How to Plan?

[Dylan_Bain]

Hey, sorry if this is the wrong place to discuss this, but I don't know where else to put it >_<.

I am really struggling with planning my game. I have some basic ideas but most of those are things like character details and names. Is there any specific way to make a good plot? I have some rough ideas of big parts of the story but I don't know how I could tie these together. At all.

Like I said, any help is appreciated!

Thanks,
Dylan

[trooper6]

Have you made an outline?

[Dylan_Bain]

Have you made an outline?

Roughly. I have divided each important part into chapters- I know when the protagonist will meet each character and so on. I also know how I want it to end. Thats about it.

[wyverngem]

I've always separated from gameplay and actual story or plot in my own games. Have a basic idea of how your mechanics work in the game (such as choices or stat-building) and then go onto your outline.

With an outline you can break them up into their own labels and scenes and then further break them into conditionals. A pretty character is just a pretty character if their isn't motivation to drag her through the mud on her way to a destination. Have an outline, have breaking points to known endings, write their scenes or parts of the outlines, and set yourself goals to complete the writing.

If you find you don't like something in your outline you can modify it. It's better to have the full picture then to spend time and effort into things that just don't work out.

[Juno]

Everyone's method with vary, but here's mine.

Planning out the plot is much like solving a puzzle. I start out with an idea--the first piece of the puzzle--and then add onto it from there. Each more idea is a piece of the puzzle, and at the initial faze, it doesn't matter where you put the pieces as long as you can get them on the table.

After the main idea, I start thinking about the setting and mood. Then I start envisioning what kind of characters live in this world. I spend a ton of time on the characters because most of my stories are highly character-driven. I don't try to know every single detail about my characters at this point because I will learn so much more as they begin interacting with other characters, but I do need to know their initial motivations and fears and a little bit of backstory. Everyone wants something and every character should, too, even if it is just getting some sleep (but everything keeps keeping them awake).

Then I try to think about the endings. This does not have to be perfect and is subject to change, but I like to think about how the story might end. I listen to music and picture the story in my head and will write out the most vibrant scenes I see in flashes. Music helps me a lot. I imagine two or more characters interacting and imagine their voices and body language. I imagine their expressions and what they would think of the other person.

Also--don't worry about the beginning! A lot of people get stuck on that first scene but by the end of the story, that scene is probably going to be so much more different.

Now, once I have the setting, basic characters, and an idea for how I want it to end and I become stuck on the middle part, I'll consult more unusual sources. One of my favorite methods is my partner's tarot cards. I do a spread for each character where each card tells me their past, present, and future as well as a card for love interest, their goal, their outcome of the goal, how they will reach that goal, etc. This helps me with everything when I am really stuck. I use the Rider-Waite deck, personally, but anything works. Although each card has specific symbolism (the five of swords--conflict and disagreement with others; four of wands--celebration, good news), you can interpret it in many ways and I try to figure out what it means in relation to my character (who is he disagreeing with, what is the good news?--they are good ideas for scenes!).

There are many different ways to do this, but this has become my regular routine for writers block. Others use writing prompts. Another thing I like to do is put my pen to paper and just write and write things that pop into my mind unfiltered without stopping to think. Usually I'll do this to music. If I fill one or two whole papers, I'll usually find a few scenes in those writings.

Once I have a good amount of scenes, I'll try to kind of piece them together in a more linear way. Remember, every scene needs to further the plot, even if it is just character development (though, I prefer character development to further the plot, an example would be two characters are talking about their past which develops their relationship, but they went out into the woods for some privacy when someone overhears them telling a secret, or maybe they end up overhearing someone else's secret.)

I love Chekhov's Gun.

Every character should have a motivation in each scene. It doesn't have to be anything big, it could simply be the motivation of not wanting to tell the MC the truth which causing their interactions to be a bit... unusual. The character hiding the truth might fidget or seem stiff, something the MC finds strange but doesn't understand until later when he or she discovers the character had been lying to him the whole time.

I like to write out all my scene ideas as a chart and so I can move them around and add things to them easily.

There really isn't any specific way to make a plot but there are many ways to make one. I hope this helped a little and I wrote this in hurry so I hope it makes sense.

[SundownKid]

You could try Googling "How to structure a story", there are plenty of guides to planning out your story in a way that is interesting. There is also the Hero's Journey you can use as a guide (though that is not the only way to structure a story, of course).

[Dylan_Bain]

Thanks for all of the help! I will definatley try these ideas- i am already picturing the story!

[OokamiKasumi]

If you want to plan out a visual novel, there are a great many posts that cover this. You can find them if you use the search box. (It's at the bottom of Creator Discussion page.)

search: multi path game
Path structures:
-- http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... +path+game

There are even more in the Writing section of the forum.

search: multi path game
Writing Tip: Planning the Multi-path Game ~ ChoiceScript
-- http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... +path+game

[Mad Harlequin]

As far as story outlining is concerned, I've made great use of the Snowflake Method lately.

[DrivenByTheWind]

Eventually, after you try some of the ideas shown here you will find your own way of writing/planning things out if you commit yourself to it.

Organization is probably the most helpful tool of all. Personally, I keep track better with a visual representation. There is software that can map it out for you.

Keep up the hard work!