The Smart Book — A Gameplay Format for Storytelling Inside Forgeon
The Smart Book is a format in which the story is created during the reading process, yet it remains a complete book within the Forgeon editor.
From the outside, everything looks familiar: scenes, pages, a “Continue” button, and sometimes choices.
But inside, the story isn’t pre-written — it is shaped in real time and adapts to the user.
How the Smart Book Begins
Before starting, the foundation of the story is defined. This doesn't take long, but if you wish, you can describe your book in detail — and the AI will take this into account during generation.
First, you choose the genre of the story. You can set one main genre or combine multiple genres — such as fantasy with adventure or mystery with thriller. This determines the atmosphere, writing style, and types of events.
Next, the character’s gender is specified, and the name is automatically taken from the profile and inserted into the text.
Additionally, you can answer a few free-form questions. For example:
What mood do you want from the story;
What pace of events you prefer;
Are there topics you wish to avoid.
These answers are optional but help to make the story more personalized.
As a result, the book’s foundation is formed — a set of criteria that influence every subsequent plot development.
How the Story Itself Works
After starting, you begin reading, but unlike a traditional book, each next step is created dynamically.
The process goes as follows:
You press “Continue” or select an action;
The AI generates a new scene;
The state (plot, items, traits) is updated;
The story moves forward.
At the same time, the book does not turn into an endless array of buttons. In most cases, it is a cohesive narrative, and choices appear only at key moments where they truly affect the development.
Why the Story Remains Coherent
To avoid chaos and contradictions, a memory system is used.
This system saves:
A brief summary of the plot;
Main events;
The current state of the character;
The latest scenes.
Thanks to this, the AI doesn’t “forget” important details and can develop the story consistently even over a long stretch.
Gameplay Elements Within the Book
The Smart Book adds a carefully designed gameplay layer within the narrative framework.
Throughout the story, you may encounter:
Traits (such as strength, intelligence, charisma);
Items (keys, resources, artifacts);
Consequences of actions.
A simple example: you find a key, then an opportunity comes to open a door. If you don’t have the key — the option is hidden or unavailable.
These mechanics add depth but do not break the feeling of a book.
The Key Difference: AI Acts as an Author
The most important part is exactly how the story is created.
The AI does not just generate text.
It works as a full-fledged author inside the Forgeon editor.
During reading:
Real pages are created;
Links between them are formed;
Choices are added;
RPG logic is applied.
All of this is saved.
Meaning that the story doesn’t vanish after the session — it remains a real book.
You Can Continue as an Author
At any moment, you can open this story in the editor.
You get:
Ready scenes;
Transition structure;
All choices;
Gameplay mechanics.
Then, you can refine it like a regular book — change the plot, add new branches, expand the world.
In this case, the AI becomes a tool that creates the project’s foundation.
Which Forgeon Features Does the AI Use
The Smart Book is built entirely on the capabilities of the Forgeon editor.
Page Creation
Each scene is a separate page, created and linked to others.
If an option appears:
A separate page is created for each choice;
The outcome is pre-determined;
Transitions are set immediately.
Choices and Transition Logic
The standard system is used:
Choice buttons;
Transitions between pages;
Plot branching.
At the same time, the AI avoids unnecessary choices and creates them only when justified.
RPG Mechanics
The AI works with a real system of traits and items.
It can:
Add items;
Change traits;
Take them into account in subsequent scenes.
It is important that this is not just text — but genuine changes in the book’s system.
Conditions
The AI can assign conditions to choices:
Possession of an item;
Trait level.
If conditions are not met:
The choice becomes unavailable or hidden.
Assets and Visual Style
It’s important to note that the Smart Book uses Forgeon assets.
Depending on the genre, a suitable set is connected automatically:
Trait icons;
Item icons;
Interface visual style;
Design elements.
For example:
In fantasy, magical artifacts and elements are used;
In mystery, clues and a more “realistic” style.
Illustrations
Images may appear in key moments.
They are used:
When changing scenes;
In important events;
To enhance the atmosphere.
At the same time, images are not generated constantly but reused within the same scene or location.
Conclusion
The Smart Book is a format where the story is created as you read and turns into a gameplay experience.
At the same time:
The structure of a complete book is saved;
All Forgeon editor functions are used;
The AI works as an author, not just as a text generator.
As a result, you get not only a story but a ready foundation for a book that can be developed later.