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NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2014 10:38 am
by allurious
(note: I wrote this thread in response to discussion that there isn't really one centralized 'page' where you can go to get a good idea of what NaNoReNo is if you're not a member of the Lemmasoft/VN community. This is supposed to be a page where people can go to get an overview of the event info and some background, rather than piecing it together-- so please feel free to suggest any additions to this!)


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What is NaNoReNo?

NaNoReNo is a month long game jam/event in which developers are challenged to make a visual or kinetic novel from start to (hopefully) finish, held primarily on the Lemmasoft forums. It was originally inspired by the more famous NaNoWriMo (National Novelist Writer's Month, which takes part in November).

What dates does it run from and until?

March 1st 2017 until March 31st 2017 - the whole month.

Do I have to sign up anywhere to participate?

No, you do not have to sign up to participate in NaNoReNo, though you will more than likely get more out of the experience by joining the Lemmasoft forums and sharing the journey with the fellow participants there!

Is there a prize or any sort of judging?

There is no prize or judging in NaNoReNo - the event is a challenge that the developers set themselves and the prize is the magnificent sense of gratification you get after finishing your final build at the end of March. Mmmm.

Why should I participate in NaNoReNo?

Sometimes we need a fire lit under our butts. It's hard enough to get through making a game from start to finish without a time limit, let alone with just a month to get through everything. Having a deadline will motivate you, help you prioritize your time, let you work on a project you know will be (again, hopefully!) finished by a certain point and let your explore something outside of what you usually do. The same reason developers participate in game jams, it's a bit of fun with some time management thrown in and if there's ever that one visual novel idea you've had lurking at the back of your head forever but never had the kick to go explore it - do it now!

I heard NaNoReNo used to only apply to ren'ai (romance) games. Is this true?

This was indeed true back when the event was young in 2006, but as it has progressed the rules no longer particularly apply and you are free to create whatever genre of visual novel you wish - not just bound to romance.

Where do I post my novel when I've finished it?

Feel free to post it in this subforum when you're done, though you can also have your own thread while you work on it as well. Post pictures, share what you're up to - the visual novel community is an extremely supportive one.

Other useful information

2017 NaNoRenO Recruitment Thread

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 5:52 pm
by noeinan
So, when we're finished we post the game in the WIP thread for NaNoRenO? :/

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 5:53 pm
by MaiMai
Nah, completed games go in the Completed Games section and usually labeled with NaNoRenO [Current Year].

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 7:15 pm
by noeinan
Okay, cool. :) Thanks for clarifying.

Under "Where do I post my novel when I've finished it?" the word "subforum" links to the NaNoRenO WIP section, thus my confusion.

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 5:46 am
by Guest
Edited! (: Thanks for the clarification.

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 8:59 am
by Taleweaver
Sticky'ed for usefulness.

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 4:59 pm
by The Scribbler
Hmm, the Completed NaNoRenO 2013 list is just a very short list of the Otome games made last year, isn't it? The link title is a bit misleading worded as it is.

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 7:16 pm
by Author X
I have a burning question: what does NaNoRenO stand for? I know it's based on NaNoWriMo but that actually stands for something. Where does the specific arrangement and capitalization of NaNoRenO (or NaNoReNo) come from? It's driving me crazy reading about it and looking at resources/games and not being able to expand it in my head, but I can't find the answer using google or looking through this forum.

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 7:27 pm
by Alte
Author X wrote:I have a burning question: what does NaNoRenO stand for? I know it's based on NaNoWriMo but that actually stands for something. Where does the specific arrangement and capitalization of NaNoRenO (or NaNoReNo) come from? It's driving me crazy reading about it and looking at resources/games and not being able to expand it in my head, but I can't find the answer using google or looking through this forum.
Description from NaNoRenO 2005.
NaNoRenO was inspired and modeled after the idea of NaNoWrimo (write a 50,000 word novel in 1 month) and NaNoMangO (make a 30 page comic in 1 month). NaNoRenO challenges developers to create and finish their own Ren'ai game within a designated month's time from concept to final product.
I assume it stands for National Novel Ren'ai. NaNoReNo where the third N capitalized could be a typo.

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 7:41 pm
by Author X
So it's modeled after NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and NaNoMangO (National November Manga mOnth) but doesn't actually stand for anything?

I guess that's as good of an answer as I'm going to get, thanks. (the origin does make more sense knowing it came from putting Ren'ai in NaNoMangO)

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 9:02 pm
by Katy133
Author X wrote:So it's modeled after NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and NaNoMangO (National November Manga mOnth) but doesn't actually stand for anything?

I guess that's as good of an answer as I'm going to get, thanks. (the origin does make more sense knowing it came from putting Ren'ai in NaNoMangO)
Can't we just say that it stands for something else National (Visual) Novel Ren'py(-Writing) Occasion?

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:22 pm
by SparkyRailgun
You can say it stands for whatever you like, but that doesn't make it correct. :P

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 3:44 pm
by Author X
Katy133 wrote:Can't we just say that it stands for something else National (Visual) Novel Ren'py(-Writing) Occasion?
Actually, that's fantastic, thank you! Very satisfied and feel better about the name now. Unironic gold star for you. (it does kind of make me want to call it NaVNoRenO, though)

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 4:54 pm
by korova
A big doubt has just hit me.
For NaNoRenO, do you have to write your visual novel in english, or can you write in another language ? (and eventually translate it).
I ask because english is not my native language, so I write first in my language and translate afterwards, but writing and translating in one month might be overwhelming, not to say nearly impossible.

Re: NaNoRenO Cheat Sheet & FAQ

Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2016 7:29 pm
by Lesleigh63
korova wrote:A big doubt has just hit me.
For NaNoRenO, do you have to write your visual novel in english, or can you write in another language ? (and eventually translate it).
I ask because english is not my native language, so I write first in my language and translate afterwards, but writing and translating in one month might be overwhelming, not to say nearly impossible.
I don't see why you couldn't initially write it in another language (you may get less people playing it though until a re-release in english is available).