IF Pros / Cons

ADVISORY NOTE: CONSIDER EVERYTHING ON RPG RESEARCH AS A "REQUEST FOR COMMENTS" (RFC). AS WITH EVERYTHING AT RPG RESEARCH, ALL INFORMATION IS PROPOSED BASED ON THE LATEST RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE-IN-PRACTICE INFORMATION. WE WELCOME DIFFERING VIEWPOINTS, PERSPECTIVES FROM MANY DISCIPLINES, ALTERNATE THEORIES, AND ESPECIALLY _CONSTRUCTIVE_ CRITICISM AND FEEDBACK. AS WITH EVERYTHING AT RPG RESEARCH IT IS AN ITERATIVE BEST EFFORT APPROACH THAT GROWS THROUGH THE INVOLVEMENT OF MORE AND DIVERSE CONTRIBUTORS.

Interactive Fiction / Branching Narrative Printed Book PROS:

Not dependent on finding others in order to participate, do not need any other players
Generally low barrier to entry for full participation as far complexity.
Accessible to a wide population.
Flexible time commitment. (don’t have to juggle other people’s schedules too). Easy to stop and start as needed.
Well structured.
Reusable. (especially if included at a facility for use by many different people coming and going over time)
Inexpensive.
Easy facilitator learning curve for adaptation (easy to read aloud and use for accessibility adaptation).
Easily portable.
Does not require any electricity, batteries, etc. (paper-printed versions, obviously different for ebook versions, and audio book versions)
Does not require network/Internet connection (paper-printed versions, likely different for ebook versions, and possibly audio book versions)
Does not require a screen (paper-printed versions, obviously different for ebook versions, and possibly audio book versions)
Some versions may help with social growth, though does not help as much as TRPGs for hands-on social growth though some can still have helpful learning lessons that could be applied in life.
Significantly helps improve reading capabilities(reading skills, comprehension, vocabulary, etc.), and may inspire other reading.
May trigger various creative benefits (though perhaps less than the RPG formats) inspiring wanting to write, draw, sculpt, etc.
May help slightly with empathy building (very book specific), though generally much less than most of the RPG formats.
Can be used as early first step in brain-injury recovery program when ready by facilitator. See example program here: https://www.rpgresearch.com/slides/slide/rpg-research-traumatic-brain-injury-treatment-using-role-playing-gaming-69
Other benefits related to standard reading/literature/stories.

Interactive Fiction / Branching Narrative Printed Book CONS:

Not social (unless modified/adapted to be read aloud by others). Lacking cooperation with others.
Rigidly structured, doesn't allow flexibility outside of the if/then design, so not as creative in problem solving as TRPG.
Being able to see is a requirement otherwise needs adaptation (read-aloud or audio-book variant).
Requires matching language ability which may be difficult to find a translated version, or below a certain level of development/function.
Requires sufficient reading comprehension, or else someone/something to read aloud for them and change pages, etc. (adaptation)
Compared to LRPG: very sedentary.
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