StoryHarp Frequently-Asked-Questions List

I get a popup error message when StoryHarp starts up that says something about Microsoft Agent and sounds being disabled. What should I do?
This dialog is warning that you have not installed Microsoft Agent on your computer. StoryHarp requires Agent to play sounds, read text out loud, and recognize your speech. However, you can ignore this message if you want to use StoryHarp without Microsoft Agent. If you don't have Agent installed, some menu items will be disabled. See our Agent page for information about downloading and installing Microsoft Agent. StoryHarp version 1.1 added a dialog with a checkbox you can check if you don't want the warning dialog to appear in the future.

How do I make my stories so that it is clear when the game is over?
One way to do this is to end up with only one command left, and choosing that command produces a reply like "The game is over! Thanks for playing." You can get rid of any other commands by making them require a variable to be true, and then setting the variables to false when the player reaches the end of the story. But remember that stories don't necessarily have to have end points, and there are other more creative ways to do this.

How can I put random numbers in my story?
This version of StoryHarp doesn't support random numbers, but it's not that hard to create the illusion of randomness by adding requirements the player doesn't know about. For example, you could set it up so that the third time the player enters a room something happens. You can also make it that when the game starts the player chooses one of several paths to go down, and they won't know in advance the consequences of their choice.

Can I put pictures in my story?
Yes, version 1.3 of StoryHarp supports adding pictures to your story. But we encourage you to use mostly sound and text, and use pictures sparingly as optional illustrations, so that players can use their imaginations!

Please direct any other questions about StoryHarp to storyharp@kurtz-fernhout.com.