No, I can’t.
Again this was just an abstract idea I’ve just came up with, so I didn’t have too much thought into it.
I think I like this idea.
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@MockTurtle - This is an interesting thread. Thanks for creating it.
The way I see it, the differences between a CoG/HG title and a more traditional VN like those originating in Japan or Korea is the focus (or lack of) on relationships. I do think a story that focuses on complex more true-to-life relationships can be done in CoG/HG titles but most likely will not.
Most Virtual Novels rely on a visual artistic style - often to reinforce the complexity of the relationships they are exploring. Since the works here lack that ability (it would be cost prohibitive to have same amount of art for 1/7th the price received) I’m not sure the standards out there will be successfully met time after time.
The closest title I can think of in the libraries here is Affairs of the Court and it constantly suffers from readers unable to relate to the complex relationships in the accustomed manner they have grown to expect.
I do think such a story can be done by an extremely skilled and talented writer but I don’t know, as a writer, if such a project would be worth the time and effort expended for the expected returns.
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Yes, I was going to mention Choice of Romance, especially in terms of the sequel problem. I think a major chunk of the problem, tho, lies in the very name. “Affairs of the Court” is pretty descriptive of the game’s nature, but “Choice of Romance” only fits to the extent that the first game explores the less often used definition of romance. It’s very interesting, and appeals to me in particular, but it’s not what people want when they’re looking for a romance game.
I also agree that more complex relationships require greater focus. More of a 50/50 between the peril plot and the personal plot, I think that might be a better balance. I do think stories taking place after the “happily ever after” courtship phase can be very interesting, but it’s tricky to maintain intrigue in a fictional relationship, without making the reader just root for the characters to break up already. At least, that’s been my experience.
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I’d love some variety of romances. Especially one where you are betrayed but not in the cheating way. Like they betrayed your trust and decisions on things.
You always make such good points.
I don’t know if we’ll ever get that extremely talented writer, but I’ll keep encouraging authors to challenge themselves.
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One of the best questions my HS English teachers ever asked the class was “If they had lived, do you think Romeo and Juliet would have had a long and happy marriage?”
I mean, it seems common sense now, especially since it has become almost a trope. The concept of how messed up fairy tale type relationships would be IRL is satired openly and often in contemporary books and movies, but almost 20 years ago at 14 years old, that kinda blew my mind. My first introduction to the idea of what happens after “Happily Ever After.”
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Actually, I think writing them having a good marriage would be a hell of a challenge, for the right writer. Maybe not what would first come to mind when you picture a happy marriage, not with ancient grudges and having both nearly scared their parents into an early grave with their attempted suicide. Rather like a penguin: it may not be a good example of a bird, but it’s still technically a bird.
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The otome game Our Personal Space was about a relationship with some problems such as who does the dishes and stuff.
The issue with games that involve relationship problems is that some ROs seem too flawed and I would not want to pursue them. Things like cheating are not just flaws, and I would end the relationship. You could fix this by having lots of detailed and fleshed out ROs all with their own personal routes, but that may be difficult to write.
The whole curing RO flaws with the power of love is often too unrealistic and unbelievable for me. A flirty person who dated everyone may do it just because they like to and not because they haven’t found their soul-mate. Solving things like mental illness or addiction just with the power of love is also kind of meh to me unless it goes into detail and shows struggles and maybe therapy. This could be fixed by having more fantasy type problems to deal with.
The best way to portray a detailed relationship with problems in a relatively easy way in COG format may be to have the MC be a marriage/ relationship counselor who examens others’ relationship(s), so the MC can’t just break up or not play the story because they don’t personally want to romance the character.
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