Do you have a question about a Japanese visual novel or a translation of it?
/vn/ is ready to answer it. We are not them.
>Developer Resources, Getting Started:
http://pastebin.com/7LsCvtq3
>Recommended Reading:
https://vndb.org/v/all?q=;fil=olang-en.tagspoil-0;o=d;s=rating
http://pastebin.com/zGVSpH0B
>For Developers. Huge collection of guides on everything:
http://meganelover.com/post/122965940223/visual-novel-creation-masterlist
>Ren'Py Download:
http://www.renpy.org/
Last thread: >>145365702
>tfw western artists can't emulate eastern style
A pity bump before I go to sleep.
>>145736494
Pretty sure that's bullshit, if I posted Danganronpa art you'd say it'd Deviantart tier. Reality it's about skill not nationality.
>>145740708
nobody can replicate chen either
Bumping bred
Who's ready to be disappointed by Highway Blossoms?
>>145736494
Considering all the different styles of "eastern" there are, including stuff that wouldn't look out of place in your standard Sunday Morning Funnies section, you're fulla shit, mate.
>>145742484
It's kinetic. How do you even get hyped for that? I mean, is there even a good kinetic VN out there?
>>145743272
if you're including jvns, remember11 is actually a very good example
it's not quite kinetic but it's close enough to be comparable
>>145743272
how bout higurashi/umineko? Though they're a completely different genre that wouldn't have been able to be boring if it tried. And have a long-ass chapters. And a shitton of cool characters.
>>145743272
Can't tell if this is a serious question or not.
>>145744193
Oh, and considering the main appeal of romantic games is being able to pick your partner/develop relationships with them through choices, making your romance VN kinetic is, well, pretty unusual.
>>145744329
Whenever I hear a KN dev (someone who is SOLELY a KN dev) talk about their work, they're always talking in terms of Their Vision. "You don't understand, man. This is my Vision. This is how I See The Story. You're here to experience My World. If I gave you choices, the story couldn't work!"
And then they give me a fucking slide show. Do something with the medium? Why? You just need pictures with lip flap, boobs, some royalty-free music, and some pretentious writing, right?
You're not fucking auteurs. You're just too lazy to make a movie or animation.
>>145743272
>Put artificial choices in your linear story or I'll whine nonstop on 4chan about muh branching paths.
>>145746653
For me, it doesn't even have to be choices as long as it's not a fucking slide show. Do SOMETHING with the medium other than partial animation, text, and music. Hidden object games have more of interest for me than a KN because I can interact with the world somehow. Learn from adventure games. WE CAME FROM ADVENTURE GAMES. Learn your roots, whippersnappers. Fuck with my mind a little. Immerse me in your world. Do something other than just have souless animu waifus lip flap at me while spilling your Message like spaghetti on the floor.
>>145747071
Sounds like a case of stop liking what I don't like.
Some of the best VNs ever made were linear with no or almost no choices.
>>145747214
Okay - we'll agree to disagree. I don't think KNs are doing enough. You think they're the greatest. No room for compromise there.
>>145747071
You seem to have this weird idea that to be good or interesting something must be intractable or offer choices in some way. Never read a good novel, have you? It should be about the story, the world, the characters, and how they are represented. Not whether you can choose between left or right, up or down, red or brown occasionally.
>>145747830
That's not what you think based on what you've said. Your opinion is you're tired of western devs making KVNs. You don't think English KVNS aren't doing enough.
EVNs in general are still growing, you sound like every other idiot commentator who has never played much JVNs but wants to insist what devs must do to appease specifically you. You sound exactly like JP. It doesn't fucking matter what western devs do because the medium is still growing, budgets is honestly 100x lower right now than what it should be to produce a VN on the level of a JVN right now. So until that happens stop being the fucking anchor dragging EVNs down with your misguided opinions & hot takes.
>>145748018
I'm not that anon, but reading a book is not at all like reading a VN (unless it's presented as a book with no "game" objects like sprites, sounds, is arranged in a NVL format etc).
There was an article on gamasutra I think about the need to break up the routine in any video game (including VNs), and choices and interactivity segments accomplish that. (the deal was something like the intensity of stimuli in vidya is much greater than when you're reading words on paper/watching a movie etc. and the brain needs it to be broken up in smaller chunks or have a breather every now and again).
There's also the issue of price relative to content available, if you price your KN like a book on kindle I'll have 0 complaints.
>>145748837
>Video games
>Including VNs
Into the trash it goes.
>>145749118
kys desu
Reminder: this is the kind of autist you're enabling by adding meaningless choices on a work you were planning as a straight line.
>>145746563
>>145747830
>>145747071
If you don't feel your story requires choices, just don't do it. You're distracting your readers from what matters by pandering instead of just telling an entertaining story. If it sounds interesting enough without branching, go for it.
>>145748101
Oh, if my opinion doesn't match yours, I'm not allowed to have it?
For the record, none of my argument has a damn thing to do with budget or even art style. There is more than one person talking here about not enjoying KNs. Maybe you're talking to them.
>>145749257
My self esteem. It is shattered. I've been called an autist on 4chan. You must really mean it.
I don't give a fuck if someone wants to make a linear game. I've played many story rich linear games and enjoyed them. I actively dislike meaningless choices. If you do that, there's a good chance you're fucking your game up. If you want a linear game experience, that's fine. Make that game. I'm not stopping you. I'm just saying that an anime slide show is not what I, personally, look for. I think KNs can be something more interesting than a slide show, is all.
>>145748837
I had a great time reading sea cats for a while. I still think it's completely up to how the story is told, and how interesting the world and characters are. I think interactivity is absolutely not necessary. Then again, I'm a bit on the older side, so maybe the younger audiences of today are of a completely different mindset. To me it doesn't matter if I can click anything other than the 'next' really as long as the story is compelling. If the story is bad, clicky stuff won't save it in my eyes.
>>145750527
>KVNs are shit, stop making KVNs!
>But that's stupid
>It's just my opinion man!
Naw, if you don't like KVNs than don't play them. Don't tell us what we can or can't make. You're completely allowed to have your terrible opinion.
>>145750527
You're just an asshole and literally no one cares. Please stop shitting up the thread.
Apologies to Jake, but I think this is worth linking: https://twitter.com/jakebowkett/status/743761649815814144
To add my own two cents, kinetic novels have no more gameplay than comic books, so it's not really acurate to label them viyda. Even calling a choice-system gameplay is a bit of a stretch. Choices usually serve to immerse the reader into a world and increse their investment, but rarely to entertain or challenge.
>>145748837
>There was an article on gamasutra I think about the need to break up the routine in any video game
This can be my problem with pure KNs. I get restless and have to take breaks a lot. It's not that I don't like reading, it's the format.
I don't hate them (though they're not really games) but it's hard to stay focused.
And yes, sometimes a fairly artificial interactivity can mitigate that. See 'Magical Eyes'. There's no story branching at all, but there's a good bit of sleight-of-hand to make you feel like you're DOING something to get to the outcome.
I'm not saying every game should try to pull those tricks, of course, just that you can try to jazz up a linear story if you want to.
>mfw trying to keep thread active by starting discussion
>no discussion, only flames and closing the topic
>can't have discussion on other forums because topic too sensitive, apparently
>ok
>>145752469
>starting discussion
>YOU'RE SHIT IF YOU DON'T DO THIS THING I LIKE
Let's just hope you're an artist or something doing assets and not in charge of communicating verbally, for everyone's sake.
>>145752469
>can't be bothered to read the thread and reply to the sensible posts right above me
>will just whine instead
>>145752536
Just how many people do you think are involved in this discussion? (Hint: more than two or three.)
>>145750527
Some people are turning off their brains whenever you say 'anime slide show' because this is too often used as mindless bashing of VNs, so using it makes them think you don't have any real argument and are just being a shit.
The other problem, of course, is that most linear stories in videogames are surrounded by GAMEPLAY, and most evn developers couldn't code gameplay if their lives depended on it. And if they did, they'd suddenly face 'not a VN' and getting kicked out of the club.
>>145751708
Only my Waifu can tell me what to do.
>Ask an innocent question
>It inevitably turns into shit.
Well... fuck.
Can't we just talk about what makes a good vn?
>>145748837
>>145752054
>>145752397
>>145753015
Would like to hear more thoughts from these people, if they're still around. Probably won't be able to reply until tonight, but will look forward to reading.
Some questions: what did Magical Eyes do? (Spoilers fine.)
Do you care that your game is labeled a "VN"?
Why do you feel choices don't usually challenge or entertain? (This is the one I really hope gets responded to, if nothing else.)
>>145754094
>what makes a good vn
not being a boring slideshow :^)
>>145754094
Good writing. If the writing or story is better because you couldn't/didn't want find any place where exploring the "what-ifs" would work, then good for you, but a big appeal of vns is exploring those "what ifs".
I'd say it's harder to write a good KVN than a branching one, simply because it's harder to be engaging to the reader when the reader isn't able to engage in the story in any way. Reading speeds in KVNs are also a lot slower than a normal book, so there has to be something to keep the player/reader from becoming bored.
Just my 2c
![04dc335e15ac8d55d55a03faeb9c577f_original[1].png](https://i.imgur.com/6n9omAI.png "04dc335e15ac8d55d55a03faeb9c577f_original[1].png")
Is this the worst text box of all time?
> https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dharkerstudio/the-bounce-visual-novel-series
$40,000 with three days left
>>145755964
Why aren't you a succesful businessman like AJTilley yet?
>>145754317
>what did Magical Eyes do?
First, it's a 'mystery' game, so as you go along you're collecting keywords and shit, and then every so often there are little quizzes where the player is meant to demonstrate that they understand the story so far, by filling in questions with those keywords. (In this particular case, getting the questions right also unlocks some bonus scenes, iirc.)
It's just a little quiz, not real gameplay like danganronpa, although you could insert something like that there if you wanted.
Second, between scenes you use a map screen to find the location for the next scene, and to choose between going straight to the next 'main' plot scene or looking at an optional scene first. It's a tiny interruption in the process of reading that makes you do a little something else.
Both of these things sound like busywork if handled poorly, but handled well they can keep the player 'active'.
Kinetic novels are digital plays.
>>145755964
To be fair it's not just one game that they're making. I'm not at all surprised with the results. Though I'm shocked with the number of people with such shit taste in art.
>>145755925
It's up there along with worst character design
>>145754317
Can't comment on Magical Eyes, I'm afraid I'm not familiar.
It bugs me a little when my VN is labelled a game, but it's not something I lose sleep over.
Its not that choices CAN'T entertain or challenge. Off the top of my head, Undertale provides a few choices which really are just for laughs (Anime is real, right?). Phoenix Wright is an example of challenging the player to think in order to solve each trial, with a light penalty for failure. In the case of Phoenix Wright, the clear establishment of a win condition and a failure state is what pushes it more toward the game side of the spectrum.
In Dating Sims,choices such as "tell her you stole her pen" or "lie to her face" don't automatically present a win/loss state. It could be argued that an ending where your partner leaves you isn't a bad ending, but a permutation of the story that is no less valid than a happy ending. That is also a choice which isn't "gamelike," in that making the choice isn't necessarily fun. As another example, a choice such as "Shoot your girlfriend" or "Shoot your mother" isn't fun (unless you are a sad person) - it's to make the reader think about those actions, and to explore the ethics behind them.
Basically, there are VNs which lean more toward being video games, but not every VN includes the elements I'd say define vidya (challenges of knowledge, skill, and/or luck, with a win and/or failure state).
The H patch for Highway Blossoms was delayed by "a day or so", so now I can wait to play it later.
>>145765908
The top of her head is missing.
>>145767118
Your assertion is both logically valid and consistent, but you are forgetting the existence of communist China.
>>145765908
This takes same face syndrome to a whole new level
>>145765908
what the fuck? i can't stop laughing at this. it gets worse the longer i look
10
>>145767841
Same body syndrome.
>>145767118
Quality!
again
If you decide to make terrible jokes in your game features, please at least have some of the facts in there. I'm going to be passing on Highway Blossoms because I cannot gather any sort of actual information such as estimated length or content on it.
>>145776013
Also small white font on a yellow background should be a criminal offense as a game designer.
>>145776013
Wow, I didn't realise until now that they put that jokey shit in the steam description. That's fine to do in one random blog post when the real information is available elsewhere, but very unhelpful to someone who's not heard of the game before...
>>145776013
Since I am on the complain train and /evn/ is ded, it is also kind of scumbaggy to put your own "user-defined tags" such as "cute", "great soundtrack", and "story rich" before the game is even released. I'm half-expecting to see self reviews next...
>>145776013
is anyone actually buying it?
>>145776013
I don't have control of the Steam page, but I'll see if we can't try and put some legit info in there. The game is rather straightforward though.
>>145776563
Don't think that was us. We had several people play test it beforehand, and some of the tags seem like terminology they would use.
>>145776563
I specifically think it's shit to put 'great soundtrack' in the tags as a dev because it's a value judgment. Other tags I don't think are necessarily so bad. 'Visual Novel' is itself a user-tag, not a defined genre.
>>145776996
>Don't think that was us.
It was. It pretty much had to be. Actual user tags have to reach a critical threshold before they'll display on the steam page, one that is EXTREMELY unlikely to be reached from beta-testers, whereas tags added by the development team before launch are automatically displayed.
I mean, if you had 20 beta testers and ordered them _all_ to use those specific tags you might get them in through testers, but otherwise no.
>>145777267
(which is not to say you didn't have 20 testers, but 20 testers who are all willing to use the tagging system and tag the exact tags you tell them to, because they'd all have to do it without fail...)
>>145777267
I see. I'll ask around and see who tagged them.
WITH YOUR FEET IN THE AIR AND YOUR HEAD ON THE GROUND
>>145776013
The discussion page for the game estimates at least 4 hours of reading time. And the story of the game is really self explanatory. It's a slice of life yuri road trip with a treasure hunt, Americana, and some comedy thrown in. It's also kinetic, so you're there for the story.
>>145779131
What dank meme is this?
Highway Blossoms is now out.
guys stop dying
Torrent where?
>>145783008
Fuck you
mega link where?
>>145782814
Yes, please. Since I fixed my sleep pattern and can't shitbump the thread through the night, you fuckers have died at least 4 times.
I am beginning to think I cannot trust these writers to produce anything worthwhile.
>>145783691
Beginning?
>>145783691
Don't let your dreams be memes, amigo.
>>145783008
watch a let's play
>>145783691
memes were a mistake
Is the art in Highway Blossoms all by the same person? The sprites look a bit different from a few of the CGs.
>>145785125
The first few CGs were done by the same person who did the sprites. It's just that someone else colored the sprites (with one sprite being done by Myuto). All the other CGs were done by Rosuuri or Weee.
So is it any good?
>>145786682
it's ok
>that gui
>yellow textbox
>white letters
>1080p despite sparse details
what were they thinking?
>>145786682
It hasn't hooked me yet, but high contrast mode saved it from being returned.
>>145788107i think the textbox is fine.no i'm not the devs.
>>145788107
isn't it technically their first completed work? It's bound to be shit in one way or another.
>>145788295
That's understandable in part, but the specific feedback that anon said has been thrown at the devs for months, I'm not sure if they expected opinion to suddenly change overnight.
>>145788295
KOJIMA OF EVN
>>145788390
didn't they implement the other optional textbox because of that?
>>145788612
It has better contrast but an even uglier color selection.
>>145788107
High contrast mode makes it readable.
>>145788230
Regular mode is hard to read and a terrible graphical design. You want the words to be easily read and stick out, not blend into the both the textbox and the general environment.
>>145788390
What are you talking about? Whenever someone on /evn/ complains they change something. They're like little dogs, it's great.
>>145755964
It's like some businessman with zero clue about VNs, anime, or anything relating to those things noticed something called visual novels were selling well and easy to produce so decided to hire some people to make the game that his market analysis skills dictated would make the most profit for the least amount of work.
"Alright, big boobs are bouncy, and little kids and manbabies love big boobs, so let's call it the bounce series."
"Every guy loves huge boobs, so let's have all the bodies exactly the same. Hot V shape with huge knockers. Yes, I'm sure that will sell just fine."
>>145789309
and it's working out really, really, really well for him.
>>145789760
I'm not surprised. Market analysis + boobs, can't go wrong.
>>145788771
now it's readable. but fuck me, it might be the ugliest ui I've seen to date. even default renpy might be better.
>>145789309
Worst part is that it's working.
>>145790057
If anything, it should be a good sign. The more people willing to throw money towards VN's, and the more exposure they get, the better. As long as it doesn't somehow turn the purchasers away from VNs forever by being terrible and a complete waste of time and money, we might see benefits from it. If no one else will carry the burden of funding EVNs, people who are obsessed with gigantic tits and sameface/samebody will. Just don't forget to add a few to your game, place them as centerpieces in all your advertising, and make the name of your game something that evokes feelings of sexy girls or boobs.
>>145780975
I want to be tenderly loved by the guy with the Brock eyes
I really want to return my copy of the game, this isn't catching me at all.
>>145793037
How far are you into it?
>>145793037
so do it then?
also tell us about it in detail
>>145793037
I understand the feeling. This is going to be an interesting write-up.
>>145793037
keep going for the good of the colony.
>>145793037
I am curious too, give us a review afterwards.
>>145793037
Highway Blossoms? Keep going senpai then give us a review
>>145783691
I'm glad they put so many memes into achievements these days rather than the actual game (even AAA devs do that shit) because achievements are the most worthless garbage added to modern videogaming anyway so there's no loss.
>>145797107
>there are people who literally will not buy a game because it has no achievements
Burn it all to the ground.
>>145797757
>There are people who will do the most tedious shit imaginable just so they can 100% a game
People who 100% FFX remastered are mentally ill.
>achievements in a Kinetic Novel.
Uh...?
>>145797107
I think achievements are actually good overall - as long as you're not one of those that solely goes after them, they can really help lengthen your time with the game which for people who can't buy new ones often is great.
It's just taking the old challenges gamers came up with and adding them officially, which is fine.
For VN type stuff though, ehh, how do those work?
>>145798437
From a developer end, they're handy because they let you track how many of your customers are getting all the way through your story.
From a sane player end, achievements in a KN mostly only serve as some vague guide posts for how far you are from the end.
From someone who obsesses over your "% completed" score, achievements in a KN are awesome because you can set the game on autoplay and get a free 100%. (I'm not one of these people, but they exist.)
>>145798070
Sometimes I think devs add stupidly monotonous achievements just to have a laugh.
>>145798517
Nah. They're shit.
VN achievements are usually for reaching endings or picking choices, or by milestones reached if kinetic.
>>145796286
Hi JP.
>>145798818
I beg to differ, when at least a hint of thought goes into them, they encourage different methods of gameplay.
I remember using play-styles I wouldn't leave my comfort zone for when doing Halo achievements, and I'm glad I went for them as I had fun.
>>145800026
Cute!
>see hands
Fug
>>145800026
>Two Left hands
>That warped MC's face
>jagged lines
Ugh.
>>145800283
What?
For the person who backed the physical copy of Dreamfall Chapters and doesn't receive updates:
"But of course, we're not quite done with Dreamfall Chapters yet. There are rewards to fulfil and a 'complete edition' (final name TBD) to be made: that's the version we'll stick on discs and USBs and ship out to backers. But we'll send out another update about the physical (and remaining digital) rewards before the summer holidays."
>>145800283
I'm more surprised at the length of ponytail's right arm.
>>145800535
I think the jagged lines look nice, personally. The other two things are bad though.
>>145800535
>discriminating on 2 lefthanders
They are people too
>>145800928
>People
Nice try heathen. you ain't foolin no one. Light up the torches and ready the pitchforks!
>>145800928
I hear holding hands with someone that has 2 left hands will make you orgasm, is this true?
>>145801203
>tfw two right hands
everyone knows lefty is the fav to fap..
>>145801203
Only if you have two right hands.
>>145801364
I wonder if there have been any studies on preferred fapping hand pre-PC (and especially internet) and post-PC.
I mean, TV and magazine fapping didn't really require much hand usage at all...unless you wanted to keep rewinding and fast-forwarding I guess.
>>145799030
Hi Tao.
But being serious, I'm not JP.
>>145802137
Speaking of Tao and JP, think JP will review Toko a third time when its patches get released?
JP played the Seeds of Chaos demo and said he owed Tao a semi-apology for criticising Menagerie like he did, because he says that SoC's writing is much worse.
next evn to get bullied
>>145804128
Tell us about you VN then, anon.
>>145804128
The next EVN to get released is always the next to get bullied.
>>145804319
I devised a trick to avoid that.
>>145804128
Bullied? Literally the only things being mentioned are how much people don't like the textbox, how it hasn't hooked them, and how one promo art has two left hands. That's kinder than most games get.
>>145804407
Tell me this one simple trick, anon.
>>145804925
I bet it'snever releasing your game.
>>145804407
Do it like Winterwolves and let nobody know you're releasing something? The guy even managed to stop one of his games to show up on the steam release list.
>>145804925
Sure. There are two variants to the trick:
1) If you are a talented hacker/assasin/impersonator, you can track all major reviewers, gut them and use their sites as a platform to boost your sales.
2) Otherwise you need to be a talented dev who makes something truly awesome.
Easy peasy.
>>145805178
That works too.
How many of you evn devs are a one man band?
>>145807423
A jack of all trades is master of none.
>>145807491
Excuses. You are simply not commited enough.
>>145807491
idk man i save so much money not having to hire out
>>145807423
My art skills are way too shit. The cost in money and frustration from hiring artists is still a better deal.
>>145807423
Me. But I can't program worth a damn, so coding the more complex elements into my project is a nightmare.
>tfw don't know how to code or write a story but you're doing both
>>145809483
Just drop all that family, friends and work nonsense and improve your skills, senpai.
>>145807423
I want to be, but I can't write to save my life.
>>145810654
If you are using renpy you can do pretty much everything you need without even understanding what is a for loop.
>>145810676
That's what practice is for, brah.
>no one will ever make a nukige with shadman art
>>145810661
but i'm spending that time writing and coding!
>>145811126
and thank god for that. she looks like a midget
good art isn't all t&a
>>145811324
Hmf, okay. But once you master those, go learn how to draw, music and 3D modeling!
>>145811126
I'm more of a weeb arstyle fan. Sorry.
>>145808852
Have you completed one yet?
Final verdict on Highway Blossoms?
>>145812263
It's day 1 of release, so not a whole lot of people have gone through it. I haven't finished it yet, so I have no final verdict.
>>145812263
One friends-locked positive review!
>>145811126
Thank god.
>>145812263
Pretty bad. Writing's frequently cringey and the art feels like it was phoned in half the time. Music's good, though.
>>145812370
First impressions? How the Kojima of VNs faring so far?
>>145812885
What about the writing strikes you as cringey?
>>145812968
Very eh. I'm hoping it gets better later on.
Never forget.
>>145813936
To be fair, the competition so far is, what, starlight vega? Which had some big problems of its own, really.
>>145813936
To be fair, that's really not saying much of anything.
>>145812968
There's mpreg in HB?
guys
>>145814374
In 2016 we've had:
Strawberry Vinegar
Lucky Me Lucky You
Her Tears Were My Light
Love Is Strange
Starlight Vega
Plum Tea (if you count futa)
A Little Lily Princess
>>145818074
We've also had the english release of Kindred Spirits on the Roof, which he called dry and so boring that he had to drop it.
>>145818231
That's not in the running for yuri *evn* of the year
>>145818231
Sounds like an EVN alright.
>>145813936
>Yuri EVN of the year
That's really not saying much.
>>145813936
>yuri EVN GOTY
>is a KN
Can I enter one without audio, visuals, or choices? It also comes on paper but that shouldn't matter, right?
>>145818906
>It's not a VN if I can't pick whose lunch to eat and eventully fuck.
>>145818074
>A Little Lily Princess.
I thought that was a japanese production that just got translated? Unless it was by a western studio but drawn by a jap?
>>145788872
I've never changed a thing from /evn/'s feedback and I never will.
>>145818074
Rising Angels: Hope was fun. Cute wolf girls are cute.
>>145819250
Not sure where you got that idea from, no one Japanese was involved.
>>145820201
Ah, forgot that one, sorry. Not sure why it didn't come up on the VNDB search, it has the right tags and all.
>>145818521
We've got at least eight other games to compare against and the year's only half over. Any year other than this, it would most likely be a matter of the ONLY yuri evn.
>>145819250
>by a jap
It's a spic
>>145820240
There were some awkward dialogues. Nvm maybe I'm just being an autist.
If so, that deserves the award more so than HB. Not because it's not kinetic. It was much more interesting.
>>145820376
>Next year's yuri evn
So whoever gets to release it next year easily wins the yuri bowl?
>>145820493
Can we get a discussion going? How did it make itself interesting?
>>145820697
Just the premise alone already piques curiosity. Sure it's the easy way out, adaptation and all. But Adopting this story in particular could get people hyped quick, and it did. It's always been sorta homo-ish, even in the animu adaptation, so turning it into a VN was a total gem.
>>145818074
>Her Tears Were My Light
wat dis
>>145820905
I haven't read it, so could you elaborate? What's the premise? Also, surely hype alone doesn't make a great VN? What did it do right?
>>145820493
That's good to hear. It's next on my list. RA: Hope was fun with some minor issues, I can't bring myself to finish Starlight Vega, and I'll probably be done with HB by tomorrow.
>>145820974
It's wish fulfillment of little gay girls who are now adults. Little gay girls who always wanted to watch a little gay girl animu and now it's been granted.
It's basically that.
>>145821098
Well. That sounds terrible.
>>145821169
Dude, that's how everything is these days, heck even Steven Universe/Gravity Falls is cashing in on that wave.
>>145820175
Depends on the feedback honestly. It's split pretty 50/50 here between "what the hell are you talking about" and genuinely insightful criticism.And if you're the alpha adventure dev, you really should listen.
>>145821276
It doesn't matter how many things are doing it, that sounds like an obtuse and terrible premise. What does it do right?
>>145820974
>What's the premise?
Victorian boarding school, rich pampered little girls living isolated lives, then everything goes to hell and life is suffering, then eventually it gets better. Standard emotional arc.
Outside of quality judgments, it's notable because the story is classic literature (well known, lots of fans) and because it's a yuri game with a range of love interests to choose between, which is depressingly rare.
>>145821516
Pleasing gay vaginas
>>145821363
Not into yuri, so I haven't been following him. You got me curious though. What is he doing wrong?
>>145821516
>that sounds like an obtuse and terrible premise
What exactly are you thinking the premise is? 'Wish fulfillment' can mean literally anything, especially given the two reference points of Steven Universe and Gravity Falls, which are nothing like each other and even less like the game in question.
>>145821654
If you were going to give quality judgement? How does the writing stack up thematically and stylisticlly? How's the direction?
>>145821857
>It's wish fulfillment of little gay girls who are now adults
Was all I was given to go on. Which sounds like a poor design philosophy.
>>145821683
I don't follow them either, but if I recall correctly there was some pretty accurate critiques of the sprites that got brushed off. There's no drama to dig up though if that's what you're hoping for.
>>145822235
>no drama
dayummm
>>145822176
It's just a vague description. You should just read/see actual reviews/letsplays of it before judging it so harshly. If it's not for you then there's no need to force yourself to play it.
>>145822176
do you literally think that is the official 'design philsophy' of a game because of a random 4chan comment?
>>145822772
I'm judging the premise I was given harshly. A Victorian boarding school does sound like it could be an interesting setting.
But again, this is why I'd like discussion. Whenever a project discussed here, it rarely gets past "It was boring and the art was shit," or "It was pretty good." I'd like some more depth, so hopefully I can learn more about how to develop my own VN.
For instance, Lucid9 had a solid central mystery plot, and wrote a strong, believable relatonship with two of its lead characters, which led to a fantastic sequence winding down from the main drama, exploring the different directions life can go, which was brilliantly directed with a fantastic musical score. The final scene was also well written enough to be very emotionally effective. Despite all that, the plot suffered from being a multi-route VN, and would have been much better had it focused only on the two leads.
It's not much, but that's the kind of detail I'd like when people finish a VN.
>>145823846
Of course not. I was given a bad description of the premise, which made the VN sound bad.
>>145823991
If you want maximum efficiency, write a screenplay.
>>145824406
How so?
>>145823991
>the plot suffered from being a multi-route VN
I've heard people say there are a few decent books and movies around.
>>145823991
You know you could just google the fucking title of the novel right?
>>145824797
Only if he'd bothered to figure out what the title of the original novel was
>>145824552
You make valid points, but seems like you are too converned about pacing and everything being perfectly directed towards advancing the plot (as I say, a valid concern). On the other hand, c'mon. It's a VN. Waifu sidetracking comes with the territory.
>>145824561
I ws fine with the visual elements, the inclusion of choices, and the soundtrack. But being multi-route meant that it was forced to take time out to develop characters who had no role in the released part of the story, in scenes which were tolerable at best and inane at worst.
>>145824870
What is a plot? There are several low-key scenes which serve to showcase the relationship between the protagonist and one love interest. While the scenes themselves are light entertainment, they serve to get you attached to the character, so there's a big payoff when the drama escalates. The other scenes can tend toward inanity. The dialogue isn' funny or interesting, and it's a slog to get through them. As well, there's no payoff to reading them. They negatively impact the pace of the story, which makes it less enjoyable.
I also don't buy that argument. VNs are whatever they want to be. Superhero comics don't have to be badly written wish-fulfilment, and VNs don't have to have waifuism. It's a lazy excuse for not thinking outside the box.
>>145825721
>VNs don't have to have waifuism
Neither have not to be. That's what I'm saying, not everything needs to try to "think outside the box".
Personally, you might not like the interactions betweens chars (I have a few objections about them too, but since it's just a matter of opinion, I won't go into further detail), but that doesn't mean they don't serve a purpose: get you attached to the characters, as you said; which i suppose will come in handy as the story advances. Those are voluntary events in most cases, and the game don't force you to play them.
>>145826479
Of course, I agree. There's space for every kind of story. But thinking outside the box leads to innovation. Not doing so increases the risk of becoming predictable and boring.
Of course, you're right that it might help as the story advances. But right now, there's only one part out, and I can only judge it on what's there. As well, they are included in the VN. I can skip them, but I can never tell if that's going to cause me to miss crucial information. It's also immersion breaking, which has a negative impact on the rest of the story.
Of course, a lot of people liked everything about Lucid9, so this is just my take. But this is the kind of discussion I'd like to see happen on every EVN that gets released - a real breakdown of what people thought worked and what didn't.
>>145812263
The 18+ patch isn't out yet, so let me get back to you on that one.
>>145827054
>But this is the kind of discussion I'd like to see happen on every EVN that gets released - a real breakdown of what people thought worked and what didn't.
Yeah, that would be good. But it's 6:00 AM in East Tacoland and I'm sleepy, so you guys keep the thread alive during the night. Have a cute doggie to make you warm and fuzzy.
>>145827858
It's actually out now
http://steamcommunity.com/app/451760/discussions/0/358415206085893872/
>>145828046
The strayn watch begins. Fuck oath cunts, how many sheilas youse puttin in yer games? I got fifteen
>>145829467
straya survival dating sim when
>>145831115
Would it be about surviving Australia, or about surviving Australians?
>>145831356
Both of course.
>Australian monstergirl game where all the waifus are poisonous.
>>145831356
If I ever get round to writing another, I'll probably set my next VN in Melbourne.
So just Australians.
Tao's holding a poll about whether people would prefer his sprite to have one or two straps on her eyepatch.
https://twitter.com/Taosym/status/743812676539691008
>>145832047
Here's the other option.
>>145832047
Clever marketting. The man has great vision, unlike poor Patch the Hyena.
>>145832047
What an utterly pointless poll.
>>145832047
>>145832215
Why not simply add it as an option in-game? Or are they that averse to having choices?
>>145832383
>eyepatch filter
Are you serious?
Then why not aslut lips slider?
Not all designs will be exactly as you'd like them to be.
>>145832586
To be honest, I couldn't give less of a fuck what the character design in a game I'm not going to touch looks like.
The poll just seems so superfluous, and the artist obviously doesn't particularly care either.
>>145832848
>the artist obviously doesn't particularly care either
That's the point. Pick something you don't really care about and let people who care even slightly pick the one they want. That way it engages the audience and nothing important to you has to be changed.
>>145832215
Number 2 is the more traditional chuuni look, while Number 1 is the more traditional pirate look.
>>145833412
I'd rather ask the artist why that character looks like a bird just had a hugh shit on the top of her head.
>>145833575
Either he's a fan of Tokyo Ghoul, or it's just anime colored hair.
I just finished Highway Blossoms.
They pitched it as a treasure hunt butyou find the entirety of the treasure a fourth of the way through the VN, cursing the rest of the VN to feel like padding.
The VN, for some bizarre reason, has an option to keep skipping text after a choice, despite being entirely kinetic.
On the subject of the UI, they for some utterly bizarre reason have removed basic Ren'py functions, like a scene selection and image gallery. Despite being linear, it's still fairly lengthy for what it is so going out of your way to remove the scene selection is dumbfounding and inexcusable.
The directing is all over the place, there's a scene later in the VN where Amber is supposedly in a bar, but the game uses an outdoors background for this part. Very early in the VN, she puts on a pair of sunglasses in a cg but rather than creating an alternate, static CG, they instead opt to drop the sunglasses from the top of the screen like some meme loving idiots. This wouldn't be awful if it wasn't for the fact that she whenever she tilts her head the sunglasses load out and then load back in, which looks really amateurish.
The character art is for the most part okay, they all look good on their own but there's some consistency errors between CGs as well as some blatantly useless ones, such as the one where it's just them sitting in a cave, with the CG's purpose to just show them being in a cave. The BGs are also pretty odd: some are hand made from scratch, others use obvious 3d models, and others past that are very obvious filtered photos. Most of them don't mesh super well with the sprite's perspectives.
The music was the strongest element, nothing really bad to say about it, though the credits song rustled me just on the basis of my personal opinions on that kind of stuff.
It's just a bland experience and the errors are obvious. Step above lemma, not commercial quality.
>>145833575
At first I thought it was sheen, but I'm starting to think that he's using black and white hair to show that someone is a human/demon hybrid.
>>145834073
>The VN, for some bizarre reason, has an option to keep skipping text after a choice, despite being entirely kinetic.
That would indicate somebody couldn't be bothered to edit the standard ren'py menu, if the HB is written in ren'py.
>basic Ren'py functions, like a scene selection and image gallery
Both are more or less (readily available) plug-ins for ren'py if I remember correctly but not included in the standard setup.
>>145834073
Now go back and add the H patch, so you can critique their love scenes.
>>145835189
I played it with the h-scenes. They weren't offensive but didn't add anything to the narrative either and felt mostly tacked on.
>>145834073
>This wouldn't be awful
are you sure the deal with it sunglasses meme wouldn't be awful
are you absolutely sure?
>>145835851
It would have been bad, but I've seen worse. The fact that they didn't even do it intelligently (or as intelligently as you can get in this situation) was the real kicker for me, honestly.
>>145834073
Does Rosuuri's CG stand apart from the rest? Or does it just mesh in? My artist love that girl and is striving to imitate her style.
>>145821363
They're critiques that only /evn/ has, and this general is not my target market.
>>145821683I'm not a guy.
>>145834073
Was the relationship between the 2 main characters satisfying at least?
>>145836925
Are you getting any feedback from your target market?current year
>>145837159
The entirety of my progress has taken place this year, and all the feedback I've received on lemma/fuwa has been positive.
>>145837018
The writing as a whole, apart from the very large problem in my initial point, didn't really stick out to me. While Marina has a lot of character, Amber was super dry and dull, with the exception of the end stretch where she decides to act like a bitch in some forced-feeling drama. I feel like it might have benefited by making the narration third person, as the main character didn't have anything going for her as a lead.
>>145836741
As I said before, almost all of the CGs are very good, even if consistency is an issue. Unfortunately the worst CG is shown constantly in the VN (of the two in the front seat of the motorhome) and acts as a sort of visual centerpiece. It has some serious quality issues which is bewildering considering how much time you're forced to look at it. Past that one CG they're mostly on point though.
