PlotPickleVisual storyworld engine

Learn the craft · see the logic · own the story

Stop losing the storybetween the notes, drafts and visuals.

PlotPickle is a self-learning visual story studio. Build one connected story graph, preserve it in a portable PPF, test the logic, write visually, shape the pitch and invite feedback without surrendering canon.

Portable PPF projectsWorks without AIWindows · macOS · LinuxHuman-controlled approvalsOptional BuzzGNU AGPLv3
Local project127.0.0.1
One living story graph

Learn it. Map it. Write it. Show it.

Afterglow demonstrates the complete path, while every module, visual and decision stays connected to the same PPF storyworld.

Self-learning81 guided modulesStory craft beside the work, not in a separate course
Story graphWorld · Characters · Locations24 Blocks · 96 mini-blocks · scenes, arcs and continuity
Portable PPFOne creative source of truthCanon, writing, visuals, feedback and provenance stay connected
Visual writingGraphic Novel · StoryboardTurn structural choices into readable visual proof
Visual pitchPitch · Reports · evidenceShow what the project is and what still needs a decision
Community feedbackBuzz · GitHub · human approvalDiscuss freely without allowing conversation to rewrite canon
PPF is the creative source of truthGitHub is code and merge authoritySettings owns every optional connection
24story Blocks
96mini-blocks and panels
81learning modules
3desktop builds
1canonical PPF storyworld
LE
LearnLearn the craft
PL
PlanPlan the whole story
WR
WriteWrite the screenplay
SB
StoryboardSee the film
RF
RefineRefine with purpose

From interest to proof

Learn the craft inside the story you are building.

PlotPickle connects learning, structure, writing, visualization, pitch and feedback so each step strengthens the same storyworld.
01

Learn while you build

Use 81 self-paced modules, local guides and the open Afterglow example to move from story fundamentals into a working project.

02

See the whole story graph

Map characters, locations, beats, scenes, arcs and dependencies as one connected storyworld instead of scattered documents.

03

Keep one portable PPF

Carry canon, story logic, screenplay material, visuals, feedback, approvals and provenance in one open, portable project.

04

Test story logic visually

Use 24 Blocks and 96 mini-blocks to expose hooks, turning points, causality, continuity and unresolved story decisions.

05

Write and pitch visually

Move from structure to screenplay, Graphic Novel, Storyboard, Production Shots, Pitch and Reports without rebuilding the story each time.

06

Invite feedback without losing canon

Add Buzz community discussion or GitHub proposals when needed while every official change remains human-approved.

One connected application

The complete current workspace model.

Settings configures services. Collab and Community use those connections without becoming a second source of canon.
01
Dashboard

Projects, collaboration and storage

02
Learn

Study the craft, introduction and terminology

03
Plan

Simple Start and story planning

04
Storyboard

See and preserve the film

05
Write

Outline and write

06
Graphic Novel

Generate and review the visual package

07
Build

Arrange 24 Blocks and 96 mini-blocks

08
Feedback

Review notes, proposals and decisions

09
Refine

Refine the story

10
Reports

Understand the screenplay

11
Collab

Approvals, meetings and connected collaborators

12
Community

Connect to a hosted Buzz community

Product-authentic capabilities

Available features and optional connections are clearly separated.

Buzz is presented as an optional community connection, not as part of the open-source core.
Available now · Dashboard

See the real current project

Review the loaded story, Storyworld Overview, writing progress, GitHub state, local storage and unresolved canon decisions without fictional collaborators.

Human-controlled · local-first · inspectable
Available now · Graphic Novel + Storyboard

Develop one approved visual language

Carry canonical characters, locations and visual locks through panels, frames, production shots and animatic evidence.

Human-controlled · local-first · inspectable
Available now · Feedback + Reports

Review meaning, not just files

Keep structured feedback and resolution history permanent while Reports measure screenplay, continuity and production readiness.

Human-controlled · local-first · inspectable
Optional · Collab

Propose and approve selectively

Use GitHub Story Proposals, owner-controlled review, meetings and calendar coordination only when a repository is deliberately connected.

Human-controlled · local-first · inspectable
Optional · Buzz

Add community discussion beside Collab

Buzz provides rooms, media discussion and development activity. It remains dormant until configured under Settings → Integrations → Buzz.

Human-controlled · local-first · inspectable
Available now · Local-first

Stay productive while disconnected

Open, develop, visualize, review and export a PPF project without an AI key, Google account, Buzz connection or required PlotPickle cloud service.

Human-controlled · local-first · inspectable

One project · three ways to work

Start privately. Add people only when the story needs them.

PlotPickle remains installed locally in every mode. Afterglow, the Learn workspace and the PPF story model flow through all three.
PlotPickle installed locally

Local Story Mode

Private creation on this computer

User experience
PlotPickle Playhouse · local compute
Storyline
Afterglow or your own local story
Learning
Learn workspace · 81 modules · local guides
Data & storage
PPF · canonical JSON · assets · rolling backups
Collaboration
Not required
Cost profile
Lowest ongoing cost · minimal paid-token use
PlotPickle installed locally · Buzz optional

Writers’ Room Mode

Community discussion through Buzz

User experience
PlotPickle Playhouse · Buzz Community
Storyline
Afterglow or your story shared through Buzz context
Learning
Learn workspace · 81 modules · local guides
Data & storage
Local PPF plus community discussion references
Collaboration
Rooms · messages · huddles · canon-safe proposals
Cost profile
Local core first · collaboration added only when needed
PlotPickle installed locally · GitHub optional

Repository Collaboration Mode

Reviewed history across machines

User experience
PlotPickle Playhouse · GitHub · optional cloud compute
Storyline
Afterglow or your story through a GitHub repository
Learning
Learn workspace · 81 modules · local guides
Data & storage
Local PPF plus GitHub repository history
Collaboration
Branches · Story Proposals · revision history
Cost profile
Local work by default · remote compute only by choice

Windows · macOS · Linux

One application. Three desktop packages.

Each release candidate is built on its target operating system and published with a SHA-256 checksum. There is no required PlotPickle cloud account, administrator installation or background Windows service.

  • One installer experience
  • Projects separated from program files
  • Reusable local runtime and recovery tools
  • Optional connections remain disconnected by default
Open release downloads
Desktop build

Windows

Guided local launcher with repair and update tools.

Archive
PlotPickle-Windows.zip
Launcher
Start-PlotPickle.bat
Get Windows
Desktop build

macOS

A complete local-server package for Apple computers.

Archive
PlotPickle-macOS.zip
Launcher
Start-PlotPickle.command
Get macOS
Desktop build

Linux

A portable local-server package with a shell launcher.

Archive
PlotPickle-Linux.zip
Launcher
start-plotpickle.sh
Get Linux

Optional assistance with visible human control

Choose the helper. Keep the decision.

AI, GitHub, Google and Buzz remain disconnected until deliberately configured. Credentials stay outside PPF projects, and nothing becomes canonical until a person approves it.

Credentials stay outside projectsPrompts and suggestions remain reviewableFailed connections never block writingBuzz is dormant by default
No AIEvery core writing and project feature remains available.
OpenAI APIConnect your own key through the private local gateway.
Local or compatible modelUse Ollama or an OpenAI-compatible service.
Manual prompt exportPrepare context without giving a provider project access.

Collab and Community have different jobs

Approve formally. Discuss freely. Preserve canon.

Collab owns GitHub Story Proposals, approvals, meetings and calendars. Community adds optional Buzz rooms, media discussion and development activity. Feedback remains the permanent review record.

WriterDirectorProducerActorReviewer
  • Only a human GitHub merge changes shared canonical material
  • Buzz messages and suggestions never become PPF canon automatically
  • Every writer can keep local work private until it is proposed
  • Settings owns connection setup, lifecycle, recovery and removal
Complete productLocal PlotPicklePrivate writing and planning
Complete productPrivate web PlotPickleRestricted production team
Owner-controlledGitHub story repositoryProposal branches · pull requests · reviewed mergesmain / stories / project.ppf
Complete productLocal PlotPicklePerformance and dialogue review
Complete productLocal PlotPickleVisual and production contribution

Only an approved merge changes the canonical PPF.

Open source with clear boundaries

Open software. Open method. Your story.

PlotPickle separates software rights, educational material and each creator's original work.
Software

GNU AGPLv3 or later

Study, modify, share and self-host the PlotPickle software while preserving the licence and source-code obligations.

Method and documentation

Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0

The 24 Blocks method and reusable learning material remain open with attribution to Bryan Elgin Harris and share-alike terms.

Your creative work

Your story remains yours

Using PlotPickle does not transfer ownership of your screenplay, characters, images, notes or exported project files.

Open platform

Portable projects, plugins and SDK

Human-readable project data, portable .ppf exchange packages and permission-controlled extensions reduce lock-in.

Start with a working story

Open Afterglow. See the graph. Then build your own.

Use the complete local core, learn through the example, and add Buzz, GitHub or AI only when the project truly needs them.