How many characters would be too many? (example)

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wendybirdx
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How many characters would be too many? (example)

#1 Post by wendybirdx »

I have like zero experience with this sort of stuff, so this might be super off, but I was thinking of setting up my future VN like this:

You start off knowing one character. Let's call him A.
Eventually, they introduce you to this couple (B and C, let's say). They're the leaders of a larger group and invite you to join.
After awhile, the plot's circumstances requires everyone to split up, so you can choose a group of three to follow (and you haven't met that group yet, unless you want to stay with A, B and C). I think there will be four groups, so fifteen characters in total, sixteen with the MC.
Each group is, technically, a route. Then, circumstances require each group of four (MC plus the group of three they chose) to split into duos, so you choose who to stay with.
Each person is a route, so there will be fifteen in total. Each route would reveal the chosen character's background, abilities, etc. So, if you play all routes, you get to know all the characters.

Would this be too much? Is it best to just determine routes by the MC's choices/alliances/attitudes?

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RotGtIE
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Re: How many characters would be too many? (example)

#2 Post by RotGtIE »

The only real limitation on text-based content is in the capacity of the writer(s) to keep up with all of the demands. If you are the sole author of your story, then it follows that you are the primary limiting factor in how much content you can produce within a given timespan. So "too much" is really just based on you.

You have probably seen that it is a common recommendation for people working on their first project to start small. The reason for this is because you do not have any way to measure what your capacity is to produce content, but if you overreach, then you will probably not meet your goals and you will thus wind up producing nothing rather than a short something. A small success gains more ground than a spectacular failure.

Do you have enough spare time to write out your entire story in an amount of time that is acceptable to you? And do you consistently produce content at a pace that will allow you to complete your project, or at least your contribution to it, in that timeframe? These are the only questions that can really help you determine if you're aiming for "too much."

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Re: How many characters would be too many? (example)

#3 Post by Kailoto »

There's no real limit on the number of characters, although remember that the more characters you throw at them, the harder it'll be for the player to connect with any of them.

One thing you should really be aware of in branching content VNs: increasing the amount of characters that make choices increases the complexity of the arcmap exponentially. I currently have a project with only three characters making choices, and it's absolutely bonkers how many paths there are. If I added in a fourth it would probably be too much for myself.

That said, if each character's route is kinetic (meaning there's no branching parts), then your only limit is how much you can actually write. Like RotGtIE said, it's better to start with something small so that you actually finish and can spend more time polishing it.
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Re: How many characters would be too many? (example)

#4 Post by Laiska »

Back in high school, I started writing a story that had twenty different focal characters. I wrote them all separately, divided into matched pairs. So, in a way they were a bit like ten VN paths. I wrote this story for a couple years and tried to put equal attention into each of them, but by the time I put the story down, I found out that I only cared about maybe ten of them. There were too many plot lines to keep track of and not a strong enough central thread to tie them all together, and in the end half of them just weren't interesting enough for anyone to care about, including me.

What I mean to say is, it is very difficult to make an audience, or even yourself, care about that many characters all at once, without devoting loads and loads of time into developing each of these characters. Some novels manage it, but they tend to be 500-page epics. Assuming you don't want to be devoting 300k words to a single visual novel, you probably don't want to be focusing on that many characters. Not giving them enough time will make them come off as flat, and uninteresting.

My advice with that particular set-up would be to focus on one each from each group, so just three characters, and have the other characters on the side. Give the audience brief glimpses of them, just enough to make them wonder about these characters, but don't tell them the whole tale. A full taste of something interesting is better than a full plate of a half-cooked recipe.

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Re: How many characters would be too many? (example)

#5 Post by ladynamoru »

Heres the thing, If you introduce tons of chars in a short period of time (they will become forgettable)
but if you limit it and make them interesting ( its easier for readers to remember)

But If you can connect the number of chars in the story like Durarara and can make a tons of sprite then you can make as many char as u can

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Re: How many characters would be too many? (example)

#6 Post by Sword of Akasha »

Monkey sphere! Monkey sphere! (Or Dunbar's numbah!) =D It's the theoretical limit of how many meaningful relationships that a person can maintain in their lives. 100-200 they say.

I don't think anyone (alone) has made so many characters and created a cohesive narrative structure. The balance between time to characterize and number of characters is a delicate one.

Legend of Galactic Heroes comes to mind though when it comes to a crazy number in the cast while having a coherent story. Usually the epics like that and say The Song of Ice and Fire have time to actually go through so many.

I'm struggling a bit with my main 6 heroines, our protagonist, and the veritable army of assorted side characters. Good luck finding your balance.
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Re: How many characters would be too many? (example)

#7 Post by SundownKid »

I'd say you shouldn't be asking yourself what too many characters is, but how many is too few. That is, is any character unnecessary to your story? If they are, then cut them and take them out of the story.

Sometimes this can even benefit the story. For example, let's say that the mysterious mole in the army of whatever is originally supposed to be Sir Evil Mc Evildude, but you get rid of that character, then the mole has to be one of your close friends. Bam, instant plot twist. Or that military recruiter and general who are separate characters can become a single character, a general who happens to recruit soldiers in secret. Bam, more interesting character.

Maybe your army has to fight 2 generals, Sir Whatshisname and Sir Lancelot... they could be 2 characters, or Lancelot could secretly be Sir Whathisname who faked his death and wants revenge... he instantly becomes a more memorable character, and you are able to remove an unnecessary one.

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