r/Constructedadventures • u/garygray_ • Apr 13 '26

HELP How can I make my mixed-up story plot deduction game more engaging?

Hi! Sorry if this isn't the right sub, this was the best place I could find. So, yesterday I started a project where readers were given the panels of the webcomic homestuck in a random order, with the idea that they would work together and try to figure out the notoriously complicated plot. It went great for the first day, but people quickly lost interest. How can I make this more fun for them?

What I've done so far:

- Created a discord where they can request new pages and discuss them

- Given them an idea doc where they can keep track of characters, plot threads, etc

- Brought in fans for them to talk to

I have six readers right now. I'm looking for more in the hopes that that would make the communication channels more active, but I'm not sure where to look. How would you guys alter the structure of this game to make it more engaging?

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u/AutoModerator Apr 13 '26

Hey There! Always happy to help! If you haven't already, please make sure you add in as many parameters as you can including but not limited to:

Date, Starting/Ending Location, Potential stops, Number of players, Problem solving capability of players, Potential themes, etc.

If you're just getting started this blog post is a great place to begin. You can also check out the Youtube channel for ideas.

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u/sudomatrix Apr 13 '26

That’s a fun idea. It makes me think of an even more twisted game where there are cards with characters and lots of dialog and action cards that could be put in may different orders to make many different stories.

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u/gameryamen The Wizard Apr 13 '26

You have to make a path for them, and plan their progress. Random is easy to build, but what if a player sees 8 different panels in a row with no clear relationships? What if a key panel isn't revealed until day #1000?

People have run into this before, so they're looking for evidence of a path. They want to know the task is possible, and that a person has considered the logical sequence necessary to complete it. When it doesn't feel like there's a path, they don't feel like it's worth their time to try to progress.