Finally giving KS a chance

[gekiganwing]

I've been really reluctant to read Katawa Shoujo. I downloaded the complete edition over a year ago, and it was sitting unused on my hard drive for quite some time. By the time April 2012 rolled around, I'd moved it to an external drive. So I'm finally giving it a chance.

It has been years since the last time I attempted to write a visual novel, and a few months since the last time I made effort to read one. In case you're wondering, it was the iOS product Tears 9, 10... which I found impressive but quite depressing. Most of my contributions to fandom lately have been in the form of feedback. So consider this thread to be my much-overdue comments and criticism.

I remember being enthusiastic about Katawa Shoujo when it was still called Zettai Shoujo, and when I saw the first few scripts and production notes. That was a few years ago. But after reading thread after thread of praise for KS, as well as some positive reviews, I've become pessimistic about the VN. Some of my negativity is because barely anyone has anything good to say about western visual novels (whether freeware or indie), but KS seems to be a rare exception. I've even looked on eBay and Amazon a couple times to see if anyone is trying to sell it, but I haven't found anything yet. Also, my mood lately has become rather sour -- probably due to too much stress, and too little interaction with other people. I will try not to be too cynical, but please keep in mind that I'm struggling to have positive thoughts at this time.

I'm an average fanboy who's been interested in fantasy fiction and video games for almost twenty five years. Since then, I've discovered other interests, including comics and complex board games. I stumbled into visual novels in late 2001, and while I haven't tried any untranslated products, I've slowly become a more active fan. Since I found the WVN and fan translation communities around 2005, I've been enjoying a variety of freeware and commercial VNs. Some of my attitudes towards fandoms have soured. For instance, I called myself an anime-manga fan as early as 1998, but these days I call myself an aging weeaboo. And don't ask me what I currently think about video games, because I have almost nothing positive to say about them these days.

=Initial Thoughts=

In case I haven't already made this clear, I kind of like VNs with boy x girl(s) pairings. But at the same time, I consider them a guilty pleasure at best. I do not know if it's healthy for me to like media that appeals to my interests in fictional characters. This is why I have chosen to try VNs with other pairings or no pairings. Though I find it difficult to appreciate VNs that seem too bleak, too serious, or too abstract.

Can't advance text with Enter key.

Can't change the main character's name. I like this ability in some of my video games. Every now and then, I'll give characters joke names.

Can't look at the .rpy files. If it's a normal busy day and I'm trying to give VN creators some feedback, then I usually just read files such as script.rpy, because it's faster than the highest text speed.

The intro scenes are just as I remember them from the 2009 demo... in other words, the story starts out slow. I admit that most of my favorite video games lack action and are not especially interesting to watch. However, I've been awfully impatient with VNs lately. If each plot point takes forever to develop, I usually lose interest.

Some of the backgrounds appear to be actual photographs. I didn't expect this from KS, though it's somewhat common in freeware VNs.

The writing includes a complex word every now and then. Is this meant to be impressive? I dunno, some of them seem out of place. (I noticed that one statement in narration included the phrase "...the barrier of nonchalance I had setup for myself.") I don't consider myself a good writer, so I don't know what to suggest.

Unfortunately, it does not seem that the main character can refuse the call to adventure. I have seen a couple of visual novels in which the MC can get a game over after just a few minutes.

Also, it does not seem there is a way to avoid getting a tour of the school.

For now, I've left off at the second decision, while visiting the cafeteria. I'm not sure if I like the VN just yet.

[Xanatos]

I do not know if it's healthy for me to like media that appeals to my interests...

Can't change the main character's name.

Can't look at the .rpy files.

the story starts out slow

Some of the backgrounds appear to be actual photographs.

Unfortunately, it does not seem that the main character can refuse the call to adventure. I have seen a couple of visual novels in which the MC can get a game over after just a few minutes.

Yes, it's totally unhealthy to enjoy things that you are interested in... /asideglancetoreaders

Changing the PC's name would serve no point. Your joke names would only ruin what is meant to be a serious story.

The files are made difficult to find/look at to prevent stolen work and derivative projects, I'd imagine. The license suggests as much.

The story starts out with an immediate potentially life-threatening incident. How is that "slow"? O_o

The backgrounds are all real locations put through filters.

No, you can't avoid a tour because it serves to show off the setting.

And...What exactly is unfortunate about "you can't get a game over in the first few minutes"?

[lukesrp]

Personally I think you are being too picky. This game was made to help and change people, me included. You are only looking at the very minuscule and minor faults and/or issues with the game - most of which are not even faults just things you have found to complain about.

No one else has had any issues with not being able to "change your character's name" and as Xanatos has said earlier having a stupid name for your character would defeat the purpose of this game. Lessening the serious notes and the parts of the game designed to give you feels.

Also what is the problem without being able to advance with the enter key? YOU CAN PRESS THE SPACE BUTTON.

[inquisitivenegro]

What the majority are thinking but too lazy to type:
we don't care
seek attention elsewhere

[OtakuNinja]

What the majority are thinking but too lazy to type:
we don't care
seek attention elsewhere

This.

[pandaphil]

Everybodies entitled to their opinion of course. But I do think some of your criticisms are a bit on the nitpicky side. I'd say KS is a fantastic piece of work for a first time development team.

Couldn't care less about being able to name my character.

[lukesrp]

For now, I've left off at the second decision, while visiting the cafeteria. I'm not sure if I like the VN just yet.

Wait isn't that like 20 minutes into the game? You've developed such a huge completely negative and "nit-picky" idea of this game and you haven't even completed the first act? For one that isn't fair, and two it is completely ridiculous that you could develop such a opinion about this game after only brushing the very surface of the game.

You haven't even begin to break into the important ideas of the story, the triumphs and emotions that you should been going through - the feels. How can you find so many flaws after playing so little.

[Xanatos]

How can you find so many flaws after playing so little.

I could answer that but it wouldn't be nice...

[Fiandra]

words

Oh you.

[YZQ]

For someone who went in spoilt, I really enjoyed myself. You don't have to give it a chance. Many people already took that chance and ran away with it.

[Dream]

Changing the PC's name would serve no point. Your joke names would only ruin what is meant to be a serious story.

To elaborate on this, Hisao is very much not your character. KS is his story and you live it with him as narrator and protagonist, but he is independent enought from the player in terms of personality as to warrant his own name.

And yeah, nearly dying and having to start a new life mired in uncertainty and deppression a few months later is hardly what i would call slow development, and while you can't get a game over at the start, you get an awesome one if you can persevere on alienating all the girls around you.

That said, i think people might be coming a bit too hard on OP. He just has a very curious and differing opinion, he didn't even put it in an hostile manner, come on people, let's try to be more patient.

[lukesrp]

Changing the PC's name would serve no point. Your joke names would only ruin what is meant to be a serious story.

To elaborate on this, Hisao is very much not your character. KS is his story and you live it with him as narrator and protagonist, but he is independent enought from the player in terms of personality as to warrant his own name.

And yeah, nearly dying and having to start a new life mired in uncertainty and deppression a few months later is hardly what i would call slow development, and while you can't get a game over at the start, you get an awesome one if you can persevere on alienating all the girls around you.

That said, i think people might be coming a bit too hard on OP. He just has a very curious and differing opinion, he didn't even put it in an hostile manner, come on people, let's try to be more patient.

Fair call.

[Guest Poster]

A VN-writer huh? (or at least someone with aspiration to write a VN) Always be careful when dealing with a work that's part of a scene something you'd like to participate yourself in as well. It's easy to start seeing a project as potential competition and become too nitpicky to actually enjoy it. And there's much to enjoy about this VN, but try to keep an open mind.

About the name-giving, as people pointed out Hisao is very much a character in his own right, not just a disembodied penis with a voice. He has his own personality (that develops depending on who he hangs out with), he appears in plenty of CG and he doesn't always stop to ask the player for directions before making decisions. This is something you'd better get used to. You'll be guiding Hisao, but you won't be controlling him.

The first Act is mostly unchanged with the exception of the intro movie and a few textual changes here and there. Oh, and Emi's and Yuuko's appearance.

That said, the rpy-files were locked so people couldn't steal the devs' works. Besides, it's a VN...a VISUAL novel. You won't get the entire experience without the visuals and the music. Give yourself the chance to experience it the way the devs intended. Try to keep an open mind and just enjoy experience without feeling bothered by every little thing you'd have done differently. You might end up destroying your own potential enjoyment.

[Banryu]

I think it's a shame you didn't manage to get any further than the second decision. I'd say you haven't really ended up giving it a chance just yet.

Curious to hear the threadposter's thoughts on what other people are saying.

[gekiganwing]

It's been a cold, calm evening here in Chicagoland. I could've gotten back into reading Katawa Shoujo. Instead, I spent the last few hours doing vacation research, reading a few favorite news sites, callilng friends, and playing a couple old favorite games (Final Fantasy 1 and the SNES version of SimCity). The problem is that ever since I got a broadband internet connection installed, I've found it difficult to focus on any single form of entertainment. It has been quite some time since I set aside time for playing a computer game. I used to re-read books, comics, and VNs, and I would replay games from start to finish... That said, I might have some time this weekend to pick up where I left off, though there will be some distractions: catching up with family, needing to exercise, and a Super Bowl party.

Regarding comments so far... Overall, I admit that my criticism may have been premature. It was based on the first thirty or so minutes of text, along with memories from a few years ago. I've learned a lot of information about KS from secondhand sources, so I didn't find the first few scenes to be interesting.

Xanatos: I've almost finished Persona 4 Golden. Despite all the complaints I have had about the game, I've found its story fascinating and moving. And yes, I chose to name the main character Ramen Hentai. There have been games both old and new which I've liked while using joke names.

Lukesrp: I didn't know the space button advanced text.

Dream: you said, "...you get an awesome [ending] if you can persevere on alienating all the girls around you." I've played some video games and VNs which have bad endings with story. I usually avoid getting negative endings unless they're thematically appropriate or story-relevant, but I might look into this.

Guest Poster: I have read a number of adult VNs, mostly from 2001 through 2005, but I've slowly branched out since then. I've read some worksafe VNs with main characters who are women, and some with MCs who are sentient animals. Also, a few games make efforts to portray the main character as a sympathetic individual, while others make the MC into a blank slate. Both seem like valid design choices.