What it is
The narrative backbone of the GDD. Each chapter is a Quill-based document synced through ShareDB so multiple collaborators can edit the same chapter simultaneously without conflicts. Inline triggers —
@ member, # character, ! item, ? objective, and / dialogue — link prose to the rest of the GDD so changes propagate automatically.When to use it
- Writing the actual prose of your game — opening cinematic, mid-game arcs, finale.
- Drafting playable beats and barks alongside their narrative context.
- Cross-referencing characters, items, and dialogue trees so the editor knows what your text is about.
- Co-writing a chapter with a remote teammate without playing email tennis.
How to use it
- 1Click "+ Add Chapter" and give it a memorable title.
- 2Write naturally — formatting toolbar covers bold/italic/headings/lists.
- 3Type `@` to mention a team member, `#` for characters, `!` for items, `?` for objectives.
- 4Type `/` to search dialogue trees and insert one as a formatted screenplay block.
- 5Re-order chapters by dragging in the sidebar.
- 6Restore a previous draft via Version History if you want to undo a major rewrite.
Tips you should know
- →Chapters >5,000 words save fine but the editor feels snappier if you break them up.
- →Live cursors carry the collaborator's name and a deterministic colour — colours are stable across sessions per user.
- →Tagged entities update their reference when the entity is renamed elsewhere — no broken refs.
- →Pitch Maker exports use chapter summaries; keep a one-line synopsis at the top of each chapter for cleaner pitch decks.