Plot Structure

[Fluxx]

I'm juggling between 3-5 Heroines for my VN idea. But I'm not sure how to go about the plotline. I'm not sure if I should have a common route or if I should have a different story for each route. I want each route to share a connection or the same isotope, if you will.

It's like I want it to be possible for all the routes to happen at the same time. Basically if someone were to combine all the routes they would remain consistent and not jarring.

How would you guys go about this? I'm not sure I want to write 5 stories.

[Shinoki]

Well, you could choose to just write it as a kinetic novel generally, but I don't think that's what you want.

The types of structure that I could see working along those lines are:

1.
As you trigger the route of the heroine, you go along to solve her problems and have some love time. The characters who aren't close to the said heroine become more minor. The general overarching plotline is still there, but pushed aside mainly for the heroine's story. Hints are dropped here and there per route. Often a final 'true' route has the big overarching plot, and you might go "wow" when piecing together the hints that went along in the other routes.

2.
Similar to the one I just mentioned, you trigger the heroine's route and go along as her comrade or partner. Instead of having her own seemingly separate problem, the heroine's route ties into the main problem.
Say in a war story, you trigger the country's general's route. Instead of going off and solving another problem, you become a soldier and get closer to her through various interactions. Or if you trigger some "traitor" commander's route (random profile: the commander did not actually betray the country but was framed for a crime she didn't do and is in fact very loyal to the country), you help her in the war and become closer to various interactions. Each route just shows a new side of the same story, but it wouldn't quite work if you tried to combine all the routes as with each heroine, you would make a new branching universe where you did one thing or another.

(Well, there's definitely more ways to play it out, but those are the two I'm most familiar with. Hope this helps.)

[Fluxx]

Thanks, you helped quite a bit. I think I might merge the those two ideas together honestly. The stories don't have to make sense if they're combined together. After all they are separate routes. I guess what I meant was I don't want the central plot-line to deviate too much. I might have a true route or true ending after everything is finished. I'll have to see what's best.

[Vogue]

You could always take the route that a lot of epic fantasy novels do and shift the point of view around. One day you follow around character A, another day you follow around character B etc. You don't necessarily have to write what all of your characters are doing every single day since you can simply imply what everyone's doing if you put the details in your writing. A Song of Ice and Fire is a great example of fiction that does this well. It just depends if you want there to be a true protagonist or if you're comfortable with giving equal time to all 3-5 of your characters.

[Fluxx]

You could always take the route that a lot of epic fantasy novels do and shift the point of view around. One day you follow around character A, another day you follow around character B etc. You don't necessarily have to write what all of your characters are doing every single day since you can simply imply what everyone's doing if you put the details in your writing. A Song of Ice and Fire is a great example of fiction that does this well. It just depends if you want there to be a true protagonist or if you're comfortable with giving equal time to all 3-5 of your characters.

Do you mean have MC follow each heroine around? There is a true protagonist, but all the heroines appear in her route.

[Vogue]

You could always take the route that a lot of epic fantasy novels do and shift the point of view around. One day you follow around character A, another day you follow around character B etc. You don't necessarily have to write what all of your characters are doing every single day since you can simply imply what everyone's doing if you put the details in your writing. A Song of Ice and Fire is a great example of fiction that does this well. It just depends if you want there to be a true protagonist or if you're comfortable with giving equal time to all 3-5 of your characters.

Do you mean have MC follow each heroine around? There is a true protagonist, but all the heroines appear in her route.

I didn't know you had an main protag, I thought you meant that you had 3-5 main characters.

I'd say that that option works well, but you should keep in mind that you players might want to see more of one specific character than the others once they've been introduced to them all. You could do something like a single main storyline with 3-4 scenarios that play out with a certain character depending on an earlier choice. Kinda like in Persona 4 where you have the beach trip/valentines day with just one of the characters? So that players can tailor their experience to unfold how they like. It really depends on how much agency you want to offer (and how much writing you're willing to put in for each player choice vs. stuff that all players will see regardless of path choice).