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... I'm not the only one who makes games in nvl-mode (like Umineko wall of text) and no dating sims, am I? I'm not feeling particularly insecure about this but then again, I am.

I feel more comfortable making games with "the wall of text" -style and being no dating sim (however, I have romantic elements). Never played one, can't do one. Though, I've included some choices and different endings, most of them are bad endings to my games. Does it sound weird? (Only one is finished, so far, others are in progress, but anyway...)

But I have played games not being "the wall of text" -games, and Togainu no Chi is my favourite game, but to me, it's just easier to write and read text blocks. Am I using the easiest way of game making?

So, are there anyone who makes "the wall of text" -games? Why you do? Why you don't? Should I change my style or stick to it?

My choice; I keep my style.

I kind of like the NVL style and am toying with using it for my first experiment. I loathe having to click endlessly to call up new lines of text, and find that the ADV style becomes obnoxious if I'm re-playing and want to get through chunks -- I do love the work that people put into ADV style games, but I suppose it comes down to if you prefer more reading than watching. If the story has relatively less text, ADV makes sense, but for the whopper-word counts, NVL seems like a perfectly fine choice.

Make a game/novel you really love, and your audience will find you.

Ohh I always wondered why some visuals were like that. Is there a reason appart from how you like to write.
Like It makes something in the game better? I always wondered.
(Im asking because Ive never played a game like that, from a screenshot I can tell it doesnt look good because the text is over the graphics and they couldnt be well apreciated...But again Im asking, maybe in game experience is different)

I made a [text] using NVL mode once, and no seemed to mind the different format. I tend to prefer ADV format because I like showing off the artwork, but I don't think writing in a different mode will automatically turn people off from your game.

I used NVL in my NaNoRenO game and instead of having a gray thing over the art, I made Ren'Py replace it with a transparent image, thus showing all of the BG and art. Take it or leave it, I guess :/

I think the thing with NVL is that it lends itself more naturally to 3rd person POV because it looks more like a traditional book, and ADV feels better with 1st person POV because the player can imagine seeing through the narrator's eyes. If you have more dialogue occurring between two characters, ADV is better. If you like your purple prose and long descriptions, then NVL might be up your alley. As always, it's up to the creator to decide how their story is presented and you can modify the modes to fit your needs.

A game like this?

The photo is Dies Irae, one of the best VN which features walls of texts and astonishing arts. It must be rather hard work than making usual ADVs.
This type of game are mainly focused on battle scenes btw.

Currently I'm using both of them in my project as a means to distinguish between events that are happening in first person and third person. ADV mode is used during the times when you're viewing things from the main protagonist's point of view, while NVL mode is used for third person narrating during cutscenes when certain events are taking place and the main protagonist is absent.

@clua
I just like to read more (and click less), also I like to write more details. But I like also the graphics. Sometimes it's possible to hide the text and look the art and then click the text back, if I remember right. But, I guess the game experience is different, but how, I don't know.

CG-gallery is a friend.

@sake-bento
I just need to find my audience, I think.

@CheeryMoya
Well, I like to write. And as I said earlier, I like to write and I like the graphics but ADV-mode just doesn't feel right. Can I say so? Also most of my games are based on my comics (I never drew them ready. Only sketches after sketches).

@nyaatrap
Yes, like that. Don't know about the hard work (guess it is), I should try and make one game using ADV to tell the difference. That game looks nice.

@Gambit74
Sounds interesting. If I recall right, game called 11eyes Tsumi to Batsu to Aganai no Shojo, used same style. Again, being curious, how it is done? I mean, "switching" between modes?


I really shouldn't write anything, when I'm tired... All-nighters aren't that nice...

The Royal Trap is doing frequent NVL passages, but as it's widescreen I'm also pushing the NVL display over to only half the screen, meaning you can still see at least some of the art.

It would also be possible to do a game entirely in "open book" display, with illustrations on the left-hand page and text on the right.

clua wrote:Ohh I always wondered why some visuals were like that. Is there a reason appart from how you like to write.
Like It makes something in the game better? I always wondered.
(Im asking because Ive never played a game like that, from a screenshot I can tell it doesnt look good because the text is over the graphics and they couldnt be well apreciated...But again Im asking, maybe in game experience is different)

I like to play battle themed VNs, like Fate stay night, Dies Irae, 11 eyes, e.t.c. Many battle VNs are using the NVL window on their battle scenes, so there must be a practical reason.

In my experience (yeah, it's "experience" more than reading), they gave me vivid visuals more than other games. When they show beautiful arts, they impress strong images on my eyes. Then I start reading the wall of text, the images start animating inside my brain and I almost forget the actual CG is half hidden.

I write in the NVL format. In fact, when I released Nice Day it was in ADV at first. Feedback indicated people'd rather have it in NVL due to its style, and since I write all my VNs in NVL format. And by all I mean all of two.

NVL seems more suited to making text the focus and artwork a support, where ADV places a heavier emphasis on art. Well, you need art in either case or you'll lose a large audience, since Visual means more than Novel in the Visual Novel format, but you can use either without needing to fear overmuch for your audience.

divalei wrote:@Gambit74
Sounds interesting. If I recall right, game called 11eyes Tsumi to Batsu to Aganai no Shojo, used same style. Again, being curious, how it is done? I mean, "switching" between modes?

Never heard of 11eyes, but I actually borrowed the idea from Kara no Shoujo . It's also seen in 999 too, but with NVL and ADV going on at the same time (NVL on touch screen and ADV on top screen). As for your question, do you mean how do I use it or are you asking how to do it? I'll answer the former just in case.

For how I use it, it's when I break away from the main character's focus because he's either sleeping or he heads off to a different location somewhere and it creates an opportunity for me to show a scene of events before following him. An example for the latter would be that he is accompanied by a friend because they are looking for someone. When they can't find them, he decides that they should go look elsewhere. Right after they leave the area, the scene will transition to a new area, which shows that the person they are looking for is going to be killed. The events will then be narrated in NVL mode, which describes everything that's happening in third person. When the cutscene is over, the scene will transition back to the main protagonist and his friend.

I love NVL mode too, but probably because I associate it with Tsukihime and Higurashi! :

I'm using NVL mode in the same "ONScripter-style" in my VN!

I use both; Novel style for when there are long monologues and such, otherwise adventure style. We got tons of people complaining that they couldn't see the artwork well enough in novel mode and that it was hard to tell who said what (even though their personalities differed and the images changed), so we switched to this compromise.

It works pretty good now though :3!