Getting People into Katawa Shoujo

[pedrosorio]

except for the abandoned Hanako rape thing, which I'm sure didn't help many people's confidence.

What? What?!

[Brogurt]

What? What?!

http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?p=44253#p44253
It's every bit as uncool as it sounds, even if it does rely on informed consent for it to be considered "rape".

[Khantalas]

This thread must have helped considerably, as I've had far better success introducing people to the demo since before.

((Though I've also asked more people than before, and my success can be attributed to the shotgun approach.))

[Shades of Grey]

This thread must have helped considerably, as I've had far better success introducing people to the demo since before.

((Though I've also asked more people than before, and my success can be attributed to the shotgun approach.))

It might also have been that your original selling point of "cripple porn visual novel" was probably the crudest and most vulgar means of describing KS. Considering act 1 doesn't even have any H scenes, it was also selling the game rather short. Its not entirely false, in the same way that saying Zelda games are animal abuse and theft simulators. Yes its true, but thats not why everyone likes it. In the same vein, I don't think KS fans have stuck around just because of the vague promise of cripple porn in the future.

To stop beating around the bush, yes there is going to be porn in KS, but the thing that makes it good is it's story. If, however, you advertise KS on the basis that its all about cripple porn, then the people who like that idea are going to be disappointed when Act 1 doesn't have any, and the people who find that notion disgusting will miss out on the great story KS has to tell. If you truly must summarize KS in one sentence, it is a visual novel first, a well written dating simulator second, and porn game LAST. The main sell of KS is that it tells a good story about people living with disabilities, and its also a nice romance story with interesting characters. Those are the features that keep people around, and the ones that you should pitch to any prospective players.

It is wrong not not mention that there will be porn at some point. Add it in as a disclaimer at the end or something, but do NOT use it as the sell. There are plenty of games that are actually all about porn and fetish sex. People coming into KS looking for that, especially seeing as only Act 1 is out, will be sadly disappointed.

[Khantalas]

It might also have been that your original selling point of "cripple porn visual novel" was probably the crudest and most vulgar means of describing KS.

Well, I actually still do that (certainly more often than the one time I did before). It mostly requires knowing who I'm selling it to now, though. Some people apparently like that description (even if they balk at the "porn" part, I usually explain what a visual novel is beforehand, so it's all groovy).

[Drkstrm]

I felt like writing this little ditty on the "speak-up" bit on Kotaku. I got one person to say they're going to download the first act... Then two people pointing out an article on Kotaku last February.

Here's mine: http://kotaku.com/speakup/forum?comment=44844734

While I don't think I did the game great justice, I think I did a decent job... There's a link the Kotaku article there as well. I'd read it then and, looking at it now, I can tell that some people are stupid... Look at the featured comment.

[Shades of Grey]

Well, I actually still do that (certainly more often than the one time I did before). It mostly requires knowing who I'm selling it to now, though. Some people apparently like that description (even if they balk at the "porn" part, I usually explain what a visual novel is beforehand, so it's all groovy).

Well, I suppose I can't argue if it succeeds. I still do hold that describing KS that way is selling it short and even slightly misleading.

It usually not good to start explaining something with its negative (or perceived negative) side. That not to say that the sex scenes are inherently bad, but they are the component that is most likely to be poorly received (unless the person/people you are talking to are already known to be accepting of visual novels with sexual content). The only games I would actually describe as "porn visual novels" would be things like cosplay fetish academy, bible black, (no, I haven't played them personally, but I know of them by repute) and other such games that are basically excuses to string together sex scenes. KS stands very far on the other end of the eroge spectrum (judging by Act 1), in the company of such series as Clannad, Air, and Fate/Stay Night. Like those games, KS (so far) is perfectly capable of being an enjoyable experience on the merit of its storytelling and characters alone. I would, for example, describe Clannad as a "Visual novel with a touching and moving story." that happens to have sex scenes.

[Yubiseiharukana]

I convinced my sister to play KS (which she now follows the blog almost as religiously as I do), and I was going to convince my step-brother to give it a go, but before I could talk to him about it he asks me if I've heard of KS!

[Fishpick]

The devs are focusing on the sex scenes with the same amount of importance as every other scene in the game. They're making it skippable as the bare minimum for people who absolutely can't handle the sex.

Sex, especially for the first time is a very important step in a relationship. So imagine skipping one of the more 'important' scenes in act 1. Like when Hisao has his heart attack at the track. Just jumping from the end of Hisao's day to the Nurse's room would leave me pretty confused.

This is true, but it's not impossible to write it in a way that the sex component can be avoided without being confused. If they include the moments leading up to it, and then continue immediately after. As long as nothing crucial to the story is said during, it would be fine.They may not be doing that, but it's not impossible. My point was only that they would not be making it skippable if the game was only an excuse to include porn. Therefore describing the game as porn is not valid.

[Yukimi]

Although I haven't described the game as cripple porn game to get adepts I think you are missing on the value of the shock impact as a selling tacnique. I have recommending extremely good manga to my friends and most times than not they won't give thhem a try because they have their own reading list and will forget about the ones I recommended wen they have free time. If I say a game is a pron cripple game, I'm sure at least they won't forget it that easily and some nagging curiosity could remain. It's not that I'm advocating this method, just commenting how it could work.

[Guest]

A short write-up was made on this blog that will hopefully convince someone to play the game. Notably, the phrase "cripple porn" never turned up.

http://haruhichan.com/anime/?p=47

[atat]

Although I haven't described the game as cripple porn game to get adepts I think you are missing on the value of the shock impact as a selling tacnique. I have recommending extremely good manga to my friends and most times than not they won't give thhem a try because they have their own reading list and will forget about the ones I recommended wen they have free time. If I say a game is a pron cripple game, I'm sure at least they won't forget it that easily and some nagging curiosity could remain. It's not that I'm advocating this method, just commenting how it could work.

I kinda gotta agree with this statement. If it were not for the uniqueness of the idea, i would of never tried it out. Otherwise it would just be another game on a stack of many VN that need to be tried, and would never get tried because I would never try them.

[another guest]

Mm, I should probably work on introducing people I know to VNs in general, period. Although I do know a few who I'm sure would be down for some "cripple pronz".

[Shades of Grey]

Although I haven't described the game as cripple porn game to get adepts I think you are missing on the value of the shock impact as a selling tacnique. I have recommending extremely good manga to my friends and most times than not they won't give thhem a try because they have their own reading list and will forget about the ones I recommended wen they have free time. If I say a game is a pron cripple game, I'm sure at least they won't forget it that easily and some nagging curiosity could remain. It's not that I'm advocating this method, just commenting how it could work.

I suppose that VN veterans who have generally been desensitized by long journeys through the internet and such, can't be bothered to get worked up about something thats not shocking. Its definitely true that shock value does something, but from my experience its usually not good. I tried introducing a few friends to this series a while back. The ones that hadn't heard of the "cripple porn/4chan" reputation gave it a try and loved it. On the other hand, the ones who had heard the bad rumors found the possibility that it was about cripple porn fetish sex so repugnant that they wouldn't give the series a chance. It was especially disappointing because I was quite sure some of them would have loved the story. To be honest, If i had been introduced to KS with the description that it was "cripple porn", I probably would not have bothered with it either. Fortunately I came here from reading an article on its good story telling and tasteful address of life as a disabled person instead.

http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/an ... -marketing

This episode of Extra Credit (a game design show) deals with advertising using shock value, and why its usually not a good idea. They do go on to talk more about the effect it has on gaming's public image, which is less relevant, but the point they make is still valid. As I said before, if someone really needs to be hooked in with the promise of fetish sex, there are lots of other places they can go that will actually deliver. If the appeal of a good, well written and tastefully done story about a touchy and unique subject doesn't interest someone, they probably won't like KS anyway.