Hi all, I'm developing my first visual novel using this pretty nascent platform that is still in development that is basically allowing non technically inclined people (aka me) create visual these interactive stories. If you aren't familiar with the format, it's effectively a choose your own adventure style story game. My question here is, what do you all think people engage more strongly with, a linear story or a branching story?

I am asking because the monetization model currently rewards continued engagement and after canvasing a number of my peers in both gaming and outside of, I got a pretty balance mix of answers for either or. I'm now very torn between writing a linear story with interactive elements that has the possibility to continue without a necessary planned ending, or a branching narrative experience that more likely does have a planned ending (I can't imagine having to write for each branch if it didn't have an ending, that seems like it would be a lot to do). Basically I'm trying to decide between writing a linear story that continues and has more chapters, or a branching story that would (hopefully) inspire someone to re-play repeatedly.

Anyhow, I'd love to get thoughts/feedback especially from anyone who has experience with these kinds of story based games! For reference, I'm using the StoryLoom platform that one of my writer friends suggested to me (full disclosure, my friend was contacted directly by them and is compensated for their work, I'm not… YET. fingers crossed). It's still super new and there aren't that many people on it, but it is way more fun than I was expecting to make games with.

AllisterLaz said:
it's effectively a choose your own adventure style story game. My question here is, what do you all think people engage more strongly with, a linear story or a branching story?

A novel is linear, but CYOA is, by definition, branching. So you're either making a novel or a CYOA.

btw, this is moved from the Game Design forum to the Writing forum because story is a Writing topic. And your link doesn't point to the storyloom website, you might want to fix that.

Tom Sloper said:
And your link doesn't point to the storyloom website, you might want to fix that.

There is a bug in the forum software that causes this issue. Let's not have any expectations that it will ever be fixed.

Thanks for pointing that out Tom and moving to the appropriate forum and thanks for the heads up about the bug fleabay. Fixed (hopefully).

Fair point on the cyoa/novel designations as well, I guess what I'm after is any insight to which format has greater overall appeal to a wider audience.

AllisterLaz said:
I guess what I'm after is any insight to which format has greater overall appeal to a wider audience.

You're not going to find that out by asking a handful of indie devs. You should make the one you want to make. The linear story is easier to make, but the interactive story is sure to be more engaging and to encourage repeat play.

fleabay said:

Tom Sloper said:
And your link doesn't point to the storyloom website, you might want to fix that.

There is a bug in the forum software that causes this issue. Let's not have any expectations that it will ever be fixed.

Looks like OP fixed it.

@Tom Sloper That's a good point about making what I want to make, that is my communications major rearing it's head. I thought it would be an interesting question to pose her, but the general indie perspective makes a lot of sense.