Twine is free and can be downloaded here: https://twinery.org/
First I showcase that you can make an entire game just with Square Brackets [[Like This]] for links.
However, they don't work with the IF command, so you need to use LINK.
LINK is also smart because you can name the click-able text something different, like go back or go forth, instead of something generic like [[Downstairs]] or whatever, so using link is recommended. I did make most of my first game ONLY with square brackets. It's totally doable, but LINK is much more versatile!
You can choose to have everything happen in one box even with different options, or you can turn the player to different boxes, it depends on what you think is easier to wrap your head around!
BE AWARE, one single deleted Square Bracket and everything messes up and gives error codes!
Expanding text is made by using LINK and then "Reveal attached hook"
Then notice how I name the different boxes. I make them short and easy to remember and easy to write in so that hubs are easy to make a path to.
I did not use that when I made my first games, and even in C(L)UB CENTRAL I had a recurring passage linked back to name "Tell the cub to show you around"
I had to type that in, and it is Case Sensitive!!, every damn time I linked back to that hub ><
Up at the top of the twine editor is "Test Game", click a box and test from there. Fiddle around with the program, it has many functions, and the twinery website has a lot of guides and stuff to help you out. You could also search on Youtube, there are plenty of much better guides around!
Yeah, so this is how I make my games in its most simple form.
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
| \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t | \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWintersInk\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t | \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
| \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t | \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvictim\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t | \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
| \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t | \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBirdpup\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t | \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
I could also pool from CubCon where my mysterious guest programmer has added code stuff, but I merely understand to copy it and not where to find it. Once again, fiddle around, check for the functions you wish to add, test the game and see if it works, try and error your way through it like I have XD
If you download something like CubCon from my substar (it's a bit down the page right now but is public: https://subscribestar.adult/bullubullu) then you can copy the html and put it into Documents/Twine/Stories and it should appear in the twine editor and you can take a look around at the coding and see how it's done ^^
Also feel free to leave a comment if you have a specific question. I will answer these only HERE so that everyone can enjoy the advice (if I can give it hehe)