Minimizing Project Length

[Fisseha]

I like to work on multiple projects, especially if I already have experience with it.

But for visual novels, it's a whole new world for me.
As a beginner, I want to start with a small project, but I tend to make it much longer than intended, and this is not good. I've trimmed down stuff to make it shorter, but tomorrow I'll probably be having new ideas and be using them.

Please help me ;;

[arty]

Hey there!

I suppose the best advice I can give is ... write down exactly what you want to include in your game, and then call it a day. The rest is self-control! You'll have your plan, and you'll have to stick to it. For the additional ideas, you can make a second list and use them for potential future games. That way they won't be wasted, but you won't have to shoehorn them into your current project, either.

Cheers

[Johan]

I suppose the best advice I can give is ... write down exactly what you want to include in your game, and then call it a day. The rest is self-control! You'll have your plan, and you'll have to stick to it. For the additional ideas, you can make a second list and use them for potential future games. That way they won't be wasted, but you won't have to shoehorn them into your current project, either.

This is what I do!
Sometimes the many ideas you have for 1 project can be separated on their own projects. Or divide them into groups: which idea goes best with another idea, and if none of them are related to your current project or your current project is already fixed with a determinated number of ideas, then set them apart for a different project.

Also, just to say that it's not wrong to have a long project. You can have one with many ideas organized! BUT since you are only starting, I definitely recommend you to start with a short project.

[Katy133]

In January, I gave a talk at the 2019 Visual Novel Conference on what I do to organise and plot out my visual novels: I make a story grid.

A recording of the talk I gave was recorded, so you can watch it on YT:



Hope it helps!