sanahtlig

Chapter 3: Magnetism Forces govern our world. Opposites attract. Likes repel. Objects fall. Bring two poles close by chance, and the gap will close of its own accord. This is Physics. This is Fate. A single droplet can create ripples that resonate through a stagnant pond. And thus a chance encounter sends ripples through streams of consciousness. ***

(Continued from another thread; see Google doc for previous content)

I decided to go ahead and branch off my narrative into its own thread to keep from derailing this one. I wanted to wait until I had demonstrated some progress before doing so.

Document on Google Drive (most updated version, contains all the posts below with better formatting) Feedback is welcome and appreciated.

Chapter 1: Tainting Memories (cont)

Chapter 1: Tainting Memories

Tainting Memories Preface What is the self? A mixture of disposition and experiences. Nature and nurture. Genetics and environmental exposures, for the scientifically inclined. "Experiences"? What does that even mean? Two people can witness the same event and experience it differently. Experience is subjective. One can forget experiences: memory is selective and faulty. Memory is the record of our experiences. That record we carry with us steers our actions. But memory is not simply a collection of moments of our lives. Some moments are more prominent, more important than others. All records are not created equal. Memory is dynamic. The records ebb and flow with time, like water in a river. We dwell on some records; they ride the river's surf. Others fade with time; they get washed away. Old memories give way to new memories. This is how we move forward, downstream the river of time. What happens when the memories collect? They block the river; the river slows. We become stuck in the past, unable to move forward. Memory's Burden. Memories burden us. What happens when the blockage persists? The river overflows its shores. The channel for our memories, the self, becomes changed. Remove the blockage and the water may drain, but the landscape is changed for years to come. Strong memories change us forever. Negative memories scar us, taint us forever. Tainting Memories. Time heals some wounds and causes others to widen and fester. This is a tale of their wounds. Brian's. Clare's. And those of another they'll soon encounter.

The way I see it, it's a waste of effort retranslating a title when there's hundreds of top tier VNs that still aren't translated and more coming out every year. If you're an official localization company trying to sell a product, then yes quality matters and taking an older title with a subpar translation and putting it on Steam is a stupid idea. Fan translation groups have no such obligations nor incentives to improve upon an existing product.

My point is that when I saw that section heading, I thought Fuwanovel was pushing a project involving Visual Novel Reader--a conclusion that is not entirely outside the realm of possibility.

It's also a question of appeal. As you hinted at, the more developed a protagonist is, the more likely he/she is to trigger a response of antipathy in readers. That's no good if you're trying to reach the broadest audience / market possible. Mosts VNs feature multiple heroines for this reason...but multiple "choosable" protagonists doesn't make much sense from a design standpoint. As an aside, I find the romance in most titles with more than 1 or 2 heroines to be pretty shallow--seeking the broadest audience inevitably comes with tradeoffs.

Some thoughts on the blog post: Don't use the acronym "VNR" for the VN reviews section. That's already in use by Visual Novel Reader, a text hooking and translation program. Translation ratings: I can't imagine a translation rating system that doesn't create strife and belittle the efforts of the bottom 30%. I also have no idea how translations could be rated in a standardized and objective manner.

"Protagonist with a voice" and "protagonist you can insert into" are basically antagonistic. People play VNs for different reasons. For those seeking a dating sim where they can enjoy romance with a girl of their choice, the latter is often preferable. As for harem plots, they basically rely on a passive protagonist as a pivot point for the strong heroine personalities (who are often in a tug-of-war relationship). A harem with a decisive protagonist wouldn't make much sense in a monogamous society.

I'll think about it. The scope of such a tale would be approaching a mini-novel. If I broke it into bite-sized chunks it could be doable, but it'd be breaking new territory for me. Writing that synopsis did get me thinking of a basic scenario. It's actually been a long time since I've written fiction. The vast majority of fiction I have written are roleplays, where I've written together with others in a highly spontaneous manner. Memory's Burden is unique in that it is both original and independently written.

I'm glad one of the main themes of the story had an impact on you. As for Brian, I imagine turbulent times ahead of him. With Brian away at school, Clare is overcome with loneliness. She starts dating again, and when Brian comes home he finds the person who for so long had been his and his alone is doting on someone else. Brian's interests evolve, and he becomes engrossed in eroge. He initially plays the games seeking escape and release, but becomes disgusted with his own fetishes, warped by his life experiences. He meets a middle school girl that reminds him of Kana, and despicable feelings well up in him. How will things turn out? That tale has yet to be written...

Care to elaborate? What were you thinking about?

I tried to think of something to say, but I'm at a loss. I'm leaving this post as acknowledgment that I read it.

Here's Memory's Burden in doc format. It's a Google Drive link so consider it a temporary link. This Fictionpress backup should also work. I personally recommend the Google doc version for readability.

I don't usually play moege but their website got me interested. Might try the demo when the game is closer to release.