Would you like a choice?

As someone with a limited sex life, my fantasies have grown more wild over the years. When I write stories they often include things I presume to be unusal or at least more extreme than average. One of the questions I often ask myself is whether a story should be toned down. Often, I decide not to, but I am aware that doing so would appeal more to some readers.

While looking at one of my many unfinished works, having forgotten much of the detail, I thought a story definitely needed more restrained behavior in the characters. Not wishing to discard a large chunk of it, I recalled books from my childhood which were collectively named 'choose your own adventure' books. After reading a number of pages, you are presented with a choice. I recall one sci-fi story where I kept choosing what the protagonist did next. I don't think I ever managed to choose the correct thing enough times to stay alive to the end.

I was curious if that sort of thing could work on here and if it would interest anyone or just come across as a stupid or childish idea. A technical issue also came to mind, because you can't say, go to page 74 or put a link in the story. At least, I assume you can't use links, because it seems like a security risk and I haven't seen anyone use them before. The best option I could think of was telling readers to search for a heading like 'Part2a' which is easy to type and could not occur within the story so there is only one place to take you. On my phone, I don't find it easy to search a page. It takes too many taps to get there.

Hi, I had exactly the same idea, and got as far as asking the powers that be if there was any opportunity to put more than one link at the bottom of the story so it could branch off in two different directions.. but then the big switch to Lush 2.0 came along and any development suggestions like that would be so far down the list of things needed to be doing that I gave up on the idea.

I love the idea of 'what if...' playing out with different outcomes. My story was going to start in a bar and depending on how well you flirted, wether you got off with someone and if you brought them home or to their home and all that could happen.

I've still got the outline but it ends up as a huge amount fo work. I think I had 60 or 70 different sections to write for a story with four or five choices all branching from the same opening.

I don't know how you could publish it either with so many different stories as if you had even 30 sections, it would take a month at the fastest, unless you could persuade the mods to let you bulk publish as it is all really one story.

It's still worth thinking about but like I say, in the current climate, little development tweaks like that will be months away.

This sounds like the TV show "Ordinary Joe". How the choices we make can totally change how a story goes and ends.

I was planning a much simpler set of options, with only two or three points where you make a choice. Plus, I was trying to work out how I could have them join back together for a common continuation through the middle. What I wasn't sure about is whether the next decision after a joining of the paths would need to say, 'If you picked this earlier, here are your options...'

It still feels like a lot more effort for not much more substance.

It is a lot more effort. I like the idea of the story linking back up again, so regardless of what choice you made, you still end up in the same place, just by different routes. I don't think it would need to say 'If you picked this earlier, here are your options...' as you have got to that point so anything can still happen. Unless, in one version he got kicked in the balls for being too forward so is limping and has swollen testicles or something, in which case, you would need two very similar scenarios lol

Gav developed a writing system that allowed the authors to have more than one ending to a story. I really don't know how it works with any stories created that way before the changeover. In fact, I am not sure if any other Lush writers used the technique. I know my own story with two endings is still here to be read.

https://www.lushstories.com/stories/monster-sex/the-tree-of-life

It has two completely different endings that the reader may choose from.

Quote by Spooge

As someone with a limited sex life, my fantasies have grown more wild over the years. When I write stories they often include things I presume to be unusal or at least more extreme than average. One of the questions I often ask myself is whether a story should be toned down. Often, I decide not to, but I am aware that doing so would appeal more to some readers.

While looking at one of my many unfinished works, having forgotten much of the detail, I thought a story definitely needed more restrained behavior in the characters. Not wishing to discard a large chunk of it, I recalled books from my childhood which were collectively named 'choose your own adventure' books. After reading a number of pages, you are presented with a choice. I recall one sci-fi story where I kept choosing what the protagonist did next. I don't think I ever managed to choose the correct thing enough times to stay alive to the end.

I was curious if that sort of thing could work on here and if it would interest anyone or just come across as a stupid or childish idea. A technical issue also came to mind, because you can't say, go to page 74 or put a link in the story. At least, I assume you can't use links, because it seems like a security risk and I haven't seen anyone use them before. The best option I could think of was telling readers to search for a heading like 'Part2a' which is easy to type and could not occur within the story so there is only one place to take you. On my phone, I don't find it easy to search a page. It takes too many taps to get there.

they've had videos that are interactive similar to that on DVD for quite some time.

If you want to try something like that here, without the challenge of having to write code to have someone write code for that you could put several unique numbers or generate several hashes for however many directions you want the plot to go, if the mods allow it.

For instance If your protagonist goes left, the title to that possibility might be :

e54bc8767e296d0cbdad2011551a3785

If they go right that title might be:

778854c01b49b264faa47515a2f46837

You would have the reader search for the hash to find the file for the option they chose.

Quote by Green_Man

Gav developed a writing system that allowed the authors to have more than one ending to a story. I really don't know how it works with any stories created that way before the changeover. In fact, I am not sure if any other Lush writers used the technique. I know my own story with two endings is still here to be read.

https://www.lushstories.com/stories/monster-sex/the-tree-of-life

It has two completely different endings that the reader may choose from.

Looks like it just has the two endings one after the other (masculine then feminine). So basically they flattened it. The only way to "choose" is to scroll past the first one.

I like the idea. I've been toying with a story that starts at one of those blind date shows, then diverges in 3 directions when the person picking who to date selects each of them, detailing what happens after the "chooser" picks their date.

Different format but otome games are incredibly popular- choosing who you date, possible different outcomes due to your dialogue options. A book format would work, just I don't know how you can implement it here easily or in a way that feels natural.

I am working on a story with two choices, but the choice is early in the story, so what I am doing is two different stories, word for word, the same for the first six or eight paragraphs. Then the main character makes a choice, and the stories diverge completely to the end. It's presented as the many-worlds theory of quantum theory. It is, or was, a respectable theory. I have one leg almost finished; the other seems more difficult for me. I want them published as close together as i can. So, I need them both finished.