In regards to Shizune

[SnowSong]

If you do not mind me asking, is there a particular instrument that you can feel better or can pick out easier than others? Would a violin confuse you because of its overlapping frequencies or would it only enrich the experience?

[Caesius]

It's pretty much a given that music sounds better live. There was a jazz concert at my high school once, and the drum solos were incredible. There was even one song where they had to bring out a backup drummer because the solo was so long and complicated.

How close do you have to be to the instruments to be able to feel them?


Edit: And I hope you don't mind being bombarded with questions and drawing all this fascination and attention.

[stalk]

If you do not mind me asking, is there a particular instrument that you can feel better or can pick out easier than others? Would a violin confuse you because of its overlapping frequencies or would it only enrich the experience?

I think that the two instruments I could pick out the quickest would be drums and piano. Stringed instruments become harder. It's easier to identify what instrument it is if I'm told in advance. But the instrument itself matters less than the sound coming from it. This here is a good example. You ask if a violin would confuse me because of overlapping frequencies. I couldn't tell you that much detail. First of all I don't know what overlapping frequencies means. Well, I mean I know the definition and what it is. But I don't know if what I feel is what is called overlapping frequencies. So to answer your question, "I don't know."

If someone took the time to teach me music and what the different things I feel are, I would probably be able to tell you more about what I feel and what I experience when I feel music. But all I can tell is... "This part feels nice." "That part was meh." That kind of thing.

It's pretty much a given that music sounds better live. There was a jazz concert at my high school once, and the drum solos were incredible. There was even one song where they had to bring out a backup drummer because the solo was so long and complicated.

How close do you have to be to the instruments to be able to feel them?



Edit: And I hope you don't mind being bombarded with questions and drawing all this fascination and attention.

Well yeah, I definitely understand it sounds better live. I just meant it in the sense that.. I can enjoy basically every music out of a box. But vocals, I can't enjoy at all unless I can feel the person. So it's a definite yes/no thing rather than... "I enjoy it better live".

As for how close, it really depends on millions of things. The type of surface I'm standing on (wood transfers better than cement, carpeting dulls the feeling, and so on.) And how much ambient vibrations there are (I would have a HARD time singling out music while standing on a dance floor if everyone's dancing hard) and many more things. So I really couldnt tell you. You'd have to ask something more specific about the surroundings I'm in... am I in a room with just me and one other person inside a house? Am I at a concert? etc etc.

And the questions are actually quite pleasant. I was around when the Katawa Shoujo idea spawned on 4chan, and posted a few times under the name Deaf Anonymous. I had forgotten about it until recently. So when I came here and made my post, I associated the KS forums with 4chan. I was prepared to be bomboarded with TITS OR GTFO and fap fap huurrrrr cripple fap fap.

So my expectations in consideration, this was a pleasant surprise. I'm more than happy to have an intelligent conversation with anyone, especially on a subject that I'm close to. If my expectations were met I would probably have left long ago.

[Caesius]

Well yeah, I definitely understand it sounds better live. I just meant it in the sense that.. I can enjoy basically every music out of a box. But vocals, I can't enjoy at all unless I can feel the person. So it's a definite yes/no thing rather than... "I enjoy it better live".

So do you tend to avoid listening to songs with vocals "out of a box" or do you just not care whether or not "boxed" music has vocals?

And the questions are actually quite pleasant. I was around when the Katawa Shoujo idea spawned on 4chan, and posted a few times under the name Deaf Anonymous. I had forgotten about it until recently. So when I came here and made my post, I associated the KS forums with 4chan. I was prepared to be bomboarded with TITS OR GTFO and fap fap huurrrrr cripple fap fap.

So my expectations in consideration, this was a pleasant surprise. I'm more than happy to have an intelligent conversation with anyone, especially on a subject that I'm close to. If my expectations were met I would probably have left long ago.

I'm sure it would've been a different story if your first post had been along the lines of "hey guys I'm a girl and also deaf lol ^___^"

You only indirectly revealed that you were a girl when the discussion was well underway, which admittedly made me go, "oh... huh, okay..." Thus my insistence that I wasn't hitting on you. Or maybe I am, I don't know anymore. :<

Nonetheless, this community is definitely far less obnoxious than 4chan as a whole, especially when we have threads such as this one. Unlike /b/, where pretty much any thread is guaranteed to be trolled and spammed to hell with faggotry, the serious discussion tends to be fairly well contained, and the absolute worst that happens in any other thread is "omg hanako is so kawaii xD" or "shizune is a bitch, she can go choke on a dick."

[vermithrx]

I also love a good singer, the feel on the chest is beautiful. Very few have the confidence to let me touch them while they sing, though, which makes me sad.

Hmm...I would certainly find being touched while I sing awkward at first. I feel vulnerable putting my voice on display in the first place, having someone invading my personal space at the same time would make that worse. There would have to be trust.

Have you ever stood in the midst of a choir while it sings? You can feel the vibrations really well through the floor (especially on risers) and the air. I often try to match the feeling of my own voice to that around me so I can better blend in since I have very diminished hearing (chronic ear infections as a child). I love to press my entire body up against a piano while it's being played and feel the piece vibrate through me.

Back to the previous subject, I've never actually asked to touch someone's chest while they sing, but I have thought about it before. Maybe I'll actually try it since it doesn't seem so novel an idea anymore.

Sudden romantic mental image: Lilly and Hisao, singing a duet, touching each others' chests (not that way), basking in the feel and sound of their blending, harmonizing voices.

[Caesius]

Well, she said that the feeling of a person singing feels good on her chest, so I had the mental image of her resting her chest on someone's back as they sing, essentially hugging from behind. I found the idea cute.

[stalk]

Well yeah, I definitely understand it sounds better live. I just meant it in the sense that.. I can enjoy basically every music out of a box. But vocals, I can't enjoy at all unless I can feel the person. So it's a definite yes/no thing rather than... "I enjoy it better live".

So do you tend to avoid listening to songs with vocals "out of a box" or do you just not care whether or not "boxed" music has vocals?

The former. I think part of the problem is because I can't see the emotion. When people talk, I need a face to go with it. I do realize that the point is more the sounds, but I can't disassociate the two. If there's a voice without a face, it's like a wall is talking to me. Kind of freaky!

And the questions are actually quite pleasant. I was around when the Katawa Shoujo idea spawned on 4chan, and posted a few times under the name Deaf Anonymous. I had forgotten about it until recently. So when I came here and made my post, I associated the KS forums with 4chan. I was prepared to be bomboarded with TITS OR GTFO and fap fap huurrrrr cripple fap fap.

So my expectations in consideration, this was a pleasant surprise. I'm more than happy to have an intelligent conversation with anyone, especially on a subject that I'm close to. If my expectations were met I would probably have left long ago.

I'm sure it would've been a different story if your first post had been along the lines of "hey guys I'm a girl and also deaf lol ^___^"

You only indirectly revealed that you were a girl when the discussion was well underway, which admittedly made me go, "oh... huh, okay..." Thus my insistence that I wasn't hitting on you. Or maybe I am, I don't know anymore. :<

Nonetheless, this community is definitely far less obnoxious than 4chan as a whole, especially when we have threads such as this one. Unlike /b/, where pretty much any thread is guaranteed to be trolled and spammed to hell with faggotry, the serious discussion tends to be fairly well contained, and the absolute worst that happens in any other thread is "omg hanako is so kawaii xD" or "shizune is a bitch, she can go choke on a dick."

I didn't realize that I never mentioned it until later. I wasn't trying to hide it but I wasn't trying to make a point of it either. I was slightly confused when you said that line because I wasn't sure what brought it on. But I see now. That would explain it.

But yeah, I'm enjoying reading around on the forum and seeing what all the people have to say about the girls. It's kind of fun. I see a lot of people think that Shizune is a bitch, but I think she's funny :p

I have to admit though the end of her route in Act 1 had me scratching my head, where she spread her arms wide. My first thought was... is she asking for a hug? Then the game goes all insightful and stuff. I tilted my head and went... wait, what's going on? How'd Hisao get THAT out of... her spreading her arms wide?

Still though I enjoyed Shizune's route. I haven't gotten around to playing the other routes yet, but I think I'm most looking forward to... dang... I'm terrible with names. Rin? The girl with no arms. Her facial expressions and deadpan way of talking has me cracking up. I don't like the girl without legs, and I like the blind girl even less. Hanako sits strongly on my "meh" rank. The legless girl is too bright and bubbly, the blind girl is too calm and formal (Probably stems from me not really liking people who are hard to read, so people who will put on a calm face even when angry will bug me) Hanako is a step above blind girl only because she does show her emotion, but it's so exaggerated I find myself exhausted whenever I see her.

Hopefully i have some time to play soon!

[Caesius]

I have to admit though the end of her route in Act 1 had me scratching my head, where she spread her arms wide. My first thought was... is she asking for a hug? Then the game goes all insightful and stuff. I tilted my head and went... wait, what's going on? How'd Hisao get THAT out of... her spreading her arms wide?

She spread out her arms to draw attention to the sky, because she knew the fireworks were just about to start (she was wearing a watch) and probably assumed Hisao would know that there would be fireworks. Hisao, of course, completely misinterpreted what she meant by that, and his mushy little monologue was lost on her.

[stalk]

I also love a good singer, the feel on the chest is beautiful. Very few have the confidence to let me touch them while they sing, though, which makes me sad.

Hmm...I would certainly find being touched while I sing awkward at first. I feel vulnerable putting my voice on display in the first place, having someone invading my personal space at the same time would make that worse. There would have to be trust.

Yeah, that's pretty much the deal for most people. So I've only gotten to do it once or twice, after much begging haha.

Have you ever stood in the midst of a choir while it sings? You can feel the vibrations really well through the floor (especially on risers) and the air. I often try to match the feeling of my own voice to that around me so I can better blend in since I have very diminished hearing (chronic ear infections as a child). I love to press my entire body up against a piano while it's being played and feel the piece vibrate through me.

Nope, I've never really been around music. The only time I have is when I had a friend that was in a band, but even then I never really hung out with her much. But in regards to the piano, that's exactly what I love to do!

Well, she said that the feeling of a person singing feels good on her chest, so I had the mental image of her resting her chest on someone's back as they sing, essentially hugging from behind. I found the idea cute.

Haha that does sound romantic but both times I just had my arm around the waist while sitting down and felt from there. It was nice though...

[stalk]

I have to admit though the end of her route in Act 1 had me scratching my head, where she spread her arms wide. My first thought was... is she asking for a hug? Then the game goes all insightful and stuff. I tilted my head and went... wait, what's going on? How'd Hisao get THAT out of... her spreading her arms wide?

She spread out her arms to draw attention to the sky, because she knew the fireworks were just about to start (she was wearing a watch) and probably assumed Hisao would know that there would be fireworks. Hisao, of course, completely misinterpreted what she meant by that, and his mushy little monologue was lost on her.

Ah, I see. I must have misunderstood the scene, I was up late trying to finish it so I was tired. But putting it like that, it makes a lot more sense now!

[Caesius]

Hmm...


Do you tend to read more slowly than hearing people?


(Of course, the fastest readers don't actually sound out the words in their head, and they have to train themselves to be able to do that.)

[stalk]

Hmm...


Do you tend to read more slowly than hearing people?


(Of course, the fastest readers don't actually sound out the words in their head, and they have to train themselves to be able to do that.)

I read at the speed of light and type at 10 times the speed of light. LOL.

I don't know if it's a quirk of mine, or if it's normal among deaf people, or anything. I guess I never really paid attention to it. Well rather, I don't know many people who read books.

I'm a TOTAL bookworm. I read read read alllllllll day long and allllll night long. I've been known to go to bed, then wake up at 1am with a burning desire to read!

So I'm probably a fast reader due to that fact alone. I don't know if deaf people have a inherent disadvantage at reading. I suppose the same people who have difficulty writing proper english would have difficulty reading fast.

I'm currently reading the A Song of Fire and Ice series by George RR Martin. I LOVE it!

[Caesius]

Ah, I was just wondering since you seem to be taking a while to get through KS. It seems like you have plenty else to do, though.

[Bara]

Well, she said that the feeling of a person singing feels good on her chest, so I had the mental image of her resting her chest on someone's back as they sing, essentially hugging from behind. I found the idea cute.

When she said this I pictured standing in front of the singer with one hand touching the singers breastbone.
Hugging the singer would interfere with the singers breathing and affect the song. I was always taught vocals begin at the soles of the feet and go through to the head. Posture is important to a vocalist. Their body is the instrument they are playing. I'd imagine only VERY well trained singers (think broadway or opera level) would be well enough trained to sing well while in contact with another person since they are both vocalists and actors. Your average vocalist who sings in the church choir or solo is not trained for that. Touching someone else is distracting at best when you are trying to focus on producing the sound required. The focus and effort required can be very demanding for some pieces.
Hmmm, how would try to describe standing in a large choir to someone who is totaly deaf? The closest I could come would be to say think of swimming in a sea of vibrations. Sorry, I'm horribly innept at conveying ideas like this.

[stalk]

Ah, I was just wondering since you seem to be taking a while to get through KS. It seems like you have plenty else to do, though.

I wouldn't say plenty else LOL but I guess it's a sign that I truly enjoy what I'm reading. Most novels I blow through them in a day. But a truly good novel, I will read a little bit, maybe a half chapter or full chapter at a time, and digest what I've just read. Just take a break, do some other stuff, relax, think about how I feel about it so far.

I don't know if KS is -that- well written, I mean... it's not said as an insult, but I don't think anyone is striving to compare to JRR Tolkien or George RR Martin here. However it is written well enough that it does not distract from the overall feeling of the game, which is what I'm enjoying tremendously. Reading Hisao's insights, Shizune's behavior, and just... seeing the world through the eyes of a hearing person. It is just SO fascinating. So I'm really enjoying it. I've read a few VN's before (Fate/Stay Night, ummm.... I'm sure there's others that I'm forgetting) and I probably get a entirely different thing out of them than the target audience. But they were enjoyable stories, and some of the stuff was kind of LOL i.e. Sakura's worms making her all lusty), and I liked Archer a lot.

However in KS I feel like I'm playing Shizune's part with a omnipotent perception on Hisao's feelings. Which makes me laugh, imagining "what if other guys were thinking like that about me?!" I.e. Kenji's "I hear the student council president is a fearsome being who never talks and only gives orders through subordinates!" And I start thinking... do people say that about me.....? I know it's off the wall and silly, but like I said it amuses me greatly.

So reading KS has me thinking a lot about everything, and reflecting on my life. Whatever it is in the game that causes me to reflect upon it, whether it's simply the theme, a coincidence, the writing, or all of above... being able to do that earns it an A+ in my book. So yeah, I'm taking my time. The game's not going anywhere, and it'd be a waste to finish it in just a night when I can enjoy it over a week or two.