The Genderbending of Haruhi Suzumiya [Spoilers Aplenty]

[Binjovi]

I'm working on some sketches to familiarize myself with the characters at this very moment. Have a little patience and I'll get them posted when I'm finished.

[DJ_RockmanX]

Originally Posted by Jintor

Ah, okay. I've only started learning vectors recently, but the ability to resize at will is just so cool...

Anyway, get cracking on a sample image! /me cracks whip

You've only returned recently, so what are you doing holding that whip? Gimme that back.

Originally Posted by Kogetsu Shirogane

Hey now, we don't want to scare away people willing to put time and effort into this

I don't want to scare away any new recruits. Period.

Originally Posted by Binjovi

I'm working on some sketches to familiarize myself with the characters at this very moment. Have a little patience and I'll get them posted when I'm finished.

Looking forward to it.

[Jintor]

I returned and gave two editjobs! I deserve that whip.

*sulks*

/EDIT I just started poking through some US-translated renai and it just strikes me how astoundingly badly translated this stuff is. Urgh. I know it's a visual novel, but jeeze - it at least needs to be well-written.

Have we sorted out Visual Novel engines and the like, or are we just working on script and selected images for now?

[otai]

Originally Posted by Kogetsu Shirogane

Would it be called "Samurai High"?

Imagine a normal school with typical teenagers. Then you add a character that speaks archaic language and follows ancient chivalric codes. The story will be filled with jokes about the culture clash that follows.

Kyonko (confronted with bunny suit): "Very well, if my liege desires to shame me so; I have no choice but to commit seppuku to retain my honor."

If it was a high school filled with samurai characters, the story would follow a normal person transferring in and trying to make sense of it.

Kyonko: "What the hell is wrong with you people? It's already the 21st century!"

Bamboo Blade has kendo girls. Not exactly samurai but traditional nonetheless loli main character who curb stomps all her opponents. One could barely get excited about the "destined rival" teasers. It's a good thing the stories doesn't always focuses on her, but more often another of the team instead.

Originally Posted by DJ_RockmanX

You've only returned recently, so what are you doing holding that whip? Gimme that back.

I don't want to scare away any new recruits. Period.

The VN could use some designs for the character portraits. At least one for every emotion.

You should also discuss with Kaisos which paths would reward CGs, and come up with a minimum estimate.

[DJ_RockmanX]

Originally Posted by Jintor

I returned and gave two editjobs! I deserve that whip.

*sulks*

You have a ways to go yet.

Originally Posted by Jintor

I just started poking through some US-translated renai and it just strikes me how astoundingly badly translated this stuff is. Urgh. I know it's a visual novel, but jeeze - it at least needs to be well-written.

They're all pretty meh I'd say.

Originally Posted by Jintor

Have we sorted out Visual Novel engines and the like, or are we just working on script and selected images for now?

Messed around with Ren'py during spring break. I can get text to appear on the screen in both the bottom dialogue box and a center textbox without the program crashing something.

Is this progress outside of outlining, flowcharting, and writing?

Originally Posted by otai

The VN could use some designs for the character portraits. At least one for every emotion.

You should also discuss with Kaisos which paths would reward CGs, and come up with a minimum estimate.

I think the term I'd like to use would be "Bridge. Cross. Later.", but it probably is a good idea to start churning these things out when possible.

[Binjovi]

Just a few, quick character sketches to help me try and get on-model and to play around with some emotions. Taniguchi's probably the least accurate of the bunch, but he should still be recognizable.



I'd also like to point out that there's a slim chance you'll scare me off. I've been lurking around this thread for a long time. I'm pretty familiar with how things work in here.

[Jintor]

You've definitely got Taniguchi down pat. I don't think you've got Itsuko's kitsune look down just yet, and Kunikida looks a little bit too young. I'm not too sure about Kyonko, but they're all recognizable.

So should we just focus entirely on script-writing and flowcharts, or should we look for volunteers to learn to use renai-maker programs?

/EDIT I figured out the Kyonko problem; her eyes (facial features) are too big. Remembering that she is supposed to be a DeadpanSnarker, her features should probably be smaller in order to make her appear to be older. Especially when you have Taniguchi next, whose facial features are relatively small making him seem older (if not more mature).

[Joe4evr]

HOLE-Y CHEESE, that's some awesome art.

Question regarding the VN, what are the naming conventions used; westernized names or the Japanese-style names?

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by otai

You should also discuss with Kaisos which paths would reward CGs, and come up with a minimum estimate.

Um. A fuckton? Eh, well, we don't necessarily NEED all the CGs I want, but, eh.

Originally Posted by Binjovi

*snip*

Fucking. Awesome.


Speaking of artwork... I did want to make this an eroge, but the problem is that it's... difficult to find excellent artists who are willing to draw that sort of thing.

It still works fine without that kind of thing, or at least without that kind of thing visually shown, (instead implied) though, so that's fine.

Originally Posted by Jintor

/EDIT I figured out the Kyonko problem; her eyes (facial features) are too big. Remembering that she is supposed to be a DeadpanSnarker, her features should probably be smaller in order to make her appear to be older. Especially when you have Taniguchi next, whose facial features are relatively small making him seem older (if not more mature).

*cough*

Originally Posted by Joe4evr

HOLE-Y CHEESE, that's some awesome art.

Question regarding the VN, what are the naming conventions used; westernized names or the Japanese-style names?

I don't know yet. The English subs ALWAYS used Western name order, but it depends on what people here think.

[Jintor]

I don't mind you pushing your loli weirdness on Kyonko, but she really should look older than 12.

BTW The quicker we finish the script, the quicker I can start working on background CG-ing. (You don't want me as a character artist; my style is too westernised.)

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Jintor

I don't mind you pushing your loli weirdness on Kyonko, but she really should look older than 12.

Err... that's been the standard design of Kyonko practically forever and it's not like Mikuru and Haruhi look much different.

Originally Posted by Jintor

BTW The quicker we finish the script, the quicker I can start working on background CG-ing. (You don't want me as a character artist; my style is too westernised.)

I figured we'd just use photographs like Tsukihime did. It's not like we're going for Chaos;HEAd or Key quality here.

[Jintor]

Subtle differences. Slightly smaller eyes is all I need. It'll stop making her look pre-teen. I admit fault with Mikuru, but she's a moe-blob, I could care less.

Tsukihime did what? Links, bro.

[Binjovi]

Originally Posted by Jintor

You've definitely got Taniguchi down pat. I don't think you've got Itsuko's kitsune look down just yet, and Kunikida looks a little bit too young. I'm not too sure about Kyonko, but they're all recognizable.

Originally Posted by Jintor

/EDIT I figured out the Kyonko problem; her eyes (facial features) are too big. Remembering that she is supposed to be a DeadpanSnarker, her features should probably be smaller in order to make her appear to be older. Especially when you have Taniguchi next, whose facial features are relatively small making him seem older (if not more mature).

I gave her a slight eye shrink. How's that?

The problem with the genderbent characters is that there's no such thing as on-model. Since they're fan-created, everyone has his/her own idea as to what the characters should look like. This is immediately evident when perusing the image thread. The philosophy I take is this: Try to make them look like they could belong in the anime. This way they're not out of place with their canon counterparts. They are also essentially the same characters. There should be an immediate familiarity with the characters just by looking at them. Bringing the original out through the character's expressions is a must for me. Basically, the character should not stray too far from the original personality. There's a limit to how far you can go.

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Fucking. Awesome.

Why thank you.

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Speaking of artwork... I did want to make this an eroge, but the problem is that it's... difficult to find excellent artists who are willing to draw that sort of thing.

It still works fine without that kind of thing, or at least without that kind of thing visually shown, (instead implied) though, so that's fine.

Yeah... You're probably going to want to get someone else to draw those. It's not really something I'd feel comfortable with. Very sorry, but that should be understandable.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Jintor

Subtle differences. Slightly smaller eyes is all I need. It'll stop making her look pre-teen.

...She's 15. A 15-year-old, slightly underdeveloped Japanese girl.

Originally Posted by Jintor

Tsukihime did what? Links, bro.

Tsukihime was Type-Moon's first visual novel. As a result, it's, um, substandard quality.

What they did was photograph various areas and tint them different shades depending on the time of day, and ran them through some kind of blur filter. Surprisingly, it does work.


Should also mention now... In Kyonko's route, the route begins with Kyon not having a damned clue who she is. As a result, since he doesn't want to keep calling her "Girl A" and she won't tell him her name, he starts calling her "Nayuki", after his cousin. Good idea or no?

Originally Posted by Binjovi

Yeah... You're probably going to want to get someone else to draw those. It's not really something I'd feel comfortable with. Very sorry, but that should be understandable.

Again, I don't actually need them. Sex is really only important to Itsuko's route, as of now...

[Ithekro]

Take the Key route and setup the situations but either don't put them in or put them in later. It would be more gratifying to have a solid story than just setups for sex scenes.

[otai]

Originally Posted by Binjovi

Just a few, quick character sketches to help me try and get on-model and to play around with some emotions. Taniguchi's probably the least accurate of the bunch, but he should still be recognizable.



I'd also like to point out that there's a slim chance you'll scare me off. I've been lurking around this thread for a long time. I'm pretty familiar with how things work in here.

Holy... I am in awe at your professional quality work.

Don't worry about having the characters recognizable to fandom. It's more important that your work is pretty; and with luck we'll be character design standard setters.

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Tsukihime was Type-Moon's first visual novel. As a result, it's, um, substandard quality.

What they did was photograph various areas and tint them different shades depending on the time of day, and ran them through some kind of blur filter. Surprisingly, it does work.

None of us are exactly at Area 11 though. Alternately, we could steal background from the official work.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

Take the Key route and setup the situations but either don't put them in or put them in later. It would be more gratifying to have a solid story than just setups for sex scenes.

I like the idea of "sex as a plot device". Not like mystical tantric Nasuverse shit, I mean simply-- sex as a plot device.

Sex has a lot of hilarious (to me) connotations that can be used to provide angst.

The Esper route, as of now, is supposed to sort of reverse the typical roles assigned to the characters and cast Kyon in an incredibly negative light... sort of play up the asshole, testosterone-fueled aspect of his personality.

[DJ_RockmanX]

Cookies for Binjovi. Now.

I also need to recover quickly myself so that my cookies are once edible. Get me another flowchart to work on soon.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by DJ_RockmanX

Cookies for Binjovi. Now.

I also need to recover quickly myself so that my cookies are once edible. Get me another flowchart to work on soon.

Yessir. Tomorrow.

Originally Posted by otai

None of us are exactly at Area 11 though. Alternately, we could steal background from the official work.

Or we could just photograph areas that LOOK Japanese.

[Binjovi]

Even though the characters are my strong point, I was pondering the idea of making some backgrounds. Of course, I definitely don't want to bite off more than I can chew or else I'll go crazy (This is where an art team would come in handy.), so maybe it's best I don't. At least the backgrounds can easily be reused for each universe.