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Start and End Nodes

The Start and End nodes define where your visual novel begins and where each story path concludes.

Start Node

The Start node is the entry point of your visual novel. When the reader launches your project, execution begins at the Start node and flows outward along its single output edge.

Properties

  • title — A descriptive name for this entry point (e.g., "Chapter 1", "Prologue", "Route B"). Defaults to "Start".
  • description — Optional text describing this starting point.

Rules

  • Every project must have exactly one Start node. It cannot be deleted.
  • The Start node has no input handles (nothing can precede it) and one output handle.
  • Connect the output to whichever node should execute first — typically a Scene node that sets the initial background, or a Sequence node with opening narration.

Keyboard Navigation

Press the Home key in Graph Mode to jump the viewport to the Start node.

End Node

The End node marks the conclusion of a story path. When execution reaches an End node, the player stops advancing and displays an ending screen.

Properties

  • label — A display name for this ending (e.g., "True Ending", "Bad End: Betrayal").
  • endingType — Categorizes the ending. Options:
    • good — A positive conclusion.
    • bad — A negative conclusion.
    • neutral — Neither good nor bad.
    • secret — A hidden ending.
    • custom — A custom category you define.
  • endingId — A unique identifier string for this ending.
  • title — The title displayed on the ending screen.
  • description — Text shown on the ending screen, summarizing or reflecting on this conclusion.
  • showCredits — Whether to display a credits sequence before the ending screen.
  • creditsText — The credits content, formatted as plain text.
  • unlockAchievement — The ID of an achievement to unlock when this ending is reached.

Rules

  • The End node has one input handle and no output handles.
  • You can have as many End nodes as your story requires. A branching narrative might have five, ten, or more different endings.
  • The reader's save data records which End nodes they have reached, supporting completion tracking.

Keyboard Navigation

Press the End key in Graph Mode to jump the viewport to an End node.

Multiple Endings

Each End node is configured independently with its own ending type, title, description, and optional credits. This allows you to:

  • Track which endings the reader has discovered.
  • Display different ending screens based on the type (good endings might show a celebration, bad endings a somber screen).
  • Unlock achievements tied to specific endings.
  • Show credits only on certain endings (e.g., the "true" ending).

Best Practices

  • Place your Start node at the far left of the canvas and End nodes at the far right. This creates a natural left-to-right reading direction.
  • Give every Start and End node a clear, descriptive label so you can identify story paths at a glance.
  • Use the endingType property consistently to enable meaningful completion statistics.
  • Keep credits concise to avoid a long wait before the reader returns to the menu.