Properties Panel

The Properties panel exists because the same story graph has many kinds of editable data. Selecting a story, chapter, scene, node, variable, character, sprite, pose, choice option, or condition branch should show the fields that matter for that exact item.

That keeps editing local. You do not need to hunt through project JSON to change a dialog line, a sprite pose, a choice condition, or the runtime menu colors.

What appears here

General fields

Name, title, text, selected assets, variable choices, and other fields that define the selected item.

Flow fields

Fields such as Next, Otherwise, Scene Starts At, or jump destination fields.

Advanced groups

Optional behavior that most creators do not need immediately, such as Style Preset Override, cues, sprite positioning, fades, and playback details.

Warnings

Missing dependencies or invalid setup are shown near the field that needs attention.

Use the filter bar at the top of Properties to narrow the fields for the selected item. It matches field names and current values, and it keeps matching advanced and section groups visible so you do not have to open every group by hand.

Large dropdown fields, such as Next, asset, sprite, pose, variable, scene, and chapter references, include search once the list has at least 6 options. Type part of a name or ID to narrow the list, then choose the matching item. Empty choices such as "(none)" stay at the top when a field supports them.

Number fields can be typed directly. Use the side up/down buttons for one-step changes, or drag inside the field when you want to adjust a value faster.

True/False fields appear as checkboxes. For example, Interactable, Auto Emphasize, and Show Chapter Index can be toggled without opening a dropdown.

Collection rows have their own controls. Use the up/down arrows on a Choice option or Condition branch to change its order without rebuilding it. The row’s text, conditions, and destination move together, and the reorder is one undoable edit. You can also drag those nested rows into a new position in the Explorer.

How to use it

Select an item in the Explorer or Story Map.
Open the relevant section in Properties.
Fill required fields first.
Resolve warnings on the path you want to preview.
Use advanced fields only when the default behavior is not enough.

Common required fields include Story Starts At on the story, Scene Starts At on a scene, Store In Variable on Text Input, Variable on Set Variable, Destination on Jump, and asset fields on presentation nodes.

Advanced groups are still authored data. A Dialog node can override typewriter speed, skippability, portrait, scroll sound, auto-advance timing, sprite emphasis, Style Preset Override, and text cues without changing the rest of the project.

Select the story itself to set Default Scroll Sound once for the whole project. Individual Characters, Scroll Sound Links, and Dialog nodes can still override it where needed.

Empty and create states

Some fields need another project item before they can work. For example, a Sprite Enter node needs a sprite asset, and a Text Input node needs a Text variable.

When a required item does not exist and the field implies exactly one kind of item, Properties may show an attached + action. For example, a missing sprite or variable reference can create that item directly; hover the action to confirm what it creates. Import actions such as Import Background and Import Audio remain labeled.

A reference that can accept several kinds does not guess for you. For example, Scene Starts At does not create a Dialog automatically; insert the node type you want, then select it as the scene’s start node.

When a create button belongs to a specific reference field, the new item is applied back to that field. For example, creating a variable from a Text Input field fills that Text Input field instead of relying on whatever is selected elsewhere.

Warnings

Warnings point at missing or unsafe setup. The same warning can appear in Properties, the Explorer, and the Story Map so you can find the problem from whichever view you are using.

Examples include:

A Background node points at a missing background asset.
A Sprite Update node references a pose that is not on the selected sprite.
A Text Input node targets a missing variable or a non-Text variable.
A Condition branch has no project variable.
A Jump node points at a scene that no longer exists.

Use File > Settings > Show IDs when two items have similar names and you need to see the stable ID beside the display name in reference fields. Use Show node types when the Explorer outline is easier to scan with node kind labels visible.

That is the main habit to build: use Properties for small focused edits, then treat its warnings as the checklist for making a route playable.