solace Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 a friend and I are working on a blog post to introduce more people to vns and possibly bring more people to fuwa.we were wondering if some fuwans would be willing to make sure that everything checked out. please note that this is a work in progress and we will continue to add to it. I'm relatively new to vns so please bear with me. note: I'm using spoiler tags not because there is a spoiler but because there is a huge block of text. post V1 Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and it is often adapted after an anime or graphic novel/manga. By the way, visual novels (or vns) are on the computer. The typical format is a background, on the bottom fourth of the screen a text box, on the middle two fourths of the screen there is typically character sprites, and above that they’ll typically have dates times and other miscellaneous stuff. You can click to progress the text, and as you progress the text the sprites will change positions, there will be scene transitions, and the background will change slightly. There will typically be skip buttons, back, proceed to next choice, reverse to previous choice, and other options to progress the story. Another staple of visual novels is a branching plot along with the occasional mini game (more of a puzzle) or gameplay (more RPG style). Many visual novels can be easily compared to RPGs, except in the way they tell the story and the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes. They will typically also have music, sound effects, and other expressions of the story through sound, and occasionally they will be narrated but typically that’s in Japanese. Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add. It gives you a better sense of the characters if you can hear what their voices sound like even if you don’t understand the language. Most visual novels are translated by fans and not actual companies, and as such they don’t dub the voices if there are voiceovers. Instead they only translate the text. If you have read some visual novels in the past or have recently read some from my list and want to discuss them, Fuwanovel would be the place I would recommend to do so. It has the download link for Katawa Shoujo, as you might know, and many other downloads, though not too many since they do not allow download links for licensed visual novels. They also have a rather popular forum for discussing visual novels, the site, and various other things. Some other popular topics include anime, manga, video games. If you wish to get in contact with me for some reason or another, send me a pm on Fuwanovel, my Fuwanovel username is Solace. List of Good Starter Novels 1.Katawa Shoujo English Title: Broken Girls Developer: Four Leaf Studios Release date: Jan 04, 2012 Rating: 18+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 5 main routes, and 1 mini route Length: 10-30 hours Genres: slice of life, drama, school life, romance, disability Reason for putting on starter list: It has a very basic and traditional visual novel character route system. Download (English version): https://fuwanovel.net/novels/katawa-shoujo VNDB entry: https://vndb.org/v945 The main character of Katawa Shoujo is Hisao Nakai. While he is in high school, a heart disorder comes to light, and he ends up having to go to a school for those with disabilities. While there he meets five girls: the armless artist Rin, the legless track star Emi, the scarred girl with social anxiety Hanako, the blind girl Lily, and the deaf girl Shizune. There is a route for each heroine, with one bad end and one good end. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed this visual novel is that it had very interesting and unique characters. 2. Juniper’s Knot English Title: Juniper’s Knot Developer: Dischan Media Release date: April 12, 2012 Rating: 14+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 0 = this is a kinetic novel(a kinetic novel is a vn without choices) Length: <2 hours Genres: contemplative Reason for putting on starter list: It’s short, while still retaining excellent artwork and story, allowing those who are not ready to commit a large amount of time to visual novels to give one a try. Download (English version): https://dischan.co/product.php?productID=4#top VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v9986 There are only two characters within this story. They are a small boy and a female demon, neither of which are named. The story starts off from the demon’s perspective. The small boy comes across the demon trapped within a circle; if she exits said circle she catches aflame. Upon their meeting, the demon trades cooked chestnuts for stories. The way the small boy interacts with the demon is quite interesting, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed this so much, as he has trouble deciding whether he sympathizes with the demon, or fears her. One of the main reasons I liked this story is because it has a very unique concept and interesting characters along with beautiful artwork. List of Good Starter Novels possibilities. Little Busters Symphonic Rain Clannad If you enjoyed those, read these possibilities. Shuffle Devil on the G-String If you enjoyed those, read these. 1. Grisaia No Kajitsu English Title: The Fruit of Grisaia Developer: Front Wing Release date: February 25, 2011 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 Length: 50+ hours Genres: slice of life, drama, romance, action? Download (English version): can be found on VNChan VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v5154 The main character is Kazami Yuugi whose past is pretty much unknown, at least at the start of the visual novel. He has recently transferred to Mihama Academy which lo and behold has only five students. Upon his arrival, he meets Amane, yumiko, Makina, Sachi and Michiru. There is one route for each main heroine, with one good and one bad end. I enjoyed this visual novel because it’s got very odd characters and some very funny moments. 2. Comyu English Title: unknown Developer: Akatsuki Works Release date: October 22, 2009 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 main routes, and plenty of side routes that will unfold as you progress through the main routes. Length: 30-50 hours Genres: romance, slice of life, supernatural, mystery, action, drama Download (English version): can be found on fuwanovel VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v1896 This story centers around Akihito, who will soon realize that he will be bound to five other people in controlling a gigantic metal beast. This story details their conflicts, friendships, and possibly their destruction. I really enjoyed this vn in particular because it has a wide variety of characters and routes and an interesting plot. Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and it is often adapted after an anime or graphic novel/manga. By the way, visual novels (or vns) are on the computer. The typical format is a background, on the bottom fourth of the screen a text box, on the middle two fourths of the screen there is typically character sprites, and above that they’ll typically have dates times and other miscellaneous stuff. You can click to progress the text, and as you progress the text the sprites will change positions, there will be scene transitions, and the background will change slightly. There will typically be skip buttons, back, proceed to next choice, reverse to previous choice, and other options to progress the story. Another staple of visual novels is a branching plot along with the occasional mini game (more of a puzzle) or gameplay (more RPG style). Many visual novels can be easily compared to RPGs, except in the way they tell the story and the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes. They will typically also have music, sound effects, and other expressions of the story through sound, and occasionally they will be narrated but typically that’s in Japanese. Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add. It gives you a better sense of the characters if you can hear what their voices sound like even if you don’t understand the language. Most visual novels are translated by fans and not actual companies, and as such they don’t dub the voices if there are voiceovers. Instead they only translate the text. If you have read some visual novels in the past or have recently read some from my list and want to discuss them, Fuwanovel would be the place I would recommend to do so. It has the download link for Katawa Shoujo, as you might know, and many other downloads, though not too many since they do not allow download links for licensed visual novels. They also have a rather popular forum for discussing visual novels, the site, and various other things. Some other popular topics include anime, manga, video games. If you wish to get in contact with me for some reason or another, send me a pm on Fuwanovel, my Fuwanovel username is Solace. List of Good Starter Novels 1.Katawa Shoujo English Title: Broken Girls Developer: Four Leaf Studios Release date: Jan 04, 2012 Rating: 18+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 5 main routes, and 1 mini route Length: 10-30 hours Genres: slice of life, drama, school life, romance, disability Reason for putting on starter list: It has a very basic and traditional visual novel character route system. Download (English version): https://fuwanovel.net/novels/katawa-shoujo VNDB entry: https://vndb.org/v945 The main character of Katawa Shoujo is Hisao Nakai. While he is in high school, a heart disorder comes to light, and he ends up having to go to a school for those with disabilities. While there he meets five girls: the armless artist Rin, the legless track star Emi, the scarred girl with social anxiety Hanako, the blind girl Lily, and the deaf girl Shizune. There is a route for each heroine, with one bad end and one good end. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed this visual novel is that it had very interesting and unique characters. 2. Juniper’s Knot English Title: Juniper’s Knot Developer: Dischan Media Release date: April 12, 2012 Rating: 14+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 0 = this is a kinetic novel(a kinetic novel is a vn without choices) Length: <2 hours Genres: contemplative Reason for putting on starter list: It’s short, while still retaining excellent artwork and story, allowing those who are not ready to commit a large amount of time to visual novels to give one a try. Download (English version): https://dischan.co/product.php?productID=4#top VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v9986 There are only two characters within this story. They are a small boy and a female demon, neither of which are named. The story starts off from the demon’s perspective. The small boy comes across the demon trapped within a circle; if she exits said circle she catches aflame. Upon their meeting, the demon trades cooked chestnuts for stories. The way the small boy interacts with the demon is quite interesting, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed this so much, as he has trouble deciding whether he sympathizes with the demon, or fears her. One of the main reasons I liked this story is because it has a very unique concept and interesting characters along with beautiful artwork. List of Good Starter Novels possibilities. Little Busters Symphonic Rain Clannad If you enjoyed those, read these possibilities. Shuffle Devil on the G-String If you enjoyed those, read these. 1. Grisaia No Kajitsu English Title: The Fruit of Grisaia Developer: Front Wing Release date: February 25, 2011 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 Length: 50+ hours Genres: slice of life, drama, romance, action? Download (English version): can be found on VNChan VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v5154 The main character is Kazami Yuugi whose past is pretty much unknown, at least at the start of the visual novel. He has recently transferred to Mihama Academy which lo and behold has only five students. Upon his arrival, he meets Amane, yumiko, Makina, Sachi and Michiru. There is one route for each main heroine, with one good and one bad end. I enjoyed this visual novel because it’s got very odd characters and some very funny moments. 2. Comyu English Title: unknown Developer: Akatsuki Works Release date: October 22, 2009 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 main routes, and plenty of side routes that will unfold as you progress through the main routes. Length: 30-50 hours Genres: romance, slice of life, supernatural, mystery, action, drama Download (English version): can be found on fuwanovel VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v1896 This story centers around Akihito, who will soon realize that he will be bound to five other people in controlling a gigantic metal beast. This story details their conflicts, friendships, and possibly their destruction. I really enjoyed this vn in particular because it has a wide variety of characters and routes and an interesting plot. post V2 Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and anime are occasionally based off them. By the way, visual novels (or vns) are on the computer(they are still first and foremost books,so don’t be expecting ace attorney). The typical format is a background, on the bottom fourth of the screen a text box, on the middle two fourths of the screen there is typically character sprites, and above that they’ll typically have dates times and other miscellaneous stuff. You can click to progress the text, and as you progress the text the sprites will change positions, there will be scene transitions, and the background will change slightly. There will typically be skip buttons, back, proceed to next choice, reverse to previous choice, and other options to progress the story. Another staple of visual novels is a branching plot along with the occasional mini game (more of a puzzle) or gameplay (more RPG style). in some cases visual novels can compared to RPGs, except the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes. They will typically also have music, sound effects, and other expressions of the story through sound, and occasionally they will be narrated but typically that’s in Japanese. Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add,It gives you a better sense of the characters if you can hear what their voices sound like even if you don’t understand the language. Most visual novels are translated by fans and not companies. If you have read some visual novels in the past or have recently read some from my list and want to discuss them, Fuwanovel would be the place I would recommend to do so. It has the download link for Katawa Shoujo, as you might know, and many other downloads, though not too many since they do not allow download links for licensed visual novels. They also have a rather popular forum for discussing visual novels, the site, and various other things. Some other popular topics include anime, manga, video games. If you wish to get in contact with me for some reason or another, send me a pm on Fuwanovel, my Fuwanovel username is Solace. List of Good Starter Novels 1.Katawa Shoujo English Title: Broken Girls Developer: Four Leaf Studios Release date: Jan 04, 2012 Rating: 18+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 5 main routes, and 1 mini route Length: 10-30 hours Genres: slice of life, drama, school life, romance, disability Reason for putting on starter list: It has a very basic and traditional visual novel character route system. Download (English version): http://www.katawa-shoujo.com/download.php VNDB entry: https://vndb.org/v945 The main character of Katawa Shoujo is Hisao Nakai. While he is in high school, a heart disorder comes to light, and he ends up having to go to a school for those with disabilities. While there he meets five girls: the armless artist Rin, the legless track star Emi, the scarred girl with social anxiety Hanako, the blind girl Lily, and the deaf girl Shizune. There is a route for each heroine, with one bad end and one good end. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed this visual novel is that it had very interesting and unique characters. 2. Juniper’s Knot English Title: Juniper’s Knot Developer: Dischan Media Release date: April 12, 2012 Rating: 14+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 0 = this is a kinetic novel(a kinetic novel is a vn without choices) Length: <2 hours Genres: contemplative Reason for putting on starter list: It’s short, while still retaining excellent artwork and story, allowing those who are not ready to commit a large amount of time to visual novels to give one a try. Download (English version): https://dischan.co/product.php?productID=4#top VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v9986 There are only two characters within this story. They are a small boy and a female demon, neither of which are named. The story starts off from the demon’s perspective. The small boy comes across the demon trapped within a circle; if she exits said circle she catches aflame. Upon their meeting, the demon trades cooked chestnuts for stories. The way the small boy interacts with the demon is quite interesting, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed this so much, as he has trouble deciding whether he sympathizes with the demon, or fears her. One of the main reasons I liked this story is because it has a very unique concept and interesting characters along with beautiful artwork. List of Good Starter Novels possibilities. Little Busters Symphonic Rain fate/stay If you enjoyed those, read these possibilities. Shuffle Devil on the G-String clannad If you enjoyed those, read these. 1. Grisaia No Kajitsu English Title: The Fruit of Grisaia Developer: Front Wing Release date: February 25, 2011 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 Length: 50+ hours Genres: slice of life, drama, romance, action? Download (English version): can be found on VNChan VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v5154 The main character is Kazami Yuuji whose past is pretty much unknown, at least at the start of the visual novel. He has recently transferred to Mihama Academy which lo and behold has only five students. Upon his arrival, he meets Amane, yumiko, Makina, Sachi and Michiru. There is one route for each main heroine, with one good and one bad end. I enjoyed this visual novel because it’s got very odd characters and some very funny moments. 2. Comyu English Title: unknown Developer: Akatsuki Works Release date: October 22, 2009 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 main routes, and plenty of side routes that will unfold as you progress through the main routes. Length: 30-50 hours Genres: romance, slice of life, supernatural, mystery, action, drama,psychological Download (English version): can be found on fuwanovel VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v1896 This story centers around Akihito, who will soon realize that he will be bound to five other people in controlling a gigantic metal beast. This story details their conflicts, friendships, and possibly their destruction. I really enjoyed this vn in particular because it has a wide variety of characters and routes and an interesting plot. post V3 Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a stable medium that originated in Japan, and is developing in the West, and anime are occasionally based off them. By the way, visual novels (or vns) are on the computer (they are still first and foremost books, so don’t be expecting an RPG). The typical format has a background, on the bottom fourth of the screen is a text box, on the middle two fourths of the screen there are typically character sprites, and above that typically are dates, times and other miscellaneous data. You can click to progress the text, and as you progress the text the sprites will change positions, there will be scene transitions, and the background will change slightly. There will typically be buttons for skip, back, proceed to next choice, reverse to previous choice, and other options to progress the story. Another staple of visual novels is a branching plot along with the occasional mini game (more of a puzzle) or gameplay (more RPG style). In some cases visual novels can be compared to RPGs, except for the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes. They will typically also have music, sound effects, and other expressions of the story through sound, and occasionally they will be narrated but typically that’s in Japanese. Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add personality. It gives you a better sense of the characters if you can hear what their voices sound like even if you don’t understand the language (note: vns are almost never dubbed, instead they just translate the text). Most visual novels are translated by fans and not companies. If you have read some visual novels and want to discuss them, I would recommend Fuwanovel. It has a few downloads, though not too many since they do not allow download links for licensed visual novels. They also have a rather popular forum for discussing visual novels, the site, and various other things. Some other popular topics include anime, manga, video games. If you wish to get in contact with me, send me a pm on Fuwanovel; my Fuwanovel username is Solace. List of Good Starter Novels 1.Katawa Shoujo English Title: Broken Girls Developer: Four Leaf Studios Release date: Jan 04, 2012 Rating: 18+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 5 main routes, and 1 mini route Length: 10-30 hours Genres: slice of life, drama, school life, romance, disability Reason for putting on starter list: It has a very basic and traditional visual novel character route system. Download (English version): http://www.katawa-shoujo.com/download.php VNDB entry: https://vndb.org/v945 The main character of Katawa Shoujo is Hisao Nakai. While he is in high school, a heart disorder comes to light, and he ends up having to go to a school for those with disabilities. While there he meets five girls: the armless artist Rin, the legless track star Emi, the scarred girl with social anxiety Hanako, the blind girl Lily, and the deaf girl Shizune. There is a route for each heroine, with one bad end and one good end. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed this visual novel is that it had very interesting and unique characters. 2. Juniper’s Knot English Title: Juniper’s Knot Developer: Dischan Media Release date: April 12, 2012 Rating: 14+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 0 = this is a kinetic novel(a kinetic novel is a vn without choices) Length: <2 hours Genres: contemplative Reason for putting on starter list: It’s short, while still retaining excellent artwork and story, allowing those who are not ready to commit a large amount of time to visual novels to give one a try. Download (English version): https://dischan.co/product.php?productID=4#top VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v9986 There are only two characters within this story. They are a small boy and a female demon, neither of which are named. The story starts off from the demon’s perspective. The small boy comes across the demon trapped within a circle; if she exits said circle she catches aflame. Upon their meeting, the demon trades cooked chestnuts for stories. The way the small boy interacts with the demon is quite interesting, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed this so much, as he has trouble deciding whether he sympathizes with the demon, or fears her. One of the main reasons I liked this story is because it has a very unique concept and interesting characters along with beautiful artwork. Summaries to add later: Little Busters Symphonic Rain fate/stay Narcissu If you enjoyed those, read these. 1. Grisaia No Kajitsu English Title: The Fruit of Grisaia Developer: Front Wing Release date: February 25, 2011 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 Length: 50+ hours Genres: slice of life, drama, romance, action? Download (English version): can be found on VNChan VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v5154 The main character is Kazami Yuuji whose past is pretty much unknown, at least at the start of the visual novel. He has recently transferred to Mihama Academy which lo and behold has only five students. Upon his arrival, he meets Amane, Yumiko, Makina, Sachi and Michiru. There is one route for each main heroine, with one good and one bad end. As you progress through the story, the mystery of Yuuji’s past and the school will gradually come to light. I enjoyed this visual novel because it’s got very odd characters and some very funny moments. 2. Comyu English Title: unknown Developer: Akatsuki Works Release date: October 22, 2009 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 main routes, and plenty of side routes that will unfold as you progress through the main routes. Length: 30-50 hours Genres: romance, slice of life, supernatural, mystery, action, drama,psychological Download (English version): can be found on fuwanovel VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v1896 This story centers around Akihito, who will soon realize that he will be bound to five other people in controlling a gigantic metal beast. This story details their conflicts, friendships, and possibly their destruction. I really enjoyed this vn in particular because it has a wide variety of characters and routes and an interesting plot. More summaries to add later: Shuffle Devil on the G-String clannad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Life Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 A lot of it is opinion based so I can't say much but I always thought the name for the protagonist of Grisaia was Yuuji instead of Yuugi. Also adding psychological might be a good idea with grisaia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambda Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Warning, long post: First off, you have everything from recommending Katawa Shoujo down twice. Can't be bothered to quote that entire huge chunk of text for what I need, so bear with me here: "Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add." ...Add what? This sentence isn't complete. "Most visual novels are translated by fans and not actual companies, and as such they don’t dub the voices if there are voiceovers. Instead they only translate the text." Even official companies (like Mangagamer, Aksys when they released otomege, Sekai Project and JAST) keep the voices. That's not the reason. Anime culture in general is heavily against dubs, and it's waay too much money to pony up if you're gonna be reading what they're saying anyway. Not worth it. "Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and it is often adapted after an anime or graphic novel/manga." ...? I think you mean this the other way around. Anime is adapted from VNs.... You make it kinda sound like most of the time people won't just be reading text? Like, you don't mention that it's first and foremost a book. That you happen to read on the computer. The "novel" part is a key part. Having people expect something like Ace Attorney constantly will just be setting them up for disappointment. "Many visual novels can be easily compared to RPGs, except in the way they tell the story and the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes." This definitely makes people think that VNs have a great deal more gameplay than they actually do. And if you're gonna do that, suggest an RPG/VN hybrid for them, then, so they can get their feet wet. There are none on that list. Also, a picture or two would greatly help with the imagining of what a typical VN screen looks like. Because you're either kinda vague or really confusing. This is for beginners. What is a "character sprite"? Frankly, I played Da Capo II just last night and I have trouble picturing what a typical VN looks like using your description. ....Okay, but why link to the Fuwanovel Katawa Shoujo when you could link to the Dev's site...? Your recommendation structure is also really confusing. Should I go Good Starter Novels -> Possibilities -> If you liked these, read these possibilities -> If you enjoyed these, read these? Is there a reason your final list has much more information about each game than the middle two? Are there any connections between all of these lists, a natural follow-up order where you read Katawa Shoujo then Clannad then Shuffle then Grisaia or something? You might wanna either make that clear or just make it one list. Because Katawa Shoujo then Clannad then G-senjou then Comyu is a really interesting evolution, but they don't really build on one another... If you're gonna recommend Little Busters, I wouldn't recommend Clannad in the same list and vice-versa. They're the same type of novel by the same people, so maybe move one to "If you liked these"? If there is indeed a natural order through which to move between lists. In return, I'd add Fate/Stay Night somewhere in your recommendation structure, based on its popularity as a gateway VN (seriously, go read the "what was your first VN" topic), and not starting people with any visual novels with action in them until they move to G-Senjou is just odd?? They got through two lists believing that VNs are mainly romance-genre Chara-ge.... I'll also note that I've never seen Shuffle recommended anywhere. For anyone. So that's kinda interesting. (I'd maybe leave that off the list..., but that's me..) solace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1234567 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Katawa Shoujo sucks as a starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zalor Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 a friend and I are working on a blog post to introduce more people to vns and possibly bring more people to fuwa.we were wondering if some fuwans would be willing to make sure that everything checked out. please note that this is a work in progress and we will continue to add to it. I'm relatively new to vns so please bear with me. note: I'm using spoiler tags not because there is a spoiler but because there is a huge block of text. Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and it is often adapted after an anime or graphic novel/manga. By the way, visual novels (or vns) are on the computer. The typical format is a background, on the bottom fourth of the screen a text box, on the middle two fourths of the screen there is typically character sprites, and above that they’ll typically have dates times and other miscellaneous stuff. You can click to progress the text, and as you progress the text the sprites will change positions, there will be scene transitions, and the background will change slightly. There will typically be skip buttons, back, proceed to next choice, reverse to previous choice, and other options to progress the story. Another staple of visual novels is a branching plot along with the occasional mini game (more of a puzzle) or gameplay (more RPG style). Many visual novels can be easily compared to RPGs, except in the way they tell the story and the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes. They will typically also have music, sound effects, and other expressions of the story through sound, and occasionally they will be narrated but typically that’s in Japanese. Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add. It gives you a better sense of the characters if you can hear what their voices sound like even if you don’t understand the language. Most visual novels are translated by fans and not actual companies, and as such they don’t dub the voices if there are voiceovers. Instead they only translate the text. If you have read some visual novels in the past or have recently read some from my list and want to discuss them, Fuwanovel would be the place I would recommend to do so. It has the download link for Katawa Shoujo, as you might know, and many other downloads, though not too many since they do not allow download links for licensed visual novels. They also have a rather popular forum for discussing visual novels, the site, and various other things. Some other popular topics include anime, manga, video games. If you wish to get in contact with me for some reason or another, send me a pm on Fuwanovel, my Fuwanovel username is Solace. List of Good Starter Novels 1.Katawa Shoujo English Title: Broken Girls Developer: Four Leaf Studios Release date: Jan 04, 2012 Rating: 18+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 5 main routes, and 1 mini route Length: 10-30 hours Genres: slice of life, drama, school life, romance, disability Reason for putting on starter list: It has a very basic and traditional visual novel character route system. Download (English version): https://fuwanovel.net/novels/katawa-shoujo VNDB entry: https://vndb.org/v945 The main character of Katawa Shoujo is Hisao Nakai. While he is in high school, a heart disorder comes to light, and he ends up having to go to a school for those with disabilities. While there he meets five girls: the armless artist Rin, the legless track star Emi, the scarred girl with social anxiety Hanako, the blind girl Lily, and the deaf girl Shizune. There is a route for each heroine, with one bad end and one good end. One of the main reasons that I enjoyed this visual novel is that it had very interesting and unique characters. 2. Juniper’s Knot English Title: Juniper’s Knot Developer: Dischan Media Release date: April 12, 2012 Rating: 14+ Freeware: Yes Routes: 0 = this is a kinetic novel(a kinetic novel is a vn without choices) Length: <2 hours Genres: contemplative Reason for putting on starter list: It’s short, while still retaining excellent artwork and story, allowing those who are not ready to commit a large amount of time to visual novels to give one a try. Download (English version): https://dischan.co/product.php?productID=4#top VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v9986 There are only two characters within this story. They are a small boy and a female demon, neither of which are named. The story starts off from the demon’s perspective. The small boy comes across the demon trapped within a circle; if she exits said circle she catches aflame. Upon their meeting, the demon trades cooked chestnuts for stories. The way the small boy interacts with the demon is quite interesting, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed this so much, as he has trouble deciding whether he sympathizes with the demon, or fears her. One of the main reasons I liked this story is because it has a very unique concept and interesting characters along with beautiful artwork. List of Good Starter Novels possibilities. Little Busters Symphonic Rain Clannad If you enjoyed those, read these possibilities. Shuffle Devil on the G-String If you enjoyed those, read these. 1. Grisaia No Kajitsu English Title: The Fruit of Grisaia Developer: Front Wing Release date: February 25, 2011 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 Length: 50+ hours Genres: slice of life, drama, romance, action? Download (English version): can be found on VNChan VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v5154 The main character is Kazami Yuugi whose past is pretty much unknown, at least at the start of the visual novel. He has recently transferred to Mihama Academy which lo and behold has only five students. Upon his arrival, he meets Amane, yumiko, Makina, Sachi and Michiru. There is one route for each main heroine, with one good and one bad end. I enjoyed this visual novel because it’s got very odd characters and some very funny moments. 2. Comyu English Title: unknown Developer: Akatsuki Works Release date: October 22, 2009 Rating: 18+ Freeware: No Routes: 5 main routes, and plenty of side routes that will unfold as you progress through the main routes. Length: 30-50 hours Genres: romance, slice of life, supernatural, mystery, action, drama Download (English version): can be found on fuwanovel VMDB entry: https://vndb.org/v1896 This story centers around Akihito, who will soon realize that he will be bound to five other people in controlling a gigantic metal beast. This story details their conflicts, friendships, and possibly their destruction. I really enjoyed this vn in particular because it has a wide variety of characters and routes and an interesting plot. Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and it is often adapted after an anime or graphic novel/manga. By the way, visual novels (or vns) are on the computer. The typical format is a background, on the bottom fourth of the screen a text box, on the middle two fourths of the screen there is typically character sprites, and above that they’ll typically have dates times and other miscellaneous stuff. You can click to progress the text, and as you progress the text the sprites will change positions, there will be scene transitions, and the background will change slightly. There will typically be skip buttons, back, proceed to next choice, reverse to previous choice, and other options to progress the story. Another staple of visual novels is a branching plot along with the occasional mini game (more of a puzzle) or gameplay (more RPG style). Many visual novels can be easily compared to RPGs, except in the way they tell the story and the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes. They will typically also have music, sound effects, and other expressions of the story through sound, and occasionally they will be narrated but typically that’s in Japanese. Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add. It gives you a better sense of the characters if you can hear what their voices sound like even if you don’t understand the language. Most visual novels are translated by fans and not actual companies, and as such they don’t dub the voices if there are voiceovers. Instead they only translate the text. If you have read some visual novels in the past or have recently read some from my list and want to discuss them, Fuwanovel would be the place I would recommend to do so. It has the download link for Katawa Shoujo, as you might know, and many other downloads, though not too many since they do not allow download links for licensed visual novels. They also have a rather popular forum for discussing visual novels, the site, and various other things. Some other popular topics include anime, manga, video games. If you wish to get in contact with me for some reason or another, send me a pm on Fuwanovel, my Fuwanovel username is Solace. Lamdba provided some good feedback, and I stand by most of what he said. Especially when he said: Like, you don't mention that it's first and foremost a book. That you happen to read on the computer. The "novel" part is a key part. Having people expect something like Ace Attorney constantly will just be setting them up for disappointment. When describing a visual novel, I would recommend emphasizing it as a reading experience more than a gaming experience. Regarding your recommendations. Since you are trying to promote Fuwanovel, you should stick to to VNs that are available on the site. So avoid Shuffle, (plus imo Shuffle really isn't that good anyway). Also, your writing is very repetitive (this is a general problem), but specifically you said, "List of Good Starter Novels" then you listed Katawa Shoujo and Juniper's Knot. After mentioning those you then continued and said, "List of Good Starter Novels possibilities" and then recommended Symphonic Rain, Clannad, and Little Busters. You don't need to repeat the same category twice. This is less a critique and more a suggestion, but if you're making an article that is trying to appeal to people who have never read VNs before, try to recommend broader genres. Do somthing like Tragedy: Narcissu (give some info about Narcissu) Swan Song (give info about Swan Song) etc. Romance: Clannad (info about Clannad) Kanon (info...) etc. Chuuni: (Explain how this is a unique and popular genre in VNs, read this thread started by Clephas: Chuuni: What is this genre) G-Senjou no Maou (info...) Tsukihime (info...) Comyu (info...) etc. It is crucial for newcomers to know what type of stories are available for them in this medium. So breaking things up by genre is a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solace Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 main post updated Warning, long post: First off, you have everything from recommending Katawa Shoujo down twice. Can't be bothered to quote that entire huge chunk of text for what I need, so bear with me here: "Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add." ...Add what? This sentence isn't complete. "Most visual novels are translated by fans and not actual companies, and as such they don’t dub the voices if there are voiceovers. Instead they only translate the text." Even official companies (like Mangagamer, Aksys when they released otomege, Sekai Project and JAST) keep the voices. That's not the reason. Anime culture in general is heavily against dubs, and it's waay too much money to pony up if you're gonna be reading what they're saying anyway. Not worth it. "Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and it is often adapted after an anime or graphic novel/manga." ...? I think you mean this the other way around. Anime is adapted from VNs.... You make it kinda sound like most of the time people won't just be reading text? Like, you don't mention that it's first and foremost a book. That you happen to read on the computer. The "novel" part is a key part. Having people expect something like Ace Attorney constantly will just be setting them up for disappointment. "Many visual novels can be easily compared to RPGs, except in the way they tell the story and the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes." This definitely makes people think that VNs have a great deal more gameplay than they actually do. And if you're gonna do that, suggest an RPG/VN hybrid for them, then, so they can get their feet wet. There are none on that list. Also, a picture or two would greatly help with the imagining of what a typical VN screen looks like. Because you're either kinda vague or really confusing. This is for beginners. What is a "character sprite"? Frankly, I played Da Capo II just last night and I have trouble picturing what a typical VN looks like using your description. ....Okay, but why link to the Fuwanovel Katawa Shoujo when you could link to the Dev's site...? Your recommendation structure is also really confusing. Should I go Good Starter Novels -> Possibilities -> If you liked these, read these possibilities -> If you enjoyed these, read these? Is there a reason your final list has much more information about each game than the middle two? Are there any connections between all of these lists, a natural follow-up order where you read Katawa Shoujo then Clannad then Shuffle then Grisaia or something? You might wanna either make that clear or just make it one list. Because Katawa Shoujo then Clannad then G-senjou then Comyu is a really interesting evolution, but they don't really build on one another... If you're gonna recommend Little Busters, I wouldn't recommend Clannad in the same list and vice-versa. They're the same type of novel by the same people, so maybe move one to "If you liked these"? If there is indeed a natural order through which to move between lists. In return, I'd add Fate/Stay Night somewhere in your recommendation structure, based on its popularity as a gateway VN (seriously, go read the "what was your first VN" topic), and not starting people with any visual novels with action in them until they move to G-Senjou is just odd?? They got through two lists believing that VNs are mainly romance-genre Chara-ge.... I'll also note that I've never seen Shuffle recommended anywhere. For anyone. So that's kinda interesting. (I'd maybe leave that off the list..., but that's me..) "Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add." ...Add what? This sentence isn't complete. fixed:Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add,It gives you a better sense of the characters if you can hear what their voices sound like even if you don’t understand the language. "Most visual novels are translated by fans and not actual companies, and as such they don’t dub the voices if there are voiceovers. Instead they only translate the text." Even official companies (like Mangagamer, Aksys when they released otomege, Sekai Project and JAST) keep the voices. That's not the reason. Anime culture in general is heavily against dubs, and it's waay too much money to pony up if you're gonna be reading what they're saying anyway. Not worth it. sorry rather new to vns, did not know that. fixed:Personally I think the Japanese voiceovers really add,It gives you a better sense of the characters if you can hear what their voices sound like even if you don’t understand the language. "Let’s start by defining what a visual novel is. It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and it is often adapted after an anime or graphic novel/manga." ...? I think you mean this the other way around. Anime is adapted from VNs.... thank you for informing me of this. fixed:It is a developing medium that originated in Japan, and anime are occasionally based off them. "Many visual novels can be easily compared to RPGs, except in the way they tell the story and the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes." This definitely makes people think that VNs have a great deal more gameplay than they actually do. And if you're gonna do that, suggest an RPG/VN hybrid for them, then, so they can get their feet wet. There are none on that list. the list is no where near complete,i was thinking of adding kamidori,opinions? fixed:in some cases visual novels can compared to RPGs, except the fact that they have more complicated branching plots and more character routes. Also, a picture or two would greatly help with the imagining of what a typical VN screen looks like. Because you're either kinda vague or really confusing. This is for beginners. What is a "character sprite"? Frankly, I played Da Capo II just last night and I have trouble picturing what a typical VN looks like using your description. fixed also added cover pics above the entries. ....Okay, but why link to the Fuwanovel Katawa Shoujo when you could link to the Dev's site...? because that is where i got it,thus that was what came to mind first. fixed Your recommendation structure is also really confusing. Should I go Good Starter Novels -> Possibilities -> If you liked these, read these possibilities -> If you enjoyed these, read these? Is there a reason your final list has much more information about each game than the middle two? Are there any connections between all of these lists, a natural follow-up order where you read Katawa Shoujo then Clannad then Shuffle then Grisaia or something? You might wanna either make that clear or just make it one list. Because Katawa Shoujo then Clannad then G-senjou then Comyu is a really interesting evolution, but they don't really build on one another... explanation:what i had intended was that some one who found the post interesting would read what they wanted from the starter novels, then read what they wanted from the if you enjoed those read these novels.the possibilities are novels i have yet to read and thus are not ready to commit to puting them on there respective lists. If you're gonna recommend Little Busters, I wouldn't recommend Clannad in the same list and vice-versa. They're the same type of novel by the same people, so maybe move one to "If you liked these"? done If there is indeed a natural order through which to move between lists. In return, I'd add Fate/Stay Night somewhere in your recommendation structure, based on its popularity as a gateway VN (seriously, go read the "what was your first VN" topic) done , and not starting people with any visual novels with action in them until they move to G-Senjou is just odd?? They got through two lists believing that VNs are mainly romance-genre Chara-ge.... remember this list is work in progress, if it was not i wouldn't ask for help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clephas Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 A more important point would probably be that VNs aren't a 'developing medium' (unless you mean that developers develop VNs, lol). It is a fairly mature medium, which reached its stable period back around 2008 or so. Like anime and manga, you'll basically see refining and sharpening of current marketing trends or minor diversions as time goes by, but you are unlikely to see any new and revolutionary changes in the industry's trends anytime soon. Understand, any VN can serve as a 'first', so it is actually better to start someone from 'ancient' VNs than newer ones like Katawa or Comyu. Start with something like Cross Channel, Tsukihime, or Narcissu from the beginning. If you start someone from the 'later generation', the likelihood they'll never play those excellent VNs or put them off for years is fairly high, even though that is a waste. My biggest complaint, though, is that you tried to guide their choices too tightly. It is much better to just give people a flat-out list, possibly separated by genre, and let them pick. People's tastes differ... there are people who can't stand violence and still others that despise slice of life... and still others that just want a social commentary or mystery/drama (Kazoku Keikaku or G-senjou). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solace Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 A more important point would probably be that VNs aren't a 'developing medium' (unless you mean that developers develop VNs, lol). It is a fairly mature medium, which reached its stable period back around 2008 or so. Like anime and manga, you'll basically see refining and sharpening of current marketing trends or minor diversions as time goes by, but you are unlikely to see any new and revolutionary changes in the industry's trends anytime soon. Understand, any VN can serve as a 'first', so it is actually better to start someone from 'ancient' VNs than newer ones like Katawa or Comyu. Start with something like Cross Channel, Tsukihime, or Narcissu from the beginning. If you start someone from the 'later generation', the likelihood they'll never play those excellent VNs or put them off for years is fairly high, even though that is a waste. My biggest complaint, though, is that you tried to guide their choices too tightly. It is much better to just give people a flat-out list, possibly separated by genre, and let them pick. People's tastes differ... there are people who can't stand violence and still others that despise slice of life... and still others that just want a social commentary or mystery/drama (Kazoku Keikaku or G-senjou). in what way in what way did i try to guide there choices? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clephas Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 The whole bit with the 'if you liked this, then try this' routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solace Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Good Starter Novels=stuff i would recommend to some one who had never read a vn before. If you enjoyed those, read these.=stuff that would not recommend to someone who had never read a vn before but is still good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbl Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Depending on how new to animu you expect the people reading this to be, you might also want to warn people about porn if you are going to suggest adult titles. I'd agree with what other people are saying that KS isn't a great choice for first VN; along with what has already been said, romancing disabled women is liable to scare off the less open-minded newbies. Narcissu is the staple choice for first VN, but a general list would be better than a couple of suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solace Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 Depending on how new to animu you expect the people reading this to be, you might also want to warn people about porn if you are going to suggest adult titles. I'd agree with what other people are saying that KS isn't a great choice for first VN; along with what has already been said, romancing disabled women is liable to scare off the less open-minded newbies. Narcissu is the staple choice for first VN, but a general list would be better than a couple of suggestions. you might also want to warn people about porn if you are going to suggest adult titles. i put the rating in vn stats did i not? I'd agree with what other people are saying that KS isn't a great choice for first VN; along with what has already been said, romancing disabled women is liable to scare off the less open-minded newbies. i currently have two of my friends reading KS and have decided wait to here there opinions before i decide whether to put it List of Good Starter Novels or you enjoyed those, read these. Narcissu is the staple choice for first VN, but a general list would be better than a couple of suggestions. i have yet to read narcissu but plan on doing so and thus have added it to the document under List of Good Starter Novels possibilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solace Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 main post updated V3 Changes made: - general streamlining and editing - additions to summary of Grisaia Note: there are pictures, they just aren't showing up for some reason (possible fixes? New summaries coming soon Thanks for feedback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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