Why is this here?

[KnightMason]

At first I thought, "What's next? Order E books through steam? I don't come to steam for that."

I should say that I have never heard of these so called 'VN's' until I saw this.
And I read comments in the forums that made me wonder where this generation went wrong.
Like why can't people just pick up a book and read?

Then I realized the mechanics of these so called 'VN's' don't work well without some minimal gaming background to smooth things over. A variable or two just to track progress. AI's to interact with. Etc.

Now I don't particularly care for the 'authors' portrayal of characters in the overall story, so I can't say I like it.

Something I'm a little disturbed by is that anyone can play this game. And it's probably more graphic mentally than any visual game I've seen. So now we'll have another screwed up generation of kids reading garbage.
But hey as long as they're reading right?
I have to wonder where the rating system is here.

But placed in the right context however, the idea of a VN sparks some creative ideas that interest me as a developer.
That is, if there actually is a wide market for this 'game' genre.
So that said, are there any decent stories built in this platform yet? Without all the fetish crap?
(Maybe that's the wrong word. Lets say 'graphic'.)

[MrPuschel]

After i've read your post, here are some of my thoughts:


I don't think you have read many books yet because you don't seem very familiar with the idea of telling storys in different ways.

I don't think you have played many games yet because there is no refference to text adventures and you seem to think that Visual Novels are some kind of "modern phenomenon".

I think you're one of this persons who just go into a forum, do a post of "I love this you all suck" or "I hate this you all suck". And you don't have any kind of real point.

I think i suck because i reply to an obvious troll and giving you some kind of "I'm awesome and someone recognize me" feeling.

[KnightMason]

I think some people suffer from Aholephobia. Look it up.

Everything and all things must be 'trolls'.
I feel sorry for you.

[TheDarkChaplain]

OP should go over and get Higurashi no Naku Koro ni or Fate/stay night, read them and then come back apologizing =)


Can't say I read enough VNs myself, though I do immensely enjoy them. They're a welcome change of pace after working through multiple novels and reviews a week.

[KnightMason]

I have a feeling nobody really read anything here. lol
But that's ok.
Funny though, since this 'game' is all about reading.

If read correctly, I wasn't insulting anything or anyone. Just giving my perspective and asking questions.
Oh except maybe the generation comment. I should keep that to myself I guess.

[Croakamancer]

Erm...

Mason, are you sure you're ranting about the right VN? You don't give any details about Analogue, and the comment about 'fetish' really makes me do a double take. This game's got nothing to do with fetishes, has no explicit scenes or descriptions of them.

As to this

Something I'm a little disturbed by is that anyone can play this game. And it's probably more graphic mentally than any visual game I've seen. So now we'll have another screwed up generation of kids reading garbage.
But hey as long as they're reading right?
I have to wonder where the rating system is here.

Anyone can play a Wii game

They might not be good at it but they can play it. In the same light anyone can read a book. Doesn't mean they'll become immersed in it. This VN has led to discussion and people thinking, far more than a vast majority of modern games, and that's a win for the kids of tomorrow in my book

[KnightMason]

Originally Posted by Croakamancer

Erm...
They might not be good at it but they can play it. In the same light anyone can read a book. Doesn't mean they'll become immersed in it. This VN has led to discussion and people thinking, far more than a vast majority of modern games, and that's a win for the kids of tomorrow in my book

That is true. Which is why I'm interested. I just never realized it existed.

And about the 'fetish', being that I'm knew to that type of culture, I still know what a Neko is (Mute). And that is what I'm seeing. To me that throws back to a fetish. More so if there's implications of sexual situations. So maybe that was the wrong word.

I think of 'Second Life' Neko's and shutter. People dressed up with cat ears for sexual purposes. But that's SL. Not this. Maybe I'm way off but in my head, one relates to the other. lol

It could be worse. There could have been furry's in it. And I think most people know what that suggests.

[Croakamancer]

That is true. Which is why I'm interested. I just never realized it existed.

You just called it disturbing that that was the case! Come on...

As to fetish, eh, that's a new one on me. You mean cat-girls? Mute has cat ears, possibly, but she doesn't act in any particular way, and of the two comes off less sexually. Hyun-ae's not any particular sort of target; I worried at first she might come across as Moe, and perhaps she does if you argue with her more, but in my ending, she seemed confident and the romance stuff could be taken as simple camraderie.

You're looking for more VNs? I'm not sure what to reccomend... there are many, but few western produced ones. The engine Love uses is open source though. I'm also tempted to recommend Katawa Shoujo, which is much more arguably fetishistic, but is widely positively received. It's a romance story, but comes across as actually romantic rather that 'OMGHAWTBEWBS'. You meet various different characters, interact with them, learn their stories and empathise with them. I've seen at least one prominent female anime critic commend it.

[spyrochaete]

Originally Posted by KnightMason

At first I thought, "What's next? Order E books through steam? I don't come to steam for that."

You've been able to order books through Steam for quite some time now - interactive journalism (like PC Gamer Digital and the crappy Portal 2 thing by Geoff Keighly) and Prima strategy guides. Visual Novels are games, though, and Christine Love's VNs are highly customized with lots of interactivity added to the otherwise relatively static Ren'Py engine.

Like why can't people just pick up a book and read?

Why don't you stop playing Pacman and just eat 50 pills?

Now I don't particularly care for the 'authors' portrayal of characters in the overall story, so I can't say I like it.

The author's portrayal? But she's the one who invented the characters. What other portrayal are you comparing hers to? Link to your fanfic please?

Something I'm a little disturbed by is that anyone can play this game. And it's probably more graphic mentally than any visual game I've seen. So now we'll have another screwed up generation of kids reading garbage.

I should say that I have never heard of these so called 'VN's' until I saw this.

You sure jump to a lot of conclusions for someone who's never played a similar game, never mind having even heard of the genre. You do a great Jack Thompson impression though.

But placed in the right context however, the idea of a VN sparks some creative ideas that interest me as a developer.
That is, if there actually is a wide market for this 'game' genre.

I think I speak for everyone here when I say that we all mourn the loss of the visual novels you, as a developer, will never write. I'm sure they would have appealed to the lowest common denominator which seems to be your barometer for legitimacy.

So that said, are there any decent stories built in this platform yet? Without all the fetish crap?
(Maybe that's the wrong word. Lets say 'graphic'.)

Either you and I have very different ideas of what a fetish is or you're extraordinarily easy to turn on. Either way, please stop looking at me like that.

Christine's other games are great, but if you don't like her style there's many other VNs available at the Ren'Py SDK homepage.

Thanks for the enlightened conversation, yo.

[dBeta]

a) To answer the thread title, apparently Valve approached the developer to get it on Steam, so send your complaints to Gabe.

b) Also, Rule 36. I'd hate to see the guy with a Wikipedia fetish.

[Christine Love]

Oh man, this thread is kinda hilarious.

Originally Posted by Croakamancer

As to fetish, eh, that's a new one on me. You mean cat-girls? Mute has cat ears, possibly, but she doesn't act in any particular way, and of the two comes off less sexually.

For what it's worth, she doesn't actually have cat ears! What she does have is a version of a traditional (and rather lavish) hairstyle called a keun meori, slightly stylized to be a bit cat-like. Here's a page with an example of what it looks like in real life.

[Croakamancer]

YAY! : Happy to see your account finally got activated, oh nice writy-lady. Have to say I've been surprised at how much work you put into the research aspect of this game, but it does make things more interesting for the reader, I'll certainly give you that.

And yeah, you've caught me out on the Mute's hair thing. I find it hard to judge the specifics of art, so tried to hedge my words there.

[LegionZero]

Fortunately our political Elite are yet to decide literature needs rating, but when they do I'm sure it'll be a grand day... I remember fondly the Canterbury Tales in year 10, but I suppose it lead me astray and converted me into a deviant human being. Also Shakespeare was a joy of mine, along with Hardy. Books like 1984 and 'A brave new world' along with William Gibson and Tolkien.

It's a shame that a large section of society is terrified of sexuality but are more than happy with mass murder with no consequence.

I'd love to see what you make of Corpse Party - now there's a title to make people squirm. A wonderful work pushing gaming to ever better levels, crawling into your head and challenging your views and opinions, making you think and contemplate on the situation presented to you.

Also, yes I read, even more now then when I was at school oho so long ago, a lot of different kinds of novels, fan fiction, news papers, web sites, blogs, all kinds of things. Daily commutes do that (plus I suffer from "just one more chapter" at night.)

I like VNs as an extension to the normal reading experience, often providing choice as to the conclusion (I used to be big into my FF books when I was younger), background music and sounds to activate additional senses and then, the graphics which allow you to experience another set of information. All in all meaning you enjoy the material in multiple ways.

When done well it leads to deeper immersion and a greater connection to the characters (if you have a mindset that will empathise with them that is, it may make you hate them more, or just think "why aren't I reading a book?")

But different strokes for different folks.

As to fetishes, come on, being a macho gun totting soldier seems pretty fetishistic to me. But I don't mind.

[Pakuska]

I dont understand people like this, Why are you so hatefull? Why is it instantly, that an entire generation is screwed because they like to VN? o_O

When I was a kid, I used to have these cassete tapes with fairy tales on it. They were several actors, who played differnt characters, and the fairy tale had sound effects, and it was really immersive, I loved it, and I still love it. Same thing with those old radio shows where they played a book, I think now a days you could call it a fancy audio book.

With VN, I wouldnt call it a game, more like an interactive novel, yes they do sometimes have gameplay elements, but thats like a FPS which has RPG elements in it, doesnt make that FPS into a RPG. Its just a differnt media, to tell a story. And this VN, has an amazing story, and im sorry you wont be able to experience that.

But hey, I guess in that sense, comic books must be a weird media to you too, having all those pictures in it and all.

Ugh, its like complaining that there are opera's on DVD's because all DVD's must contain movies, and opera's arent movies! lyk omg, DVD's are meant to contain data, no matter what kind, games are like that too, its compiled like a game, but isnt really a game. But whatever, im just one of those people that are in a screwed up generation for liking a certain media that tells immersive stories.

[deceze]

But, but, teh gamez must be for teh shooting dead of people, not for teh telling of teh storeyz. And teh Steam is for teh gamez...!