How to build complex stories

[LostInWeb]

Since the storylines (and reactive events) are the most important addition in this game for me, I thought it would be interesting, to collect some ideas, how we could build some complex storylines in the game. I for myself have a lot of fun with being creative with this stuff and like to explore the boundaries of the possibilities. Like, in this game, the one thing that's kind of missing is the possibility to go to trigger a fight with a storyline, so there could be showdowns, like they are in the comics. But therefore, I just write the fights down in the story, which is a lot of fun for me too.

 

For starters, I'm trying to build a story right now, which can go into different ways at a specific point. I started with a new storyline of course that will be triggered through the Issue Content.  In this story called "Part 1" a new faction of two characters is build. One is a hero and one is a villain, becuase they have a common enemy for the moment and decide to work together.

Then, I have build two seperate storylines as "Part 2 A" and "Part 2 B". In both parts, the common enemy is defeated, but in part A something from the hero is destroyed and in part B something from the villain is destroyed. In the part, where the hero defeats the enemy, he is an updated version with a power that he "needs" to defeat that enemy. So if that part is triggered, from there on the hero would be an updated version, if the other one is triggered, he will stay as he is.

Part 3 is separated in A and B either and in one the hero breaks up the faction with the villain and in the other vice versa.

The idea is of course, to follow this up with a storyline, in which the hero and the villain "feud" with each other.

But from here on I guess it could get complex, because with every new storyline, that can trigger after this one and includes the hero, i would have to make two versions. One with the normal hero and one with the updated version.

Maybe, someone has a better idea, how this could be done or other ideas for complex stuff, that can be done with storylines.

[The Quartz Burro]

So essentially you have

Branch 1: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Updated Hero) -> Feud
Branch 2: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud
Branch 3: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Hero) -> Feud
Branch 4: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud
as your branching paths.

Let's say you had two different paths you wanted the feud to take.

Then you have 
Branch 1: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Updated Hero) -> Feud Outcome A
Branch 2: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud -> Feud Outcome A
Branch 3: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Hero) -> Feud -> Feud Outcome A
Branch 4: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud - > Feud Outcome A
Branch 5: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Updated Hero) -> Feud Outcome B
Branch 6: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud -> Feud Outcome B
Branch 7: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Hero) -> Feud -> Feud Outcome B
Branch 8: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud - > Feud Outcome B

With each split, you're multiplying your branches by the number of new options. Here, it's x2, but if you wanted to have say, 3 options, the branch would triple (x3)

[LostInWeb]

7 hours ago, The Quartz Burro said:

So essentially you have

Branch 1: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Updated Hero) -> Feud
Branch 2: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud
Branch 3: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Hero) -> Feud
Branch 4: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud
as your branching paths.

Let's say you had two different paths you wanted the feud to take.

Then you have 
Branch 1: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Updated Hero) -> Feud Outcome A
Branch 2: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud -> Feud Outcome A
Branch 3: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Hero) -> Feud -> Feud Outcome A
Branch 4: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud - > Feud Outcome A
Branch 5: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Updated Hero) -> Feud Outcome B
Branch 6: Hero Loss -> Updated Hero -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud -> Feud Outcome B
Branch 7: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Hero) -> Feud -> Feud Outcome B
Branch 8: Villain Loss -> No Hero Change -> Faction Split (Cause Villain) -> Feud - > Feud Outcome B

With each split, you're multiplying your branches by the number of new options. Here, it's x2, but if you wanted to have say, 3 options, the branch would triple (x3)

That's how it works for now. As you mentioned, the problem I see with this, is that it could get very complex, if you update more heroes over time this way, because then you would have to build alot of branches, when more updated heroes are in the same story. You would have to build one branch for everyone updated, just one updated, just two updated, just three updated and so on includig all constellations of heroes, who could be updated or not.

Seems liek a big struggle in the long run, but for now, I don't have a better idea.