Walkthrough Forum

[Tay]

Hey, all. I'm looking for feedback and interested parties for a new section of the forums that I think would become a great addition to the site: Walkthroughs. Before I build a proof-of-concept, I'd like to demonstrate how it would function, and get your feedback.

Structure

On the main forums page, under "Visual Novel Discussion" there would be a new forum added. It would look as follows:

Visual Novel Discussion

• Visual Novel Talk
• Anime/Manga/Game/Other Talk
• Introduce Yourself
• Walkthroughs

Inside the "Walkthroughs" forum would be one topic for each game, with a sticky-ed topic for feedback/error reporting. This forum would be locked so only Admins/Staff could create new topics (for new games).

Each Topic (post) would start with the name of the game and a list of the routes in the game. The name of each route would be hyperlinked to the "reply" in that topic where the walkthrough could be found. When the game topic is first created, the author would "save" enough replies immediately after the first post for each route in the game.

This will be demonstrated at the end of this post.

---- So, if you would, let me know what you think of this idea, and of the implementation!

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Example

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Katawa Shoujo

Routes:

(click on the name of the route to be taken to the relevant walkthrough)

Hanako's Route - Good Ending

Lilly's Route - Good Ending

etc ...

etc ...

etc ...

[Tay]

Held for route

[Tay]

Lilly's Route - Good Ending

Spoiler-Free Walkthrough - Choices

- Yeah of course

- Ask about the library

- Play defensively

- Hi I am new here

- She was cute

- Talk to Hanako

- Maybe (Doc asks to do running)

- Cut me and Lilly some slack

- Sorry, I’m not in a very good condition

- Walk around town

(etc.)

[Ryoji]

Yes, just yes!! I suggested this idea a while ago count me in to help Tay!! Ive been feeling better so im up for whatever help you need.

[Steve]

yeah show WT only for specific route would be good.

Also having the font same color as BG (thus making it invisible) as an option would be even better (you know how I hate spoilers and choices often have those)

The problem then is where you get the walkthgouhts, some are really well made like the one for LB but most WTs don't separate required choices and optional CG choices. That would be important for me to know that and I think for some others too so I might work on some WTs from the games I played and try to separate it.

[Tay]

Also having the font same color as BG (thus making it invisible) as an option would be even better (you know how I hate spoilers and choices often have those)

I think most people feel the same way. In my head, we'd make ALL walkthroughs as spoiler-free as possible (either the exact text from the choice, or a clear but obfuscated reference). I don't think BG-color is ideal (we want this to be user-friendly. After all, we've got people like Harry out there, and thus need to make this simple)

The problem then is where you get the walkthgouhts, some are really well made like the one for LB but most WTs don't separate required choices and optional CG choices. That would be important for me to know that and I think for some others too so I might work on some WTs from the games I played and try to separate it.

Well, this is a great point. I think that we'll try to have a walkthrough-step for EVERY choice, even if it says something like "(Any Choice Okay)" for that step.

[Daeyamati]

Splendid idea! But since it will be locked, there should be a request thread or something for regular users, just in case they can't find any WTs for the game they're playing.

[Snowtsuku]

I approve.

I also suggest adding some guides in completing the CGs. I mean not because you completed all the routes it means that you completed all the CGs.

[Down]

Seems like it would be very useful.

What I think would be a great addition, would be a small presentation of the structure of the game.

Something like "there are x routes, this route leads to y endings and this one to z endings, this route have to be cleared first if you want to do that one" etc...

Not always useful but there are games where i'd wish to know about how the routes are constructed beforehand.

Also, even though it's a locked forum, would normal users be able to submit contributions to staff members for example?

[Steve]

What I think would be a great addition, would be a small presentation of the structure of the game.

Something like "there are x routes, this route leads to y endings and this one to z endings, this route have to be cleared first if you want to do that one" etc...

Not always useful but there are games where i'd wish to know about how the routes are constructed beforehand.

Yeah true, I often don't lookup WTs on first play but I would look if the girl I want to aim for is actually unlocked from start.

[Tay]

What I think would be a great addition, would be a small presentation of the structure of the game. Something like "there are x routes, this route leads to y endings and this one to z endings, this route have to be cleared first if you want to do that one" etc...

Also, even though it's a locked forum, would normal users be able to submit contributions to staff members for example?

To your second point: yes, the feedback/submissions/corrections topics would be open to anybody who has a walkthrough to submit. Once it is cleared, then a game-topic would be created. The walkthrough author would be given the permissions necessary to create their walkthrough topic, etc.

Your first point is well-articulated and a great idea. Looking at the feedback so far, this is the way I'm seeing each walkthrough (and all walkthroughs will have to follow an identical structure):

(I'd love to hear suggestions for improving this!!)

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Example Post - Formatting

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Title

500x500px Image of Game

Game Synopsis - Copy + paste from fuwanovel's game page, or taken from VNDB, for instance. Must be rewritten if the synopsis includes any moderate-to-large spoilers

Route Organization - Explain the route systems. For each game this will be different. Pictures of heroines/heroes optional but suggested if they look good : )

Routes:

(click on the name of the route to be taken to the relevant walkthrough)

[Optional Pic of Hero/Heroine 1]

Heroine/Hero 1

Good End

True End

Bad End 1

Bad End 2

Bad End 3

etc.

[Optional Pic of Hero/Heroine 2]

Heroine/Hero 2

Good End

True End

Bad End 1

Bad End 2

Bad End 3

etc.

(With each route being a hyperlink to a response below)

[Tief Blau]

How will the threads be organized?

Just a little thought for future proofing. I know that everyone doesn't use English, and the "western" audience we are trying to appeal have a lot of different languages. Rather than title the title the English name, how about we create some sort of organization system?

I was thinking about putting the name in every language, but then I realized that that only adds clutter.

I was also toying with the idea of assigning every VN in the Fuwanovel database a code, and that code would be included in the title along with the name in whatever language, so that people who don't read English could use the aforementioned code to help them search, making access easier.

[Tay]

Good ideas, but they're looking too far ahead imo. Surely, as walkthrough content increases, we can look into changing titles of the posts and make it a little more organized. For now, most of us will be creating English walkthroughs, and the topic names will simply be the name of the game.

[Snowtsuku]

How about having a section for draft guide and finished guides.