Re: Visual Novel Discussion Thread: Katawa Shoujo

by Valvatorez Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:05 pm

Wampa wrote:alright i cheated a bit and checked a act 1 choice chart because i was curious about how easy it was to get emi's route and wow saying that you dont want to die basically and will keep yourself healthy is an auto emi route no wonder you said it was so common deathfire

Actually, since most people who played Katawa Shoujo probably never played a VN before, they just played it like a nice guy all the way through, choosing the nice guy choices. That's what I did, and I got Emi.

by Wampa Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:11 pm

Valvatorez wrote:
Actually, since most people who played Katawa Shoujo probably never played a VN before, they just played it like a nice guy all the way through, choosing the nice guy choices. That's what I did, and I got Emi.

i guess thats right because hell thats exactly what i did to but i just realized im missing a single scene for emi im guessing thats a bad end or is there a scene i just missed?

by BlurredExistence Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:07 pm

It got some bad press for being too wordy and not enough interaction but despite that i think it's brilliant! I believe it's really well written and approaches the subject matter with great respect, love and sincerity. My heart goes out to Hanako, i love Rin's out of the box mind, i respect Emi's commitment to trying 200% to do everything she can do, Shizune and Misha are freakin' hilarious and you can feel Lilly's warmth and care radiate out from your monitor.

It might not be the best VN i've ever played by it is by far one of the best things i've ever read!

by Nonononoki Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:13 pm

Just started Katawa Shoujo yesterday. The art is not the best, but the music is quite good. Can't say much since I haven't played much. I kinda miss the japanese voices in this VN...

by BlurredExistence Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:19 pm

Nonononoki wrote:The art is not the best

Yeah the artwork is a bit all over the place ain't it? You can tell this was a collaboration between people who've never met in RL. Still once you get really into it you kind of stop noticing that any more.

by Wampa Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:40 pm

yea the art for emi on some of the close ups is the only one i really noticed that was a bit off. I'm currently going through the last route which ended up being Lily's for me its not bad so far but its not my favorite

by BlurredExistence Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:46 pm

Wampa wrote:yea the art for emi on some of the close ups is the only one i really noticed that was a bit off. I'm currently going through the last route which ended up being Lily's for me its not bad so far but its not my favorite

That's probably cause Lilly's story is the one with the least friction in it. She's a great character but without conflict/trouble in a story it's not much of a compelling read.

by BlurredExistence Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:50 pm

BTW: Talking about the artwork, the image you get for 100% completion - not worth it! Well... getting to read everything's pretty much your reward for doing that but if you do you get a piece of "artwork" which is just dire. Infact it's so dire i'll ruin it for you:

Spoiler:

Bad ain't it? I don't know who they got to do it but even by the worst standard of the rest of the art in the VN it's incredibly bad!

by Wampa Fri Mar 08, 2013 3:15 pm

thats a bit disappointing i almost have 100% besides the remains of Lily's route but getting only that makes me a bit sad

by Valvatorez Fri Mar 08, 2013 4:19 pm

The art is done by how they all split up the work.
They assigned everyone the artists on the team with different routes to do, that's why some of them look a bit different than in other.

by BlurredExistence Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:11 pm

Wampa wrote:thats a bit disappointing i almost have 100% besides the remains of Lily's route but getting only that makes me a bit sad

As i said it worth it to be able to read everything. The Bad Ends are so incredibly well written they are truly uncomfortable things to sit thru and watch unfold, you really feel the heavy emotions of each of the characters.

by Deathfire123 Sat Mar 09, 2013 2:28 am

BlurredExistence wrote:
Wampa wrote:thats a bit disappointing i almost have 100% besides the remains of Lily's route but getting only that makes me a bit sad

As i said it worth it to be able to read everything. The Bad Ends are so incredibly well written they are truly uncomfortable things to sit thru and watch unfold, you really feel the heavy emotions of each of the characters.

Except Lilly's Bad End. Which just... ends...

by SoulEater Sat Mar 09, 2013 5:13 am

I played this game last year.
Lilly's story is incredible. Mostly because of the character's warmth and calmness but also because of the ending, how Shizune turns out to be her cousin and how much she cares for Hanako.

I liked Emi's story a lot. It was very emotional because of the backstory and that scene at the grave-yard was awesome. Emi is very strong-willed and the fact that her father's death inspired her to run despite her disability makes for a great story.

Rin's route was long. So long and complicated that I stopped paying attention at the end. I sort of understood Rin's reasoning and I draw/paint which is why I liked that route a lot.

Hanako's route was mostly about how Hanako thought that she would be hated because of how she looks, and it's obvious that she was traumatized by the fire that gave her all those burns. She found love and confidence and turns out to be very happy.

Shizune's route was the one I did last, it was hilarious. The whole time I was wondering why Misha didn't have a route because since she was very loud and optimistic you'd think her route would be emotional but when you get to that scene at the roof, the touch of yuri in the story is awesome xD. The idea was very creative and I liked it.

Overall, I give Katawa Shoujo a 9/10.
I loved the music and everything else, I didn't mind the art, but the H ruined the potential innocence in the routes.

by BlurredExistence Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:48 pm

Deathfire123 wrote:
BlurredExistence wrote:
Wampa wrote:thats a bit disappointing i almost have 100% besides the remains of Lily's route but getting only that makes me a bit sad

As i said it worth it to be able to read everything. The Bad Ends are so incredibly well written they are truly uncomfortable things to sit thru and watch unfold, you really feel the heavy emotions of each of the characters.

Except Lilly's Bad End. Which just... ends...

Yeah, true enough. Again it's the same thing with Lilly over and over, so little friction. I guess they needed one story to say "well not all relationships are struggle and drama".

by Valvatorez Sat Mar 09, 2013 12:58 pm

SoulEater wrote:
I loved the music and everything else, I didn't mind the art, but the H ruined the potential innocence in the routes.

Eh, I felt like it gave a "Don't give a fuck if you're disabled or not" feel to it.
Showed Hisao wasnt judgmental, or he just didnt mind getting the sex.

by BlurredExistence Sat Mar 09, 2013 1:05 pm

Valvatorez wrote:
SoulEater wrote:
I loved the music and everything else, I didn't mind the art, but the H ruined the potential innocence in the routes.

Eh, I felt like it gave a "Don't give a fuck if you're disabled or not" feel to it.
Showed Hisao wasnt judgmental, or he just didnt mind getting the sex.

Err you could disable the H stuff you know. It's there in the options. But i agree with Valvatorez, why not show it? In the name of "innocence"? The whole VN's about them being people just like you and me, how they live their lives dealing with their issues just as "normal" people do, how they don't need to be put in a bubble so they can live their day to day lives. Shying away from that aspect would do them a disservice imo.

by SoulEater Sat Mar 09, 2013 1:35 pm

I just thought it'd be plain cute xD but eh, it does show that Hisao isn't judgmental, in every aspect.
I tried disabling it one time, wanted to see how different it'd be without the H scenes, but strangely enough, it didn't work.

by Valvatorez Sat Mar 09, 2013 2:19 pm

Yeah, in some VNs, the H-Scenes help move the plot along.
Since during those scenes, you get the feel of their love.... well, except for rape shit and other stuff that makes me gag and want to throw my laptop.

by BlurredExistence Sat Mar 09, 2013 2:56 pm

Valvatorez wrote:
Yeah, in some VNs, the H-Scenes help move the plot along.

That may be true for most AVNs but i don't think that's the case in Katawa Shoujo. The focus is entirely on the actual act (or process should i say) of "making love" and is far far to technical in it's description, and i would go so far to say that the emotions seem completely overshadowed by it. Actually, despite the fact that i defended them earlier, i do think they are probably the worst written scenes in this VN.

by Deathfire123 Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:01 pm

BlurredExistence wrote:
Valvatorez wrote:
Yeah, in some VNs, the H-Scenes help move the plot along.

That may be true for most AVNs but i don't think that's the case in Katawa Shoujo. The focus is entirely on the actual act (or process should i say) of "making love" and is far far to technical in it's description, i would go so far to say that the emotions seem completely overshadowed by it. Actually, despite the fact that i defended them earlier, i do think they are probably the worst written scenes in this VN.

I see your point and raise you one Lilly's 3rd H-Scene, one Hanako's H-scene, one Rin's 1st H-scene, and one Shizune's Bad Ending H-Scene, all which bring a lot of plot into the elements of making love, and affect the story in major ways

by Valvatorez Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:04 pm

Deathfire123 wrote:
BlurredExistence wrote:
Valvatorez wrote:
Yeah, in some VNs, the H-Scenes help move the plot along.

That may be true for most AVNs but i don't think that's the case in Katawa Shoujo. The focus is entirely on the actual act (or process should i say) of "making love" and is far far to technical in it's description, i would go so far to say that the emotions seem completely overshadowed by it. Actually, despite the fact that i defended them earlier, i do think they are probably the worst written scenes in this VN.

I see your point and raise you one Lilly's 3rd H-Scene, one Hanako's H-scene, one Rin's 1st H-scene, and one Shizune's Bad Ending H-Scene, all which bring a lot of plot into the elements of making love, and affect the story in major ways

And 1 Misha H-Scene.

by Deathfire123 Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:08 pm

Already said that without spoiling anyone ^

by Valvatorez Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:09 pm

Deathfire123 wrote:Already said that without spoiling anyone ^

We all played it, so eh.

by BlurredExistence Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:24 pm

Deathfire123 wrote:
BlurredExistence wrote:That may be true for most AVNs but i don't think that's the case in Katawa Shoujo. The focus is entirely on the actual act (or process should i say) of "making love" and is far far to technical in it's description, i would go so far to say that the emotions seem completely overshadowed by it. Actually, despite the fact that i defended them earlier, i do think they are probably the worst written scenes in this VN.

I see your point and raise you one Lilly's 3rd H-Scene, one Hanako's H-scene, one Rin's 1st H-scene, and one Shizune's Bad Ending H-Scene, all which bring a lot of plot into the elements of making love, and affect the story in major ways

Hmm. I'm gonna answer those in order that i most vividly remember them (in spoilers).

Spoiler:

I really don't want to be overly critical about it like i am. I do love this VN and every time i play thru the various stories i sit thru and read all the H-scenes but they are really poorly written, they are quite dull scenes with little passion or emotion in them written in an overly technical and almost detached way, and no matter how much you love the VN you've got to be honest and admit that (altho having said that it is just my opinion so i won't get annoyed if you don't), it's not a discredit to the overall brilliance of the VN, cause the rest is superbly written, it's a very minor thing.

by BlurredExistence Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:30 pm

Actually here's a question for you: Did any of the H-scenes turn you on?

That's the true objective of any H-scene, not to advance the plot, not to convey emotions, but to turn the reader on. And it's not the image that's key in that effort (tho it definitely helps) but the description of what's happening, of what each partner is doing to the other and how they feel as they "make love".

If it fails to do that then it's failed as a H-scene and is therefore a bit of a pointless addition (could just be replaced by some other type of scene). Fact.

by Sponsored content