Do people actually like the games that really are just CYOA books where you just advance by clicking?

[hannasavannah]

I find that most games, also the most popular ones, are nothing more than CYOA (create your own adventure") books than actual games.

You write your characters name and then you just click to proceed.

I do like text heavy, and I also recognize that in some of these games there are choices, but I don't understand that they are so popular when they are essentially just well drawn cartoons where you sometimes make a choice that jumps to another section of the book.

Can anyone explain this to me?

 

[Geigi]

I love them! My fav is Wayhaven Chronicles. Since I love erotic books/fanfiction, CYOA is perfect for erotic content. I prefer to imagine the scenes happening when I read, than to watch.

 

[MarshmallowCasserole]

Well, that kinda depends on the quality of story you get in such a game. It is in some ways similar to a book, yes. It's in the name, even, visual novel. But... nothing wrong with a good book. Especially if it also comes with some visuals (often more than just some, really)

While I would very much enjoy games with good actual gameplay, fact is, in the adult space these are exceedingly rare. So, beggars can't be choosers, I'll settle for a VN if the novel part is any good.

 

[fyl3toys]

I'll take some well written wincest before any kind of game mechanic. I'm here for the hot and heavy story.

Unless it's a game like Lost Life. That'll always be a winner.

 

[tanstaafl]

I would have thought the 5 digits of upvotes on the most popular game and 4 digits on many others would have answered the question, honestly. Could this be that you are just looking for a bit of validation?

 

[defnotalt]

I think they are really successful in part because they can shine with just good writing and acceptable/good cg work. Other non-VN types of games generally need a much higher budget and game programming experience, and the lack of gameplay refinement can easily lead to people quitting early and not enjoy the game.

 

[PsychicStress]

Visual novels, right? I find that I'm very comfortable playing VNs, I've been getting into them a little more this year.

 

[tanstaafl]

Visual novels, right? I find that I'm very comfortable playing VNs, I've been getting into them a little more this year.

Makes me wonder how many people these days just don't read...ever. It's been on the decline for decades, then had a resurgence (a few actually) but there's always quite a few people who just don't and can't understand those that do. A good story is a good story. VNs are just a new(ish) format for a story. Hell, I halfway agree with the people that rail against calling them games. I'd prefer they didn't just so we could get less posts like these.

 

[Pinesama]

With ren'py sandbox type games, just unlocking the content/progression is enough "gameplay" for me. I don't want anything where I have to use the keyboard or that requires split-second timing. Occasionally I'll read if I'm interested or the writing is entertaining but if it's monologues and lore dumps I will use auto-clicker macro for 90% of the titles out there.

 

[Ahsl]

Yes, I like to play/read VNs in general, not just the lewd ones. And there are VNs that also incorporate other gameplay elements, not all of them are just options choosing (I'm talking about VNs in general, not specifically about the ones in this forum).

 

[kytee]

Yes, I like games that are just books with pictures. That's because these NSFW games are the only medium with mostly uncensored storytelling. Tell me where you can find a porno, or book (with visuals), or any other medium in which you can perv on your blood-related family besides these. Secondly, I don't want some low grade gameplay tacked onto my porn that you qualify as NSFW games. I already have a big enough library of normal games with significantly better gameplay that I can play if I want a gameplay experience.

 

[Pretentious Goblin]

No, I feel bored and disengaged when my involvement comes down to clicking A, B or C. No, I don't have much patience for longer reading sessions of anything else, either.

 

[Living In A Lewd World]

I personally enjoy AVNs, when they cater my kinks and at least the images tell a decent story. If the story is actually so well written, that I start to read, this is a big big surplus. Admittedly, I find rarely something, that I really like and finding something where I start to read is even rarer. But that's still much much more as in real porn, where storytelling is, when it exists often quite rudimentary and especially telling very long processes of sexual evolution does not exist.

 

[anne O'nymous]

While I would very much enjoy games with good actual gameplay, fact is, in the adult space these are exceedingly rare.

Mostly because they are fucking hard to make. Not necessarily in terms of coding, but for them to stay interesting you've to balance the "game" part and the "lewd" part correctly. A "fuck everything that move" game would be quickly boring, while a game that don't offer you enough lewd would be deceiving. And I don't talk about games where you've to pass a series challenge before you can get the girl. You starts with the while to have some good time, and when you finally come to it, all the play time put you out of the mood.

 

[Belkezar]

Depends on whether it's a fake CYOA - where you're just picking a romance route and there's no actual fail-state - and a real CYOA, where there's many wrong choices that will result in bad ends.

For example, most of Miel's slop would be instantly more interesting if you could fuck up and get imprisoned or die. (As opposed to the MC always being an incredibly lucky stupid asshole who gets handed victory on a silver platter.)

A real CYOA is something of a trial-and-error puzzle game, and I suspect that's part of the appeal. A computer-based one can actually track which flags you've triggered, while the OG books always counted on your adhering to the honor system to beat them legitimately.

I wonder if FATE/Stay Night is the most successful CYOA of all time.

 

[Crimson Delight Games]

I find that most games, also the most popular ones, are nothing more than CYOA (create your own adventure") books than actual games.

Yes, CYOAs are the goated choice for patrician fappers with refined taste!