Why does the "Good End" Always require you to be so perfect?

[TurtleLover]

As a self inserter, I've noticed that I don't feel nearly as immersed if the "good end" requires me to be entirely perfect, like the most patient, selfless and pure-hearted person possible. If I want to go against anything or be realistic about a situation then I'm punished with a lower affection score. I don't mind it to get all of the story bits, but for immersion it doesn't do any good for me. Anyone else feel the same?

 

[AkaTe]

I understand what you mean. For me, it always depends somewhat on the setting. If it's a typical, cliché otome game, it bothers me less.

But where it definitely bothers me is in stories with a tough or badass heroine. You have a woman who can shoot a guy in the eye with an arrow, and then, for the good or best ending, you have to play her as a softie. I hate that.

 

[Somniari]

i actually stopped to even try to self insert waaaay back in my otome life, like during the first ones i played. after all, if you want the adventure to unfold, you need to be a little bit more curious and a tid bit more stupid and irrational. and i also realized that LIs have their own preferences, which means, if you don't meet those preferences, you're not awarded with affection points, just like real life, no unconditional love just because you're a MC of your story. and MCs have their own personalities, therefore they're not me. so, yeah, reading a visual novel was just like reading an interesting book since then.

 

[johnotome]

Try playing Taisho X Alice and you'll see very quickly that being pure is not the goal of MC.

 

[7Senses]

i actually stopped to even try to self insert waaaay back in my otome life, like during the first ones i played. after all, if you want the adventure to unfold, you need to be a little bit more curious and a tid bit more stupid and irrational. and i also realized that LIs have their own preferences, which means, if you don't meet those preferences, you're not awarded with affection points, just like real life, no unconditional love just because you're a MC of your story. and MCs have their own personalities, therefore they're not me. so, yeah, reading a visual novel was just like reading an interesting book since then.

Agreed! I don't self-insert, so I just go through the story from an outside view. However, I will agree that it does bother me when the writers do a 180 in stories and change the MC's personality at the end for a ML.

The ideal solution would to have a game that has different choices that reflect a different personality type, like Tailor Tales which lets you pick a "fierce" or "kind" choice. That way people can play however they want and still get the ML.

 

[orionsbestie]

I get it~

I'm a self-inserter too, and sometimes this bothers me too, but I approach the game in a way that I think of the heroine as both her own character and myself depending on specific moments. She is me and I am her, but also she is her and I am me, if that makes sense. I try to approach choices like a narrative puzzle, like what is expected of "me" to move the story to the most narratively sound scene? Or what would be the funniest too lmao. I'll be totally immersed regardless of the MC's dumbassery and lackthereof, then if there's a choice or dialogue that really takes me out I just... mentally grab her and shake her like BESTIE WTF IS WRONG WITH YOU. WTF IS WRONG WITH US HOW CAN YOU BE THIS NAIVE anyway moving on.

On a more "technical"? Level, I do find it pretty... dumb, downright stupid, that there are games that you literally need to be *perfect* to achieve the good ending, perfect as in choosing ALL the right options with no margin of error. This was my biggest gripe with CollarxMalice. A single wrong choice locks you out of the good ending. And I think these games could afford to let the player make mistakes a handful of times instead of sending you into a bad ending because you chose the wrong flavor of donuts ten hours earlier. But that's just me. I think any good interactive fiction writer should be able to allow *some* wiggle room for player freedom and still have them unlocking a good ending!

 

[orionsbestie]

I understand what you mean. For me, it always depends somewhat on the setting. If it's a typical, cliché otome game, it bothers me less.

But where it definitely bothers me is in stories with a tough or badass heroine. You have a woman who can shoot a guy in the eye with an arrow, and then, for the good or best ending, you have to play her as a softie. I hate that.

SO TRUE when the attitude we need to project to get the good ending doesn't match the setting we've been given for the character it's so annoying...

 

[xokanato]

I'm not self-insert but I notice it too... sometimes I try difference play styles like pick choices that resonates with me the most out of curiosity to see which route I'll get when the game have too many love interests, and then see if I can get good ends without guide........ well... it's end up badly especially Diabolik Lovers most choices I picked was the 'sadist' choices bcs I can't stand them lol yeah bad ends instead... but there's a rare case too I'm very compatible with Norn9 Natsuhiko for some reason I got every choices right... it's been awhile I don't remember if he's close to a nerd? I'm usually get good end without guide for nerd/laid back characters like Utakata Tsuyukusa /Dairoku Hira... anyway good ends require you to pick the more positive sounds choices it's too predictable so I hope to see more variety... like Over RequiemZ I thinks they did a good job for funny choices at least.

 

[bravelyflee]

Yeah, this is a big part of why I sometimes enjoy the "bad" ends better than the good ones. If they break up or he dies because he could only fall in love with a completely selfless doormat... well... maybe she's better off.

 

[Kasukabe]

In traditional narratives, this is necessary. It's in line with the typical values of the Japanese girl.

 

[Kasukabe]

I understand what you mean. For me, it always depends somewhat on the setting. If it's a typical, cliché otome game, it bothers me less.

But where it definitely bothers me is in stories with a tough or badass heroine. You have a woman who can shoot a guy in the eye with an arrow, and then, for the good or best ending, you have to play her as a softie. I hate that.

Can't agree any more.I hate it too.

 

[Deleted member 258555]

Well it makes sense. Good values= you get good results is narrative 1:1 unless it's a subversion

 

[gsjdc]

Totally agree. No matter whether the MC is supposed to be an ordinary girl, a seasoned warrior, or the heir to a corporation, you still have to pick the most oblivious, passive options to get the good end.It feels like the writing completely ignores the established background.