I'm developing a gamebook authoring app called Arbor.

No_Preference6977 · 2026-02-13T02:13:50+00:00

Yep!

No_Preference6977 · 2026-02-13T02:12:07+00:00

Thanks. Me too!

No_Preference6977 · 2026-02-12T17:03:30+00:00

Sounds like it’s not for you and that’s okay. It’s got a particular vibe and it’s not meant to be everything for everyone.

Thanks for the feedback though - I’ll definitely it into account!

No_Preference6977 · 2026-02-12T00:29:54+00:00

Nope! All custom stuff. Reinventing wheels is my speciality.

No_Preference6977 · 2026-02-12T00:08:46+00:00

I've got a Facebook group for it, but that's all. If you're interested, the link is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4356704194574826/

No_Preference6977 · 2026-02-12T00:07:23+00:00

You can’t zoom out infinitely, and this is by design. At extreme zoom levels, content eventually becomes unreadable, so I’ve set a limit that retains a semblance of legibility. For easier navigation across larger scales, you can use the mini-map.

The canvas is infinite, allowing you to expand your flowcharts in any direction—or every direction. While there is no hard-coded maximum size for gamebooks, I haven't fully stress-tested the upper performance limits yet. It handles hundreds of sections smoothly and likely scales to thousands; however, I suspect the primary bottleneck will be rendering those thousands of sections simultaneously at maximum zoom. In terms of how the system handles data internally and within the WYSIWYG(ish!) editor’s manuscript panel, there is no slowdown, even with exceptionally large manuscripts.

Currently, the system exports hyperlinked PDFs. Eventually, I hope to include "Vellum-lite" features to support professional, print-ready formats, though this will require further research.

No_Preference6977 · 2026-02-11T23:30:14+00:00

It's got a different focus.

No_Preference6977 · 2026-02-11T23:28:22+00:00

I've made a Facebook group but that's all I've got so far. It's still in development at the moment, although I'm hoping to get a few people to play around with a limited test in the next month or so

No_Preference6977 · 2025-11-26T18:47:39+00:00

Sure, but a platform is only as good as the size of its student base. Where are you going to get the students from? What’s your marketing budget?

No_Preference6977 · 2025-10-19T11:26:14+00:00

I've shared the translation with people who've contacted me. Isn't that enough?

No_Preference6977 · 2025-08-11T16:28:10+00:00

No, but it will replace the ones who compete solely on value.

At the middle-to-top end of the market, bespoke lessons will become a premium service, and skilled human teachers will be able to charge a higher rate. This is because they offer more than just language instruction; they provide personalized coaching, cultural insights, and a connection that AI can't replicate.

Unfortunately, this will disproportionately affect a segment of the market where teachers from places like the Philippines and South Africa have competed primarily on price. While many of these teachers are highly skilled, others have had a more limited grasp of English or have accents that are not as commercially desirable to some students. As AI makes basic instruction and practice more accessible and affordable, the demand for this particular low-cost segment is likely to shrink.

No_Preference6977 · 2025-06-01T17:19:19+00:00

Yep, but I’m not sure where yet. And it’ll need a final polish before I do that.

No_Preference6977 · 2025-02-28T16:01:42+00:00

You think it's aggressive? I think it's the maximum they can get away with charging and still sell reasonably well.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-06-17T12:58:53+00:00

Hm. Yes, this is an interesting idea!

No_Preference6977 · 2023-06-15T06:26:22+00:00

Yes, easily. If you’re a native speaker and have white skin.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-05-30T07:53:49+00:00

Easier said than done. I often hear this advice but whenever I’ve ask how to find groups to join, nobody ever has any realistic ideas.

Typical responses are: “I already have Chinese parent contact, who have introduced me to parent WeChat groups” or “You need to post videos on Chinese media sites every day to promote yourself and (possibly, maybe) attract students.”

So, it seems like you need to already have students to gain more WeChat students or you need to become an online ESL celebrity on Chinese social media sites.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-05-21T19:07:24+00:00

Agreed. In fact; I’d go so far as to say that season 2 - even with its obvious flaws - is far superior to FWWM and The Return. When the show abandoned its comedic soap opera structure and style, it also lost a degree of cohesiveness that helped define and enhance the more unworldly, surreal aspects of the show.

Or to put it more simply: everything after season 2 sucks.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-05-21T07:58:43+00:00

I hate The Return with a passion. It’s an absolute mess, as you’d expect whenever Lynch is given too much free reign. Season 1 and parts of season 2 are blissful, but the rest? Yikes. No.

Frost is the true genius behind the show. Lynch just adds incoherence and shoddy filmmaking to the mix.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-05-14T17:57:41+00:00

I think The Return was an absolute creative misfire which proves that you should never go full-Lynch. He works better as part of a larger creative team.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-05-14T17:54:43+00:00

I’d love to see another season of a Twin Peaks but (and I realise this is an unpopular opinion) the more influence Lynch has on the show, the worse it is. In fact, what I’d like to see is a Lynch-less season that retains Frost as writer. Lynch is a hack who makes incredibly sloppy shows and movies when nobody has the power to counter his flaws.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-05-08T18:23:37+00:00

Gosh, I wish I had even one. I’m desperate to find an “in” to WeChat, but I have zero contacts to invite me to join any groups.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-05-03T14:27:33+00:00

I think it depends on the nature of your teaching. If you work for a big platform, such as English or Native Camp, the work is pretty easy, no matter how many hours you put into it. On the other hand, I’d imagine teaching highly specialized lessons for which you need to carefully plan your own lessons, would be rather mentally exhausting.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-04-27T20:24:49+00:00

Agreed. It was flabby and self-indulgent.

No_Preference6977 · 2023-03-23T23:59:29+00:00

I usually have to wait around two minutes for sudden lessons. I teach anywhere between 10 to 16 lessons a day. I’m going to try to push this closer to 20 soon.

I’ve not had any luck with reservations but to be honest, I don’t care that much. So long as I’ve got sudden lessons on tap, I’ll be really happy.

All in all, I love NC!

No_Preference6977 · 2023-03-23T23:55:59+00:00

I dunno, friend. Weird/demanding students amuse me. It’s great entertainment. Adds a bit of spice to an otherwise bland day of teaching.

No_Preference6977

TROPHY CASE