Start with a choice that changes state
Write a scene with two options that lead to visibly different next moments. Give each option a cost or benefit the player can understand from the current scene. Avoid starting with a long lore introduction; the first choice should arrive while the situation is clear, and the player should know whether the story is tracking an item, trust, time, or another state.
A short playable-story recipe
Example prompt: “Create a short single-player story puzzle about a courier at a locked observatory. In each scene, present two readable choices. Choosing to help a stranger grants a brass key; refusing preserves one time token. Use those state changes to open one of two routes to the observatory roof. Reach either ending to complete the story. A choice that leads to a dead end should explain why, and Restart returns to the opening scene with no items or tokens. Keep each passage brief enough to read before choosing.” This example is a concept to generate and test, not an existing game.
Check that branches carry through
Take each opening option and follow it to an ending. Confirm the key or time token changes later choices and that the game never describes an item the player did not receive. Ask a tester what they expect each choice to do before selecting it; revise the text if the consequence is invisible or misleading.
Restart and take the opposite path. If both routes feel identical, make a later scene respond to the tracked state rather than adding more dialogue. Keep the first prototype short so you can test every branch in one sitting and spot contradictions before expanding the story.
Questions about game prototyping for writers
Do I need to write every branch before prompting?
Outline the first choice, the state it changes, and at least one later consequence. A small map is enough for a prototype; writing many passages first can hide a weak decision.
How many story branches should an early version have?
Begin with two meaningful options and one later consequence for each. Test both routes before adding branches so you can spot state contradictions while the story is still short.