So I have decided to make a dating sim after drawing up a idea for one just for fun. but the more me and my friends talked about it the more I wanted it to be real. so here I am. Well I write out the story I thought I might come here and ask some questions about the writing side of things.
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
writing a dating sim
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Genesis
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Re: writing a dating sim
Is there anything you hate about dating sims? : Most dating sims I have played so far are more focused on the raising certain meters aspect rather than the development of the characters themselves. Another thing is that the whole raising stats system can get repetitive as time goes on.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice? : Not at all! In fact, playing a main character who barely speaks or has very linear kind of reactions can be pretty boring. I usually get more emotionally invested into main characters that are fully developed (regardless of their personalities). If you want, you can consider allowing the players to depict the main character's personality at the beginning although that may take a bit more work.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route? : Actually, I don't mind how lengthy it is as long as the time is used sufficiently. It would be best if there is a balance of narration + sim elements.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route? : Do you mean whether playing several routes is more important than getting so emotionally invested in one? For me, I think it depends on the nature of your story, but I do think that it would be better if the readers play all the routes instead of just one. After all, there is no point writing and creating all the other routes if the focus is just on one single route. Besides, if your game is the type where all the routes are linked to each other, then replay value is definitely more important.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great) : I do care a lot about the background images, but my focus would still be more on the sprites themselves. If your background images accompany the sprites well, then I don't see much of a problem.
Other comments : My expertise is more on the typical linear visual novels but I guess I can give you some advice as a player's POV
Dating sims can be really fun but as mentioned, I guess the biggest flaw would be that some of them can get repetitive overtime (especially if your game is extremely long). One thing you can do is that you can add events along the way so that the story can maintain the players' attention. However, if your game is not that large of a scale, then I think it would be good enough if there are some narration in between the dating sims elements.
Good luck with your dating sim!
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice? : Not at all! In fact, playing a main character who barely speaks or has very linear kind of reactions can be pretty boring. I usually get more emotionally invested into main characters that are fully developed (regardless of their personalities). If you want, you can consider allowing the players to depict the main character's personality at the beginning although that may take a bit more work.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route? : Actually, I don't mind how lengthy it is as long as the time is used sufficiently. It would be best if there is a balance of narration + sim elements.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route? : Do you mean whether playing several routes is more important than getting so emotionally invested in one? For me, I think it depends on the nature of your story, but I do think that it would be better if the readers play all the routes instead of just one. After all, there is no point writing and creating all the other routes if the focus is just on one single route. Besides, if your game is the type where all the routes are linked to each other, then replay value is definitely more important.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great) : I do care a lot about the background images, but my focus would still be more on the sprites themselves. If your background images accompany the sprites well, then I don't see much of a problem.
Other comments : My expertise is more on the typical linear visual novels but I guess I can give you some advice as a player's POV
Dating sims can be really fun but as mentioned, I guess the biggest flaw would be that some of them can get repetitive overtime (especially if your game is extremely long). One thing you can do is that you can add events along the way so that the story can maintain the players' attention. However, if your game is not that large of a scale, then I think it would be good enough if there are some narration in between the dating sims elements.Good luck with your dating sim!
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Kuiper
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Re: writing a dating sim
Somewhat recently, there was a thread in the creator discussion forums discussing whether protagonists in dating games are unrealistic, with many users presenting their thoughts on how love stories can be effectively told in visual novels and dating sims. I also had a chance to discuss this topic with mikey and Sasquatchii on the latest episode of The Buzz podcast. The bulk of the discussion in both these discussions is on visual novels at large, and not necessarily dating sims specifically (there's generally an expectation that a dating sim will be more "video game-y" than a romance visual novel), but you might find some interesting takeaways.
Necrobarista - serve coffee to the living and the dead
Idol Manager - experience the glamour and dangers of the pop idol industry
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Idol Manager - experience the glamour and dangers of the pop idol industry
Cursed Lands - a mix of high fantasy and gothic horror
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Kailoto
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Re: writing a dating sim
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
Flat stereotypes and lack of dynamic characters. No one ever changes, including the protagonist.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
No. Absolutely not. There needs to be more of them, in fact.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
As long as the story necessitates. It's an ambiguous answer for sure, but it means that I'd like the writer to know what the scope of their project is. Don't try to stretch out a small story, and don't cram a complicated plot into a short playtime. Pacing is more important than length.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
For me, replay value in story-based games is contingent on the story being good. So I'd prioritize quality, emotionally engaging writing while disregarding replay value. That's a personal opinion though.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
As long as they fit the style of the rest of the visual novel, I'm more or less okay with whatever. Obviously, it has to be at least competent, but that barrier is a lot lower than you'd think. But even great backgrounds that are inconsistent with spritework will distract me. Maybe not enough to completely ruin the experience, though.
As for general advice, I have only this: if you're deciding to do a story-driven dating sim rather than a stat-driven one, then please please please make a dynamic protagonist. I think a lot of designers for dating sims are so focused on creating unique love interests that they simply try to make the protagonist a one-size-fits-all sort of character that can fit into all of the arcs. Do realize that you can have your protagonist be completely unique and still find ways to match them up with any type of character imaginable - you just have to get creative with your character design and scenarios. Obviously you don't want to make the protagonist so specific that you alienate certain players, but try to at least give them some depth and have them change and grow during each of the arcs.
If you're doing a stat-driven dating sim, then you need a unique and polished stat system. I can't really help there, since I don't understand such systems entirely myself. But I do think that dating sims that are devoid of any deep story or conflicts are worthwhile in their own right, as long as you pay much closer attention to the mechanics, as that's where they get their worth from.
Flat stereotypes and lack of dynamic characters. No one ever changes, including the protagonist.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
No. Absolutely not. There needs to be more of them, in fact.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
As long as the story necessitates. It's an ambiguous answer for sure, but it means that I'd like the writer to know what the scope of their project is. Don't try to stretch out a small story, and don't cram a complicated plot into a short playtime. Pacing is more important than length.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
For me, replay value in story-based games is contingent on the story being good. So I'd prioritize quality, emotionally engaging writing while disregarding replay value. That's a personal opinion though.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
As long as they fit the style of the rest of the visual novel, I'm more or less okay with whatever. Obviously, it has to be at least competent, but that barrier is a lot lower than you'd think. But even great backgrounds that are inconsistent with spritework will distract me. Maybe not enough to completely ruin the experience, though.
As for general advice, I have only this: if you're deciding to do a story-driven dating sim rather than a stat-driven one, then please please please make a dynamic protagonist. I think a lot of designers for dating sims are so focused on creating unique love interests that they simply try to make the protagonist a one-size-fits-all sort of character that can fit into all of the arcs. Do realize that you can have your protagonist be completely unique and still find ways to match them up with any type of character imaginable - you just have to get creative with your character design and scenarios. Obviously you don't want to make the protagonist so specific that you alienate certain players, but try to at least give them some depth and have them change and grow during each of the arcs.
If you're doing a stat-driven dating sim, then you need a unique and polished stat system. I can't really help there, since I don't understand such systems entirely myself. But I do think that dating sims that are devoid of any deep story or conflicts are worthwhile in their own right, as long as you pay much closer attention to the mechanics, as that's where they get their worth from.
Things I've Written:
Sakura (Novel, Self Published, 80,000+ words)
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Loka (Novel, Third Draft, 120,000+ words)
A layabout writer and programmer with lots of problems and even more ideas. Hyped for Persona 5.
Sakura (Novel, Self Published, 80,000+ words)
City and Girl (Novel, First Draft, 70,000+ words)
Loka (Novel, Third Draft, 120,000+ words)
A layabout writer and programmer with lots of problems and even more ideas. Hyped for Persona 5.
Re: writing a dating sim
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
Basically the same as Genesis. I don't want getting a girl to be an achievement I gained for raising her stats enough. Rather I'd want it to be the result of sharing touching scenes with them. But when I think of dating sims, I expect the former.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
I strongly hate the self-insert protagonist. I'm usually against the silent protagonist, but Persona 4 managed to make a silent protag with a strong personality, that was awesome. Basically, I personally want my protag to be someone I look up to, not someone I can identify with.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
As long as you can make it interesting. I can play a VN for an eternity if there is enough content. I think I spent 150+ hours on the MuvLuv trilogy. Although I get the notion most people here prefer shorter games.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
I would much rather play a game with one amazing route (and maybe if you have to some shitty other ones) than a game with 6 routes that are all bad.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
Backgrounds are important. Not as important as sprites, but if there are ugly backgrounds it will strongly affect my overall experience. Although if even any part is really good I can easily ignore the rest, making it a positive experience.
And if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
I think most people here agree that when it comes to any sort of VN, the story is more important than the interaction. Consider your plot, characters and scenes a priority above the dating sim mechanics.
EDIT:
Basically the same as Genesis. I don't want getting a girl to be an achievement I gained for raising her stats enough. Rather I'd want it to be the result of sharing touching scenes with them. But when I think of dating sims, I expect the former.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
I strongly hate the self-insert protagonist. I'm usually against the silent protagonist, but Persona 4 managed to make a silent protag with a strong personality, that was awesome. Basically, I personally want my protag to be someone I look up to, not someone I can identify with.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
As long as you can make it interesting. I can play a VN for an eternity if there is enough content. I think I spent 150+ hours on the MuvLuv trilogy. Although I get the notion most people here prefer shorter games.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
I would much rather play a game with one amazing route (and maybe if you have to some shitty other ones) than a game with 6 routes that are all bad.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
Backgrounds are important. Not as important as sprites, but if there are ugly backgrounds it will strongly affect my overall experience. Although if even any part is really good I can easily ignore the rest, making it a positive experience.
And if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
I think most people here agree that when it comes to any sort of VN, the story is more important than the interaction. Consider your plot, characters and scenes a priority above the dating sim mechanics.
EDIT:
I've never gotten into this sort of game. And if I ever played one I can't remember. But if you're going to do this, I can offer a few references you might want to study. To name a few there's Long Live the Queen, Dandelion and RE:ALISTAIR++. I've heard each of them is really good, but I don't think I'll play them myself. Besides that I'm sure you can find plenty unique examples on the forum right here.Kailoto wrote:If you're doing a stat-driven dating sim, then you need a unique and polished stat system. I can't really help there, since I don't understand such systems entirely myself. But I do think that dating sims that are devoid of any deep story or conflicts are worthwhile in their own right, as long as you pay much closer attention to the mechanics, as that's where they get their worth from.
Re: writing a dating sim
Ah thank you all for responding this will be great help to me. with this info I'm sure I should keep with my protagonist as shes a girl with her own personality but you can still choose how she reacts to things. It is a stat based sim with seven suitors but more then just grinding stats the stats are used to encourage player to be at locations the suitor is and to encourage the protagonist to do things the suitor likes. the stats are used to trigger events.
pacing is something I'm working towards getting a good grip on as I write, but so far I think my intro turning out well.
I'm going to scrap my current backgrounds and try to match my artists style better.
I actually did read the "whether protagonists in dating games are unrealistic" topic. I think my story sets up a situation where the protagonist is likeable dispite having so many suitors at once.
I'll make a post on my project with more detail once I have art for every main character. thanks for taking time to write such thoughtful posts for me.
pacing is something I'm working towards getting a good grip on as I write, but so far I think my intro turning out well.
I'm going to scrap my current backgrounds and try to match my artists style better.
I actually did read the "whether protagonists in dating games are unrealistic" topic. I think my story sets up a situation where the protagonist is likeable dispite having so many suitors at once.
I'll make a post on my project with more detail once I have art for every main character. thanks for taking time to write such thoughtful posts for me.
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gekiganwing
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Re: writing a dating sim
First things first... if you want advice, Appleduck, then I recommend creating the story or video game that *you* want to make.
My top complaint about Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side: The main character can quit her club and quit her job. However, once she got noticed by a guy, it seemed impossible to tell him that she did not want a relationship with him.appleduck wrote:Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
I usually prefer a main character who has goals, interests, motivations, and so on. Yes, even if the person is not especially sympathetic. I'm willing to put up with a character that's difficult to like (the person is constantly negative, frequently smug, or unusually powerful compared to others in their universe) if their story is interesting.appleduck wrote: Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
Unless you intend to sell the final product, don't worry. The story is what matters. Graphics are nice, but they're just window dressing. I think the same is true for music, sound effects, and user interface.appleduck wrote: How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
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infel
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Re: writing a dating sim
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
Kind of how the mc is bland or more of the focus is on stats rather then story, though this isn't true for all of them. I think even if stats play a decent role in the gameplay that they shouldn't be the thing I focus one. I want more story in dating sims and character growth.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
No, not at all. I think all visual novels need to have a mc with a personality, ambitions, thoughts, likes, and dislikes. I really don't like a visual novel that has a mc that is boring or bland. Since we're reading from their prospective then I have to at least accept the main character and I can't if they are just someone with a blank slate.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
I think medium length is good. I don't want it to be too long because stat raising can become tedious for me and it's hard to focus on the story when I'm trying to get a certain thing up.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
No. I'd rather the replay be low in a single route and get into the story rather then caring how many endings I get. If it's done well and is interesting, I don't even mind if the entire route has little to no options, but then again that wouldn't be a dating sim XD.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
I'm open to many styles of art. I think though that as long as your story and characters are interesting you don't have to worry too much on the backgrounds image. But if you do, I'll be honest and say I don't always notice the backgrounds since I'm reading a lot.
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Visual novels are very difficult to make....And if you add a dating sim feature it's much harder. It's of course not impossible but a lot of coding and time is needed for a dating sim. If you want to do it go right ahead, but remember it's the story and characters that our important.
Kind of how the mc is bland or more of the focus is on stats rather then story, though this isn't true for all of them. I think even if stats play a decent role in the gameplay that they shouldn't be the thing I focus one. I want more story in dating sims and character growth.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
No, not at all. I think all visual novels need to have a mc with a personality, ambitions, thoughts, likes, and dislikes. I really don't like a visual novel that has a mc that is boring or bland. Since we're reading from their prospective then I have to at least accept the main character and I can't if they are just someone with a blank slate.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
I think medium length is good. I don't want it to be too long because stat raising can become tedious for me and it's hard to focus on the story when I'm trying to get a certain thing up.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
No. I'd rather the replay be low in a single route and get into the story rather then caring how many endings I get. If it's done well and is interesting, I don't even mind if the entire route has little to no options, but then again that wouldn't be a dating sim XD.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
I'm open to many styles of art. I think though that as long as your story and characters are interesting you don't have to worry too much on the backgrounds image. But if you do, I'll be honest and say I don't always notice the backgrounds since I'm reading a lot.
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Visual novels are very difficult to make....And if you add a dating sim feature it's much harder. It's of course not impossible but a lot of coding and time is needed for a dating sim. If you want to do it go right ahead, but remember it's the story and characters that our important.
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BreakingMachines
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Re: writing a dating sim
So I have decided to make a dating sim after drawing up a idea for one just for fun. but the more me and my friends talked about it the more I wanted it to be real. so here I am. Well I write out the story I thought I might come here and ask some questions about the writing side of things.
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
Generally my gripe with some visual novels, is when there is a true romance interest/path that is the actual true ending. It invalidates my choices in the game. I also hate mechanics that involve giving something to someone to win their love over, like the typical gifting mechanic in which a player has to give objects to win the Romantic interests over. Like is anyone that materialistic to love me because I gave them a cool set of clothes?
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
I wish there were more characters like this, ESPECIALLY FEMALE characters, because the only time I see an interesting protagonist is the occasional male protagonist with a voice. I hate self-insert characters, template characters who have no real personality. It makes it difficult to connect to them as a reader, and it's difficult to imagine why these romantic interests would even be interested in the first place.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
Depends on the length of the game, and the amount of branches. I would prefer at least 30 minutes to an hour of gameplay per branch if there are at least 4 to six branches. If a game has a lot of branches and love interests, then something around 10-15 minutes would be more reasonable, since I expect to replay it countless of times.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
I think it inherently depends on the game, and on the player. I've enjoyed both type of games, and both have their merits.
Replayability tends to be more fun, because it becomes a game of "whatif", and it's interesting to see what happens if you stray from your normal choices, and it's always a surprise to see who you get with. But what I think what tends to be more memorable is a focus on a single route, because the characters involved tends to be more fleshed out, since they are given more time. And story is one of the most important aspect of visual novels.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
If it's good, beautiful, and well crafted I tend to notice it a lot more and appreciate it. But generally I don't care about the quality of backgrounds. Because I understand as an artist, backgrounds are very difficult and time consuming and not everyone feels confident in their skills. Which is why I typically excuse bad backgrounds, and don't focus on it too much unless it's absolutely awful.If anything you should invest in filtered photos, or recruit some artists if you really dislike them. But the experience of working on backgrounds might help you out later, and will definitely improve your skills, so I'd recommend you should persist crafting those bgs.
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
Generally my gripe with some visual novels, is when there is a true romance interest/path that is the actual true ending. It invalidates my choices in the game. I also hate mechanics that involve giving something to someone to win their love over, like the typical gifting mechanic in which a player has to give objects to win the Romantic interests over. Like is anyone that materialistic to love me because I gave them a cool set of clothes?
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
I wish there were more characters like this, ESPECIALLY FEMALE characters, because the only time I see an interesting protagonist is the occasional male protagonist with a voice. I hate self-insert characters, template characters who have no real personality. It makes it difficult to connect to them as a reader, and it's difficult to imagine why these romantic interests would even be interested in the first place.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
Depends on the length of the game, and the amount of branches. I would prefer at least 30 minutes to an hour of gameplay per branch if there are at least 4 to six branches. If a game has a lot of branches and love interests, then something around 10-15 minutes would be more reasonable, since I expect to replay it countless of times.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
I think it inherently depends on the game, and on the player. I've enjoyed both type of games, and both have their merits.
Replayability tends to be more fun, because it becomes a game of "whatif", and it's interesting to see what happens if you stray from your normal choices, and it's always a surprise to see who you get with. But what I think what tends to be more memorable is a focus on a single route, because the characters involved tends to be more fleshed out, since they are given more time. And story is one of the most important aspect of visual novels.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
If it's good, beautiful, and well crafted I tend to notice it a lot more and appreciate it. But generally I don't care about the quality of backgrounds. Because I understand as an artist, backgrounds are very difficult and time consuming and not everyone feels confident in their skills. Which is why I typically excuse bad backgrounds, and don't focus on it too much unless it's absolutely awful.If anything you should invest in filtered photos, or recruit some artists if you really dislike them. But the experience of working on backgrounds might help you out later, and will definitely improve your skills, so I'd recommend you should persist crafting those bgs.
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
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Fox Lee
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Re: writing a dating sim
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
I hate when the love interests are too samey, especially along gender lines. Like, if all the love interests are ~5'6" schoolgirls with the same big round eyes and the same cutesy-poo school uniform, I really don't care which one I'm getting involved with. I like seeing love interests with a nice variety of personality/size/shape/ethnic/preference diversity!
I hate when the tough/mean/athletic girl's character arc is "but you discover secretly she's cute/shy/vulnerable/feminine/scared of bugs" like the writer is scared they might not be able to cram her back into the "GIRL" box. UGH.
I also hate when the main character is invisible or faceless in event CGs, especially H-scenes.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
Nope! In fact, I'd prefer that the main character to be an actual character. The "generic" main character you get in player-avatar games is never anything like what I'd make as my avatar, so I'd much rather they be a distinct character I'm role-playing, not "me".
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
Whatever length feels natural. I don't care for games where there's copious amounts of text to stretch out play time, and if there's a lot of repetition between routes they can get dull. Any plot should last as long as the story can flow nicely and stay interesting.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
I'm gonna say single route, because I would rather a few deep paths to a lot of shallow ones. Is that how you mean?
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
I can overloook mediocre backgrounds unless they're really, truly horrendous. I would recommend trying out some Creative Commons BGs if you don't like your own, though! There are some amazing CC BGs out there, especially if you're making a fits-the-mould kind of dating sim.
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Focus on diversity and character voice. The characters are the central appeal of a dating sim, so take time to make them distinct from one another. If you can take the name off their dialogue and go for more than a few lines without knowing who you're talking to, tighten it up.
I hate when the love interests are too samey, especially along gender lines. Like, if all the love interests are ~5'6" schoolgirls with the same big round eyes and the same cutesy-poo school uniform, I really don't care which one I'm getting involved with. I like seeing love interests with a nice variety of personality/size/shape/ethnic/preference diversity!
I hate when the tough/mean/athletic girl's character arc is "but you discover secretly she's cute/shy/vulnerable/feminine/scared of bugs" like the writer is scared they might not be able to cram her back into the "GIRL" box. UGH.
I also hate when the main character is invisible or faceless in event CGs, especially H-scenes.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
Nope! In fact, I'd prefer that the main character to be an actual character. The "generic" main character you get in player-avatar games is never anything like what I'd make as my avatar, so I'd much rather they be a distinct character I'm role-playing, not "me".
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
Whatever length feels natural. I don't care for games where there's copious amounts of text to stretch out play time, and if there's a lot of repetition between routes they can get dull. Any plot should last as long as the story can flow nicely and stay interesting.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
I'm gonna say single route, because I would rather a few deep paths to a lot of shallow ones. Is that how you mean?
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
I can overloook mediocre backgrounds unless they're really, truly horrendous. I would recommend trying out some Creative Commons BGs if you don't like your own, though! There are some amazing CC BGs out there, especially if you're making a fits-the-mould kind of dating sim.
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Focus on diversity and character voice. The characters are the central appeal of a dating sim, so take time to make them distinct from one another. If you can take the name off their dialogue and go for more than a few lines without knowing who you're talking to, tighten it up.
Re: writing a dating sim
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
Two things.
1. When any interactions you have with a love interest are limited to "give the perfect answer" and "be an obnoxious person"
2. When love interests don't interact at all with the world and seem to exist solely as an option for the protagonist
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
No, not at all! It's actually a very practical way to limit options and branches, because it takes the endless list of "choices someone could make" and narrows it to "choices this character would make." I think the key is letting people know up front that the protagonist has his/her own identity and is not meant as a projection of the player. Don't let me name the protagonist and her brother and her childhood pet and then shoehorn the character in my mind into a rough-and-tumble biker.
Also, "clumsy but in an adorable way" is not a complete personality. I've been burned before.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
I don't really think about it. I want to enjoy the entire journey, not rush towards the end. If I want it to just be over, it's because the writing or character are becoming boring. It's more important to me that the length corresponds to how serious the relationship gets. Finding a date for a dance? That can be a relatively short game. Deciding you're going to marry someone you met at the beginning of the game? I should be spending a while on this.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
I don't think so. If I get attached to a single route, I'll sometimes return to the game and play back through that route, sort of like rereading a book. You know how it ends, but there's usually something inherently inviting about going through that same journey again. Replay value is important, but I think if you're considering a trade-off between quality and variety, you're missing the point a bit.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
I care as far they're a source of exposition and context. Besides, poor backgrounds are not as distracting as no background.
(A friend sitting next to me just added that he likes the backgrounds to be consistent with the art.)
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Don't write to fulfill someone else's checklist. You might not want certain elements in your game that other people consider essential. Aside from choices and dating, everything else is pretty much optional. And that line made me think of "clothing-optional." And now part of me wants to see a dating sim set on a nude beach or something. Don't put that on your checklist.
Two things.
1. When any interactions you have with a love interest are limited to "give the perfect answer" and "be an obnoxious person"
2. When love interests don't interact at all with the world and seem to exist solely as an option for the protagonist
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
No, not at all! It's actually a very practical way to limit options and branches, because it takes the endless list of "choices someone could make" and narrows it to "choices this character would make." I think the key is letting people know up front that the protagonist has his/her own identity and is not meant as a projection of the player. Don't let me name the protagonist and her brother and her childhood pet and then shoehorn the character in my mind into a rough-and-tumble biker.
Also, "clumsy but in an adorable way" is not a complete personality. I've been burned before.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
I don't really think about it. I want to enjoy the entire journey, not rush towards the end. If I want it to just be over, it's because the writing or character are becoming boring. It's more important to me that the length corresponds to how serious the relationship gets. Finding a date for a dance? That can be a relatively short game. Deciding you're going to marry someone you met at the beginning of the game? I should be spending a while on this.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
I don't think so. If I get attached to a single route, I'll sometimes return to the game and play back through that route, sort of like rereading a book. You know how it ends, but there's usually something inherently inviting about going through that same journey again. Replay value is important, but I think if you're considering a trade-off between quality and variety, you're missing the point a bit.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
I care as far they're a source of exposition and context. Besides, poor backgrounds are not as distracting as no background.
(A friend sitting next to me just added that he likes the backgrounds to be consistent with the art.)
and if you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Don't write to fulfill someone else's checklist. You might not want certain elements in your game that other people consider essential. Aside from choices and dating, everything else is pretty much optional. And that line made me think of "clothing-optional." And now part of me wants to see a dating sim set on a nude beach or something. Don't put that on your checklist.
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slashbunnychan
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Re: writing a dating sim
Is there anything you hate about dating sims?
There's not a whole lot I don't like. I don't like when the MC finds a guy/girl that the player decides to follow the route of and the other characters become non-existent. I want all the characters to consistently have a role in the story, whether they are the sole focus of the route or not.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
Not at all. Every dating sim/visual novel game I've played so far has had an MC with a face, personality, voice, end goal (other than just get the guy/girl) and I honestly prefer MC's like that.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
Not so long that it becomes boring but not so short that I'm left unsatisfied when I finish the game. I think it mostly depends on the story.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
Actually I really like playing the game multiple times. The first time I play the game to get the normal/common route, get to know the characters, learn which ones are my favorites and I know I can pursue a route with, then I start a new game and go on those different routes. Pretty much if the characters are likable then I will definitely play the game again and again to get all their different endings.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
The background doesn't have to stand out too much but if it's too plain or not very good looking then I get distracted, but if it's too detailed I will focus more on the background than the characters and the story. I like it if the background and character sprites and even the GUI have a very even blend with each other.
If you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Characters if different personalities are better than characters that are too much the same, and characters with flaws are even better (makes them feel more real to me). That's about all I can give.
There's not a whole lot I don't like. I don't like when the MC finds a guy/girl that the player decides to follow the route of and the other characters become non-existent. I want all the characters to consistently have a role in the story, whether they are the sole focus of the route or not.
Are you bothered by a main character who has a personality and talks at time other then when you make a choice?
Not at all. Every dating sim/visual novel game I've played so far has had an MC with a face, personality, voice, end goal (other than just get the guy/girl) and I honestly prefer MC's like that.
How long to you prefer dating sims to take to complete one route?
Not so long that it becomes boring but not so short that I'm left unsatisfied when I finish the game. I think it mostly depends on the story.
Is replay value more important then deeply getting involved in a single route?
Actually I really like playing the game multiple times. The first time I play the game to get the normal/common route, get to know the characters, learn which ones are my favorites and I know I can pursue a route with, then I start a new game and go on those different routes. Pretty much if the characters are likable then I will definitely play the game again and again to get all their different endings.
How much do you notice/care about the background images? (I'm doing backgrounds and so far they aren't that great)
The background doesn't have to stand out too much but if it's too plain or not very good looking then I get distracted, but if it's too detailed I will focus more on the background than the characters and the story. I like it if the background and character sprites and even the GUI have a very even blend with each other.
If you want to include advice about dating sim writing then id love to hear it.
Characters if different personalities are better than characters that are too much the same, and characters with flaws are even better (makes them feel more real to me). That's about all I can give.
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