Tay

Given our last discussion, why doget the feeling that this is a self-appreciation thread in disguise, Mr. Salty?

Also... It's iodine that prevents goiters, not salt.

Hey everybody,
 
Almost 90 posts! If you feel like this discussion has been going round-and-round in circles, then you should be glad you weren't party to the 2012 and 2013 discussions -- the first back-and-forth we had on Fuwanovel about hosting localized games had >200 replies and, if I remember right, was deleted. I still have minor PTSD thinking about it.
 
Let's all take a step back and look at this thread for a minute. We'll notice that there are many well-thought-out and well-presented arguments on both sides. We'll also notice that almost nobody has been swayed from one side to the other. Please allow me to state the obvious: This is a point of disagreement, and the two arguments aren't going to be reconciled no matter how long we go on. 
 
I tend to see this as a good thing: it means that I don't need to get emotional about the debate, and I don't need to take it personally on any level. I suggest everybody deescalate emotionally from the conflict.
 
 
 
 
Let's start with Aaeru.
People like to channel Aaeru (especially in this argument) because many remember and think of her as a sort of ancient, canonized, ultimate authority. I was around and an admin when the Fuwanovel policies were being decided, and Aaeru and I talked several times about this issue.
 
On the one hand Aaeru was(/is) an extreme pirate: she hated copyright, hated the idea of intellectual property, and wanted to put all VNs up for pirating. She was a pirate through-and-through -- to the point of once sharing with me some Australian Pirate Party propaganda  .
 
Yet, on the other hand, as Fuwanovel administrators she and I spoke about this issue more than once, and every time we came to the agreement that it's in Fuwanovel's best interest not to host licensed games. Aaeru wavered from time to time, but the policy was solidified and codified when Aaeru's DC III project was crushed by Gangamamer. Some of you remember that happening. Aaeru was crushed and it took several weeks for her to recover. I remember the long conversation she and I had during the weeks she was away from the site, recovering.
 
Anybody who knew Aaeru knew that she was a pirate to her core. Those that served with her as staff (we still have a few of them around), including myself (a co-admin), however know that she recognized and codified our current policy. Fuwanovel doesn't host licensed games. We generally drop the games within a few months of their announcement -- so long as progress on the translation is being made. 
 
 
 
 
 
Now I'm going to try and cut to the heart of the matter
This specific topic has shown that it really doesn't matter how many good reasons we put down on paper for either side. Good arguments aren't going to persuade the other side off the wall. Time and time again this issue has put a real and painful strain on the community. I'm sad to say that I've lost multiple staff members to this issue -- many have resigned over it, and it kills me to say that some are threatening to leave over it again.
 
This topic has repeatedly caused distress to the community. That is why we have a policy -- to prevent confusion for members and staff alike; and to give clear direction as new situations arise. That's the reason why we make them. One of my roles is to make sure we aren't forgetting about the foundations of the site, and ensure that we stay true to them. Fuwanovel's policy is that we don't host licensed games on the site.
 
 
 
 
 
Brass Tacks
I've been discussing the actual logistics of this issue with the staff and we're currently discussing how to proceed. If the decision is to abide by our longstanding policy, then I want to assure the community that the torrents are not going to disappear overnight. There will be notice about the plan and clear communication. 
 
I've read this entire thread twice, and I've spent a lot of time ensuring that I understand points raised both here and in the staff forums. I want to assure everybody that your voices are heard, and the staff and I will value further points raised here.
 
At some point a decision must be made, however, and experience has taught me that there will be anger and hurt feelings regardless of what's chosen. I urge everybody to remember that we're all here for the love of a hobby, and that Fuwanovel's core is a respectful and friendly place to celebrate visual novels. This decision isn't the end of the world, and won't substantially change your Fuwanovel experience. I encourage everybody -- myself included -- to watch yourselves and your discourse and make sure we aren't being explosively hyperbolic in the aftermath.

Hey everybody,
 
Almost 90 posts! If you feel like this discussion has been going round-and-round in circles, then you should be glad you weren't party to the 2012 and 2013 discussions -- the first back-and-forth we had on Fuwanovel about hosting localized games had >200 replies and, if I remember right, was deleted. I still have minor PTSD thinking about it.
 
Let's all take a step back and look at this thread for a minute. We'll notice that there are many well-thought-out and well-presented arguments on both sides. We'll also notice that almost nobody has been swayed from one side to the other. Please allow me to state the obvious: This is a point of disagreement, and the two arguments aren't going to be reconciled no matter how long we go on. 
 
I tend to see this as a good thing: it means that I don't need to get emotional about the debate, and I don't need to take it personally on any level. I suggest everybody deescalate emotionally from the conflict.
 
 
 
 
Let's start with Aaeru.
People like to channel Aaeru (especially in this argument) because many remember and think of her as a sort of ancient, canonized, ultimate authority. I was around and an admin when the Fuwanovel policies were being decided, and Aaeru and I talked several times about this issue.
 
On the one hand Aaeru was(/is) an extreme pirate: she hated copyright, hated the idea of intellectual property, and wanted to put all VNs up for pirating. She was a pirate through-and-through -- to the point of once sharing with me some Australian Pirate Party propaganda  .
 
Yet, on the other hand, as Fuwanovel administrators she and I spoke about this issue more than once, and every time we came to the agreement that it's in Fuwanovel's best interest not to host licensed games. Aaeru wavered from time to time, but the policy was solidified and codified when Aaeru's DC III project was crushed by Gangamamer. Some of you remember that happening. Aaeru was crushed and it took several weeks for her to recover. I remember the long conversation she and I had during the weeks she was away from the site, recovering.
 
Anybody who knew Aaeru knew that she was a pirate to her core. Those that served with her as staff (we still have a few of them around), including myself (a co-admin), however know that she recognized and codified our current policy. Fuwanovel doesn't host licensed games. We generally drop the games within a few months of their announcement -- so long as progress on the translation is being made. 
 
 
 
 
 
Now I'm going to try and cut to the heart of the matter
This specific topic has shown that it really doesn't matter how many good reasons we put down on paper for either side. Good arguments aren't going to persuade the other side off the wall. Time and time again this issue has put a real and painful strain on the community. I'm sad to say that I've lost multiple staff members to this issue -- many have resigned over it, and it kills me to say that some are threatening to leave over it again.
 
This topic has repeatedly caused distress to the community. That is why we have a policy -- to prevent confusion for members and staff alike; and to give clear direction as new situations arise. That's the reason why we make them. One of my roles is to make sure we aren't forgetting about the foundations of the site, and ensure that we stay true to them. Fuwanovel's policy is that we don't host licensed games on the site.
 
 
 
 
 
Brass Tacks
I've been discussing the actual logistics of this issue with the staff and we're currently discussing how to proceed. If the decision is to abide by our longstanding policy, then I want to assure the community that the torrents are not going to disappear overnight. There will be notice about the plan and clear communication. 
 
I've read this entire thread twice, and I've spent a lot of time ensuring that I understand points raised both here and in the staff forums. I want to assure everybody that your voices are heard, and the staff and I will value further points raised here.
 
At some point a decision must be made, however, and experience has taught me that there will be anger and hurt feelings regardless of what's chosen. I urge everybody to remember that we're all here for the love of a hobby, and that Fuwanovel's core is a respectful and friendly place to celebrate visual novels. This decision isn't the end of the world, and won't substantially change your Fuwanovel experience. I encourage everybody -- myself included -- to watch yourselves and your discourse and make sure we aren't being explosively hyperbolic in the aftermath.

Hey everybody,
 
Almost 90 posts! If you feel like this discussion has been going round-and-round in circles, then you should be glad you weren't party to the 2012 and 2013 discussions -- the first back-and-forth we had on Fuwanovel about hosting localized games had >200 replies and, if I remember right, was deleted. I still have minor PTSD thinking about it.
 
Let's all take a step back and look at this thread for a minute. We'll notice that there are many well-thought-out and well-presented arguments on both sides. We'll also notice that almost nobody has been swayed from one side to the other. Please allow me to state the obvious: This is a point of disagreement, and the two arguments aren't going to be reconciled no matter how long we go on. 
 
I tend to see this as a good thing: it means that I don't need to get emotional about the debate, and I don't need to take it personally on any level. I suggest everybody deescalate emotionally from the conflict.
 
 
 
 
Let's start with Aaeru.
People like to channel Aaeru (especially in this argument) because many remember and think of her as a sort of ancient, canonized, ultimate authority. I was around and an admin when the Fuwanovel policies were being decided, and Aaeru and I talked several times about this issue.
 
On the one hand Aaeru was(/is) an extreme pirate: she hated copyright, hated the idea of intellectual property, and wanted to put all VNs up for pirating. She was a pirate through-and-through -- to the point of once sharing with me some Australian Pirate Party propaganda  .
 
Yet, on the other hand, as Fuwanovel administrators she and I spoke about this issue more than once, and every time we came to the agreement that it's in Fuwanovel's best interest not to host licensed games. Aaeru wavered from time to time, but the policy was solidified and codified when Aaeru's DC III project was crushed by Gangamamer. Some of you remember that happening. Aaeru was crushed and it took several weeks for her to recover. I remember the long conversation she and I had during the weeks she was away from the site, recovering.
 
Anybody who knew Aaeru knew that she was a pirate to her core. Those that served with her as staff (we still have a few of them around), including myself (a co-admin), however know that she recognized and codified our current policy. Fuwanovel doesn't host licensed games. We generally drop the games within a few months of their announcement -- so long as progress on the translation is being made. 
 
 
 
 
 
Now I'm going to try and cut to the heart of the matter
This specific topic has shown that it really doesn't matter how many good reasons we put down on paper for either side. Good arguments aren't going to persuade the other side off the wall. Time and time again this issue has put a real and painful strain on the community. I'm sad to say that I've lost multiple staff members to this issue -- many have resigned over it, and it kills me to say that some are threatening to leave over it again.
 
This topic has repeatedly caused distress to the community. That is why we have a policy -- to prevent confusion for members and staff alike; and to give clear direction as new situations arise. That's the reason why we make them. One of my roles is to make sure we aren't forgetting about the foundations of the site, and ensure that we stay true to them. Fuwanovel's policy is that we don't host licensed games on the site.
 
 
 
 
 
Brass Tacks
I've been discussing the actual logistics of this issue with the staff and we're currently discussing how to proceed. If the decision is to abide by our longstanding policy, then I want to assure the community that the torrents are not going to disappear overnight. There will be notice about the plan and clear communication. 
 
I've read this entire thread twice, and I've spent a lot of time ensuring that I understand points raised both here and in the staff forums. I want to assure everybody that your voices are heard, and the staff and I will value further points raised here.
 
At some point a decision must be made, however, and experience has taught me that there will be anger and hurt feelings regardless of what's chosen. I urge everybody to remember that we're all here for the love of a hobby, and that Fuwanovel's core is a respectful and friendly place to celebrate visual novels. This decision isn't the end of the world, and won't substantially change your Fuwanovel experience. I encourage everybody -- myself included -- to watch yourselves and your discourse and make sure we aren't being explosively hyperbolic in the aftermath.

Hey everybody,
 
Almost 90 posts! If you feel like this discussion has been going round-and-round in circles, then you should be glad you weren't party to the 2012 and 2013 discussions -- the first back-and-forth we had on Fuwanovel about hosting localized games had >200 replies and, if I remember right, was deleted. I still have minor PTSD thinking about it.
 
Let's all take a step back and look at this thread for a minute. We'll notice that there are many well-thought-out and well-presented arguments on both sides. We'll also notice that almost nobody has been swayed from one side to the other. Please allow me to state the obvious: This is a point of disagreement, and the two arguments aren't going to be reconciled no matter how long we go on. 
 
I tend to see this as a good thing: it means that I don't need to get emotional about the debate, and I don't need to take it personally on any level. I suggest everybody deescalate emotionally from the conflict.
 
 
 
 
Let's start with Aaeru.
People like to channel Aaeru (especially in this argument) because many remember and think of her as a sort of ancient, canonized, ultimate authority. I was around and an admin when the Fuwanovel policies were being decided, and Aaeru and I talked several times about this issue.
 
On the one hand Aaeru was(/is) an extreme pirate: she hated copyright, hated the idea of intellectual property, and wanted to put all VNs up for pirating. She was a pirate through-and-through -- to the point of once sharing with me some Australian Pirate Party propaganda  .
 
Yet, on the other hand, as Fuwanovel administrators she and I spoke about this issue more than once, and every time we came to the agreement that it's in Fuwanovel's best interest not to host licensed games. Aaeru wavered from time to time, but the policy was solidified and codified when Aaeru's DC III project was crushed by Gangamamer. Some of you remember that happening. Aaeru was crushed and it took several weeks for her to recover. I remember the long conversation she and I had during the weeks she was away from the site, recovering.
 
Anybody who knew Aaeru knew that she was a pirate to her core. Those that served with her as staff (we still have a few of them around), including myself (a co-admin), however know that she recognized and codified our current policy. Fuwanovel doesn't host licensed games. We generally drop the games within a few months of their announcement -- so long as progress on the translation is being made. 
 
 
 
 
 
Now I'm going to try and cut to the heart of the matter
This specific topic has shown that it really doesn't matter how many good reasons we put down on paper for either side. Good arguments aren't going to persuade the other side off the wall. Time and time again this issue has put a real and painful strain on the community. I'm sad to say that I've lost multiple staff members to this issue -- many have resigned over it, and it kills me to say that some are threatening to leave over it again.
 
This topic has repeatedly caused distress to the community. That is why we have a policy -- to prevent confusion for members and staff alike; and to give clear direction as new situations arise. That's the reason why we make them. One of my roles is to make sure we aren't forgetting about the foundations of the site, and ensure that we stay true to them. Fuwanovel's policy is that we don't host licensed games on the site.
 
 
 
 
 
Brass Tacks
I've been discussing the actual logistics of this issue with the staff and we're currently discussing how to proceed. If the decision is to abide by our longstanding policy, then I want to assure the community that the torrents are not going to disappear overnight. There will be notice about the plan and clear communication. 
 
I've read this entire thread twice, and I've spent a lot of time ensuring that I understand points raised both here and in the staff forums. I want to assure everybody that your voices are heard, and the staff and I will value further points raised here.
 
At some point a decision must be made, however, and experience has taught me that there will be anger and hurt feelings regardless of what's chosen. I urge everybody to remember that we're all here for the love of a hobby, and that Fuwanovel's core is a respectful and friendly place to celebrate visual novels. This decision isn't the end of the world, and won't substantially change your Fuwanovel experience. I encourage everybody -- myself included -- to watch yourselves and your discourse and make sure we aren't being explosively hyperbolic in the aftermath.

Hey everybody,
 
Almost 90 posts! If you feel like this discussion has been going round-and-round in circles, then you should be glad you weren't party to the 2012 and 2013 discussions -- the first back-and-forth we had on Fuwanovel about hosting localized games had >200 replies and, if I remember right, was deleted. I still have minor PTSD thinking about it.
 
Let's all take a step back and look at this thread for a minute. We'll notice that there are many well-thought-out and well-presented arguments on both sides. We'll also notice that almost nobody has been swayed from one side to the other. Please allow me to state the obvious: This is a point of disagreement, and the two arguments aren't going to be reconciled no matter how long we go on. 
 
I tend to see this as a good thing: it means that I don't need to get emotional about the debate, and I don't need to take it personally on any level. I suggest everybody deescalate emotionally from the conflict.
 
 
 
 
Let's start with Aaeru.
People like to channel Aaeru (especially in this argument) because many remember and think of her as a sort of ancient, canonized, ultimate authority. I was around and an admin when the Fuwanovel policies were being decided, and Aaeru and I talked several times about this issue.
 
On the one hand Aaeru was(/is) an extreme pirate: she hated copyright, hated the idea of intellectual property, and wanted to put all VNs up for pirating. She was a pirate through-and-through -- to the point of once sharing with me some Australian Pirate Party propaganda  .
 
Yet, on the other hand, as Fuwanovel administrators she and I spoke about this issue more than once, and every time we came to the agreement that it's in Fuwanovel's best interest not to host licensed games. Aaeru wavered from time to time, but the policy was solidified and codified when Aaeru's DC III project was crushed by Gangamamer. Some of you remember that happening. Aaeru was crushed and it took several weeks for her to recover. I remember the long conversation she and I had during the weeks she was away from the site, recovering.
 
Anybody who knew Aaeru knew that she was a pirate to her core. Those that served with her as staff (we still have a few of them around), including myself (a co-admin), however know that she recognized and codified our current policy. Fuwanovel doesn't host licensed games. We generally drop the games within a few months of their announcement -- so long as progress on the translation is being made. 
 
 
 
 
 
Now I'm going to try and cut to the heart of the matter
This specific topic has shown that it really doesn't matter how many good reasons we put down on paper for either side. Good arguments aren't going to persuade the other side off the wall. Time and time again this issue has put a real and painful strain on the community. I'm sad to say that I've lost multiple staff members to this issue -- many have resigned over it, and it kills me to say that some are threatening to leave over it again.
 
This topic has repeatedly caused distress to the community. That is why we have a policy -- to prevent confusion for members and staff alike; and to give clear direction as new situations arise. That's the reason why we make them. One of my roles is to make sure we aren't forgetting about the foundations of the site, and ensure that we stay true to them. Fuwanovel's policy is that we don't host licensed games on the site.
 
 
 
 
 
Brass Tacks
I've been discussing the actual logistics of this issue with the staff and we're currently discussing how to proceed. If the decision is to abide by our longstanding policy, then I want to assure the community that the torrents are not going to disappear overnight. There will be notice about the plan and clear communication. 
 
I've read this entire thread twice, and I've spent a lot of time ensuring that I understand points raised both here and in the staff forums. I want to assure everybody that your voices are heard, and the staff and I will value further points raised here.
 
At some point a decision must be made, however, and experience has taught me that there will be anger and hurt feelings regardless of what's chosen. I urge everybody to remember that we're all here for the love of a hobby, and that Fuwanovel's core is a respectful and friendly place to celebrate visual novels. This decision isn't the end of the world, and won't substantially change your Fuwanovel experience. I encourage everybody -- myself included -- to watch yourselves and your discourse and make sure we aren't being explosively hyperbolic in the aftermath.

I've held off on this debate til now, but I've been asked to weigh in so I'll do so.  I think my conclusions will be a bit different than what some were expecting.  I also address some misconceptions in this thread regarding the role of Steam and other content distribution platforms in increasing VN sales.
 
VNs are not freeware
 
Commercial VNs cost hundreds of thousands of US dollars to produce.  Developers do this for a living, and they're not paid very much to do it.  It's a labor of love.  They need support to continue making more games for us to enjoy.  This doesn't change whether a game is untranslated, fan translated, or localized.  People that play VNs without paying are essentially parasites freeloading off the paying fanbase.  In the end, if too many people freeload instead of supporting a company, the company goes out of business and no more VNs get made.  The parasitic ecosystem collapses.
 
To maintain a healthy ecosystem, people must support the games they love.  When you buy a game, you're basically investing in the company's future.  You're saying "Here's my money--make more games like this!"
 
The role of fan translation
 
More than 95% of Japanese VNs are untranslated.  Fan translators provide a service by allowing us to enjoy titles in English we otherwise wouldn't have access to.  Many fan translators choose high profile titles that are currently beyond the grasp of the nascent localization industry.  Others choose titles that would never be localized due to controversial themes (e.g., lolicon).  Fan translators provide their fan translating services free of charge--but they don't own the game license.  All they can lay claim to is their translation, their derivative work.
 
When you play a fan translated game, you're expected to own the original Japanese version.  Few people actually buy the original game.  This behavior is typically written off because in the end, no sales are lost as a result of the fan translation.  The people playing the game in English weren't the target audience for the game in the first place.  Also, the customer's dollars won't be achieving their intended effect.  "Make more games like this" really means "make more games like this that I can play".  If a fan translator has to act as a middleman, financial support does not have its intended effect.  You end up with more titles you want to play but can't, since 95% of titles won't be translated.
 
In the end, fan translation does not grow the paying fanbase. The true role of fan translation is to promote localization, allowing consumers to support games they love, to see more such titles in the future.  Fan translation promotes localization by calling attention to the medium as well as particular titles.  Many localization deals wouldn't have happened if fan translation efforts hadn't highlighted to Japanese developers/publishers that there was interest in these titles overseas.
 
The role of localization
 
Localization completes the support circuit by bringing Japanese VNs to us in a language we can understand--with the promise of more such titles in the future.  It also promotes the medium more effectively than fan translators ever could, since official localization brings marketing and media attention.
 
When fan translation undermines localization by providing an excuse for people to freeload, its usefulness ends.  This is why fan translations, in general, should not be distributed once official localizations are available.
 
On content distribution platforms (e.g., Steam)
 
These gather funding by attracting a different audience than the VN fandom that typically follows JAST and MG.  The DRM that Steam uses increases sales, but not by converting pirates to customers.  Rather, it was designed to prevent resale, ensuring that every customer is funding the developer/publisher rather than funding resellers such as Gamestop.  Basically, releasing a VN on Steam exposes it to the Steam ecosystem (an ecosystem highly enriched for people willing to support the games they like), attracting customers that otherwise would not have known about or been interested in the product.
 
My stance on Planetarian and Grisaia
 
With my general philosophy on the issue explained, I'd like to qualify it a bit in this particular context.  While there's no issue with Planetarian, the release of Grisaia will be a different version from that which was translated--the all-ages version rather than the original 18+ version.  There are no plans to release the 18+ version.  Putting aside my personal views on this decision, the fan translation has added value for some people, and therefore there is justification for retaining the fan translation on Fuwanovel.  I have strong views on this topic, but they are related to my personal interests in the VN scene and thus are outside the scope of this argument.

I'd like to thank everybody for this discussion. I'm currently discussing this matter with the staff to review longstanding Fuwanovel policies. In the meantime, I suggest everybody deescalate and remember that we're friends and we're here for the love of the hobby. I'll re-open this topic soon so the community can continue to discuss it.

Thats actually good news. The H scenes in Grisaia were shit and very disconnected. 


I wonder if Fuwanovel will actually remove its torrent now along with Planetarian to actually support the industry now. 

Katawa Shoujo
 
Summary
Hisao Nakai is a normal kid living a normal life. A senior in High School, things seem to be going his way until, in the middle of a love confession, his heart seizes up and he collapses. Upon waking, Hisao is informed that he has a heart arrhythmia: a condition which will require major lifestyle changes if he wants to stay healthy.

Katawa Shoujo is the story of a boy, force-transferred to a school for disabled kids, and his special friends who open his eyes to what life is truly about.


Ending Guide
Katawa Shoujo is divided into five story arcs (one for each of the central characters), or "routes":
Lilly Hanako Emi Rin Shizune You will encounter each of these girls several times in the course of Act 1, and depending on your choices, the game will select a route for you to take. Act 2 (through the end of the game) will be different for each story arc, or "route".

What this means, of course, is that Act 1 is extremely complex in terms of choices (and the computer variables and flags associated with them). This complexity makes for an awesome story, but is difficult to explain in a textual walkthrough.

Consequently, please consider the following advice: 

I recommend playing through Act 1 making the choices that come naturally to you, and observing each of the girls carefully. By the end of Act 1, you'll more or less know in your heart which route you want to start with. If you made choices by listening to your heart, you'll probably have already ended up in the route you want!
If that's not the case, or you're playing through the game again and want to follow a different route, please see the individual route walkthroughs: they will guide you from the beginning of the game until the end, and will faithfully see you through to your chosen heroine.
Thank you for using this walkthrough. Katawa Shoujo is the first visual novel I ever played, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Also... Lilly forever!


Route Walkthroughs
PROLOGUE 
Katawa Shoujo opens to a prologue of sorts (a snowy confession) which leads immediately into Act 1: Life Expectancy. 
 

Lily
Good and Neutral Endings

Hanako
Good and Neutral Endings
Bad Ending

Emi
Good and Neutral Endings
Bad Ending

Rin
Good, Neutral and Bad Endings

Shizune
Good and Bad Endings
 
Note: Katawa Shoujo features notifications on choice screens which will help you see whether or not you've made a choice before. This will help all of the 100%-Driven players out there. As an added resource, please see this incredible flowchart, made by Feuver. If you're missing scenes, I'd focus on getting all the bad ends -- especially in Act 1 (they're probably what you're missing).


Attribution
This guide was based heavily on both Feuver's flowchart as well as information gleamed directly from personal experience as well as the official Katawa Shoujo site. A big thanks to Four Leaf Studios, the creators of the game, for the wonderful memories and powerful stories they've left us

A Note Before Reading: I realize this isn't a topic to take lightly, but I'm interested in hearing other people's viewpoints on the subject. Historically they're a major part of the medium, and so I feel they're worthy of some discussion.
*********

I'm not a fan of H-Scenes. I love VNs too much to give them up, but when *those* scenes come up I generally click through at high speeds, looking away kind of awkwardly. (Now, I realize that there are two types of H-Scenes: ones intended to be "tasteful", and others in games which are blatantly sex-oriented. All of my comments are directed to the former, as the latter are... well... they are what they are.)

Is it because I'm "afraid" of sex or sensuality? No way. I'm happily married and therefore have a healthy context to this stuff. Rather, I feel like H-scenes cheapen the VN experience. I understand that these scenes can represent a culmination of romance between two characters, but I don't understand why they have to be so graphic.

I feel like these scenes are included in VNs for the same reason they're included in most AAA movies: the obligate sex-appeal to be used for advertising.



That's the short version of my opinion, more or less. I'm interested in hearing what others think. Again, I realize this isn't the easiest topic to discuss, but I'm interested in sounding out.

It doesn't have to be.  They could call it "Lovey-Dovey Boyfriend"

Every VN company has specialties, in terms of genre, character types, and art styles. 
 
AXL tends to prefer a generally cheery atmosphere, replicating its own art in every VN it makes, and creating an oddly nostalgic atmosphere within its games (though this is probably an accident, rather than on purpose).  It tends to have some sort of action, whether it is actual violence or just sports, as part of the story, and the protagonists tend to be capable, if not perfect.
 
Akabeisoft2, which did Sharin no Kuni and formed Akatsuki Works and Shangrila (the makers of the Akatsuki no Goei series), tends to provide a facade of slice of life, with a much darker edge underneath.  Their games are mostly story-focused, with a few exceptions, and the general quality is very high.
 
Light is, oddly, a company that is the very reverse.  It's stories tend to be dark, with even the brightest and most cheery atmospheres carrying a blood-soaked edge beneath the surface.  Exceptions, like Kaminoyu (which was made by the group that eventually was shoved into the Sweet Light subsidiary) are exceptions to the rule.
 
Nitroplus was originally an action-focused utsuge company, but with the advent of Sumaga, their games both changed in atmosphere completely and dropped in quality overall.  Muramasa was the last truly great game done by the main team, and the Science series (Steins and Chaos) appeals to a completely different audience and was done by a different team.
 
Clochette is also known as 'Oppai R Us' by some of us English-speaking VN-readers.  They produce high-quality fantasy charage with decent stories... and lots of big-breasted girls. 
 
Yuzusoft tends to produce a wide variety of games, but their specialty lies in the creation of high-quality meldings of story and charage style.  Dracu-riot is a perfect example of this, melding a high-quality story with a strong and amusing cast of characters. 
 
Will, which is the largest VN conglomerate in Japan, is responsible for everything from Propeller's action games (Ayakashibito) to the lowest style of nukige.  Probably at least a third of all the highest-rated VNs in Japan were produced by this company over the last decade or so. 
 
Key... we all know, primarily produces character dynamics-driven nakige.  Their games include ridiculous levels of moe appeals, which have contributed to their popularity both over here and Japan. 
 
Minori... produces a wide variety of games, but the one major quality they share is a sense of surrealism that produces a sharp difference in reactions amongst readers... in other words, you either love a Minori game, or you hate it viciously. 
 
Eushully produces gameplay-VNs, including the famous Ikusa Megami series, Kamidori Alchemy Meister, and they also served as a producer for a much lower-quality maker's games on a number of occasions. 
 
SofthouseChara produces gameplay-vns with a strong humorous aspect, which mostly seems to deliberately parody games that take themselves more seriously.  Even so, their games seem to possess better stories than the ones they parody, for some reason. 
 
Alice Soft, the producers of the 'Dai' series (Daibanchou, etc) and the Rance series, are famous for fusing the ridiculous and the serious in their gameplay-focused VNs.  Like Minori, they are definitely an acquired taste, and as many people despise their work as like them.
 
August produces mostly straightforward charage, moege, and nakige, with a slightly more story-focused leaning.  However, they've yet to make what is considered a 'kamige', as they always manage to fall just short of what they are trying to achieve through a given game. 
 
Front Wing, which produced Grisaia, is normally a nukige company, which made its production of that series incredibly startling. 
 
Cotton Soft produces games that range from horror/mystery to simple mysteries, usually with a science-fantasy or Cthulhu Mythos aspect to them.
 
11eyes produces medium quality fantasy, that tends to be visually appealing but varies wildly in terms of writing quality.
 
Lump of Sugar produces charage, nakige, moege, and story-focused VNs with high-quality art.  While some of their games are not all that good, they have quietly built up a list of high-quality games over the last decade.
 
Applique, which produced Fake Azure Arcology, as well as Tasogare no Sinsemilla, is a subsidiary of Effordom soft, which consistently produces high-quality games. 
 
Studio Ryokucha, which is mostly inactive, produces middling to high quality moege and charage. 
 
Feng produces middling and low quality moege.
 
Until a few years ago, Purple Soft produced mostly middling quality moege.  However, with Mirai Nostalgia and Hapymaher, they experienced a sudden surge in quality that startled many.
 
Candy Soft, which is also the owner of Minato Soft (producer of Majikoi) is responsible for a large variety of games, mostly humorous moege.  However, they tend to be less than predictable with the themes of their games, so it is a good idea to take a quick look at anything they put out.
 
Pulltop is one of Will's many subsidiary companies, mostly specializing in middling to high-quality nakige and charage.
 
Propeller is another of Will's subsidiaries, producing primarily action VNs, that tend to have really good character dynamics, unusual art styles, and great stories. 
 
 
 
I could go on forever, but these were the ones that came to mind immediately.  Feel free to ask me about a particular company, if you are considering their games.  There is a good chance I've at least 'tasted' their games, so I can give you a decent idea of what to expect.

This sounds like a good idea. Good luck!

At the same time, this one is for images you "like", as opposed to Steve's collection or "the cutest image you've ever seen". I think it's different enough to work.

Here's a few contributions from me : ). Not all VN-themed.


(From "Little Bunny Foo-Foo")



Inspired by a sudden plot development in the VN Rewrite, which I'm enjoying very much.



Inspired by Fate/Stay Night, which I'm replaying on my Android tablet. I love this game to the depths of my soul.



This is my experience in Calculus I, Calculus II summed up in a three-strip comic. ( I ended up getting good grades... but holy cow, what a nightmare)



Isn't that heartbreaking!?!?!? Inspired by Achebe passing away today.

I believe we should set a limit to the length of the videos. Something like 10-15 mins.
One thing I know from experience is that overly long reviews tend to get tedious after some time and you just lose interest in listening to the review because it's taking forever to explain every single bit.
 
Something like this should be dynamic and not take too long while at the same time cover every essential point. Something that gets you to want to watch the review as well as play the novel, not a technical review filled with long insights on every aspect which can get tedious. The purpose of these videos is to get you to read the novel, not  drive you away from it.
 
Of course there can still be full reviews and in this case a longer timespan is required.
 
What i'm saying is something like "Should you read <novel title>?" and in the video make a brief and concise evaluation/first impression/overlook of the novel so people can watch it if they're wondering wether or not it's worth it for them.

Tenco's has prepared to release its  EiyuuSenki(英雄＊戦姫) in English (translated ver.), which is deprived of H-scenes and will be released on PS3 instead of PC. 
 
Meanwhile, Nitro+ is going to open its online store on the next Wed dedicated to serve international customers.
 
Do you think more and more Japanese VN makers are responding to the international market? 
 
I think if Nitro+ have succeeded in earning a handsome amount of money by the online store, more producers will just follow the way. And a solid international market can then be formed.
 
Do you think this is too optimistic? I am always worried about the H-scenes would have stigmatized the whole industry and thus being unwelcome to foreign countries...
 
I surely hope Nitro+ can bring more hope to us...

Hello everybody,   I'm grateful to be back! It's been a long few weeks -- I appreciate your patience as I've been gone. The staff has done a great job, we've continued to grow at an exciting rate, and I'd like to thank Steve, especially, for holding things together. Fuwanovel is lucky to have him. I hope we can all drop him a PM or email with our thanks.   I’m here to announce that the Member of the Month feature will soon be returning to Fuwanovel! May/June's MotM will be Down (he was short-changed the first time, too, so at least this way he gets a least a cumulative month of MotM powers). I hope that the community will accept the return of this feature, and celebrate Down and all he does for us, next month.   More changes are coming in the near future. The staff has been hard at work for a few weeks discussing how to maintain our friendly atmosphere as we continue to grow, and we’re getting close to some important policy updates which will streamline moderators’ workloads. Another project: while I don’t have a lot of free time, I am working on some back-end improvements which will hopefully give you greater control over followed topics, the “New Content” section, and more. I’ll be posting as features go live/are tested.   One more thing (which Kaguya reminded me of today) deserves a word. I haven't given out updates in a while (Because A. I’ve been gone; and B. Because the work is coming along slowly, but surely), but the Introduction to Visual Novels Kit is still being worked on, and is progressing nicely. Don’t forget about it, but don’t expect it next week, either – we’re taking our time and making sure it’s a quality production.   Lastly, I’d like to share a thought which comes with >2 years of admin experience. Fuwanovel is growing faster than ever. The forums are more active than ever. Our social media base has grown dynamically. Things are going in a positive direction. That said, emotional states are cyclical, and now and then, because we’re human, we lose focus and we can’t see the forest behind all the trees. We feel stagnant. We feel like the community is going to the dogs. Let me be a voice of confidence to the entire community: we’re doing well – better than ever – and our best months and years are still ahead. If you’re feeling stagnant or tired, raise a voice – we try to run Fuwanovel “by the best ideas”.    Don’t get discouraged. We’re doing well. If you’re feeling stagnation, the best thing to do is grow. USE this improvement board and put forward ideas. Make a gameplan and make them happen.      It’s good to be back. I’ll be posting updates to all the above soon. Tay

Hello everybody,   I'm grateful to be back! It's been a long few weeks -- I appreciate your patience as I've been gone. The staff has done a great job, we've continued to grow at an exciting rate, and I'd like to thank Steve, especially, for holding things together. Fuwanovel is lucky to have him. I hope we can all drop him a PM or email with our thanks.   I’m here to announce that the Member of the Month feature will soon be returning to Fuwanovel! May/June's MotM will be Down (he was short-changed the first time, too, so at least this way he gets a least a cumulative month of MotM powers). I hope that the community will accept the return of this feature, and celebrate Down and all he does for us, next month.   More changes are coming in the near future. The staff has been hard at work for a few weeks discussing how to maintain our friendly atmosphere as we continue to grow, and we’re getting close to some important policy updates which will streamline moderators’ workloads. Another project: while I don’t have a lot of free time, I am working on some back-end improvements which will hopefully give you greater control over followed topics, the “New Content” section, and more. I’ll be posting as features go live/are tested.   One more thing (which Kaguya reminded me of today) deserves a word. I haven't given out updates in a while (Because A. I’ve been gone; and B. Because the work is coming along slowly, but surely), but the Introduction to Visual Novels Kit is still being worked on, and is progressing nicely. Don’t forget about it, but don’t expect it next week, either – we’re taking our time and making sure it’s a quality production.   Lastly, I’d like to share a thought which comes with >2 years of admin experience. Fuwanovel is growing faster than ever. The forums are more active than ever. Our social media base has grown dynamically. Things are going in a positive direction. That said, emotional states are cyclical, and now and then, because we’re human, we lose focus and we can’t see the forest behind all the trees. We feel stagnant. We feel like the community is going to the dogs. Let me be a voice of confidence to the entire community: we’re doing well – better than ever – and our best months and years are still ahead. If you’re feeling stagnant or tired, raise a voice – we try to run Fuwanovel “by the best ideas”.    Don’t get discouraged. We’re doing well. If you’re feeling stagnation, the best thing to do is grow. USE this improvement board and put forward ideas. Make a gameplan and make them happen.      It’s good to be back. I’ll be posting updates to all the above soon. Tay

Hello everybody,   I'm grateful to be back! It's been a long few weeks -- I appreciate your patience as I've been gone. The staff has done a great job, we've continued to grow at an exciting rate, and I'd like to thank Steve, especially, for holding things together. Fuwanovel is lucky to have him. I hope we can all drop him a PM or email with our thanks.   I’m here to announce that the Member of the Month feature will soon be returning to Fuwanovel! May/June's MotM will be Down (he was short-changed the first time, too, so at least this way he gets a least a cumulative month of MotM powers). I hope that the community will accept the return of this feature, and celebrate Down and all he does for us, next month.   More changes are coming in the near future. The staff has been hard at work for a few weeks discussing how to maintain our friendly atmosphere as we continue to grow, and we’re getting close to some important policy updates which will streamline moderators’ workloads. Another project: while I don’t have a lot of free time, I am working on some back-end improvements which will hopefully give you greater control over followed topics, the “New Content” section, and more. I’ll be posting as features go live/are tested.   One more thing (which Kaguya reminded me of today) deserves a word. I haven't given out updates in a while (Because A. I’ve been gone; and B. Because the work is coming along slowly, but surely), but the Introduction to Visual Novels Kit is still being worked on, and is progressing nicely. Don’t forget about it, but don’t expect it next week, either – we’re taking our time and making sure it’s a quality production.   Lastly, I’d like to share a thought which comes with >2 years of admin experience. Fuwanovel is growing faster than ever. The forums are more active than ever. Our social media base has grown dynamically. Things are going in a positive direction. That said, emotional states are cyclical, and now and then, because we’re human, we lose focus and we can’t see the forest behind all the trees. We feel stagnant. We feel like the community is going to the dogs. Let me be a voice of confidence to the entire community: we’re doing well – better than ever – and our best months and years are still ahead. If you’re feeling stagnant or tired, raise a voice – we try to run Fuwanovel “by the best ideas”.    Don’t get discouraged. We’re doing well. If you’re feeling stagnation, the best thing to do is grow. USE this improvement board and put forward ideas. Make a gameplan and make them happen.      It’s good to be back. I’ll be posting updates to all the above soon. Tay

Great to have you back- I'm looking forward to the new features.

Nice to know these features are coming back.
Welcome back Tay~

Oh! Great to see you Tay, I missed your charisma.
 
As for the project request, wouldn't it be good to have a youtube account? You know like that video introduction to VN you made, but with more things. Podcasts, reviews, news, and that one activity you did on Skype whose name I don't seem to recall. As fuwan has grown isn't it a good idea to make use of it and bring it to youtube where a lot of young otaku wander?

I'm happy to see you back, Tay. I hope things are going great.

Hello everybody,   I'm grateful to be back! It's been a long few weeks -- I appreciate your patience as I've been gone. The staff has done a great job, we've continued to grow at an exciting rate, and I'd like to thank Steve, especially, for holding things together. Fuwanovel is lucky to have him. I hope we can all drop him a PM or email with our thanks.   I’m here to announce that the Member of the Month feature will soon be returning to Fuwanovel! May/June's MotM will be Down (he was short-changed the first time, too, so at least this way he gets a least a cumulative month of MotM powers). I hope that the community will accept the return of this feature, and celebrate Down and all he does for us, next month.   More changes are coming in the near future. The staff has been hard at work for a few weeks discussing how to maintain our friendly atmosphere as we continue to grow, and we’re getting close to some important policy updates which will streamline moderators’ workloads. Another project: while I don’t have a lot of free time, I am working on some back-end improvements which will hopefully give you greater control over followed topics, the “New Content” section, and more. I’ll be posting as features go live/are tested.   One more thing (which Kaguya reminded me of today) deserves a word. I haven't given out updates in a while (Because A. I’ve been gone; and B. Because the work is coming along slowly, but surely), but the Introduction to Visual Novels Kit is still being worked on, and is progressing nicely. Don’t forget about it, but don’t expect it next week, either – we’re taking our time and making sure it’s a quality production.   Lastly, I’d like to share a thought which comes with >2 years of admin experience. Fuwanovel is growing faster than ever. The forums are more active than ever. Our social media base has grown dynamically. Things are going in a positive direction. That said, emotional states are cyclical, and now and then, because we’re human, we lose focus and we can’t see the forest behind all the trees. We feel stagnant. We feel like the community is going to the dogs. Let me be a voice of confidence to the entire community: we’re doing well – better than ever – and our best months and years are still ahead. If you’re feeling stagnant or tired, raise a voice – we try to run Fuwanovel “by the best ideas”.    Don’t get discouraged. We’re doing well. If you’re feeling stagnation, the best thing to do is grow. USE this improvement board and put forward ideas. Make a gameplan and make them happen.      It’s good to be back. I’ll be posting updates to all the above soon. Tay