The choices.

[N3VTr0N 10]

I'm playing eroge for the first time, but I'd like to ask you something.

 

Let's say you play the game for the first time, the plot is quite interesting and you want to play it honestly (means without saves). What are you choices then? Are you trying to:

a) empathize with the main character, pick choices proper for his character

b) do it your own way, selecting an option according to your personal feelings

c) think over possible consequences of a choice before picking one

d) (?) Any other possible reasoning?

 

Sometimes a) and b) just can't go in pair. Point c) I think is for the players that have certain goal in the game (scoring specific girl, having impact on some other matter).

I'm asking the question because I don't really feel like playing the same single player game more than one time and I'm thorn between a) and b). As I play the game further I get the feeling of straightening the bend wire.

Edited May 27, 2015 by N3VTr0N

[Chocolatemilkgod 16]

The majority of eroges/visual novels have what is called a route structure. These 'routes' are essentially like multiple endings based on the decisions you make, and they can vary drastically in size from a few minutes to many many hours of reading time. The name given to the unbranched portion of these games is called the common route, and the routes that branch off this main story are usually given the name of the character that they focus on. What this also means is that trying to get through a visual novel or eroge without saving is going to mean you have to play through the entire game up to that point again in order to get a different 'branch' to play.

 

The impact choices make is entirely dependent on the VN. In some, like Grisaia, a single choice will determine which character's route you will enter. In others the choices you make will be tallied up and, depending on who you've spent the most time with, that's whose route you'll enter. Others still will have different choice systems, and some (like Higurashi) have no choices to speak of at all. So... to answer your question, it can really depend on the VN/eroge you're playing. For me personally, I often find the choice system tedious and annoying because I treat VNs like a book. Consequently, I usually just use choice guides/walkthroughs to play; this removes the gameplay aspect entirely so I can just focus on the story.

 

G-Senjou no Maou (and Sharin no Kuni, Himawari no Shoujo, a game made by the same company) has a particularly odd choice system. I'll include a brief description of it in the spoiler box below (there are no story spoilers, but you don't have to read if you're set on playing the game through without any advice on the choices). In addition, I would really recommend a walkthrough for the game unless you're really certain you want to just stick with guessing which choices might lead to certain endings/routes.

 

[spoiler=Advice on choices in G-Senjou no Maou]The first chapter is all common route, so the couple of choices you get have no bearing on the story IIRC. The second, third and fourth chapters focus on different girls, and you'll be able to enter their routes depending on your particular choices. There are no more choices after chapter four. In addition, most routes in the VN have a 'good' and 'bad' end depending on the choices. Obviously good ends usually result in a happy ending or conclusion of some sort, whilst bad endings can result in no closure or even death of the protagonist (depending on how bad said bad ending is).

 

 

To summarise and revisit your question, the choices you make can have a wide variety of impacts depending on the game (some are non-essential, some are very much essential). I don't bother with choices since that's not the reason I read VNs, but other people are different (unless you're playing a game like Yu-No, in which case a walkthrough is almost a necessity so you won't lose your mind). If I were to chose one, I usually go with b) as long as the choice is non-essential. However, I would highly suggest you use saves before important route choices to avoid replaying the game again. If this does happen, or if it's a game with a choice structure that means you have to play through the common again anyway to get to the story, there is usually a skip function somewhere in the options that allows you to skip already-read text. I always read 100% of a VN (ie all the routes) unless I a) drop it or b) really really REALLY hate a character... and even then I'll usually use the cntrl (skip) function to get the gist of what's going on... I think that's what most people do anyway, so saving makes this much much easier. If you want to play the game blind, you could make saves at the choices but just play through to the game's end anyway; then you have the simplicity of reloading the save(s) once you've completed a certain route but still have the fun of sticking with your decisions.

Edited May 28, 2015 by Chocolatemilkgod

[Maoh 13]

Whenever i start playing any game (be it vn, rpg, anything) i always take whatever option i'd take if i was the mc (you know, like trying to get into the story), once i finish and feel like playing the rest of the routes i just grab some random guide and watch all of the possible endings.

I always do that because is fun to know like "if the story happened to me, i'd end up like that" (even tho most of the time i end up dead).

Edited May 28, 2015 by Maoh

[OneManArmy 82]

Since usually I've problems to put myself into the shoes of the protagonist I would be a c) kind of person. Although unlike you described I'm not really interested in a specific heroine but more in the story. So like I take whatever choice seems to make the story more interesting.

 

And there's of course Fate/stay night where I went for all the bad choices because I wanted to see Shirou dying over and over again haha.

[evenlaist 11]

I used to be like Maoh, but now i am more like chocomilkgod.

my reason is sometimes there is a 'proper' order on reading VN

by proper order i mean something like

- Route B contains spoiler for Route C = So its better to read route C first IMO

- You will understand Route C better after you read route A = So read A first

 

so the proper 'order' would be A,C and then B

 

a good example is Little Buster..

[spoiler=read this if you are interested, no story spoiler]

Main girl route will end prematurely unless you finish others..

I dont know this so i was really disappointed back then, and about to unleash my rage on the forum.

but then i found a walkthrough