The general thread of generalness (a.k.a. we talk about everything)

With characters, I find that I can handle any as long as the plot's good. Also, I don't mind bad pacing as much because I just like reading.

Also, I don't really care at all about the porn content.

In the case where the porn doesn't even count as part of it,

• 1. Characters
• 2. Art (switch Art with 5 if it's decent)
• 3. Setting
• 4. Voice acting
• 5. Music
• 6. Plot
• 7. Pace

Also, I can't stand a good plot if there's bad characters, so I guess i'm the opposite. Also since I usually expect mediocre plots they aren't very high on my list.

edited 8th Nov '10 2:09:29 PM by Edmania

I can't see the difference between some of the entries.

Characterization is reflected by the plot, (For example the heroines of Kira Kira could be described as incredibly generic archetypes, but being in an interesting plot means that an interesting part of their personality is seen.

Writing = pacing. Or if you mean the smaller scale stylistic choices, we don't get to see those anyways, in the fan translations.

Setting is, again, defined by how well it is used in a plot.

For me, it would be something like:

1. Plot
2. Music
3. Art
4. Porn
(Voice acting doesn't matter for me at all)

edited 8th Nov '10 3:08:51 PM by EternalSeptember

I dunno, Toaru Majutsu No Index (that's not a visual novel, but still) doesn't exactly use it's setting very well plot-wise, but I still like it.

And i've never played Kira Kira so I don't know about that example.

I believe that there isn't a single aspect of the Visual novel that could be singled out as the 'most important'. VN aren't just the sum of their parts, it's about how all the elements work together, creating something larger then just a bunch of images, lines and notes duct-taped together.

I'm not sure if that's the best place to ask this, but it's the Visual Novel section's general thread, so...

I'd like to create a Tokimeki Memorial thread, but that's primary a Dating Sim series (although the Drama Series and Substories games of the franchise are basically Visual Novels). Can it go fine in the Visual Novel forum, or should it go in the general Video Games section ?

That goes here. Dating sims are generally lumped with visual novels. Visual novel just sounds better than dating sim. Dating sims are sort of like a sub category.

However, I can tell you that since it's not in english you're not going to be able to find many people who can talk about it with you. Edmania made a similar thread and it got locked.

edited 18th Dec '10 4:23:00 PM by Arha

Wait, there's a lack-of-discussion lock on threads on TV Tropes? I don't remember having seen that on the forum rules at the "Pinned" section. *confused*

In any case, thanks for your answer :), and for the warning. I was aware of that risk, and a few days before I've made that post here, I've contacted a few Tropers I know are fans or knowledgable about the Tokimemo series, and some of them are interested in participating. I'd like to give it a go if you don't mind; if it's not successful and gets locked in the end, so be it, at least I won't have regrets of not having dared to try.

I think it was the way he did it, actually. No one would really mind if you made a thread about a japanese game that hasn't been translated, but they wouldn't participate. Edmania made a thread with the title in Japanese and went downhill from there.

As you probably know, Ace Noctali, there's a lot of overlap between the visual novel and romance games fandoms. (It shouldn't have to be that way — you can make a game about relationships using a variety of engines or formats...) Create your topic where you feel it's appropriate.

If you wanna create a game similar to Tokimemo, be sure to talk to the following people:

- Okashi Studios. They released their complex game Shira Oka Second Chances earlier this month after years of work.

- Winter Wolves. They released the slightly complex game Summer Session back in 2008, and have continued to make a variety of visual novels and other games.

- Sakevisual, who made RE Alistair in about a month.

- Chensterrain, who's currently working on Lucky Rabbit Reflex.

- And finally, the Lemma Soft forums, where you can find a number of completed / in-the-works visual novels and related games.

^^ I see, thanks for the warning. I'll create the thread nonetheless, if it dies in the end it'll die, at least I would have tried. It's not like it'll be the first in that sub-forum if that's its ultimate fate: on first look, there's something like a dozen of threads with less than 10 posts anyway. And since I'm currently doing translations of various Tokimemo media, I can use the thread to inform about my latest translations as well.

^ Thanks for the cheer up. :) But I don't get your part about Dating Sim game creation: I don't plan to make one at all. At best I'll give support at translating if someone wants to make a translation patch for the games of the standard branch of the Tokimemo franchise.

I just wanted to remind everyone that Ef A Fairy Tale Of The Two has Christmas themes, so if you haven't read it yet, this is the perfect time.

Doesn't Tsukihime have something similar?

I think that if you play the game on or around Christmas, there's a fun little story that runs, featuring a bunch of the characters.

edited 23rd Dec '10 2:55:39 PM by Five_X

Dunno about Tsukihime, but Ef is practically about Christmas. It starts on Christmas, it ends on another christmas, it has flashbacks to an earlier Christmas, and and there are two other Christmases inbetween, all of them are heavily influencing the plot.

I know for sure Melty Blood has something for christmas but I'm not sure if Tsuki does.

Kagetsu Tohya has a special message if you sign on when your computer says it's Christmas.

I was looking for that, and instead I found something else, something just as awesome, when you click the "N" in "Fun Disc" on the title screen of Kagetsu Tohya.

I was delighted to find a nice visual novel Christmas present over at TL Wiki: G-Senjou no Maou has now been fully translated, and the patch is out. I'll try to get around to reading that soon.

Noticed that too. Sadly, I'm in Canada for the next week so I can't check it out. I thought they still had another week or three of editing and stuff to go.

I'm in Canada too.

I'm always in Canada! :P

Also, playing Tsukihime today nets you a fun little skit involving some of the cast talking about Christmas.

edited 25th Dec '10 9:26:22 AM by Five_X

I had uninstalled it for some reason. Oh well.

It seems that My Girlfriend Is The President has been licensed by JAST USA. I have mixed feelings on this. On one hand, it's great that it's getting an official release. However, it feels really lazy on JAST's part, since they're using the fan translation, which was almost complete before the license. In other words, they're making money off of others' hard work.

What I think they should do is what Manga Gamer did with their Higurashi release: do the translation on their own, but also allow the fan translation to continue.

I guess Manga Gamer is just a better company than JAST.

edited 29th Dec '10 1:59:34 PM by Five_X

I was pretty pissed when I saw the project pulled with about a week left to go on it, so I'm actually glad all their hard work is being taken. I mean, yeah, they're making money with someone else's work but at least the work isn't be wasted. And it's not like they'd have made money off it anyway. At least this way it'll be out that much quicker.

^ Also, don't they have some kind of partnership deal with JAST? If that's the case they may have even bought the translation efforts.

edited 29th Dec '10 2:15:57 PM by Arha

From what I'm hearing, the translators sold it the translation to JAST.