Any sort of life lesson you've gotten from a VN?

[shaye]

I snooped around and didn't see any similar question around (if there was, I entirely missed it and I went through half an hour of typing words in the search bar, whoops. *sweats*)
Anyhow, I'm quite curious about this! Basically anything you consider a life lesson for yourself, whether you think it would work equally well for others or not?
As an example, back when I was reading Ryushiki 07s works (referring to Higurashi in particular here) the story had a huge impact on me and I did learn that jumping to conclusions too fast would rarely lead to a good result. I've also learned to trust my friends and rather be there to help each other out than think that I have everything under control and don't try hear out what others have to say about a situation ;w;.
That's making it really short (plus it's 3 in the morning, not a good hour to write anything proper eheh), but I'm more curious about what others have to say about this!

[fioricca]

I've been trying to balance market tastes and my own tastes at the same time; to fund my gamedev hobbies I feel like I should be making otome games or something, but in the end I always go back to the genres that I enjoy most instead of products I think my target market would enjoy. I always want to slap myself hard in the face after that, but every once in a while gems like Googa's FI:Interview or any of ludeshka's/saguaro's/Donmai's games and, more recently, Obscura's Coming Out on Top remind me that at the end of the day, games that are true to myself are the kinds of games that I want to make and leave behind after all. I guess I'll keep making stupid games no one plays. XD

[firecat]

my life lession i learn is that death is not fear, ya its bad to die and people make a big deal. however in the end we all die and everything you did does not matter.

[BrokenAngel75]

my life lession i learn is that death is not fear, ya its bad to die and people make a big deal. however in the end we all die and everything you did does not matter.

No offense, but that 'everything you did does not matter' is a bit depressing. I don't think that's really true. What you do matters to your family and friends even after you're gone.

[Rossfellow]

Don't laugh, but I took one after playing Persona 3.

Well, moreso than its core theme (which I still think is well executed), this guy in particular left me thinking.



President Tanaka is characterized as a cunning, manipulative and condescending man. At the end of his social link, he decides to take a 180 and donate to charity-- An unimaginable sum, I can only assume it's in the nine digits. This action would have redeemed his notorious public opinion, perhaps make people see that he is really a good man at heart. But for some reason, he decided to keep his act of kindness a secret. Long after I finished the game, I was still left to wonder why he would do such a thing.

Upon finally understanding the sentiment behind his action, I realized what amazing people the writers of Persona 3 are. I'd elaborate, but I fear I'd reach into the point of being overly speculative... And preachy.

[shaye]

@Rossfellow I never even started Tanaka's social link, whoops, but a friend of mine who did several playthroughs shared the spoilers with me and I must admit I'm impressed and that I agree. P3 has some of the best writing I've had the luck to encounter in gaming.

[gekiganwing]

What I learned from Tears 9, 10:

If you think you're poor or disadvantaged, you might be wrong. Remember that some people live on the street even in the first world. Likewise, some people are trapped in dangerous jobs where they can't advance. One more thing. Even if you are a dedicated person with good intentions, you can't save everyone.

Generally speaking, I don't think much about VNs. One of the reasons why I liked Sweet Fuse was because it did not place too much emphasis on drama. I thought the story had just enough slice of life moments, comedy, and plot driven scenes.

[Laniessa]

A combination of Persona 3 and a fanfiction based off it: life’s too short to be spent arguing.

[Kinjo]

Reading Umineko had a huge impact on me (07th Expansion's stuff is the best -- I had just finished watching Higurashi before reading Umineko in 2008). Aside from giving me a way to get started with making VNs, it taught me how to think for myself and question the things I was being told and believed to be true. I was in a very dark place when I first found it -- no friends, super lonely and sad -- I could relate to the characters Ange and Maria quite well. I believe reading it allowed me to get through that difficult time, as it opened my mind to new and better ways of thinking. I learned that you need to examine a situation from all possible viewpoints before claiming to know what is true and what isn't, and that the nature of truth itself is a very fickle thing. Reality can be a very harsh truth, but the truth isn't all that matters. Love matters just as much, because without love, it cannot be seen.

And because I survived those times, a miracle happened and I found the best group of friends I could have asked for. I think it was only natural I'd want to write a story about them afterward.

[RotGtIE]

Nasu taught me about the irresistible sex appeal of mollusks.

[Shinoki]

Accept the bad things in life, the times when people die or leave, and move on positively because they'll want you to be happy. Or basically, don't start doing dark magic trying to bring your lover back to life.

And...

All life is important even if it's artificial.

(Now, I need to go along to apply those lessons... though I'd rather people not start dying on me.)

[Ernestalice15]

Reading Umineko had a huge impact on me (07th Expansion's stuff is the best -- I had just finished watching Higurashi before reading Umineko in 2008). Aside from giving me a way to get started with making VNs, it taught me how to think for myself and question the things I was being told and believed to be true. I was in a very dark place when I first found it -- no friends, super lonely and sad -- I could relate to the characters Ange and Maria quite well. I believe reading it allowed me to get through that difficult time, as it opened my mind to new and better ways of thinking. I learned that you need to examine a situation from all possible viewpoints before claiming to know what is true and what isn't, and that the nature of truth itself is a very fickle thing. Reality can be a very harsh truth, but the truth isn't all that matters. Love matters just as much, because without love, it cannot be seen.

And because I survived those times, a miracle happened and I found the best group of friends I could have asked for. I think it was only natural I'd want to write a story about them afterward.

I just knew that you're a fan by looking at your avatar... lol...

Well, personally, I just thought that Umineko was kind of mocking Detective Conan in a good way (not that the author was really meant for it, but I just thought so), at the point where Umineko tried to tell us that truth can be more than one, depending on what people believe as truth, and the real truth is not necessarily the most important thing in your life, although perhaps it is for some people.

I find it that I didn't like Ange in the beginning because she couldn't realize that there maybe other things more important than the truth that she perhaps wouldn't even like it. I kind of knew that she wouldn't be able to find happiness by that. But, I think some people just need to do that or they can't move on. Later on, I kind of understood her character and I like her very much.

Ryukishi07 is one of authors I like because I can't really hate characters he made.

Also, in Higurashi, I like how the moral point of it is that if you have problems, you should talk it to your friends or family. It's so simple, but in Japan, it's something really hard to do for most people. I, myself, can't talk about my problems, especially to my friends, if they aren't really really close enough to me. I even envy people that can do that.

Well, there are so many things from general to detail that I got from VN, mostly in something like those I mentioned (even in dating sims for boys or galge), but I just haven't seen one yet from Otome games, that I hope in the future, they can make better scenario for Otome games. Really, mostly are like Twilight, where the woman is surrounded by men that will love her not long after they meet, and that's so weird, even though players like it very much. Many galge has good scenario, and I hope Otome games can do like that. Even shojo manga like Akatsuki no Yona or Skip Beat has a better protagonist and story development. But unfortunately, they can't make Otome games based on manga or anime properly.

Well, I don't know how about the amateurs ones, since I've just recently played it (ReSet) and it has a proper and good first look from what I've seen in my 30 minutes first play. But, I just wondered about the pro ones.

[Kinjo]

I just knew that you're a fan by looking at your avatar... lol...

Well, personally, I just thought that Umineko was kind of mocking Detective Conan in a good way (not that the author was really meant for it, but I just thought so), at the point where Umineko tried to tell us that truth can be more than one, depending on what people believe as truth, and the real truth is not necessarily the most important thing in your life, although perhaps it is for some people.

I find it that I didn't like Ange in the beginning because she couldn't realize that there maybe other things more important than the truth that she perhaps wouldn't even like it. I kind of knew that she wouldn't be able to find happiness by that. But, I think some people just need to do that or they can't move on. Later on, I kind of understood her character and I like her very much.

Ryukishi07 is one of authors I like because I can't really hate characters he made.

Also, in Higurashi, I like how the moral point of it is that if you have problems, you should talk it to your friends or family. It's so simple, but in Japan, it's something really hard to do for most people. I, myself, can't talk about my problems, especially to my friends, if they aren't really really close enough to me. I even envy people that can do that.

Yeah, Higurashi has a really great message too. Might've had a bigger influence on me opening up to my friends than I give it credit for.

Umineko was pretty much parodying all of detective fiction, but that's an interesting point about the "one truth" thing. And I'd say that's a fair interpretation of the story, too.

Unfortunately, I didn't get as much out of Higanbana and Rose Guns Days, although to be fair I haven't finished reading either of them yet.

[Ernestalice15]

Unfortunately, I didn't get as much out of Higanbana and Rose Guns Days, although to be fair I haven't finished reading either of them yet.

I haven't read Rose Guns Days at all... lol. Maybe I will go find it someday. It's just that I didn't get the hype as much as I got in Umineko or Higanbana. I don't really understand why, though. As for Higanbana, I could sense a similar life lesson from it compared to either Higurashi/Umineko or other stories, but as usual, I like how it's presented, the way he weaved the tale and played with readers' feeling. In that point, I can say that I like it

[ZennyZenZen]

I got a weird lesson from 'G-senjou no Maou' (great game btw)

It's pretty much that money isn't a bad thing to work for. Even in the midst of friends, being a person who's trying to earn money can be helpful in it's own way.

And also that there's no shame in being a person who's skeptical of everyone. By assessing the situation and being a person who realizes the dark side of reality, you can save lives.