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Visual Novels Community Thread | A Little Something for Everyone
- Thread starter Yuuichi
- Start date
max_505
Member
I feel you. I liked the game, though. Still wondering how it made me tear up given how short it was.
Jawmuncher
Member
That game was everything I wanted it to be. You figure it out.
But it still ends up getting you at the end.
Deft Beck
Member
I guess this would be a good place to ask.
I am in the process of writing an original science-fiction drama that would span several volumes. Beyond writing the prose editions and releasing them online as eBooks, I would also like to adapt the volumes into a visual novel series using Ren'py. I plan on making the series available on PC/Mac/Linux via Steam, as well as Android devices via Google Play.
Could there be a market for something like this? I realize that the vast majority of popular visual novels seem to have an anime aesthetic (this would have a more cartoony aesthetic; my avatar is the main protagonist of this series, and his look would be indicative of the series' art style).
Despite that, I think it could be fun to make an interactive version of the story. There would be less emphasis on choices that affect the path of the overall narrative and moreso the ability to talk to characters about different subjects and explore other places in the setting. I think it would be a good way to enhance the narrative and give readers a new way to experience the story.
What do you think?
I am in the process of writing an original science-fiction drama that would span several volumes. Beyond writing the prose editions and releasing them online as eBooks, I would also like to adapt the volumes into a visual novel series using Ren'py. I plan on making the series available on PC/Mac/Linux via Steam, as well as Android devices via Google Play.
Could there be a market for something like this? I realize that the vast majority of popular visual novels seem to have an anime aesthetic (this would have a more cartoony aesthetic; my avatar is the main protagonist of this series, and his look would be indicative of the series' art style).
Despite that, I think it could be fun to make an interactive version of the story. There would be less emphasis on choices that affect the path of the overall narrative and moreso the ability to talk to characters about different subjects and explore other places in the setting. I think it would be a good way to enhance the narrative and give readers a new way to experience the story.
What do you think?
Hours Left
Member
It seems that No, Thank You!!! is selling well for MangaGamer.
I don't play a particularly huge amount of VNs, but I think this would be interesting. If it wouldn't be a prohibitively huge amount of work (and having made some simple games via Python, I don't think it would be), I say go for it!
Bandersnatch1
Member
Absolutely. VN's seem to be popping up more and more on Steam and other devices. You should just be extra mindful of the amount of art assets that would be needed when writing the prose. It could turn into a ton of work if you are adding characters and locations all the time.
Assuming it hasn't been taken down yet there's an all ages port of Kira☆Kira with a mildly questionable but very readable translation that I have no hesitation in recommending.
è£ ç²æªé¬¼ææ£
Banned
Finished Boku no Hitori Sensou.
Honestly, I don't know what I expected, but after the awesome first chapter (demo) and the OP-movie I would have guessed some kind of battle royale / zombie apocalypse scenario in a rural setting. One might think that Looseboy, known for his cuhrayzee tweeests, would be running amok with a story that includes
supernatural elements
But no, instead you'll get a boring drama about the complicated nature of human relationships. This might have been cool with characters that are worth a damn but this is a seriously boring group of friends. There is nothing interesting about their backstories, their worries and aspirations and yet, all of this trivial shit has to be told for some reason.
The idea behind the story is not bad but the execution ends up being so goddamn unexciting.
The curse itself is indeed cruel in concept, ending up forgotten by the people you most care for is a pretty shitty thing no doubt, but in the end it's just lacking the tension of the good old "fight for your life" -scenario.
Oh well going to play through a route of Sabbat of the Witch to lift my spirits before reading through the new minori game.
999: The Novel and Banshee's Last Cry.
cj_iwakura
Member
Not as pretty as I'd have liked, but I cooked up an OT for Tokyo Twilight Ghost Busters, so have an enjoy.
I'm cautiously optimistic for it.
I'm cautiously optimistic for it.
Basileus777
Member
R_thanatos
Member
They finished it ?
I thought it would stay locked at 88% for at least 2 more years
Basileus777
Member
Someone else took over and finished it.
I'm halfway through a playthrough of Innocent Grey's Kara no Shoujo (ep 1). This being my first adult rated VN, I have to ask. Do the sex scenes always feel so out of place and inappropriate for adult rated VNs?
I'm intrigued, if a bit disturbed, by the story so far, and like the characters quite a bit but the sex feels kind of shoehorned. Like, is this really the time for you to be having sex with an underage student who is almost half your age? It actually feels out of character when the MC does that. I would have preferred that they left those out. I don't think I've seen any sex scene that actually added to the story thus far.
I'm intrigued, if a bit disturbed, by the story so far, and like the characters quite a bit but the sex feels kind of shoehorned. Like, is this really the time for you to be having sex with an underage student who is almost half your age? It actually feels out of character when the MC does that. I would have preferred that they left those out. I don't think I've seen any sex scene that actually added to the story thus far.
I remember when I played F/SN for the first time (which also happened to be my first VN) and I got to the forest chase scene and then the H scene happened and I was like wait, this isn't really happening now, is it?
I've gotten used to it now, though.
Yes. They are absolutely terrible, every single time.
Honestly I wish every VN offered an option to automatically skip every single sex scene.
è£ ç²æªé¬¼ææ£
Banned
Well that would be rather pointless considering that 99% of the medium is all about fucking cute girls.
Talking about sex scenes and having watched the anime adaptations for Fate/Zero and the one that goes after it (Stay.Night, I think?), I was left dumbfounded when I later read that the VNs they were based on made a plot point out of masters being able to infuse their servants with mana through sexual intercourse.
While the series might make a point out of that I might be missing out on due to not having read the VNs, it feels like the fact that sex scenes could be simply left out of the anime adaptation without any repercussions or notable plot holes makes me think they were only added for the fanservice element, which is a bit of a let down.
On a separate note, I recently began playing Analogue: A Hate Story, and I'd say it's been interesting so far. I like how the tutorial asked me to infer something from the information I was provided rather than blatantly stating things outright in one of the e-mails.
While the series might make a point out of that I might be missing out on due to not having read the VNs, it feels like the fact that sex scenes could be simply left out of the anime adaptation without any repercussions or notable plot holes makes me think they were only added for the fanservice element, which is a bit of a let down.
On a separate note, I recently began playing Analogue: A Hate Story, and I'd say it's been interesting so far. I like how the tutorial asked me to infer something from the information I was provided rather than blatantly stating things outright in one of the e-mails.
装甲悪鬼村正;155546527 said:
Well I wish it wasn't this way. VNs as a medium are very unique and I feel like their potential is being squandered. Or, to put it in more objective terms, the ratio of eroge and nukige compared to VNs without H-scenes and/or overt sexual themes is far too lopsided. In the end I suppose it's what the market wants...
WhirlwindMonk
Banned
Couple clarifications. First, Fate/Zero was a series of prequel light novels, it was never a VN, and I don't remember any sex scenes in the light novels.
In Fate/Stay Night, there actually are plot-holes if you just cut all the sex scenes. In the anime adaptation (and all ages version of the VN) they are replaced with various non-sexual magical rituals to plug those holes and maintain continuity.
In the Fate/Stay Night anime, remember when Tohsaka did that ritual in the forest to fix Shirou and Saber's magical link so Saber could access Shirou's mana? That was a big H-scene in the VN that had to be replaced, otherwise Saber would just suddenly have her strength back for no good reason.
cj_iwakura
Member
I've heard they are very important to Heaven's Feel, though I have no clue why yet. That was just disturbing.
Thought you might be interested in knowing there's a content update for Long Live the Queen. Reddit post with details.
Also, post from MangaGamer on ask.fm, on their stance on fan translations.
Also, post from MangaGamer on ask.fm, on their stance on fan translations.
cj_iwakura
Member
Cool news, I had a lot of fun doing an LP of LLTQ.
As for MG, that's nice for them to say so, but even they have to acknowledge that there's some games that are simply never going to be localized, and fan translators have every right to take them on.
Part of the reason I take on ultra niche projects. Hell, 07th Expansion supported our translation of Ougon Musou Kyoku.
R_thanatos
Member
If one thing sekai project has proven with their clannad and grisaia kickstarter is that you can still work your thing even when a fan translation is available.
What matters is to pick a strong title, material ..and by that i mean strong enough to gather fans behind it.
How many titles stuck in limbo , with incomplete translations ? Should they just wait god how many years before they should do it ?
I don't play Vns more than once , but i can still support ones that i've enjoyed. There is the appeal of owning your copy in your hands as well.
Bottom line , secure some titles and make things clear. Translation groups will be more than happy to pick other projects if they understand that there is a chance that a team will do an official localisation.
For those that are heavy on the story then. I'm quite sure Kara no Shoujo could have gone without it. It's primarily a murder mystery. I really don't need his sister leaning suggestively on his chest with her boobs half exposed. If they wanted to make you care about her, the normal interactions you have with her and her personality are more than enough.装甲悪鬼村正;155546527 said:
I'm glad innocent grey went all age with Flowers. The founder liking all age yuri aside, looking at Kara no Shoujo, I can see why the team would want a break from the series. It's really quite hard to read/watch some of the graphic murder scenes sometimes, especially if the victim is one of the characters you've been interacting with for some time. I've only completed the first mystery (?), but I'm sure the worst has yet to come.
WhirlwindMonk
Banned
I think it depends on what is meant by "important." They do manage to tell basically the same story in the all-ages version, so it's obviously not absolutely required. However, unlike Fate and UBW, the sex scenes and sexual content in HF actually reveals things about various characters and really drives home how despicable of people (early-ish spoiler)
Zouken
Shinji
That said, I've heard the all ages version turns Sakura into
a vampire rather than a sex-addict
So, before starting the games recommended to me last time, I thought I would make an attempt to finish up some of my stalled games. I made the most progress with Corpse Party. I'm not quite done yet. I'm partially through Chapter 5, up to the point where
and I'll probably finish it in a day or two.
I really enjoy the depth of content and detail in this game. You can totally miss some stuff that really builds the world. One that sticks out to me is in Chapter 4
. I honestly don't know what the significance of that is just yet, but it had a picture and everything so it's probably going to matter, but it was completely optional.
The extra chapters are pretty amazing in this regard, too. In I think the first one,
I've found the game to be fairly interesting in this regard. I'm eager to replay the game a second time to explore what I missed, and to get context on some of the stuff I didn't put together, before moving on to the next one.
Speaking of which, it's tough to get a clear answer and I'm worried about stepping on a spoiler landmine by investigating further. What game am I supposed to play next after Corpse Party? I've gathered that the version I'm playing is actually technically Corpse Party: Blood Covered ...Repeated Fear, renamed to just Corpse Party since it effectively replaces that game in the canon and that name was comically huge. It's a little confusing, since there seem to be a lot of releases and spin-offs and manga, but I think I'm supposed to move on to Book of Shadows next, right?
Satoshi and Naomi meet up with Ayumi
I really enjoy the depth of content and detail in this game. You can totally miss some stuff that really builds the world. One that sticks out to me is in Chapter 4
you can find a compact make-up case that is totally optional to find right at the end of the chapter
The extra chapters are pretty amazing in this regard, too. In I think the first one,
you can end it right away, and think that's just how it ends. But if you play it again and don't investigate the last toilet stall, there's this minutes-long sequence to do, that you might have no idea about if you aren't thorough (or maybe are too thorough).
Speaking of which, it's tough to get a clear answer and I'm worried about stepping on a spoiler landmine by investigating further. What game am I supposed to play next after Corpse Party? I've gathered that the version I'm playing is actually technically Corpse Party: Blood Covered ...Repeated Fear, renamed to just Corpse Party since it effectively replaces that game in the canon and that name was comically huge. It's a little confusing, since there seem to be a lot of releases and spin-offs and manga, but I think I'm supposed to move on to Book of Shadows next, right?
Bandersnatch1
Member
My copy of Hanachirasu came today, looking forward to giving it a shot.
FairFriend
Member
hm...
So this is my first post in this thread. My first visual novel was 999. It showed me that this genre had great potential. The story was pretty good and emotional, but, maybe more importantly, it was a story which could be told only in a game. Subsequently I tried VLR, but I found it to be lacking in several departments in comparison with 999: the art was not as good, the story was to much contrieved and so on.
The OP suggested Katawa Shoujo, but to be honest I really didn't enjoy it. At a point I wasn't even reading the text: the descriptions were lenghty and unnecessary (why even write them if you can use pictures to describe the scenery?), and the dialogues were extremely predictable and cliche'. What really turned me off to the game was how rushed the relationships developed. To be honest Emi was the only girl I made a bond with, so the experience may change based on the path chosen. But the problem I encountered was this: she was way too eager to advance the relationship and when her and the MC ehm...undressed themselves, it really seemed nothing more than unwanted fanservice. I was looking forward to a more realistic and "adult" evolution of their relationship, eventually terminating in the "pay off" (why not, if it's done tastefully?) but as I noticed I think that this aspect wasn't given much thought by the writer.
Anyone feels the same as me? Do you have any visual novel to suggest based on thies brief note?
So this is my first post in this thread. My first visual novel was 999. It showed me that this genre had great potential. The story was pretty good and emotional, but, maybe more importantly, it was a story which could be told only in a game. Subsequently I tried VLR, but I found it to be lacking in several departments in comparison with 999: the art was not as good, the story was to much contrieved and so on.
The OP suggested Katawa Shoujo, but to be honest I really didn't enjoy it. At a point I wasn't even reading the text: the descriptions were lenghty and unnecessary (why even write them if you can use pictures to describe the scenery?), and the dialogues were extremely predictable and cliche'. What really turned me off to the game was how rushed the relationships developed. To be honest Emi was the only girl I made a bond with, so the experience may change based on the path chosen. But the problem I encountered was this: she was way too eager to advance the relationship and when her and the MC ehm...undressed themselves, it really seemed nothing more than unwanted fanservice. I was looking forward to a more realistic and "adult" evolution of their relationship, eventually terminating in the "pay off" (why not, if it's done tastefully?) but as I noticed I think that this aspect wasn't given much thought by the writer.
Anyone feels the same as me? Do you have any visual novel to suggest based on thies brief note?
Yeah, I knew about the forst scene, which is the thing that made me go WTF when I eventually read what had happened in the source material. Still, are there any cases were H-scenes are actually done for a good reason other than fanservice?
I'm debating whether I should go back and reread Umineko Eps 1-4 with all the hints that were revealed by the end of Ep8 and see if I can understand what was actually going on in there. It's really interesting that the first episode, which seems to be the one that has the least magical elements, has a huge one in retrospect in
the very fact that Kinzo's alive
Besides that, I think I might start reading some other mystery VN, so I'd like to ask you guys for advice on free ones, or ones I might be able to get through Steam (for either PC or Mac).
Ah, yes, I agree with you, I too really did not get any enjoyment out of Katawa Shoujo. As for recommendations, I would recommend what I always do: Kara no Shoujo, Any of 999's writer previous games (Ever 17, Remember 11, Never 7), Swan Song, Corpse Party games.
Though these aren't really doing stuff "which could be told only in a game" as you put it, but they are very good. Definitely try out Kara no Shoujo, which I would recommend over the others.
Ever17 and iirc Remember11 def do some stuff that can only really be done with games/VNs
Loved Rewrite. It had its fair share of flaws, but a lot of the routes were really enjoyable and the common route was simply fantastic!
Though it seems to be most people's least favorite route, I really enjoyed Lucia's and it was definitely the ending I liked the best out of any.
To me, the only truly awful part of Rewrite was
Shizuru's ending, which was just pure shit. My eyes were about to roll out of my head when all the stuff past the world destruction happened and you were reading her diary. Up until that part the route was great, and I didn't even mind the world ending, but the way it was handled was just not for me... at all.
cj_iwakura
Member
Keep in mind that KS has different writers for each route, so it very much changes depending on that. I felt the most romantic one was definitely Lilly's. (And even the adult content in that feels kind of rushed and awkward.)
Oh right, I totally forgot about that, even though it's such a major point!
So yeah, FairFriend, if "the stuff only games could do" is really what drew you to 999, then you should check out Ever17 or Remember11 before branching deeper into VN's.
I don't blame you. I'm a member of the crowd who firmly believes that "sex sells", and that yes, most games will not manage to write h beyond what is essentially fan service. I think the only game that comes to mind as not having h out of nowhere is 大図書館の羊飼い, but that game is rife with other structural problems.
Also, on a similar note, I highly recommend the following if you want to completely ruin some games for yourself: (the following are not spoilers, but can ruin games in a hilarious manner)
count the amount of days that a route takes place over, either using an in game date clock or use inferences from the text.
write things in to a hilariously small window
Flyable Heart (one of the routes is about a month long from start to finish) and OsaDai, my personal favorite, in which you can infer from the text one of the routes cannot be more than 3 weeks long, from start to end.
I know that everyone suggested I play Steins;Gate, but since I've been wanting to play it for a long time I decided to play Yu-No instead.
I thought it was a pretty awesome game and that it had a well written story. Of course, the music is probably also one of the high points.
As for my next VN, I still haven't thought too hard about what I want to play next.
I thought it was a pretty awesome game and that it had a well written story. Of course, the music is probably also one of the high points.
After playing it however, I really can't understand where all the hate for the epilogue came from. In fact, I think it's probably one of the best parts of the game.
As for my next VN, I still haven't thought too hard about what I want to play next.
Bandersnatch1
Member
Yu-No
I thought it was pretty ballsy how the game tricks you into thinking you're almost done and then it shunts you off to Middle-earth for 10 hours.
I would suggest Akai Ito to anyone who has an interest in trying. It's not as well known as it should be, even amongst the Japanese, but it is a favourite amongst many who have played it.
It was my very first VN, and is still my all time favourite to this day. The sequel Aoi Shiro can't compare.
The problem is, it is only available in Japanese on the PS2, and on the PSN for PS3 via the PS2 archives. There is an almost complete translation online though. And I think someone made a patch for PC emulation. I'm not too sure.
Akai Ito features a female protagonist, who is all sorts of adorable. It's all age. Romance is not the main aim in this game. The routes are all for female characters. It has yuri subtext. It's full blown yuri in my eyes but your mileage may vary. If you don't like yuri, it is still very easy to get into because there's nothing explicit and romance is not the main part of this VN, if you can even call it a romance. Akai Ito has an insane amount of branching. There are four main routes, and a lot of endings. There's a total of
endings,
that are bad and
that are "normal" endings, which sometimes can actually be more depressing than the bad endings. One of the good "normal" endings is a hot favourite amongst fans though. I'd say it's even more popular than the true end for that route. The bad endings, especially the alternatives to the true ends, are absolutely worth going through, as heart wrenching as they may be. I liked the story a lot, parts of which are tragic. There are some routes which you have to complete first to unlock others. Some will reveal more about the main mystery than others.
Another thing about the branching is that I think it doesn't really cheat, even though it is a lot less linear than a lot of the other VNs (think 4 parallel paths, with only a few overlaps). Everything happens for a reason. For example, if you choose not to go to the mountain that day, the event that you would have witnessed still happens. It would, of course, most likely play out differently than if you had gone. It then has an effect on what comes later. If you had met a certain character earlier, the MC would have reacted in a different way when an event comes up later. If you didn't wait to talk to another character, you wouldn't have missed the last bus. Etc. This sort of cause and effect is something I really enjoyed about the VN a lot. The flags for the way it branches are a lot more obvious, and with the amount of branching it has, they also show you a map for it. It might be because I haven't played a lot of VNs, but I found Akai Ito's branching to be a lot more cohesive than some others where I couldn't for the life of me figure out what flag triggered such a response. For a feel on how the branch map looks like head here, which provides the conditions and thus, contains spoilers.
Character wise, they are all very very likable. So much so that it is very hard to pick a favourite. There is also a sufficient amount of comedy in between the more serious sections. You also get some pretty good veteran seiyuu voicing the characters. Cast includes Matsuki Miyu, Minaguchi Yuko <3, Kugimiya Rie, Watanabe Akeno and Sanada Asami. Noto Mamiko's there too, but only as a side character.
The music is by MANYO, who also does Innocent Grey games. So it is of course excellent. The atmosphere though. Whoo. The atmosphere. It's one of those VNs where I would really recommend playing at night. It is not a murder horror like Kara no Shoujo but I still think it's best experienced at night. Definitely recommended for those who like a traditional Japanese feel. There's quite a bit of Japanese folklore involved, and there is an abundance of clever word play (pay close attention to the titles of each chapter and ending).
Having played more VNs and going back to Akai Ito, only then did I notice that Akai Ito has semi-animated standing art for its characters. It's not like they're moving around, but their eyes blink and their lips sync in timing to the things they say. It's not a big deal but I think it is one thing that really adds to the experience. The characters have quite a lot of expressions.
Akai Ito does have the "problem" that Yuuichi described in spoiler tags as it takes place over
. I put "problem" in quotes as, in this case, it's not so much a problem as it could be for others as it is not a romance VN and some of the characters start out already acquainted with the MC. So, the relationships are somewhat more believable.
TL;DR
Akai Ito is my GOAT. Try it.
It was my very first VN, and is still my all time favourite to this day. The sequel Aoi Shiro can't compare.
The problem is, it is only available in Japanese on the PS2, and on the PSN for PS3 via the PS2 archives. There is an almost complete translation online though. And I think someone made a patch for PC emulation. I'm not too sure.
Akai Ito features a female protagonist, who is all sorts of adorable. It's all age. Romance is not the main aim in this game. The routes are all for female characters. It has yuri subtext. It's full blown yuri in my eyes but your mileage may vary. If you don't like yuri, it is still very easy to get into because there's nothing explicit and romance is not the main part of this VN, if you can even call it a romance. Akai Ito has an insane amount of branching. There are four main routes, and a lot of endings. There's a total of
32
15
12
Another thing about the branching is that I think it doesn't really cheat, even though it is a lot less linear than a lot of the other VNs (think 4 parallel paths, with only a few overlaps). Everything happens for a reason. For example, if you choose not to go to the mountain that day, the event that you would have witnessed still happens. It would, of course, most likely play out differently than if you had gone. It then has an effect on what comes later. If you had met a certain character earlier, the MC would have reacted in a different way when an event comes up later. If you didn't wait to talk to another character, you wouldn't have missed the last bus. Etc. This sort of cause and effect is something I really enjoyed about the VN a lot. The flags for the way it branches are a lot more obvious, and with the amount of branching it has, they also show you a map for it. It might be because I haven't played a lot of VNs, but I found Akai Ito's branching to be a lot more cohesive than some others where I couldn't for the life of me figure out what flag triggered such a response. For a feel on how the branch map looks like head here, which provides the conditions and thus, contains spoilers.
Character wise, they are all very very likable. So much so that it is very hard to pick a favourite. There is also a sufficient amount of comedy in between the more serious sections. You also get some pretty good veteran seiyuu voicing the characters. Cast includes Matsuki Miyu, Minaguchi Yuko <3, Kugimiya Rie, Watanabe Akeno and Sanada Asami. Noto Mamiko's there too, but only as a side character.
The music is by MANYO, who also does Innocent Grey games. So it is of course excellent. The atmosphere though. Whoo. The atmosphere. It's one of those VNs where I would really recommend playing at night. It is not a murder horror like Kara no Shoujo but I still think it's best experienced at night. Definitely recommended for those who like a traditional Japanese feel. There's quite a bit of Japanese folklore involved, and there is an abundance of clever word play (pay close attention to the titles of each chapter and ending).
Having played more VNs and going back to Akai Ito, only then did I notice that Akai Ito has semi-animated standing art for its characters. It's not like they're moving around, but their eyes blink and their lips sync in timing to the things they say. It's not a big deal but I think it is one thing that really adds to the experience. The characters have quite a lot of expressions.
Akai Ito does have the "problem" that Yuuichi described in spoiler tags as it takes place over
around 4 days
TL;DR
Akai Ito is my GOAT. Try it.