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This is a rather complex topic, and of course it largely depends on tastes But as always I'm trying to understand what MOST players want (I can't make everyone happy but at least try to make most people happy).

I take as example some of my past games:
Bionic Heart: it had a TON of choices, and a LOT of branching and 22 different endings. Impossible to see them all in a single playthrough, some endings were hard to unlock unless you picked specific choices, etc.

Nicole: pretty straightforward (I'm talking about the VN mode of course, not the stat raising). A relationship system with choices that change that value. Few choices (1 for each scene, so like 10 in total for a single playthrough). At end of the game if you have enough relationship you unlock a certain ending (there can be variants, but only the final scene changes).

Hazel: in my latest game I made a mix. There are frequent choices, some branching in the main plot (but not that much) and 2 different endings for each love interest based on the relationship value. Those endings are very long and different, not just a single scene like for Nicole. I thought that making it this way was more rewarding for players.

In the poll I made a few options using the following rules:
1) there should be frequent choices and branching, or few choices and no/minimum branching?
2) there should be many different endings, or fewer endings?

It's not so simple as you think: obviously someone could think "more endings, longer story". That's not necessarily true, since the game sizes can't be too big and also from creative point of view you run out of ideas, and if different endings are just small variants, it loses value (they must be really different IMHO).
Same for branching: some people like to replay to see all the possible variants. Others don't care or simply don't have time (that would be my case!) to replay it all. So for them is better if the story is more linear, so they can experience more of it. In short, instead of 5 branching variants of 1k words each (of which you see/read just 1k each playthrough) a longer linear scene of 5k words that you'll see it every time.

I don't include the RPGs since those are obviously super complex and similar to Bionic Heart but also have gameplay so aren't VNs.
And for you, what is the ideal VN? Even if it's a kinetic novel, feel free to say it. It's what YOU would like to play after all

I love to have many choices, even if the majority of those are just for flavor and don't impact the ending in any way. Choices are how I claim ownership of the character rather than being a spectator. The amount of endings is not super important, but I would rather have a longer story with lots of branching and fewer endings than a shorter story with lots of endings. As such, I don't really care to read the entire script, but I love to read it the way I like.

This actually is slightly annoying about most of your visual novels. I see all these interesting choices, but almost every dialogue choice is tied to affection changes, and in order to obtain the ending we want, there is only one true choice, we really can't take the other ones. Loren did it well, but had the problem (just as Hazel) that often you didn't know what you were going to say, just the overall tone, which made for some really jarring dialogue at times.

I can't stand kinetic novels in the visual novel format, it's exceptionally rare for VN writers to rival even just a decent book. I can immerse myself in good writing, I'm an uninvolved and bored spectator in a kinetic novel with mediocre writing. Give me choices and even mediocre writing can be entertaining.

I agree that the Friendly/Forceful/Joking has the limit of not knowing what you're going to say. I am probably not using it in next RPG/VNs too. Or if I do, I'll find a way to show a preview of what the character is about to say.

Regarding the relationship: OK, so let's say I don't have the relationship anymore. How it would work? I used that to indicate if you're going towards your goal (which in most games is to reach max relationship, but for example in PS2 you could be either loyal/rival and would tweak the story but not prevent endings).

There would be a few choices determining the ending then? "Tough choices" like in Telltale games "save X or Y"? Then I imagine I would have players make me a step by step guide since it's pretty clear that most of them just want to follow a walkthrough (it was super clear with Volleyball Heaven and so many people complaining about how hard Emily was to get).

In summary I think if I remove the relationship (which is fine eh, I don't mean to say that it's untouchable!! ) I find hard to tell the player "you're going in the right direction or not". Or simply tell them how important is choice number 32 vs other minor choices.

Perhaps, many choices to vary the story / character personalities, and then a few "tough choices" that really change the story, and maybe mark them for the player? so they know that choice will have an impact later (I sort of did that in PSCD). I think perhaps this is the best compromise.

jack1974 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:11 amPerhaps, many choices to vary the story / character personalities, and then a few "tough choices" that really change the story, and maybe mark them for the player? so they know that choice will have an impact later (I sort of did that in PSCD). I think perhaps this is the best compromise.

That is how I prefer it, but that's just me.

Yes, I like that solution too. I did that in Cursed Lands for example with some obvious big choices + smaller choices.
Maybe if the game has a main story it can be: romances with relationship, and story outcome with tough choices. Curse Of Mantras will be similar too with the initial alignment choice and final (secret lol) choice. And I'll keep it in mind for future games

I chose 'other' While I like a lot of choices, I like some branching, and only a few endings.

Cool, seems most people like a lot of branching. I like that too, that's why I made PS2 with 11 different endings and a lot of branching. Now I only need to make something like that but on MUCH smaller scale to not go nuts

While I enjoyed some kinetic visual novels (Juniper's Knot and Fault Milestone 1 & 2), I prefer having some choices more often than not. A few major decisions is all I need.

Which reminds me....Bionic Heart 2 has been in backlog for years, I need to play it soon.