How do I cross this uncanny valley? Granted the stakes in VN is but a microcosm of the larger scene, but the same economics applies.
I already know I will never meet the best EVN groups in the world (you know who you are), but sometimes I wonder if it's worth a middling effort or if I would be better off making something similar to dating pigeons or llamas or whatever sillyness is needed just to have a work that people will remember.
The first thing I have to say on the matter is: watch Kuroko's basketball.
ReplyDeleteThe second is: what are you trying to communicate? I know it sounds cliché, but I'm perfectly serious and honest when I say that if what you want to express is the most important thing. You're never going to be able to know what other people really want because even if you were really good at listening and interpreting what they say and produced something based on that, you'd find out that what your prospective audience "asks" for isn't necessarily what they want.
But what do you want? you liked products that managed to survive or even be successful, didn't you? Did one of these works express something you want to expand upon? Think of it like a conversation, and keep in mind that if you want other people to listen you have to make an effort to communicate in a way they can understand. Try to talk to people, not at people.
I had a chance to talk to Taleweaver when he was in the UK and he told me about a few of the stories he wrote but never got to fruition - one of which was Elspeth's Garden. I thought it sounded interesting, at the very least. I know I was sorry I couldn't manage to see this story.
So, how many chances are there that other people would be at least interested? How many would even pick it as one of their favourites, if you were to finish it? Do you really have to capitalise on it? Or would breaking even be enough for a first commercial VN?
You won't know how it will go until you work through it and finish it. But if you start tracing charts and think of the possible outcomes, if you worry about which VNs are out this or the next year, you'll never know.
Some people will love it, trust me. I've been continuously surprised by how people seem to love things that I'd have never expected them to when it came to stuff I made. But you need to get it out there. Just trust me, you'll be a lot happier if you drop all the ifs and buts and just get on with it.
Many thanks, I am just unsure of myself recently.
ReplyDeleteI also lack time, but anything other than working on the projects is really just dilly-dallying.
I wish I could grab part of my old self back when I could just put things together with barely a proofreader or polish phase and just release with utmost confidence no matter how amateur the result.
But of course this is a commercial work -- then again, I only really just need to get it out there... so not having been kickstartered, perhaps if there is promise to recoup costs in another fashion, like donationware or something.
The mere fact that you're still here means the burning flame of OELVN is still alive inside you. You may not be a Kickstarter success story or a Katawa Shoujo famous person but isn't the reason why you are still here is because it's fun?
ReplyDeleteTrue, I may not be any of the above and will never ever be... so what?... I just made a Php10 Million sale yesterday. It's not as glamorous as being accepted on Steam but I don't care since I'm still earning way more than any of them combined... But that's not really fun... fun is doing what I like the most... Trolling the OELVN community in any way via crappy releases and other things because it was fun as Hell :)
Search your feelings... do not let envy of others success get to you, you are better than this. What happened to the Optimist DaFool we all looked up to, The DaFool who made impossible projects in Ren'py back when it was less malleable? Have you been Jaded way too much?... Look at me... I'm UNCLE MUGEN! My drawing sucks and my programming is copy pasta and I'm spewing garbage OELVN left and right and people may not like it, no problem... I'm force feeding it anyway and people will like it weather they like it or not... or at least remember it in some way :)
Long story short... pull yourself together DaFool my friend... you are beginning to sound like an old jaded person... For every superstar, there are hundred's of failures like us but look at it this way, we are one of the lucky few to have the chance to try and have fun with OELVN. Some people are locked in a monotonous daily activity of work, commute, sleep, laundry... and nothing else.
UNCLE MUGEN says DO IT FOR FUN! (not recommended but AW YISS!!! MARIJUANA!)