AnimeSuki Forums

Xenio · 2012-01-26, 12:27

My friend are planning to develop a non-anime style visual novel but he wondering if most english-speaking VN player are anime fan and will non-anime style visual turn them off?

Yui Is My Wife · 2012-01-26, 12:46

If your're going to do visual novel, do it anime style or not at all.

Paranoid Android · 2012-01-26, 13:06

That sounds... bleeeh. Maybe non-anime cartoony/sketchy style works. But definitely not realistic or realistic cg.

I can't imagine reading one that's not manga style.

fanty · 2012-01-26, 13:10

It depends on how good the art is and what the story is about, and how good that story is.

DonQuigleone · 2012-01-26, 13:15

Isn't that an adventure game?

But more seriously, it really depends on how good your artwork is.

Too many western VNs fail simply because their art is shit. I would advise not to go too cartoony. Japanese VNs work because Anime style can work both as a serious style, or a cartoony style. In something western, better to err on the side of seriousness.

Haak · 2012-01-26, 13:24

Is it live action? Because there are some VNs like that (e.g. 428).

If it's still animation then I guess it does depend on the art but it can work. Saya no Uta didn't look anime-ish for the most part...

Ray · 2012-01-26, 13:40

It all depends on the quality of the art for me.

DonQuigleone · 2012-01-26, 13:44

Though the real question, is how do you make western art work in a VN?

At it's core a VN needs to have attractive characters to look at, who are Moé. Given that Moé is based in the anime style, getting it in a different style is going to be really tricky. I'd be interested in what you come up with.

I will repeat though, there are certain western styles to be avoided. Namely "Cartoony", which would make everything too humourous and "Superhero", because that's more about bulging chests then cute girls. That doesn't leave many western comics, but you could use something similiar to Persepolis, Persepolis has a compatible style because it's serious, but not too serious, and it still has a lot of stylization.

I could imagine a VN with a similiar style working quite well. The key is that it maintains smooth lines, and even patches of colour. A lot of the western VN's I see fail because their art seems to be directly taken from a sketch book.

NoemiChan · 2012-01-26, 21:13

Non anime VN? It might look like those of Marvel comics with numerous dark portions at every panel... I guess...

hyl · 2012-01-26, 21:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by genjichan

Non anime VN? It might look like those of Marvel comics with numerous dark portions at every panel... I guess...

I think your discription might fit for a digital graphic novel but not a visual novel.

NoemiChan · 2012-01-26, 21:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by hyl

I think your discription might fit for a digital graphic novel but not a visual novel.

That's the onlyWestern style that I can think of. Anime style of drawing is already adapted in the West

DonQuigleone · 2012-01-26, 21:43

There's the western cartoon style as well (think Calvin and Hobbes, the Simpsons, Peanuts, Archie comics...). There's also Franco Belgian comics, with their variety of styles.

The chiselled looks you see in superhero comics is a niche, and not very common outside of it. That said, there isn't a consistent western style like you see in Manga/Anime.

NoemiChan · 2012-01-27, 00:36

(Imagining a Simpsons VN)...

Ha!... ain't gonna buy.

Tempester · 2012-01-27, 02:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonQuigleone

At it's core a VN needs to have attractive characters to look at, who are Moé. Given that Moé is based in the anime style, getting it in a different style is going to be really tricky.

What.

Visual novels are simply a form of storytelling, like novels, film and television. Of course, moe-driven VNs in which you choose which attractive characters to hook up with comprise the vast majority of VNs, but it's not a base requirement. One of the strengths of visual novels is the reader's ability to have some control over the direction the story takes, and this can be extremely beneficial not just to romance, but to crime fiction, thrillers, drama, etc.

erneiz_hyde · 2012-01-27, 03:44

The only way a western VN could go good for me personally is if it's in 3D.

There was this game called Fahrenheit (or Indigo Child), it has that feel of a VN when you play it, but it's a Western 3D game.

Western artworks imo is best implemented in comics or graphic novels, but not VNs......Eh, wait, maybe, if your VN uses the, what's it called? That format where the texts are displayed in the whole screen with background CGs with the characters behind. If I remember right this form rarely use separate sprite for the characters and just draw them right at the BG . I think this format is even possible with real photos if you're so inclined.

Xenio · 2012-01-27, 04:17

well, he is an artist, inspired by another non-anime VN called cinders and want to follows it's art style, here is a pic of cinders which my friend will folow it's art style

Vexx · 2012-01-27, 04:43

That looks like it'd work just fine for VN art to me.... interesting style.

Stiletto · 2012-01-27, 05:17

Complexed. What do I think? don't know, but I hope your friend isn't dissuaded by popular view.

DonQuigleone · 2012-01-27, 06:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tempester

What.

Visual novels are simply a form of storytelling, like novels, film and television. Of course, moe-driven VNs in which you choose which attractive characters to hook up with comprise the vast majority of VNs, but it's not a base requirement. One of the strengths of visual novels is the reader's ability to have some control over the direction the story takes, and this can be extremely beneficial not just to romance, but to crime fiction, thrillers, drama, etc.

While technically that is true, it stands that 95% of VNs is, if not outright a dating sim, at least are heavily based on a Moé aesthetic. Put it this way, you never see ugly girls in a VN, and you rarely see girls that don't fit some kind of Moé archetype (not that any of that is necessarily bad...).

So you have to take that into account when making a VN. The art style needs to be aesthetically pleasing, otherwise you're not fulfilling the visual part of the title.

But I think the cinders example proves that you can have a good western VN without slavishly immitating an anime style. We can take inspiration from Japan while doing it our way. Likewise they take inspiration from us, and do things their way.

Paranoid Android · 2012-01-27, 08:41

That looks fine for a VN. But it might be too amibitious to go for so much shading and texture work in the background. But that also depends on how many different settings there are.

I have to say Umineko's art is ugly as hell. But the plot is awesome.

*EDIT:

Spoiler for NSFsanity:

2012-01-26, 12:27	Link #1
Xenio Flower Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Somewhere in Asia	What do you think about non-anime style visual novel? My friend are planning to develop a non-anime style visual novel but he wondering if most english-speaking VN player are anime fan and will non-anime style visual turn them off?

2012-01-26, 12:46	Link #2
Yui Is My Wife Paper-Fan of DOOM!! Join Date: Jul 2010	If your're going to do visual novel, do it anime style or not at all. __________________

2012-01-26, 13:24	Link #6
Haak Me, An Intellectual Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: UK Age: 33	Is it live action? Because there are some VNs like that (e.g. 428). If it's still animation then I guess it does depend on the art but it can work. Saya no Uta didn't look anime-ish for the most part... __________________ MAL \| AnimeSuki Choice Awards 2020 Winners

2012-01-27, 03:44	Link #15
erneiz_hyde 18782+18782=37564 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: InterWebs	The only way a western VN could go good for me personally is if it's in 3D. There was this game called Fahrenheit (or Indigo Child), it has that feel of a VN when you play it, but it's a Western 3D game. Western artworks imo is best implemented in comics or graphic novels, but not VNs......Eh, wait, maybe, if your VN uses the, what's it called? That format where the texts are displayed in the whole screen with background CGs with the characters behind. If I remember right this form rarely use separate sprite for the characters and just draw them right at the BG . I think this format is even possible with real photos if you're so inclined. __________________

2012-01-27, 04:43	Link #17
Vexx Obey the Darkly Cute ... Author Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ... Age: 66	That looks like it'd work just fine for VN art to me.... interesting style. __________________ "It Really IS Rocket Science", Novel series rough drafts; vol. 1 thru vol. 3 complete Volume 4 in work, Visit the thread for short stories!

2012-01-26, 13:06	Link #3
Paranoid Android Underweight Food Hoarder Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Kitch-Water and T.O., Canada Age: 32	That sounds... bleeeh. Maybe non-anime cartoony/sketchy style works. But definitely not realistic or realistic cg. I can't imagine reading one that's not manga style.

2012-01-26, 13:10	Link #4
fanty STARVING ARTIST Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: 永遠の冬の国 Age: 33	It depends on how good the art is and what the story is about, and how good that story is.

2012-01-26, 13:15	Link #5
DonQuigleone Knight Errant Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dublin, Ireland Age: 35	Isn't that an adventure game? But more seriously, it really depends on how good your artwork is. Too many western VNs fail simply because their art is shit. I would advise not to go too cartoony. Japanese VNs work because Anime style can work both as a serious style, or a cartoony style. In something western, better to err on the side of seriousness.

2012-01-26, 13:40	Link #7
Ray Garnet Join Date: Dec 2011 Age: 29	It all depends on the quality of the art for me.

2012-01-26, 13:44	Link #8
DonQuigleone Knight Errant Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dublin, Ireland Age: 35	Though the real question, is how do you make western art work in a VN? At it's core a VN needs to have attractive characters to look at, who are Moé. Given that Moé is based in the anime style, getting it in a different style is going to be really tricky. I'd be interested in what you come up with. I will repeat though, there are certain western styles to be avoided. Namely "Cartoony", which would make everything too humourous and "Superhero", because that's more about bulging chests then cute girls. That doesn't leave many western comics, but you could use something similiar to Persepolis, Persepolis has a compatible style because it's serious, but not too serious, and it still has a lot of stylization. I could imagine a VN with a similiar style working quite well. The key is that it maintains smooth lines, and even patches of colour. A lot of the western VN's I see fail because their art seems to be directly taken from a sketch book.

2012-01-26, 21:13	Link #9
NoemiChan Banned Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Philippines Age: 36	Non anime VN? It might look like those of Marvel comics with numerous dark portions at every panel... I guess...

2012-01-26, 21:43	Link #12
DonQuigleone Knight Errant Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Dublin, Ireland Age: 35	There's the western cartoon style as well (think Calvin and Hobbes, the Simpsons, Peanuts, Archie comics...). There's also Franco Belgian comics, with their variety of styles. The chiselled looks you see in superhero comics is a niche, and not very common outside of it. That said, there isn't a consistent western style like you see in Manga/Anime.

2012-01-27, 00:36	Link #13
NoemiChan Banned Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Philippines Age: 36	(Imagining a Simpsons VN)... Ha!... ain't gonna buy.

2012-01-27, 04:17	Link #16
Xenio Flower Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Somewhere in Asia	well, he is an artist, inspired by another non-anime VN called cinders and want to follows it's art style, here is a pic of cinders which my friend will folow it's art style

2012-01-27, 05:17	Link #18
Stiletto Ineffectual Loner Join Date: Mar 2011	Complexed. What do I think? don't know, but I hope your friend isn't dissuaded by popular view.

2012-01-27, 08:41	Link #20
Paranoid Android Underweight Food Hoarder Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Kitch-Water and T.O., Canada Age: 32	That looks fine for a VN. But it might be too amibitious to go for so much shading and texture work in the background. But that also depends on how many different settings there are. I have to say Umineko's art is ugly as hell. But the plot is awesome. EDIT: Spoiler* for NSFsanity: My friend showed me this on sankaku when I told him about non-manga themed VN. Last edited by Paranoid Android; 2012-01-27 at 10:52.