Choice nodes
Give each choice a clear difference in intent, risk or information. Three buttons that lead to the same response should not be framed as three major outcomes.
Interactive Story Maker
Build an interactive-story plan that remembers decisions. Map choice nodes, state variables and conditional passages so different routes remain coherent when they reconnect.
This page is a planning guide. Elseland Game Maker is not publicly available yet. You can browse games on the website or play in the mobile app.
Choices, state and consequences
Make these decisions before choosing a tool or expanding the project.
State variables
Store only facts that change later content, such as whether a promise was made or a clue was found. Name each variable and document when it can change.
Branch convergence
Routes can rejoin to control writing scope, but the shared scene should acknowledge important earlier differences. Convergence should not silently erase a decision.
Route coverage
List reachable paths and endings. Include unusual orders, repeated interactions and missing clues in the test plan; the obvious first route is only one case.
From requirements to a testable result
Use the sequence below to keep the first version small enough to inspect.
- 01
Draw a small choice graph
Start with an opening, two decisions and two outcomes. Label each connection with its condition before writing the final prose.
- 02
Define state changes
Record the starting values and the changes caused by each decision. Work through the graph using a simple table to catch impossible or contradictory states.
- 03
Test reconnection points
Reach the same scene by every planned route. Confirm that dialogue and available choices reflect the information gathered along each path.
A sample brief you can adapt
An original planning example, not a claim that Elseland has generated this result.
The locked observatory
Track two flags: has_key and trusted_astronomer. The player may obtain the key from a caretaker or earn entry through a conversation. Both routes reach the observatory, but only the trusted route reveals why the telescope is covered. Write the shared room once and vary its opening paragraph and final choice according to the flags.
Review the result before expanding it
A concrete check is more useful than another variation of the same prompt.
Reachability
Every displayed option should lead to a valid passage. Check that no required condition can become impossible before the ending.
Memory
Make an early promise, break it later, then inspect the reaction. The story should remember that specific event.
Scope
Count distinct passages, not just endings. A graph with repeated reconnection points can support meaningful variation without multiplying every later scene.
Interactive Story Maker questions
Answers about scope, handoff and the limits of this workflow.
Do I need a separate passage for every combination of choices?
Often not. Shared passages can include conditional text and options. Keep a separate passage when the setting, action or dramatic purpose truly changes.
What belongs in a variable?
Store facts used by later conditions. Avoid tracking every line of dialogue if nothing depends on it; unnecessary state makes route testing harder.
How do I prevent choices from feeling meaningless?
Signal whether a choice changes events, reveals information or expresses character. Follow through on that promise, even if the routes later reconnect.
Can I use this maker on Elseland now?
Elseland Game Maker is not publicly available yet. This page helps you prepare a brief and evaluate a workflow. The current website offers games to browse and play; the mobile app is a separate destination.
Are the examples finished games or downloadable assets?
No. They are written examples and acceptance checks. Producing a working game or asset requires a suitable tool, implementation and testing.
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