This sounds like the earlydays of movie making.
We have this great set left over... If only we could fit it in to the movie some how.
...Anyway, Why not try making the best non story puzzles you can. the art dosent have to be great, just functional. Make one download for every puzzle.
Post them on a developers section of the bord. (So the average game loving Joe dosent bother to look at them.)
Then let people see if a few can be tied togther to make a story.
If you dont want to let everyone see them then come back and ask for people who would be intrested in developing story based on your style of puzzle.
For instance if it's a conversation/interigation, if it's mathimathical/representative or if it's action/ethics based.
conversation/interigation OR getting the code to unlock the door.
Triping the crook up in their own lie.
Getting the girl to like you.
Talking a man off a ledge.
mathimathical/representative OR Getting the key to unlock the door.
Moving the stones to unolck the chamber.
Moving the chess piece to win the game in one stroke.
Balancing the ships engines before they overload.
action/ethics OR Picking one item over another before you loose both.
Saving a team of people by sacrificing one member.
Rescuing people in a burning building.
Deciding to go with your pears or trying to change their minds.
Now, on to my own 2 cent on story in games....
I'm a big fan of story in games but I often find adventure games are so deviod of good story that my will to play is crushed before I'm a quater way through.
Ron gilbert has some great points on stort in games on his website
http://grumpygamer.com/ among them is an excelent point on puzzles...
When you solve a puzzle it should allways forward the story.
If you have a secret or a twist, put it after a puzzle is solved. But you must also create a reason fro the puzzle to be intresting in the first place.
Myst, in my opinion, sucks at this. Your on an island. There is nothing to do but we left you a puzzle to solve...
Broken Sword, again just my opinion, rocks at this. Your at a cafe, enjoying your holiday and a clown runs out, then your blown across the street by an explosion in the cafe... is everyone ok? what happened? were did the clown go? Lots of questions are there to be answered and now you have motivation to start clicking on things.
(Basic tennant of webdesign: Every click you get is preceous. Never make someone feel like they have wasted one.)
If you can't think of a story then steal one (like all great artists) Think of your favourite tv show and make a story based around what's intresting on it...
I'm making a game at the moment and it's nothing to do with the real world. So, for my example I'm picking a random tv show that's nothing like my current game... CSI.
So for anyone who wants it, here is a CSI game off the top of my head...
CSI:Hoboken
Investigate the crime scene...
Find clues (there by switching on scenes to be played later in the game)
Solve the puzzles you have opened up to reveal suspects.
9 puzzles, the 3 easyest ones should be red herrings.
lets say, you only need 2 out of 8 puzzles correct to get a suspect brought in for questioning...
(you can choose to work on more before you bring him in)
If you get them to purgeor themselves you have an instant win. (or a points boost eqal to one solved puzzle in the trial)
If you overstep your bounds and loose your temper you instantly loose that suspect. you cant bring them to court. Mabye someone else, is guilty?
If you go to trial then you need to have 3-4 out of 8 pussles solved framing one suspect in order to get a conviction. or mabye some evedence could be more damming then others...
An additional idea...
Some evedence is more emotionally charged then others so if you wanted to you could try to send a guy down for a crime you dont have the evedence to absolutely prove he committed it.
(A bloody hand print on a dress is more enotionally charged then a nonsescript black hat with hair samples.)
You could weight the variables on the pieces of evedence so the players might not even know they have the wrong prson untill the case is over and the person is freed on apeal...
That's one...
Actually, that wasent too bad.
Just change the name from csi to the name of your hard bitten chain smoking investigator and your game is suddenly an origional creation. And it's not a rip off. no sir-ee... A homage mabye.
Ok, as that seemed to work out ok. Anyone want to suggest a theme and I'll see if I can cook up a story. If someone wants me to point out what puzzles could go where then I would be glad to help.