Where are all the VNs at?

[ktalkimist]

Hey guys, I'm just wondering, I see a lot of activity especially in the recruitment section and clearly there are numerous people who invest in their VNs. But how come we don't see a lot of commercial VNs? I mean, sure, there is something out there that you can buy at any given time, but there seems to be more people working on games that do cost money than there are that actually make it to market.

So I guess my question is this - are there a lot of people who spend on VN assets just as a hobby? If so, who do you distribute your works to?

[Taleweaver]

If so, who do you distribute your works to?

To all who are interested. We publish on these forums, on renai.us, on our own blogs and websites, and we like all the audience we can get.

[Googaboga]

There are a lot of reasons why someone who spends money on a VN won't make it commercial. The person they commissioned may have different rules of commercial games that don't work for them, they may have to use some pre-made assets and can't find ones that are allowed in commercial projects, they may be working with multiple people and can't come to an agreement with everyone on the team, they may not want it to cost money so more people are able to play it, they may not know how to make their VN commercial or where to sell it, or they may not have enough confidence in their game to think it's worth money. I'm sure there are more reasons too. And of course many VNs don't come out at all for various reasons. Even if you spend money on a game if it is just a hobby people may have more important things to do than finish the VN.

I am working on a VN and I was willing to spend money on it even though it will be a free to play game. I plan to upload it here and maybe a few other places.

My personal opinion on this is subject is positive. I like that people are spending money on games even when they aren't going commercial. I know not everyone has money but it sort of irks me when people are looking for someone to help with their VN and they say they aren't going to pay because it is a free game. Like because the game is free the only option is not to pay the people who help. But making VNs is a hobby (if you aren't going commercial and making money off it) and most hobbies cost money in one way or another. Whether you pay to take a class or buy supplies or even spend gas money to go somewhere to do your hobby. So I think it is great when free games have commissioned assets. Maybe instead of going to the movies or buying a new video game or something they saved their money to put into the hobby of making VNs. The VN maker then gets to enjoy their chosen hobby and an artist/musician/whatever gets paid to do what they do. Of course not everyone has the option of paying for other reasons and that is perfectly understandable. I'm only talking about people who spend money on other things but think a free VN only deserves free help.

[dramspringfeald]

It's a little hard to spot but at the very top of the forum second paragraph first line reads;
"Visit our new games list, blog aggregator, IRC, and wiki. "

I'm not very observant but my guess will be the third, fourth and fifth word... just saying.


as for the $ thing "Hobbyist game makers" are on the mid to higher tier of Hobbies for money spending. Kind of like Furries. they will dump quite a bit into them just because.

[ShippoK]

It's a little hard to spot but at the very top of the forum second paragraph first line reads;
"Visit our new games list, blog aggregator, IRC, and wiki. "

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that he's using the 'Prosilver' style instead of the 'subsilver2'.
The 'Prosilver' style doesn't show that.

[gekiganwing]

But how come we don't see a lot of commercial VNs? I mean, sure, there is something out there that you can buy at any given time, but there seems to be more people working on games that do cost money than there are that actually make it to market.

Just as one does not simply walk into Mordor, one does not simply become an indie game creator. Be sure to talk with people on this forum and elsewhere who've made their own independent games. They'll probably have something to say about finding an audience, creating art/stories/gameplay which appeal to an audience, and more.

[Applegate]

I've considered doing something commercially, but I need to save money to be able to afford assets first. The thing is that when projects become commercial, you need to either have (a team with) the appropriate skills, or the money to afford people who do have the skills you(r team) lack(s).

And that investment isn't always worth the risk.

[dorne]

For now it is a hobby for me. I invested in commissioning character sprites on my first non-commercial project because of a sense of desire and I can't draw that well at the moment. Plus I am using creative commons music that requires non-commercial. So I am focusing on learning how to write until I make something good enough to market.

I seem to see alot of commercial visual novels completed here, but just as many more free or non-commercial VNs.

[Vialixia]

You can't just make a game and expect people to buy it straight off the bat. Moreover, quality can (although it doesn't always have to) cost money, and if you don't put the quality into your free games, nobody will then buy your eventual commercial game. Doing a 'trial run' so to speak of a game with paid positions, so that you can get an idea of the rates, build up contacts, build up an audience etc. is a good way to go before you jump in at the deep end with a commercial game.