VN Thoughts on kinetic novels?

[Mr. Mayhem]

I’m currently developing a game that lets you do choices but they really don’t affect the story, just the way that scene plays out, but I’m kinda worried that since I don’t have any major choices that people won’t like it or find it not engaging. So my question is, would you guys play a game in which you can make choices but no major ones that affect the story?

 

[riktor]

It really depends on the story for me though it is a minus overall in my view. I've only found one or two kinetic novels that I actually liked enough to not care about the absence of meaningful choices. Lighthearted no drama type stories. If the story has any darker or more dramatic elements then I want my choices to matter.

 

[Hadley]

The Game should at least give you the illusion of a choice.

But in the end I'd rather have a great Story without a branching Story than a mediocre Story with lots of choices.

 

[Adabelitoo]

The Game should at least give you the illusion of a choice.

But in the end I'd rather have a great Story without a branching Story than a mediocre Story with lots of choices.

I think this sums it up. The illusion of a choice is usually more appreacited than the efect of that given choice, it's more about how you sell your choice. At the end of the day, a good story is what it matters.

 

[SlLePER]

Personally I do not mind if the story is completely linear, but it pretty much means you are giving up one of the major strengths of the medium - immersion and interactivity.
I am also going to disagree with the previous commenters that the illusion of choice is good. Choices present in the game do not have to impact the story by pretty much any degree and choices that only impact the given scene are perfectly valid as long as it is clear that is all they do, but trying to trick the players into believing their choice matters* will inevitably backfire with at least some of the audience.

*The case with a lot of both major and minor games today. Just a few examples - Witcher 3 in some choices, Life is Strange, Elex, Telltale games, pretty much any game which has "This choice MATTERS" printed on the screen after a decision. There is a lot of them unfortunately.

 

[anne O'nymous]

So my question is, would you guys play a game in which you can make choices but no major ones that affect the story?

Well, it all depend.

If you pretend that player's choices will matter, then I'll not be happy. Same if later in the story the characters will talk about the scene in a way, while my own choice made it happen in another way.

But if you don't try to lure the players, and if you take care of the constancy of the story in regard of the way I played it, then why not ? If your story is interesting, I'll play it whatever the game mechanism.

 

[Prokopije]

I always vote for choices. First time I see something unavoidable I don't like (might be a sex scene or direction where storyline goes), I'm out, no matter how story or anything else in game might be good till that moment, cause after that - everything is completely ruined. I always saw those choiceless or "fake choices" games as something just for narrow audience, audience which will like exactly that what game offers.
I would play such a game only if everything in it fits into my preferences.

 

[Holy Bacchus]

I’m currently developing a game that lets you do choices but they really don’t affect the story, just the way that scene plays out, but I’m kinda worried that since I don’t have any major choices that people won’t like it or find it not engaging. So my question is, would you guys play a game in which you can make choices but no major ones that affect the story?

Honestly, if you want to make a game/VN in a certain way, then do it. There will always be poeple who will support what you're doing and if you'd rather keep things fairly kinetic and linear because it best fits your story, then that's what you should do.

I think most games are pretty much kinetic anyway and a lot of them just create the illusion of choice. The character's story arc generally follows along a single track, it's just that there's the occasional choice that influences character relationships and who the MC ends up with at the end. The ending is usually the same with just a few slight variations based on earlier choices.

If this is what you're planning, then go for it. Games and VNs with multiple branching paths and points systems are overrated and they generally end up confusing the actual story being told. Just having the occasional choice between seeing certain scenes and then having slight differences in the dialogue afterwards but otherwise having these choices make no real impact on the arc of the story is fine.

 

[takuya.aihara]

Honestly, if you want to make a game/VN in a certain way, then do it . . .

I agree. Authors should craft their titles in whatever manner that interests them foremost. There's no better way to yield an incomplete or abandoned title than making something you don't like.