Visual Novel Writing Contest (planning thread)

[Minnfae]

I vote 1.

[Nellie]

I vote for #1.

With a ready selection of music, it might (indirectly) narrow down the possibilities of story plots. Maybe that's just me xD

[LVUER]

I vote for number 3. People just need to be creative when they have limited amount of choice. If you don't like the selection, then you don't need to add any music at all. It's a choice.

[Ziassan]

Just a little warning for the 3 if I may : it will fore sure make a difference between those who used the tracks and those who didn't use : the music and the writing aren't separated things, making a writing with a soundtrack is melting the two (for instance, music carries the mood, the ambience, so if there is not, words have to be more descriptive to make the job the music was doing).

Good luck otherwise, we don't see enough of that kind of contest around here.

[Miyuki]

I vote for 1 because as I said before, I generally play these things on mute anyway.

But I think that if you use 3 then everyone needs to use music because the inconsistency will probably effect people at least subconsciously if some use sound and some don't.

[Victoria Jennings]

At first, I thought I'd go with 3, but after reading what everybody else has had to say on the topic (particularly Ziassan's warning), I think going with 1 would be your best bet. U:

[OokamiKasumi]

Heh. Sorry. Not quite, though - I'm not writing any game *text*. Just a setup, like "two people meet after a train crash" (but not actually that). You may still hate it though.

It can't hurt to at least look before I make any snap decisions.

I like option 3.
-- Music provided as an option adds to the creativity because your writing will either fit with it, or jar against it depending on A) what effect you're trying for, and B) your Skill at writing.

[redeyesblackpanda]

I think the thing that we want to determine here is this:
Are we testing the writer's skill to adapt to certain restrictions, or are we just having a normal contest? I don't really think we're looking for the latter.

If there aren't enough restrictions, this will just end up being a "make a nice VN" contest. After giving this more and more thought, I think the best idea would be to make it restrictive, to truly test the skills of a writer. With that in mind, I think having option 3 makes sense. Personally, I think that people who complain about the restrictions should just make their own VN for themselves, and not for this contest.

[MysteriousArtistX]

Is this only towards Music or SFX as well? I feel like sfx should be permitted but which an amount cap, as sound effects in moderation aren't a big issue typically.

But with music I think either 1 or a more structured version of 4. I think just capping the amount of music that can be used and making it mandatory to be CC would leave the option open for those who want and don't want it. Otherwise there just might as well be no music at all.

Not saying pre-selecting songs would be a bad idea, but seeing how many people seem to be willing to participate in this, hearing those same songs several times could prove... problematic.

[Dim Sum]

I think the thing that we want to determine here is this:
Are we testing the writer's skill to adapt to certain restrictions, or are we just having a normal contest? I don't really think we're looking for the latter.

If there aren't enough restrictions, this will just end up being a "make a nice VN" contest. After giving this more and more thought, I think the best idea would be to make it restrictive, to truly test the skills of a writer. With that in mind, I think having option 3 makes sense. Personally, I think that people who complain about the restrictions should just make their own VN for themselves, and not for this contest.

Nothing wrong with make a nice VN contest. Doesn't hurt LSF if every other month different make a nice VN contest of different themes appear.

Post made me think though: is there award for this? (Nope: Not reward.)

Like maybe poster giving up game would advertise writer? Not just blog about it but really like treat winner as if they not just won show like reality contestant winners and forget them? Think right now there is blind spot to who is fav writer except for forum insiders. Like had to see Bionic Heart 2 topic just to see this poster is top fav writer of certain OELVN genre style. Outsiders still don't know who's who of VN making. Think Jack Norton/Winter Wolves even more pop than SakeVisuals and SakeVisuals even less pop than Christine Love despite making more Japanese looking visuals but RE: Alistair++ more pop than any other VN including Christine Love VNs. If skill to be tested, props should be given to winner to encourage more participants.

[Anarchy]

Ahaha. RE: Alistair++ more popular than Christine Love? Whose works have been featured on numerous popular gaming websites, Steam, and most recently, been nominated for the 2012 Indiecade Awards? Nobody's heard of RE: Alistair outside of the very small, niche OELVN community, and while it is indeed a well-done game, the notion that it's more popular than, say, Analogue or Digital is preposterous. How are you even evaluating "popularity" anyway? What figures are you using?

Also, I vote one. This isn't a contest of music editing skills. If you're a good writer, you should be able to keep the reader's attention even without all the bells and whistles. It rubs me the wrong way because a VN should be about the whole experience, including sound/art/writing/whatever, but since this is a writing contest...

It might even make sense to have submissions purely in script/storyboard form. Like how ScriptFrenzy doesn't expect its participants to come up with full-fledged movies, just the scripts for those movies.

[Dim Sum]

Ahaha. RE: Alistair++ more popular than Christine Love? Whose works have been featured on numerous popular gaming websites, Steam, and most recently, been nominated for the 2012 Indiecade Awards? Nobody's heard of RE: Alistair outside of the very small, niche OELVN community, and while it is indeed a well-done game, the notion that it's more popular than, say, Analogue or Digital is preposterous. How are you even evaluating "popularity" anyway? What figures are you using?

Googling VN forum threads. Read some stuff.

Example: (see what section it is under)

http://download.cnet.com/RE-Alistair/30 ... 81215.html

Christine Love very recent fad and very different Christine Love hype.

There was Christine Love as unique casual game writer. Bringing unique style to free casual games.

Then there was Christine Love free quality VN maker.

Then there was post-Steam Christine Love hype.

Each fad killing previous brand of Christine Love.

Alistair++ less tagged as VN. More known as simply good free game.

Also predated Christine Love in popularity outside of VN groups.

It like difference between Oscar nominated movie and Keanu movies.

Yes, Christine Love is more "spoken of" but Alistair ++ is more "there".

Not all people talking about Christine Love know full Christine Love. Some might be twitter followers. Other might be following game blogs. It's all over.

Where as people who mention and read Alistair++ know "it's" that game. I haven't finished playing Alistair++ and when read about it in topic, I know it's "that" game from way people talk about. You can't really miss reading Alistair++ and think you're talking about another game just as ppl can't miss Little Fighter for Final Fight or RPG Maker for RenPy.

Christine Love on other hand is "that popular VN maker". Pretty recognizable but her games are all talked differently. Her criticisms are all spread out. Her praises are all spread out. Some talk of her as a feminist maker. Others talk of her only cause Hate is selling so well.

Alistair++ on other hand? Very few even know it's upgraded version of Alistair but type re:alistair in Google and you immediately get Alistair++. As soon as you have inkling of Alistair++, you don't even think of it as VN or updated version of VN. You just think people are mentioning "that" ++ game. It game that people "who are not in the know" don't have to be in "the know" to find out about.

[OokamiKasumi]

Also, I vote one. This isn't a contest of music editing skills. If you're a good writer, you should be able to keep the reader's attention even without all the bells and whistles. It rubs me the wrong way because a VN should be about the whole experience, including sound/art/writing/whatever, but since this is a writing contest...

It might even make sense to have submissions purely in script/storyboard form. Like how ScriptFrenzy doesn't expect its participants to come up with full-fledged movies, just the scripts for those movies.

It rubs me wrong for the same reasons, but I believe the plan is to put them all into One game. That's why we're economizing on the music and images. If people added their own graphics, music and SFX, the file size would end up being close to a gig.

[Donmai]

My vote is 1 (5 is not a bad idea).
Watching with interest!

[TakeOverWorld]

This sounds interesting.
I think, for the sound, as said before, option 3, and you wouldn't have to use the music if you didn't want to.