Dialogue choices and multiple saves

[katineko]

Hi, 

I'm about to play Clannad, and am a bit confused about the dialogue choices in visual novels and when to save before you are faced with a choice that can determine the ending or route that you get or complete. Do I save when a dialogue selection menu pops up on screen, choose one of the options, proceed with the game, and then get an ending or complete a route? Afterwards, do I go back to that save I made, and choose the other option to see other events that I missed? If I do this, on the next dialogue selection, I will have to repeat that one again as well. There will probably be lots of saves in the end! I want to get all endings, see all events, etc. 

I hope this make sense. I would really appreciate some explanations on how multiple saves work, recommended places to save in a visual novel and what some of you guys do when it comes to saving. 

Thank you!

[Bredan]

For your specific question and a generic answer : saving when the choices pop up and then going back to choose other options would be the way to go most of the time for many VNs. As it can get convoluted with some VNs, try to structure your choices well and give them a short evocative name/label if the game allows it. As you said, it wouldn't be surprising to end up with a lot of saves, especially with Clannad, that's probably why most VNs allow dozens of numbered saves.

 

Now my true and longer answer for Clannad : I've always thought Clannad stands out even from a lot of other VNs of the same era by the sheer number of choices and how much convoluted the choices you have to make to attain certain ends are, added to the high number of ends, especially if you count all the minor ends (others than main heroins, and you should definitely count them for Clannad).

As such, here is my advice for Clannad (but honestly it applies to most titles even if there is less choices) :

  - either use a walkthrough from the start and thus save when the walkthrough asks you to save and whenever you feel like. Most people wouldn't have their fun spoiled just by using a walkthrough for a romance/slice of life VN anyway.

  - or play it by saving whenever and choosing whatever you feel like choosing for the first 1, 2, 3 or whatever runs/ends you feel like, and then follow a walkthrough. This way intends to let you taste the VN as it was intended (including not being happy about not ending on the desired route for example) coupled with the benefits of not pushing it too far by ending up using a walkthrough. I know that way would be the better way for me with Clannad, but Clannad is especially long and that could make its reading even longer.

One last point though for Clannad : whatever you choose to do, I suggest you keep Nagissa's route for last, whether you like her or not, as her route continues in Clannad part2 in the main VN.

 

Edited January 24 by Bredan