Could this become a bad idea?

[llirium]

I've just finished a short rough draft (in a very loose VN script style) of a Kinetic Novel that's heavily based on my own life. I have no real VN experience, save in sitting on this one story idea for a few years.

There's just something in me that wants to take these experiences and show them to others, regardless.

I've changed a lot of the characteristics of the other characters, just to create more anonymity (more for others than for me, I don't have a reason to hide) and I will hopefully not offend a real person.

The reason for my trepidation is this: The setting is the mental ward of a big-city hospital.

Most of the characters don't have names in the story (I didn't remember the real names at all), they are simply characters (whose defining physical characteristics have definitely been changed) with a mental illness (this is real, but not necessarily in the exact same circumstances or experienced by the same person as in my real life). It's a 1st person rambling yarn.

I would post my draft in the ideas forum for input, but this could become a bad idea if it gets too close to events that other people shared with me and would perhaps never want to be published. Should this be something I show others at all, so long as I do not keep strictly to the characteristics and mental troubles of those real people?

Thanks for reading. Some advice on where I should limit a real life story would be very helpful.

[Fairy Godfeather]

Is a kinetic visual novel the best medium?

There's other stories out there of people and their similar experiences, so you may wish to look into how they did things. Girl Interupted is the one that comes to mind because that was a movie.

Make sure there's enough changes so that no one can recognise themselves and be sure that if you do publish it with your real name on it you're prepared for them to get upset anyway. If they remember your name, that is.

I think you could if you make enough changes. Change the details. Use it as inspiration.

Are you sure a kinetic visual novel is the best medium to tell your story?

[dramspringfeald]

I've just finished a short rough draft (in a very loose VN script style) of a Kinetic Novel that's heavily based on my own life. I have no real VN experience, save in sitting on this one story idea for a few years.

Then play a few. The only true "learning tool" is experience.

There's just something in me that wants to take these experiences and show them to others, regardless.

I've changed a lot of the characteristics of the other characters, just to create more anonymity (more for others than for me, I don't have a reason to hide) and I will hopefully not offend a real person.

Just change the names and some of the ages and you should be fine. Think of it like this. I STRONGLY doubt that you will make a ground breaking and instant super hit game. I don't think any of your "references" will ever see this unless you show them.

The reason for my trepidation is this: The setting is the mental ward of a big-city hospital.

Most of the characters don't have names in the story (I didn't remember the real names at all), they are simply characters (whose defining physical characteristics have definitely been changed) with a mental illness (this is real, but not necessarily in the exact same circumstances or experienced by the same person as in my real life). It's a 1st person rambling yarn.

Then you should be fine. The question you have to ask "what do I want this story to tell" and "is this the right format?" if you are unsure of either of these then try a book or something.

I would post my draft in the ideas forum for input, but this could become a bad idea if it gets too close to events that other people shared with me and would perhaps never want to be published. Should this be something I show others at all, so long as I do not keep strictly to the characteristics and mental troubles of those real people?

Thanks for reading. Some advice on where I should limit a real life story would be very helpful.

Again, Middle of nowhere forum of a niche` program in an even more niche` and ignored game format. about the only way someone would find out about it is if YOU showed them and they showed others.

but really this sounds more like a "Book," "Memoir" or "Journal" kind of project.

[Fairy Godfeather]

I'll admit to never having played a kinetic visual novel. Are they just like watching a movie but with text on screen instead of voices?

I'm going to argue against the whole it sounds like a book/memoir format though.

There are movies that can convey ideas in ways that written text never can. Just as text can do things movies can't.

I do think games can be powerful tools if done right. I've no idea about kinetic novels since they're not really my thing. I would find that most art would actually detract from the power of that sort of story for me. Perhaps stock-photos or photo-realistic art or even silhouettes or line drawings would hit it home harder. If hard is what you're going for.

I think http://www.depressionquest.com/ is a more effective piece of writing than most articles about depression. The interactivity is a far more powerful tool at showing people what depression is really like, how it can steal away choices, letting them experience it, just a little.

[arachni42]

I would say what you described definitely fits the "memoir" category. A KN can be a memoir; that's no problem. But as far as privacy of people involved... I'd recommend searching the web for sites, articles, and forums that specifically talk about memoirs. There might be someone here who can chime in, but I bet you'll find a lot on memoir-oriented sites; I have a feeling this is a very common question!

[llirium]

Then play a few. The only true "learning tool" is experience.

I've played more than I remember I've played, VN and KN alike. I should have said "no VN writing experience". My bad. ^_^;

Again, Middle of nowhere forum of a niche` program in an even more niche` and ignored game format. about the only way someone would find out about it is if YOU showed them and they showed others.

but really this sounds more like a "Book," "Memoir" or "Journal" kind of project.

I know you're not the only one who's asked about the format, so my reply is to everyone: I actually never thought about the format being inappropriate to the story. Just been assuming for a long time that a VN would be a good format, because of its ability to be able to show as well as tell.

But I think one thing is clear from what you've all said... I just need to put more thought into it.

The VN/KN format is one I'd like to keep, because it can be used to great effect when trying to express things that are difficult to simply describe. It's... more like I want to show what was happening in my head from moment to moment. Movie making is prohibitive in cost, space and time. But I can write half-decently... and I can draw anime-style people to some degree. Doing a VN/KN seemed the obvious choice, considering what I need and have.

On a somewhat unrelated note, Depression Quest is a wonderful example of interactive fiction that actually inspired me a lot.

Thanks for the answers. I think I'll be doing a lot of editing and re-writing... oh! And looking at guidelines for changing memoirs into other media via the web.

[dramspringfeald]

Tell me about it. Do you know how hard it is to describe the possibility of a matter that can exist in one spot in space for a few seconds as well as stretch through the fabric of time independent of our timeline.