Sprite Removal for the Closed-Minded

[Cirnobyl]

Hey, all.

Now that I've played through Katawa Shoujo in its entirety, I feel the need to share it with those around me.
However, I live in Texas and go to a Baptist church; so, understandably, it's a bit of an issue pursuading my friends because they haven't played a visual novel before or honestly even watched anime (save one or two episodes seen with me). With that said, the unavoidable nudity of the girls is what truly stands in the way of my circulation of the story.

Of course, I'm not insisting for it to be removed from the official release, or to make an option available in-game. Personally, I kept even the sex scenes turned on. I felt that the relationship between Hisao and the girls was deepened through them--excepting one in particular; the idea those two kids had was a real lemon. I really liked the erotic sections of Katawa Shoujo, because I feel like they were needed. They weren't tacked-on or added. For example, playing through Hanako's route a second time with that scene omitted feels, well... I guess thumping cantaloupe isn't my thing.

But, digressing, the people I have in mind would surely not feel the same way. Where I come from, looking at those such things in any form is quite frowned upon. Even without the love scenes, sprites of the unclothed girls still appear. It's a shame that the situation for me is the way it is.

Looking into the the game, I read that it was created with Ren'Py.
Even though I would be breaking license by taking out the sprites of the naked heroines, I feel that it would be better to be able to show Katawa Shoujo to my friends without the full content than to not share it at all.

So, my questions are:
Is it possible for me to delete those character sprites and leave the rest of the game untouched? I don't know how to use Ren'Py at present, but I'd be willing to learn so others could enjoy the visual novel as I did.
Would Four Leaf allow me to change it like that? My plan was to keep the game on a flash drive for use by only 3 or 4 people. I am perfectly willing to refrain if it's not okay; after all, it's not my creation.

Thanks for the visual novel--it really is a work of art.

[Mirrormn]

So, my questions are:
Is it possible for me to delete those character sprites and leave the rest of the game untouched? I don't know how to use Ren'Py at present, but I'd be willing to learn so others could enjoy the visual novel as I did.

Possible? Yes. Some knowledge of Python and Ren'Py would certainly allow you to accomplish this.

Would Four Leaf allow me to change it like that? My plan was to keep the game on a flash drive for use by only 3 or 4 people. I am perfectly willing to refrain if it's not okay; after all, it's not my creation.

Would the developers give you their blessing to do so? I'm 99% certain the answer is no. If they wanted to allow such modifications, they would have chosen a license that specified it.

[Techrayder]

I created an account just to reply to this subject, hello everyone! Anyways, I would really like to see this become a reality, because this does stop potential players from enjoying such a great story. Its definitely the biggest reason I avoid recommending this game to others, sadly

[ShadeHaven]

I can understand why others would want these options, and why some wouldn't want to see the nudity but honestly, it's part of the VN. Without these there not really getting the whole experience, even if it is slightly minor. Just my two cents.

[PikKirby]

I mean if you were to do this alone in the dark sure... but the dev's would not like it. I believe this counts as reverse engineering of software.

[Mirrormn]

I mean if you were to do this alone in the dark sure... but the dev's would not like it. I believe this counts as reverse engineering of software.

There would have to be a moderate amount of reverse engineering, yes. And not only would the devs not like it, but it would be against the game's license, and therefore illegal under copyright law.

[Woody Alien]

I felt that the relationship between Hisao and the girls was deepened through them--excepting one in particular; the idea those two kids had was a real lemon.

I see what you did there.

Back in topic: it's nice that you want to spread the KS word among your circle of friends, but these changes not only go against the integrity of the VN as the devs thought it, but also the integrity of the software, and 4LS doesn't allow to modify its work. It's bad but there's no way to get past it, since the devs decided to not include the nudity scenes in the "disable sex scenes" filter.

[Althamus]

I agree with the OP that the sprite's nudity should've been worked around in some way for when the sex scenes are disabled. I can go with Emi's topless sprite as being on the line, but a couple of the other girls have very obviously completely nude sprites, which I would've thought should've been censored in some way if the sex scenes are disabled.

Having said this, the devs decided for whatever reason not to, so there's not much that should be done. Obviously, if someone were to edit things and do it secretly and not tell anyone... there's very little that can be done to stop them? But I doubt it'd be condoned at all by the devs.

[Daitengu]

I don't know how to use Ren'Py at present, but I'd be willing to learn so others could enjoy the visual novel as I did.


Thanks for the visual novel--it really is a work of art.

Others have answered the rest, I'd like to ask and comment about this statement.

How does one enjoy the VN as you did, if you take out content? It'd be like you eating an apple, then wanting to serve an apple to a friend sliced and peeled expecting them to get the same flavor. Totally different experiences. You're deluding yourself.

If it's art, stand by it as art. We don't go covering up Michael Angelo's Nude works. If your friends are willing to read sex content, but not willing to see nude sprites, they're rather twisted, and on the side of childish. If they aren't willing to see either, then they miss plot and character development. If they are willing to watch things with death and violence, but get grossed out by nudity and sex, then they are idiots and totally childish. Also probably not 18 for that matter.

[Mirrormn]

This thread conflicts me greatly, because I'm pretty sure I could accomplish what the OP wants with just a couple hours of work, but I know quite clearly that it would be illegal and I wouldn't be able to tell anyone about it, let alone share it, without risking being banned from the forums at the very least. I need a distraction from the temptation =/ (Thankfully, there are many many things I should be doing right now instead of posting on the KS forums, so a distraction should not be hard to find!)

[Daitengu]

This thread conflicts me greatly, because I'm pretty sure I could accomplish what the OP wants with just a couple hours of work, but I know quite clearly that it would be illegal and I wouldn't be able to tell anyone about it, let alone share it, without risking being banned from the forums at the very least. I need a distraction from the temptation =/ (Thankfully, there are many many things I should be doing right now instead of posting on the KS forums, so a distraction should not be hard to find!)

Just remember you'd have to take out Rin's Mural and some of her art too, since they got nudity in them. If you see a difference between the two, I'd point at you and call you a Hypocrite.

[Mirrormn]

Just remember you'd have to take out Rin's Mural and some of her art too, since they got nudity in them. If you see a difference between the two, I'd point at you and call you a Hypocrite.

Well, were I to undertake this task (which, to be clear, I am not), I would be censoring the images to conform with the sense of modesty of other people - the OP's friends, to be specific - not my own. If you wanted to call someone "Hypocrite!", it should be them.

[Aura]

Would Four Leaf allow me to change it like that? My plan was to keep the game on a flash drive for use by only 3 or 4 people. I am perfectly willing to refrain if it's not okay; after all, it's not my creation.

Of course we're not okay with it, it breaks the game license. If your friends are not okay with nudity and sex, maybe KS just is not a game for them.

[Althamus]

Just remember you'd have to take out Rin's Mural and some of her art too, since they got nudity in them. If you see a difference between the two, I'd point at you and call you a Hypocrite.

Rin's art is very abstract though. I don't recall the picture in question, but at best it's implied partial nudity in the background of the Katawa Shoujo scene, at worst it's partial nudity. As opposed to full frontal nudity of a sprite which is the subject of the picture.

[The O.H.L.]

You're not the first to bring up this topic, and sadly probably not the last. But nothing will be changed.
The devs even made a damn April Fools joke about this exact topic. I understand where you are coming from, and hopefully you understand why it can't and won't change.