Random Story Beat Outline Generator

Description

Compose supplied fictional opening, conflict, and resolution templates with checked tag continuity using bounded randomized backtracking.

A structured creative brief combines a supplied bank of fictional material with explicit sequencing, timing, or compatibility rules. IDs and tags make those constraints inspectable; they do not assess the artistic meaning or quality of a scene.

Compose supplied fictional opening, conflict, and resolution templates with checked tag continuity using bounded randomized backtracking.

When to use this tool

Use this generator to create reproducible story beat outline cases from the supplied model or bank. Inspect the returned evidence before using cases in a test or exercise.

How to use the tool and how it works

Supply count, genre, initialTags, templates in the field shapes below. Set seed when you need an explicit replay.
Run the tool and correct any input error. For generated controls, distinguish a successful fixture containing an invalid case from failure to generate the fixture.
Read fictional, beats. Use the conventions below and keep answer-bearing fields separate when presenting an exercise.

Use bounded randomized backtracking to choose an opening, conflict beats, and a final resolution. A template requires its required and removed tags to exist; remove those tags, add the new tags, sort the state, and expand literal {genre} substitutions.^[1]

Input field	Meaning and units	Accepted input
count	Requested count; the mechanics explain whether one draw expands into several returned records.	Required. Safe integer; minimum 3; maximum 32.
genre	Genre	Required. Text; maximum UTF-16 length 2048.
initialTags	Initial Tags	Required. Array of Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 64.; minimum items 0; maximum items 32.
templates	Templates	Required. Array of Object; no unknown keys.; minimum items 1; maximum items 32.
templates[].id	Literal identifier used to match records, independently of their display labels.	Required. Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 64.
templates[].phase	Phase	Required. Text; one of "opening", "conflict", "resolution".
templates[].text	Text	Required. Text; maximum UTF-16 length 2048.
templates[].requires	Requires	Required. Array of Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 64.; minimum items 0; maximum items 32.
templates[].adds	Adds	Required. Array of Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 64.; minimum items 0; maximum items 32.
templates[].removes	Removes	Required. Array of Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 64.; minimum items 0; maximum items 32.
seed	Optional numeric seed; takes precedence over context randomness. Without either, use the fixed tool.io default seed.	Optional. Safe integer.

Output field	Interpretation	Returned shape
fictional	Fictional	Required. Boolean; exactly true.
beats	Beats	Required. Array of Object; no unknown keys.; minimum items 3; maximum items 32.
beats[].id	Literal identifier used to match records, independently of their display labels.	Required. Safe integer; minimum 1; maximum 32.
beats[].previousId	Previous Id	Required. Safe integer; minimum 1; maximum 31. or Null.
beats[].templateId	Template Id	Required. Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 64.
beats[].phase	Phase	Required. Text; one of "opening", "conflict", "resolution".
beats[].text	Text	Required. Text; maximum UTF-16 length 65536.
beats[].tagsBefore	Tags Before	Required. Array of Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 64.; minimum items 0; maximum items 1056.
beats[].tagsAfter	Tags After	Required. Array of Text; minimum UTF-16 length 1; maximum UTF-16 length 64.; minimum items 0; maximum items 1056.
randomness	Replay metadata: source is seed or context; seed is the normalized 32-bit seed or null for a context source.	Required. Object; no unknown keys.
randomness.seed	Optional numeric replay seed; normalization and precedence are explained below.	Required. Safe integer. or Null.
randomness.source	Source	Required. Text; one of "context", "seed".

An explicit safe-integer seed takes precedence over injected context randomness and is normalized to an unsigned 32-bit integer. With no seed and no context source, replay uses the fixed tool.io default seed. A context source must return finite values from zero inclusive to one exclusive; its advancing state must be retained separately. randomness records the source and normalized seed, or null for context. These generators are not cryptographic random sources.

json

{
  "input": {
    "count": 3,
    "genre": "mystery",
    "initialTags": [],
    "templates": [
      {
        "id": "arrival",
        "phase": "opening",
        "text": "A {genre} begins at the harbor.",
        "requires": [],
        "adds": [
          "missing"
        ],
        "removes": []
      },
      {
        "id": "search",
        "phase": "conflict",
        "text": "The lantern is found.",
        "requires": [
          "missing"
        ],
        "adds": [
          "found"
        ],
        "removes": [
          "missing"
        ]
      },
      {
        "id": "return",
        "phase": "resolution",
        "text": "The lantern returns home.",
        "requires": [
          "found"
        ],
        "adds": [],
        "removes": []
      }
    ],
    "seed": 42
  },
  "output": {
    "fictional": true,
    "beats": [
      {
        "id": 1,
        "previousId": null,
        "templateId": "arrival",
        "phase": "opening",
        "text": "A mystery begins at the harbor.",
        "tagsBefore": [],
        "tagsAfter": [
          "missing"
        ]
      },
      {
        "id": 2,
        "previousId": 1,
        "templateId": "search",
        "phase": "conflict",
        "text": "The lantern is found.",
        "tagsBefore": [
          "missing"
        ],
        "tagsAfter": [
          "found"
        ]
      },
      {
        "id": 3,
        "previousId": 2,
        "templateId": "return",
        "phase": "resolution",
        "text": "The lantern returns home.",
        "tagsBefore": [
          "found"
        ],
        "tagsAfter": [
          "found"
        ]
      }
    ],
    "randomness": {
      "seed": 42,
      "source": "seed"
    }
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

Adding and removing the same tag is rejected. Templates may be reused, and tag continuity does not establish narrative coherence. Infeasible continuity and search or expanded-text limits return errors.
A replay requires the same complete input and implementation. Randomized construction does not guarantee uniform coverage of every feasible output; finite samples can repeat unless a distinct-selection rule is explicitly stated.
The field tables state structural bounds; cross-field constraints and bounded search or output budgets also apply. Unknown keys are rejected where the object contract disallows them. Input errors are distinct from null fields and deliberate invalid controls in a successful output.

Alternative or Complementary methods

For a supplied example, inspect the returned construction or delegated check directly. To evaluate a consumer, also test cases chosen for its own boundaries; a generated finite corpus does not establish exhaustive coverage.

References

Tool behavior and example: Random Story Beat Outline Generator — tool.io

Similar or alternative tools

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