Which is better in your opinion? And why?
- Thread starter Koblas
- Start date
- Jan 5, 2018
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First off I think this is posted in the wrong section.
Answering your question: Both? Neither? Depends.
As a general note, every game should have a main story or something to keep you playing, I for one, don't play puzzle games to unlock images no matter how good they look or how interesting the puzzle mechanics are.
In an open world kind of game (call it rpgm or milfy city style) you usually play just to unlock content, "do this 3 times and you get a scene" "go there at night and you get a scene" so it's near impossible to add an actual choice to what's happening, just based on how the game works, if I give you the chance to make an important change I'd have to change a great chunk of the game so it makes sense with what you did, do that a couple times and you're working with 8+ game branches that need each nearly the same amount of time as the main game would.
Now if you move to VNs (closer to my preference) the dev usually has a linear idea of how the story will play out no matter your choices. For me it's better to have fewer choices but more weight on them rather than being able to choose every line of dialogue but with no effect, example for these two: Acting lessons / love and submission, you choose options a/b/c and that will probably have implications for the rest of the game, LaS even has this cool mechanic where they give you a sort of open world at times where you have the chance to do or find stuff that will change how the game plays out (if you choose / know how to do them). An analog example, points games, some are actually well done, like freeloading family or depraved awakening (those two are the ones that pop to mind, not that they're the only ones by any stretch of imagination), but most are options a) I love you b) I hate you and think we shouldn't see each other anymore, answer for both is "haha you're so funny". Or worse, it instantly makes me want to quit the game when I see this, you get to choose the dialogue (which in turn should change the story at least a bit) with, in theory, opposing results and as soon as mc is about to spout the lines, they're interrupted and the dev coded another weightless choice with zero repercussions that doesn't even play out.
But that's just me, some people might like having 200 choices that only add 1-2 lines of dialogue each
Answering your question: Both? Neither? Depends.
As a general note, every game should have a main story or something to keep you playing, I for one, don't play puzzle games to unlock images no matter how good they look or how interesting the puzzle mechanics are.
In an open world kind of game (call it rpgm or milfy city style) you usually play just to unlock content, "do this 3 times and you get a scene" "go there at night and you get a scene" so it's near impossible to add an actual choice to what's happening, just based on how the game works, if I give you the chance to make an important change I'd have to change a great chunk of the game so it makes sense with what you did, do that a couple times and you're working with 8+ game branches that need each nearly the same amount of time as the main game would.
Now if you move to VNs (closer to my preference) the dev usually has a linear idea of how the story will play out no matter your choices. For me it's better to have fewer choices but more weight on them rather than being able to choose every line of dialogue but with no effect, example for these two: Acting lessons / love and submission, you choose options a/b/c and that will probably have implications for the rest of the game, LaS even has this cool mechanic where they give you a sort of open world at times where you have the chance to do or find stuff that will change how the game plays out (if you choose / know how to do them). An analog example, points games, some are actually well done, like freeloading family or depraved awakening (those two are the ones that pop to mind, not that they're the only ones by any stretch of imagination), but most are options a) I love you b) I hate you and think we shouldn't see each other anymore, answer for both is "haha you're so funny". Or worse, it instantly makes me want to quit the game when I see this, you get to choose the dialogue (which in turn should change the story at least a bit) with, in theory, opposing results and as soon as mc is about to spout the lines, they're interrupted and the dev coded another weightless choice with zero repercussions that doesn't even play out.
But that's just me, some people might like having 200 choices that only add 1-2 lines of dialogue each
- Jun 25, 2017
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This isn't (IMHO) a question of "better." The important thing is to create a game with a compelling story line and reasonable graphics. There are great games in both genres.
In my opinion, it's a lot easier to create a game in VN style, since the author is in complete control of how things progress. "Wander the world" (WTW) games that have a single "you must do this, then you must do that" (which is what a LOT of RPGMV games do) don't appeal to me all that much because all the "now I have to go over to that end of the map" just add playing time to the game without adding value. (Plus, it can be hard to figure out what to do next unless you have a strong hinting system.)
Thus, IMHO, to be effective, WTW games need multiple story lines (possibly intersecting). Think Big Brother or Summertime Saga or Milfy City. Doing this adds richness to the game, but it also adds complexity and development time for the author. In addition, Ren'py is stupidly simple to create a VN-style game, while doing a WTW style game involves a bit more detailed programming. (Not that you have to be a Pythong guru or any such - just that there are a lot more conditions to worry about, because you're not in control of the sequence that the player attacks things.)
Thus, if you're starting out, my advice would be to do your first game or two in VN style until you've gotten comfortable with the mechanics, etc., and then branch out.
In my opinion, it's a lot easier to create a game in VN style, since the author is in complete control of how things progress. "Wander the world" (WTW) games that have a single "you must do this, then you must do that" (which is what a LOT of RPGMV games do) don't appeal to me all that much because all the "now I have to go over to that end of the map" just add playing time to the game without adding value. (Plus, it can be hard to figure out what to do next unless you have a strong hinting system.)
Thus, IMHO, to be effective, WTW games need multiple story lines (possibly intersecting). Think Big Brother or Summertime Saga or Milfy City. Doing this adds richness to the game, but it also adds complexity and development time for the author. In addition, Ren'py is stupidly simple to create a VN-style game, while doing a WTW style game involves a bit more detailed programming. (Not that you have to be a Pythong guru or any such - just that there are a lot more conditions to worry about, because you're not in control of the sequence that the player attacks things.)
Thus, if you're starting out, my advice would be to do your first game or two in VN style until you've gotten comfortable with the mechanics, etc., and then branch out.
- Aug 22, 2018
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I mainly play VN's and RPG's for the story. I don't mind if there are choices or it's linear but if it's a game built around player choice then those choices need to matter.
I'm going to use a game I quite enjoy with Sisterly Love as an example. Despite the fact that I would clam slam Riley so good .... ahem .... the guy is sleeping with everyone with no repercussion.
He claims to love one sister while he's off fucking another then masturbating with the next while trying to fuck the first all the while he's fucking the younger sisters 2 friends, the lass he worked with, the mother and daughter abroad and the secretary at his mothers works and almost his mother and possibly the mother of the guy that bribed one of the sisters ...... And nobody has said a fucking word about any of it.
There are no consequences of any actions. He can fuck anyone and everyone with no drawback. I know that's a good thing for a porn game but story wise it's shit. Most important part of a story with choices is they need to make sense and Sisterly Love is just a porn game with a loose plot to kinda explain why sex is happening. Choices mean absolutely nothing except what order he fucks someone.
I'm going to use a game I quite enjoy with Sisterly Love as an example. Despite the fact that I would clam slam Riley so good .... ahem .... the guy is sleeping with everyone with no repercussion.
He claims to love one sister while he's off fucking another then masturbating with the next while trying to fuck the first all the while he's fucking the younger sisters 2 friends, the lass he worked with, the mother and daughter abroad and the secretary at his mothers works and almost his mother and possibly the mother of the guy that bribed one of the sisters ...... And nobody has said a fucking word about any of it.
There are no consequences of any actions. He can fuck anyone and everyone with no drawback. I know that's a good thing for a porn game but story wise it's shit. Most important part of a story with choices is they need to make sense and Sisterly Love is just a porn game with a loose plot to kinda explain why sex is happening. Choices mean absolutely nothing except what order he fucks someone.
My statements would probably echo @Avaron1974 so I won't spend a lot of time rehashing what she's already said. To me, I find Life Sims, your Milfy Cities at best but more likely a Big Brother or Man of the House to be like having a quickie before work. Sure, you get off, got what you needed, but there was no substance, no sparks, no impact, just pure biological function. With a more involved story you get more invested in the outcomes, it becomes more intimate, passionate, intense. With games that accommodate this feeling I feel like it's something to savor and I'm more than satisfied. With the quickies before work that are Life Sims I want more an hour or so later.
- Aug 12, 2018
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And this is why i love your innovative idea between free roam and story segments.
- Apr 27, 2017
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The real question is what works best with the story, characters and setting you have in mind ,not to mention what your strengths as a dev would be, if your more of a writer play to your advantages and go for something like a VN, if your a coder go for a more complex free roam sandbox style game.
Going hard down either route can be a problem, a VN style game without choices could seem rather passive, why bother playing if it's just a set of CG's? same for very choice driven games, too many and the MC becomes a bland everyman that no one cares about, whichever you choose you need a little of the other too.
There is no write answer, there are plenty of opinions but IMO, go for the style you could pull off best.
Going hard down either route can be a problem, a VN style game without choices could seem rather passive, why bother playing if it's just a set of CG's? same for very choice driven games, too many and the MC becomes a bland everyman that no one cares about, whichever you choose you need a little of the other too.
There is no write answer, there are plenty of opinions but IMO, go for the style you could pull off best.
- Nov 3, 2017
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Definitely freedom for me. The main way to screw that up is by having more breadth rather than depth. I don't want a collectathon of one-off H-scenes with dozens of characters, much rather have a few characters but many ways to interact with them to tailor the experience.
- Aug 26, 2016
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There's no need such of question which are better and which are don't. In the end, you're gonna run out any decent game of your favorite genre/theme ... then ... you're gonna test & eventually play another genre/theme games.
- Aug 7, 2018
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It depends on the type of game and the story you want to tell.
I'm sorry that I can't give you a better answer than that but, it really is that simple.
Some stories work with complete freedom of movement where the player decide where to go and were.
In my experience those kind of games are rather lite on the story relying more on the MC trying to navigate an odd situation.
On the other hand games that are heavy on the story often require the character to follow a hopefully logical sequence of events in order for the story to move forward.
My advice is to take a hard look with what you have and ask yourself about how story dependent the games really is.
I'm sorry that I can't give you a better answer than that but, it really is that simple.
Some stories work with complete freedom of movement where the player decide where to go and were.
In my experience those kind of games are rather lite on the story relying more on the MC trying to navigate an odd situation.
On the other hand games that are heavy on the story often require the character to follow a hopefully logical sequence of events in order for the story to move forward.
My advice is to take a hard look with what you have and ask yourself about how story dependent the games really is.
- Dec 11, 2017
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Whatever bethesda did with skyrim and call it a day. I mean, anyone that isn't the thane of all the holds, isn't the head of the thieves guild, the assasins guild, the mages college and the companions and hasn't defeated the lord of vampires and deformity Harkon and pussy ass wizard extraordinaire Miraak doesn't deserve to face Alduin, Eater of worlds, am I right?
As if anyone had time for that, the thing is that legends about great heroes and their feats always take many forms, and as a storyteller is up to you if you want to let people know about the other forms of the story you're telling.
I just like a good story.
- Sep 11, 2017
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For regular games, I'd say, I favor a sort of compromise that provides both, such a Fallout, Skyrim or the Witcher series, where you can freely explore the world but still have a plot to follow. Porn games are different from regular games on many levels though.
Freedom of choice in porn games usually means the ability to choose between varies fetishes, while a linear storyline only provides a particular set of fetishes. As far as porn games go, a porn game always has to cater to a players personal fetishes to be considered interesting in the first place. A player who usually favors science-fiction settings may still find Skyrim interesting because of the great story, character development, etc. but a straight man will never llike a gay porn game, no matter how good the graphics and story may be.
Freedom of choice therefore means a much larger potential audience as far as porn games go, because the developer may enter a variety of fetishes the player may like. Making a linear story with consistent characters automatically limits the size of your audience, because a linear story just can't cater to every fetish.
As far as my personal preference goes, I'd say that the perfect porn game would game would be one with linear story that included all my personal fetishes. However, it's quite unrealistic, that such a game will ever be developed, therefore I'd say, in most cases I'd go with games that provide some freedom.
Freedom of choice in porn games usually means the ability to choose between varies fetishes, while a linear storyline only provides a particular set of fetishes. As far as porn games go, a porn game always has to cater to a players personal fetishes to be considered interesting in the first place. A player who usually favors science-fiction settings may still find Skyrim interesting because of the great story, character development, etc. but a straight man will never llike a gay porn game, no matter how good the graphics and story may be.
Freedom of choice therefore means a much larger potential audience as far as porn games go, because the developer may enter a variety of fetishes the player may like. Making a linear story with consistent characters automatically limits the size of your audience, because a linear story just can't cater to every fetish.
As far as my personal preference goes, I'd say that the perfect porn game would game would be one with linear story that included all my personal fetishes. However, it's quite unrealistic, that such a game will ever be developed, therefore I'd say, in most cases I'd go with games that provide some freedom.
- Aug 16, 2018
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I generally prefer a lot of choice. It means I can tailor my experience to the things I like to see in H-Games while avoiding the stuff I don't.
I mean if a game's author happened to share my exact preferences and wrote a linear game based on them then it would be better probably but what are the chances of that happening?
I mean if a game's author happened to share my exact preferences and wrote a linear game based on them then it would be better probably but what are the chances of that happening?
For me, a game that comes close to perfection in this respect is Good Girl Gone Bad.
There are a lot of choices, which you can make based on either your own morality by putting yourself in the shoes of the MC, or based on the time of content you like to see. The choices that you make have deep and meaningful consequences. It is not possible to see all the content in one playthrough.
Especially the last thing "seeing all content" is what goes wrong in a lot of porn games. In real life, it's impossible to see all content, so why should you be able to in a good story? Especially when it doesn't make sense, like in a harem game without an actual harem, i.e. the various characters not interacting with each other....
There are a lot of choices, which you can make based on either your own morality by putting yourself in the shoes of the MC, or based on the time of content you like to see. The choices that you make have deep and meaningful consequences. It is not possible to see all the content in one playthrough.
Especially the last thing "seeing all content" is what goes wrong in a lot of porn games. In real life, it's impossible to see all content, so why should you be able to in a good story? Especially when it doesn't make sense, like in a harem game without an actual harem, i.e. the various characters not interacting with each other....