How do you make a VN and how hard is it? And how do you get your name out there?
Basically, the answer to all of these questions is "it depends." :'D
There's lots of ways to make a visual novel nowadays. I use Ren'Py for mine, but now there's all kinds of different engines you can use depending on what you want to accomplish and how good of a programmer you are. Most of the ones other than Ren'Py cost money, though, so there is that. Just google "visual novel engine" and see what floats your boat the most.
How hard is it? It's as hard as you make it. I spent 14 hours yesterday implementing a new sprite system into one of my VNs so that I could have tinted/lighted sprites (relatively) easily. In other games I've coded, the sprites have only one outfit and no animation or tinting, so I can just work with Ren'Py's core features in a shorter amount of time. These visual novel engines come with a lot of features right out of the box. You don't have to code a save function, you don't have to code a skip function (usually), etc. In that sense, making a basic visual novel is pretty easy nowadays. If you want to go above and beyond basic functionality with extra features like minigames, customized user interface, more complex sprites/CGs, etc., though, it's going to be more difficult. Even if you're a pretty seasoned programmer, it'll still take time. I'm not a seasoned programmer and so I've sunk hundreds and hundreds of hours into working on my VNs to get them to the point they are now.
Lastly, "how do you get your name out there?" Once again, your mileage will vary. Social media is important nowadays, but you can't just make a new Twitter account and start screaming about your game into the void. You have to connect with other people and give them a reason to pay attention to you and your work. Maybe join up with a team for a game jam or write an article for a blog or attend a convention. Make some friends! Pretty much the same way you "get your name out there" for anything else...? There's no one way to do it and all ways are pretty difficult unless you've got millions of dollars and a rabid fanbase to start with.
There's lots of ways to make a visual novel nowadays. I use Ren'Py for mine, but now there's all kinds of different engines you can use depending on what you want to accomplish and how good of a programmer you are. Most of the ones other than Ren'Py cost money, though, so there is that. Just google "visual novel engine" and see what floats your boat the most.
How hard is it? It's as hard as you make it. I spent 14 hours yesterday implementing a new sprite system into one of my VNs so that I could have tinted/lighted sprites (relatively) easily. In other games I've coded, the sprites have only one outfit and no animation or tinting, so I can just work with Ren'Py's core features in a shorter amount of time. These visual novel engines come with a lot of features right out of the box. You don't have to code a save function, you don't have to code a skip function (usually), etc. In that sense, making a basic visual novel is pretty easy nowadays. If you want to go above and beyond basic functionality with extra features like minigames, customized user interface, more complex sprites/CGs, etc., though, it's going to be more difficult. Even if you're a pretty seasoned programmer, it'll still take time. I'm not a seasoned programmer and so I've sunk hundreds and hundreds of hours into working on my VNs to get them to the point they are now.
Lastly, "how do you get your name out there?" Once again, your mileage will vary. Social media is important nowadays, but you can't just make a new Twitter account and start screaming about your game into the void. You have to connect with other people and give them a reason to pay attention to you and your work. Maybe join up with a team for a game jam or write an article for a blog or attend a convention. Make some friends! Pretty much the same way you "get your name out there" for anything else...? There's no one way to do it and all ways are pretty difficult unless you've got millions of dollars and a rabid fanbase to start with.
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Kittykatstar
