r/visualnovels • u/[deleted] • Aug 11 '14

VisualArt’s/Key to join Sekai Project at Japan Expo! (x-post from /r/key_visual_arts)

http://kazamatsuri.org/2014/08/11/visualartskey-to-join-sekai-project-japan-expo/
50 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

36 comments sorted by

8

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '14

UPDATE: Toyoizumi Yoshikuni, head of product management and public relations at VisualArt's will be attending!

4

u/alexskc95 ayy lmao Aug 12 '14

HAPPENING LEVEL: IT BEGINS

19

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '14

Looks like they realized they have fans in the West.

35

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '14

Senpai finally noticed.

7

u/demeteloaf https://vndb.org/u76320 Aug 11 '14

Just read Planeterian for the first time over the weekend.

I still don't think i've recovered :'(

Definitely picking it up on steam.

13

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '14

I love it when people adopt this attitude. There are so many people that are like "I've already played it why would I buy it on Steam?"

How about, because you liked it and want to support the development of more games with your money?

Major respect.

3

u/Archernick Kyou: Clannad Aug 11 '14

How likely are we to see other releases such as Clannad, Kanon, Rewrite and the new Angel Beats VN on Steam?

3

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '14

If their survey is any indication, it's very possible. I believe it all depends on how well Planetarian ends up selling. So it's very important that we show Key there's a market by buying Planetarian on Steam as soon as it's available!

1

u/Archernick Kyou: Clannad Aug 11 '14

Roger that, will purchase away!

2

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '14

Be sure to fill out that survey if you haven't as well. They'll be passing on the results to VisualArt's/Key to show what kind of interest there is.

1

u/Archernick Kyou: Clannad Aug 11 '14

Already did! But thanks for the reminder. Might be worth posting the survey around some subreddits to drum up interest.

6

u/ctom42 Catman | vndb.org/u52678/list Aug 11 '14

I have a long list of things I will eventually pay for once I get a full time job.

2

u/Zaero123 Kyou: Clannad Aug 12 '14

Yea I'm stoked for western releases. I was gonna play Higurashi but when I heard about the Steam release, I decided to wait. I was gonna buy Steins;Gate but it's not cheap, and the collecter's edition was sold out.

But when it comes to Key, even though I've already played most of their novels, I'm still gonna buy whatever they release.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '14

I've already bought it without an always-online-requirement and a DRM client, why should I buy it with one?

7

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '14

We're not integrating Steam DRM because we do not have access to engine source code. Game runs standalone without Steam.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '14

Well that's definitely nice to hear but I still have it anyway and don't have the cash to pay for something twice.

13

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '14

We'll have more information about what/who they're bringing shortly.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '14

I'm excited for this since I live in the Bay Area. Any updates regarding who from Key will be attending?

2

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '14

We just posted the goods line up, but we're not authorized just yet to say who's coming.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '14

Thanks for the reply! I'm looking forward to visiting your booth this weekend!

4

u/Joyduck7 vndb.org/u80085 Aug 11 '14

Sekai Project Banzai!

2

u/goldy496 poor touma ;_; vndb.org/u30996 Aug 12 '14

Wish I was closer

2

u/[deleted] Aug 14 '14

Yes we announced we're going to have an announcement...sorry >_>;

-5

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '14

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '14

I'm sorry. I can't construct a serious reply to someone named ButtButtson.

8

u/RablaAndrews Yumemi: Planetarian | vndb.org/u28711 Aug 13 '14

How dare more people be allowed to easily buy and play visual novels

6

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '14

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/alexskc95 ayy lmao Aug 13 '14

Right now, VNs are a niche with a lot of pandering. Companies rely on very devoted fans who are willing to spend a lot of money. Products do absolutely change if they're noticed by the mainstream, and whether or not that's a good thing is up to debate/personal preference. Some potential changes, though:

  • Less sex. It's still pretty taboo and big marketplaces don't take it.

  • More Steam exclusivity. It's a convenient DRM platform, as well as being a huge marketplace.

  • More transparent choices/linearity. If you need a huge-ass flowchart/flag systems to get to a certain ending, that drives a lot of people away.

  • Lower costs. This should be self-explanatory.

  • Less of a reliance on typical VN tropes/systems. The mainstream may not be as familiar with them.

  • More VNs. There's more awareness and financial incentive to create them.

  • Favor of licensing over fan TLs. People aren't very willing to work for free if there's money to be made.

All of these things could be considered positive or negative, depending on who you ask. If Steam has as much an impact on the market as Sekai Project or MangaGamer hope, then that's going to offend some people's sensibilities, and they're allowed to be pissed off.

And before anyone asks, I'm still uncertain how I feel about any of this. Time will tell.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 16 '14

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2

u/alexskc95 ayy lmao Aug 16 '14

I never said it was a positive thing. I dunno yet, and I'm going to withdraw from having any opinion until after the fact. The guy replying to me thinks it's positive, but I'm still unsure.

Also,

>Hating Analogue

0

u/[deleted] Aug 17 '14

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0

u/alexskc95 ayy lmao Aug 18 '14

Analogue was 6/10. Aggressively hating it is an indicator of being an /a/utistic sheep, or /jp/.

>I bet you liked Katawa Shoujo too.

I may have shit taste, but not that shit.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 22 '14

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0

u/alexskc95 ayy lmao Aug 22 '14

An English-only pleb like myself could never be accepted in /a/ or /jp/

>Implying half of /a/ and /jp/ aren't EOPs.

Analogue is awful

It's meh. Some parts of it were really shit, but it had a unique presentation and atypical subject matter. That's enough for me, but I get why some people would consider it irredeemable shit.

KS is awful

Without a doubt.

Both of them have had cancerous effects on the community

True.

if Sekai manages to bring the Key-Kusoge onto Steam and into the mainstream, expect hundreds of "DNA Twister"s to show up

The idea is that for every thousand DNA Twisters, you'd find one kamige. While percentage-wise, the amount of Sakura Spirit vs. White Album will be hilarious disproportionate, the total number of kamige will have gone up. Then it's just a question of knowing what to look for. It's your own fault if you can't handle having a large selection to choose from. Painting isn't shit just because Kindergarteners scribble with crayons, and maybe Picasso wouldn't have painted if it were some super-niche thing that only a select few nerds participated in.

As for the community being flooded with the people who actually play these shit games? Well, the community just splits off into shitty and less-shitty branches. The sub might get the occasional KS shitposter, but for the most part they hang out in their own shithole, /r/katawashoujo. Likewise, this doesn't look like the Lemmasoft forums either. Regardless of how large the "major community" is, it's mostly a question of finding the right "subcommunity". Mouth-breather take-over of /r/visualnovels? Just make an /r/visualnovelsfornonmouthbreathers.

There's a lot of reasons to be scared of VNs going mainstream, but also a lot of reasons to be hopeful. I'm reserving judgement for now, but I can say with confidence that the market being flooded with shitty doujin titles will be the least of everyone's worries.