The "thank you 4LS" thread.

[Twilight Sparkle]

First of, id like to say that I've been following KS ever since you started it back in 07(I think) and its been magical, man.
That being said, with how far you've all come to the end of it is amazing.
I wish to express my happiness with the final product of KS, it is simply amazing.
The first thing I noticed when I ran KS today was the new music, and the Opening is now Animooted, and looks amazing.
Going further in, the music has been revised and sounds even better, and even new graphics from Act1 such as Dem Pills.
I haven't gotten to the end of any of the paths yet, but let me say that I think that all of them will be amazing.
I think i speak for all of us when I say:
God job guys, and well done.
Keep it real guys, you rock.

[rydiafan]

i just downloaded it like 10 minutes ago ... i do have to say ty to 4ls ... i didnt know about this till maybe 4 months ago but glad i found it u guys rock ... good luck in what every u do from now on ... now im off to play the game wooot

[Aquilez]

After playing the game for more than 6 hours already, I can tell already that you guys have done a fantastic job on all aspects of this game. Honestly, I was expecting some half ass story just to get the sex scenes in, but what I got was some fantastic writing and pacing. Even though I have only started working on two paths, the quality of the story for those paths and the length surpasses a lot of Japanese visual novels that I've "played". The wait from 2009 to 2012 was definitely worth it.

Great job, you guys!

[Ira]

Never posted here before, but I have been following the news blog for quite a while. Now that KS has been released I'd just like to chime in and offer my sincere praise and thanks to the entire development team. The amount of work that went into the VN is awe-inspiring and everyone involved with the creation of the game should feel extremely proud.

Thank you everyone!

[Ravenholme]

Going to throw my voice out in agreement with these above guys. Definitely the best visual novel of this type I've ever read, by far (Things like F/SN and the When They Cry verse are in different categories, imo). And I mean by far. The quality of this makes it criminal that I'm not paying anything for it. I really hope you guys continue on and do something further, and make it a paid release.

[Negi]

I've been up since 11:31 AM 1/3/2012, and still will not sleep. Having completed Rin's path, has brought me an overwhelming sense of calm and peace, seeing such brilliant artwork, animation and writing being poured into this. Really, you guys are a group of truly awesome people. Every scene, every sequence reflects all the blood, sweat and tears you guys have poured into this game throughout its development, and I'm awestruck at how my expectations were met, exceeded, then left in the wake of the atmospheric trails as it reaches escape velocity and rockets through the stars.


Thank you, guys. All of you.

[futatsu]

you guys actually did things right!

i've played over 25 visual novels, and already, it is clear that KS has left a bigger impression on me than any other game i've ever played.
it's more than a damn shame that you are disbanding.

[Extremist_Line]

Well guys, I'm playing the full version now. I have to say the new anime styled opening is a surprise. One thing that immediately bugs me is the change in music. Just about to head to the first meeting with the nurse on my game. If I'm quick enough, I can probably get the game finished and Camtasia downloaded to make a review before the end of the day.

[Hagon]

Just playing here.
Well what could I say...

Well You made a lot of change, as for musics who are still as pleasant as before even with some changes in style for some them.(the Kenji's one kinda surprised me, i like this one better than the old.)
I couldn't stop laughing when I've seen that the Lelouch like student disappeared from the class.

Like ravenholme said, I could have paid for it.

Well, saying thanks can't be enough for you all. Great job guys!

[Nestor]

Dear Devs,

This is a letter of thanks to each and every one of you, regardless of how minor a role you may have played in the development process for KS. What I say here, I say from the heart, and I could not be any more sincere than I am now:

Thank you.

I wish I could express my gratitude stronger or more clearly than that, but words are all that I have to thank you for all that you’ve done. It is a meager reward compared to what you deserve, but for what little it’s worth, I thank you.

This project may have been started with the intention of creating nothing more than a visual novel, but what it has ended up as, and all of the things that have happened along the way are nothing short of extraordinary. Katawa Shoujo has proven to me the strengths of the community – the VN community, as well as the broader video gaming community – and how anything is possible through hard work and dedication. After all, who would have thought to see people from Japan, Australia, Canada, the USA, the UK, Italy, and elsewhere around the world all working together online to create something like this for free. I’ve been following this project for over three years now, and it has never ceased to amaze me how unlikely it is that something like this should even exist at all, and how fortunate we the users are that it did.

On a more personal note, Katawa Shoujo as a visual novel has forced me to change how I look at people and treat my fellow man. Some of the writing and direction in the game is truly fantastic, and has forced me to reflect on how I treat other people, including the disabled, and to reassess just how rigid and biased my views are. Where once I might have passed a man in a wheelchair and avoided staring, thinking only to pity him; now I nod as I pass him as if it were normal, thinking instead, “I wonder why he is disabled? I wonder how he feels about it, and how it has affected his life?” In other words, where once I saw a man in a wheelchair, now I see a man. For me, disability has gone from being a stigma, to being a curiosity, to being normal. It is a change in my life that I feel is for the better, and one that I know is entirely because of Katawa Shoujo.

This project has brought together the KS Development Team, an unlikely bunch of people as you are from all around the world. Because of your efforts, today – five years later – I can today enjoy a great visual novel because of your work. But this isn’t just 420 megabytes sitting on my hard drive. This isn’t just some game. This is something that has
changed my life, and I want to thank you – all of you – for what you’ve accomplished in earnest.

Sincerely,
Nestor
Long Time Lurker of the Shimmie, Forums, and #katawa-shoujo

PS - I decided to make this an open letter so that others could share their thoughts and thanks for Katawa Shoujo in one place - I know how the mods hate extraneous threads.

[Mercutio]

just wanted to add my thanks, before I disappear from the forums thanks to wanting to avoid spoilers (I might have gotten spoiled about something already, and it's making me go ). I don't really have words for how glad I am to be around for this game, or how grateful I am to all the devs for all the hard work they've done. but I have to say that you all deserve every thanks, every word of praise, every squee and laugh and tear, for what you've created.

you, devs, have shown what can happen when awesome and creative people put their heads together to do something and do it damn well.

thank you for this game.

[Teclo]

Yes, I third the sentiment. I haven't been following this game from the start, but over the years I have been following it, a lot has changed in my life. I feel like this is the bit where I say "And Katawa Shoujo was the only constant..." and then the screen starts wobbling and you get a montage recap of my life, but in a funny kind of way, it's not entirely unlike that. I can actually remember my thoughts and feelings about various things, my place in life, far better at various stages of KS' development than I can at, say, various birthdays or holidays.

You've definitely hit on something here that manages to be faithful to the VN medium while also not just being a regurgitation of the same old tropes. That goes from the characters (e.g. Rin could be said to be the "airhead", Osaka-type character, but she has many nuances beyond that), to the character designs, to the setting, to the writing. It's really nice reading a VN that isn't all "....... who am I? ..... what am I?..... if am I?......" for 10,000 lines.

Anyway, thank you and congratulations!

[Somedamnguy]

Thank you devs, for such a great VN. While I didn't wait the full development process like others, it has certainly been worth the two years that I did.
While it is unfortunate 4Ls is closing, thank you for the fantastic game!



Pretty sure I've found an easter egg for those of you who failed Act 1 on the first try like me (emi path)

[Hamadyne]

Yeah, came here to give my heartfelt congratulations as well. Your characters, your art, your music all come together into a stunning visual novel that is sure to be a hit.
I've certainly changed in how I interact with others, including one of my friends who is wheelchair bound. He's just as capable of doing great things, I've realized. Thanks to this VN, I've learned so much about things like that, things I would probably think differently about.

I am 100% satisfied with these results, and I hope to see more of everyone's work, even after 4LS!

Thank you.

[tellit]

Thank you! I spent my evening playing through one of the story-lines. What a great accomplishment seeing this project to completion. This was my first visual novel, and it was definitely a great introduction to the genre.