The Friend Zone ending

[Caesius]

Coincidentally, both of the mentioned trends in visual novels are pretty damn retarded.

Well then why don't you do something about it.



wait...

[Member22]

Coincidentally, both of the mentioned trends in visual novels are pretty damn retarded.

Well then why don't you do something about it.



wait...

Speaking of endings. I just recently started playing VN's (starting with KS). I have to say that the VN with one of the most powerful endings was the Tsugumi and the bad ending in Ever17 (escape from infinity) because it had no mid-game/early endings and because any bad decisions you make would come back to royally kick you in the ass at the end.... Take the bad ending for instance:



SPOILER ALERT - for those who did not play ever17 yet
1. You turn the dials incorrectly (anti-clockwise vs. clockwise)
2. Neglect Tsugumi even after she is injured
3. Hit the Kid during the argument near the ending
4. i.e make stupid and harsh decisions over the course of the game.

Now, how all this applies to KS endings? Well, NO EARLY ENDINGS, because its better for all bad decisions to be carried later and their effects begin to show up near the end of the game, for a more powerful plot.

[Janemba]

Coincidentally, both of the mentioned trends in visual novels are pretty damn retarded.

Wonderful.

[Janemba]

Coincidentally, both of the mentioned trends in visual novels are pretty damn retarded.

Well then why don't you do something about it.



wait...

Nah it makes sense

[Guest Poster]

I for one would not be bothered by a more realistic bad ending, due to something like Hisao and the girl in question splitting up after feeling their relationship wouldn't be getting anywhere or one of the two isn't ready for a more serious relationship. It may be close to home, but if I want total escapism, I'll read stories that take place in a more outragous setting. In a way, an ending that involves a breakup and ends on a somber note may actually be more dramatic than an ending where a girl turns yandere and slashes stuff up, since the latter is also slightly less plausible while the former may indeed hit a personal spot with some people.

[Smoku]

then what is not retarded? That non- retardiness is achievable by human kind VN developing?

[Member22]

then what is not retarded? That non- retardiness is achievable by human kind VN developing?

I think non-retardedness for VN's is basically no supernatural/out of the ordinary stuff like spirits, ghosts or time travel... I had my share of confusion thanks to Ever17... I don't want KS confusing me either.

[Pimping Negro]

Personally I want a harem end.

[Deimos]

Friend Zone ending has not that much potential for the drama we all desire to see in a good story. In my opinion such an ending would be pretty neutral in regards to the emotional impact for the player, which incidentally begs the question if there are several different versions like the "good", "bad" or "true" endings like so many other Visual Novels practice it.

But for the most part I am on G3n0c1de's side and agree with what he posted in this thread before.

Just to illustrate what different takes on endings can be made, let me link to some slightly older stuff:

http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=1673
http://ks.renai.us/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=360
(2 two pieces of fiction written by cpl_crud)

http://katawashoujo.blogspot.com/2009/0 ... -time.html
(and a very insightful blogpost from Aura)

[Bara]

Whether you call it a good ending or bad ending; my opinion is any ending that hits me with some sort of emotional response besides the thought that, "I wasted how many hours of my life to get to THIS???" will meet my personal definition of a "Good ending". Too much entertainment I pay for already leaves me wondering how to get a refund on the time I spent watching it.

[Pumpkineat3r]

That's the least satisfying type of ending for a VN I can think of: death, dismemberment, and separation included. I've already gotten that end more times than I care to count in real life, give me something else. VNs are supposed to be idealistic, not realistic; if the relationship, the sole reason I'm in that world controlling the protagonist in the first place, isn't going to happen then by all means, turn one of us into a smoking crater, a greasy red splat mark, or a misanthropic antihero. I recently played Saya no Uta, and out of the three endings only the one where she gives birth and turns the world into tentacle hell struck me as being even bittersweet. Not because anyone was actually better off in that end, in fact that's the worst end for pretty much all of the characters, but because that end manifested the love between the two main characters more than the other two.

Hisao doesn't need to be executed every time the player fucks things up, but failed playthroughs should end with a bang, not a whimper.