Katawa Shoujo Forums

gekiganwing wrote:Please let me know what aspects of KS you thought were exceptionally good or different.

No. Play the game and let us know. You're the critic here.

(And OELVN is indeed a stupid term. As if it needs to be specially categorized for being English or original.)

I had glanced at some of the flowcharts elsewhere on this forum, and thought that the first part of the VN was going to continue for several more hours. It turns out that my main character was one decision away from a bad ending. It was a bit more final than I expected. Also, if what I've read here and on GameFAQs is correct, there is just one bad ending, but quite a few ways to reach it.

When I get back to reading the VN soon, I will try to choose a path. I don't know which of the five girls I will choose. Might pair the main character up with Lilly, Rin, or Emi. (I stated in another thread that if the nurse were a romance option, I would choose him...)

Pandaphil: I have made judgments on forms of entertainment after only a few minutes, chapters, or episodes. I would probably be wise to finish books/games/series/whatever first before reaching a conclusion.

Xanatos: Thanks for continuing to reply. I sometimes use terms like EVN or WVN (English / western visual novel), but I'm not entirely sure I like either term.

Also, in spring 2005, I discovered VNs beyond the products that JAST and related companies released. I read translated freeware VNs such as "A Midsummer Day's Resonance" and "The Poor Little Bird" and was amazed. It was refreshing to find stories with no harem, no NSFW content, and a relatively short length. I stumbled across freeware VNs created by English speaking fans around the same time. "Black Pencil," "Heikou," and "When I Rule the World" were all short and worksafe. Two of the three can't be described as harem games.

gekiganwing wrote:flowcharts

Stop that! RABBLERABBLERABBLE!

(Don't mind me. )

Man, OP is really getting raked over the coals in here

But in any case, yeah i have to agree that OP is kind of going too far in his nit-picking or cynicism of KS, plus i'm surprised that up to this point he hasn't seen absolutely anything positive about the VN.

Dream wrote:Man, OP is really getting raked over the coals in here

But in any case, yeah i have to agree that OP is kind of going too far in his nit-picking or cynicism of KS, plus i'm surprised that up to this point he hasn't seen absolutely anything positive about the VN.

If he were raked over the coals any harder, he'd be Hanako. /burningjoke

pandaphil wrote:I'm just impressed that he's posted 46 times in a forum about a VN that he doesn't particularly care for.

Damn, that's more than me, and KS was one of the best things to happen to me this year!

gekiganwing wrote: (In case you're wondering, I dislike the term "OEL," and I try to avoid using it.)

I don't quite get that myself.

Visual Novel, I get. I've always thought it was sort of a clunky name, but it's the accepted one for the genre.

Original, I don't think is necessary. I've played quite a few Original English Language Visual Novels that didn't have an ounce of originality in them. For that matter, why do we even need to call them original? You never hear anybody refer to Original Platforming Game or Original RPG.

English isn't needed in the title, but I can see why it's there, but language is just excessive. Why call it "English Language" is that to seperate it from all those other Visual Novels that come out of England that are written in Spanish and Chinese?

You talked about focusing on what KS does better. So far, I have seen a couple phrases of dialogue and moments of narration that make me wonder if I might like KS. To be specific, there have been statements about the main character having kinship with the other characters, thinking of them as equals, and feeling at home in the academy. Those make me think that the story could be heartwarming.

If you like those aspects keep playing. They get even better.

2. I've become so pessimistic about music that I don't know if I have any ability to judge music as good or bad.

I can't really talk about music, but I know when it works for me and when it doesn't. I recently played a Japanese visual novel made by an actual professional studio and all the music there sounded like it came from infomercials. I guess it's just one of those things that either works for you or doesn't.

gekiganwing wrote:I had glanced at some of the flowcharts elsewhere on this forum, and thought that the first part of the VN was going to continue for several more hours. It turns out that my main character was one decision away from a bad ending. It was a bit more final than I expected.

No. Stop. No flowcharts. Beat the game first At least once with very route (twice would be preferable.) Then you can go back and look at your charts. Earn your endings.

Also, if what I've read here and on GameFAQs is correct, there is just one bad ending, but quite a few ways to reach it.

You just keep thinking that.

Xanatos wrote:

gekiganwing wrote:flowcharts

Stop that! RABBLERABBLERABBLE!

And Xanatos has just outted himself as being the Hamburglar. I suspected as much all along.

I'm probably gonna agree on the general consensus here: have an open mind, and don't be so nitpicky about unimportant things. At least try to experience the VN before going off and breaking the game with flowcharts and the like. If you really can't just sit down and enjoy the game, then I hate to sound rude, but you have no business posting your stubbed toe complaints on a dedicated board for the VN. At the very least, wait until you're not so cynical about everything to read it, if you can't bring yourself to have an enjoyable experience.

Oddball wrote:And Xanatos has just outted himself as being the Hamburglar. I suspected as much all along.

Not what I was going for but okay...

Flowcharts are only for the scenes you absolutely can't get, like Mai's good ending in Kanon (or Shiori's route for that matter ).

OtakuNinja wrote:Flowcharts are only for the scenes you absolutely can't get, like Mai's good ending in Kanon (or Shiori's route for that matter ).

Shiori...That name brings back memories. <.<

And flowcharts are the devil.

Xanatos wrote: And flowcharts are the devil.

Solistor wrote:

Xanatos wrote: And flowcharts are the devil.

Don't you be usin' them flucharts, Bobby Boucher!

Not entirely sure of this, but i think i saw OP around on another forum i recently joined. Didn't really get a chance to talk to him, but i hope he didn't feel too bad/attacked by all the replies he got here (or rather, the tone of some of them) Personally, i would find his review of the VN interesting, in a way.

We probably were a bit rough on him, but he really did get off on the wrong foot. Coming in here criticizing something we all love while admitting he hasn't actually played it yet. He was kinda asking for it.