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Case study · Game writing & narrative design
Starhelm: Family Ties
A choose-your-path chapter for an upcoming game
Role Narrative design & game writing
Format Choose-your-path story
Chapter III · Starhelm
Status Upcoming game
The case study
“If you’re in the city, you’re either trouble, or you’re in it.”
01
The world
A city that lost its light
Starhelm was once a shining icon for peace, the Capital of Light. Then came the War of Roses. Now it’s a lawless arena, ruled by thugs, for thugs: the perfect place for a morally grey errand.
02
The quest
An “easy job”
A shady merchant offers 150 coins to fetch his father’s stolen Warhandol sword from a family cottage in Greenriver. He hands over the key, promises you won’t get your hands dirty… and that’s the first lie.
03
The choice
Who are you, really?
Inside the cottage there’s no treasure vault, just a sick old man and his wife. Draw steel or talk? The chapter is built so the player’s choices reveal their character, not just the plot.
My role
Narrative design & game writing.
I wrote Chapter III end to end: the world-building, the quest structure, every line of narration and dialogue, and the branching choices with their consequences.
8+
Decision points
30+
Player choices
4
Locations
6
Story items
The world building
— Narration
“A dark and gloomy business district that reeks of rotten fish and sewerage, chock-full of greedy merchants, mercenaries, assassins and lowlifes ready to sell their families for coin.”
World-building you can smell
— Shady merchant
“I need yer ’elp fetchin’ somethin’. I’ll reward ya ’andsomely for it. Dun worry, ya won’t get yer hands dirty. Just a simple trip to Greenrive’, yeah?”
Voice through spelling
— The old couple
“Please… please, take anything you want. Anything. Just leave us alone.”
The moment the job turns
Play through Chapter III
You always have a choice
Narrative design
Every choice costs something.
Five decision points take the player from a friendly offer to a moral dilemma. Early choices shape tone and information; later ones carry real, permanent consequences.
Decision 1 · City gates
Oi there, traveler. Ya look like ya could use an extra coin or two.
A
What do you have in mind?
Continue
B
Nah, I’m good.
Decline
Decision 2 · The pitch
Just a simple trip to Greenrive’, yeah?
A
Tell me more.
Lore
B
I don’t have time for this.
Decline
Decision 3 · The deal
I’ll give ya 150 coins if yer up for it.
A
I’ll get you your sword.
Start quest
B
150 is a bit too low…
Haggle
C
I’m busy with other things.
Leave
Decision 4 · The cottage
A sick old man lies in bed. His wife reads to him from a worn book.
A
Draw your weapon and confront them.
Confront
B
Keep your weapon sheathed and approach.
Talk
Decision 5 · The old couple
Please… take anything you want. Just leave us alone.
A
Calm them down.
Calm
B
Coerce them into giving you the sword.
Coerce
C
Say nothing at all.
Silence
Art direction
Every place has its own light.
A painterly, anime-inspired look set in permanent night. Colour does the storytelling: each location and branch has its own light source, so players feel the shift before they read a word.
Starhelm
Storm teal & window gold · #1C4A45
The past
Ember red · #B23A1E
The merchant
Lantern amber · #C8893A
Greenriver
Forest green & fireflies · #22402A
The dark branch
Blood red · #8C1D1D
Titles
An engraved, gilded display serif for place names and chapter cards.
Narration
An elegant italic book serif, centred, like reading from an old tome.
Interface
Letter-spaced small caps for labels, choice tags and “Tap to continue”.
To be continued…
Part I ends on the sword.
The chapter closes on the one object everyone has been talking about, without telling the player what it will cost them. Family Ties continues in Part II.