418 replies to this topic

[Solipsist]

You gotta be kidding me...Accursed dictionaries.

Anyway, I started going forward in Grisaia...And I gotta say, I was impressed by the scene-directing of the VN. The camera work and movement of objects befitted the narrative as well as the sound effects. They have a good attention to detail outside of the splendid visuals, and that's something I barely seen any VN doing...And I'm not talking about the animated scenes, which were a surprise as well.
The protagonist is still a Garry Stu, though. But I forgive him.

[Phil777]

Oh, don't worry. The story doesn't always revolve around him. =/ There are sometimes flashbacks regarding the girls's past. Amane's was the longest so far. >.>

[Solipsist]

Grisaia sure does jump a lot anachronistically at the start there...I barely see the action-and-response in terms of how the classmates facilitated their relationships the way they did. It's all very...Speculative.

Seems like they spent too much of their budget on the visuals.

[Phil777]

Well, there's quite a bit before you actually get to the route branching. =/ As a small hint, it will start shortly after you get the cellphone adresses of your classmates.

Do not forget also that (although not translated) there's two sequels to this thing. One of which shows us Yuuji's "master". ^.-

[Solipsist]

The issue being that most of the "exposition" portion of the story, which is roughly the first "month" since the protagonist arrives at the "school"; every single character arc is completely cut off from one to the other and arrives completely in an abrupt manner with some form of exposition given by the protagonist. I feel like this is an ecchi gag manga, where continuity is inconsequential.
I mean, for a "school" setting; we don't even see them or hear from them doing ANY school work outside of cleaning or being suggested homework is being done.

Considering that you guys pumped the characters with with incredible melodrama, the initial part of the VN seems like a complete red herring. 

[OMGWTFBBQPONIES]

(...) placeholder for my friend's visual novel project for his class at our university (lol yeah I know right.)

Spoiler

Inspired by this post, can anyone recommend some VN (and maybe it'll be too much of a stretch, but adventure/CYOA game that's mostly story and dialogues will be fine too) that's original from graphical presentation side? Like, all art it uses is sketchy and B&W, or it's 100% made of photos of places and people instead of using drawings.

One I recall where placeholders evolved into a feature was an old unfinished VN game by Aleema (currently a writer for winter wolves VNs) where majority of characters and their actions was depicted using silhouettes.

Edited by OMGWTFBBQPONIES, 05 February 2014 - 08:10 PM.

[Phil777]

The issue being that most of the "exposition" portion of the story, which is roughly the first "month" since the protagonist arrives at the "school"; every single character arc is completely cut off from one to the other and arrives completely in an abrupt manner with some form of exposition given by the protagonist. I feel like this is an ecchi gag manga, where continuity is inconsequential.
I mean, for a "school" setting; we don't even see them or hear from them doing ANY school work outside of cleaning or being suggested homework is being done.

Considering that you guys pumped the characters with with incredible melodrama, the initial part of the VN seems like a complete red herring. 

Nobody said the MC was an omniscient being who could check on all students at all times... >.> Besides, once he acquires a love interest, wouldn't it be normal that the focus switches to that one more than the others? =/

Do remember that a good portion of the routes occur during the "summer break". o/ Some of the students actually go back to visit their homes, or relatives, etc. =/

[Solipsist]

Phil, come on; read my comment properly. I didn't meant the prota should be some form of divine, corporeal being.
I merely said the exposition of the story is built from about 30-20 incredibly small story arcs like a gag manga; they have nothing to do with each other and they start and end without any form of consequence to the story to boot just so you can build a profile for every character. It's built in a very none-realistic, non-fluid  and highly selective manner: Anachronistically.

The exposition is like Family Guy, Shin-Cha....You name it: It has nothing to do with the serious dramatic tone, apparently, the second half of the VN is said (by you guys) to be.

If you for some reason still don't get what I am talking about; it's like a story would present a nice summer morning, and then suddenly describe the cold ominous winter...And then for some unforeseeable reason; jump to planet mars.
That's how Grisaia starts off. Random crap for shit and giggles and some minor exposition for some of the character facilitation. If you think that's a good way to facilitate characters, by jumping around randomally in incoherent arcs; you need to read more... =| 

That being said; the gags did make me laugh quite a few times, it's a shame they're just there to pad out the VN like a horrible anime school-life anime.

P.S: Home visits, huh? I bet Makina's family is...Fun. If they even exist. Something tells me Amane's parents are sexually abusive, but that's just my theory in case they are not dead as well.

Edited by Solipsist, 06 February 2014 - 08:11 PM.

[Phil777]

P.S: Home visits, huh? I bet Makina's family is...Fun. If they even exist. Something tells me Amane's parents are sexually abusive, but that's just my theory in case they are not dead as well.

 

*sigh* everyone's a critic...

 

Actually, Amane's reason for her pervy behavior is a bit more profound than just that. =/ It is related to Yuuji, but I won't say anymore.

 

And Makina's, meh... That story kinda pissed me off rather than make me sad, but her past is rather sad though. =(

[Solipsist]

*sigh* everyone's a critic...

 

Especially when it comes to me *wink*.
I'm currently interested in Michiru (blonde girl), and that's mostly because you know very little about her; she pulls such a big farce of a persona to cover herself, it makes me wonder what there is to even hide about herself(considering she's an idiot).

[Phil777]

Ah, I'm in her route right now. So far, it's quite interesting. Small spoiler that you might've expected, but you'll see more of that cat she runs into early on.

 

And you'll figure out a bit more about her once you get to the choice regarding her route. ^.-

Edited by Phil777, 07 February 2014 - 02:43 AM.

[Solipsist]

I really dig Michiru's voice actress, her wailing makes me giggle when it doesn't even make any sense.
On that point, most of the arcs in this VN so far does not make any sense what so ever. They are so not contextual with anything substantial, I'm feeling like I'm reading one big fat random story about girls ... Doing girly stuff.
...
That anecdote with the makeup lesson was so fucked up, after reading so much and then reaching that point ... I could only feel self-loathing : "What the heck am I doing..."
Not that I stopped reading. Grisaia is such a good time waster I'm almost held aback. The actual meaty, dramatic...PLOT lateral of the damn VN is yet to show up. You guys said this thing has a plot, and I'm growing more and more reluctant to believe that...
Sigh, I guess that's a form of hook, right? Propose nothing serious, lower the playing field by setting no expectations; and then when you corner the audience, roll them up and hang them up within the net of a gripping story.
That being said, they sure take their damn time. If I hear another aesop from the protagonist I'm going to kill someone.

Edited by Solipsist, 08 February 2014 - 08:47 PM.

[Phil777]

Like I told you, You need to have received your classmates's phone numbers in order to even start the route branching. =/ (Oh yeah, and a beach event)

 

Also, not ALL stories are focused just on ONE girl. =/ Amane and Makina's atm, are the only ones that did (imo), but Michiru and Sachi's did put importance towards those around them.

 

Done with Michiru's route. It was good...Nothing TOO dramatic, some things you might've seen it coming if you deduce it well enough. =/

 

Do consider that this is the first of a 3-part story, and this was apparently meant as the "introduction" part. =/ The "real" plot is apparently in Grisaia no Meikyu and Rakuen, which atm aren't translated. =( (No more going back in the past of the girls at this point, it's mostly storyline based around the protag and moving on with the story)

Oh and, you may or may not want to hear this, but from my observations, all the heroines have exactly 6 H-CGs, spread throughout anywhere from 2 to 5 "scenes". (Amane obviously has more "scenes" but they have less CGs overall. =/ Whereas Michiru's are has only 2 scenes, so 3 CGs per. =/ )

[Solipsist]

I don't really have a name for it, but what I'm referring to is a plague in anime as of late; where in a 12 episode series, there are 2 episodes of exposition and 8 frigging episodes for lollygagging and fucking around doing absolutely nothing with the plot, and then the final 2 episodes actually move things around like it fucking matters at this point.
'Noticed that trend, or is it just me? It seems that Grisaia also took that path with its narrative, to mostly present fucking-around-gags-mean-nothing and at the last hour they'll present the substantial crud. Some authors push forward catharsis way too late.

And regarding the H-scenes...I don't really care at this point. If they are at all fun to read through story-wise, huzzah; if they're just there because lol boobies, I'll skip them. Either way, no damage is done.
To be perfectly honest, I find myself skipping some of the scenes right now because they're so boring and meaningless...They repeat the same gags over and over again.
I get it. Michiru is thick-headed. Move the fuck on to something else.

:U ~~

EDIT : I take that back. I can't stop laughing from Michiru's lines.

Edited by Solipsist, 09 February 2014 - 02:54 PM.

[Phil777]

Actually, there's like....4 pages of scenes before you get to the first route branching, that's.... 12 events per page. And the routes have like... On average 2-3 pages. =/ (Usually the 3rd page has only a few events) So far, Sachi has the most events in her route.

[Phil777]

Welp, I'm done with Yumiko's route, effectively clearing all heroines and finishing this game. =/ Her story was a bit predictable, but still good.

[Solipsist]

Amane's first sex scene is probably the best 'romantic consummation' I've read to date, and that includes any books I laid my hands on. In terms of length and content, it provided so much more than just constantly say : "She feels good. So squishy. So good. Ahn ahn."
I do not think I ever actually laughed, appropriately, from a sex scene before...That alone shows how much these authors enjoy gags goddamnit, but they somehow made it relevant to fucking. I am deeply impressed.

That sex scene is really struggling on my top spot, how much that's even worth, with the 'threesome' scene in Saya no Uta.
Amane's was funny, interesting and actually provided a proper development from start to finish to withhold the suspension of disbelief from thinking "this is just porn."
In Saya no Uta, it was rather rushed...But the fucked up character development within that arc of a story of the threesome, and the sadistic nature of it all was so delicious it's hard to say if the two of them can even be compared. They seem worlds apart.

[Phil777]

Amane, for me, was the best girl. o/ Yumiko's the second. o/ Sachi comes third and Michiru is fourth.

(And it's totally not just because of their breast sizes. >.>)

 

Still, all the scenes are vanilla, and the stories usually will give you a feel trip. o/

But yeah, Amane is the best woman. o/ Agree with Yuuji there.

Her story is just so tragic. ; ; I had blues the next day I finished that route. None of the others did that for me. =/ Xcept maybe Sachi a bit, and Yumiko's, a bit as well

[atdy587]

Amane, for me, was the best girl. o/ Yumiko's the second. o/ Sachi comes third and Michiru is fourth.

(And it's totally not just because of their breast sizes. >.>)

 

Still, all the scenes are vanilla, and the stories usually will give you a feel trip. o/

But yeah, Amane is the best woman. o/ Agree with Yuuji there.

Her story is just so tragic. ; ; I had blues the next day I finished that route. None of the others did that for me. =/ Xcept maybe Sachi a bit, and Yumiko's, a bit as well

 

Well if you have watched Clannad already, go play Tomoyo after(english translation is out). That ending is really good and it made me cry and emo for a few days. Such a bitter-sweet ending.

[Solipsist]

Well if you have watched Clannad already, go play Tomoyo after(english translation is out). That ending is really good and it made me cry and emo for a few days. Such a bitter-sweet ending.

I'm going to be the belligerent, insidious asshole here:  I HATED the epilogue of Tomoyo After. Strong, bubbling, deep-skin hatred.
It is for the same reason that most of G-senjou no Maou's epilogue was a big turn off for me; they tried too hard. Way. WAY too hard. The way things lead to that melancholic ending was just way too bloody contrived, it came right out of nowhere and was only made to make the VN seem to leave some deep impressions other than an excuse to milk the series.

If you liked Tomoyo After's ending, I guess that means you're not as much as a cynic as I am. So, good for you I guess. I cannot enjoy those sort of asspull endings anymore, although I sure could in the ol' days of yore..