Hacking Twine as a System: Implications of Extending State-Based Tracking Elements and Application Packaging for HTML-Based IDNs

This chapter delves into the potential of Twine, an interactive narrative authoring tool, as a system for creating HTML-based Interactive Digital Narratives (IDNs). It highlights the widespread use of Twine in education and its limitations, such as its focus on hyperlinked text and the complexity of integrating multimedia elements. The authors present a technical solution to address these limitations, focusing on extending Twine's state-based tracking elements and application packaging. The chapter discusses the creation of a large-scale Twine-based adventure, 'The Witch's Way,' and the challenges faced in terms of game size and accessibility. The authors propose a scope escalation hack to access Twine's internal state, enabling features like auto-save and the ability to create full-fledged applications for distribution. The implications for archiving and digital preservation are also explored, emphasizing the importance of preserving digital artifacts and the role of community engagement. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the educational value of these techniques and their potential for future IDN coursework. The source code repository for the game and custom JavaScript files is made available for further exploration and extension.