Revelation hit me whilr thinking of PC again.
Meaningful choices can't be too meaningful.
Choices cannot lead to surprises and definitely can't lead to bad things.
That's how the plot graph should look like.
Like those Luna's ponytail braid.
Paths spreading after choice, going their own ways, but then at some point starting to get pulled closer and closer again, untill all of them meet together in the same Nexus Event (thanks Spiderman!).
A point in plot that happens no matter the choices - and this where you can put player deaths, NPCs deaths, kidnappings, plot twists, reveals and every other major plot points.
And where you can start branching again, spreading wide while moving towards next Nexus Event.
If it's not The Ultimate Way, then at least it's the closest to finding the golden compromise between sandbox and kinetic and making the most out of both Dev and player time.
