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Note: This is in an open essay/topic format. I encourage discussion on this subject, as I'd really like to see what the community thinks of these games - please give me your most honest opinions, but try to come into this topic with an open and informed mind. Thanks, I'd really appreciate it.
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Hello GOG.com community,

Recently I was going through my backlog of games and noticed that I had a few games on it that I hadn't taken a look at in quite a while. All I really remember about this game was that it was supposed to have a really cool story that was told from multiple perspectives and had a really good translation (from its Japanese version) by Hirameki International. What Hirameki International was involved in the 1990s and early 2000s was localizing Visual Novels from the Japanese market for the United States. When they first began releasing their games, they released them in their "Anime Play" label. This label was essentially their butchered versions of the games available in Japan; this would allow you play the game on your DVD player, using your remote for options. While this was a cool idea, it took away from what was originally intended and sadly resulted in some botched games.

While this was one of their failed experiments, some of their releases were brought over in the same form as they were originally created in, and were done with fantastic extras and what has been regarded as a stellar localization, with a moving Science Fiction story and great characters. The game was called Ever 17: The Out of Infinity. Released in December 2005, this game was lauded for all of these things and more, but the game was ultimately considered too niche for the US, and the company eventually became defunct. However, even to this day there is a strong following of people who both support the many different kinds of nisual novels (colloquially referred to as VNs) who fan-translate new works and continue to recommend and talk about these older releases.

(Note: * indicate games that have more in common with the adventure genre.)
999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney*.
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective*.
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward.
the BlazBlue series,
Persona 4: Arena.


Do you know what all of these games have in common? All of these games either take elements from VNs, or are essentially VNs themselves. The story modes in the Blazblue series - a VN with some fighting every now and then. Phoenix Wright? While there is some detective work, it's essentially just reading. What I don't understand about many gamers perceptions of this genre is that they don't see the VNs that they themselves have played and enjoyed before.

This is evident in a LOT more than just these examples, but they're everywhere. Heck, even Aksys Games (the US localization company) have/continue to localize what they call Otome VNs for the PSP, a romantic-type VN designed for the female audience. Those two games: Hakuoki - Demon of the Fleeting Blossom and Sweet Fuse: At Your Side don't even have "gameplay," and yet somehow they've made Aksys some money. Even games like Corpse Party and it's sequel Book of Shadows (on PSN in NA right now) has seen a release by XSEED (another US localization company) - and that was a HORROR game with some seriously scary and disturbing stuff in it. And these games have even done moderately well.

There are products all over the market, both in the past and currently, that are both "traditional VNs" and "new/experimental VNs". There is the dedicated fan-base that support the traditional stuff regardless of what goes on elsewhere - but even they would like to own legitimate copies of these games WITHOUT DRM! Hell, I know I'd buy at least Ever 17 in a heartbeat. It's harder to get running on modern machines, it's hard to find, costs $200 dollars for an old boxed copy. Wouldn't it be great to have a great story revived so that people who want to play it don't have to import it, spend all their cash, or be lured into pirating it? In the end, I just hope you at least found this informative, and maybe, just maybe, I swayed someones mind into checking out and supporting this under-appreciated genre (with great games like Ever 17 no less).

So I'll open up the forum to the GOG community --> would you consider buying/playing VNs if they were made available? What is your stance on these games or even their viability in the US - or other places around the world outside of Japan? Would you pay for a non-translated Japanese-only release if you knew there was a fan-translation out there (or not)?

[For basic information on VNs, please check out the wikipedia artilcle here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_novel
[If you see this thread get buried, please bump it, I'd really like to get some good feedback from as many as possible.]

If you're interested, here are some other VNs that might sway your mind:
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ever_17:_The_Out_of_Infinity]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ever_17:_The_Out_of_Infinity[/url]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steins;Gate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fate/stay_night

GOG.com Wishlist Entries:
http://www.gog.com/wishlist/games/ever_17_the_out_of_infinity
http://www.gog.com/wishlist/games/never_7_the_end_of_infinity
http://www.gog.com/wishlist/games/remember_11_the_age_of_infinity

http://www.gog.com/wishlist/games/steinsgate
http://www.gog.com/wishlist/games/fatestay_night
Attachments:
Post edited April 06, 2013 by FlamingFirewire
I would love to see Ever 17 re-released here. I've been watching a play through on YouTube, but it's not quite the same as playing it. The only problems I could are difficulties with the rights (since both the Japanese company that made it and company that translated it no longer exist, who owns the game?) and some issues with a kind of iffy translation. I don't know as much about Steins;Gate of Fate/stay night, but I've heard a few people rave about Steins;Gate.

Also, did you know that Ever 17 is written by same guy that wrote 999 and Virtue's Last Reward, Kotaro Uchikoshi? I guess you probably do, but I thought that was interesting. That guy is seriously good.
I actually wouldn't mind seeing some VNs on here. There's only 3 things about them:

1) Some people (ok, a lot of people) don't like the idea of seeing static pictures with text for a full game, especially when the only interaction is an occasional conversation choice.

2) Some people automatically see VNs as a kind of Weeaboo candy, meaning something that only the crazed Japan-fans would enjoy.

3) While some VNs are truly great, many are generic, worthless wastes of space.

However, I still think it would be nice to see some readily available to people, as they're often hard to come by, especially in English. I've recently been playing (watching?) Saya no Uta (Saya's Song). While not for everyone (it has some hentai-class stuff going on), the story is very deep and disturbing, and the images are crisp and neat. Having a clearly Lovecraftian-style plot doesn't hurt either.

Oh yeah, that's another thing. VNs can have very heavily adult-rated material, so that needs to be watched out for.

I've heard great things about Steins Gate, and it seems like it's my style. I've never managed to get ahold of it, though.
Post edited April 06, 2013 by nightrunner227
They're not something I'd have any interest in playing (I've played a couple and, because of lack of interaction, found them pretty boring).

But....I'd have no problem if GOG sold them as some people love them.

Maybe GOG could set up a separate section for them, so people DO know they're VNs and don't buy them as a 'game' and then get pissed off because they're not :)
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nightrunner227: Oh yeah, that's another thing. VNs can have very heavily adult-rated material, so that needs to be watched out for.

I've heard great things about Steins Gate, and it seems like it's my style. I've never managed to get ahold of it, though.
There are VNs that are clearly rated as "All Ages", though. While completely non-descriptive of actual content (as usually an All Ages game could revolve around something like the plot of Zero Escape), that kind of descriptor would be key in determining whether or not it would be suitable for a site that doesn't want to carry that kind of content.

Also, if you want to get Steins;gate up and running, I might be able to help you through PM if you want. :)
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Bloodygoodgames: They're not something I'd have any interest in playing (I've played a couple and, because of lack of interaction, found them pretty boring).

But....I'd have no problem if GOG sold them as some people love them.

Maybe GOG could set up a separate section for them, so people DO know they're VNs and don't buy them as a 'game' and then get pissed off because they're not :)
I'm guessing it would take a lot of education before people realized what type of game they were - I'm sure if they ever did carry them though, they would make it really clear what type of game they were just as they would with any other genre of game. Like you said, I'm pretty sure most people wouldn't have a problem with diversity of game types.
Post edited April 06, 2013 by FlamingFirewire
I'd rather see game soundtracks (ones that are already being sold seperately) come here before visual novels.
I'd love to see some good visual novels get notice on GOG! While I do understand that some users are a little miffed at the idea of GOG shifting a bit of focus off of "good ole' games" and towards indie games, I just see it as a sign that the site is expanding horizons. I'm glad that they haven't lost focus; great classics still get released often enough to warrant the title. In conclusion, I wouldn't mind seeing every type of game sold on GOG! As long as enough oldies get attention now and again, we can start adding MMORPGs for all I care!...(although, not really)
I am not very familiar with Visual Novels but I would be open to buying them on this website.
Depends on the VN. The majority of them, like any genre, are utter rubbish.

But the main problem with VNs will be the fact that they have Japanese publishers. And like any game with a Japanese publisher, that means it's going to be a lot harder for GOG to sell as most will not allow their PC games to be sold in Japan.

This is one reason why there are so few Japanese publishers on GOG and why one of them currently only has one game on GOG -- the Japanese publisher in question won't give the okay for others to be sold.
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bansama: Depends on the VN. The majority of them, like any genre, are utter rubbish.

But the main problem with VNs will be the fact that they have Japanese publishers. And like any game with a Japanese publisher, that means it's going to be a lot harder for GOG to sell as most will not allow their PC games to be sold in Japan.

This is one reason why there are so few Japanese publishers on GOG and why one of them currently only has one game on GOG -- the Japanese publisher in question won't give the okay for others to be sold.
Which Japanese game publisher's on here right now? Also, what do they have against releasing them on a service that sells them worldwide - does it have something to do with different price points in different markets? Also, like I mentioned in that wall of text above, do think there would be any chance in seeing Ever 17 make it on here, or would they even still be too protective of their older titles?

EDIT: I know they also have a big issue with piracy and don't really like DRM-free content, but do you think that's changing or just getting worse?
Post edited April 06, 2013 by FlamingFirewire
PC gaming in general isn't very popular in Japan so it is a hard sell.

Japanese companies also don't like DRM-Free content in general.
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nightrunner227: 1) Some people (ok, a lot of people) don't like the idea of seeing static pictures with text for a full game, especially when the only interaction is an occasional conversation choice.

2) Some people automatically see VNs as a kind of Weeaboo candy, meaning something that only the crazed Japan-fans would enjoy.

3) While some VNs are truly great, many are generic, worthless wastes of space.
Point #1: While true, I don't see why those people would object to having a different type of game available on the service. Reminds me of watching people playing the opening of Ys: Oath in Felghana though when it made it's way to Steam.

Point #2: While a shame, I think that has a lot to do with the insular nature of the genre and how it's either really hard to get, or ends up pandering to a specific audience.

Point #3: That really applies to any genre, but for those VNs I mentioned above, those would be the kind I'd like to see on GOG - like Ever 17 and Steins;gate.
Not crazy about the idea but the OP has one of the coolest logins I've ever seen.
I'd love to play some VN-style games like 999, virtue's last reward, corpse party, but they're all console exclusives :(
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bansama: Depends on the VN. The majority of them, like any genre, are utter rubbish.

But the main problem with VNs will be the fact that they have Japanese publishers. And like any game with a Japanese publisher, that means it's going to be a lot harder for GOG to sell as most will not allow their PC games to be sold in Japan.

This is one reason why there are so few Japanese publishers on GOG and why one of them currently only has one game on GOG -- the Japanese publisher in question won't give the okay for others to be sold.
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FlamingFirewire: Which Japanese game publisher's on here right now? Also, what do they have against releasing them on a service that sells them worldwide - does it have something to do with different price points in different markets? Also, like I mentioned in that wall of text above, do think there would be any chance in seeing Ever 17 make it on here, or would they even still be too protective of their older titles?

EDIT: I know they also have a big issue with piracy and don't really like DRM-free content, but do you think that's changing or just getting worse?
Capcom.