Are visual novels classified as comic books?

M.N Thorne

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Nevermind. I went on a forum where they discuss visual novels as medium as I do not have to explain what they are.By the way, can someone close this thread?
 
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Maryn

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Classified by whom and for what purpose?

My local libraries have graphic novels separate from all-words novels. I don't think they have comic books. The local bookstore I visit most--not often enough!--does, though, and graphic novels are separate.

Is your visual novel similar to a graphic novel in the amount of written content versus art?

Maryn, not sure what you mean by the term
 

M.N Thorne

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Nevermind, the question has been answered on forum dedicated to understanding visual novels and dating sims as mediums. By the way, visual novels are not graphic novels nor comic books as I have learned :)

Classified by whom and for what purpose?

My local libraries have graphic novels separate from all-words novels. I don't think they have comic books. The local bookstore I visit most--not often enough!--does, though, and graphic novels are separate.

Is your visual novel similar to a graphic novel in the amount of written content versus art?

Maryn, not sure what you mean by the term
 

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From google
There's a very clear difference between the two. Graphic novels are much longer and tend to be much more complex. While a comic book will tell a story over many issues, graphic novels more often have their storylines wrapped up in only one or two books.
Take The Crow. James O'Barr told and illustrated the story over a series of short books we call comics, but later combined the stories into one long book, which is called a graphic novel.
 
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lizmonster

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From google Take The Crow. James O'Barr told and illustrated the story over a series of comics, but later combined the stories in one long book, which he called a graphic novel.

Oh, I know the difference between a comic book and a graphic novel. I wanted to know what a visual novel was, but alas I'm apparently doomed by being on a forum requiring an explanation before discussion.
 

M.N Thorne

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Seriously, this thread was not created to discuss what visual novels nor dating sims are. This thread was created to answer my question about visual novels as an medium and no one knew the answer. Afterwards, I found a great community where people understood those mediums and told me an proper answer. That is all I say on this matter to you.

Oh, I know the difference between a comic book and a graphic novel. I wanted to know what a visual novel was, but alas I'm apparently doomed by being on a forum requiring an explanation before discussion.
 

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Seriously, this thread was not created to discuss what visual novels nor dating sims are. This thread was created to answer my question about visual novels as an medium and no one knew the answer. Afterwards, I found a great community where people understood those mediums and told me an proper answer. That is all I say on this matter to you.

I think you should endeavor to cultivate a more courteous approach to fellow members.
 
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Visual novels are really a kind of multimedia; closer to games than books. They're digital (think software) and they grew out of Japanese gaming cultures, according to things like this TV Tropes piece.

As someone with a background in multimedia, I'd point to early 1990s CD-ROMs, including games like Rand and Ron Miller's Myst.

A separate part of the visual novel family tree grows out of sim games; think Sim Life characters placed into a more robust narrative structure.
 

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Interesting. I wonder, why call them "visual novels?" Why not, "interactive films?" Seems like the line between the two mediums has gotten very blurry, with these.
 

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Interesting. I wonder, why call them "visual novels?" Why not, "interactive films?" Seems like the line between the two mediums has gotten very blurry, with these.

Most visual novels are primarily static images, and most text isn't voiced. So you have the visual...and you're also reading.

Terms like "interactive films" have been used for things like Dear Esther and Gone Home. Myst falls more into the genre of adventure game, akin to the Monkey Island and King's Quest series but in a first-person perspective, though visual novels sometimes contain adventure-game elements like puzzles and item collection.
 

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Most visual novels are primarily static images, and most text isn't voiced. So you have the visual...and you're also reading.

I see, thanks.

Terms like "interactive films" have been used for things like Dear Esther and Gone Home. Myst falls more into the genre of adventure game, akin to the Monkey Island and King's Quest series but in a first-person perspective, though visual novels sometimes contain adventure-game elements like puzzles and item collection.

It does feel to me like there's some convergence to happen in the (probably near) future? Will be interesting to watch how it unrolls.
 

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Visual novels are really a kind of multimedia; closer to games than books. They're digital (think software) and they grew out of Japanese gaming cultures, according to things like this TV Tropes piece.

As someone with a background in multimedia, I'd point to early 1990s CD-ROMs, including games like Rand and Ron Miller's Myst.

A separate part of the visual novel family tree grows out of sim games; think Sim Life characters placed into a more robust narrative structure.
THANK YOU. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what the difference was between a visual novel and a graphic novel.

I used to do tech support for a company that produced these back in the 90s. They didn't call them "visual novels" back then. I think they were labeled interactive adventures or something. They were kind of like the old Choose Your Own Adventure books--some interaction allowed, but very simple branching programming behind them.
 

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Ah, so that's different from the old comics that were photographs with word balloons attached to them. Those are fumetti or photo-comics - very popular in Italy.



Isn't it weird how much this conversation has taken off and the OP is actually missing out on it. Guess it pays to have a bit of patience and courtesy. :evil
 
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lizmonster

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THANK YOU. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what the difference was between a visual novel and a graphic novel.

I used to do tech support for a company that produced these back in the 90s. They didn't call them "visual novels" back then. I think they were labeled interactive adventures or something. They were kind of like the old Choose Your Own Adventure books--some interaction allowed, but very simple branching programming behind them.

I'm wondering if this is akin to certain types of video games. I'm thinking of GONE HOME, which does have puzzles, but there's no way to "lose" and you're guided through the reveal of a (quite lovely) story.

It's a cool idea. Hard to market well, though, until some terms get clearer definitions.