vn-route

# VN Route

A visual novel is **mostly reading** with art and consequential branches. Lock the **route shape** (linear, branch-and-merge, gauntlet routes, flag-driven endings), the **presentation sheet** (text box, sprites, backgrounds, choices), and the **QoL checklist** players expect (save-anywhere, backlog, skip-read, auto-advance). Depth is the shape of the branching; correctness is script position + flags that restore exactly.

Inspired by gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills visual-novel (Apache-2.0). Copyright 2026 Abhishek Barali and contributors (inspiration only). Original Grok remake. Complements branch-talk (dialogue graph engine), save-slot (persist schema), juice-pass (show/hide feel), hud-stack (choice/chrome layout). Engine-neutral. Not a Godot tutor. Not a character-creator persona factory.

Read `references/vn-rails.md` before you design. Fill the three templates under `templates/`.

## When to use

- Visual novel, dating sim, kinetic novel, branching story-choice game
- Route map: linear / branch-and-merge / distinct character routes / flag-driven endings
- Presentation: text box (speaker, typewriter, advance), sprites/expressions, backgrounds/transitions, choice UI
- Story flags / affection counters that gate lines and endings
- QoL: save-anywhere, multi-slot + quick save, backlog, skip (seen-only default), auto-advance, text speed

## When NOT to use

- Dialogue graph / Ink-Yarn node model as the *only* ask → branch-talk
- Persist file format / slot schema as the main job → save-slot
- Juice for show/hide / page-turn feel only → juice-pass
- HUD / choice list chrome layout only → hud-stack
- Card zones, tower defense, survival craft, match-3 → card-zone / tower-lane / craft-loop / board-rule
- Full RPG with incidental dialogue → design the RPG elsewhere; use this only for the VN layer
- Godot/Unity API tours, copied GDScript/C# → godot-teacher
- Companion / persona / dating-bot character factory as the product (not a game design worksheet)
- Cheats, aimbots, malware, CSAM, non-consensual deepfake briefs

## Inputs

- Fantasy in their words (kinetic, romance routes, mystery branch-and-merge, horror flags — name the mix last)
- Route ambition: linear / branch-and-merge / N distinct routes / flag soup
- Cast size and whether routes are character-locked
- Win / end conditions (good/bad/true endings, completion %, CG gallery unlocks)
- Whether replays / skip-seen / gallery matter (implies seen-line tracking + seeded? usually seen ids)
- Engine name if offered (where to look later — not an API dump)
- What later systems consume (branch-talk, save-slot, juice-pass, hud-stack)

## Procedure

1. Read `references/vn-rails.md`. Refuse cheats, malware, CSAM, non-consensual intimate deepfakes, copied engine tutorials, persona-factory as the main product, and hand off: branch-talk (pure dialogue graph), save-slot (file schema), juice-pass (FX), hud-stack (chrome), godot-teacher (node APIs).
2. Fill `templates/route-map.md`. Lock structure, flags/counters, endings, merge points, writing/art cost honesty (branches multiply work).
3. Fill `templates/presentation-sheet.md`. Text box (typewriter, first-click complete / second advance), sprite slots + expression swaps, background transitions, choice visibility (hide vs lock), audio hooks at scene level.
4. Fill `templates/qol-checklist.md`. Save-anywhere payload (script position + variables + seen + scene), backlog ring, skip-seen default, auto delay, text speed; name what save-slot owns vs what this sheet requires.
5. Keep examples original — no living VN script dumps, no copyrighted dialogue lifts.
6. Tiny original engine-neutral notes only if useful. No copied GDScript/C#.
7. Deliver the three templates. Closing line: VN route + presentation + QoL worksheet; not a Godot tutor and not branch-talk alone.

## Output format

- Route map (structure, flags, endings, cost honesty)
- Presentation sheet (text box, sprites/bg, choices, audio hooks)
- QoL checklist (save-anywhere, backlog, skip, auto, speed)
- One line: vn-route worksheet; not a Godot tutor or a persona factory

## Safety

- Follow `references/vn-rails.md` with no exceptions.
- Gaming design only. Engine-neutral. Not a Godot tutor.
- No cheats, malware, or exploit kits.
- No CSAM. Age-gate adult romance content; refuse sexual content involving minors.
- No non-consensual deepfake / real-person intimate art briefs.
- No copied living-VN scripts or vendor API dumps. Tiny original notes only.

## Stop conditions

- Three templates delivered, or refused for cheats / CSAM / minor sexual content / deepfake abuse / godot-teacher API tours / dialogue-graph-only (branch-talk) / persist schema-only (save-slot) / juice-only / hud-only / persona factory as product / copyrighted script dumps