User blog:StoryGirl83/Walkthrough Guide Discussion

I have been trying to write up a preliminary guide for walkthroughs in order to start a discussion on the topic for over a year. As if has been over a year and I not only don't have such a preliminary guide, but I have actually lost the progress on it I did make (it's out there somewhere, I just don't know where), I am writing this instead in order to start that discussion on a blog post.

Whether you help write them or not, you have probably used them to help you get through a chapter and most likely far more than that. You likely have some opinion on things involving them and this is the place to discuss them.

There are some things that are most likely easy to agree on, such as the use of asterisks to list the different options for choices. Other things are probably harder to agree on. I will add to this blog as we discuss things and as we agree on things. Once something is agreed on, you are still allowed to propose another idea for how to handle it as long as it is an idea that has not been discussed, but people do not have to discuss it unless you get someone else to second reopening the discussion who agrees with your idea. Once we have started implementing an idea, discussion is closed. If you wish to reopen discussion on that topic at that point, you have to bring it before the staff and ask for permission to post a blog post to discuss it. Any consensus that is made to leave things as they are already the majority of the time, will be moved straight to closed discussion.

Open Discussion
These are the ideas we are currently discussing. If you have an opinion on them or even a new idea on how to handle them, post in the discussion below.


 * Let's start with the asterisks. I don't foresee objections to them, but if you have one, now's the time to bring it up.
 * There has been discussion about "diamond choices" verses "premium choices." Most walkthroughs currently use diamond choices, but Pixelberry and a couple of the walkthroughs use premium choices. I like the idea of changing it to "Premium Choices" and implementation of this idea would be pretty easy to do, so if we decided to do it, we would be able to have it changed pretty fast.
 * Emojis. At some point someone added 💎 to the walkthroughs in place of the word diamond and a few additional emojis have been added since then, mostly when images are used in game. Some other examples are 👑 for Kenna's points in TC&TF, 🔥 for Dom's points in TC&TF, 🗡 for army points in TC&TF, 🛡️ for Dave points in MW, 🔯 for Sam points in MW, and ❤ in most walkthroughs for love interest romance points. Should be keep all of these, remove some, add to them, or change some of them? I have been trying to find something for Legend points in TC&TF, but so far have not found anything that matches and someone found a red heart, which I would also love to change out for the black one if people are interested. I also have a couple more that I have used on my own guides (not available for viewing at this time) including a little clock for the timed choices and something for the premium choices (which is what I use on my guide).
 * Speaking of timed choices, there has been some disagreement on how to mark them. I prefer to use a simple statement. Here are some options I have seen. The first is my preference, because I don't like the shouting of the last one and I think the second one is unnecessary as anyone reading the choice during the actual timed choice is going to miss out on getting any answers, let alone the correct one.
 * This is a timed choice.
 * This is a timed choice!
 * This is a TIMED choice!
 * Spaces between emojies and what is around them. In game there is a space between the 💎 and the number following it. As such I would like there to be a space between them, but there is not a consensus on this, so I am bringing it up for discussion. Here are the two ways this could look. To some of you this may be no big deal and you are welcome to express that opinion, but if you do have an opinion I'd like to hear it and make a decision on this.
 * 💎 12
 * 💎12
 * Numbering of choices has been brought up. There are multiple ways this has been used on the site and I am not going to mess with trying to find them all. Instead, I will propose a method to make them all uniform and you can make your own suggestions:
 * First, diamond/premium choices. This is what is used on most walkthroughs, numbering is starts at 1 with the very first diamond/premium choice in the chapter and each one following gets the next number. This allows for a total number of these choices to be known and for you to know how far along in the choices you are. An issue comes when there are multiple paths you can go down and how to number those. For the majority of pages, this is usually done by adding either Path A, Path B or a name descriptor depending on the situation and starting at the next number from the pervious set of diamond/premium choices.
 * Depending on path. Some choices have "1, 2, or 3 depending on path" or similar wording. This can be confusing. Ideas?

That should be enough to start the discussion. This is my pet project, one I am absolutely thrilled to have seen take off, and obviously I have opinions on things. That said, I will abide by what we as a community decide. Thanks for your input.

Group Consensus
These are the ideas we have come to a consensus on. We have not started implementing them yet, but if you want to reopen discussion you will need to get someone to second the idea.

Closed Discussion
These are the ideas that have not only been agreed upon, but have also begun, or even finished implementation.

Examples of Guides in This discussion
Choice 1
 * Option 1
 * Option 2
 * Option 3

Choice 2

This is a timed choice.
 * Option 1
 * Option 2
 * Option 3

Choice 3

This is a timed choice!
 * Option 1

Choice 4
 * Option 1 (💎 12)
 * Option 2

My Guide Example from The Crown & The Flame, Book 1
The following is a guide I worked on some time ago for TC&TF, Bk1. It is quite different from what is currently used here and I don't expect it to be adopted, but I thought I would show you what I was doing, just for the fun of it.

This page contains the choices in The Crown & The Flame, Book 1 and their outcomes.

** THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS**

This game revolves heavily on choices you make, they can improve your relationships with potential love interests as well as increase your ability to do things via Prestige 👑 for Kenna Rys and Power 🔥 for Dominic Hunter. This walkthrough is made to assist others in helping them make the right choices for the game in order that they might get the outcome that they want.

I have tried to explore every option, even ones that I cannot currently play on my own game. When needed I have gone on YouTube videos other sources to find out what the response to a particular action is.

Some paths require diamonds 💎, the main form of currency for Choices: The Stories You Play. These are called premium choices. Most have only short term stories results plus aid in the final battle of the book. However, any allies you pick up through this method will continue to appear in the story and sometimes add choices much later down the line. This walkthrough refers to these as "Ally Bonuses" and references which ally the choices is there because of. Others result in alternate choices. These are referred to as "Ally alternatives and reference which ally the choice is there because of as well as indicating who the original choice was a result of.

There are also timed ⏱ choices. With these you have a limited amount of time to respond. When the choices results in an immediate result, that result is included following it. When it is part of a series of timed choices, the choice or choices that allow you to complete the series with a positive result is marked in bold.

A few choices lead to your main character's death. When this happens you are given the sole choice of restarting at the checkpoint. These are marked with the phrase the game uses, "You have died." Sometimes the results are interesting prior to your character's death, so if you wish to see what happens to lead up to that death, you can do so without worrying about it affecting your progress.

Throughout the game you are building up Prestige 👑 and Power 🔥 and these will come in handy, giving you options you would not otherwise have. When one of these options comes up it doesn't not cost Prestige or Power. It just requires you to have passed a certain threshhold, so if you have done so, feel free to choose these options without worrying about loosing what you have accumulated. Having enough in some cases will allow you to do an option that otherwise would cost diamonds including saving one of your allies from death.

About the Overall Progress Report

At the end of each chapter you get an overall progress report, summarizing your accomplishment and important decisions over the course of the mission followed by a list of your allies and potential allies with their status. Potential status reports include:
 * Alive & recruited
 * Alive & loyal
 * Alive & friendly
 * Alive & not loyal
 * Alive & banished
 * Not yet recruited
 * Dead
 * Destroyed
 * Not met

The second to last progress screen lists how much of the following you have acquired out of how much you could have acquired.
 * Prestige 👑
 * Power 🔥
 * Weapons 🗡
 * Allies 🗡
 * Troops 🗡
 * Significant Choices ‼

The final screen adds those together and gives you a score for your army out of what is possible.

Chapter One: The Broken Alliance ~ Choices

Choice 1

Who do you want to start as?
 * Princess Kenna Rys (Path A)
 * Dominic Hunter (Path B)

Choice 2 (Path A)

(Dom's attacking! I should...)
 * Attack! (👑 Prestige +1)
 * Block! (👑 Prestige +1)

Choice 3 (Path A)

(I should...)
 * Taunt him. (👑 Prestige +1)
 * Punch him. (👑 Prestige +1)
 * Kiss him. (Dom ❤ +Romance)

Choice 2 (Path B)

(Kenna's attacking! I should...)
 * Attack! (🔥 Power +1)
 * Block! (🔥 Power +1)

Choice 3 (Path B)

(I should...)
 * Taunt her. (🔥 Power +1)
 * Punch her. (🔥 Power +1)
 * Kiss her. (Kenna ❤ +Romance )

Choice 4

Which outfit will you wear?
 * The silver gown. (Dom ❤ +Romance)
 * My regular clothes. (No effect)

Choice 5

Let me say...
 * Congratulations, Mother. (👑 Prestige +1)
 * This is a mistake. (👑 Prestige +1)

Choice 6

Prince Tevan...
 * I've had many suitors, but none so charming. (👑 Prestige +2, Tevan ❤ +Romance)
 * You should see me with a sword. (👑 Prestige +2)
 * Weren't those destroyed by the iron empire? (👑 Prestige +2)

Choice 7

(I should...)
 * Slap Marco! (👑 1) (👑 Prestige +1)
 * Apologize to Marco. (👑 Prestige +1)
 * Berate Marco. (👑 Prestige +1)

''If you slap or berate Marco, he will remember that and think of it at a later time as he plots your demise. If you make Trystan apologize to Marco, he will remember this and wonder allowed why Dom wants to help you. Neither option ultimately affects the game other than leading to slightly different dialogue and actions in the next chapter.''

Choice 8 ⏱

(I must...)

This is a timed choice!
 * Freeze! (No effect)
 * Dodge! (👑 Prestige +1)
 * Hesitate! (No effect)

Choice 9

Mother...
 * I love you... (No effect)
 * Nevrakis will burn for this. (No effect)

Choice 10

What do you throw at the soldier?
 * Goblet of wine (👑 Prestige +1)
 * Turkey leg (No effect)

, 🗡 +5 Army.

Choice 11

We must...
 * Save Prince Tevan's life. (💎 12) (👑 Prestige +5)
 * Swear to avenge his death. (🗡 +2 Army)
 * Run now, before it's too late. (🗡 +2 Army)

Premium Choice 1 ⏱💎

(I should...)

This is a timed premium choice!
 * Slam the shield into his helmet! (No effect)
 * Tackle him! (No effect)

Premium Choice 2 💎

Looks like you...

This is a premium choice!
 * Couldn't charm your way out of this fight. (No effect)
 * Should learn to defend yourself. (No effect)

 (This is a premium choice.) 🗡 +9 Army.

Choice 12 ‼

Which soldier took the ring?

This is a significant choice!
 * Choose (No effect)
 * Choose (No effect)
 * Choose (👑 Prestige +3, 🗡 +5 Army)

''Each "choose" is a Nevrakis soldier with different armor. The correct soldier has gold trim on his helmet. If you pick the correct answer you get 👑 Prestige +3, 🗡 +5 Army.''

Choice 13

I have one last thing to say...
 * Be careful. (No effect)
 * I love you. (Dom ❤ +Romance)

In the next two choices, if you choose wrong, you die and restart at the checkpoint.

Choice 14 ⏱

(I should...)

This is a timed choice!
 * Leap! (🔥 Power +1)
 * Trip! (You have died.)
 * Fall! (You have died.)

Choice 15

Grr...
 * Unleash your rage! (🔥 1) (🔥 Power +1)
 * Fight it. (You have died.)

Choice 16

(I should say...)
 * This is the least of our problems. (No effect)
 * The queen deserved better than this. (No effect)

Premium Choice 3 💎

Take the Message Orb

Ally Bonus (Tevan)
 * Confirm (No effect)

Choice 17

I promise you, I will...
 * Take my kingdom back. (👑 Prestige +1)
 * Put Luther's head on a pike. (👑 Prestige +1)
 * See Dominic again. (👑 Prestige +1)

Choice 18

Would you like to learn more about how Army Score works?
 * Tell me more about Army Score. (No effect)
 * No thanks! Take me to the Progress Screen! (No effect)

 Overall Progress 

Possible Points Added


 * Prestige 👑 - 15 (Total = 15)
 * Power 🔥 - 2 (Total = 2)
 * Weapons 🗡 - 0 (Total = 0)
 * Allies 🗡 - 10 (Total = 10)
 * Gabriel - 5 points. Automatic.
 * Tevan - 5 points. Costs 12 💎.
 * Troops 🗡 - 4 (Total - 4)
 * 2 points automatically.2 points if you save Tevan. Costs 12 💎.
 * Significant Choices ‼ - 10 (Total = 10)
 * 5 points automatically. Unknown event.
 * 5 Points if you retrieve Queen Adriana's ring.

''You can gain up to 41 possible Army points from this chapter. This brings the total to 41 possible Army points.''

(I actually have more chapters done, but the coding to make them work on this site was getting annoying, so I'm just sharing one chapter. The main points of interest are probably the way I handled the overall progress and the clock emoji for timed choices.

Polling
Now that we have done quite a bit of discussion, it's time to get a better idea of what people want. In order to facilitate this, I am creating polls that reflect questions we have to see how people wish to proceed.

We'll start with the list already on the page and then work on adding things discussed in the comments.

Asterisks or no asterisks? Yes No Diamond Choices or Premium Choices? Diamond Choices Premium Choices I don't care Emojies? I love them! Can we make tiny screenshots of the images in the game and use those instead? Not my thing. I don't care. If you voted for emojies, please vote in this one as well. Emojies 2 Add more emojies such as a clock emojie for timed choices and something to indicate diamond/premium choices. What we have is good. Timed Choice Wording This is a timed choice. This is a timed choice! This is a TIMED choice! Spaces between emojies and related numbers? 💎 12 💎12 Numbering Diamond/Premium Choices Start numbers at the beginning of the chapter. Start numbers at the beginning of each new diamond/premium choice. Subnumber them after the related choice. Note: If you choose the third one above please comment and explain how you propose to handle this for diamond/premium choices from previous chapters or books. Multiple Paths Path A, Path B, Path C, etc. Short descriptor as a name for the path Depending on Path Choice 1, 2, or 3 depending on path Continue with highest number: Choice 3 Add text above choices to help further identify the choice in addition to the choice number (see example above of Ch 1 of TC&TF Bk 1) Yes No Progress report when available in game (see example above of the end of Ch 1 of TC&TF Bk 1) Yes No