Katawa Shoujo Act 1 Preview feedback thread

[Deimos]

Besides showering everyone who contributed to KS with praise I have not much to say.

However as some people pointed out before me the male characters do seem to be drawn differently than the female characters. The most obvious discrepancy can be seen between the pictures of Hisao and the other heroines on the character screen on the official website.

[Roysel]

now ive never been atracted to any visual novels, but i eventually ran into KS and i was trapped by the characters, i believe i owe RAITA a couple of drinks, to be honest im even surprised im so trapped by it, its just that the story is, how to put it, its so unique, different...

to put it short, i love it, its very well done... i believe you get that a lot but i hope you appriciete the compliment
i for sure love the work of the writers, all of you guys managed to create a very good story

now like most people i obiosly thought "wow i wish i could help" but the fact is that my talents are limited to pencil art and it seems they are looking for more sirious translators, so ill do my part by spreading it around as everybody should...

on a side note the fact is that from the mood of the novel so far it'll take the sex scenes not as if it were a adult movie but more as a romantic story, iv'e seen coments of people who hope for sex romps and orgys... well if thets what you want i believe its should appear somewhere in 4chan, i'd be surprised if it didn't...

final note: the curiosity is i realy cant pin down the moment i found k, how did all of you find it?

[Duo2Cuo]

They were all high on PCP and they were browsing /a/

but seriously idk. Some people are just talented I guess.

[darrin]

Late to the game, but I am another of those folks who found the game via mention at MegaTokyo. I finally got around to downloading it a couple of weeks ago and have done little else since then. (I should really get around to eating or at least sleeping at some point.) I'll spare you the effusive praise (which might not mean much anyway given this is my first VN). Minor issues (I have no major ones, heh) that I haven't seen addressed in this thread (if I missed them, my apologies):

Language point: In the Nc5xb3 scene, shortly after Hanako describes her tile game, Hisao says something along the lines of "maybe lonely is a wrong word for me... [later]and maybe it's a wrong word for Hanako..." Maybe this is a Briticism/Australianism I'm not familiar with, but to my (American) ear "the wrong word" sounds better (required?) here.

In the background image for the scene where you first see Lilly in "Mind your step", you can see a road sign about 2/3 down and 3/4 to the right. Said roadsign is on the right side of the road, but japan drives on the left. May I recomment mirroring the background image? Make sure you mirror the night version too, when you're heading back to the school.

In the same spirit, in the exercise scenes Thursday and Friday morning, the track appears to curve to the right from where the "viewer" is standing (as if Emi and Hisao were running clockwise along it, or else looking "backwards" toward where they're running from). I'm no runner, but don't folks usually run counter-clockwise around such a track? If so, this might be another image candidate for flipping...

Really excellent work though, I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed this game and am looking forward to the full version.

[fragmentedfear]

I'm ashamed it took me so long to play this. I'll admit when I heard "Visual Novel made by group from 4chan" I labeled it as something that would be good for a chuckle or two but not really my "thing". However, I randomly decided to give it a try today and couldn't stop until I had all of Act 1 at 100%.

I'm completely shocked. In direct contrast to where the project's origins lie, this game actually has a mature sense about it. It's as good as any other commercial produced Visual Novel. Hell, it's better than most commercial produced Visual Novels. From the writing to the quality of the art/effects, everything is perfect.

I've found myself falling for Hanako and Lily. They are definitely my type. It was bittersweet when the demo ended just as I was starting to get to know them.

Really, I can't think of the right words to say in praise of this. This is such a huge step, though. I fully believe that all of you could go on to make a career out of this. Just so you know, if you asked me to pay for the full version of this game, I would gladly do so. It's better than half of the games I pay for anyway.

Seriously, I really look forward to the final product. I hope there are more cute and well-written moments to be had with Hanako. I know it's nowhere near being done and that this is being made on your own spare time. Still, I'll keep an eye on this project from now on until it comes out. Consider me a fan.

[Random person 10]

I just wanted to say this game is spectacular. You could even pass the DEMO for a game in itself. But there are a few parts in the demo where the text just speeds by and i cant read anything but it might be deliberate....im not sure. Anyways....I dunno if anyone has mentioned this already since theres like almost 30 pages worth of feedback to check through before I could post so yea i was feeling a little lazy....Rin's route is bugged for me i think....when i select the part that says "Im interested in the art club" the game freezes for me every time....it could be my computer maybe but i just wanted to point out that fact....and it is a demo so there is still a lot of stuff to work out.

Newayz i hope you guys finish the full version soon and goodluck with all of it.

[Malek]

Hello,i am Malek and i am new to the forums,although i have lurked here for a timeframe of three weeks before signing my self an account. I hope to have fun talking to you all and i do hope that you enjoy talking to me as well.


Now on to the thread.

I realy like this game that goes without saying,i have only managed to clear Hanako and Kenji but i am still trying to complete the others.

So far from what i can see this is a vary nice VN,i have played others and this one ranks highly among them all.
The writing is great,in depth and vary well spelled out and easy to read,clicking past dozens of words doesnt seem so bad when you are playing this game,other games suffer from your hand hurting from the clicking but this one is to good to care about such things.

As for the charactors.
Lilly from what i can tell if a vary nice girl and seems to be more careing for her own good.
Hanako is likewise but her shyness can cause things to happen that can be thought to be awkward.
Kenji creeps me out. Not to be rude but he does.
Emi seems a little to cheerful,i cant help to think that a more darker side lies behind those carefree eyes.
Shizune is a great girl in her own,being mute and deaf are things not to taken lightly and i think you did it nicely.
Shiina "Misha" seems to me to be a little more hyper and jumpy for her own good,but she has proved to be a fine girl and a good usefull friend to Shizune.
The Nurse seems like a skilled Nurse,shocker there,albeit a little strange.
Mutou seems to the point and doesnt seem like the person to back down easly,but he seems like a good person.
Yuuko seems like a cliche bookworm,though you seem to have set her up nicely.

From what i can see you guys seem to have handled disabilitys vary well and even with a mark of grace and style.

I give the game a 9.8/10

Vary well done guys. I can not wait for the full game to be finnished but by all means take your time.


Have a nice day and thanks for reading.

[Xenokitten]

I downloaded Act 1 about 3 days ago. I was really impressed with the level of quality in the art and writing. Having played many ren'py games with either poor art or poor writing or both I had stopped visiting lemia soft forums almost all together. This game gives me hope that many others will start to produce free dating sims in english that are of this caliber.

Thoughts/comments:
1.) I'm kinda disappointed that Misha won't have her own path in the final game because she is kinda cute.
2.) I would really like if near the end of the game if the girls would divulge information about what caused their disabilities. Maybe it's already planned or in the works, But I just think it would be natural and fitting as they grew closer to intimacy with the main character.
3.) Some of the music could have been looped longer in parts, also it seemed like one track in particular was much louder than the others which caused me to constantly be fumbling with the volume keys on my computer.
4.) I see pictures of other girls on the blog and I was wondering if they were dateable characters. Along the same lines is there any chance to date yuuko? She's kinda cute too.
5.) I'm curious as to an approximation on how many hours of game play the final game will be with all the paths added up?

That is all Thank you for your hard work on this game. I look forward to the final release in the future.

[Humple]

This might seem a bit nitpicky, but according to the Wikipedia page for Prussian Blue, the color is called Parisian Blue in the field of painting, which is obviously how it is used in the game.

So if it's called Parisian Blue in painting, wouldn't a company producing paint use that name?

[Juno]

It says it's an alternative name in painting, not the exclusive one.

[Rade Valor]

This was my second VN and i loved it, this was the one that got me hooked on these
I have read a few more after this one and this is by far the one i am most interested in seeing through to the end.
I feel bad because it appears like I'm the only one who got the "Bad Ending" right off the bat
I've completed the whole game to 100% and at this point my favorite character is Shizune, and it also seems like I'm the only person who isn't having a problem being able to tell when it's Shizune talking and when its Misha. It's just obvious to me because of the way things are said.
I can't wait for the full version and i pray to the heavens that this doesn't turn into a giant "Bel-Air" or a "Rick-Roll" granted it would be the best one in all history LOL

[ubergeneral]

Ok it's about time for me to get started and give feedback.

First off KS was my first real VN so I don't have much to compare it too

Anyways lets get started

KS is a good VN for people that are new to it. It pulls you in quickly without really setting up any strange gimmicks. While at first it seems like it's going to be this strange japanese story about cripple sexland adventures it begins by portaying all the characters as normal people. As you continue your stay at Yamaku high you meet your classmates but instead of making the disability as their "gimmick" it shows them as normal people in the best was possible. In other word you have made them into interesting characters by making these girls basically the same as any other non-disabled person and yet made them extraordinary by having them do things that overcome what holds them back. In the end they are pretty normal and you did a good job showing that to us.

The music and art are great parts of the story. The music really does set the mood for the scenes in the story while not overwelming the reader. The art is cute and well drawn portraying the girls the way they were intended.

The choices can be a bit confusing at time though. Since it's not completely obvious what that choice will make happen. This is true on some of the stupid choices like the one when your walking home with Lily and Rin, which will lead to you a manly picnic if you choose to say "I'm fine". If it should imply that he would lose him temper to make it more obvious that he's about the mess things up. Another option that sticks out is the choice you get if you go running with Emi and then Misha asks where you were. If you choose "I was having fun" he will flip out and get Kenji. For this it should be more obvious that this is a dumb choice. It would stink to get Bad End on your first play through.

Last the Main girls need more art, more poses and music. The same art through all 3 acts will get old by the end of act 3 so to keep things freash a new view of the same girl should be in for each act to reward players for getting this far.

But in the end the best part of the VN isn't the gimmick it's how you take it and make it into a tasteful story with colorful characters. I'm excited to see how this will turn out as the demo was fantastic and I want to know how the story ends for each of the other girls.

[P.T.Y.H.H.]

I have to say, this VN is very well done, even for a demo. Here's to hoping you guys can keep it up for the final game.

Also, I do believe Kenji is my favorite character {Hanako is second}. Hell, the first run through, I messed up and got the 'Bad End' but it was worth it, because the rooftop Kenji scene is one of the best scenes I've ever seen - in any VN. Kinda wish that you didn't 'die' per se, but got even more crippled [broken legs or something] and you and Kenji's story continues [no homo]. Just to see him go off his rocker more. His story line would probably end with you doing something like bombing the school or whatever he deems is a good idea to 'rid the place of feminists'.

Hats off to you guys, you've done a fantastic job. Now I can't wait for the final version.

[Helpful Anon]

After playing through Act 1 I have a few things id like to say.

First off i wanna say i have played a lot of VN and this is by far my favorite and been most impressed by.
I have grown attached to the story. I really enjoy it and like seeing how it all turns out by the choices i make.

Heres a few things i wanna point out that i like.

I like how the choices you make are rather vague. So a lot of the time there is no clear path to any of the girls.
So its fun to see who you turn out being w/ by the choices you make. I disliked other VN because i was able to simply get to what i wanted, with this rather its almost random and much more fun to see how things turn out.

I really like the main character Hisao. I feel like i care for the character a lot after playing a short time. So I really want things to end well for him.

The art is prolly my favorite part of the whole game. I love the look and feel of everything. The look of all the characters have there own original feel to them, rather than just another anime character.

Now you heard the things i liked. I also have a suggestion for the final game.

What id really like to see most in the final game is more scenes where its expanded art. And what i mean by that is more scenes that dosnt just have the girls on the screen. Take the i what i guess you could say bad end w/ kenji for example. And how the screen showed both characters carrying on a conversation. Or the part when you meet lilly for the first time and shows them both talking at the table. I really enjoyed those moments and i really hope to see more. I was expecting such a scene when You wake up to find Rin on your shoulder and fireworks. I was hoping to see her laying agenst Hisaos shoulder. So i was rather dissapointed.. So i am really hoping to see more of those types of scenes in the final game.

[Aya Reiko]

For the first Act, 4LS has done quite well... though I do have a few requests.

1. Borrow the Fate's CG Gallery design schema. Currently, the player would have to go through all images when they click on a CG. The Fate design would instead send the player to a sub-menu that allows them to go to a specific CG.

2. Include all the CG's in the Gallery. Why are there no CGs for Rin's mural? Or additional scenes with Lily at her desk that include Hanako and Hisao?

3. Getting to Rin's route probably should be expanded (toughened?) somehow. Currently there's only one decision needed to reach Rin's route, and you get to that branch point by being indifferent to the other girls and not doing something stupid just before the festival.