The "feels" bazaar.

[Nekken]

ProfAllister has it right: you can channel this into making changes in your life (or yourself, if you really feel the need) for the better. The couch-to-5K running plan has been extremely popular among KS fans, especially once someone made an Emi-themed poster outlining the whole thing. Learning sign language and Braille are also relatively common. Others start seeing psychologists, going back to school or redoubling their efforts in it, and all manner of other things.

It does indeed get better with time. But if you're going to channel the feels, it's best to strike while the iron is hot.

[Clinton]

This is somewhat re-posting what "Nekken" said but everyone has their own way to deal with this game, many people who liked Emi's route are now running because her story inspired them, those who enjoyed Shizune's route are mainly learning sign language, those who liked Lilly's route are learning braille. Of course not everyone is but some people felt inspired and wanted to change their life, some get depressed. Most people have an outlet, try finding what you have always wanted to do/learn and focus that sadness, anger, happiness (etc), into changing your life for the better and taking that initiative to help yourself, and those around you if that is what you feel needs to be done.

[Total Destruction]

If you wanted to make me insanely jealous, it worked

Word. Where I'm staying right now, there's virtually no place to go on a crazy screw-the-world tweeker run and I HATE it.

[Pseudogenesis]

ProfAllister has it right: you can channel this into making changes in your life (or yourself, if you really feel the need) for the better. The couch-to-5K running plan has been extremely popular among KS fans, especially once someone made an Emi-themed poster outlining the whole thing. Learning sign language and Braille are also relatively common. Others start seeing psychologists, going back to school or redoubling their efforts in it, and all manner of other things.

It does indeed get better with time. But if you're going to channel the feels, it's best to strike while the iron is hot.

This. I recently read a tiny book on emotional intelligence. The key is not to suppress your emotions, or hate them, or beat yourself up over them, or wallow in self-pity and despair, or try to alter them in anyway. Your goal is to dig deeper. (Piss poor metaphor inbound) If the emotion you feel is the head of the flower, then get at the damn roots. Ask yourself why you feel that way, and don't come up with experiences and circumstances as an answer. Understand that every emotion you feel stems from a thought, not an experience.


That being said, "Striking while the iron is hot" is probably the best advice anyone can give. I'm not going to make KS out to be some magical lifestyle manipulation tool, but if it's affected you that deeply then now's the time to act. Harness the motivation and inspiration that you feel now and channel it towards something great. Learn a new language, take up exercise, seek help, think about yourself, start reading again, go for a jog. Use the energy that this game can give and focus it into doing what you want to do. Starting a new habit is the hardest part, but if you borrow from the natural enthusiasm that this game can give then once you're over the hump, keeping the trend will be a breeze.

I've decided to read more, exercise more, learn sign language (And I didn't even like Shizune), spend more time with friends, overcome my social anxiety, learn new things, work on my Spanish, and and overall just spend time building myself into something better. It may sound very idealistic and overly optimistic, but it's how I'll spend my summer. This game's given me more motivation than I've ever had before, and I don't intend to waste it.

[Politus]

To take a page from John Keats, I try and savor the melancholy feeling through contrasts of beauty and joy; favored songs, or Buffy reruns, full of wit and life and brightness, quenched like molten steel in the bitter liqueur of introspection prompted by this damnable program.

[Mahogany]

I'll either put on some 80's stuff or start up my controller and do a bit of fast paced mixing. Always clears the blues and the cobwebs.

[yummines]

Listen to music and close my eyes. Mainly Nujabes, but sometimes Telepopmusik as well.

I've been listening to this song "sign 0" by Chouchou a lot though. Very calm and beautiful.

[Mint]

If you wanted to make me insanely jealous, it worked

If it is of any consolation, I wouldn't mind taking any member from this community on one of my solitary walks.
The reason why I do them alone in the first place is because there isn't anyone in my immediate surrounding that I would like to tag along with me.

But I'm sure I'd enjoy the presence of 99% of you guys.

[Surreal-mind]

Listening to speed metal or any other kind or really "energetic"-fast paced music always helps me a lot.

almost post-apocalyptic scenery

That sounds incredibly cool ! Yes, I am jealous

[Helbereth]

a route that leads out of town

Such routes still exist?

I live in the middle of a perpetual suburban crawl, and there's basically no place you can go within 5 miles that doesn't have a house, or a road, or a business of some kind in view. I envy you if you can walk out of civilization like that - away from prying eyes.

[Mint]

a route that leads out of town

Such routes still exist?

I live in a post-communism second world country in Eastern Europe, my good sir.

[Pyramid Head]

Depends on the feels i'm getting. If it's from Silent Hill and i feel deep bitterness and depravity, i grab a mojito and follow it up with The Simpsons. If it's from Katawa Shoujo and i'm feeling an emotion other than deep-seated hatred for my fellow man, i follow it up with a good ale. Proper juxtaposition is key to enjoying things to their fullest, you don't watch two romances in a row, you watch a romance and then play BioShock. You don't play Silent Hill 2 and then Amnesia: The Dark Descent, you play Silent Hill 2 and then Portal. You'd get sick of pizza if it's all you ever eat, that's why Shadow of the Colossus has you spend a few dozen minutes riding through the peaceful countryside before having you try to leap off a speeding horse onto a low flying monster to stab it in the convenient glowing weakpoint.

Oh, except the Hanako arc has special exceptions. Even in the good ending skepticism doesn't fade, you already have a good juxtaposition going, so you pair it with one more contrasting element to aim for a good harmony. Hanako arc and a bittersweet ending? Break out the pretzels.

[Pseudogenesis]

Juxtaposing
Silent Hill, The Simpsons, Katawa Shoujo, BioShock, Portal, Shadow of the Colossus.

I... I love you.

[Veniathan]

Well hello, this is my first thread here. I thought i could contribute to the forum and also explain how i feel.

I got Katawa Shoujo about a week or so ago, and i've been playing it for some time. I accidentaly took Emi's route and to be quite honest with you i didn't mind it, it was fun .. While it lasted of course.

The point of this thread is to actualy say that this game has made me depressed, the game is absolutely not bad and i got a good ending but the fact that there is absolutely nothing more than this feels so .... Empty? As a matter of fact that's how i feel.

I feel empty, hollow and just ... Depressed. I guess that perfectly sums it up. It's killing me that this game is not real, these lovely people and characters .. Everything about that physicaly hurts to think about. After getting that ending with Emi, that calming music in the credits and where this all began i've since had a heavy feel to my chest and guts which has not dissapeared.

I used to have a girlfriend in real life, we were together for 2 years and after that we broke up. But this actualy feels much worse. It's difficult for me to explain how i feel correctly even though my english is pretty good, i just can't .. And i'm not gonna lie here i did cry after the ending several times. Maybe it seems funny but i couldn't hold it in.

I've felt down and like crap the entire day, i don't know what to do of myself anymore. Some people got motivated especialy with Emi's route but me ... I did not. I liked the route and i seriously love Emi but i can't bring myself to be happy after that ending. It's like it's ALL gone and none of it exists, everything i felt is just a fucking lie ... That's exactly how i feel.

I cannot even get my mind off of this, i've tried playing Killing Floor, Red Orchestra 2, Team Fotress 2, Garry's Mod. I have a Steam Library with over 250 games but after the ending of KS i don't want to start up anything .. I just feel like sitting here and staring at the wall for the entire day.

At the end where Emi says "So Hisao, what are you going to do today?" after a night over in her room and that night full of love feels really ... Dull and just empty. I wanted to continue so bad but i guess this is it, no sequel or anything.

Please tell me this is atleast somewhat normal, also sorry for the wall of text. I had the need to explain how i currently feel, hope you guys don't mind that and even if you do i can't stop you.

That's all i had to say .. Thank you.

[Kayo12]

You have a case of the Feels, my friend. Don't worry, this is perfectly normal and will fade with time. A lot of people got Emi for their first route and it's a common occurrence. Lilly did the exact same thing to me. It's a sign that something had been missing in your life and now it's time for you to take a good long look at yourself and find out what that is. Use this as motivation to better yourself; go out and start jogging, write something, draw something, pick up a new hobby, focus these feelings into something productive.

Pretty much everyone here has gone through the exact same thing as you are right now. This game does that to people. Just remember this feeling and use it to make yourself the better person.