Structure Beat Sheet · 3 of 5 · No. 03

Branch & Bottleneck

Fixed canon events · the player decides who arrives at them

The shape: lanes diverge, then pinch into bottleneck events that happen to every player. What the merge erases, the meters remember -- the same scene reads differently for who you’ve become. Use for: canon timelines, character studies, political seasons. The plot converges; the character experience must not.

Your answers save in this browser as you type. Nothing is sent anywhere.

The Meters

These ARE the structure. Use counters, not booleans -- thresholds give you gradations at every bottleneck. For each meter: what raises it, what lowers it, and which bottleneck moments read it.

The Meters

Meter	Raised by	Lowered by	Read at (which bottlenecks)	Climax threshold

Bottleneck Cards (3–5)

A bottleneck is a canon event -- it fires for everyone. Its power is reaction: list at least three moments in the scene that change with state. A bottleneck that ignores state exposes the railroad. End each card with the identity question the scene asks.

BOTTLENECK 1The canon event (happens to everyone)State-reactive moment 1State-reactive moment 2State-reactive moment 3The choice it asks (identity, not plot)Which meters it moves

BOTTLENECK 2The canon event (happens to everyone)State-reactive moment 1State-reactive moment 2State-reactive moment 3The choice it asks (identity, not plot)Which meters it moves

BOTTLENECK 3The canon event (happens to everyone)State-reactive moment 1State-reactive moment 2State-reactive moment 3The choice it asks (identity, not plot)Which meters it moves

BOTTLENECK 4 (optional) optionalThe canon event (happens to everyone)State-reactive moment 1State-reactive moment 2State-reactive moment 3The choice it asks (identity, not plot)Which meters it moves

BOTTLENECK 5 (optional) optionalThe canon event (happens to everyone)State-reactive moment 1State-reactive moment 2State-reactive moment 3The choice it asks (identity, not plot)Which meters it moves

Lane Sheets (one per gap between bottlenecks)

For each gap: 2–3 lanes, each a way of being the protagonist (follow the money / follow the people / follow orders). 3–4 beats per lane. Lanes may cross-link once. Every lane must move at least one meter -- a lane that moves nothing is a corridor wearing a costume.

GAP 1 (after Bottleneck 1)Lane A -- theme + its 3–4 beatsLane A moves which metersLane B -- theme + its 3–4 beatsLane B moves which metersLane C (optional) -- theme + beatsCross-link (one allowed)

GAP 2 (after Bottleneck 2)Lane A -- theme + its 3–4 beatsLane A moves which metersLane B -- theme + its 3–4 beatsLane B moves which metersLane C (optional) -- theme + beatsCross-link (one allowed)

GAP 3 (after Bottleneck 3)Lane A -- theme + its 3–4 beatsLane A moves which metersLane B -- theme + its 3–4 beatsLane B moves which metersLane C (optional) -- theme + beatsCross-link (one allowed)

GAP 4 (after Bottleneck 4) (optional) optionalLane A -- theme + its 3–4 beatsLane A moves which metersLane B -- theme + its 3–4 beatsLane B moves which metersLane C (optional) -- theme + beatsCross-link (one allowed)

The Climax Menu

Endings are state-derived: only earned doors show. Write the gate arithmetic in numbers, then check every viable build can reach SOME door (the default door is always open -- that’s the soft fail).

The Climax Menu

Handoff checklist

Universal sheet attached and complete
Every bottleneck lists 3+ state reactions
Every lane moves a meter; every meter is read somewhere
A default ending door is always open (no soft-locks at the climax)
The tragic ending is choosable on purpose, not only stumbled into

Ending	Door condition (in meter numbers)	Always visible?	Type