Higurashi - Game Discussion (spoilers lurk here)
 

[Thread lost, need to re-create]

This thread is dedicated to discuss about the doujin game "Higurashi no Naku Koroni."

The red Na is an official part of the title, please use that when referring to the game or the upcoming anime.

Higurashi anime thread: http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=26477
07th Expansion HP: http://07th-expansion.net/
Upcoming anime HP: http://www.oyashirosama.com/

Question, kj.

First, why does the Na signify as a whole in the game? I know it's part of the title, but there has to be some symbolic meaning....

Second, how long are these novels compared to 1 scenario of F/SN and W-Wish? If this novel is too long, I rather not ask my cousin in Japan to send them to me as I don't plan to translate while reading for 80 hours. My Jap is bad, so meh.

(I assume you mean "what", not "why")
Actually, I used to wonder about that too, and now that I'm pretty much caught up with the game (finishing up Tsumihoroboshi)... I still don't know. :heh:

Maybe I'm just slow. :uhoh: (Like how when Shion was mentally ridiculing Keiichi and Rena near the end of Meakashi for not being able to see through her deception, I felt like she was ridiculing me as well)

Hmm... I can't really be certain (maybe kj can gauge this better than me), but I think one "chapter" of Higurashi is about the equivalent of one scenario for F/sn, perhaps a little shorter. Maybe because Higurashi is a very straightforward novel (no selections, no branching story paths), it feels like you can read through it faster compared to ones like Fate. But at the very least, you'll probably spend somewhere close to 10 hours to read through each chapter (depending on your Japanese level, it might take longer). There are no visual goodies in Higurashi, so you'd really need a good level of knowledge in Japanese in order to really enjoy it.

But Fate only had 3 scenarios, Higurashi so far has 6 chapters (Onikakushi, Watanagashi, Tatarigoroshi, Himatsubushi, Meakashi, Tsumihoroboshi), with 2 more to come (the next (7th) one, Minagoroshi, will be out in a couple of weeks at the Winter Comike), so if you're only starting now, it'll be a while before you can get caught up (unless you have some insane ability to read without having to rest).

Edit:
(Just for fun) I'm curious, kj-san, what are your personal character rankings? And how have they changed with each new chapter? For example, here's my ranking:

Crap, that is long. I'll ask my cousin to send the 1st Question, Onikakushi and I'll evaluate if I want the rest. And I have quite a lot of spare time these coming months, so I can take it. Judging from what you say, I'd probably need 25 to 35 hours per scenario.

As per Kj's request, spoiler removed

Also I'm wondering about something : if someone is indeed responsible for the Tatari, would he have to have a portrait ?

The more I try to think about it, the more I end up thinking the last chapter will be nothing but disappointment.
The value of Higurashi is definitely in the mystery.

Information regarding Higurashi no Naku Koroni doujin games

"Question" Arcs
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...Higurashi2.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Onikakushi-hen
Comike 62 (2002.08.10)
Included chapter:
Chapter 1: Onikakushi-hen


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...Higurashi3.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Watanagashi-hen
Comike 63 (2002.12.29)
Included chapters:
Chapter 1: Onikakushi-hen
Chapter 2: Watanagashi-hen


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...Higurashi4.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Tatarigoroshi-hen
Comike 64 (2003.08.15)
Included chapters:
Chapter 1: Onikakushi-hen
Chapter 2: Watanagashi-hen
Chapter 3: Tatarigoroshi-hen


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y10...Higurashi5.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Himatsubushi-hen
Comike 66 (2004.08.13)
Included chapters:
Chapter 1: Onikakushi-hen
Chapter 2: Watanagashi-hen
Chapter 3: Tatarigoroshi-hen
Chapter 4: Himatsubushi-hen



"Answer" Arcs
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/kj1980/J5.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai Meakashi-hen
Comike 67 (2004.12.30)
Included chapter:
Chapter 5: Meakashi-hen


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/kj1980/j6.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai Tsumihoroboshi-hen
Comike 68 (2005.08.14)
Included chapters:
Chapter 5: Meakashi-hen
Chapter 6: Tsumihorobishi-hen


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/kj1980/j7.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai Minagoroshi-hen
Comike 69 (2005.12.30)
Included chapters:
Chapter 5: Meakashi-hen
Chapter 6: Tsumihorobishi-hen
Chapter 7: Minagoroshi-hen


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/kj1980/j8.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai Matsuribayashi-hen
Comike 70 (2006.08.13)
Included chapters:
Chapter 5: Meakashi-hen
Chapter 6: Tsumihorobishi-hen
Chapter 7: Minagoroshi-hen
Chapter 8: Matsuribayashi-hen


Fan Disc
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/kj1980/j9.jpg
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Rei
Comike 71 (2006.12.31)
Included extra stories:
The Chapter After Chapter 8 (Don't read as Chapter 9!): Saikoroshi-hen
Chapter X: Hirukowashi-hen
Chapter X2: Batsukoishi-hen

You can download the entire first chapter (Onikakushi) for free as a trial version from the official site: http://07th-expansion.net/Main.htm (scroll down to the contents menu, click on ひぐらしのなく頃に, then look for 体験版)

Thanks. I totally forgot about that ever since the hack.

I take it that the average length of each chapters are almost the same, right?

The Himatsubushi chapter is a tad shorter than the others.

That's a tough one, when each chapter is this long, you can't really tell if one chapter was longer than the other at the end, just that they were all "pretty long".

But the chapters are all split into intervals and breaks, after every 2 interval is a break that allows you to read new "tips" that you have received. The interval lengths are all pretty consistant across all chapters, I think.

Assuming that, I checked the number of interval (or maybe it's breaks?) there are for Onikakushi using scenario jump mode (a new option available once you finish reading a whole chapter once), and compared it to the other chapters. Onikakushi is somewhat shorter than ones like Watanagashi and Tatarigoroshi (Onikakushi had 15, both Watanagashi and Tatarigoroshi had 21). Himatsubushi was really a "side-story", so it's the shortest chapter (it had 10).

The "Kai" (answer) chapters so far are all pretty long as well, Meakashi had 27 intervals, while Tsumihoroboshi had 26.

I'm not sure if the length of intervals are really consistant across all chapters, but I'm pretty sure that the 2 answer chapters were certainly longer than the earlier chapters.

======
Speaking of Tsumihoroboshi, I finally finished it yesterday, that means comment time! (Even though close to nobody would be able to respond to me :heh: )

First, general comments. I'd just like to say that Tsumihoroboshi was truly the best chapter yet. I finally understood what Ryuukishi07-san is trying to get at with his "same world, alternate result" thing (For example, how Onikakushi-hen was actually a "failed result"). The key does lie in Rika after all (and Keiichi)...

Also, I have always noticed that Ryuukishi07-san always builds up his story in a subtle fashion that leaves you wondering "where is he going with this?", and then totally floor you when the pieces fall together during the second half of the story; but Tsumihoroboshi truly pulled this off more brilliantly than any other chapter.

The amazing part is how the stories are almost self-conscious, Ryuukishi07-san seems to know exactly what I would think as I read the story, and wrote the story out in a way that would always explain any doubts that I might have had. Everytime I saw something that stroke me as "alright, this time, that's just too unreasonable to work in the story", the story would always strike back with a response that makes me go "oh my god, so that's what's it's about!!"

Now, for some comments about Tsumihoroboshi, I won't make any explicit plot references, so it shouldn't really spoil the story, but just in case, I'm putting them in spoilers:

Well, it's almost Comike...It's almost time for Minagoroshi!

Sushi-Y, congratulations in completing Tsumihoroboshi before Minagoroshi's release! You are now finally "caught up" with the rest of us Higurashi fans. Let's continue to discuss Higurashi as soon as Minagoroshi is released.

I assume Minagoroshi would be the answer chapter that corresponds with Tatarigoroshi? So Satoko should take the main stage... gimme!

Speaking of which, during Tsumihoroboshi's final portion,
Do I see a foreshadow to Minagoroshi?

By the way, the Watanagashi-hen drama CD should be out today, but my money......
(That first promo clip with the soul brothers was so brilliant :heh: )

You should also listen to the Anthology CD. It's funny as hell!!

Seems like Twilight Frontier (黄昏フロンティア) is going to be distributing a test version of the Higurashi game they've been working on for a while, "Higurashi Daybreak", at C69. Yay!

Info Page - http://tasofro.net/higurashi/index.html
C69 Info - http://tasofro.net/c69.html

Seriously, this thing is bringing me brain orgasms.

OMG, seriously, LOOOOOOL

This sort of stuff is why I love the manga / anime / game doujinshi scene in Japan, it really gives the "By Gamers, for Gamers" feeling (btw last I heard Interplay shut down). It's a healthier culture than the Electronic Arts - spoonfed one in the U.S.

Can anyone capture the popup flash from this link and create a gif out of it?

http://tasofro.net/higurashi/flash.html

I am so there at Comike. It's one of the main reasons (other than getting my hands on Minagoroshi) I'm going there.

The Japanese government-owned broadcasting station NHK did a special on Akihabara yesterday night, and lo and behold it featured "Higurashi no Naku Koroni" for part of its segments on doujin games!!!

Screencap credits: Walking Touhou (for those who can read Japanese)

Dangit, I wish I had a family like that!!!

It sucks to be the only one in your family into anime (or be the only one into games, manga, and computers, even)

Eh, what is this game/series about? Can anyone provide a lowdown on the story?

Anyways, you guys who've played the game should try to keep your posts and stuff spoiler free, because they're all sprinkled with clues to potential spoilers.

Dude, I really have a hard time figuring out how one would answer your first question without violating your second question :D

A mouse is your friend. Especially one with a working left button:
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?t=26477

Gah, since I've insulted you already, I'll indulge. The lowdown (very general):
* Upcoming anime is based on the best-selling doujin (non-professional) visual novel / game of same title. It's not really an ero-game, because it doesn't have any ero scenes, and it is a straight-through read (no choice options)
* It's a murder mystery in a small town school setting
* The appeal of the game lay with the anticipation of the next chapter (After the question chapters come the answer chapters)