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Eshan Das
Eshan Das

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I Built a Visual Novel Engine in TypeScript — Here’s Why (and How You Can Join Me)

Ever wanted to create a visual novel like Doki Doki Literature Club, Steins;Gate, or Ace Attorney—but with web technologies?

Well, I just released an open-source visual novel engine powered by TypeScript, and I’m building it for developers like you who want to bring stories to life using modern, composable code.

GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Eshan276/easyvn
NPM: npx create-vn my-story
Join me: Looking for contributors & maintainers!

Why Build a Visual Novel Engine?
As a dev and a fan of interactive storytelling, I always wanted to create visual novels that:

  • Run smoothly in the browser
  • Use TypeScript for strong typing and modern dev flow
  • Allow simple scripting, branching paths, and rich dialogues
  • Are modular, open-source, and easy to extend

So instead of waiting for the perfect engine, I built one.
What Makes This Engine Different?
Unlike Ren’Py (Python-based) or RPG Maker (closed source), this engine is:

  • Web-native: Built in TypeScript, runs in the browser with zero install
  • Developer-friendly: Uses JSON or declarative scripting
  • Composable: Custom themes, and event logic supported
  • Lightweight: Tiny bundle, quick to learn
  • Open source: Contributions welcome!

Website- easyvn

Why I Need You
This engine is just getting started. I’ve laid the minimal groundwork, but I’d love your help to:

  • Build more scripting features (conditions, labels, sounds)
  • Create visual themes and UI templates
  • Optimize performance
  • Write tutorials, docs, or create demo games
  • Port to Electron / mobile / PWA

Want to Contribute?
I’ve made it super easy:

I’m also happy to mentor first-time OSS contributors!

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