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Creative way of narration using E-mote in Sweet light's new title


ken2260

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Before playing the trial version of Sweet Light's new title,ひまわり!! -あなただけを見つめてる- , I was thinking the new technology, E-mote, developed by the M2 Company (有限会社エムツー) is nothing but attracting people who like to see shaking boobs in VNs. But I changed my mind after playing the trial version of the new game.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IsZNMAbkOA

 

mv05.jpg

 

In the new game, it does provide some creative ways of telling story. Basically, I think it changed the traditional way of story-telling in VNs.

 

It can make the characters and their interaction more alive while retaining the CG quality.

 

It seems making VNs to be more similar to a semi-anime more than mere a novel narrated with multi-media.

 

924914_875a2df240671934372ee16f2986b2fb.

 

 

It seems the technology could do many things other than making shaking-boobs. As what I have seen from the trial version, it varies significantly from Willmill's Witch's Garden.

 

It does increase the cost of developing VN (according to the M2 Company website, it seems cost 0.3 million Yen for one-year package?), so, small developers may opt out of it...

 

But I still think this is a good start to produce more VNs with significant variation in story-telling. 

And hopefully the semi-amine element could possibly attract more people to look into the field.

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Going from shaking breasts to butt spanking isn't groundbreaking progress.

Though i would like to see some more animated CGs in VNs as i do agree they hold a lot of potential but i don't think it's any new technology.. it's just expensive so you don't see it often.

This E-Mote thing is just like a fancier way of saying live 2D which is already existing technology, nonetheless it'd be great if more vns incorporated it but i can't even imagine the costs.

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In the past, I actually used to like animated style in VNs (school days, for example, is fully animated) but now, I generally find it kinda bothersome. I like my VNs as similar to books as possible~ (of course, that's just me)

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Going from shaking breasts to butt spanking isn't groundbreaking progress.

Though i would like to see some more animated CGs in VNs as i do agree they hold a lot of potential but i don't think it's any new technology.. it's just expensive so you don't see it often.

 

It is "new" in the sense of applying in VNs (and it is not fully-animated like what School Days has applied--but it can retain the CG quality at best), that's what I mean...

 

Butt spanking is just one way of using it, the trial has demonstrated other ways like sprinkling water. Yes, what I am hoping for is they will experiment on the "new" technology to bring out a more creative and alive story-telling. 

 

But, I also equally understand it could be just a useless gimmick and just used to strengthen H-scenes or other erotic elements.

 

It is 2 months before the release date, I think the game trial is just used to demonstrate what they can do using e-mote (thus the story in the trial is very weak IMO).

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Well i do see where you're coming from i also never saw a vn with this technology so it'd be interesting to see, i do think it brings out the character's movement and facial expressions in a much better way than a still sprite.

As far as animated CGs i mostly see them being used for h-scenes so this would be nice for a change of pace. But the costs sound astronomical so i can't imagine a lot of vn companies doing this.

Imagine a Key vn like that.

Well regardless, despite not being new technology it's certainly interesting to see it in a vn, i'd like to try it out to see how it feels.

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For having played a part of witch's garden it's surprisingly pleasant to play with "animated" characters.

Shouldn't judge too fast

 

I guess they feel more alive ? It feels really strange going back to static sprites after that.

Even the eyes blinking is enough to add a little something.

And frankly you quickly forget about the boucing boobies (Plus it's only with a few characters).

 

CG's aren't animated though.

 

PS: But it's been a while since that existed, it's not exactly new.

And Witch's garden is being translated :3.

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For having played a part of witch's garden it's surprisingly pleasant to play with "animated" characters.

Shouldn't judge too fast

I agree. Witch's Garden does an excellent job of showing off the system. Even the minimal sort of motion, like characters moving around the screen in response to their actions, helps cut down a lot on the 'tell' part, and makes the game more immersive and easier to enjoy.

If you find the bounce too distracting, Witch's Garden had a slider that could turn it down to almost nothing, but kept all the motion and expression changes and special effects that provide the real bonus.

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Systems like E-mote or Cybernoids' Live2D have a lot of potential; the issue is, most of the time it's just a fancy and expensive graphical enchantment that does not add anything to the immersiveness of the story; unless the animations make a part of it, as in having some actual impact in a way how the interaction between player and the game is being established, there's no actual use for it besides making the characters on the screen a little bit more "realistic".

 

E-mote does not change anything in terms of interactivity in vn's. A lot of titles from PC-98 were a lot more immersive than most of modern eroge, since they gave players the ability to control actions during important moments or even h-scenes. There is no innovation, when it comes to that.

 

The only actual benefit of this system is making the game look a lot preetier and lively, while the line between a game and animation blurs even further. I guess it might be useful for bigger studios, if they add enough gainaxing it might increase their visual novel sales; it's hard for them to sell anything nowadays and remain competitive on the market.

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Well some semi-animated H-scenes are nothing uncommon these days, softhouse-seal, kodomo-h, and some other companies put those into their games. Since those are always CG based, they get more effort put into them.

 

The good thing E-mote is mainly used for are the parts between CGs and scenes, talking and such - that has always been sprite based so having a way to make that part more visually pleasing is good.

 

So combine E-mote sprites with animated H scenes and you have a great game :) (must have lolis :P )

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When I saw that video, my first impression was, wow, that's incredible! Then I came to the same thought as a lot of you folks--how much does it actually contribute to the experience? It's like 3D in films these days. For me, it contributes very little. There might come a day when this technology becomes trivial cost wise. In that case, sure, go ahead and put it in. For now, it could be tough to justify.

 

And yes, going for boobs shake to butt spank is hardly an innovation, I guess XD.

 

I'd still be completely immersed in another game like Narcissu. Hardly any images but a tale that really hooks and moves me :).

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I'm going to try the trial, for shaking boobs-- err, I mean, nice animations.

 

EDIT: Just started reading the demo and... I'm melting! I'm melting!

How can this be so cute? Here's a small vid. Bad recording quality, but it should give you an idea.

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E-mote does not change anything in terms of interactivity in vn's. A lot of titles from PC-98 were a lot more immersive than most of modern eroge, since they gave players the ability to control actions during important moments or even h-scenes. There is no innovation, when it comes to that.

They were certainly more interactive, but not at all more immersive. In fact, the interaction (frequently based on adventure games) breaks up the immersion by forcing the player out of the story in order to do something or solve a puzzle in order to proceed.

 

The only actual benefit of this system is making the game look a lot preetier and lively, while the line between a game and animation blurs even further. I guess it might be useful for bigger studios, if they add enough gainaxing it might increase their visual novel sales; it's hard for them to sell anything nowadays and remain competitive on the market.

That's the bigger problem - This seems pretty expensive. When done right, it can be great. I fear seeing what it'll look like done poorly. Probably pretty gruesome.
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