A first hand look at an “amateur’s visual novel” – Hisashiburi’s project SVN
I like lolis. Green haired preferably but purple haired lolis are fine too.
It is perhaps by sheer chance that I stumbled upon the blog named Hisashiburi. It is definitely a welcome change from most of the common anime blogs that I see all the time. When I mean all the time, it is the tried and tested episode summary blog like our blog (though we do expand with manga and random information). Hisashiburi, in recent times, described a little project in the early weeks of January to the present day. It is a little visual novel about how a male character, K, measures the themes of Hisa, lost memories and a forgotten town ten years ago.
Is there something you are regretting in your past? Do you have the courage to face that regret once again?
Pretty much so, if only there’s more fleshing of the story 
Having only 2526 words and 149 screens, it is not the longest visual novel you will see compared to the commercial visual novel. With a short story, the fleshing out of the story will be somewhat weak as you do not have enough information to empathize with the characters. Even the author, Shinji, admits as much that the story is perhaps not the strongest. There are a few missing gaps for the story that I felt could have been addressed. I do not want to spoil the story by any chance, but you will feel somewhat confused by the ending of the visual novel. It feels like it is a revelation, but I definitely do not get it. I am perhaps not an impressionist by any chance.
I am perhaps slow to understand the significance of the ending, as I do not understand what is going on completely. The story seems somewhat jerky at times like the plot is trying to move way faster than how it should. However, since it’s only three weeks of work, and such a short piece, such detailing and fleshing out of the story is rather impossible. Do remember that this is perhaps what they call a “trial version”, and I am pretty sure that the story will be fleshed out when Shinji acts on it one day.
Which is a cute loli. How can you forget!
Nevertheless, the technical aspect of the visual novel is something impressive. I really like the music accompanying the reading of the text. Most of the music are well picked, fitting the scenario with a rather wistful, longing feeling. I am no musician but the music is pleasant to listen, allowing the reader to immerse into the short story.
One of the additions to the visual novel can be the expansion of visual and audio cues for ambiance. I am thinking that some of the ambiance scenes can be lengthened a little in order to include some nice ambiance sounds that will continue and fade in the background. That will bring a more atmospheric feel to the visual novel. Another can be a nicer font. Yes, I am being absolutely picky but a more dreamy font might help in a better feel.
All in all, it’s an excellent effort for an first effort. I am a keen player of fan-made visual novels, which is why I think that they should be given a bit more recognition. It’s only a short ten minutes of your time, so spend it on this little nice project. I have not gotten the permission from Shinji to post a download link here yet, but you can drop an email to get it. Have fun.
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Ren’py engine. Good engine, quite flexible.
impz, you just have to play more VNs.
Yeah, I was one of the beta-testers too lawl. Good stuff, looking forward to the final version as well ^^
If you go to http://www.renai.us, they have a ton of amateur visual novel games of varying lengths and degrees of quality. The atp projects games were pretty much my introduction to the genre as a whole, and they’re all pretty well done. I mean, when you can make a ren’ai themed *typing game* work, that’s some creative talent…
Sorry to double post, but the comment system put the comma in the url…
I’ll try this again: http://www.renai.us
haha good stuff indeed. though i feel the ending was more like the beginning of a new story.
paedophilia…
yuck…
@Drm: Ya, I think I need to. I am going to try playing Ever 17 soon enough.
@Shin: Well, I am always appreciative of a good story, and I have a feeling that the story might just go fine with some more fleshing of the story. The number of characters is just fine to keep a tight story rein.
@Zizhou: oh cool, will check it now ^^.
@Setsuna-san: yep, that’s why it feels more like a trial version to open up a story for me. If only Shinji will do a more extended version of this story. It might be beautiful.
@Niceboatpeep: it’s not paedophilia for sure. Go play the game before making any generalizations ^^
FWIW, I did a RenPy game myself (”Senior Year” http://bklovr.com), and was impressed at what the flexibility the environment gives you. In my case I was able to put together my graphics, music, voice files for the actresses, and all with an emphasis on script rather than programming. If you have the yearning to create stories, but aren’t an animation whiz, this is something you should check out.
Man this makes me wish I was part of some VN project :[
I don’t know programming and I can’t write good stories for craps though lol
got i used to be addicted to these kinds of games but i stoped playing because i couldn’t get the ending i wanted XD
“…It is a little visual novel about how a male character, K, measures the themes of Hisa, lost memories and a forgotten town ten years ago…”
WHAT A FUCKING CHEAP KNOCKOFF!?!?!? This is EXACTLY like Kanon game created by Key Visual.
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