Variables

A variable has a name, a type and a scope, which sets where it lives:

Scope	Where it’s defined	Lifetime
Global	The Variables tab of the Narramancer window	One value for the whole game
Scene	A Narramancer Scene component	While that scene is loaded
Verb	A verb’s own inputs and outputs	While that verb runs

Every variable is saved with the game. A variable has to be defined before the game runs, with a type and a unique name.

Creating global variables

Open the Narramancer window, switch to the Variables tab, and add variables to the list.

The third column is the starting value, for the types that support one. The variable takes this value when the game starts.

Reading and writing

Read a variable with a Get Variable node and write one with a Set Variable node. Set the node’s scope to match the variable.

Set Variable only works inside an ActionVerb, and only changes the value when it runs.

Scene objects as values

Global variables can have a starting value in the Narramancer window, but that window can’t point at objects in a scene. To give a verb a scene object, use one of these three:

1. A Set Global Variables component, which assigns global variables when the scene starts.
2. A Narramancer Scene component, with the object assigned to one of its scene variables.
3. A Run Action Verb component, with the object assigned to one of the verb’s inputs.

All three are under GameObject → Narramancer. After changing a verb’s inputs or the global variables, press Update Assignments on a Run Action Verb or Set Global Variables component to sync it. Values assigned to a renamed input or variable are kept, as long as its type is unchanged.

Blackboards

Under the hood, each running verb and each noun instance also has a blackboard: a set of values stored by string key. The Get Blackboard Variable and Set Blackboard Variable nodes read and write them directly. Most games never need to. Variables and flags cover the same ground without string keys.