Placeholdersmith 10 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 So, I'm completely new to visual novels and trying to break myself in. I decided to give School Days HQ my VN cherry and just finished my first route. I want to start another route now but I'm not quite sure how to go about it. In particular, I wonder about the "Replay Data" mode. What is it, and how does it differ from simply loading a save or starting a new game? If I want to start a new route which mode should I use, Replay or Start? I have a another, more general question concerning Visual Novels: How do you normally go about saving your progress if you plan to do multiple playthroughs? I was saving after every choice or two but I'm quickly running out of save slots. What's the best way to handle saves? Sorry if these questions seem stupid and thank you for any response. Any general advice for a VN noob is also much appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OneManArmy 82 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 First of all, there isn't something like a noob-ish question because you only ask questions if you don't know something, and improving your current level of knowledge is always praiseworthy. Also, all of us started as "noobs" so you don't have to feel inferior or the like ... oh, and welcome to the forum! \o/ How do you normally go about saving your progress if you plan to do multiple playthroughs? I was saving after every choice or two but I'm quickly running out of save slots. What's the best way to handle saves? I totally know what you're talking about because I'm also a person who has a shitload of saves when playing games. I'm not sure but I assume that you mean with multiple playthroughs the different routes of the game because if you really want to play the whole game for a second time then you obviously have to read/play everything again. If you want to play another route then I would always recommend to start the game from the beginning and use the skip option. Why? Because sometimes (after finishing a route) there are suddenly new scenes (or even new choices) in the common route which you'll obviously miss when loading a savegame. And you mostly have to choose a totally different combination of choices anyway so playing the game from its beginning is the safest option. Although there a some visual novels where a singly choice will decide which route you'll end up with. In particular, I wonder about the "Replay Data" mode. I can't answer that question because I didn't even install SD HQ until now besides having it since its release on my laptop but I would recommend to start a new game because you can just skip to the next choice anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Placeholdersmith 10 Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Thanks for the kind response. Yeah, so the main thing that confused me and which I should have made clear at first is whether certain choices affect separate playthroughs. I had read something about Clannad and Little Busters (two visuals novels I've yet to play) along the lines of miss-able scenes requiring a particular order in which to finish separate routes. I thought that the "Replay Mode" might factor into something like that somehow. Too be honest, I don't understand it's function at all. In the "Replay Data" section there's a list of my saves but clicking on any save starts the game from the beginning with every detail identical to normally starting a new game except for the words "Replay Mode" being on-screen. In any case, I'll keep what you said in mind. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ivan 148 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 "Replay mode" is kinda like watching anime - game remembers your choices and play thru whole game without a stop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Placeholdersmith 10 Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Ahh, thanks Ivan. Of course, that's what I figured it to be at first but playing in replay mode still presented choices so I became bewildered. After checking it out more extensively based on what you said, I see that it in fact just that, a replay of my finished playthrough with the added option to switch into a normal playthrough by actively making a choice. I understand that now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OneManArmy 82 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I had read something about Clannad and Little Busters along the lines of miss-able scenes requiring a particular order in which to finish separate routes. There are some visual novels with an enforced playing order which means that you've to finish "Route A" before "Route B" will be unlocked/playable. It's actually quite common that you've to finish all routes before a true route will be unlocked; like in LB! and Clannad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Placeholdersmith 10 Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 That's good to know OneManArmy. I really loved playing School Days HQ and hope to play as many Visual Novels as possible. Clannad is one of my favorite anime shows and everything I've encountered of Little Busters seems great, so they're at the top of my list. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pramit 22 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I have a another, more general question concerning Visual Novels: How do you normally go about saving your progress if you plan to do multiple playthroughs? I was saving after every choice or two but I'm quickly running out of save slots. What's the best way to handle saves? i only use the save feature so that i can go back in case i make a mistake somewhere or if there are two routes for one char that depend on a few choices. For new char routes i prefer to start the game over because like OMA said, there might be new scenes. I save at memorable scenes too Clannad is one of my favorite anime shows and everything I've encountered of Little Busters seems great, so they're at the top of my list. make sure to try kanon and rewrite too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Placeholdersmith 10 Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 Whoa, I just looked it up and Clannad, Little Busters, Kanon and Rewrite are all developed by Key. Apparently, I could do no wrong trying anything of theirs. I'm so glad I found a type of game where my anal save-keeping has meaning. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Insidious 10 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Since this thread looks like it's out to help people who are new to vn like me, i just want to ask about projects done by Jast and Mangagamer. Are they free for download or we have to purchase them? For eg. I want to play stuff like My girlfriend is the president/boob wars but the download links provided does not includ something like English Patch tab.(Unless its included in the game files.) I can't download any files from this site because of my service provider so i can't check them myself however i have successfully downloaded files from my friend's house before because he has a different service provider so yea i have to check if the english patches are available for these games before sneaking into my friend's house to download them and thanks in advance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
killerinsidee 14 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 (edited) Since this thread looks like it's out to help people who are new to vn like me, i just want to ask about projects done by Jast and Mangagamer. Are they free for download or we have to purchase them? For eg. I want to play stuff like My girlfriend is the president/boob wars but the download links provided does not includ something like English Patch tab.(Unless its included in the game files.) I can't download any files from this site because of my service provider so i can't check them myself however i have successfully downloaded files from my friend's house before because he has a different service provider so yea i have to check if the english patches are available for these games before sneaking into my friend's house to download them and thanks in advance. Games officially released by JAST and MG always have the translation "integrated" into the game files, there are no separate translation patches for those games. No idea why anyone would assume that the VNs they release are free. It's the same as other games, music and movies. You have to pay for them just like everything else, but there isn't anyone stopping you from pirating. Unless you count the "USA ISP strike system", lulz. Edited April 30, 2013 by killerinsidee Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Insidious 10 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Oh i see. Thanks a lot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kirai Aizuren 10 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Since this thread looks like it's out to help people who are new to vn like me, i just want to ask about projects done by Jast and Mangagamer. Are they free for download or we have to purchase them? For eg. I want to play stuff like My girlfriend is the president/boob wars but the download links provided does not includ something like English Patch tab.(Unless its included in the game files.) I can't download any files from this site because of my service provider so i can't check them myself however i have successfully downloaded files from my friend's house before because he has a different service provider so yea i have to check if the english patches are available for these games before sneaking into my friend's house to download them and thanks in advance. those two companies, don't release patch.. they release a "new" VN in english Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OneManArmy 82 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 (edited) I want to play stuff like My girlfriend is the president/boob wars but the download links provided does not includ something like English Patch tab. Some visual novels are pre-patched which means that you only have to start the game after downloading/extracting it. Translated games of english companies (like MG and JAST) are usually pre-patched. That's the reason why you won't an Osadai or Boob Wars patch. Edited April 30, 2013 by OneManArmy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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