This general hasn't been used in a while. The writefag thread here is more active, but I think it's more appropriate to put this here. I'm not posting this on the main general mainly because the /trash/ general has devolved once more and I can't get a healthy discussion going. I also know this place is less populated...but also has a higher concentration of Writefags, drawfags, etc. Many of the content creators have come here at one point or another. It's their attention I want and frankly I don't know any other real way to get the message out.
This is Jacklin, it's been awhile and I'm not planning on writing anything for the general for a very long time. This is for a couple of reasons, but the main one that is pertinent to this post is this: Pastebin isn't enough for me anymore. If I want to make something for the general that despite all it's autism I still can't help loving, I need to go further. This is the pipe dream to end all pipe dreams.
A Visual Novel, built and written with that same quality and charm that was seen once from 4chan and only once: Katawa Shoujo. I only have vague ideas, flashes of images and moments for disjointed stories that don't have structure yet. But it's the VN layout and skeleton I want to discuss instead.
I never liked the idea of a 'bad ending' in games in general, especially in visual novels because what a bad ending 90% of the time is, is a "non-cannon" ending, IE a waste of time. I want a linear VN that tells a single particular story. Well, you may say, that's not much of a game, even if the story is still good you still need choice and consequences. This is my response:
Five main characters, five waifurs, that can be paired up in any which way you want in successive order from route 1-5. This little drawing I threw up in MS paint should give a small idea of what I'm thinking of.
Basically at the start of the VN (route 1) you would pick which MC you want and go through their introductory chapters with your standard decision making until your choices fell on the waifur of your choice. Each MC is *not* a blank slate but their own person with problems, needs, wants, quirks, etc. Once the MC-Waifur path as been set it's a linear story from there. Then Route 2-5 plays in a similar manner until you finish your unique combo which results in...something. I dunno what yet. Perhaps there is a 6th path between another predetermined MC-Waifur pair whose ending changes based on your route pairings. Or it just ends on route 5 and with the knowledge that you still have...20 alternate combinations to make. For a total of 25 various pairing combos, assuming my math is right.
Let me say right now: this is literally insane. This will probably never amount to anything but I've been thinking about it long enough that I can't ignore it. The Post character length isn't long enough for me to discuss how the routes could potentially interact with each other or if the routes would all happen at the same time with a clock reset for each different route, or if they would come after one after another in terms of the time that is passed in the context of the VN. Artists would be needed, sound people, writers-Especially writers! I couldn't do this on my own. I've never once interacted with Ren'Py in my life. The amount of work that would be required of a small team of /hmofa/ enthusiasts would be monumental. Furthermore, other than this little announcement, I don't have time to do this seriously right now. I have other writing projects I'm working on with deadlines I've set for myself. If I took this seriously it wouldn't be until later in the year.
But I want to send the message out right now. I want the writers and artists who visit this place to know. I want word to spread along the grapevine. I know a few writefags have probably messed around with Ren'Py in the past. With all this corona virus shit going on, maybe this is a time to tinker around with the engine again.
So if this interests you, put the word out, tell your discord servers: Jacklin's gone crazy and he wants to put together a team.