Creating original VN and request assistance [lengthy text]

[flyingtick]

Hello internet dwellers,
To get you to know a little bit about me, I am a graduating high school student with a deep passion for Visual Novels as well as journalism. Having read quite a few, I've finally decided to get started on a Visual Novel idea of my own but even with the direction decided, I still need people willing to take time out of their day to make this one big group effort. Getting the overall basis of my concept out is gonna take some time so please pardon my possibly atrocious writing. So anyway, in order to get this idea to see the light of day I need people with specific skill sets that can devote time to making this project their own.
EDIT: Also keep in mind that this is a volunteer project and you will most likely not be paid (it really all depends on how well we do when a demo is released).
EDIT: Those interested will be able to work within their schedule (meaning that meetings between developers will be coordinated in advance in a flexible manner to provide ease and comfort of communication).

So basically, most visual novels have an air that makes them feel like “pick your own adventures” or even “dating sims” (oh no). I plan to approach this in a different light as the VN is set in a Youth Correctional Facility of sorts. With the overall theme of this story being “change”, I wish to present readers with the concept of freedom from within, meaning, that even though the main protagonist would be confined to his chosen path, there are no wrong choices as morality isn't in question.

There is either do, or don’t, with each choice having a significant impact in the story and other characters. I wish to present the idea that choices don’t always determine true human nature and that despite the fact that each character has done something bad to get sent to this facility, that shouldn't stop you from looking at them as people with real depth, personality, and emotion. Life is like that, it presents hard situations you cannot control and forces you to react in the way you may think is best at the moment.
I want sensible writers, those who approach difficult situations with tact and acknowledge that sometimes, even when you have choices, you cannot change an outcome. Same goes for those of a different craft who know how to portray particular messages throughout different mediums.

EDIT: Seeing as this project is just starting out, many concepts will be open to discussion, not to mention seminars with other VN developers in order to give those interested an idea of the many processes that go into visual novels.

If you're still interested, the jobs to cover are as follows (preferably with samples but not limited to):
•Project Leads- These are the people who will determine the many flowcharts, routes, minor details, necessary arrangements, in addition to organizing seminars and keeping up with the progress of each medium. They are also the ones who coordinate online meetings with the development team. Only people having been interviewed by me, Flyingtick, will be afforded this position.

•Writers- Those who will design/shape characters and help the story progress in order to avoid a singular approach. Previous writing experience is appreciated but not necessary as creativity cannot be weighed. All you really need is the ability type and coordinate properly with others. Each writer would be allowed complete access to resources. Not every applicant will get chosen for a main path, but there is certainly room for those who wish to create minor characters or certain story moments.

•Editors- For those who enjoy intensive reading, spell-checking, or even the deletion of content. Editors are the overseers of the project capable of making changes to EVERYTHING. So keep in mind the responsibility that comes from all this power.

•Musicians- Enjoy music? Try being a musician. These are the people responsible for the very essence of the game. If a scene sucks because of bad writing, or if the art fails to completely capture a moment, the music is heavily relied upon to set the mood of the story. Be creative, be varied, and do whatever you want with the sound… it just needs to be good enough to fit a scenario. You have the utmost freedom out of all these mediums. Recording equipment is recommended.

•Artists- You guys will probably be the most all-exclusive group out of all the development team. You’ll be the ones bringing the concepts and the glorious content we’ve come to expect from a Visual Novel. Just be prepared to handle plenty of requests. If any programs are necessary for this medium, I’ll make it my mission to acquire it for you guys, but this will mean that artists are limited and must submit at least 5 pieces of art before being considered for monetary assistance. You guys will also be in charge of creating the CGs (computer graphics), character sprites, and DPs (Digital Paintings).

•Coders- If you’re familiar with the Ren’Py engine then this job is for you. Will only accept the best coders as this is the primary goal of every VN. A badly coded VN would ruin the whole experience, so be wary when accepting the responsibility. You would also be responsible for putting everything together for PC ports and possible others along the line.

•Animators- Responsible for giving the story a more personal feel. There’s nothing like seeing a character you love move around and do stuff, yeah! Actually, whoever is up to the task should be prepared to tackle the responsibility of imitating the chosen art style to the best of their ability. Also, you’ll be probably be the most loved out of all the dev team since your work would be showcased with the game demo (whenever that comes out).

•*Voice Actors- These are the ones who convert imagination into reality. By providing their voice, they give the reader a more in-depth semblance of emotion. Plus, for those who like audio books, voice acting is pretty important. However, voice actors must have good pronunciation skills and the voices to match in order to be considered.

•Legal Representatives- Stuff costs money. We may need to ask for money. There may be some problems so a legal team will be necessary to deal with those problems. Also, they will be the ones dealing with copyright concerns or other cumbersome details. Managing kickstarters might also become a responsibility but that would only be when a more solid product is out on the market.

•*Photographers- In order to have a semblance of realism, photographers are necessary for providing scenes which might be difficult to picture with just the mind. To avoid unnecessary work, photographs might be necessary so they need to be kept original.

•Groupies- The people who spread the message. Something good can’t possibly be successful without people that talk about it. The groupies are the perpetual backbone of any independent project and deserve their due recognition once the job is done.

*These are jobs that VNs can live without so be wary as they are subject to change.

EDIT: Anybody can freely choose any position. Just be clear of the responsibilities that may come with them.

So, with all this in mind, my objective is clear. I want to create a good in-depth Visual novel and want you guys to want it as well. The theme is meant to be dynamic in order to provide good storytelling that may lead to many directions. I only hope that I can find people willing to make that a possibility. Keep in mind that this is a very long process and may take a long time for completion, so I’m really looking for people that are dedicated and willing to make this project a reality. Anyway, thank you for reading through this and PM me should you wish to be a part of it.

EDIT: I care about all of you, feel free to send a message with any feedback regarding this project.
EDIT: Feel free to have an inside look at the summary of this project at: http://flyingtick.wordpress.com/2014/01 ... tter-name/
EDIT: Here's a Demo dialogue I cooked up, nothing too fancy: http://flyingtick.wordpress.com/2014/01 ... emo-scene/

[desulishor]

At least you have conviction for the idea, but let me ask you instead:
What are you willing to do? You're asking writers, artists, etc. to jump on and put all their hope on an idea sprawled to a forum post. That's a pretty tall order... I'm not telling you to give up, though.
On the contrary, you should start working by yourself, developing rough drafts of scripts and storyboards, character profiles, anything that could be used. Don't give yourself the excuse of 'what if others would come up with something else'. The more developed your game idea is, the more people become interested, because VN projects are all about getting it finished, no one wants to see their effort go down the drain, after all.

Also, look into options of getting funds. Even 100 - 300$ are enough to motivate an amateur artist and can make a huge difference in recruiting. If you need free artists, you can only keep your eyes peeled, one such a thread seems to be up right now thou. For larger projects there's always Kickstarter and such.

Personally, I'm tied to a project of my own, so I probably shouldn't dedicate to writing anything yet, but I could probably offer advice and feedback on ideas.

[Omniknight]

BY NO WAY do I mean to sound offensive, however...

I really approve of this post. As an artist myself, and someone that has worked on professional studio projects before and student projects alike, this stuff has also been bothering me when I see it. I wanted to flesh out a few points and hopefully help recruiters not shoot themselves in the foot.

1) Don't recruit on your first post, at least stop by and say hi in the welcome section or something. It seems like really bad form.

This is important. Otherwise it looks like you are shopping for meat. It makes almost everything you do in the recruiting post seem cold and impersonal.

2) Don't ask for or expect portfolios/experience if you don't have anything relevant to show for yourself. Be realistic with your team goals. Unless you're paying the bills, 'designer' isn't a team position, at least not by itself. Carry your weight, be it coding, writing, whatever you've got.

Calling Yourself a "Designer" or "Producer"
It looks HORRIBLE when you are recruiting an artist, a programmer, and a writer all at the same time and calling yourself a designer or producer or director. I know I automatically think - well what the hell are they doing? It makes it look like you are leeching off others and giving nothing back in return. If you are PAYING everyone, fine. You can legitimately claim to being a producer, because at least the project wouldn't happen without your funding. But requesting free or volunteer help to make something where all you contribute is the idea? That's bad form - I'll tell you what they say in the game and film industry when it comes to "ideas". "Ideas are like [a certain part of the anatomy], everyone has one."

And unless you can show me previous work, other completed projects, your own experience and portfolio? "Designer" is just a title you gave yourself, like you just stenciled it on your door and are claiming authority.

Be Realistic with Team Goals
This is one of those red flags that people look for. If you are looking for free help and your project is massive? It means you likely don't have the experience or knowledge to succeed. If you are talking about ambitious features that even well-funded professional studios with teams in-house haven't been able to pull off in a commercial release? Again, it points to a fundamental lack of experience and knowledge. It points to failure on the horizon and no one wants to board a ship they know will sink.

I understand wanting to be ambitious. It is human nature and dreams run unchecked. But you've GOT to walk before you can run. If you've put out several successful small games, people will trust you on the bigger projects. Disney didn't start with full length animated films, and Square and Enix didn't start with full-size RPGs. Even Nintendo started by making playing cards before it moved to simple arcade games.

3) People probably won't throw themselves at you for a good concept if you haven't done anything before. Show you can flesh it out. Better yet, have a prototype. It's not important that you use placeholder stickman art or you made it in Twine, the important thing is to show you can work a project. Show what you can bring to the table, basically. Also, don't be afraid to show at least some of your script if you're a writer. Don't expect people to come to you if you won't meet them halfway.

This. Show what YOU bring to the table. What have YOU done to assure this project's success before you've even thought of bringing others on board? Show that you are so heavily invested in this project personally that you have done EVERYTHING possible without outside help. Otherwise you are just a glorified middleman.

4) Don't expect 'credit' to be enough of a reward if you're expecting semi-pros, experienced hobbyists or anything beyond people just starting out. Unless you can meet the targets in (2) and (3), in which case people may well make an exception.

Offering just "credit" is kind of insulting to anyone experienced. Are you Paramount Pictures? Sony? SquareEnix? Then a "credit" on your game isn't going to do much for me, is it? If you have no previously released projects or games to your name, a credit on your team means little of nothing. This is NOT meant to be insulting, and you obviously can't do much to help this point if you are just starting out.

However, I bring it up because so many recruiters act as if offering you credit is this grand magnanimous gesture that will really help you out. It won't. And it doesn't help your case that so many people and businesses have used the "you'll get credit" line to screw generations of artists out of hard work for free. This results in a strange dichotomy where an artist can be famous and starving. Better to be anonymous and well-paid.

And who DOESN'T give credit? It is expected. So give credit, just don't act like the people you're recruiting should be thanking you for the privilege.

Most of these can be excepted if you're paying for work, of course.

Yes, if you are paying fair rates for work, you're fine. Most of these suggestions as for recruiters looking for free volunteers.

These are things to look out for that make some recruiting posts come across as inadvertently insulting.

...it helped, right? ^^;;

[Rinima]

BY NO WAY do I mean to sound offensive, however...

I really approve of this post. As an artist myself, and someone that has worked on professional studio projects before and student projects alike, this stuff has also been bothering me when I see it. I wanted to flesh out a few points and hopefully help recruiters not shoot themselves in the foot.

1) Don't recruit on your first post, at least stop by and say hi in the welcome section or something. It seems like really bad form.

This is important. Otherwise it looks like you are shopping for meat. It makes almost everything you do in the recruiting post seem cold and impersonal.

2) Don't ask for or expect portfolios/experience if you don't have anything relevant to show for yourself. Be realistic with your team goals. Unless you're paying the bills, 'designer' isn't a team position, at least not by itself. Carry your weight, be it coding, writing, whatever you've got.

Calling Yourself a "Designer" or "Producer"
It looks HORRIBLE when you are recruiting an artist, a programmer, and a writer all at the same time and calling yourself a designer or producer or director. I know I automatically think - well what the hell are they doing? It makes it look like you are leeching off others and giving nothing back in return. If you are PAYING everyone, fine. You can legitimately claim to being a producer, because at least the project wouldn't happen without your funding. But requesting free or volunteer help to make something where all you contribute is the idea? That's bad form - I'll tell you what they say in the game and film industry when it comes to "ideas". "Ideas are like [a certain part of the anatomy], everyone has one."

And unless you can show me previous work, other completed projects, your own experience and portfolio? "Designer" is just a title you gave yourself, like you just stenciled it on your door and are claiming authority.

Be Realistic with Team Goals
This is one of those red flags that people look for. If you are looking for free help and your project is massive? It means you likely don't have the experience or knowledge to succeed. If you are talking about ambitious features that even well-funded professional studios with teams in-house haven't been able to pull off in a commercial release? Again, it points to a fundamental lack of experience and knowledge. It points to failure on the horizon and no one wants to board a ship they know will sink.

I understand wanting to be ambitious. It is human nature and dreams run unchecked. But you've GOT to walk before you can run. If you've put out several successful small games, people will trust you on the bigger projects. Disney didn't start with full length animated films, and Square and Enix didn't start with full-size RPGs. Even Nintendo started by making playing cards before it moved to simple arcade games.

3) People probably won't throw themselves at you for a good concept if you haven't done anything before. Show you can flesh it out. Better yet, have a prototype. It's not important that you use placeholder stickman art or you made it in Twine, the important thing is to show you can work a project. Show what you can bring to the table, basically. Also, don't be afraid to show at least some of your script if you're a writer. Don't expect people to come to you if you won't meet them halfway.

This. Show what YOU bring to the table. What have YOU done to assure this project's success before you've even thought of bringing others on board? Show that you are so heavily invested in this project personally that you have done EVERYTHING possible without outside help. Otherwise you are just a glorified middleman.

4) Don't expect 'credit' to be enough of a reward if you're expecting semi-pros, experienced hobbyists or anything beyond people just starting out. Unless you can meet the targets in (2) and (3), in which case people may well make an exception.

Offering just "credit" is kind of insulting to anyone experienced. Are you Paramount Pictures? Sony? SquareEnix? Then a "credit" on your game isn't going to do much for me, is it? If you have no previously released projects or games to your name, a credit on your team means little of nothing. This is NOT meant to be insulting, and you obviously can't do much to help this point if you are just starting out.

However, I bring it up because so many recruiters act as if offering you credit is this grand magnanimous gesture that will really help you out. It won't. And it doesn't help your case that so many people and businesses have used the "you'll get credit" line to screw generations of artists out of hard work for free. This results in a strange dichotomy where an artist can be famous and starving. Better to be anonymous and well-paid.

And who DOESN'T give credit? It is expected. So give credit, just don't act like the people you're recruiting should be thanking you for the privilege.

Most of these can be excepted if you're paying for work, of course.

Yes, if you are paying fair rates for work, you're fine. Most of these suggestions as for recruiters looking for free volunteers.

These are things to look out for that make some recruiting posts come across as inadvertently insulting.

...it helped, right? ^^;;

As much as I despise to admit it, Omniknight is right.

Thought it is somewhat ironic that he's the one that pointed it out.

[Asceai]

Designer / director / producer / project lead is a legitimate position*, even for a free project, but I don't think it's a good idea to claim it unless you've shown that you can direct - someone who can shape disparate talents and personalities into a fantastic, consistently-produced game that looks and feels like it was guided by a strong, shared vision is absolutely worthy of that title but I don't think many people will sign on for what could potentially just be someone with a few ideas that thinks they can make a VN.

Now, this is a catch-22, because to show that you can lead means you first need to lead a project. The way to bypass that is probably suggested above, like contributing writing, programming or even the relatively low-skill but considerably strenuous task of 'storyboarding' your entire project concept first, creating the base VN using free assets so you can communicate your vision of the project to others etc. If your vision is one that resonates with people and you communicate it well, I'm sure you'll find people who are willing to help out in some capacity.

*For example, in the commercial eroge world, I'll play anything directed / produced by SCA-自 even if he's not writing it, because that makura/keroq spirit still shines forth from those projects. He can both write and draw, though; he's not just a director.