b998760e96
What changed: Added 45 new Floor Plans help articles under [FloorPlans](C:/Source/PlotLine/PlotLine/Help/Articles/FloorPlans), including the seven full guides requested plus field-level help for the contextual icons. Wired contextual help-icon entries into:Floor Plans list page Floor Plan editor header Structure / Occupancy mode controls floor, block, background, transitions and occupancy UI transition-specific areas for stairs, ladders, hidden doors and secret passages Verification: Confirmed every Floor Plans help-icon key used in the views has a matching article. Confirmed all 45 new articles have required help metadata. dotnet build PlotLine.slnx passes with 0 warnings and 0 errors. No database changes, no Floor Plan behaviour changes, no transition changes, and no editor redesign.
2.1 KiB
title, category, tags, contextKey, micro, quickTitle, quickSummary, screenshot
| title | category | tags | contextKey | micro | quickTitle | quickSummary | screenshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floor Plan Best Practices | Floor Plans | floor plans, best practices, writing, continuity, planning spaces | floorPlans.bestPractices | Keep Floor Plans focused on story usefulness, not architectural perfection. | Floor Plan best practices | Start rough, model narrative spaces, use hidden routes when they matter, and focus on what the story needs. |
Overview
A useful Floor Plan is clear enough to support the story. It does not need to be a perfect building survey.
Start Rough
Place the important rooms first. Add corridors, gardens, cellars and stairs when they matter. You can refine shapes and transitions later.
Model Narrative Spaces
Use blocks to represent spaces that matter to the story: where people stand, what they can hear, where an asset is hidden, or how someone gets from one room to another.
Do not over-model every architectural detail. A fireplace, alcove or cupboard only needs its own Location if the story treats it as a meaningful place.
Use Multiple Blocks For Awkward Shapes
If a room is L-shaped or irregular, use several blocks linked to the same Location. PlotDirector will visually merge the shared internal borders, so the room still reads as one space.
Corridors Matter
Use corridors, landings and halls as Locations too. They often control movement, sightlines, overheard conversations and who could plausibly arrive in time.
Secret Routes
Use hidden doors, secret passages and blocked routes when they carry story meaning. They are ideal for mystery houses, backstage areas, old buildings, hidden compartments and reveals.
Check Vertical Logic
Use the reference floor overlay before adding stairs. It is much easier to line up a staircase early than to fix a broken vertical route after several scenes depend on it.
Focus On Story Questions
Let the plan answer practical questions:
- who can see or hear whom?
- where are important assets?
- how does a character move through the space?
- what route is hidden from the reader or from other characters?
- does the scene still make sense when viewed from above?