Would you play a "mental disability" VN similar to KS?

[imperial.standard]

Just saying - if anybody is interested to join as developers, we have opening in the art department I believe.

Go to the first page of this topic and apply in the link provided.

[anon9000]

But I'm talking about a game based on female characters who have solely mental problems; say, a girl with disassociative identity disorder who could flip between a few different personalities in one date. Or maybe a girl with bipolar disorder who suffers from extreme (and unpredictable) mood swings. Maybe even a girl with schizophrenia who has spent her whole life hearing voices, and the only one she can truly count on is YOURS!

That sounds stressful to read. I mean, one of the main points of a VN like this is to develop an emotional bond with a character. In general it isn't easy to deal with mentally unstable people. And wouldn't you have to have disorders that are potentially treatable, so that there's some kind of resolution? I dunno. Either that or you could just have bad endings, heh. Something to think about. Either way - best of luck.

[ziamatt]

But I'm talking about a game based on female characters who have solely mental problems; say, a girl with disassociative identity disorder who could flip between a few different personalities in one date. Or maybe a girl with bipolar disorder who suffers from extreme (and unpredictable) mood swings. Maybe even a girl with schizophrenia who has spent her whole life hearing voices, and the only one she can truly count on is YOURS!

That sounds stressful to read. I mean, one of the main points of a VN like this is to develop an emotional bond with a character. In general it isn't easy to deal with mentally unstable people. And wouldn't you have to have disorders that are potentially treatable, so that there's some kind of resolution? I dunno. Either that or you could just have bad endings, heh. Something to think about. Either way - best of luck.

I imagine most of the resolutions would be like Hanako's route where they still have issues to work out but are able to work them out by the end of the game.

[capncrooked]

I hope the subject of my post hasn't already been brought up, as I did search this topic and wasn't able to find any mention of it...

This strikes me almost as if it could turn into a playable United States of Tara. It's actually a pretty good show, and deals with precisely this topic. The way she interacts with her other personalities is great.

There's even an episode where Tara develops a new personality that goes around "killing off" the other ones.

EDIT!!
And to answer - yeah, I'd play it. Sounds like a cool idea.
Side note - Honeymuffin's avatar of Lilly wearing those Geordi La Forge eyes/glasses is awesome.

[ziamatt]

Mentaru Shoujo has made it to GameFAQs.
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/650003-k ... o/61702955
The reaction so far has been underwhelming.

[gunlocksp]

I don't think so. I mean hell I'd play it but i don't know... Being physically disabled and having a mental disability is completely different. From your link it seems like they want to focus on bipolar and stuff like that. I don't know how well that would go but I guess time will tell... I think there would be some outrage as far as you are taking advantage of girls with mental disorders...

Yume Miru Kusuri focuses on "mental" disorders sort of (I guess it more focuses on social issues). It focusing on the psychological problems of bullying, drugs, and "interpersonal." I wouldn't mind playing another VN like that.

Maybe a combination of their idea with Yume Miru Kusuri. A game that focuses on social issues and the psychological problems they cause. Drugs, Prostitution, Abuse, Bullying, etc.

Like I said before, it's a bad idea. First off, people with hardcore mental problems NEED professional help, NOT relationships. Relationships can come after. People with hardcore mental problems are not in the right state of mind to BE in a relationship in the first place. Getting help is a process that can span quite a bit of time, which would make a linear timeline VN to skip around and become disjointed.

Mild problems will be hard to follow. I have rapid cycle bipolar disorder and I've lost a lot of relationships because of it, it was not really of my choosing. The biggest problem was communication and understanding the whole picture. Also, unlike in KS, most everyone is mentally stable enough to actual understand what they are getting themselves into. None of the girls needed any type of "fixing" and the disabilities they possessed were mostly a secondary trait. It was more like a nice girl who is blind rather than a blind girl who is nice, if that make sense.

At best I see a project like this having a whole bunch of hard to engage / unrelatable characters, at worst I see these characters as being tasteless and psychotic. The big thing about mental issues like depression is that they're in some ways *much* harder to cope with than physical issues, people who were once diagnosed with depression never really have it go away - they can be better for quite a while and then a few simple things can quickly trigger a very full and very destructive relapse... and that's just for one of the more common (and I hate to say it - mundane -) mental issues. Relapses can come quickly and they're terrifying cause they leave you feeling horrifyingly helpless and just to emphasize - very simple things can trigger this stuff depending on the severity of diagnoses.

Things like being bi-polar, schizophrenic, or having borderline personality can be much, much harder to deal with. One of my friends had a schizophrenic grandmother that she lived with... most of the times she was normal, then every once and a while she was off the wall psychotic. In these psychotic episodes she could saying some pretty horrifying things (for someone who was really a sweet old lady while medicated) and threatening / attempting to do crazy things, she once came after my friend with a knife.

I really don't think a game focusing on mental disabilities could portray them with due gravity, and still remain appropriately respectful, dignified and tasteful.

Fix the problems addressed by them or we will just have another rip-off/unoriginal/uninteresting storyline... =.="

[Mahorfeus]

I was going to type a long post about why this is probably a bad idea, but it ended up being somewhat contradictory in regards to KS' precedent. So I'll put that aside - if I had trouble putting together a half-decent argument, then maybe I cannot make one at all. I do have a few thoughts though.

Wouldn't romance be something that is discouraged or outright forbidden in the setting? For some reason I don't see psychologists supporting romantic relationships among patients, given their fragile states.

And probably not what anybody wants to hear, but I can't imagine this idea being pulled off tastefully as an H-game. Perhaps as a tamer story, built more on themes of friendship. Perhaps even with a female protagonist? (Without the otherwise obligatory yuri under these circumstances.)

But all in all, I look forward to seeing whatever comes of this.

[imperial.standard]

Mentaru Shoujo has made it to GameFAQs.
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/650003-k ... o/61702955
The reaction so far has been underwhelming.

At best I believe this is a rather prejudiced opinion glazing on the surface of the premises without actually realizing the potential that could have been explored. To say the least, if you browse a bit early in this thread, I too was one of those skeptical about the concept before realizing about their full potential. Now I kind of had the honor to be one of the founding member of the whole joint effort and looking forward to make this as realistic yet endearing at the same time.

At the moment we have full time medical advisors on our board at all times advising on how these girls with "developmental" and "mental" disability affect their character, interaction, and how they ultimately came to romance with the main character. We also have a full board of 6 experienced writers with a bunch of supporting backup writers, 2(coming to 3) musicians, and 2 programmers signed up to the project. We would have openings for second intake of responsibility pretty soon as our setting had been decided and now we are solidifying the characters before moving on to storyline and test story writes.

Lastly, I think just like our spiritual predecessor, Katawa Shoujo,who had received admonishment,trolling and aversion from the public but soldiered on and produced stellar results, we are now aiming to do just the same - soldiering on and bringing out a heartwarming VN for all to see and enjoy.

[ziamatt]

I admit I was sceptical about this at first. It looked like something that could too easily be made into a joke. But you at least seem to be taking this project seriously, which is a good start. I think this concept has potential, and if this can be done in the tasteful manner Katawa Shoujo was I look forward to this project coming to fruition.

[A ghost...]

Not only no,but fukc no......

I've seen tard porn and it is the single most disturbing thing one can witness,even for a twisted sort like me.
anyway it happens,even if it's between two people who are both short on wires,it comes off as some kind of creepy and very wrong business and generally reeks of rape.

Good luck,and I mean it,when word of this gets out to the world you're gonna be akin to Lester the molester,I expect lawsuits and general outrage-hope you had a fun life,because it's gonna suck to be you after this.

[Guest]

Hey, as an autistic chick, I think this would be kind of awesome. Girls like us don't get a lot of representation in media, and pretty much never in the context of a romantic relationship.

[imperial.standard]

Hey, as an autistic chick, I think this would be kind of awesome. Girls like us don't get a lot of representation in media, and pretty much never in the context of a romantic relationship.

We had one lead girl having the attribute of "Asperger's Syndrome" - quite popular with most of the developers really.

[ziamatt]

Not only no,but fukc no......

I've seen tard porn and it is the single most disturbing thing one can witness,even for a twisted sort like me.
anyway it happens,even if it's between two people who are both short on wires,it comes off as some kind of creepy and very wrong business and generally reeks of rape.

Good luck,and I mean it,when word of this gets out to the world you're gonna be akin to Lester the molester,I expect lawsuits and general outrage-hope you had a fun life,because it's gonna suck to be you after this.

Calling this "tard porn" is actually more ignorant than calling Katawa Shoujo "cripple porn". If you seriously think that "mental disability" is synonymous with "mental retardation" I don't what to tell you.

[macfluffers]

Are you guys set on "Mentaru Shoujo" as a title? I mean, while KS has a Japanese name and setting because of its roots, you guys wouldn't be restrained like that. You have the option of trying to find a more tasteful name.

Your idea sounds like it has potential, but it also seems really easy to screw up and be distasteful, even moreso than KS, so I'm just hoping this all gets handled well.

And on that topic, would the setting be Japanese? I imagine so because you have a Japanese title, and if so, I'm curious as to why you'd do that other than simply because you're following in KS's footsteps.

[kosherbacon]

No, it's a working title. We're still in the process of deciding an eventual name for the finished product.