Pet Peeves in VNs

[SieghartXx]

I forgot:

No voice acting.
No volume setting for each of the game voiced characters.
No "extra" menu (cg recollection, soundtrack, etc).
Ugly interface (like, really basic without many options; Majikoi's settings menu, for example, is marvelous <3).
Basic save/game settings (like, you save the game and you only get a: January 3 - 2:30pm. I like it more if they have an image of the scene attached to the slot, a text box you can edit, and all that cool thingies).

Those are more technical D:

[Vokoca]

I forgot:

No voice acting.

No volume setting for each of the game voiced characters.

No "extra" menu (cg recollection, soundtrack, etc).

Ugly interface (like, really basic without many options; Majikoi's settings menu, for example, is marvelous <3).

Basic save/game settings (like, you save the game and you only get a: January 3 - 2:30pm. I like it more if they have an image of the scene attached to the slot, a text box you can edit, and all that cool thingies).

Those are more technical D:

Oh, let me add some to the technical list:

 

Backlogs without voice replay

No 'Skip read text' option

[SieghartXx]

Oh, let me add some to the technical list:

 

Backlogs without voice replay

No 'Skip read text' option

^ those two too xD

[BookwormOtaku]

Here's a few technical details I don't like:

1) When on a different route you can't skip through previously read text for what's basically a previously read scene because in this case while the content is pretty much identical there are one or two different sentences in this route that wasn't in the previous one.

2) When the skip function isn't able to discern text you've read from the text you haven't be it because of lack of such a function, meaning if you select skip it'll skip every text even if you haven't read it.

3)When a game has no scene recollection

[Hoshizora]

Not having a read text skip button is awful for when rereading a VN for a different route. Also, I know that the the date of which a VN was made is the primary factor to this but VNs with bad art. I know that whether an art style is good or bad is personal preference but some VNs like most of KEY's old VNs and some even really popular VNs like Umineko have art that honestly turns me off from reading it, even if it has an amazing story >_<

[Guest]

I hate defective auto buttons...

I like to play in my bed all cosy and stuff, but when auto doesn't work I have to take my arm from under the sheet and click enter !

My whole body feel nice but my arm is cold, the temperature difference is annoying ! #Worldproblems

 

Ps: Solution : Take your mouse with you and keep your mouse under the sheet and just click like a lazy ass couch potatoe

[OriginalRen]

I hate defective auto buttons...

I like to play in my bed all cosy and stuff, but when auto doesn't work I have to take my arm from under the sheet and click enter !

My whole body feel nice but my arm is cold, the temperature difference is annoying ! #Worldproblems

 

Ps: Solution : Take your mouse with you and keep your mouse under the sheet and just click like a lazy ass couch potatoe

 

Another peeve: Lazy ass couch potatoes... <3

[Vokoca]

I have one more to add:

 

After playing about half of Cross+Channel, I've realised I don't like enforced route order, at least not in the way C+C does it, as it forces me to select choices I assume the VN wants me to select, instead of choosing the choices I want to pick myself.

 

I didn't mind ReWrite's approach, where there were quite some routes available from the start and the rest was locked off for obvious reasons, as it still left some freedom, instead of giving you choices that basically screamed "We want you to pick this now!"

 

I guess Fate had this "problem" as well, but at least they made up for it with a high number of ridiculous bad ends, and actually gave you a reason for collecting all of them.

[InvertMouse]

Ideally, writers develop character in scenes which move the plot forward. That way you don't get a Little Busters scenario where large chunks of the game are just the characters stuffing around.

 

The truth has been spoken .

 

I would suspect that VNs have a similar problem to games. They need to justify charging 50 bucks (or whatever it is) for the game, so they must ensure the game is of a length. For 50 bucks, people might want, say, 30 hours of reading. Can we truly get 30 hours of narrative that is to the point with meaningful characterization? Not that easy, certainly. That number must still be met, though, and so padding happens.

[wattstax]

Depends on the genre for me:

A High School Romance / Harem can have a lot of "filler" if it is at least funny or interesting and if the overarching development of the plot isn't totally forgotten.

But if the focus is on storytelling I agree with your opinion.

In general a long VN is better than a short one for me.

[Flutterz]

I just remembered another one - in HoshiMemo the skip function doesn't skip unread text in the common route, but skips all the text in the heroine routes, even if it's unread, which meant that I had to pay attention to how much I skipped when skipping to a route.

And the prize for "most uses of the word 'skip' in a single sentence" goes to...

[OriginalRen]

I just remembered another one - in HoshiMemo the skip function doesn't skip unread text in the common route, but skips all the text in the heroine routes, even if it's unread, which meant that I had to pay attention to how much I skipped when skipping to a route.

And the prize for "most uses of the word 'skip' in a single sentence" goes to...

 

I think the last scene in the common route is always in the meeting room with the club. Last line is something like "happy days ahead of us?" or something like that.

[Supah Kawaii Weeaboo]

i don't like 95% vns. or even more.

 

 

Sturgeon's Law makes everything terrible. I definitely affects VNs, where so many products are A) untranslated, B) zero budget freeware, C) porn, or D) romance games. I could live the rest of my life without seeing another harem game.

 

If there's a unique story you want to tell, or different art you want to make, consider creating your own VN.

[Eurobeatz]

The truth has been spoken .

 

I would suspect that VNs have a similar problem to games. They need to justify charging 50 bucks (or whatever it is) for the game, so they must ensure the game is of a length. For 50 bucks, people might want, say, 30 hours of reading. Can we truly get 30 hours of narrative that is to the point with meaningful characterization? Not that easy, certainly. That number must still be met, though, and so padding happens.

 

I understand where companies are coming from with this, but I'd feel more justified in spending my money on a game with all plot and no filler, than a game watered down with filler, no matter how long it was. Too much filler can definitely affect my enjoyment of VNs, even ones that are flawless in all other aspects.

 

For example, Saya no Uta, Kikokugai -The Cyber Slayer-, and Dra+KoI are all relatively short games, but they all left a lasting impact on me despite that, because the content that they did have was (in my opinion) amazing.

[Vokoca]

I understand where companies are coming from with this, but I'd feel more justified in spending my money on a game with all plot and no filler, than a game watered down with filler, no matter how long it was. Too much filler can definitely affect my enjoyment of VNs, even ones that are flawless in all other aspects.

 

For example, Saya no Uta, Kikokugai -The Cyber Slayer-, and Dra+KoI are all relatively short games, but they all left a lasting impact on me despite that, because the content that they did have was (in my opinion) amazing.

While I do agree that shorter, to the point VNs tend to be more enjoyable, when I pay for a VN, I want it to last long. I generally have a very good tolerance for filler scenes in VNs, but it all really depends on how it is written - and perhaps, mainly, on how much I like the characters.

 

But I suppose it all depends on what kind of a visual novel it is. To give some concrete examples, I've thoroughly enjoyed the common route in Grisaia. I loved how long it was, because the characters were likeable, the writing was witty, and every scene had some sort of a little motive contained within it. This probably worked because I expected nothing much would happen in the common route, and that all the serious stuff was waiting for me in the plot branches themselves; which is exactly what I got.

 

But on the other hand, I found some of ML:As mission segments quite boring, because I just wanted to get to the important bits. It might be because I don't enjoy the setting so much or something--or maybe it just really is a specific thing that only works in certain genres.

 

I definitely wouldn't be able to imagine fillers in something like Saya no Uta, that sounds more horrifying than the whole premise of the VN.

[Flutterz]

I think the last scene in the common route is always in the meeting room with the club. Last line is something like "happy days ahead of us?" or something like that.

Yeah, but normally I sit around doing something else and periodically making a choice until I get to unread text, and I almost got halfway through Komomo's route when I realized that something was wrong.

[OriginalRen]

Yeah, but normally I sit around doing something else and periodically making a choice until I get to unread text, and I almost got halfway through Komomo's route when I realized that something was wrong.

 

#Iknowthatfeel

[O. Van Bruce]

I think the last scene in the common route is always in the meeting room with the club. Last line is something like "happy days ahead of us?" or something like that.

 

I think I just confirmed it.

 

It's after Komomo joins the Tenkuru

[InvertMouse]

I understand where companies are coming from with this, but I'd feel more justified in spending my money on a game with all plot and no filler, than a game watered down with filler, no matter how long it was. Too much filler can definitely affect my enjoyment of VNs, even ones that are flawless in all other aspects.

 

For example, Saya no Uta, Kikokugai -The Cyber Slayer-, and Dra+KoI are all relatively short games, but they all left a lasting impact on me despite that, because the content that they did have was (in my opinion) amazing.

 

If everyone had your attitude we'd get far more VNs with succinct tales, and I might actually start reading them again. I used to tolerant of fillers in VNs. Back then, I was in college and had that time to spare. It's been years since I last completed any VN. I've dropped all the ones I've tried in under five hours because they've all started with a whole bunch of nonsense.

 

Man, I'm harsh today. Sorry guys XD~

[Albedo]

Slice of life that goes on forever, despite having established the characters rather quickly (looking at you Grisaia)

Weak plotting, things that happen too conveniently (Grisaia again)

Weird-ass/unfair route sysyem (Steins;Gate. YU-NO does not fall here, however, since you can easily resets)

Overall lack of editors, most vns would sure be better with some trimming.

Bland, vanilla Japanese high school setting with no magic/paranormal/anything to set it apart.

[Tom]

im not that picky i guess aslong it has hentai and a badass protagonist

but i like high quality VNs and where u can see they put alot of effort into making it

[O. Van Bruce]

im not that picky i guess aslong it has hentai and a badass protagonist

but i like high quality VNs and where u can see they put alot of effort into making it

 

 

HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

I like you... I like you a lot.

[OriginalRen]

I just remembered that I hate heroines that expect me to pity them. And I'm not talking about minor pity, I'm talking about pity that goes above and beyond what my limit is. So much pity, that the VN needs to remind me for quite literally half the route that this girl is a self-loathing bitch who thinks her life is the worst possible thing alive, and that no matter what I say or do, she'll just keep shutting out the rest of the world until that one special moment where we have an h-scene and realize we love one another.

 

I'm looking at you Aoi-san...damn Memoria.

[O. Van Bruce]

I just remembered that I hate heroines that expect me to pity them. And I'm not talking about minor pity, I'm talking about pity that goes above and beyond what my limit is. So much pity, that the VN needs to remind me for quite literally half the route that this girl is a self-loathing bitch who thinks her life is the worst possible thing alive, and that no matter what I say or do, she'll just keep shutting out the rest of the world until that one special moment where we have an h-scene and realize we love one another.

 

I'm looking at you Aoi-san...damn Memoria.

 

She didn't look that self loathing... at least in the common route. And pls, no spoilers ;_;

[Flutterz]

She didn't look that self loathing... at least in the common route. And pls, no spoilers ;_;

Snape kills Dumbledore

That sort of brings me to another pet peeve, when a VN spoils itself the way C;H does.