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Act Template

[Arc Title] Step [#] | Step Title

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Dramatic

Narrative Purpose

Brief overview of what this step accomplishes in the story and gameplay flow.

  • Define emotional tone (panic, calm, discovery, dread).
  • Identify immediate narrative or character goal.
  • Specify any mechanical or tutorial purpose.

Step Flow

Narrative Breakdown

Each step is divided into beats, which are self‑contained moments of action, emotion, or transition.

  • Use as many beats as the pacing requires (sometimes one sustained beat, sometimes three to five).
  • Each beat should mark a change in objective, tone, or control state.
  • Keep every beat anchored in what the player feels and does.
  • Player is not voiced, they choose interaction options dialogue style

Example Beat Template

[Beat] | [Title]

  • Camera / Gameplay: Describe the player’s viewpoint, control state, and primary actions.state
  • Audio: List ambient sounds or musical cues tied to this moment.
  • Environmental Cues: Lighting, motion, or visual storytelling that defines the space.
  • Objective / Task: What the player is trying to accomplish in this beat.
  • Player Feedback: Haptic, visual, or dialogue responses to success or delay.

DialogueActions:

(tone‑driven,
    minimally
  • bullet voiced):list of what happens in this beat

Dialogue:

Short sample lines or reference tone for interaction. tone‑driven, minimally voiced.

A brief note on how tension evolves and when it transitions to the next moment.Triggers:

  • bullet list of triggers this beat can fire

Narrative Intent

Explain why the step exists in narrative terms.

  • How it develops relationship dynamics.
  • What theme or mystery it reinforces.
  • What knowledge or tone shift the player carries forward.

Mechanical Lessons Embedded

Mechanic Introduced or Reinforced Context in Step Emotional / Narrative Purpose
Example: Manual door override Player re‑routes power under pressure Teaches agency under crisis
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