Been chewing on this for a few days after watching someone hit it in a thread here. You map out a branch, you're two choices deep, and you can already tell it's going to fork into five or six endings that maybe three people will ever see. Do you write it anyway because the reader chose it, or quietly braid it back into the main line and hope nobody notices?

Asking because I hit this constantly with a nonfiction/IF hybrid thing I've been building. My instinct is always to over-branch early and then spend way more time than I'd like collapsing branches back down in editing. Which feels backwards, honestly. Feels like the pruning should happen before the writing, not after.

Curious if people have an actual rule for this or if it's just a gut thing that gets better with reps. Twenty-some projects in and mine still isn't reliable.

https://blu-oyster-transmission.neocities.org/

I made a game. Six voices argue in your head while a narrator who lies on purpose leads you down through seven psychological gates. Solo-made, AI powered. Inspired by Disco Elysium that ruined every other RPG for me.

It's ~15–20 min, adult themes (18+), mobile browser — no install needed.

If that sounds like your kind of weird, DM me or comment and I'll send you a link + a short feedback form. Honest reactions only, no politeness required.