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So, I want to get started on a new story game, but am having trouble with the dreaded first sentence writer's block. I've got a couple of ideas, but can't really figure out where to start. Does anybody have a special technique for getting started, like coming up with character's first and then basing the plot around them, or do you just get hit by a bolt of inspiration and start writing?

What are you ideas?

I'm thinking of making a murder mystery game, but I guess I was a little vague in my question before. What I mean was, does anyone have a way they plan their story out and put it together, or do people just make it up as they go along? 

Well I suppose the bigger question is, what style worked best for you for your other stories. Some people need to plan everything out, while others work better just making it up as they go along. I'd go with what was working previously.

I would assume though for a murder mystery game you'd still need to plan a lot of it out. Mystery stuff that isn't planned out tends to have endings where the reader/viewer even more likely to say "What the hell? Did they just make that up as they went along?"

Since the big pay off is usually the ending for a mystery (even more than other stories) you always want to make sure it has a logical thought out ending.

Okay, thanks! I think I got a beginning and an end planned out, so I just need to work on the middle. Think I'll start off by writing a basic skeleton, giving each page a sentence or two describing what happens, make sure it all fits together and then I'll go back and flesh it all out 

Reposting not in the middle. :P

Try coming up with a plot first and wait for inspiration to slowly make it's way to you... At least that's how things work for me

Think I got a plot, is just figuring out a way for everything to make sense is the problem 

I usually do something else, like read or play games, when I get stuck on a story. Then an idea will strike me and I will shout 'EUREKA!!!!!' and continue work on the story

I would recommend making the bare bones of the story, and adding description later on.

You could literally start with "Mr Black killed Mrs White in the dining room, with a revolver, because of lustful revenge".

Then add details:

- Why did they do it?
- Why that particular way of killing? Opportunity, or perhaps some significant meaning?
- What details did other people find out? Witnesses? Links to the motive?
- Will they kill again..?

Sounds good! Thank you ^_^

Me and my friend were discussing a story to make.

And it went something like this.

"OK SO YOU WAKE UP IN A CAVE AND-"
-I cut him off-
"WHAT ARE YOU"

-We go over that-

We repeat the first line.

Add more detail.

Add a world government, hostilities.

Magic.

Shit tons of more plot.

And then we got a central idea!

Now just try that out for like, a starting to a story, leave out some of the details because if you wake up in a cave you don't want the player to know 'Hey heres a plot twist" and that should help. Or not. But its what I do.

Awesome! I think I can make something out of that! How about... I wake up in a cave and... I'm an armadillo? ^_^

Seriously though, good advice, but I'm not planning on making a particularly epic game, so I don't think I need to worry too much about government and magic and stuff, but I see where you're coming from. Come up with a beginning and then expand from there.

My plan is literally.
"Lets build a fucking world"

It ends up with good conversations.
It also makes my bus rides home more enjoyable.

Personally I've been pantsing (a common term for not planning in advance, based on the phrase 'flying by the seat of one's pants'), and I don't think I like it. It's too easy to get stuck, or to go on too long about things that aren't important enough to be interesting, etc. So I'm working on some ideas about how to get ideas, and how to structure them.

Here's the method I'm about to try:

Using mind-mapping software (I'm looking at Coggle probably) map everything I know about the story -- who what where etc. Then, for each node, start asking questions. Write down a bunch of answers, pushing myself to try to find multiple possibilities, because the first thing I come up with isn't necessarily going to be the best. Mark these with a "?" so I know what's more-or-less firm and what's just a possibility. Once I feel like I've got enough 'stuff' in the map, try to start making more connections between nodes.

I'll let you know how it works out!

Thanks! Great reply. I definitely don't think that "pantsing" would work for this game, since it's a mystery, so your mind-mapping idea will probably work really best. Right now I'm working on characters, and then I'll figure out how they all link together ^_^

1000 simulations written and rewritten in your head.  Choose the possibility you like best, choose the possibility you hate, and choose any random possibility and go put it onto paper.

Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean by "1000 simulations". Do you mean situations?

Situations are just one decision.

Like.

"You walk into the house, the floor falls under you" thats a situation

"You walk into the house, the floor falls under you, how you act will decide the rest of the story"
Or
"You walk into the house, dodging the fall of the floor, now the story is completely different"

Thats how I see it,

I know what the word "situation" means, but Swift said "simulation". I also know what the word "simulation" means, I just don't think it makes sense in his sentence. 

I think he meant.

"Whatever idea you have, go over 1000 simulations."

Just test out different situations in your head or the same situation and see how it would have been different if you had done something else.

You could start off the narrative from the perspective of the person about to be stabbed, then switch it to the real main character once the person dies.

Although that would be interesting to see Killa, it could add confusion of who the PC is.

I think he means to think up the story from that person's point of view, but narrate it whilst sticking to the protagonist, so that the characters seem more real.

Too late. I already got a first paragraph I'm really happy with 

Incontestably euphoric to hear such news!

OR

Yaay, new stawygame.!