Why do we make so many Otome Games?

[Nelico]

Just something I noticed, but 8/10 projects seem to be either Otome (Girl X Boy) or Yaoi (Boy X Boy) or a bit of both. And my question is: WHY?

I might be wrong, but aren't those genres unpopular? At least they don't seem to sell well. A few on PsP or Vita, but that's it.

Is it more a male = consumer, female = producer thing, just something seasonal and I just looked at the wrong time or is it some political BS?
(Yeah, yeah, I'm a straight white male, all I say is a lie and I will end in hell for being born in the wrong 50% of world population... [I'm terribly sorry if this joke offended someone, that was not my intend at all. But I'm a cynic and a bit of an anarchist and couldn't stop myself])

[Auro-Cyanide]

Why not? The demographics those games appeal to are several under catered for in pretty much ALL media, so it makes sense that indies would step in to fill the gaps. People tend to make what they like, not just what will sell, though the games do sell as well.

I suggest you try to look at this from a point of view other than your own, otherwise you are going to run into some troubling misunderstandings. Also please remember that a lot of us /are/ women, are good at what we do and we don't really need someone coming in and asking what our purpose is. The demographics we appeal to are just as valid as any other.

[Lesleigh63]

There's some demographics here...

http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... 13&t=26915

[firecat]

what i believe is people are jumping into the bandwagon, remember when mystery hidden games were popular, well now its dating games.

[YonYonYon]

1) We make otome games because we love otome games. It's not that hard to understand, right?
2) As you said, there are only a couple of the "official" otome games from Japan. And people like you always say stuff like "You want more games you like? Make them yourselves, gosh!", so we are making them ourselves, gosh! And then you proceed to complain that there are too much of the content female population likes. Yes, I am bitter.
3) Otome games do sell more or less well, since the translation teams are translating lots of Japanese otomes recently. And otome lovers buy that stuff just to support their efforts, even if the games are really bad.

[trooper6]

Just something I noticed, but 8/10 projects seem to be either Otome (Girl X Boy) or Yaoi (Boy X Boy) or a bit of both. And my question is: WHY?

I might be wrong, but aren't those genres unpopular? At least they don't seem to sell well. A few on PsP or Vita, but that's it.

I'm been hanging out here for about 5 years. For the entire time I've been here otome games have been popular--or, to a lesser extent, BxB games aimed at women. So I wouldn't say it is a bandwagon or a new trend...just something that has been here as long as I have been here.

So why? Seems pretty simple...just look at the demographics that Lesleigh63 posted. There are a lot of women here who are producers and consumers and they would like to create and play games that they enjoy.

You say that those two genres are unpopular and don't sell well...but with whom? I think it is important to remember that LSF is not primarily a Japanese Visual Novel site...so the popularity and sales trends of JVNs are not all that relevant there. This is primarily an Original English Language Visual Novel site...and EVNs have different things that are popular and sales work differently. In terms of popularity, the large number of women here mean that there are going to be a large number of games that appeal to those women. This community also has a population (maybe not a large one, but not an insignificant one) who are here for games that aren't related to Japanese genres at all...but who are interested in art games or just games that do something different. In terms of sales...that is not always the most relevant for this particular community either. We have professional developers here, but there are also a very large number of people putting out free games...and sales don't matter so much for free games. Many people here are hobbyists that are creating games because they want to...not necessarily to become the next dischan.

Of course, there are also dudes who are here for some EVN versions of Japanese Moe BxG high school sexy times...I imagine the importance of Katana Shouju in the history of Renpy has something to do with that.

But generally speaking, this is a community with a very strong maker presence. So, if you want games that speak to the experiences of straight, white men and you just can't empathize with the stories of people who aren't like you...make your own game! Also, you can go to the Renpy games page and search for BxG...there are a LOT of those game around if that is what you are looking for: http://games.renpy.org/category/BxG

[Camy]

Just something I noticed, but 8/10 projects seem to be either Otome (Girl X Boy) or Yaoi (Boy X Boy) or a bit of both. And my question is: WHY?

Because many people love it. That's more than enough reason for anything to be made.

I might be wrong, but aren't those genres unpopular? At least they don't seem to sell well. A few on PsP or Vita, but that's it.

Very wrong. While there are some that sell well on the PC, I'll list some companies that are very popular and sell well on mobile that are from Japan and have released overseas.

• Voltage INC - both free (two left as of now) and paid apps for teens and adults. Huge variety from high school, office romances, to demons and deities.
• NTT Solmare - both free and paid apps for teens and adults. Also has a huge variety to choose from.
• D3Publisher - paid only apps for adults mostly but hey who's going to stop a teen.
• Okko/Arithemetic - Free apps only.
• Genius Inc - Used to only have pay but recent games of late last year to present now have a way to play with the well known tickets feature (every day gives 3 or more tickets to play)
• Cybird - Released overseas late last year, has had a very welcomed response due to their writing and art.

Free are social games where you can dress up with avatars, make friends too boost up your charm/romance level, and face missions/challenges/checkpoints to continue.

Those like me who are impatient preferred the paid app. Paid apps generally have $3.99 USD for each main route (10-16 chapters). Some have six guys or more that are released every month or so. Sub stories are $2.99 USD that have 3 chapters and can sometimes go to $3.99 USD. These prices vary due to the currency in a customer's location.

Is it more a male = consumer, female = producer thing, just something seasonal and I just looked at the wrong time or is it some political BS?
(Yeah, yeah, I'm a straight white male, all I say is a lie and I will end in hell for being born in the wrong 50% of world population... [I'm terribly sorry if this joke offended someone, that was not my intend at all. But I'm a cynic and a bit of an anarchist and couldn't stop myself])

It's actually simpler than that. Any gender can be in any role. Just because it's otome, it doesn't mean that the creators and team members have to be a female.

[Danko]

I have to say I've been wondering the same thing. Is there really such a big market of female romantic VN lovers? That's pretty cool!

[SundownKid]

I think it's more the fact that Lemma Soft is mainly a community of Otome game lovers. There is also a big market of Bishoujo game lovers, but they just don't make their own games as much - since far more of them come out of Japan. They dont hang around these forums as much either and congregate on other sites.

[Deji]

I think it's more the fact that Lemma Soft is mainly a community of Otome game lovers. There is also a big market of Bishoujo game lovers, but they just don't make their own games as much - since far more of them come out of Japan. They dont hang around these forums as much either and congregate on other sites.

I would say it *has become* a community of Otome game lovers.

LSF has always been a community for people *making* visual novels ( and to an extent, also people coming to look at what others are making).
Back when I joined, there were no otomes here whatsoever and there were either BxG games or games without romantic content, most led by male protagonists.

Girls that like otome games came here at some point (mainly after some of the women already in the forums decided it'd be fun to make games with a female protagonist), saw it was fun and started making Otome games themselves (and attracted girls curious about it who also started making games themselves and so on), while guys didn't make more GxB games and instead felt weird between so many games not catering to them and went to discuss their BxG game making elsewhere.
(I've also noticed Otome-making girls care more about the fun of making a game rather than making a big JVN-rivaling game, unlike GxB makers. Just a casual observation.)

Like some others mentioned before, we're just doing what we've been told to do many times: "if you want games aimed for you, go make your own games!". Hopefully, guys that want more EVN BxG games will also follow their own advice and balance the scales, haha.

[Nelico]

Oh, ok. I just reread my first post... I'M SORRY!!!

I wanted to sound cynic and not like some D-bag Never a good idea to post a topic after I did my worst an a pretty important test^^"

And really sorry about my biased opinion, I used to study Economics way too hard before I switched my subjects, but enough excuses...

But it's interesting, that a community started as BxG and switched positions almost completely. I knew that Indies cater to the minority and I guess that answered my question.

As you said, there are only a couple of the "official" otome games from Japan. And people like you always say stuff like "You want more games you like? Make them yourselves, gosh!", so we are making them ourselves, gosh! And then you proceed to complain that there are too much of the content female population likes.

Thats not how I wanted to sound, sorry. I just wondered.

I guess those in power can either close the thread or give out the pitchforks and torches and give me 3 seconds to run away

[AllegroDiRossi]

But it's interesting, that a community started as BxG and switched positions almost completely.

I don't think this community "started as BxG", as the others have already stated. It has and continues to be a place where people make the games they are passionate about. In that the makeup of that community has changed over time is not indicative of previous or present purpose.

I knew that Indies cater to the minority and I guess that answered my question.

I also don't think that the indie set "cater to the minority" like it's some ulterior motive. Most everyone here is just telling stories they're passionate about and can't find in mainstream markets.

I guess those in power can either close the thread or give out the pitchforks and torches and give me 3 seconds to run away

This isn't really that kind of community. No one is antagonizing you, so I don't really see why you have to "run". When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

As an aside: there are very few BxB games in the OELVN community compared to other genres. I wish they composed even 10% of the overall output here. :lol:

[fmjaye]

I've only just discovered the community and I can only really speak for myself. But it was playing BxB visual novels that got me interested in the medium and making work within it. I've never been interested in video games in general, and I think maybe that is kind of because I'm that minority audience? :T Video games have a lot of potential as a medium but they're never really targeted towards people who are really interested in romantic stories, or stories in general that aren't about straight people. Again, this is just me personally. VNs made me realize that video games weren't just "not my thing" and that they're actually a really interesting way to tell a story and get people engaged in it. And the stories I want to experience can be all kinds of things, but in general they do, y'know. Involve gay romance~ (ﾉ=v=)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

(fingers crossed that any of this made sense...!!)