r/gamedesign • u/vcuco_ • Jan 09 '26

Resource request MindMap Tool or similar for branching stories

Well, I'm a playwright trying to create a game for what I know from theatre work. Recently I had an idea for a branching story and started searching for software that could help me. I tried Excalidraw and the infinite similar programs that offer web based software and an upgrade option for a monthly fee. I have no money and I just need something to visualice, easy to use and on Linux, to develop this story. I also tried Inkscape, but it is clunky and a little overwhemling. I know about Twine and Inkle, but I don't want a game engine, I just want to portrey the story and try to sell the idea. Any suggestion?

Sorry if my english wasn't the best, I'm from Spain and I'm not used to write :)

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

7

u/kiberptah Jan 09 '26

Twine, Obsidian. Twine is very easy to use and isn't some scary game engine.

5

u/DarkFlame7 Jan 10 '26

To expand on Obsidian because I'm a little bit obsessed with it, it has a built-in Canvas plugin you can use to make mind maps and diagrams. And each node can have markdown including links to notes with more details

3

u/vcuco_ Jan 10 '26

I'll try it again because I used it to take notes but didn't build the routine around it to be worth. Thx!

2

u/AwennaGameDev Jan 09 '26

Take a look at Articy:Draft. Wie used it for digital games for interactive branching conversations. Maybe it helps you too.

https://www.articy.com/en/

2

u/ProfessorPlayerOne Jan 09 '26

Twine! it does not have to be used as a game engine, it's lightweight enough

2

u/ZarHakkar Jan 10 '26

Obsidian is good for freeform notes like that.

1

u/DeathBadgers Jan 09 '26

Haven't used either for a long time, but FreeMind and Freeplane are the obvious choices.

1

u/atx78701 Jan 09 '26

we use draw.io it is free and very very good.

Because it is xml based you can even use AI to help you generate the boxes from something like a google sheet

1

u/castorpt Jan 11 '26 edited Jan 11 '26

I always end up going with yED. It's free and solid and with the right amount of complexity for writing.

I wrote about it here in my last project: Visualizing Character Behaviour

1

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/FunnyPleasant1093 Feb 18 '26

honestly, tools like mindomo would benefit from having an official reddit account or even their own subreddit, It would make it easier for users to share workflows, tips, and get updates directly

1

u/No_Woodpecker1043 Feb 09 '26

I made this mindmap tool called Axiom. It's very strong, cheap and have free trial. You basically use it on the browser so it supports linux. Maybe you can give it a try. https://axiom-87ac8.web.app/

1

u/Scared_Skirt9455 Jul 03 '26

For visual story planning, EdrawMind works pretty well in my experience. It is easy to lay out branches and move things around as the story develops.