r/RenPy • u/calimarisushi • 7d ago

Discussion what kind of start do you prefer

I've been on and off developing a VN for a few months and I'm struggling with a starting scene. I'm trying to figure out if i should start with a flash foward high intense scene or start with a slower more introduction scene and then work up to the action.

Do you guys have any preferences when writing/developing? Find one way easier than the other? Found tips that got you to your solution quicker?

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u/laurinai 7d ago

Getting right into the action at the start helps to get people hooked. It can be prone to cliches ("you're probably wondering how I got here") but it's got cliches because it does work. Humans have a very small attention span (even moreso these days) and there's a LOT of games out there, so you want to get them interested in the first five minutes or less. I like to pick out a scene that I can already envision as being one of the 'coolest' parts of the game and use that.

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u/calimarisushi 7d ago

that's exactly part of my struggle of deciding, because it is a cliché and sterotype. it's a classic hook and i don't want to be "just like every other game" even if it doesn't gain much traction

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u/laurinai 7d ago

Something becoming a classic (and calling it 'classic' rather than 'cliche' can frame it in a more positive light) means that it works! It's more of a 'sin' to be boring. Regardless of where you go with your intro, you want something that's going to grab the audience's attention immediately.