Act Template
[Arc Title] StepSeq [#] | StepSequence Title
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.
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
[Beat] | [Title]
Base description of the beat in general terms—what the player feels and does.
- Camera: Describe the player's viewpoint, camera control state or Full Control if not specified.
- Audio: List ambient sounds or musical cues tied to this moment or "None".
- Environmental Cues: Lighting, motion, or visual storytelling that defines the space or "None".
- Objective / Task: What the player is trying to accomplish in this beat or "None".
- Player Feedback: Haptic, visual, or dialogue responses to success or delay or "None".
Actions:
- Bullet list of what happens in this beat.
Dialogue:
Short sample lines or reference tone for interaction. tone-driven, minimally voiced. Player is not voiced—they choose interaction options.
Branches (if conditional variations):
- Use when the beat changes depending on previous actions, variables, or states.
- Branches inherit all parent beat data (Camera/Audio/etc.) by default.
- Override only what changes: Add any data point (Gameplay, Audio, Environmental Cues, etc.).
- Minimum fields: Condition, Variation, Transition. Add NPC or system responses if applicable.
Branch A – [Condition Summary]
- Condition: [Trigger or state dependency, e.g., "If player saved NPC earlier"].
- Variation: [How the beat differs—scene tone, dialogue, animations, or objectives].
- Transition: [Next beat/step or "None"].
[Repeat for additional branches]
Choices (if decision beat):
- Insert after Dialogue using horizontal rules (---). Use 2-4 options maximum.
- Options inherit all parent beat data (Camera/Audio/etc.) by default.
- Override only what changes: Add any data point (Gameplay, Result, Camera, Audio, etc.) as needed—do not restate unchanged elements.
- Minimum fields: Gameplay/Result, Purpose, Transition. NPC Response optional.
Option A – [Descriptive Choice Title]
-
Gameplay: [Specific mechanics/outcomes]
. Cultist Response:[NPC reaction if relevant].- Purpose: [Narrative/mechanical intent].
- Transition: [Next beat/step or "None"].
[Repeat for additional options]
Triggers:
- Bullet list of triggers this beat can fire.
Notes:
- Bullet list of any notes (may be omitted if no notes).
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.