DISCUSSION: Spotlight... Yay or Nay?

Community Episode Fan Community
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Here are some subtopics to get you started!

Have you ever read a spotlight story?

Would you ever read a spotlight story?

Have you or would you ever write a spotlight story?

What are the benefits of spotlight for writers?

What are the benefits of spotlight for readers?

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Yep!

Of course <3

I havenā€™t but maybe one day, I shall :thinking:

Donā€™t need to worry about all that extra directing stuff.

If they want something like Choices, then itā€™s a def enjoyable read.

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Yes.

I wouldnā€™t. Spotlight stories require a lot of narration I believe and I donā€™t think narration is my strong suit.

Probably less directingā€¦ ? :thinking:
I could be wrong lol.

Well if you like platforms like chapters and choices then youā€™ll like spotlight.
I like choices :smirk:

Yay :stuck_out_tongue:

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Yeah, I have.

I wouldnā€™t read a spotlight story if I had the choice.

I would never write a spotlight story.

You can fit more coding if you donā€™t include all the directing I guess.

Honestly, I donā€™t know.

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Has a Spotlight story ever been featured? I think it would be beneficial for Episode to feature a well made spotlight story to show both readers and writers how they should/would/could be used to make an enjoyable story.

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My first everything is a spotlight story.

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  1. I have read four spotlight stories.
  2. I donā€™t know if Iā€™d go out of my way to search for a spotlight story but if one was recommended Iā€™d read it.
  3. I havenā€™t tried, but I donā€™t think Iā€™d enjoy it. Iā€™ve used spotlight only for particular scenes like where it would be awkward if there was a person standing at screen center. (Like a shop where you buy in-game points and such).
  4. For writers, I like how there is a focus for narration. I recently read this spotlight story and likeā€¦ every word was amazing >.< talk about goals
  5. I imagine some readers might like to not have all the fancy overlays, background stuff, etc and want a stronger narration.
  1. There was a spotlight shelf prob a lil over a year now. I think once since then a spotlight story has been featured.
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Have you ever read a spotlight story? I have. In fact, there are so few of them available I have probably read the majority of existing spotlight stories.

Would you ever read a spotlight story? Yes. The first time I read a spotlight story I was a bit taken aback because I was unfamiliar with the style, but I quickly got used to it. It really doesnā€™t bother me.

Have you or would you ever write a spotlight story? Yes. My very first story on the app, Osaka Across Time, is written in spotlight. That said, Iā€™m not sure if Iā€™d write any future SL stories. I enjoy writing in spotlight more than cinematic, but fewer people will read spotlight, unfortunately.

What are the benefits of spotlight for writers? Iā€™m a descriptive writer, having started out writing novels and short stories before using Episode. SL really suits my style more naturally. It feels almost like a visual novel and encourages me to be extra thoughtful about prose and character interior. I also just find it less tedious than writing in cinematic

What are the benefits of spotlight for readers? Iā€™m not sure, but I do think giving spotlight stories a chance will encourage people to be more open to different styles of stories. I wish it were more popular.

To answer your later question, Episode featured the spotlight version of The Triangle on the disability shelf, but I canā€™t think of any other times outside the spotlight contest that this has happened. One of the more widely read Adventurous entries, SOUND, is in SL, so maybe that will change. I donā€™t think thereā€™s ever been a SL contest winner in a non-SL focused contest. Thereā€™s a pretty strong general distaste for it among readers, and if you look at the fanmail for SL stories with high read counts, 50%+ of the messages are people complaining about the style or asking the author to change it.

The first few chapters of MFE were mostly in spotlight, but it later switches to almost entirely cinematic. Not sure what the point of that was, but that storyā€™s weird in a lot of ways. :sweat_smile:

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  1. No, but Iā€™ve read interactive stories on other apps with the same style and it was annoying
  2. Neverrr everrr
  3. No thanks :joy:
  4. Not as much directing, however this makes it a lot more boring
  5. there are none. Donā€™t @ me :joy:
    If you canā€™t tell, I highly dislike spotlight

I apologise if this offended anyone/came off as rude, I just am very passionate about things I like/dislike. It wasnā€™t intended to be rude! :heart::joy:

Also, I am not hating on spotlight authors in any way. I think they are very talented if they can make a good story without actions, just dialogue. Itā€™s just a matter of not liking the style of it :heart:

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Have you ever read a spotlight story?
Yeah, I have.

Would you ever read a spotlight story?
Yes.

Have you or would you ever write a spotlight story?
Nah.

What are the benefits of spotlight for writers?
Easier directing.

What are the benefits of spotlight for readers?
They can use their imagination more.

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Iā€™m a spotlight author, and I appreciate your honesty. I didnā€™t find your answers rude! :slightly_smiling_face:

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Not rudeā€¦ Honesty is the highest form of respect. :slight_smile:

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Iā€™m glad it didnā€™t offend youā€¦ :+1: and I appreciate the style you write in, itā€™s just not my cup of tea :joy: :coffee:

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Iā€™m glad, because I donā€™t like being rude so I was hoping nobody thought I was :joy::two_hearts:

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Yes.

Yes.

Yes and yes.

Directing takes up less time, you donā€™t have to worry about background characters or making your characters wear shoes either lol

Not getting distracted by unnecessary background characters, so can focus more on the plot

There was a contest that had to be written in spotlight, so technically there was a shelf with only spotlight stories. Other than that, Telvoikai was featured recently and The Love Scam was featured sometime last year

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Have you ever read a spotlight story?
Yes. I actually think I read every contest entry, but Iā€™ve read some stories outside of that as well.

Would you ever read a spotlight story?
Yes

Have you or would you ever write a spotlight story?
I have one but I will likely never write in that style again (on Episode).

What are the benefits of spotlight for writers?
Itā€™s easier- you donā€™t need to focus on directing so itā€™s much faster to publish episodes.

Has a spotlight story ever been featured?
Apart from the spotlight shelf (which had six winners), there have been a few such as The Triangle, The Emperorā€™s Bodyguard, Telvoikai, The Love Scamā€¦ maybe others?

Literally none of my characters in my spotlight story had shoes :new_moon_with_face:

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HA! None of my characters have shoes either.

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Seeā€¦ I love chapters (choicesā€¦meh) and I think Iā€™ve just grown found of detailed narrationā€¦(I can use my imagination a bit more) the problem with chapters, though, is the library is so limitedā€¦ It would be awesome if more people would create more spotlight stories, but I understand that its not very popular, so it would deter people from writing it :frowning:

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Late to the party but just found this thread :slight_smile:

Have you ever read a spotlight story?
Yes, quite a few. Some of my favorite stories are in this format.
Would you ever read a spotlight story?
Yes, as I enjoy the style.
Have you or would you ever write a spotlight story?
Have, and I often use spotlight in snippets of Vogvhathos. (reason below)
What are the benefits of spotlight for writers?
Narrative and creative freedom without worrying in the back of your mind ā€œhow can I do this with animationsā€¦?ā€. It also allows focus on other things (fancier art, overlays, branchingā€¦) and it helps with scenes that would just take way too long to animate. (Example from Vogvhathos: I switch to spotlight temporarily during sword fight and acrobatic scenes that would take hours- or even days- to direct for just a few lines of text otherwise.)
It also is MUCH quicker- a benefit for those of us who are crazy busy ā€˜in real lifeā€™.
What are the benefits of spotlight for readers?
This depends drastically on your personal preferences as a reader. As for myself, I enjoy the creative narratives that are used and how the story is in general much quicker to read. (No waiting for animations for people with a very busy life.)
It is no secret that most people prefer cinematic, but spotlight definitely has its own appeal.

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Have you ever read a spotlight story?

Iā€™ve read a few.

Would you ever read a spotlight story?

Definitely.

Have you or would you ever write a spotlight story?

I havenā€™t published any stories as of yet, but I do think itā€™s something Iā€™ll definitely do in the future.

What are the benefits of spotlight for writers?

You get to focus a lot more on diction and narration. Itā€™s more traditional in writing compared to how we write in cinematic style. Directing can also be easier in a way.

What are the benefits of spotlight for readers?

It can be a refreshing experience if youā€™re used to reading cinematic styled stories, itā€™s more intimate in the sense that you can connect to characters/plot better, without focusing on the background noise.

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