Welcome to the NHK!

[DrakeNavarone]

I'm actually surprised no one else brought this one up, considering the subject matter in the last few episodes. Just in case you haven't seen it, Welcome to the NHK (NHK ni Youkoso) is about Tatsuhiro Satou, who is a hikokomori (somebody who withdrawls from society and hides in their room all day), and a young girl named Nakahara Misaki who tries to cure him.

It's a really interesting show. Sometimes it's drop dead hilarious and other times it's brutally honest in depicting hikokomori life. I think it has a lot of potential and I'm always eagerly anticipating the next episode.

Something that might be of interest to you guys who haven't seen it yet, recently Satou and his neighbor, Yamazaki, have been working on creating their own bishoujo game, although it doesn't look like much work got done yet...

So, is anyone else watching this??

[DaFool]

I watch it but am often too busy to talk about it.

I started scripting my game about the same time Satou decided to join up with Yamazaki. If you noticed episode 3 came out about the same time as the Blade Engine announcement.

And I beat Satou to it! Of course it makes a big difference that my game is free, lasts only 5 minutes, and has a minimum of moe.

[Glasskitten at the office]

I wanna be a ren'ai-making hikikomori when I grow up!

(I have yet to see the show, however. Maybe I should look up what channel it is on, and then buy a little television set for my dormitory. I will be needing a TV at college eventually, I know, or else I will not be able to catch Mr. Furnier's next talk show appearance. I have gotten along without regular television viewing for so long that I hope I will not be negatively affected if I start following a particular anime series. Maybe being exposed to more mental stimulation than the four little walls of my room will help my creative abilities.)

[DrakeNavarone]

DaFool: I finally got around to trying out Geomancer Chronicles and saw the NHK allusion there. That made me grin a bit.

On another note, this show still rocks. We've got six episodes now, and it only gets better and better. I just hope the show doesn't lose this momentum.

[EwanG]

And now it's up to 16, and still seems to be doing some good stuff. Just glad it didn't end at episode 12...

[DaFool]

Episode 21 made me think more about what it is that motivates one to make eroges or visual novels.

Satou and Yamazaki were exhilarated when they finished the game, and made it the best thing ever that they can come up with given their (mostly Yamazaki's) talents.

But it only sold 5 copies.

Now I mentioned before I was more of an entertainer mentality. Maybe this really pushes one to become more of the artist mentality. So a game gets viewed by less than 100 people, so what? As long as you did your best to get the message out. But at the same time, knowing that it will be viewed by less than a hundred people, why not just keep things low budget?

As mikey once said, every media, whether a big budget film or a tiny story on a newsletter, can be summarized into simple ideas. And all ideas are equally valid. The only difference is that some have more clout behind them. But on the internet, advertising is easy since it relies on word of mouth. That means the intrinsic quality is more important. Thus you just have to have the minimal effort to express your core idea out (the complete game), all the rest is just bells and whistles.

And as episode 20 illustrated with Misaki's sand mound, anything that can be built up can be destroyed so easily. So the motivation in making a game relies not on trying to make a mark on the cyberworld (which is only fleeting), but just to create that moment of pride in yourself or among your co-creators, that should be all worth it.

[DrakeNavarone]

Now I mentioned before I was more of an entertainer mentality. Maybe this really pushes one to become more of the artist mentality. So a game gets viewed by less than 100 people, so what? As long as you did your best to get the message out.

I still think that an entertainer mentality is just as valid. It really just depends on which approach you'd rather take. You can either touch less than 100 people strongly and emotionally, or you can keep less than 100 people happy and entertained. You'd still get the same return, pride in knowing that people enjoyed your game, even if it's for different reasons (at least I would).

As mikey once said, every media, whether a big budget film or a tiny story on a newsletter, can be summarized into simple ideas. And all ideas are equally valid. The only difference is that some have more clout behind them. But on the internet, advertising is easy since it relies on word of mouth. That means the intrinsic quality is more important. Thus you just have to have the minimal effort to express your core idea out (the complete game), all the rest is just bells and whistles.

As an extension from what I wrote above, sometimes for the entertainer, the bells and whistles are important. After all, how many games have you played where some tiny almost insignificant detail actually increased your appreciation for it? Happens with me quite a lot. And regardless of your artist/entertainer alignment, some people just won't be satisfied with themselves putting in a minimal amount of effort. In fact, and this is the case with me (or will be, as soon as I actually finish something), I think the amount of pride you get in return is proportional to the effort put in. It may not be an exponential difference, but if you really work hard on something, and then you finally finish, sitting there basking in the glory that is your completed project, I think you'd glow inside longer. (But I'm not trying to discourage people from releasing smaller projects, they have their worth too!)

So the motivation in making a game relies not on trying to make a mark on the cyberworld (which is only fleeting), but just to create that moment of pride in yourself or among your co-creators, that should be all worth it.

This part here, I agree with wholeheartedly, 100%!

On a note related to the thread, I'm actually two episodes behind (too busy with my own project... though it's moving at a Satou's... er, snail's pace...), but it looks like I'll have to catch up tonight...

[F.I.A]

As for them selling low, well, it is the first YS company game(The demo does not count, since from what Yamazaki said, none was sold.).

It happens to other currently established doujin group, say TYPE-MOON. Tsukihime is actually their first popular accepted work, not the first product. After FATE-STAY, they introduced back older one to the fans.

For me, I make for the sake of making it. It is to prove that I can achieve something if I make it so.

[NoMoreStars]

NHK is the reason i decided to make a sim game....its the reason why im at this forum.Im currently only up to episode 14 though.