discussion Thoughts on VN vs. Sandbox

[smite22]

I am trying to see if I am alone in this thought and the industry is just heading the direction of it. I prefer a great immersive VN with choices that make me feel involved in the story as it develops. The VN format tends to have a smooth flow to the story as well.

I am seeing an increasing amount of stories going the sandbox/point and click path. To me this option tends to make the story flow poorly and is broken up sometimes a jumbled mess. Seems to me this tends to be a shortcut for devs. as they create snipits of content then dump it in a spot on the map.

I won't even consider looking at RPG or Text Based games so I won't talk more about them. Please drop a note and let me know your take on this.

 

[Dikgamers]

if sandbox is made good without endless grind - i will always prefer this over VN. i like a feel of freedom better than just slideshow

 

[smite22]

So you enjoy more of a gaming aspect to it than a story driven style? I have tried several from all formats but my preference is heavier on the story with smooth flow and choices/paths. Most sandbox I have tried are quite the grind with repetitive scenes until you finally advance the story. Of course my physical conditions also weigh into my choices as well.

 

[rocketsheep]

For me it's all about story, so I always prefer visual novels. Even more, I prefer visual novels that are essentially kinetic, or have just a few clear places where they branch, with full transparency. For example Pale Carnations, while obviously excellent, is a bit chaotic with its branching for my taste. Maybe I wouldn't mind so much if it was finished, but nowadays the typical state of a game when you play it is unfinished.
Part of the problem for me is that I am a notorious bug detector, not just in adult games. If there is a way to use software in an unexpected way and so run into bugs, then I have a very good chance of finding it by accident. This is almost never a problem with proper visual novels, but almost all sandboxes have some bugs related to doing things in an order not expected by the author.

 

[AlBetGam]

I really enjoy a good sandbox. When it's done right it adds a layer of interactivity to the game and makes the outcome more rewarding- you're not just clicking forward to see the next thing that happens, you're actually playing a game.

The problem is that sandbox games are much harder to get right than VNs. They have more moving parts, and if the dev isn't really paying attention to what they're doing and how it will feel for the player, those moving parts just kinda smash together into a miserable mess.

 

[Kernist]

I also prefer sandbox, but if done poorly then VN format is way better.

 

[smite22]

I really enjoy a good sandbox. When it's done right it adds a layer of interactivity to the game and makes the outcome more rewarding- you're not just clicking forward to see the next thing that happens, you're actually playing a game.

The problem is that sandbox games are much harder to get right than VNs. They have more moving parts, and if the dev isn't really paying attention to what they're doing and how it will feel for the player, those moving parts just kinda smash together into a miserable mess.

I guess I have run across too many of the latter jumbled mess.

 

[smite22]

I also prefer sandbox, but if done poorly then VN format is way better.

my guess is the ones I tried were of the low success style and seemed to be better off if it was just straight VN format with choices/paths

 

[User_101961]

I prefer VN but I don't hate a good Sandbox and will play it .

 

[Dikgamers]

So you enjoy more of a gaming aspect to it than a story driven style? I have tried several from all formats but my preference is heavier on the story with smooth flow and choices/paths. Most sandbox I have tried are quite the grind with repetitive scenes until you finally advance the story. Of course my physical conditions also weigh into my choices as well.

yes. i like to go wherever i want, develope a relationship with a girl i prefer etc. with vns i often forced to do something i didn't really want. good sandbox also has many small activities here and there

 

[longgoneguy46]

if sandbox is made good without endless grind - i will always prefer this over VN. i like a feel of freedom better than just slideshow

yes, grindy sandbox are the worst.

 

[smite22]

I guess with me being old I tend to enjoy the reading of a good steamy story...my games were played when Atari came out with a console

 

[Uthuriel]

VN all the way.

 

[LewisCarroll]

The are different mediums with different aims. That said, all things being equal, I'd pick the sandbox if it truly left me alone and had great content.

 

[Rads95]

I prefer sandbox over VN. Except if the sandbox is done poorly, like too much grinding, or without information about how to play or what to do to advance through the game. I detest that type of sandbox.

 

[SloppySqueezer]

I am trying to see if I am alone in this thought and the industry is just heading the direction of it. I prefer a great immersive VN with choices that make me feel involved in the story as it develops. The VN format tends to have a smooth flow to the story as well.

I am seeing an increasing amount of stories going the sandbox/point and click path. To me this option tends to make the story flow poorly and is broken up sometimes a jumbled mess. Seems to me this tends to be a shortcut for devs. as they create snipits of content then dump it in a spot on the map.

I won't even consider looking at RPG or Text Based games so I won't talk more about them. Please drop a note and let me know your take on this.

A combination of both will be ideal. We're still in the infancy stage of sandbox, but there are a couple that show a glimmer of potential.

 

[Here's Johnny]

I prefer sandbox type games, BUT only if done right.
Endless repeated grinding of the same scenes to arbitrarily raise a stat by 1 point each time until the scenes changes slightly and allows you to progress is horrible.. like, absolutely horrible.
But a bit of freedom in when you pursue what storyline and which characters you progress with first - etc etc has a preference over a full linear story.

So I guess...
Good Sandbox > VN > Bad Sandbox

(And in any of the cases; being locked out of certain content based on choices is lame -> it means you'll have to replay the game to unlock certain scenes; and it means that for the people that dont replay, the devs 'wasted' time on making scenes that never get viewed etc)

 

[User_3471]

I can’t stand these sandbox games, primarily because developers don’t know how to properly implement them. In my opinion, they kill the flow of the game and in many cases they confuse the story. Many developers will use this style of game to trigger certain events based on stats. The problem with this is that it often triggers events before they should occur in terms of game flow. I have literally had a game take me to a part of a story where I went, “Wait!! How did this happen?” And then go to a forum and have the dev say, “Yea, you need to do this first.” What? How about fixing your terrible game flow and prevent that from happening? You are programming the game after all!

Grind? Oh boy!! It’s the #1 thing that has caused me to avoid them. I am sorry and you can try to justify it any way you want, but having to do the same thing over and over just to advance a story is stupid! It is one thing to create a side quest that takes you off the beaten path and gives you a “part” of what you need to advance. It is another thing to go to point “A” and do activity “1” with the same exact actions 10 times to advance! Screw that! Lol, I have had people argue a hundred different point but they all come back to the same conclusions. Pointless grind that gets you nowhere. A developer can choose to make you run in pointless repetitive circles because it is “easier” for them to give you the illusion of flow, or they can give you more activities with less grind, but that means more work, time and imagination.

I only have one sandbox game in my catalog and it is because I feel that unlike other developers, this one listens to his/her fans and doesn’t bore you to death with pointless grind. “You are missing out on a bunch of great games!” No, I am not. I am taking that wasted time and enjoying other games!

 

[User_139447]

Good Sandbox > VN > Bad Sandbox

With you on this.

And there are some games who do this well. Come Home comes to mind. Mix of AVN and dating sim. One of the least grindy sandboxes I've encountered so far.

 

[Runescape771]

I'm okay with sandbox but the grind is really annoying