Discussion about the making or playing of Original English Language Visual Novels.
Do you have a question about a Japanese visual novel or a translation of it?
/vn/ is ready to answer it.
>Getting Started:
http://pastebin.com/7LsCvtq3
>Recommended Reading:
https://vndb.org/v/all?q=;fil=olang-en.tagspoil-0;o=d;s=rating
For Developers. Huge collection of guides on everything:
http://meganelover.com/post/122965940223/visual-novel-creation-masterlist
Ren'Py Download:
http://www.renpy.org/
Previous thread: >>124627697
Remember to BUMP THE FUCKING THREAD every three hours please.
>>125048436
first for already dead
What are some of your favorite/most interesting character designs from a VN??
>>125049645
>??
I like Taosym's designs. First they were a bit too Disgaea ish but he is starting to craft something that looks different.
>Shock cocoon
Why must you remind me? Feelsbadman
>>125050367
I enjoy suffering
>>125049645
In no particular order:
> Code: Realize
> Kamigami
> Sweet Fuse
>>125051343
Do you play anything other than otome games?
>>125051413
Yes, but BL games tend to have either horrible (most stuff by Nitro+Chiral) or boring designs and I don't really care for girl's designs... danganronpa's are not particularly nice, but they are memorable I suppose.
Who is Todd Howard of EVNs?
Reminder that your game will never be so culturally significant it is critically assessed on public television.
Lolis are a lot harder to draw than I had originally thought.
>>125055965
I've never tried myself but I can only assume the proportions would be tricky.
I still can't draw arms on normal adult bodies without them looking weird.
>>125054371
Do small cable access channels count?
>in line in McDonald's
>get approached, weirdly excited and nervous because haven't spoken aloud with another human being in 3 days
>turn around
>it's a crack head, and he's just asking me for a dollar
>get home
>accidentally step in the Roach poison my Gramma laid out earlier
>open up Photoshop to finish up a sprite
>two hours in, get blue screen and computer crashes
I want to die.
>>125058517
But if you died, who would make your evn?
>>125058517
Stay determined, Anon.
>>125058517
It's not like your grandma has fallen ill or your cat died or you lost a leg in 'Nam, stop whining you little shit.
>>125058517
>>in line in McDonald's
Grab some real potato, bru. If not you are really going to die.
15,000 words = 1 hour of reading yes/no?
>>125061280
250 words per minute seems a little high.
>>125061280
I've seen ranges from 10k to 30k so I guess it's a good midpoint.
>>125061280
It depends on the presentation but close enough
>The game contains 5,770 dialogue blocks, containing 67,882 words
Getting warmer
>>125063663
Who are you?
>>125064414
Yur mum.
>>125063663
What's the typical wordcount for evns anyway?
>>125066806
We don't have one. They span all the way from 20k NaNo entries (or WC and AJTilley titles) to 230k beasts. Dizzy hearts claimed it will be 1mil words.
>>125066806
I'd say the best 'typical' would be the 100K mark. They're all over the place, really, but 20K games are going to be described as short, and 200K+ as big.
>>125049645
I love Hamashima Shigeo's recent work.
>>125049645
Anything by Clua. Otherwise I'm pretty bored with anime style right now.
>>125071096
I'm not into the weird shit in Maggot Baits,but I have to admit, the art style and character designs look fresh as fuck.
>>125072908
Yeah, a lot of the content is a bit much for me, but I'm really fond of the witches' designs. She's great at hitting a lot of subtle variations in body type--all the characters have slightly different builds.
>>125072908
>character designs look fresh as fuck.
What is BRS and Huke
>>125073721
What's your point? Nothing is original. All I said is that I liked those types of designs.
>>125073721
Damn. Thanks for reminding me about BRS.
Hello?
>>125077167
What do you want?
>>125078529
A kiss
>>125077167
It's me.
>>125079419
Are you a cutie or a frog?
Writing progress?
I'm close to 70k finalized script in my 110k game. The rest needs minor edits and programming.
I'm 35k first draft into my second game. I'd guess the final will be 130k or so
>>125082115
About 85K into my first draft, just about at the halfway point.
Oy vey what happened to the previous thread?
>>125086841
ded
>>125086841
It hit post limit, are you new to 4chan? There's even a link in the OP.
>>125087070
Oh, didn't notice the previous thread link. And I thought it died once again from not being bumped.
>>125071096
>fraternite
No
No
No
I want to do a nice short visual novel (think 1-2 hours).
The premise is basically the same as most slasher films with a small twist.
---
Samantha (Sammy) and six of her friends are college kids, they go to a cabin for a nice winter getaway-- they are not supposed to be your typical Friday the 13th fodder. They are supposed to be smart, funny, interesting people who would never dream of doing the idiotic things done in horror movies. But when the power goes out and the snow piles up, Samantha notices that their personalities have changed. Suddenly her friends begin acting differently. Suddenly they want to inspect the spooky noises in the basement. Suddenly they want to split up. Their original personalities have changed and they are now acting exactly like the idiots from horror films. Her friends are only slightly aware of the irrationality of their behavior but are driven by strong compulsions to do everything they know is a bad idea.
The murder that was destined to happen, happens, and Samantha realizes that she is the only one who can save her friends from getting themselves killed.
--
Basically, Samantha is the voice of the audience in horror movies, trying to reach out to the her friends, and save them from their deaths.
To keep it short, in the VN produced, she can't, and the only person she can save is herself as her friends succumb to a strange compulsion to do everything they know they should not be doing.
Does this sound viable for a short VN or do you guys think it might take longer? Also is the premise too meta (i.e. will having Samantha be aware of the idiocy of their actions detract from the horror elements).
>>125091562
Interesting but I think this is more work than you realize.
>>125091562
The meta will make it a lot harder to write well. It's not impossible, but the way you've described it makes it sound kind of lame.
Directly yelling at people to stop doing stupid things and having them ignore you would be frustrating and likely to make the audience feel more angry at you the writer than moved by the horror of futility. Especially if they're only doing stupid shit because they're possessed by the spirit of horror movies. That's just a lame joke, that's not scary.
Some possible twists:
MC (please don't call her sam, there are reasons) is at a remove from all the characters. Maybe she's trapped elsewhere and is just giving her friends advice via cellphone, which is why they find her easy to ignore and do stupid things anyway, or why she misses importnat clues that could have saved them if she'd known - she's not physically there.
MC can convince her friends not to do stupid things, but the world is stacked against her, and every time she convinces people not to do a horror movie cliche, something even worse happens.
>>125091562
I don't care how you write it but if you have anyone utter the phrase "this isn't a movie" I will instantly uninstall.
Should first-time EVN devs stick to a 3 character VN?
>>125094376
I like your criticism. To be honest, I agree-- if she is there, it's a bit too much to have her be an ineffectual yell to rationality.
>>125094257
That's what I worry about. I think doing it the normal way would actually be much more viable in terms of time allotment. But then I think I would produce a short work that would earn... just dismissal from my future audience?
I want to gain experience with something small, but I do not want to put out something that will say to my audience "this is all I've got".
>>125094930
>I want to gain experience with something small
Which kind of experience, though? Do you want to show off your writing skills, or your VN-making skills? You might be able to make something unusual (for the evn market) by adapting an existing short story.
>>125095147
That's a really good question. I think for my own needs, I need to get experience just making a visual novel. I need to do it on the small budget scale and prove that regardless of what it is, the production values are solid. I also need a minimal risk environment where if I screw up, I'm only out a few thousand dollars, which is worth it for a learning experience.
However, I worry that if I released something that was just trivially written, or something that didn't show at least the promise of potential, that it would mean nothing in the future if I said "from the creator of X". It does need to serve as an indicator to my audience of what I hope to deliver, or a prototype of what I want to make real.
>Marina has a very idealistic take on the world, her inexperience fueling her already childlike naivety. While this may cause its share of issues, her naturally upbeat and cheery personality bring out a much softer side of the slightly callous Amber, as the latter increasingly finds herself taken with Marina, despite the occasional confusion and annoyance brought on by her seemingly unlimited amount of enthusiasm.
The Highway Blossoms team needs to learn to tone down their blathering language, get to the point, and spellcheck.
>>125095890
>Get to the point
Did you even read HRP?
>>125097487
I did, and it was awful.
>>125095890
Will do, got it.
>>125095890
Why spell check? I don't see anything spelled wrong.
>>125097648
I guess technically 'naivety' is an allowable variation but I never see anyone write it like that so it threw me.
>>125095890
I was too distracted by that huge campfire to read.
>>125094606
I would never do that. I would also never create characters in a zombie apocalypse that act unfamiliar with the whole rules of the genre. I think the whole reason I wanted to do the premise is because I thought it would be short, fun, and a bit different. But I can see where it might not be fun, and that's the part I worry about the most with this premise.
I almost wonder if a campy slasher might be something people would like? Basically "Halloween" the VN, but with characters that are actually interesting rather than cannon fodder.
I think Saw, the VN would probably work. But there's something about the whole setup that I dislike.
But I really, sincerely, absolutely promise. No cringe lines. Maybe the technical writing might not be up to snuff, but there will not be something so objectionable that you will want to hit your monitor (or me).
>>125095890
>Said HRP will be one of the longest English visual novels ever made
>It is probably because of all the stalling filler
>>125080768
Hafu
>>125099093
Hate to break your little kokoro but most Japanese vns are 90% filler. English Devs haven't gotten the hang of excessively padding games out to cheat customers with mystical word count #s
>>125100034
Where did that person mention JVN?
>>125100034
This is part of why there are native-EVN fans who can't stand JVNs, which completely baffles people who grew up on glorious nippon artwork and can't imagine how anyone could ever prefer the bastard child
>>125097648
the grammar reads weird, though I guess spellcheck wouldn't help that.
Does anyone have any SketchUp tutorial resources? I'm trying to teach myself. I used to use Blender but was too stupid for it. P-please tell me this is easier
>>125100830
Doujin JVN tend to be shorter too, you know. Most EVNs are only short because they don't have the resources, time, or experience to make a long one, or their projects have crashed with no survivors.
>>125103149
Oh yeah, I should say my purpose is to get quick perspective/bases for bgs, not make finished products in it 3D.
>>125103517
Yes, there are doujin JVN which are only 2-10 hours long instead o the 40+ hour beasts of the commercial scene, and they are often STILL padded to hell and back.
Many EVN authors and readers don't actually want to sit through hours of nothing much happening while they search for the plot.
>>125103517
>Most EVNs are only short because they don't have the resources, time, or experience to make a long one
Do you really think everyone sets out to write an entire six-season TV series and no story is naturally shorter?
>>125105296
I think you have an okay point, but let's face it.
I'm a writer. I want to write a full length novel, not a novella. I want it to become a series, not a one-off.
People want to build legacies. A short story is not a legacy.
I do realize that when it comes to VN production what matters is producing. You need to gain some foundation on some short works.
But I think the biggest draw to VNs is following the formula of multiple routes that add up to a "true end".
Visual novels are unique in that they allow you to experience a story through a few branches, come to understand more and more, and then deliver something incredible for having done so-- that, or you get to take the side glances in. The "what ifs" get to be explored and answered.
I do not know if other mediums get this chance.
Write your story how you fucking want to
>>125107141
>I want to write a full length novel, not a novella.
A 100K VN isn't a novella or a short story.
>People want to build legacies. A short story is not a legacy.
A single well-written novel can leave a better legacy than a series.
go to hell
>>125103561
1. Make a box
2. Open warehouse
3. Fill box with other people's work
>>125110914
Is that what the current by artists selling on LSF do? I assumed they made everything from scratch
>>125107141
Why do people assume a legacy means Star Wars or LotR?
Solaris was a singular novel.
Stalker was a singular movie.
Legacy means people have to talk about your creations, and there are more efficient ways to achieve that than content pumping, which by itself only works for as long as you keep it up.
>>125112850
bg artists*
Is she ganguro enough, without being too ganguro?
(She starts the novel like this, she's the "assistant" of the protagonist, not the one being indoctrinated)
>>125112850
I would assume they would only make their own models if they can't find what they're looking for. There's no reason not to use the warehouse.
>>125114496
probably needs more makeup, there's a difference between ganguro, and tanned gyarus.
>>125114496
The clothes don't seem ganguro enough to me. You don't have to go full yamanba, but the point of ganguro is outrageousness.
Dave Gilbert is on AdventureX talking about writing, live on Stream. It's pretty interesting: twitch tv / adventurexpo It's for adventure games, but still relevant to VNs, on how to build empathy for the characters and avoid some common pitfalls.
>>125115452
>>125115492
Then, I think I got what I wanted... "without being too ganguro", because in a far future, we will get to the yamanba point with her.
(in case you guys were in the last 4 /evn/, I'm the guy making the netori VN using my daily job money)
*random project* anon here, what random tip from you guys should I try today?
>>125123662
*tips TopHat*
Anyone anticipate finishing their game next year? Also post progress
>>125112850
If everything was hand-made for a single BG, it'd take much more time and cost 600+ per piece like "big boys" enviro art. They probably still model things like buildings and unique stuff.
>>125124627
I'm hoping to have one of my games done before the end of the year. The other one shouldn't take too much longer.
And I spent all last night coding for someone else. Though it was fun, it meant no progress.
The game contains 5,736 dialogue blocks, containing 44,864 words and 241,283
characters, for an average of 7.8 words and 42 characters per block.
The game contains 28 menus, 689 images, and 59 screens.
No scripting progress really.
>>125094737
That would be a smart move. If you add more characters, give them minor roles, not routes.
>>125124627
Yep. If things go well for me i'll release three next year, if not i'll release two.
>>125132928
... WW?
Apparently Super Health Club sucks, I'm glad I didn't drop 30usd for it.
>>125133178
Were you really expecting anything more than fap bait? It's written by ESLs.
>>125133785
But the problem is that it isn't good fap bait.
>http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=36065
This looks cool but the 7KPP comparisons are pretty strong. I don't know which was around longer, though.
>>125133178
$30? Seems like a lot for a dating sim.
upsy
>tfw new game is superior in every way to old
>tfw still gotta finish old and do the best job I can
It's so hard to not get seduced to new projects.
>>125135295
Yeah, which I why I waited until I had heard back about the quality.
Internally screaming
In an empty room
It echoes
>>125095890
Should I feel bad for looking forward to this?
>>125141921
You brought this upon yourself. You know you did.
>>125142289
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBRzdVIlTs8
If you know ningnong you could play this while you wait.
>>125142289
I don't know. I was pretty eager about it because yay yuri until I read the post and my enthusiasm drained away with every waffling, padded sentence. But if it doesn't have the same effect on you, why shouldn't you enjoy it?
>>125142289
No, it is at least good to see releases, even if they are not well written.
The visuals look very good. However, the writing is fourth-rate. I do not know why they decided to abuse the English language so.
It is a bit strange that the writer would flaunt the passive voice in their marketing materials. I'm not as critical of the contractions, but I think if you are trying to present your characters to the world, you should thrust them onto the stage with aplomb. The drab description makes them feel like they are the neglected socks left under the tree at Christmas, ignored after the PS4 is passionately plugged in.
>>125143251
>waffling, padded sentence.
I've never heard waffling used in that way but I enjoy it. AW when is a demo going to be out? Prove us wrong.
>>125143142
>jvn
>about american roadtrip and yuri between two girls
what the devil
>>125143631
>>125143579
>>125143251
Guess I should probably address this.
The bios are pretty bad, honestly. I've never been particularly good at writing them and I should have let one of our editors hack them to shreds.
That being said, I don't think it's a good representation of the writing in the game. The bios uses my voice, which is admittedly very passive, not Amber's. Plus, our editor, Auric, has done a very good job at swatting away that pesky padding and fluff, so the ultimate result should hopefully be a very pleasant reading experience.
>>125143631
>AW when is a demo going to be out?
I don't think we were really planning on a demo. The game is pretty short--about 75k words. In theory, I suppose we could always show off the first few scenes, but I'd have to talk with the others about it first.Is that something people would be interested in?
>>125143631
Not one of the core devs for HB, but I can say that it's closer to release state than demo state.
>>125144460
At that length, and if you're pricing low, a demo isn't really required, especially if the early scenes don't lend themselves well to being a demo. It might be better to focus on good sales copy and intriguing screenshots.
Now, if you have an exciting scene early on that will make people eager to find out what happens next, a demo may be great for you.
>>125144460
I'm sorry for being so critical. The polish of an editor makes writing shine and I am sure it is the case with yours, so please don't get too discouraged (in all honesty, I just wanted to make a fun Christmas-y analogy).
I would be interested in a demo, but I think if it's 75k words a demo might struggle to find a place to end. I am not sure about your price point, but it seems like buying it outright is not a high-risk decision.
>>125144626
If that's the case wouldn't putting out the demo be simple?
>>125143142
CUTE
>>125143142
This is made by the same group that made that Atom Grrrl game Sekai is bringing over.
>>125146168
I hope they bring that over instead. The one you mentioned looks pretty bad.
>>125146168
And the same group that made Dahlia, which /u/ has recently found and been disappointed by. Here's hoping atom grrl ends better.
>>125144786
There actually is a point I could see a demo leaving off on, but it would probably only take a little less than an hour to get to.
>>125144953
Ah, I don't mind. I actually found the analogy to be pretty funny. Either way, criticism is a good thing.
Price point is probably going to between $7-$10. So no more expensive than something like Love at First Sight or a few of the other Sekai VNs on Steam.
>>125142545
Save me writer or programmer sempai ~clings to you with dewy eyes~ I'm all alone
>>125147791
>writing out actions
>with fucking tildes
I wish nothing but the worst upon you and hope that your project fails.
>>125149453
It was my intention to have awful writing so that it'd be apparent how much a writer is needed
>>125150445
Why the fuck would you use the matches for the t's and not the i's
>>125150534
Well, it's really apparent.
What are you working on? I may be able to help. Throw something out there.
>>125149453
Also ur mean
>>125150664
Nvm you're nice
>>125149453
/me loves you too
>>125156907
>choose your fuccboi
>>125156907
This game gets uglier every time I see it.
>>125157369
... how are they fuccbois?
>>125156907
This art style does not appeal to me at all, they look like weird dolls.
>>125160515
weird dolls give me one helluva boner
>>125163195
rozen maiden?
For those of you that have paid for music, how exactly did it work? Did you give a flat amount? Do you have a contract of any kind? Or was it just paypal and go?
>>125166427
I had a contract for someone who did a large amount for rights transfer since he was a teammate and then good faith with someone else who was contract work. I did it originally as batch payments but that was a clusterfuck and i urge you to not try it. Paying piece by piece is the best way, even if you have to open paypal a ton of times
>>125166427
All commissioned work is the same: never pay the whole amount upfront, always have a contract that states you can use the asset, and always use paypal.
>>125167342
>>125167469
Around how much did you guys spend on music?
Were you satisfied with the music? Was it original for your work or something you heard and liked?
>>125160515
>weird dolls
Thank you for reminding me that Cheritz did a game based off of dolls from an actual fucking company.
>>125168317
50% upfront, 50% on delivery of the music. $1,500 for 10 songs.
It was okay, though I'm not sure I will use them again.
>>125156907
Megane. I don't know jack shit about this game, but glasses=good.
>>125168317
>Around how much did you guys spend on music?
I paid roughly 1100 total between two musicians and stock. Total will be 1250 after all stock is bought.
I would suggest you figure out the sound for your game, figure out your budget and how many songs you need, and then seek out candidates. Then you can reevaluate this budget based off their rates and how much you like them. If your budget is too low you'll have to look into stock like me.
And yeah same results as >>125169024. Some songs were great while others were kinda meh and X many fixes ended with me giving up and OKing the song.
>>125168383
People get really weird about BJDs. That's when you know you've gone past the point of no return.
Bleh
I keep these threads alive to have someone to talk to about evn. Cheers to the rest of you solo devs.
>>125170327
I have no idea why people get crazy about those things, they're fucking terrifying alien looking things.
>>125176495
> having such bad taste
>>125169024
>>125170197
Thanks guys.
>>125174935
Cheers!
---
I'm trying to think of how to structure my development process. My current plan is to:
1) Finish Storyboard & Decision Points Diagram
2) Write all scenes in full and identify needed assets (Music, Event CGs, BGs, Sprites, Poses) on a spreadsheet as I go.
3) Evaluate assets to see which may not be worth pursuing and create final list of needed assets.
4) Commission Assets & Find/Hire Editor.
5) Programming
6) Personal Testing
7) Beta Testing / QC
8) Release
Does this sound like the right order of things? I have already written out a few scenes, but thought it might be better to add some structure to it.
I may test a few scenes in full (i.e. with assets) just to make sure it looks how I feel it should.
>>125176545
Since when did mental asylums allow internet usage?
>>125176495
That's how many people feel about anime artstyle characters in general.
I think they're cute enough but seriously obsessing over them suggests a lack of relationships in your life IMO. it's not just BJDs, you get people who are obsessed with their realdolls and think they've actually married them, or women who fixate on Reborn baby dolls which will never grow up and leave them
>>125178881
Sounds good to me, but realistically speaking if you are writing and programing yoursel you are going to end up doing some programming as you go.
>>125178927
Say what you want, properly painted bjds are cute.
Any recommendations for logo people? I need a fantasy style one with lots of embellishments
>>125180390
Konett is good, but pricey and takes a long time
>>125179126
As someone who actively collects BJDs and participates in the community, I can say a lot of people are lonely but it's not the case for everyone. I have a friend with like, 20? I don't know, I lost count, but she's a social butterfly. She just has a lot of fun painting and customizing them.
It depends how you define "serious obsession" I guess. I don't think you can idly collect 15+ without REALLY liking them because they're expensive as fuck and so are the clothes and shoes and everything else.
I still need to play that Cheritz game, though I don't like the dolls from that company all that much.
Sorry for the text wall.
>>125182060
blow job dolls?
>>125182384
No you dumbfuck
Ball jiggling dolls
>>125182384
>>125182503
You're both correct! Though dolls with jiggle dicks are much easier to come by.In all seriousness, ball jointed dolls.
>>125182060
Yeah, I don't think just collecting is necessarily a serious obsession, so long as you can afford to buy the things. If you're going without food to buy more dolls, or you think your dolls are actually talking to you, though...
I only have a couple of the cheap barbie-sized ones. I fooled around with the hobby a bit way back when I was looking for avenues to make money online, I was vaguely considering trying to resell imports (using limited japanese knowledge to buy things others couldn't) or make doll stuff, but it didn't work out. And I couldn't bring myself to buy any of the really expensive dolls even if they are pretty.
>>125183368
Admittedly, I've known a couple people that skipped meals or lived off ramen for a couple months to buy a doll and that's always worried me. Oddly enough, the whole "my dolls talk to me!" shit doesn't bother me all that much. Like, if it makes you comfortable and you don't make OTHER people uncomfortable then whatever.What bothers me is "Hahaha he likes to grope girls!" when handed a doll that smacks me in the tit, followed by the owner poking me in the ass later.
You could've made a killing off of Unoas back then.
Anyway, I'm enjoying this conversation but I'm not sure if it's good to keep going off topic. You should swing by /toy/'s BJD thread* sometime! We're saner than the rest of the hobby has ever been! >>>5316225
*Not to be confused with /jp/'s dollfucking tendencies.
I want to do a VN about the hobby, now that I think about it...
>>125184079
I fucked up.
>>>/toy/5316225
>>125184079
> another anon from the bjd thread hangs out here
4chan is really small, isn't it?
More on topic, I'd love a VN with a dolls that come to life ala Rozen Maiden / Super doll licca-chan.
>>125184451
How many of us are there!? This is surreal. I wasn't expecting any overlap between my two niche as fuck hobbies.
>I'd love a VN with a dolls that come to life ala Rozen Maiden / Super doll licca-chan.
I've been wanting to write SOMETHING to the tune of this (or about the hobby itself, whatever, maybe both) but that's where the idea ends. I don't even know what I want to do with characters, and that's usually my strength.
>>125184451
I'm more surprised people from /toy/ are here, but i don't go into BDJ threads.
>>125182060
>I still need to play that Cheritz game
Reminder to never support companies that use always online DRM.
>>125185189
Does the Steam build still require connecting to their DRM?
>>125185189
Source? I don't keep up on most companies, but I know their game's on Steam and I was going to go through there.
>>125185189
Isn't Steam pretty much online DRM?
>>125185381
Yes.
>>125185412
http://steamcommunity.com/games/337930/announcements/detail/168099437485933700
>>125185883
Thank you! Were they having a ton of piracy issues or some shit? I play the most VNs when the power goes out here and my laptop battery's functioning for awhile. Seems pretty silly.
>>125185189
you can pirate it dummy, no drm there.
>>125186079
It was previously non-DRM so it got cracked and uploaded, same with Dandelion. They actually posted on the forum topic where Dandelion got uploaded and got laughed out, then threw a fit and reintroduced the DRM.
>>125186079
All games have a ton of piracy issues. Cheritz has the rare achievement of being the one PC otome game that the popular otome pirate forums just plain can't get hold of and it drives them insane.
Now, whether those pirates are actually a big deal or not is a much more complicated question. But there absolutely are people who want to pirate your VN even if it's shit.
>>125185805
It's optional online DRM (different games use it differently), it's more reliable than random services which may shut down, and at least you get some benefits along with it.
>>125186237
That's what I was implying they should do, Sherlock.
>>125186361
>Cheritz has the rare achievemen
from other posts I'm apparently out of date, I guess they had the DRM off for a little while and it got cracked then? It certainly used to be they were the one provider people couldn't get hold of.
i used to visit a lot of pirate sites and get their links taken down because I love wasting my time but it got boring
>>125186547
>i used to visit a lot of pirate sites and get their links taken down because I love wasting my time but it got boring
I do this too whenever I find indie games (and other indie stuff, too). It's a guilty pleasure of mine.
>>125181259
>>125180390
I used her recently, in fact I might have been the guy complaining with you in the past threads. I'm not in a hurry to repeat business but I have her as a last resort.
>>125190136
I'll have to check her out. I've never seriously looked at this general before, but the last two days have been pretty informative
>http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=36073
>A bit afraid to post my game on Steam
You should be.
I think I'm dying.
>>125191602
Is it near being released?
>>125195832
It's infel so I doubt it. The whole post seems like a way to rant about her depression.
>>125196971
http://lunarwingsgames.tumblr.com/ his tumblr
>>125186547
>and get their links taken down
How?
Pfft... admiral in the house.
>http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=17302&p=395952#p395952
>>125190136
How long did it actually take with konnett? Pls respond.
>>125199154
Not them but I guess they just report them, just for them to be reupped in a couple of days.
>>125199607
How would that work on a torrent site? The site exists to torrent, why would they listen to just one guy about one game? Makes no sense.
>>125199829
They're clearly talking about DDL sites, dummy.
>>125200047
>i used to visit a lot of pirate sites
huh?
>>125200174
Torrenting is not the only means of piracy.
>>125200256
I know, but sites like AS are 90% pirated material. Why would they listen and take down a link when 90% of their other shit is pirated? Either take down all links, or ignore the person would be the reasonable options.
>>125200524
The file hosting sites take down the file. Jesus Christ.
>>125200636
I don't understand.
>>125200174
There is literally no point in taking down torrents.
Most DDL file hosters will take down file links if you ask, and there are demonstrably people who will make a cursory search for an easy direct download of a game and then, if they can't find one, give up and buy it. So if you remove the low-hanging fruit, it might have some effect.
>>125200791
Are you having a giggle or are you really this fucking stupid? Did you start using the internet last week? Somebody reports the uploaded file on whatever file sharing site it's on. The site takes it down because they're technically legally not supposed to be hosting pirated content, even though everybody knows what they're for. It's for show. Then it gets reuploaded again.
>>125201126
...go on.
>>125201214
In the end, it doesn't even matter.
>>125201425
The future refused to change.
>>125201471
I aint the sharpest tool in the shed~!
How many people who use the "pay what you want" function actually get any money? How much?
http://vnsnow.com/2015/12/the-short-history-of-love-language-japanese/
>>125201974
I think there was a LSF topic where some people using it showed their returns, which were almost nothing.
Pay what you want alone is simply not enough motivation for any but the most diehard fan. To get anything out of it at all you need to employ a bit of psychology. If you look at how all those game bundle sites operate, you see they put a lot of work into giving you REASONS to pay a little bit more and not just a penny or nothing.
Even purely donation-funded sites often push motivation through goals and progress reporting.
>>125202172
FINALLY
>>125201598
But I give Jenny all of my love
What's a good length for a demo of a game that's going to be roughly 500k? Is 50k too much?
>>125204761
You're an absolute madman, but 50 to 80 sounds like a good enough idea.
>>125204761
Oh boy, another Filler Express visual novel. Just what everyone needed.
>>125204852
I am, yes.
>>125206120
I'm aiming to avoid that. I expect what I have at the moment will be cut drastically, but I'm aiming for each scene to actually move shit forward instead of just "look at this cute scene with your potential waifu!"
I mean, I like that shit, but sparingly.
Why is 3rd person hated in visual novels?
>>125207001
It isn't.
>>125206660
>I'm aiming for each scene to actually move shit forward
That is very hard to do with 500k words. You want to write something the size of infinite jest, you're gonna need waifu's, because no one wants to read your plodding writing when they could be reading david foster wallace or watching three or four entire seasons of a TV show.
>>125199320
For me it took a few weeks, but I think she said it was during her exams or something like that.
>>125207675
What did you commission? A bg? A sprite set? Logo?
>>125207889
Logo, sorry. Forgot to specify.
>>125208160
Hey no worries. Thanks for the reply.
>>125207675
What's a few weeks? 2 weeks or 6 weeks?
>>125207620
500k is mostly an estimate based off of what I currently have and comparing it to the rest of the outline. My editor has been making small edits along the way but we've yet to go through and start removing unnecessary things.
So if it ends up being up there in word count, cool, I like long stories so I'll be happy with it. That being said, I don't have any dick stroking goals about the word count-- it is what it is when it's done, and I listed it so I could get some feedback about demo length, since 50k demo for a 500k game and 50k demo for a 200k game are very different things.
>>125208342
It took about 2 weeks from initial sketch to finished product.
>>125208439
That's a couple, not a few.
>>125208439
Thanks m8.
>>125208525
Sorry to trigger your pedantry.
>>125208343
Longer game doesn't necessarily need longer demo. Many kinds of strategies can work. A long demo released far in advance of the commercial release can be like a free first game establishing goodwill for the later sales. Nearer release, though, short can be good because it drives people to move on to the next step of buying.
>>125208343
Don't make it 50k dude, that's way too long for a demo. Just end it on some cliff hanger at 30k or below.
So what games are supposed to be coming out soon? This dry spell is killing me.
>>125212598
BCM is in a few days and Sakura santa. There probably wont be anything else til mid january to march where we'll have the visualnovelpocalypse as everyone and their grandma rushes to put out a game.
>>125213653
It's sad but... I am not a very good writer, I think I am pedestrian at best. But even that completely crushes all the OELVNs that I have seen. I do not see anyone who I think is on my level or close.
And I am not good. I am like a 7/10 at best. More likely a 6.5. But the releases I see are like ESL level. From people who supposedly know the language.
Maybe too many autists are attracted to the medium or something? It's a strange amount of really bad writers.
>>125215340
ebi-hime.
>>125215340
You have dunning-kruger effect.
>>125215340
What releases are you talking about?
>>125215340
show yer work
>>125215340
you need a better bait dawg.
>>125215716
Most likely a sample size of 2-3 WC, AJTilley, or F2P game jams. Wouldn't want to actually read good work and feel lacking, now would we?
>>125215340
>7/10
Prove it.
>All the OELVNs I've seen
What OELVNs have you seen?
I want to announce my two new games so bad and the wait is killing me.
>>125218506
Why can't you announce them?
Ever since I messaged demonicbagel about that bullshit days ago, he made exactly one post on LSF.
Maybe he took it to heart?
>>125220402
Nah he'll be back. Leaches gonna leach
Hi HRP. Any chance on fixing Amber's arm on that sprite? It's REALLY bothering me.
>>125220939
Yeah, that damn arm has actually been bothering us for a good five months now. We've gone through a ton of versions of it.
Pic is the current one. Might change before release, but we're currently happy with this one.
>>125221917
I expect payment in form of anime girls. The other arm also has a weirdly tiny elbow, so it might be good to thicken that up so then it makes more sense for her other arm to not look so... like that.
Hey HRP dev, would you mind if I name my project "HEP"? As in Human Exploitation Project?
>>125221917
Work on HRP
>>125222235
That didn't seem very hard to fix.
>>125222484
It wasn't.
>>125222480
Shut up, give me gay roadtrip any day over druggy waifu slideshow.
>>125222235
You'll payment will be in the next blogpost.
>>125222412
Not sure, honestly. You're probably better off emailing us or Sekai if you're looking for a serious, official answer.
>>125222480
It's four in the morning, anon. I'm only up because I'm currently working on it.
>>125222708
>You'll payment
One of them god damn better have braids or some shit to make up for that half-hearted reply.
>>125222792
I'll triple check the update for spelling and grammatical errors. Just for you.
>>125222412
Name your VN whatever you want.
Got to 70k into my build. Just 30k more to input. Goodnight zzzz
>>125222986
>>125222708
Hmm.. I'll work on a title with top-tier distancing language.
