StoryXPander: An AI-Assisted Graph-Based Tool for Interactive Storytelling

November 14, 2025

In recent years, the swift advancement of Large Language Models (LLMs) has generated increasing interest in their potential to enhance creativity and narrative design within interactive digital media. This study explores the integration of LLMs as collaborative tools for creating branching narratives in video games, focusing on two primary research questions: Can these systems effectively help designers create interactive stories? And can players reliably detect AI involvement in the narratives produced? To explore these questions, we developed a custom graph-based authoring environment that allows designers to generate and expand story nodes using LLM-assisted prompts. We formulate two hypotheses: H1) LLM-assisted authoring tools can improve the efficiency and usability of interactive story creation, and H2) players will exhibit limited ability to recognize AI-generated narrative content. The evaluation involved a usability study with players that will act as designers and a player-based assessment of narrative perception. The usability results yielded a mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 68.3, supporting H1 and indicating that the system aids creative storytelling. The results for H2 were inconclusive, as the responses of the participants to the authorship of AI remained largely neutral, indicating uncertainty about the presence of LLM involvement. In general, the findings suggest that LLM-assisted tools can significantly enhance creative workflows in interactive storytelling. At the same time, they highlight ongoing challenges related to perception of authorship, narrative consistency, and the balance of creative control.

Authors in the community:

• 

  R

  Ricardo Jorge Subtil Sousa

  ist194048

  Affiliations and sources

  IST

  Instituto Superior Técnico

Supervisors of this institution:

• 

  C

  Carlos António Roque Martinho

  ist14181

electrical-engineering-electronic-engineering-information-engineering - Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering

eng - English

Instituto Superior Técnico