discussion Pet peeves and notes to writers

[ideal_name]

What are some of your pet peeves when it comes to adult VN/games? I'm hoping this thread becomes a useful guide to future creators.

Here are some of the things that have annoyed me recently:

• When the dev talks to the reader in an intro:
  • if you've done a good job creating the game, there is no need for an introduction.
  • nobody wants to hear from you
  • nobody thinks you're as funny as you think you are
  • people want to try the game, not try you.
• characters who repeatedly make decisions like they're complete fucking morons
  • you should give the character the choices that the player would make
  • if you need the MC to make ridiculous decisions to make the plot work, you have a bad plot.
• Don't have all your Love interests look exactly the same.
  • give the player some variety - not everyone likes grotesque ass/boobs.
• Story is the most important!
  • ren'py renders will never compete with an entire internet full of real women doing real things
  • people play these games to become immersed in the story and the world of the game
  • If the only thing you can say about your game is "har har, i made a naked lady", then you game is bad.

I'd be interested in what other people think and to debate this topic.

Thanks!

 

[ideal_name]

also, i forgot to mention, use some fucking light. I don't understand the practice of making scenes so dark no one can fucking see them.

 

[dk84]

Sure the devs are going to change their games to fit your personal taste.

 

[ideal_name]

Sure the devs are going to change their games to fit your personal taste.

I'm not asking anyone to change anything. just offering some thoughts that people may take into consideration.

 

[.Tor7]

When a Dev lets their followers decide how the story goes or lets a follower name a character in the VN.

Spoiler: Terrible Name

I don't recall what VN it was, but there was a lady with blue hair that had the stupidest name. Something like Bluey Blueberryhair or something along those lines. I stopped playing and searched the forums about that character.

 

[dk84]

I'm not asking anyone to change anything. just offering some thoughts that people may take into consideration.

but you are saying it like you are the representative of all players. Using words like "nobody wants this or that". Is just your opinion and there are a lot differents out there. Im sure some people likes exactly the opposite of what you said.

 

[AlBetGam]

Badly used narration.

VNs are a visual medium. Which means that generally speaking, narration should be a tool for conveying to the reader things that the visuals cannot, not a crutch to narrate the whole game. If the MC is opening a door, and there's a render of him opening the door, there's zero need to include a line of narration say "MC opened the door". I can already see that's happening; use that time to tell me something interesting or relevant or at least something to make him feel more like a real person

 

[deffel]

Note to writers? -> "Thank you for efforts"

 

[ericgaming]

The only pet peeve I have is when the sound/music EQ isn't done right, then a random scene proceeds to suddenly blast meme music into my eardrums, which is appreciated but I have now lost one sense.
You know who you are

 

[Yarkbou]

The thing I hate the most is loud music (either intro music or general game music). Please I don't want my ears to be blown off whenever I open your game.

 

[Sarya]

What are some of your pet peeves when it comes to adult VN/games? I'm hoping this thread becomes a useful guide to future creators.

Here are some of the things that have annoyed me recently:

• When the dev talks to the reader in an intro:
  • if you've done a good job creating the game, there is no need for an introduction.
  • nobody wants to hear from you
  • nobody thinks you're as funny as you think you are
  • people want to try the game, not try you.
• characters who repeatedly make decisions like they're complete fucking morons
  • you should give the character the choices that the player would make
  • if you need the MC to make ridiculous decisions to make the plot work, you have a bad plot.
• Don't have all your Love interests look exactly the same.
  • give the player some variety - not everyone likes grotesque ass/boobs.
• Story is the most important!
  • ren'py renders will never compete with an entire internet full of real women doing real things
  • people play these games to become immersed in the story and the world of the game
  • If the only thing you can say about your game is "har har, i made a naked lady", then you game is bad.

I'd be interested in what other people think and to debate this topic.

Thanks!

I agree with you on most points. For the last point, i think when someone talk about making a game, people are always talking about needing some code and art knowledge. Having a good writer is often neglected, even if it's very important for the quality of the finished product.

 

[Thatguy007]

Like most other media, when the story(s) can be engaging it's great and adds to the overall story told. I'm sure that at the same time I think most people are here for "other" reasons. But on occasion I have had games were they put in enough effort into the story that I would find myself invested in it and the characters.

 

[User_101810]

Devs, make mini-games skippable!

 

[Smrdgy]

I absolutely "love" how some devs put options that do absolutely nothing, just to give the player a false sense of having control over the game or to not categorize as kinetic novel... Or better yet, doing 1 choice screen, like wtf???

 

[JohnnySilverhand1988]

When devs make you grind for content.. its meant to be an adult visual novel not a JRPG!

 

[poczas]

My personal pet peeve... please run your script through a spell checker, or have an anal / obsessive typo-finding volunteer read through it. I'm sure there are plenty of forum folks that would gladly volunteer to help out (I would!)

 

[Squeeky]

What are some of your pet peeves when it comes to adult VN/games? I'm hoping this thread becomes a useful guide to future creators.

Here are some of the things that have annoyed me recently:

• When the dev talks to the reader in an intro:
• characters who repeatedly make decisions like they're complete fucking morons
• Don't have all your Love interests look exactly the same.
• Story is the most important!

I'd be interested in what other people think and to debate this topic.

Thanks!

I agree with two of those.

1. I don't mind when the dev addresses the player at the start. Often it can set context, and sometimes it's told me about games I never knew existed.

2.. Not just AVN's suffer from this. Sadly, two of the easiest ways to move a plot forward are bad decisions and lack of communication. Just keep in mind that many of these AVN's are done by people who aren't professional writers and this may be some of the first real stories they've written. I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt especially if it's their only game. Once you get to the third or fourth game I would expect more.

3. It's not just all the LI's look the same, they look the same as several other games LI's. But certainly if there are clones, it's boring. I get that a single person has "a type" and will probably make the LI's look a certain way. It's just always nice to find an AVN where there's some variety.

4. While story is important, I wouldn't confuse complexity and length with quality. There are some good short games with minimal story and some nice scenes. I would say that the visuals are most important and story is second. I can watch a lot of media for great stories, but AVN's are a rare slice on the venn diagram of story + porn. I really don't mind if there's not much story but really cute girls and good visuals.

 

[Crpapjda]

also, i forgot to mention, use some fucking light. I don't understand the practice of making scenes so dark no one can fucking see them.

is the Snyder school of directors

 

[dirty36]

what I would like to add to this list is;
Too Much story?
some have to describe everything going on.
screen ... I woke up thinking about what to do.
screen... I'm going to get up.
screen ... the floor is cold, I'm almost to the door.

many screens and sentence upon sentence to read,
just to get to the bathroom, but at least I read what color every door I walked by was.
I like a good story but get to it...

yeah who am I to say,
I probably bored the hell out of any one who read this.

 

[Mr. Tearson]

As a Developer, I actually support this. In fact, I encourage everyone who comes in here to actually lay down their thoughts. Developers are constantly trying to get better at what they do. You guys are the judges, the ones we try to please(in a way). Developers will always follow their own paths but learning a few key points from everyone will help us in the long run.

Please don't consider this as an actual complaint but as actual helpful tips for ALL Developers. We learn from the bad more than we do the good.