GMing and VN Writing (part 2)

For the past year, I’ve been trying my hand at video game development, which is a change after my 8 years of tabletop RPG development and publishing. I decided to keep it as “simple” as I knew how, and started working on a visual novel. Visual novels (VN’s) don’t usually involve complex programming, intensive animation, or complex physics engines. Instead, they focus on telling a text-based story told through character “sprite” art over artistic backgrounds with accompanying music. Though VN’s vary and some do involve animation, most of the time this game genre is focused on storytelling. As an experienced GM, the idea of writing a visual novel immediately appealed to me, because I could focus on the story over almost everything else. I began writing the Star Legation story in August of 2018, and I’m happy to say that I have finally finished writing the script for the story! Looking back, I can now see how much my time as a GM helped me put together this dialogue-driven tale that is full of choices to make along the way.

The Solar Echoes table-top RPG

The Star Legation visual novel

GMing and VN Writing (part 1)

I’ve played table-top role-playing games for most of my life, and I usually prefer to play as the Game Master (GM). For those of you who are unfamiliar, the GM is responsible for narrating the story, acting out the various characters the players will meet, and enforcing the rules of the game. I’ll admit, I’m not a rules encyclopedia like some other GM’s are, but I make sure the game is fair and I focus on keeping the game more story and character focused. Combat is often a part of RPG’s, and because I love strategy games, I definitely like to mix tactical battles in where they fit naturally within the story. One of the most important abilities a keep needs to possess is the ability to creatively improvise when players decide to do something unexpected. The experience and skills that come from GMing role playing games can really help in other jobs, especially in video-game development!

Tokyo Chronos VR Review (part 5)

I should also mention that, from everything I've played so far and read online, Tokyo Chronos is a “kinetic novel,” meaning that there are no choices for you to make. I have yet to discern how the advertised claim of multiple endings can be achieved without some choice being presented, but after 3 hours so far, everything has been entirely kinetic. For me, this was disappointing, because I prefer VN's with choices to kinetic novels, but that is just my personal preference. I did really like being immersed in the 3D world of Tokyo Chronos, seeing the characters right in front of me--it really did feel like I was a character in an anime. As for the story, I won't reveal anything, but I will say that the tone is dark. The dialogue is well-written, and aside from a few typos and grammatical mistakes, it is effectively constructed and intriguing. The game was funded through Kickstarter, so considering its origins, I think what has been done is impressive. I do feel, however, that there were some lost opportunities, so I hope that game developers are inspired by Tokyo Chronos and decide to push the application of VR to visual novels even further--it's a step deeper into immersive storytelling!

Tokyo Chronos VR Review (part 4)

During the game, there were some instances where I found myself placed in unusual locations that I didn't expect, and this created more immersion for me. For instance, at one scene change I was suddenly sitting inside a car talking to someone else in the driver's seat. I liked that the game framed the scene by positioning me at the best angle to observe the events. Moments of action were highlighted in typical VN fashion with the presentation of a static art image (known as a CG.) These were often displayed as smaller, flat panel art, framed almost as if they were taken right out of a comic book. This approach enhanced the feeling of being inside a manga/anime world, and it was a nice touch. The audio of the game was well put together, with a subtle soundtrack that enhanced the mood, sometimes crescendoing to enhance the tension or dropping out altogether to let silence weigh on my nerves. Sound effects weren't distracting or overused, but served to augment each appropriate moment. The overall presentation was very fitting for an anime setting with a dark undertone. 

Tokyo Chronos VR Review (part 3)

If you were expecting live action anime in Tokyo Chronos, keep in mind that visual novels (VN's) involve mostly static backgrounds and characters with short animations, if any. If you're familiar with Live2D in some VN's, the characters in Tokyo Chronos were animated similarly, with blinking eyes, moving lips when speaking, and a few other small movements here and there. Each character had a good range of body poses and facial expressions, which helped amplify the impact of the dialogue. The dialogue was nicely voice acted and fit each character well, but it was all only in Japanese. Reading the printed dialogue is a must for those unfamiliar with spoken Japanese, though this of course won't be unusual for anime fans. The text is clearly printed inside your sight range, wherever you look. There is even an option to fix the text to a horizontal level so it doesn't stay in your vision if you look up or down. No worries for those of you with VR motion sickness, because you cannot move in Tokyo Chronos. The story places your character in every scene, positioning you to stand, talk, and observe everything around you, taking in the atmosphere as the story unfolds.

Tokyo Chronos VR Review (part 2)

When I started Tokyo Chronos on PSVR, I used the Move controllers because the game was advertised as having that option. Other than using them essentially as laser pointers during menu selection, though, the controllers were otherwise not utilized beyond simple button pressing. I had hoped to be able to see my arms and hands move at least, but I existed in the game as an armless torso--I could look down at myself and see the school uniform my character was wearing. Another thing I noticed right at the beginning of the game was that the scale was off, regardless of the height adjustment option. Perhaps this was intentional, but it felt weird being a 10 foot giant among other 10 foot tall characters, in a world where everything felt larger than it should be. Everything was proportionately scaled within the game environment, but my own sense of scale from my reality was definitely different. However, the art in Tokyo Chronos is all done in a very anime style, so realism is not something to expect. I enjoyed feeling like I was a character in an anime world, and at several points in the game, I actually could see what my character looked like when standing in front of a mirror. The art style had a cel-shaded feel with a color palette that was an odd mix between characters and environment, but the overall tone was consistent. 

Tokyo Chronos VR Review (part 1)

I recently downloaded a new game for VR called Tokyo Chronos. This game is the one of the first of its kind--it's a visual novel in VR! As a visual novel writer and developer myself, I was very excited to see this genre of game enter virtual reality. This week, I'll share my impressions and opinions about Tokyo Chronos, which is a monumental step for visual novels. Although I am nowhere near finishing the game yet, I think that the 5 chapters I have played so far are enough for me to give a fair analysis. I'll focus on the game itself and not the story, to avoid spoilers. A few things really excited and impressed me, and other instances felt like opportunities lost. Is VR a good fit for visual novels? I think it is, and Tokyo Chronos is a step in the right direction for the genre.