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articy:draft

by Articy Software GmbH & Co. KG · Since 2014
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ActiveAvailable globallyCloud
Quick facts
VendorArticy Software GmbH & Co. KG
Year launched2014
StatusActive
LocationSüdring 25, Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia 44787, DE
Countries servedGlobal
Languages8
Integrations6+
Free tierN/A
Free trialN/A
Contact salesN/A

About articy:draft

Articy:draft is a narrative design software from Articy Software GmbH & Co. KG that supports the creation of interactive stories. It combines showcases, integration, and user account management to help writers and developers craft complex narratives efficiently. With articy:draft, users can visualize story elements, integrate with game engines, and manage their projects through a centralized account. The tool is designed for collaboration among team members, allowing for real-time updates and feedback on story development. Key capabilities: showcases integration user account management collaboration tools project tracking Best for: game writers and narrative designers that need to develop interactive storylines for video games.

articy:draft, developed by Articy Software GmbH, is a visual database and narrative design platform tailored for interactive storytelling and game development. It is widely used by indie developers, AAA studios, and educational institutions to manage complex branching narratives, character arcs, and dialogue systems. At its core, articy:draft provides a Flow View, a nested visual interface that allows writers and designers to build coherent stories from macro-level plots down to micro-level dialogue choices. This makes it particularly valuable for games with branching storylines, quests, and player-driven decisions. A key differentiator of articy:draft is its integration pipeline. Content created in articy:draft can be exported directly into game engines like Unity and Unreal, ensuring a seamless transition from narrative design to implementation. It also supports localization workflows, flexible exports (XML, Excel, Word), and a powerful API for custom integrations. Collaboration is another strength. articy:draft enables remote and hybrid teams to work together on shared projects, with features for version control, permissions, and real-time updates.

Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Visual flow-editor supports nested, non-linear story flows for complex branching.
  • Template system allows modular design of entities (characters, items, locations) with constraints.
  • Game object database centralizes all narrative elements like entities, assets, variables.
  • Built-in location editor (2D vector) enables sketching of maps and environmental layouts.
  • Engine integration 12D export to Unity and Unreal with dedicated importers.
  • Version control and collaboration supports multi-user workflows to align writers and devs.
Cons
  • Data import between separate projects is limited in which migrating entities or flows can be difficult.
  • The localization system, though powerful, can be cumbersome for very large or non-standard workflows.
  • If your narrative logic or variables are messy, it’s hard to maintain and so it requires good discipline.
  • Simulation mode is useful, but playtesting very large or complex flows can be slow.
  • Cost for multi-user or commercial license can be significant for small / indie teams. Game Developer
  • Some users report the export/import system (e.g., Excel) has limitations.

Features

Key features

Flow View interface – Build branching narratives visually with nested flows.
Storyline management – Organize plots, quests, and branching story arcs efficiently.
Character database – Create detailed sheets for characters and relationships.
Dialogue editor – Write branching dialogue with conditional logic seamlessly.
Scene design tools – Plan environments, objects, and events visually together.
Quest management system – Track hundreds of quests across large projects.
Item database – Document weapons, vehicles, and interactive objects consistently.
Localization workflows – Manage translations and multi-language content effectively.
Flexible export options – Export to XML, Excel, or Word easily.
Unity integration tools – Import narrative content directly into Unity projects.
Unreal integration tools – Connect story data seamlessly with Unreal Engine.

Additional features

API for developers – Enable custom integrations with external systems easily.
Collaboration features – Support teamwork across remote and hybrid teams.
Version control system – Track changes and manage project history effectively.
Permissions management – Restrict access to sensitive narrative components securely.
Real-time updates – Sync changes instantly across distributed development teams.
Visual database system – Store all narrative elements in one repository.
Branching logic support – Handle player choices and conditional outcomes effectively.
Documentation tools – Generate reports for design and production workflows.
Analytics dashboards – Visualize project progress and narrative complexity clearly.
Scenario modeling tools – Simulate different narrative paths and outcomes easily.
Workflow automation tools – Digitize repetitive narrative design tasks efficiently.
Cross-platform support – Available for Windows and macOS environments.

Pricing

Free trial
Free version
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Monthly plans

Basic
EUR 68/mo
billed monthly

Countries & Languages

Global
Countries served
8
Interface languages
16
Billing currencies

Interface languages

EnglishGermanRussianFrenchSpanishChineseJapaneseKorean

Billing currencies

🇺🇸USD🇪🇺EUR🇬🇧GBP🇯🇵JPY🇦🇺AUD🇨🇦CAD🇭🇰HKD🇨🇳CNY🇮🇳INR🇷🇺RUB🇨🇭CHF🇸🇪SEK🇳🇴NOK🇩🇰DKK🇦🇪AED🇸🇬SGD

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