Japanese-style dating sims

[Voight-Kampff]

The thing which makes Type-Moon VNs stand out among the vast ocean of the Japanese VN market is that the character development in their stories is unlike most of the published ones out there. It's deep, dark, and the universe TM created is equally complex.

*nods*

You hit the nail on the head - at least for me, anyway.

I've known about the existence of the stereotypical "fluff" VNs for years. But it wasn't until I came across Type-Moon's work that I was convinced that VNs could be a reasonable media through which a compelling story could be told.

I also have to wonder if there's a lack of OELVNs that focus on the light, happy-go-lucky dating sims because, well...There's already a boatload available from Japan. Why compete with a really prolific competitor? I suspect people working on OELVNs are shooting for more unexploited genres - underrepresented genres.

[chronoluminaire]

It's quite interesting to see this question asked, given that this forum has seen a few people - mostly trolls, but not always - ask the opposite question: "Why are all the OELVNs so stereotypical? Why is it Japan and schools and teenagers, or fantasy, or sci-fi?"

There are a few very stereotypical high-school-romance games we've seen, and there have been a few games appealing to some of the common what the OP calls "fetishes". But I think probably, most of the authors here want to make their own twist on the genre, even if the genre is fairly well-established like high-school-romance, classical fantasy, or horror.

[bully]

To be honest, the "cute light and fluffy" project didn't really cover those fetish things... They were just cute. x3 The only cat-eared character was the one on the main page, that I remeber.

Actually, I have yet to see a maid game (besides the Sailor moon fangame Moon-maid).

given that you started the whole thing and didn't even contribute in the end, you don't really have much of a right to complain/make demands, Angelicarrot.

[PyTom]

You know, what I'd love to see is the traditional-style games (the sort of romance games we see out of Japan), set in nontraditional contexts.

Although it isn't a game, take the anime Onegai Twins. The basic premise is you have one guy and two girls, all high-school age, all orphans. And the basic premise is that one of them is his sister, and one of them is not. And this is incredibly important, because to have _unrelated_ high-schoolers living alone like that would be TOTALLY HORRIBLE.

But say we were to move that same basic setup into the US. The fundamental dynamic would be different, because I don't think we'd be all that judgemental about it. And so the story would be something different... I don't know what it would be, but it would certainly be different than the Japanese version.

Sometimes (often) I don't want to read the next heartbreaking work of staggering genius. There's something to be said for playing a game that just brings a smile to your face.

I spend every day living in a world where people are trying to kill me. (Terrorists and the like... read the news sometimes.) Often, I don't want to escape to fiction where the fate of the world hangs in the balance. It's often far more interesting to experience the lives of interesting and relateable people as they do relatively ordinary things.

[Voight-Kampff]

And this is incredibly important, because to have _unrelated_ high-schoolers living alone like that would be TOTALLY HORRIBLE.

Never mind that. If anime has taught me anything, it's that the Japanese government has no problems letting under-aged orphans live alone - in presumably government-subsidized housing. After all - how would all these children have the ability to cover a mortgage?!

I kid, I kid...Seriously though...sometimes those little details are enough to snap me out of the suspension of disbelief. The happy-go-lucky world has to be balanced out with a LITTLE bit of reality. Uh, well, assuming the title is based in a somewhat realistic world.

[Taroku]

Often, I don't want to escape to fiction where the fate of the world hangs in the balance. It's often far more interesting to experience the lives of interesting and relateable people as they do relatively ordinary things.

I'm the same way, sometimes i don't wanna see a story about really depressing things, and instead i want to see an ordinary guy who is just living an ordinary life with his friends and family.

[LVUER]

And this is incredibly important, because to have _unrelated_ high-schoolers living alone like that would be TOTALLY HORRIBLE.

Never mind that. If anime has taught me anything, it's that the Japanese government has no problems letting under-aged orphans live alone - in presumably government-subsidized housing. After all - how would all these children have the ability to cover a mortgage?!

I kid, I kid...Seriously though...sometimes those little details are enough to snap me out of the suspension of disbelief. The happy-go-lucky world has to be balanced out with a LITTLE bit of reality. Uh, well, assuming the title is based in a somewhat realistic world.

Same here. It's not bad to have a game purely for a smile even though it's something generic. As long as it makes me smile and warms my heart... and MOEEEEE >_<

This is why I always prefer happy ending. I don't like a depressing or sad ending. I have enough of those in real life...

[deerchan]

Sorry I suggest so much unoriginal stuff... But like LUVER says- just for fun, for a smile. I'd like to see some fluff cause we can't have that fluff here in the US because it's all in Japan. And so many of those stories seem appealing, even if they are in general dating sims. I mean look- dog-eared girls with swords, timetravel, magical academies, space, interdimensional battles - they look like a lot of fun as well. If you really look into them they're not all "SUPER CUTE BIG BOOBED GIRLS AT A JAPANESE HIGHSCHOOL LOLOLOL"

But I wholey support more original works- indie games in general.

[Samu-kun]

Well, I wouldn't mind more cute things. It's just that writing good cute stories is hard and 90% of it ends up being crud. (But this is not unexpected, because Sturgeon's Law applies) If a skilled and interested game maker happens to be out there who's willing to make the next Minami-ke, I'd play it.

[Showsni]

Some lighter stuff might be nice. I'm partway through Kanon; had me actually crying my eyes out on a certain girl's route. (Guess which!) But then, there was a hilarious bit that made me laugh too.

By Japanese style dating sim are we talking something like Kanon, or something that's all stat based like True Love?

Where is your avatar from, Samu?

[Samu-kun]

Where is your avatar from, Samu?

K-On. You really should watch it. =w=

[Taroku (Lazy)]

By Japanese style dating sim are we talking something like Kanon, or something that's all stat based like True Love?

I absolutely loved True Love because i got so into managing the protagonists daily life, that i forgot that it had hentai in it

[F.I.A]

By Japanese style dating sim are we talking something like Kanon, or something that's all stat based like True Love?

Unless someone messed up the whole term, I will lean towards something like True Love( The former tends to be pigeon-holed into the category that is visual novel instead). However, stats are never a requirement for dating sims in general. Dokyusei and Kakyusei series of Elf have the main character fixed, for instance. In Koisuru Kingdom, only some girls need you to pursue a stat to gain their favor.

Dating simulation tends to have:
- Ability to roam around with an active time running, while visual novel tends to have only a handful of destinations at a time.
- Dating subjects tend to have a time schedule of their own, where they appear at certain spot at certain time.
- Not following a strict main storyline, as in the game won't force you around like in visual novel.
- The meat of dating sim is, of course, going on a date with the subjects.

That said, sometimes it is hard to consider a genre for a game. Man-at-work 1, for instance, is an rpg at night, while you get to talk around and date girls by day. Doki Majo Plus for DS on the other hand has a dating simulation feature which opens up new possible endings.

[Fainn^]

Hihih, I think I have the same requirements as you, and it seems impossible to find a game like that .. Oh well, I must keep on looking!

[curry nochi rice]

don't worry dude... a generic high-school Japanese-setting game coming soon.

by the way... I think the Japanese-setting is kinds less-touched here... because mostly.. most of the time, the projects are trying to do away with it, also... you don't need Japanese characters to be made moe... I mean... it may be Japanese-style in writing and execution, but Character-wise... no...