Game Path Outline - How do you plan them?

[chokkidre]

Hey guys.

So I was wondering how you go about charting a game path outline. I somewhat have an idea as to what the several endings will look like, but I'm iffy as to what the exact paths will be in order to obtain a specific ending. I don't want the endings to overlap each other... so how do you guys organize the paths? Do you make up the paths as you write the story? Or do you write a complete outline with the plot, path, and endings before you write the story?

[JQuartz]

For me, I...
1. Merge everything into one path, the true path. Anything left over will be put aside.
2. See if there any interesting "what if" situations. Branch out from these situations
3. See if the paths/events/endings I've put aside could be merged with these new paths.
4. Check if any of the paths will return to the main path.
5. Lose interest in game making so just chuck the whole thing aside and let dust settle over it until it's forgotten.
6. The end.

[bloodywyvern]

Heh, here's what I've done up until now (worked fine enough so far).

1.) Create the world, events, characters, etc. (basically have all the ideas).
2.) Plan out all the routes based on thin, non-important events.
3.) Follow the plan up until 25%, say F*** it and go in a completely other direction from your plan.
4.) Story ends up better then the way too organized plan, you cheer.
5.) Release game.
6.) ???
7.) Profit!

Really I can't see the use in plans, but that's more or less because I'm the type of person who gets the best ideas while writing. I'd say about 90% of all my story is on the spot ideas/plans. I'll figure out what I want to write while doing the scene right before it. So really all that matters to me, is having a plan for the very beginning. It depends on what kind of writer you are, if you have a lot of ideas really fast then it might suit you to let the story write itself out. However, many writers don't have that kind of quick imaginative responses, which is fine. That just means it requires more detailed plans, to prevent "down-time" where you struggle for what to write next.

As a variant to JQuartz's...interesting style XD, this is what I plan to do in the future.

1.) Run with the basic premise of the story to create the original route, where everything started (there's usually a point for this).
2.) Pick points where a branch would work, strong enough to change the sequence of events, but weak enough to not warp everything.
3.) Decide which characters would not make it over, for this or that reasons. Decide if any other characters not in the original make it in.
4.) Cross check plot points that would change based on the subtle actions (i.e. since you didn't save this person, that person betrays you for having a cold personality).
5.) Write out second route based off the shifting plot points and new characters.
6.) Rinse and repeat till your happy, or your out of plot holes.

If anything you could make the routes follow a completely different story, if you separate them well enough to prevent overlapping. That removes the need to be concerned with consistency somewhat.

[Blue123]

I, erm, don't plan. Well, not precisely. I come up with ideas, build on them and put them in where they might work.

[papillon]

There's a lot of planning, but it's not always very organised.

For a short game, I just run with the plot from the beginning and see where it ends up? Or I may have a start and end point in mind, work to connect them, and then write any interesting variations that occurred along the way?

For a full-length game... Work out the various themes of the story. I don't want choices to be simply 'the blonde is cuter than the brunette', I want stories with motive and meaning. So, what themes am I trying to express? How do I differentiate the capturable characters from each other? What do they represent, and what does choosing to follow them say about the main character? What is the best resolution to that theme, and therefore the primary ending for that character?

Then start trying to write from the start to one of those endings and see what happens along the way?

[Nafai]

I usually do the main branch and mark off potential branch points, and then I flesh things out with Wikipad

[rioka]

I plan out the basic (main) plot points of the story and from there, I work out the structure. Structure done, I work on fleshing out the details of the story and from there, start coding everything. 'Course, I may sort of just skimp on some of the story details here and there and just go straight to coding and basically, "go with the flow"... n_n;

There's three ways to can plot the endings:
1. via point-based - with each conversation, if you choose the correct one, you get a +1 score for that character. At the end, whoever had x points will be this character ending or maybe a range of points, you can get the harem ending.
2. path based - based on the choice you make, your action will lead to a certain ending. think choose your adventure books
3. mixed point and path based - a mix of the two above or
you could even make it completely different!

Work with which one best suits your story.