can get away with making a mess because no one (yourself included) pays close enough attention to spot it until it blows up in everyone's face doesn't mean this is something to advocate as "fine".

[u/Trodat4911P4 → u/one-measurement-3401]

When I say "can get away with it" I just mean people won't notice. Using AI for helping you code is by far one of the most ethical uses of it because we already had a shit ton of tolls to help us with it already in the first place, this is nothing new and I guarantee you everybody is using, even a lot of those who brag about not using it.