hi all! recently, i’ve been using google docs to write stories, but lately, it’s hard to keep track especially when writing the branching routes/choices. what apps do you use to make route branching easier?
CSIDE! 
keeps all your scenes in one concise place, it points out faulty labels, highlights important variables/branches etc, overall just fantastic. i used to just use a text document, kind of like google docs. but CSIDE has made it so much easier and faster
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Depends on what you want to keep track of, specifically. I use flowcharting software to keep track of the branches themselves (what branches and where, and where they join), and spreadsheets for variables.
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I also use something similar to @LiliArch . I describe my game as a flowchart using the DOT language The DOT Language A bonus of that is that I have a small Python parser that lets me navigate the choices (as if I played the actual game).
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My game doesn’t have clear branches per se, but there are a ton of variables that influence the MC’s experience. I use spread sheets to keep everything organized. The two most important are my story calendar and variable tracker spread sheets.
Variable Tracker
There are other sheets in this one that keep track of other variables too (relationships for example).
It’s still up to me to decide which variables should affect what (and how), but I only need to reference the spread sheets to figure out what the variables are.
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CSIDE is great, as many people mentioned. But for a “big picture” view of the game to make sure I connect all the various routes/branches/etc, I use the free tool at draw.io (website).
Ideal if you want a flowchart.
If you’re tracking statistics (like min/max possible scores), use your favorite spreadsheet software (MS Excel, Google spreadsheets, etc).
But due to my background in chatbots, I often test complex sequences by writing them as a Facebook bot with Chatfuel. Not really recommended if you’re unfamiliar with chatbot design, though.
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