Katawa Shoujo

[Aura]

Project Katawa Shoujo is looking for writer(s)/editor(s) and musician(s).

KS is a visual novel/eroge based entirely on a single picture by japanese doujin artist Raita. The game follows the days of Hisao Nakai, a normal high school boy whose life takes a surprise turn as he is diagnosed to have a severe heart failure and he transfers to a special school for disabled children. Hisao becomes acquaintanced with several of his schoolmates, eventually develops a romantic interest and begins to date one of them. The perspective of the game is to explore the humanity of disability, to raise thoughts about the ordinary life of disabled people and their outlook on life, while being true to the great eroge traditions.

The scope of the game is unusually large, estimated at 500 000+ words when completed with accompanying original art and music. It is obvious that the most critical quality needed from the contributors is longterm commitment and dedication to see the project through. It doesn't hurt to excel at you area of expertise either.

The developement forums
http://zettaishoujo.danmaku.net/forums/

Playable "demo" of the first day of the game
http://rapidshare.com/files/50817644/Ka ... oGrid1.zip

The original picture and inspiration
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x312 ... iginal.jpg

Contact at forums or #zettai-shoujou @ irc.Rizon.

[papillon]

I've heard of this project, but I think all I can do at the moment is cheerlead. Go team go!

[Ren]

*Lucky!*

I am lurking in your forums and read just yesterday a post about not wanting to show the demo around so this was a big surprise!Playing right now, I love Misha and Hakamichi-san ;.;(Hakamichi-san especially, which is weird since she "speaks" through Misha)

I also really like the music and writing!I'll join Papillon in the cheering team^D^Please keep up the good work, I was waiting eagerly for a demo and now I'm so happy!

[Aura]

Heh, we really didn't intend to show the alpha as it was only a tool for the dev team, but since it has leaked to all of internets ages ago we just have to go with the flow.

[monele]

I just tried the demo and I have to say that I loved it. Neat drawings, great music and interesting writing ^^. All the girls are *so* cute, each in her own way. I'm quite amazed ^^. I hope this project gets finished

[Sailor Kitty]

I can't play the game since I am being supervised by these @$$ 'oles over here. But I did look at the picture and I can only say...
Wow. It kinda looks like something for a 70's shojo anime/manga, or like something from Osamu Tezuka days. You know, pshykological stuff. At least thats what struck
I like the idea about all the girls having some kind of disability.

I think I like Rin-chan and Emi-chan the best.

[yummy]

I think I'm going to check about this game when it gets finished. It seems like it's going to be a good one since all the elements are quite good: story, art and music wise.
Good luck on completing it!

[monele]

I'd like to add something about this project... what I realized is the reason I liked it so much : no apparent drama. I was really afraid, given the topic, that this would be full of tear jerker moments and other dramatic attempts... yet... yet it focuses on the good side of things. And just for that I'd like this project to reach completion ^^

[Otaku Dash]

I'd like to add something about this project... what I realized is the reason I liked it so much : no apparent drama. I was really afraid, given the topic, that this would be full of tear jerker moments and other dramatic attempts... yet... yet it focuses on the good side of things. And just for that I'd like this project to reach completion ^^

I second what monele said... just finished testing the demo, and I must say that i'm really wishing for this project to be completed. The game takes the point of "disabled" people into a good prespective, showing the humaine side of it... wich most people forget to see and normally back off (wich is one of the things that pisses me off >_>). Showing how each character copes to the situation and evolves "with" the MC (not just in relationship, but looking ahead due to their problems) is something very unique and wonderfull.

All I can say is, I'm supporting this project 100% and with full force... Gambatte everyone! I don't know how much help I can be, but if there is anything at all.. I will try to help.

Edit: I love every female character, but so far I'm tending more to Emi and Lilly. Hanako is also a very interesting and cute character... even if she is lost in solitude due to her complex, her maneirims make her a very cute and compeling character... I'm looking foward to see how her side of the story goes ^^

[frumplstlskn]

Haha, In the last few days we've gone through a bit of a staff change. Our main artist quit so now we've got someone else on who want to start the sprites and all from scratch. We've found someone else to do music and others to help with programming and website maintenance. We're still going strong and picking up speed!

Also, I've now come to completion on one background, since the ones in the alpha are anything but permanent.

Thanks for the support.

[monele]

Darn, I loved the sprites ... How do they look now? ^^;

[Otaku Dash]

Darn, I loved the sprites ... How do they look now? ^^;

Same here ^^; Well I just finished registering on the forums so I can lurk better and help in what I can... is skim the new artist? His style seems diferent but also appealing in a way

[DaFool]

I liked the very early demos... by what people have been saying, it looks like I'd like to grab the newest one also.

Our main artist quit so now we've got someone else on who want to start the sprites and all from scratch.

My comment comes prior to refreshing myself with the KS forum, but I'm assuming this was the kickass kekekeke...

My suggestion would be to cut down on the art request and extraneous / unnecesary stuff .. basically any art that won't be used in the game. Some artists even get burned out just on the character design / conceptualization phase, but that should have been over a long time ago.

Completing all the sprites within a limited span of time at least assures that their quality is consistent. If one stretches out the time required, sure they may get better, but what often happens is the last sprite to be completed looks so different from the first one (artistic evolution at work) that it becomes so tempting to redo things, and it's a neverending burnout cycle.

[frumplstlskn]

I don't want to say too much about it, but I do believe the new sprites will be even better than the previous ones.
kekekeke really didn't put his all into the old ones which is a shame now that he's gone, but, what can you do.

[Aura]

So we got a composer and a fourth writer, but one more writer would be super. I wonder if anyone here would have time to write a 70-100k word game path?