Now is probably a good time to discuss the differences between parser and hypertext interfaces in IF games as they result in quite different gameplay experiences, challenges, and design decisions. It is advisable to decide on an interface for your game as you develop your flowchart. Will your game ask the player to input a specific string of text like a password? If so, then providing a parser is probably the better option. Otherwise, a hypertext interface is ideal for its simplicity—however this decision is left to you, the author.

Below are descriptions of each interface along with the pros and cons of their implementations:

• Parsers: A parser interface requires that the player type in their command to interact in the digital world. This category represents the earliest examples digital text adventure games and provided a level of problem-solving that is often absent from more modern choice-based IF games. Text adventure games with parsers may require some programming ability as many IF authoring systems are exclusively hypertext-based. A general-purpose programming language like Python or a language developed specifically for IF development, such as Inform 7, might be the best options for those who choose this added level of complexity for their game.
• Hypertext: IF titles that make use of hypertext provide visible buttons that the player clicks on to make decisions (e.g.: North, South, East, West). This is probably the better option for the purpose of developing an IF game prototype for its ease of use, universal appeal, and ability to be transformed into a parser-based system in a future release.
• Classic CYOA text: There is technically a third option for writers who elect to author a work of IF in the classical tradition of CYOA novels. The way the reader interacts within the world is by selecting decisions and flipping to their respective pages, resulting in different outcomes and branching narratives. This option may severely limit the player in terms of maneuverability and decision-making. This is a viable option for authors who desire a more traditional gamebook experience.