Forums » Writing Workshop » Read Thread

So, when reading CYS stories, which do you prefer: a choice that is forced on you (which isn't really much of a choice), or no choice at all? For example:

The story is about joining the military:

You are working on your farm. The military recruiter comes to town. At the end of page one you can choose to go with the recruiter and join the military, or ignore him and stay home. If you choose ignore him, the story is over.

OR

You are working on the farm. The military recruiter comes to town. At the end of page one, there is a single link that you can click that says something about "Go with the recruiter."

OR

Just cram it all on one page, since you don't really have a choice, anyway.

Honestly, I don't like long pages of text.  I'd rather have three mid-sized pages with only one link on each than a wall of text.

In your example, if you had "ignore him" I'd rather have some explanation of why you can't, and a forced choosing of "join the military" than a game over.

Hmm... I don't really enjoy having really early choices in the game where if you choose to go on a different path, the story just ends. I prefer to have choices where, whichever option you choose it leads to something. Like... If the guy doesn't volunteer to join the military, he gets forced into it or something like that. That way the story can continue.

That's kinda what Endmaster does. He has a lot of dead ends, but they usually take a couple of choices before getting to a dead end so they seem like they're stories within themselves. Like the mercenary route in Dead song-- it's right in the beginning, and there's no way to 'win', but it's a good read regardless.

Sethaniel's also right, but to a point. It matters how long the pages are when condensed into different choices haha. ("Mid-sized" is fairly vague)

Just cop out and give them a choice, but give them a reason to choose the choice you want them to choose.

If they choose the other choice then have the Plot Police attack them.

Plot Police never fail!