Adapting books/other media to VNs

[Zakamutt]

After reading The Dandy Girl (http://vndb.org/v3249), I realized adaptations can be pretty good. What do you think about it, and what stories would you adapt?

Personally when I read The Hunger Games I felt that it could be reconstructed quite effectively as a VN; it's already in first person narrative and the general style of the text feels compact. Branching could be used pretty well too.

[solidbatman]

From what I've heard, The Hunger Games would work fairly well. Harry Potter, also based off my limited knowledge (3 movies seen and 3 books read) could also work as an episodic, non-romantic VN as well.

[shcboomer]

That's an interesting idea, I could see something like that working for sure. Some longer novels would be great with included choices.

[CaptainNerdlinger]

Correct me if i'm wrong as i've never read hunger games, but I heard that it was based heavily on Battle Royale, an LN and manga

[Metaler]

Based? More like a complete ripoff.

But in any case, I just finish reading This novel, and sometimes I would imagine some scenes with a VN interface, haha.

[Mikel]

I'd like to see Eragon or Game of Thrones like a VN.

I think it would be really interesting to see this kind of books become VN

[InvertMouse]

Yeah, I think those epic scaled fantasy novels would make fine VNs. The Hunger Games would be interesting. Perhaps there could even be some gameplay elements in there, too. Or Harry Potter so you can date the different Hogwart girls, hohoho B).

For older and shorter works like Daddy Long Legs (one of my favorites), a kinetic novel would work quite nicely .

[Supah Kawaii Weeaboo]

Unless you only read avant garde comics, then you're probably used to seeing dialogue told through speech balloons. But there's one relatively famous comics series that has never had a single word balloon: Prince Valiant. It's presented in a way that's similar to ADV games: there's a picture, there's a box for dialogue and narration, and the two remain separate from each other. If you wanted to make a fan game based on Prince Valiant, you'd have to adapt a specific arc or present your own take on the material... since the story started in 1937, and has been handed down to different writers and artists. It may not be all that famous now, but it's still being written today.

PS: There was a Daddy Long-Legs anime TV special made in 1979, and a 40-episode anime adaptation made in 1990.

PPS: Both Battle Royale and Hunger Games owe a debt to the hugely influential 1924 short story The Most Dangerous Game.

[InvertMouse]

Unless you only read avant garde comics, then you're probably used to seeing dialogue told through speech balloons. But there's one relatively famous comics series that has never had a single word balloon: Prince Valiant. It's presented in a way that's similar to ADV games: there's a picture, there's a box for dialogue and narration, and the two remain separate from each other. If you wanted to make a fan game based on Prince Valiant, you'd have to adapt a specific arc or present your own take on the material... since the story started in 1937, and has been handed down to different writers and artists. It may not be all that famous now, but it's still being written today.

PS: There was a Daddy Long-Legs anime TV special made in 1979, and a 40-episode anime adaptation made in 1990.

PPS: Both Battle Royale and Hunger Games owe a debt to the hugely influential 1924 short story The Most Dangerous Game.

Yep, I've actually seen the Daddy Long Legs anime when I was little (old man style B)).

[shcboomer]

Wow, that sounds like an interesting anime in the 90's.

[Zalor]

Hurray for Necroing! This is actually an idea I had for a while (I'm surprised I missed this thread when it first came out). 

 

I think adapting classics as visual novels could be interesting. For instance, image The Great Gatsby as a visual novel. To be able to hear the 1920's jazz in the background, it would only further immerse you in the Jazz age setting that defines the novel. Also, if you were to adapt literature into visual novels, you would have to get innovative with the presentation. Text boxes and sprites would not do these stories justice! But with a bit of creativity, I'm sure there is a way you could combine the writing with text and music without compromising the original work.

 

Regarding the Great Gatsby though, its still protected under copyright. It won't enter public domain until 2021. =(

[Diamon]

I always figured that adapting "The Walking Dead" series into a Visual Novel would be interesting. (Well, the Telltale games are kinda similar to Visual Novels in a way I guess).

The setting makes it so that it has to be dialog heavy, building trust through your choices with the people you meet, having sometimes to choose who will live and who will die...

[Zalor]

But you know, I'm more fond of the idea of adapting books that are not classics.

 

Classics are easier because they are public domain, so you can get in no legal trouble for adapting them. Adapting popular/contemporary fiction would be hard as hell because you would need permission from the writers and publishers, and so much money would need to get involved. Anyone on the internet could get together and adapt a classic into a VN if they were properly motivated.

Plus, I'm a pretentious asshole and rarely read non-classics. ^.^  

 

 

Awhile back they did a visual novel adaption of the 39 Steps. No idea if it's any good. I haven't gotten to it myself yet.

 

https://vndb.org/v12284

 

That's really interesting. I may actually buy that, thanks for sharing.

[Totodile]

Probably the Eragon series by Christiphor Poalini and Bleach (if there isn't one already) 

[LinovaA]

A visual novel adaptation of the Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist... I think I would enjoy that. Mind you, it would probably be kinetic in nature, but at the same time I could see it working. Some of the moments in those first four books would be absolutely astounding I think. 

[Vokoca]

I'd be happy if they just adapted the whole Phenomeno series, instead of just the first case.

[Zakamutt]

Hanako Games adapted a CYOA book into VN form (with permission!) for whatever reason; might be interesting (have not read) http://www.reddit.com/r/visualnovels/comments/2rjg9x/announcing_sword_daughter_and_its_all_your_fault/

[Darklord Rooke]

Unless you only read avant garde comics, then you're probably used to seeing dialogue told through speech balloons. But there's one relatively famous comics series that has never had a single word balloon: Prince Valiant. It's presented in a way that's similar to ADV games: there's a picture, there's a box for dialogue and narration, and the two remain separate from each other.

[Nyanko]

Breaking Bad the Visual Novel?

 

I'd be curious to see some of Lovecraft's short stories made into VNs, maybe some put together as one story or some just as they are. I wouldn't doubt you can make a juicy VN out of At the Mountains of Madness or The Tomb with some additions and adjustments. Agatha Christie's detectives mixed with some fantasy would be interesting too.

[B0X0R]

I'd be curious to see some of Lovecraft's short stories made into VNs, maybe some put tog I wouldn't doubt you can make a juicy VN out of At the Mountains of Madness or The Tomb with some additions and adjustments. Agatha Christie's detectives mixed with some fantasy would be interesting too.

[Beato]

Most novels could probably be made into VNs but they'd work better as something like Narcissu with limited graphics since the description of the characters' expressions in most novels would make sprites redundant.

[Nyanko]

I agree, with these kind of adaptations it's probably better to let the reader imagine things more for themselves instead of drawing the picture for them. These stories are strong enough to get by without showing any art anyway. Some nice BGs based on the described places would be really nice though, but I feel that in most cases too many sprites and detailed graphics might actually do more bad than good.

 

Imagine someone starting a great plot somewhat like:

 

"..There was a demoniac alteration in the sequence of the seasons the autumn heat lingered fearsomely, and everyone felt that the world and perhaps the universe had passed from the control of known gods or forces to that of gods or forces which were unknown.... And it was then that Nyarlathotep came out of Egypt." 

 

and then 

(I don't hate on this show though, S1 was one of the funniest things I've watched)

[Zalor]

Most novels could probably be made into VNs but they'd work better as something like Narcissu with limited graphics since the description of the characters' expressions in most novels would make sprites redundant.

 

Completely agree. In the Narcissu notes, the author wrote, "If there is no art, then much more textual information is needed. On the flip side, if there is very little text, then more art is needed". Since books were written with the intention of not needing images, if they were to be adapted, they could benefit from a minimal use of pictures. Something along the lines of Narcissu would be perfect.  

[Zakamutt]

I'm not sure if I completely agree. In Narcissu's case it makes perfect sense as the story and text works like that - but look at say, a high-ish fantasy story. When the setting itself is a major draw, having some nice pretty CGs in could really do some good. Now, to do that, you need to do an adaptation. Cut some descriptive text, etc. Of course, to have enough CGs to have the approach really work out you'd have to be spending a lot of money on art.

 

Some people may like what their mind comes up with better than any illustration, yes, but they aren't exactly the audience for a visual novel.

 

(I'm probably influenced a lot by me reading fault -milestone one- at the moment).

[Zalor]

I'm not sure if I completely agree. In Narcissu's case it makes perfect sense as the story and text works like that - but look at say, a high / low fantasy story. When the setting is a major draw, having some nice pretty CGs in could really do some good. Now, to do that, you need to do an adaptation. Cut some descriptive text, etc. Of course, to have enough CGs to have the approach really work out you'd have to be spending a lot of money on art.

 

Some people may like what their mind comes up with better than any illustration, yes, but they aren't exactly the audience for a visual novel.

 

(I'm probably influenced a lot by me reading fault -milestone one- at the moment).

 

That's actually a really fair point. The visual presentation for an adaption is all relative to the individual work. While I picture that many classics could benefit from minimalism; fantasy and sci-fi stories could actually make good use of visuals.