Lemma Soft Forums

First off, forgive me if I posted this in the wrong section.

Now, as you probably gathered from the title (at least those of you who did not run screaming), I'd like to hear your opinions about a VN based on the popular and oh so widely discussed Twilight franchise.
Personally I share a love/hate relationship of sorts with this particular piece of...literature, as some might call it.
While I have the tendency to despise the source material with a fiery passion (the writing is not particularly good, the 'vampires' are a joke, the main-character is either a sociopathic bitch or a mary-sue with absolutely zero personality and a serious case of damsel-in-distress-syndrome, her love interest also lacks any kind of personality besides beautiful and rich with some very worrisome possessive/stalker-ish tendencies and, let's face it, the plot is barely there to begin with), I do enjoy the movies and I think the characters (mostly the minor ones) have potential. Yes, I'm even willing to admit that I had a short Twitard phase after seeing the first movie (with absolutely no background knowledge), although, thankfully, I was even then aware that Edward is not exactly what a girl should look for in a boyfriend. But even now I like to get sucked into the Twilight world every now and then (mostly through fanfic...also, cookies for everyone who can guess what my nickname has to do with all of this xD)


TL;DR
The books are awful, but the world has potential.

I always thought that Twilight, while mostly awful as a book, could have worked as a visual novel.
The main character is an empty shell the reader can inhabit very easily and everyone seems to have the hots for her. Sound familiar?
So basically, I think a visual novel based on it (with a few tweaks here and there) could be quite enjoyable. Aaand I'm obviously thinking about giving it a try, since I wouldn't ask this otherwise.

So, what do you guys think? Yes, no, maybe, burn the witch?

You do what you want when it comes to making your own visual novel whether it'd be an original or derivative work.

And if you REALLY want me to be honest, I think you're better off making an original VN with its own story and universe not based on Twilight's world. Because yes I do not care for what Meyer built up, the association with it alone is enough to make me immediately disinterested.

Haha I'm pretty sure it's been done here...

Dusk ~A Moonlight Romance~ (KN)
http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... 11&t=11390

Though if you want to give the reader choices, well you could go for it.

I'm personally more interested in original (or at least non-popular) ideas and different takes on existening ideas.

@MaiMai: *lauhs* Yeah, the association is what I was worried about.

@Efreet: I was planning to give the reader choices (and not just the 'Oh ehm GEE, should I pick the marble, rich, luminescent, emotionally stinted vampire or the buff, easily angered werewolf?')

Maybe I should clear something up: When I said 'based on' I meant that like...'loosely based on'. Same characters, but with more depth and, y'know, actual personality. A main-character you don't want to punch in the face everytime she opens her mouth.
(the sparkling aspect probably has to stay, what with it being such a big (ableit ridicolous) part of the story, but Bella's reaction would be less like 'OMG ur so beautiful can I touch your chest now?" and more like "...BWAHAHAHAHAOMGICAN'TBREATHE" *wheeze*)

Then again, if all else fails, I'm sure at least the Twitards would appreciate it. Even if it were just a standard pick-your-guy/girl game.

I would just make up a new world with vampire love interests. Romantic fiction with vampires and all that are pretty popular, so I think it would be better to start from scratch. I personally think you would have to change too much for it to be, um... good? So I would strip Twilight back to it's very base concept, which is a girl moves to a new town and there are supernatural love interests, and create your own stuff from there.

Auro-Cyanide wrote:I would just make up a new world with vampire love interests. Romantic fiction with vampires and all that are pretty popular, so I think it would be better to start from scratch. I personally think you would have to change to match for it to be, um... good? So I would strip Twilight back to it's very base concept, which is a girl moves to a new town and there are supernatural love interests, and create your own stuff from there.

You're right, it'd be hard to make it...good. I do plan to change some things, though. I mean, I KNOW it can be done. There are fanfics who manage quite well and actually make me LIKE the characters, even Bella and Eddie McSparklepants, while still keeping canon intact. (more or less)
I love a good challenge. (LOL no)

*sigh* I guess I won't know if it works until it's actually done.
I think this is one of those times where it's just kinda 'Whatever, I'm just gonna go for it. Before I burst'.
And if it doesn't...it'll be a good practice at least.

Agreed with Auro here. Despite Twilight being, essentially, a paint-by-numbers shoujo manga story, the name itself bears a lot of onus, so people might shy away from it, even if they enjoy paint-by-numbers shoujo stories. Do something with hot vampires and werewolves. Why not? Just don't call it Twilight.

I am smug that I once found a Twilight-haters forum where some of the posters mentioned Fatal Hearts as an example of doing it at least a little better. Well, that, or they wished Twilight had been like Fatal Hearts so that Bella would die horrible deaths every time she made a wrong turn.

It is true that you won't know until you try. And you should do what you want to do first and foremost. You have displayed you have a good sense of humour and a way with words, so I would enjoy reading something you write regardless, especially if it is a bit tongue-in-cheek.

sake-bento wrote:Agreed with Auro here. Despite Twilight being, essentially, a paint-by-numbers shoujo manga story, the name itself bears a lot of onus, so people might shy away from it, even if they enjoy paint-by-numbers shoujo stories. Do something with hot vampires and werewolves. Why not? Just don't call it Twilight.

This, definitely. Twilight carries with it far too many expectations of horrid writing and worse characterization. Doing a fanpiece known to be twilight-related can only end in tears.

Damn, despite all of the (pretty logical) reasons I shouldn't do it...I still want to.
Maybe I can find a compromise between it being as close to canon as possible and being original.
(And hey, those who absolutely can't stand it would probably have a field day with having Bella die...I'd find it pretty amusing, at least)

...Or maybe this is just an excuse to ship the hell out of this and actually fit all the pairings I find interesting into one project. (I actually have half a mind to make the Edward route lead into a bad end no matter what you choose )

You do know that it's all depends on you yourself. Because it will be your game, and you'll be the one doing it.

But I gotta say, if you will do it based on Twilight, those Twilight, Edward, Jacob whatsoever fans will be have high expectation from your game. Because it's a popular..thing. On the other hand, those serious haters will seriously.. er.. hate it, I guess. I don't know, you can't just stop them. All they say is 'twilight is gay!!!11 why did u even make one?'. So if you want to make this game, be prepare for anything.

I won't say it's right or wrong. I don't really worship Twilight, or hate it that much. I'm just never into it.
And like they all said, it's not wrong for you to make your own original VN, that probably share some similarities from Twilight. The player will notice eventually. It's kinda like how most anime fans said 'Kaname Kuran is a much hotter vampire than Edward Cullen!' and likewise.

Do what your inner writer tells you amigo!

However, be expected to receive harsh criticism, more so than if you had made your own original idea. For better or for worse, Twilight has become extremely (in)famous. Therefore, your work will tend to be subjected to pretty harsh criticism.

Myself, I hate Twilight with a passion. However, I have no qualms with someone attempting to make something similar to it. Who am I to stem the fountain of creativity?

Please don't...Thats all I can say. Visual novel's are one of the few things I have left that isn't ruined by Twilight ( okay I have love/hate relationship going on, but still, not okay.)

bellice wrote:...Or maybe this is just an excuse to ship the hell out of this and actually fit all the pairings I find interesting into one project. (I actually have half a mind to make the Edward route lead into a bad end no matter what you choose )

You mean the ending where Eddie eats Bella at the first opportunity? I like that thought. If you really *must* do this thing, how about doing it a bit differently: Create a new MC to go wandering around some other town, say Port Angeles or Sekiu, or Sequim. All of these are close enough to Forks to share news.

Now, have Belward go on a tear through town, and deal with the aftermath.

Or, if you must use Forks, start with your MC transferring in from Seattle (close enough to retreat to at the end of the game), and watch events from that person's PoV. Whatever you do, don't use the same PoV as Sephenie did. You're only inviting problems.

And if she does decide to chase the sparklies, have Bella rip her hair out right before he tries to eat the MC's face.

Although if you can write a Male MC, there are eligible female sparklies that can be chased.