VN Is it good VN design to include side quests that belong to completely different genres than the main story?

[Freeworlddev]

Hey guys,

I'm in the process of creating a visual novel. The main story is slice-of-life, however, I'm considering adding fully fleshed out side quests that are practically self-contained anthology series set in the main world of my VN.

For reference, this is a sandbox style VN. Think Summertime Saga.

The side quests serve to explore the world the players find themselves in since it's a parallel universe to our world. That includes things like the criminal underbelly (more action themed stuff), to AI (fantasy/horror planned for that one. DDLC inspired), to the more common slice-of-life themed side quests (one of our side quests explores how this world works overall; from office life, recreational activities, etc).

While they do have wildly different themes, they're all tied in a semi-realistic setting so players can experience how very, very different (and surreal) this parallel dimension is.

Is it tied to the main story? No. It's very self contained and doesn't effect the character in the primary narrative overall.

Is this considered a good or bad idea in general?

 

[Doorknob22]

To each his, own, but I hate it when the dev suddenly decides that "the characters now play D&D so I can have a few medieval/fantasy sex scenes thrown in" or some other bullshit. To me it feels more like cheap filler than actual content. If you're running out of ideas for your contemporary AVN, finish it and start a new one, but please don't have the players now play a SCIFI MMORPG so you can have them fucking robots or whatever, because you don't know where to take the plot and got a good bargain on SCIFI Daz3d models.

 

[Freeworlddev]

To each his, own, but I hate it when the dev suddenly decides that "the characters now play D&D so I can have a few medieval/fantasy sex scenes thrown in" or some other bullshit. To me it feels more like cheap filler than actual content. If you're running out of ideas for your contemporary AVN, finish it and start a new one, but please don't have the players now play a SCIFI MMORPG so you can have them fucking robots or whatever, because you don't know where to take the plot and got a good bargain on SCIFI Daz3d models.

But my elf models

Hehe, just kidding. It's mainly my desire to explore different facets of an alternate universe... but I swear, my brain loves throwing out random ideas on the fly sometimes.

 

[Sprungler]

To each his, own, but I hate it when the dev suddenly decides that "the characters now play D&D so I can have a few medieval/fantasy sex scenes thrown in" or some other bullshit. To me it feels more like cheap filler than actual content. If you're running out of ideas for your contemporary AVN, finish it and start a new one, but please don't have the players now play a SCIFI MMORPG so you can have them fucking robots or whatever, because you don't know where to take the plot and got a good bargain on SCIFI Daz3d models.

Oh God, I hate the random D&D scenes so much...

 

[anne O'nymous]

To each his, own, but I hate it when the dev suddenly decides that "the characters now play D&D so I can have a few medieval/fantasy sex scenes thrown in" or some other bullshit.

I tend to agree, but there's exception when it fit to the story and serve it. What also imply that there isn't sex scene during that interlude, at most a bit of lewd. It serve to strengthen the bound between the characters, eventually explore part of their personality that wouldn't be obvious or easy to explore in the normal setting, but it's not an excuse for different kind of sex.

 

[orellion]

Sounds interesting to me. The one thing I'd avoid is going from a realistic setting (have to earn your women) to unrealistic (MC can fuck anything that moves), or vice versa.

 

[Freeworlddev]

Sounds interesting to me. The one thing I'd avoid is going from a realistic setting (have to earn your women) to unrealistic (MC can fuck anything that moves), or vice versa.

The entire game is set in a freeuse themed parallel dimension similar to ours. Sex is as casual as breathing air there. But then again, it isn't just the MC getting laid all the time - it's literally everyone. Men and women.

 

[Goeffel]

It's mainly my desire to explore different facets of an alternate universe... but I swear, my brain loves throwing out random ideas on the fly sometimes.

That sounds exactly like post-complete add-on content, once your main game is finished and has its followers.
See if you can theme it around special events (xmas, halloween, etc.) and it is 2x win for your fans, and for your reputation.

 

[tanstaafl]

Interesting idea if you stick to only tags and genres that I like. Otherwise it's crap and you should feel bad.