I'd personally choose story over porn (as I do in the games I create myself). But I do feel that the story needs to have a point. I think there are 2 types of stories in story driven erotic games: A story that supports the sex scenes (sex is the focus and story is used to build up characters and situations only for the sex scenes), or sex scenes that suppor the story. I prefer the sex scenes that support the story (so the story is the actual focus) by a lot. I know some people might disagree and that's fine, but I just like reading a good story. But I guess that also depends on why you read erotic VN novels. I read them to either get inspiration for my own games or (and this usually why) I just want to relax with a good story because I have some free time. I don't go into them thinking 'oh, lets have some porn for a few minutes so I can get off'. I think erotic novels are more about fueling arousal than releasing it, but maybe that's just my opinion and you can agree with that or not.
But here are some examples I've come across in which I don't think the story worked that well:
- All of the Kiss For The Petal games. I love the series (mostly because there are so few yuri games out there. So please don't see my complaints about it as me saying they are bad games), but I have to admit the stories in the games usually aren't great. They don't capture me. Mostly because they are of the 'story supports the sex scene' variety. Not much happens in the story for the most part except setting up the next sex scene. It almost feels like they lack a proper beginning, middle and end because of that (although they do have that). The story isn't building up to anything accept sex. The characters don't seem to go through any changes/they don't seem to learn anything. And that's mostly because story isn't the focus of the game. The story is there for you as a reader to get to know the characters that are going to have tons of sex and that's it. It feels like a bunch of sex scenes with a bit of narrative context instead of a proper narrative.
- Nympho Sensei Ryoko. Nice art, nice looking female main character. Terrible game. This is an odd one. Because it just has almost no story. This is an example of game that tries to be only porn and nothing more. 95% of it is sex scenes. And as a result it's just about the most boring VN I've ever read. Nothing about the game captured me although I felt that it should have. I kept hoping it would getting so I kept playing it, but the game doesn't even have proper ending. Neither does it have a clear beginning for that matter.
When it comes to visual novels, in my opinion you have to go for what the medium does best and what it does better than other forms of porn. Visual novels are kind of the best way to tell erotic stories as you can still give player some nice sexual visuals that aren't too expensive to make while focusing on the story. And I think that's what most people look for in erotic VNs (although I have heard some people say otherwise, obviously not everyone looks for the same thing). If you want story + porn, there is almost no alternative. Comics are a somewhat good alternative, but the focus more on visuals than story for the most part. VN is sort of the other way around I think (although there are obviously some very good looking VNs out there). Also VNs can go for the Expression aesthetic (if people are familiar with the game design aesthetic theory on top of the Narrative aesthetic that comics can go for. And for people like me, Expression is so important and one of the reasons I love VNs with good dialogue choices.
But one of the visual novel format weaknessess is that it's rather static. Even with animations, it's still much more static than actual porn videos. And that means that despite the visual being nice, they aren't as visual stimulating as straight up porn is for the most part. That's why I think games like Nympho Sensei Ryoko are boring to me. I can get better porn than that that's more visually appealing if I just want to get off quickly.
Hi, you said it everything in the right direction. Of course these are just to fuel the arousal more than to give it a release. And that is what an Erotic Visual Novel should be pertaining to do.
I think there are a lot of ways that can be used to spice things up in Ren'Py. Through which it is not just about static images or just some sfm movie clips embedded into the scenes. As an avid programmer I saw that Ren'Py is capable far more than any other engines. Its flexibility and simplicity makes it a little superior than Unity and Unreal if it is about a Visual Novel. I have not seen other developers work who are participating in this thread yet, but I saw
@HopesGaming project, The Deluca Family and one such one of the oldest concepts of free roaming was introduced into it. I'm glad somebody thought to utilize the engine more and start using sprites to express the characters more, having a thought process (albeit just with their thoughts only) but that is a nice concept. For the static part, I saw there is a lot a creative programmer can put forth. It might take a toll on the graphics designer although and more so if the dev is not a programmer but the graphics designer or is just a one man team.
As I read the posts above I saw people talking about if you have an idea go for it. But as being only adapt in programming myself, having worked on python and java a lot I think I am neither suitable for graphics designing nor do I have the creative skills for it. When I saw ren'py and what it is capable of, I thought that if I knew how to render and model or was creative enough to even give it a try I had several concepts that would put forth a game better than Telltale games. Although it won't just remain a Visual Novel but the user could be given the choice to take part in the gaming scenarios or not and just see it as a Visual Novel. I don't know neither hope that people saw through the disguise of my post actually. This was just a mere speculation to know what the patreons would like more. Will the idea I have a find good support or not. I do have an idea and I do have the programming skills to implement it into the engine, with the engine. The project might be more huge than any other present on f95 and the ideas taxing on each of the individuals present into the project. It is just a concept yet of as now, I don't even have a proof of concept yet at all. I don't know if I can ever have it since that'd require me to work up on arts which I am not that capable of. There is a writer though working in collaboration as of right now. Being an aspiring writer he understood each of the concepts I had and is putting together a story for me right now. Although even he knows without an artist it might all just be in vain.
Perhaps someday if I have someone to work on the art I might be able to put forth the concept. It is huge, it is better and it is unique. Think of it as telltale game made in ren'py which gives far more versatility than telltale where the choices just don't bring a simple reaction or conclusion through that choice but affects everything and everyone including or involving the respective parties and other individuals that might come into contact with. It is more lively, livelier than a novel that just takes the reader through bits and bits of pieces of story woven together. Think of it giving you a far better interactive story, not just interactive environment but instead the story would be far interactive with the users choices. People would be able to actually shape the story out.
Of course there would erotic content, a lot of it. And there would be more to it than just static images. I cannot do the work of artist myself, but someday hope that I would find someone who would collaborate on it, see its potential and work upon it. I am working on it right now, trying to find one as such through my sources.
Anyways it is good to see some like minded people in the end. Thanks for the response guys.
