H-game terminology?

Visual Novel Community Archive, 2000-2009
#1

hi, been a frequent player of h-games for only under a year. I been wanting to clarify for myself some game terminology.
Games that I played include:
Kana, Little Sister
Cresendo
Figures of Happiness
Critical Point
Bible Black(my first h-game that seems to really emphasis sexual content)
Doushin-Same Heart

Correct if I’m wrong, but how should I define these type of games?
Crescendo and Kana, Little Sister where the text scrolls down across the screen are known as visual novels? And the ones like Figures of Happiness and Bible Black are like dating/love sims?

Any other classifications I should know of?
thx

#2

They’re all basically dating sims, even if you’re not actually dating. The only game where you actually date on a frequent basis is Casual Romance Club. But these games are called a number of things (whichever you prefer), such as: hentai games, ero games, bishoujo games, dating sims, visual novel.

#3

They’re bishoujo games. Dating sims are games like True Love. Many bishoujo games are visual novels. Then you have more subcategories, like renai, kichiku, etc.

Obviously the games are also either all-ages or ero. :slight_smile:

#4

http://renai.gwathyr.net/dsvn_faq_rev01.2.html

The most I can give: the FAQ was written by a Snob/n00b, making him a Sn00b.

#5

Ren’ai are dating sims. That’s what Ren’ai stands for.

True Love is a Highschool Ren’ai Life-Sim.

#6

Who would label WC3 as an rpg?

#7

no.

I would label it a RTS. A storyline and leveling system for characters don’t make an RPG, especially if you constantly change who your playing.

#8

“Kanon can’t be classified as a love sim (despite the romantic story).”

Elaborate. If it’s a love story and the goal is to win the girl of your choice, how is it not a love sim?

#9

The word sim, to me, implies a simulation that uses stats and/or managment…

A game can be a love story with the goal of winning a girl and still not be a Ren’ai game… ren’ai, based on my understanding, implies a game with HEAVY amounts of romance and very little sex… with the definitin of "if it’s a love story and the goal is to win the girl of your choice " … you could imply anything from Gibo to Horny Bunnies to Crescendo to Casual Romance Club as being a love sim… the truth is the only one that comes closes to being a love sim would be Casual Romance Club, despite the fact all of them focus on “getting a girl”… and I’m still not sure that even if we call it a love sim if it could be classified as a Ren’ai game…

Classification is very difficult. … we here in the West tend to simplify things … but nothing is usually black and white rather things tend to fall along all areas of grey(gray).

At one time I had written an article for a site on the different classifications … but I never finished it. Perhaps someday I’ll go back and see if I can locate the word file and redo it… I do suggest the links given above as well, for they do a good job at trying to sort out things which is, for most of us, (in my opinion) an almost impossible task. What I may call a love sim someone else may say “nah, that’s not a love sim it’s a ______”.

I liked the WC3 analogy. It made sense to me … let me attempt to add another.

All games that involve fighting may be considered action games, but the degree of fighting and the way in which it is portrayed may have a great impact on its final classification. I.E. A fighter pilot simulation is certainly not the same type of game as a 1st person RPG … yet both involve fighting and could be considered action oriented games.

In the same way, most all games sold through PP involve ultimately trying to end up with a girl, but that doesn’t mean they are all love sims or ren’ai’s for that matter… they would break down to a further classification based on the story content, character development, how the game is played (is it a visual novel? does it have stats? do you move around from location to location? is there only one ending or is there more than one? Is it about raising a child? Is it about training a slave (or maid)? Does it involve a serious romance? Is it a tear jerker? etc…etc…) and so on.

#10

Yea…got it mixed up with something else.

Exactly. Even excluding the dark titles like Virgin Roster, they aren’t all ren’ai games.

What defines them is how the storyline flows. Cresendo is serious rpg revolving around the complex relationships. On the other hand, a game like Let’s Meow Meow are mostly centered around the sex scenes or comical aspects more than relationships.

Thus it is the level of and portray of the content.

#11

Good post scrolls up quickly scorpio, bravo, I agree. I’m just saying, if you’re playing a game that goes through a story (such as: school life work life etc) and the game gives you options on what to do or what to say, isn’t that a sim? It may not be hardcore simulation like True Love where you actually plan your day, but it is a simulation of that lifestyle in the story. I just don’t think you should be picky on calling a game a “love sim” since that’s very vague and broad and can mean a lot of different things. Unless you’re looking for a specific game in a specific genre. All in all though, I do agree with you.

[ 12-15-2006, 07:40 PM: Message edited by: DetectiveConan ]

#12

No. That is clearly an “interactive novel”. They are defined pretty much as a storyline with or without images at where at certain points the player can make choices that can affect the story flow.

[ 12-16-2006, 02:17 AM: Message edited by: Jinnai ]

#13

tries to read post but eyes the cute avatar maid

#14

rofl

She is cute. :slight_smile: She’s from Popotan.

#15