Think of the story like a chessboard: every move changes the position but you only need a handful of pieces to threaten the king. Pick a few core nodes—big turning points that split the plot—then let minor choices influence details, not the destination. Make each branch affect at least one character’s arc or the world’s state so that players see a ripple, not a dead‑end. Tighten the plot by re‑using scenes with different outcomes, and keep a small pool of “high‑impact” scenes that can be swapped based on earlier choices. That way, the narrative stays manageable while each decision still feels like it mattered.