When a user makes a choice, the XML can dictate changes to the game state.
<Choice target="node_004">
<Text
You didn’t die.
You just… opened your eyes inside a white terminal.
A single line of text blinked at you:
<life_selector version="1.0" encoding="consciousness">
Below it, a cursor waited.
You typed: <help />
The terminal expanded:
<available_lives>
<life id="0" status="current">Your original life. Paused.</life>
<life id="1" status="unlocked">The artist who moved to Paris, 1978.</life>
<life id="2" status="unlocked">The astronaut who never returned from Europa.</life>
<life id="3" status="locked">??? — requires sacrifice of a core memory.</life>
<life id="4" status="corrupted">Do not load. Error: heartbreak_loop.</life>
</available_lives>
Your fingers trembled. You typed:
<select id="2" />
Depending on your chosen tool or language, you'll parse the XML to access its data.
Title: Analysis of XML Decision Logic in Life Selector – Integrity & Moddability
Date: [Insert date]
Analyzed version: Life Selector v0.6.4 (or whatever version)
File example: scenes/hotel_room.xml, variables/global_stats.xml life selector xml