What is your process for writing a visual novel?

[tier]

Hello. For many years, I have tried unsuccessfully to complete a visual novel. The problem was usually motivation, writer's block, and life circumstances...but lately, I realized that making a visual novel is still something I want to do in my lifetime. At least one.

What is your process for writing a visual novel? If you have released a visual novel, did you have to create a studio to post on Itch.io/Steam?

My current plan is to timebox evenings after work and play motivational music. These are my current tools:

• Inkscape (Coloring and Lineart)
• Pencil2d (Sketching and Animation)
• FL Studio (Music)
• Ren'Py (Code)
• VS Code (Editor)

[felix]

You don't have to set up any kind of formal organization to publish on itch.io, you can simply do it as yourself. But I couldn't say how to go about it. I've made one third of a visual novel, that came out great but then got bogged down (like much of my fiction does) and stopped there. In any event, manage your scope. I recently played one that tells a complete story (if short) in all of two characters and three backgrounds. Hope this helps!

[YossarianIII]

Some people add an outlining tool (like Twine). But my setup is basically the same as yours.

I invented a studio name for itch/steam because there was no one to stop me, lol, but it’s not a requirement. I figured I usually use some Creative Commons or public domain assets, so a studio name kinda made sense anyway.

[Zelan]

Note that Steam does require you to pay a fee to put your game on the Steam store, so keep that in mind if you're planning on releasing a free project - it may not be worth it to publish on Steam depending on what you're trying to do with your game.

itch.io doesn't have any up-front fees, as far as I know. (:

I also tend to struggle with burnout and demotivation, but I've been writing more recently, and it definitely helps to set aside time rather than just think "well, I'll write it when I write it."

It's very ambitious to do writing, coding, art, and music all on your own, but not impossible - some of my favorite projects have been by solo devs. Still, you can always ask for help here on the forums or from friends with skills that might help. (:

Good luck with your project! I hope to play it someday. (:

[nihilloligasan]

if we're just talking about writing, then i start out with some basic themes/ideas to focus on in a notepad file. then i create a google doc outlining the plot (my current outlines go from around 30-60 pages in length). after finishing all the outlines, i move onto writing the first drafts.

[lsf22]

Current tools are Free and open source software that is cross-platform compatible.

Gimp (Image manipulation software)
Krita (Drawing Software)
LMMS (DAWs)
Inkscape (Vector artwork, I use it for logos and icons)
Audacity (audio software)
LibreOffice (Made documentation and other game guides with it)
Artha ( A thesaurus to help out with writing)

As for writing ideas, it depends. I tend to find inspiration from life events and life in general, sometimes when I get stuff in the writing process I take a break and I watch anime or play other games to learn or find inspiration. Just like how FromSoftware used Berserk as inspiration for the Dark Souls series

[ISAWHIM]

Mostly, I assist with VN creation. I do not have a "full release", of my own creation, to date.

When I write, I first determine the content, then the subjects of the content. (Characters) Then I have a basic idea of what the "best ending" will be, before trying to figure out where to start the story. Then I brainstorm some hurdles and solutions, selecting one to be the primary climax point. The rest become mini-climaxes.

With that worked out, I start writing dialogue and coming up with any "code gimmicks" that I think might be useful. (Tracking lust, health, energy, secrets.) I just make notes as I write in bursts. I often skip over dull parts, fleshing-out the climaxes, so I can back-track to determine how the reader gets there.

Once I have enough written, I open RenPy and just start writing dialogue, as if it is a linear story. I make notes as I write, where code elements or branches might be needed. From start to finish. (Again, as much as I can, which is usually about 1/10th of the final dialogue.)

With text to follow, I begin setting-up individual characters in Daz3D, to portray them. At the same time, I design the custom scenery, which the VN will use, mostly using rough primitives or fast, low detail items. Sometimes just staying in Sketch-Up the whole time. (I can move the camera around a lot of scenery in Sketchup, without killing my computer. The opposite is true with Daz3D, even with primitives. Moving around is a bit of a nightmare in there.)

Where needed, I export raw images, or text of images as place-holders. Those are inserted where needed, in the dialogue-runs. If there is a game-like element, I just fake that operation at the moment.

When I have done all I can, reaching the end... I go back and start messing with code while real things are being "rendered". (It takes time to render a lot of things.) I still try to keep the code simple, where possible, but that doesn't always happen as planned.

It is at this point, where I am now passing my creations back to the others, as my part is done. (Unless they have changes that need to be done, in hind-sight, which were not addressed along the way.) This is also when I get it back to fight with code issues too. Everyone wants to add something-else or try to tackle having a million branches that aren't needed. Branches that, like Cleopatra's family tree, all lead back to the same branch or ending.