What are Draft, Private, Unlisted, and Published Stories?
Adventure Awaits
Understanding Content Visibility in QuestSmith
QuestSmith offers different visibility states to help you manage your stories whether they are still being created, tested, or are ready for a global audience. Understanding these states ensures your content reaches the right people while maintaining your privacy.
Visibility State Definitions
Choosing the right visibility state depends on your current goals for the adventure.
- Draft: A story that is still being created or edited. All scenarios are considered drafts by default until they are published. You can create drafts of already published stories, but changes won't be visible to others until you re-publish.
- Private (Default): These are only available to the player who created them. In QuestSmith, private content is encrypted on the server, meaning not even staff can view it. Use this for building and personal testing.
- Unlisted: This content is public only to those who have the direct share link. It will not appear in search results or discovery areas. This is ideal for early feedback or limited playtesting.
- Published: Published stories are public and available for anyone online to discover, read, or play. These are subject to community guidelines and moderation.
Comparison of Visibility Features
Use this table to understand the technical and privacy differences between each state.
| State | Who Can See It? | Search/Discovery | Subject to Guidelines? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private/Draft | Only You | No | No (Except AI Filters) |
| Unlisted | Link Holders | No | Yes |
| Published | Everyone | Yes | Yes |
The Publishing Process
Before making a story public, everything must be verified through a specific safety and quality workflow.
- Community Guidelines: Ensure your content meets safety standards. While private content is unrestricted, public content must be safe for the community.
- AI Rating Checker: Before publication, your content is scanned by an AI tool to assign a rating (Everyone, Teen, Mature, or Unrated).
- Human Review: AI can make mistakes. If you believe your rating is incorrect, you can request a human review via Discord.
- Re-Publishing: If you edit a published story, those changes are saved as a draft and must be run through the tool again to become public.
QuestSmith Pre-Publishing Checklist
To ensure a high-quality experience for players, verify these technical elements before hitting the publish button:
- Opening Prompt: Is the starting point clear and engaging for the player?
- Structure: Does each Act have a clear purpose and each Arc a defined story question?
- Progression: Does every Story Beat cause a meaningful change in the narrative?
- NPCs: Do all important characters have clear motives?
- Data Stability: Do your Story Cards contain consistent, stable facts for the AI to reference?
- Configuration: Does the Response Length setting match the specific type of story you are telling?
Safety and Moderation
Even in private and unpublished content, the AI utilizes a filter to stop extremist content. However, human moderation is only applied to content that is made available to the public. Everything you publish is a reflection of the community standards, so use the provided tools to ensure a safe environment for all players.