Begin a VN project, challenges, etc

[tanix]

Hi everyone,

I just want to know your experience about starting a project and the challenges that you have faced.

I don't have enough knowledge to start a project but I want to participate or engage in some project or be helpful.

Thanks

[Mammon]

First tip: Say VN instead of VM

You probably actually do have the knowledge to make a project of your own, it's a really low bar to get accustomed to Ren'py thanks to a lot of the difficult things already having a basic placeholder for you to use. I myself wouldn't have been able to make a project of any kind if I couldn't skip the whole nightmare (for me) that is GUI. Writing the story is the only thing you'll really need to do yourself, you can use CC assets for art and keep the standard code already given to you (the bare minimum of putting writing in code is easily learned as well). And from there, you can start improving on it learning one thing at a time.

Of course, the above will result in a very simplistic and basic VN that won't really amount to much. Even if you excell in one field you'll probably be rather basic with the other two. A beginner doing everything on their own will need months or even years and a lot of commitment to make something better than mediocre. However even a mock project is good training and will add upon your portfolio, being able to show people that 'Hey, I know at least a bit what I'm doing, and this is what I can do!' and that you do have the focus to spend many hours of work on a project.

As for cooperating on a project you don't need to make a project of your own of course if you want anyone to pay attention to you, but you will need to have something to showcase. Have a sample of your style and skills. And a good sales pitch helps too.

[Sonomi]

I just want to know your experience about starting a project and the challenges that you have faced.

I'm relatively new to the VN creation scene, but I feel I can share my experience thus far. A few challenges that I have seen or faced are underlined below.

You should find a topic that you are passionate about. This can be something that you like, something that bothers you, or something you wish to learn more about. Be sure to choose an idea that you can see yourself sticking with for some time. Once you figure this out, you should be able to move forward at a reasonable pace. Understanding your topic will push you in the right direction with your research, art direction, choice of music, and style of prose.

The most important part of beginning any project is having a plan to complete it. How much time will you be able to spend on this, and which skills can you learn how to do yourself (art, writing, etc.)?

I have found that the most effective way to overcome writer's block in a new project is to stay steadfast in working on it regularly. Every day, if you can. If you can maintain a steady progress, no matter how small, you will likely feel more motivated to keep propelling yourself forward. My understanding is that motivation, keeping a hold of your initial enthusiasm and excitement, is also a significant challenge for many VN developers.

[kistnerelizabeth]

Writer's block is tough. I'm still working on my first project, just trying to finish the last drafts of my scripts for my character routes. Another issue is the art and perfecting your characters, CGs, backgrounds, etc. The biggest issue I'm facing is trying to ensure my multiple storylines work well together and I get through coding properly with the points system and whatnot working properly as well as ensuring people are having fun with my game and feel like they get enough interaction and whatnot. GUI and menus are also an issue. I'm currently editing up creative commons GUIs offered to the public to make the work a little easier while at the same time trying to make it unique.

[TheJerminator15]

I'm of the philosophy that you must complete at least the first draft of the planned story before proceeding with anything else for your VN. Story is typically the most engaging or core of any VN, so work on at least enough for a general demo first. You can get away with creative commons resources and basic coding for a lot of the VN stuff, but you always have to create the story. This is why I've also refused to try and generate much interest or recruit for my own VN, because my story is nowhere near done yet. Plus it's my first full blown VN.

On the flip side, stories may not be your strong suit, and there are plenty of roles for you to fill. Are you confident with your art? Try practicing your art by helping out on the production of a free product, same with coding or GUI. There are also other roles to be filled, ones that are usually overlooked. For example, a notable reoccurence I see is a massive breakdown in communication and motivation which destroys projects or slows them down immensely. An example of this is a collaborative VN between many different teams I took part in last month, where the team I was part of managed to finish the first part, but then there was no further communication and the project essentially died. This is essentially a long winded way of saying that you can also focus on managing a team as well, keeping everyone motivating and talking with each other for example. Not every integral role is linked to being massively involved in the development side after all.