Do you create a VN for your or others satisfaction?

[Raikiri]

I think it's a balance.

The bottom reason for writing for me is because it feels great to give life to my "brainchildren"; the characters I've created, the events they experience and the story I want to tell. But I can't write anything without thinking about how another person would react to it, and so I try to shape my initially personal story into something that others can read and enjoy.

[rocket]

I'm with PyTom on this one. I write first and foremost for the story, for the characters and themes contained within that story, and to which I have a responsibility as their 'animator'. Sometimes that means writing or taking the story in directions which are not my favorite, or in directions which I suspect may turn off some people, but which the characters and situation demand. Usually I can find a path that meets the story's needs as well as mine, but not always, and in thoose cases the story always has to win. I will say that I am lucky enough to have found that I do enjoy the stories I discover as I write them, and so while the actual writing is hard work, reading thoose words as they turn up and seeing my dear friends my characters live out their hopes and fears, ebarrasements and achievements, is as much fun as reading someone elses work...


Though maybe if I cared about my audience more I might be better with spelling and grammar.

[renkenjutsu]

This is just my opinion, but I think we can be more motivated if we aim to please ourself while making a game. I mean, we are our own worst critic. If enough care and love (as well as scrutiny) is shown during the process of making the game, the results will be obvious for the players based on the amount of effort pumped into the game. So I say self satisfaction comes first. Your miles may vary.

[LVUER]

Now that you said it, I think I always make what I want to make. I never think about others (viewers, markets, or other anyone else). But I have no shame in doing so, even if you can that I'm egoist. Indeed I create for the sake of fun but that doesn't mean I create it wishy-washy. When I go for something, I'm dashing with full power. You can say that I'm quite a bit 'perfectionist' (I'm B blood-type ^_^).

You can say that it's healthier since you're making what you really want to make, but for me it's because it is WHAT you're going to create from the start. If I'm going to make A then I look at others or the market and then realize that they like B better, and then I deviate that A a little to please them. Then that A is not A anymore. It's A-. If that what's happening, then I don't think that as mine anymore, not something I'm truly going to create anymore, not something that come from my soul. I'm not going to change a piece of my soul because of others (except if that make my creation better and still not deviate from my original vision).

If you give it all, doing your best to create something, even if that only to please yourself or to fulfill your ego, at least a fraction of people will notice your effort (heck, you can't please them all). Even if no one notice you, you won't feel dishearted since it's your all, not anyone else.

That's what I think and will always think. BUT... if want to talk about pure business (and all about the "green papers"), then forget what I'm saying and start doing market research and make only what they like. But I definitely not going to do that (unless I work at manga/anime/VN company, which is my long-sought dream, heheheheh.....)

[Eccentrix]

In 1977 when Star Wars was first made, everyone said it was foolhardy to make that kind of movie in the current market. I think even if going for business, one should still make exactly what they want to make. Many of the best films, Tv shows or games have come about because the creator didn't follow market trends and made something to please themselves first.

[mikey]

I'd say that players know what they want, but they don't (can't) know what they'll like. It means that it's clear that everyone wants another fantasy adventure, but it's not clear that everything that is not a fantasy adventure will be hated.

Another thing is, that freeware (in the no-profit sense) game makers have probably two basic motivations:
- prove something (the challenge factor)
- create something of their own (the personal/creativity factor)
The actual main motivation is always up to the individual. I'm always content when I express the things I wanted - and of course when it finds some people.

To be honest though, I'd be lying if I said I don't care about reception - every criticism hurts, and every praise makes me happy. I'm not so tough as to say here is a game, I don't care if you like it or hate it. I can't say I do my games specifically for others - I do them as I feel is the right way - and hope that others will like it, at least some, at least one. If this is not the case, I am disappointed, but it doesn't feel like a failure. I'm just sad.

So that's why I think you can't go wrong if you put your heart into it. I guess the worst that can happen is that no one writes you comments - this is terrible, but if you've done your game for reasons that were right for you, you can always look back at it and feel that the effort was worth it, even if it didn't reach the proverbial one person.