Team Newb.

[desulishor]

A nakige with a selectively mute protagonist sounds really nice to me... (it's a story i'd definitely enjoy writing too, so hopefully i'll get to read this.) You might want to check out Katawa shoujo and this Itwasneverdream's other project for possible inspiration, but also so that it won't resemble existing work too much.

Also, on the settings: A high school setting is commonly favored in slice-of-life esque games, since most of us have been or are in a high school of a some sort, and so we can easily relate to that. (the other reason is that it's easier to make art and get bgs for this setting.) It also gives a natural excuse for the protagonist and the romantic interests/other characters to meet each other.
There are numerous threads on this problem, but a Japanese high school setting is commonly judged as too generic and too much of an anime trope. Other sorts of high school settings exist, such as vocational schools for certain types of professions, boarding schools, etc. A university campus can also offer much of the same benefits as a high school setting, but without being THAT much of a cliche.
This being a kinetic story, I don't think it would be too hard to write about a high-school student without being high school -centric, of course.

Other tangible ways for a slice-of-life esque story are of course part-time jobs, summer trips, and so on. Time has also been suggested as a way to refresh a story, what elements of your story would change if it was set 20 years in the future? or 100 years in the past?

But in the end, I still think that a setting is only secondary, when it comes to telling a story. There's often something universal about stories based on individual characters and so the message should be much of the same regardless of what setting one chooses to use.

[Scorpio]

@Desulishor,I kinda hoped they would pick the highschool setting because it would make the project less difficulte to make, but everyone seems to be in for the challenge and want something new and more exciting ^^'.

I didn't suggest anything (though I probably should have), because I though everyone would have more fun coming up with an idea and suggesting it themselves. I for one, was hoping to use a country where not alot of Visual Novel's take place in, like Belgium or another country not frequently used in Visual Novels. I was also in a more future setting, f.e. 'What if Belgium split in two even smaller countries and they constantly argue with each other and builded a wall accross the once united Belgium' and then work out that someone from West-Blegium and East Belgium found out the someone set this all up and is provoking people with lies, but because one of the two has a selective mutism the part where he should reveal it to everyone he gets confronted with his anxiety disorder, leaving the other person from the East or West Belgium to try and fix things on her own and yadeyadeya.

Like that it's not about germany (a big country) we're talking from so many years ago, but a 'what if in the future'-scenario from a more modern discussed subject in Belgium (a smaller country): will they split entirely or not (although not many of them dare think of this hypothesis.) And instead of the setting from the past (were we have to do our research), we can work in the future and be creative with the setting scenes and clothes.

I got other ideas I can blurt out but I was hoping the others would help me give some extra ideas.

@Taleweaver, Thx for the suggestions ^^! I was hoping someone (anyone) wouldgive us some of those.

[Taleweaver]

I was also in a more future setting, f.e. 'What if Belgium split in two even smaller countries and they constantly argue with each other and builded a wall accross the once united Belgium' and then work out that someone from West-Blegium and East Belgium found out the someone set this all up and is provoking people with lies, but because one of the two has a selective mutism the part where he should reveal it to everyone he gets confronted with his anxiety disorder, leaving the other person from the East or West Belgium to try and fix things on her own and yadeyadeya.

I hate to be the nitpicker here, but it would be more like "North Belgium" and "South Belgium", and the countries coming from it would probably no longer call themselves anything like "Belgium" but "Flanders" and "Wallonia". And both would probably really want Brussels to be on their territory...

[Scorpio]

Yeah,I know ^^', I just wrote it like that to make the link with Germany's past a bit more obvious ><'...that and the fact that I'm not that good in Geography and keep using the wrong words to express a location ==' (even though I actually live there ><'). Brussels will either be taken away from both (there will be protest), or being split (with a lot of fighting and blood)...although I seriously doubt either will happen...Belgium's known for their 'will to compromise', yet the 'what if'-scenario does still exist I guess ^^'.

They already call themselves Wallonia and Flanders...hmm, I wonder...what if Brussels suddenly declares independence...is that even possible? What if they do and a third even smaller country exists? What if that third and even smaller country, decides to change it's name into Belgium? How will the two other sides react to this?

This is starting to sound interesting for the Novel lol X'D (Not in real life of course, I'm not into fighting and stuff ^^'')

[Taleweaver]

[quote="Scorpio"They already call themselves Wallonia and Flanders...hmm, I wonder...what if Brussels suddenly declares independence...is that even possible?[/quote]
Sure! History has already seen city-states such as Venice and Milan, and the Brussels region is larger (and economically stronger) than today's countries Monaco or San Marino. So if tensions escalated between Flanders and Wallonia, and Brussels decided that they wanted to remain neutral like Switzerland and built a wall around itself...

[Scorpio]

Now if only the others told me what they think of this idea...*waits patiently for their opinions*

[Shad12ow]

I like your idea here. It is quite unique and interesting for me.
And the setting is so interesting too. I'll choose that for now, hehehe...

[desulishor]

I hate to butt in, but I really don't see what's the point of this split Belgium setting? You're talking about a personal problem, ie. the selective mutism and desperately trying to connect it with a problem the size of a small country... what about the other hundreds of thousands of people in this setting? politics? history? battles? sorrow? wait what?
I'm having a hard time seeing a connection, other than in the level of romeo and juliet -type sorrow, but somehow, it's not like I'm not reading about a nakige at all anymore.

[Shad12ow]

How about that the mutism was because of his/her promise that lead to the splitting of the country? Or maybe that the mutism was the MC's way of atoning his/her mistake that lead the end of a peaceful country?
Beside the level of romeo and juliet, I think it has potential, right?
Maybe just don't think it too hard. Or perhaps, we have to think much harder so we can really see the connection. In the surface, nothing is connected, but after diving much much deeper, the connection become clearer. How's that?

[Scorpio]

I wasn't really thinking of it as a Romeo/Juliet thing,because the romance isn't the main theme of the whole story.
The main theme is a mystery that should be solved, what the mystery will be is yet another question. I simply suggested a setting in a country x3, the political aspect and such is basically something we still need to find out based on what we already know about Belgium and currently the only thing we know is the fact that Flanders is sick and tired of coughing up money to take care of Wallonia and that both sides are still arguing about stuff like language and who gets Brussels, the rest of the future 'What if'-scenario is something we still need to invent along the way.

I was thinking of the MC being the kid of a wellknown man and that he used to play with the other girl, but that one day his dad got thrown in prison for I don't know what secret he risked in exposing and that ever since he got so traumatized he got stuck with the selective mutism (the kid MC I mean).Afterwards the splitting came and he grew up, not remembering the young girl he used to play with (or something mushy like that). One day His mom gets a letter telling her, her husband died in prison. The MC, gets emotional etc.

One day a strange man/woman or the girl from his childhood came and revealed something that caused the imprisonement of his dad and so on....we can work on this story... we just need to do a tiny bit of research, and other then that, the future is something undefined and can be molded into something creative. It's a short novel afterall.

The battles and the sorrow will be added of course (naturally). I agree with Shad12ow.

[LucRSV]

I know I'm very late here but, transgendered/gender dysphoric != mature content. I'm mildly offended by the notion.

[LucRSV]

How about that the mutism was because of his/her promise that lead to the splitting of the country? Or maybe that the mutism was the MC's way of atoning his/her mistake that lead the end of a peaceful country?
Beside the level of romeo and juliet, I think it has potential, right?
Maybe just don't think it too hard. Or perhaps, we have to think much harder so we can really see the connection. In the surface, nothing is connected, but after diving much much deeper, the connection become clearer. How's that?

This isn't really how selective mutism works. Selective mutism doesn't mean one chooses at will when they will talk, either. It's a serious anxiety disorder that is, for many people, entirely uncontrollable. There are huge barriers that hold people from being able to talk to anyone. It's not so simple as "forcing" them to talk. So, if you want to use that as a character trait, don't make it connected to politics. It doesn't work.

[Taleweaver]

Again, I'm not on your team, but don't you think you're making your plot both too complex and too gimmicky if you add so many different elements? You have a slice-of-life nakige with a mystery plot splashed with a little romance, set in a divided country with potentially violent background, and your protagonist has selective mutism? Not only does this sound overly contrived but also entirely random, as if you drew cards from a "Plot Elements Deck" to put together your story.

Cut down on complexity a little, and use the plot elements a little more subtly:

- If the story takes place in a divided Belgium, don't make politics an issue or it will hinder the personal story you're trying to tell. Use the background to shape a few characters - how would people grow up in such a situation, how would they be different from normal everyday people?
- If you want a mystery plot, make the mystery about WHY your protagonist suffers from selective mutism. What happened in the past that made him like that?
- If you want a nakige, then that backstory better be a damn sad one.

[LucRSV]

Again, I'm not on your team, but don't you think you're making your plot both too complex and too gimmicky if you add so many different elements? You have a slice-of-life nakige with a mystery plot splashed with a little romance, set in a divided country with potentially violent background, and your protagonist has selective mutism? Not only does this sound overly contrived but also entirely random, as if you drew cards from a "Plot Elements Deck" to put together your story.

Cut down on complexity a little, and use the plot elements a little more subtly:

- If the story takes place in a divided Belgium, don't make politics an issue or it will hinder the personal story you're trying to tell. Use the background to shape a few characters - how would people grow up in such a situation, how would they be different from normal everyday people?
- If you want a mystery plot, make the mystery about WHY your protagonist suffers from selective mutism. What happened in the past that made him like that?
- If you want a nakige, then that backstory better be a damn sad one.

I wasn't really paying attention to most of the brainstorming. The mutism and trans issues came from an idea I had for a plot, but I expected them to stand together as the main reason for conflict. I don't really like where everything is going with those ideas. I thought a simple enough plot of oh, this girl is trans gendered, which is incredibly emotionally taxing, they've been bullied, criticized, kicked while they were down, and then not allowed to get back up, they're going to have a couple social anxiety problems. That's all you need for the conflict in a romantic story, or even just one where the player tries to become FRIENDS, alone, with the main character.

But maybe that is contrived.

[Taleweaver]

But maybe that is contrived.

No, that is simple and clean, a good setup for a story. Actually, what I'm trying to say is that with all you have so far, you need to now choose which elements to actively work with, and which only provide a little flavor.