Outlining for your Game: My Method + Why + Outline Templates
When I first started working on Next in Line, I very much a "pantser" but quickly realized that with all the moving parts of an interactive fiction, that method was not going to work (for me).
I created a two-part outline process which allows me to stay organized both with my writing, plotting, and my coding!
I use Google docs for my outline and for writing my first drafts. I like it because a) it's free - aka accessible, b) it's simple to use, c) I can link one Google doc inside another very easily which is what I do (see more below), and d) I can access it anywhere and on multiple devices.
Plus, it's in the cloud so my work isn't going to get lost. It is also has offline access and saving.
So, the first thing I do for a new game is create a brief outline (step 1), which I have put my method into a template in a Google doc here. Essentially, this is the "master outline" where I plot out the main points of each chapter and link to the chapter outlines. All my chapter outlines are in one single document - this one.
Chapter outlines are step 2 and the template is linked here. This the place where I actually dive deeper (not writing though) into what exactly happens in the chapter. What variations do I need to write? What MAJOR choices do I need to be aware of? You can include smaller choices if you want.
In the chapter outline, you will link out to the individual scenes (in their own Google doc).
I highly recommend that you do NOT write all of your chapter scenes in a single document. I mean, you can if you want, but I don't like it lol. When I first wrote Next in Line, it was a visual novel and I wrote the whole demo in a single document. Here are problems that presents:
well, for one, it's just super messy and gives me a headache;
two, it makes it very difficult to edit;
three, it makes the page laggy as hell if you write a lot;
four, it makes it harder to track what's been coded. I had problems where I coded scenes incorrectly because of this! that's a huge hassle and very detrimental and made me wanna quit cause I was annoyed af lol.
Anyway, that's my outline process and I've found that it's really helpful for keeping my writing organized and my coding as well!
Outline Step 1 - master outline template
Outline Step 2 - chapter outline template
