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Because it& #39;s been on my mind this week, especially this morning: things I, as a long time visual novel player (and a dev, I guess, but whatever) will IMMEDIATELY and instinctively roll my eyes at if I see them in your visual novel/narrative game description...(imo, obvs, lol)
"A game where your choices matter."
Y-yes?
In a genre where multiple and branching routes are the structure de jour, player choice is the expected manifestation of that gameplay loop. It& #39;s common for your choices to "matter" to some degree. Instead consider telling me...
Y-yes?
In a genre where multiple and branching routes are the structure de jour, player choice is the expected manifestation of that gameplay loop. It& #39;s common for your choices to "matter" to some degree. Instead consider telling me...
...HOW and/or WHY my choices matter. What specific aspect of the game/story do they affect? Will one wrong move end the world? Will choices I make early come to fruition in the final act? What KIND of agency are you giving me over the story?
Describing it as "story-driven."
This one understand. It probably comes from a place of "this isn& #39;t like one of them thar H-games."
While it& #39;s a great descriptor for other genres, it& #39;s really broad for one that& #39;s already narrative-centric.
Consider, instead...
This one understand. It probably comes from a place of "this isn& #39;t like one of them thar H-games."
While it& #39;s a great descriptor for other genres, it& #39;s really broad for one that& #39;s already narrative-centric.
Consider, instead...
...using plot- vs character- driven (if you feel you must) or just relying standard genre descriptions.
I know that slice-of-life will have fun characters while an adventure is more likely to have a lively plot.
And I know a sex-for-the-sake-of sex game on sight.
I know that slice-of-life will have fun characters while an adventure is more likely to have a lively plot.
And I know a sex-for-the-sake-of sex game on sight.
This one may be a hot take because I think it defies some marketing tips, but saying your game is/does:
-not like other VNs
-not like "normal" VNs
-something "no other VN has ever done" or "VNs don& #39;t typically do"
irks the HELL out of me.
I& #39;ll explain..
-not like other VNs
-not like "normal" VNs
-something "no other VN has ever done" or "VNs don& #39;t typically do"
irks the HELL out of me.
I& #39;ll explain..
I know I& #39;m the Spiders Georg of VNs sometimes, but in 2020 alone I& #39;ve played 60+ VNs, demos, IFs, & narrative games. That doesn& #39;t include games I& #39;ve edited or acted in.
I hate to break it to you, but your game/mechanic is not NEARLY as unique as you think it is. I& #39;m SO SORRY...
I hate to break it to you, but your game/mechanic is not NEARLY as unique as you think it is. I& #39;m SO SORRY...
The Jungian collective of game dev is constantly iterative, and visual novels are a part of that. If you devise something, there is a non-zero chance that someone else has already implemented it. You don& #39;t have to advertise this, but you have to acknowledge it as a creator...
I very frequently (on KS in particular) see someone REALLY hype up this "one cool mechanic" of their visual novel "that& #39;s never been done" and my reaction is "uh, yeah it has. 20 years ago."
Now, I don& #39;t have faith that you& #39;ve actually done your research...
Now, I don& #39;t have faith that you& #39;ve actually done your research...
My propose alternative: tell me all the cool shit in your game, and I& #39;LL decide if I& #39;ve ever seen it before or think it& #39;s "different."
Hype up whatever your game has to offer, but constantly screaming about it& #39;s "uniqueness" feels like a facade for an otherwise mediocre game.
Hype up whatever your game has to offer, but constantly screaming about it& #39;s "uniqueness" feels like a facade for an otherwise mediocre game.
Touting the high-word count as though that automatically makes your game better than other EVNs.
Fate/Stay is 800k words, and I& #39;d rather just alternate replaying DMMD and DD:ADDS 5 times.
Divorce length from quality or enjoyment, and leave room for everyone at the table.
Fate/Stay is 800k words, and I& #39;d rather just alternate replaying DMMD and DD:ADDS 5 times.
Divorce length from quality or enjoyment, and leave room for everyone at the table.
A corollary I thought of as I was writing this:
I think there& #39;s a misconception that all JVN are like, epic level huge-long games that EVNS have to aspire to. The reality is that while they do tend to trend longer, there are PLENTY of sub-20, sub-10, and even sub-5 hour JVNs.
I think there& #39;s a misconception that all JVN are like, epic level huge-long games that EVNS have to aspire to. The reality is that while they do tend to trend longer, there are PLENTY of sub-20, sub-10, and even sub-5 hour JVNs.
Saying your big titty anime girl game is for "fans of traditional JVNs." I have no qualms with BTAGs, but JVNs (like EVNs) aren& #39;t a monolith.
Paca Plus and Saya no Uta are VERY different games, but both equally Japanese.
Consider instead...
Paca Plus and Saya no Uta are VERY different games, but both equally Japanese.
Consider instead...
"For fans of Sweet Pool and Clannad, you& #39;ll enjoy our game about bishounen who cannibalize each other then get real sad about it."
Something x Something is a VERY common elevator pitch technique that you can and should utilize in your game marketing.
Something x Something is a VERY common elevator pitch technique that you can and should utilize in your game marketing.
