Hello there,
I’m planning to enter the R&R contest, though I’ve some previous writing experience, dealing with advanced choices is my very first time. So, I’ve a few questions on my mind-
Tappable story menu vs manual story menu - while entering a writer’s contest does the tappable one adds more value?
While using point system for remembering outfit choices, well, common sense says the points should be increasing and we’ve to use a different level every time, but I just wanted to be sure because I haven’t found any clear guidance for it!
What’s the ideal length of each chapter while entering a writer’s contest?
What are considered as visual effects?
I’ll be really thankful if someone can answer these questions.
For contests, I think the key is not making it as complicated as possible, but as clean as possible. You can have glitchy advanced directing and an overly-complex and hard to follow episode length or story, and it won’t help at all. Just write it as you would a normal story.
(And line count will vary depending on number of branches but I’d say that around a 10 to 15 minute read is good).
@tashi_tasnim I second Nat.Alia, the key is seamlessness. If you aren’t comfortable with using advanced directing like tappables, don’t use it on a contest. Instead practice it and use it on a different story or contest entry. I think the major focus should be on the story dialogue/animations themselves first- in example, pay attention to adding &CHARACTER starts idle_animation after their dialogue.
ex:
CHARACTER (talk_blah_blah)
I like bananas.
They are good for you!
If you don’t add &CHARACTER starts idle_animation, your character will freeze in some odd positions and distract readers like me from the story itself.
I can suggest watching Youtube tutorials by Joseph Evans. He does step-by-step walk throughs on how to code them, what they should look like and exactly how to do things in the portal.
A good length is no more than 20 minutes max- About 400 lines of dialogue (it sounds like a lot, but it really really isn’t). Using overlays is great, and if you can use the advanced directing for them well - use it but don’t overdo them to the point of being distracting.
I am not an expert at visual effects, so apologies for inaccurate information.
Visual effects is the process by which imagery is created or manipulated outside the context of a live action shot in filmmaking and video production. To sum this up, you could say that it’s used to make the story look sort of like a realistic environment?
To be honest, both are just as good! Whichever one you are more comfortable working with, you can do. Tappable is more advanced than the manual menu, so if you’re used to working with advanced coding; tappable would work nicely.
There’s no required length for story entries, but I think that 10-15 min is a good average of most entries I have read in past contests.
In a way probably yes - the evaluate also advanced directing and tappable menu is definitely advanced - but if your story is overall advanced than it should not play role if you have normal or tappable menu - its not so important - I mean you can win having no menu at all.
Points are not usually used for remembering outfits (unless its some more complicated visual one where you need them to create the minigame itself)- point are more suitable for things where gaining of point make some sense - like gaining friendship points with characters or love points atc… for outfits is usually more suitable to use gains or named choice.
The overall ideal length is 10-15 minutes of reading time - I would go for the same for the contest too - than is what most readers want
Usually some overlay animation. From looping background to things like whole moving gifs atc… simply adding more than just the character animations.
Also it might be using of zooms to create efect - like shaking but I will more see it in the overlay animation way.
For example in my story I have overlay that simulates walking in dark with flashlight - you see only the part of the background where the flashllight is and it moves over the scene - that is also visual efect.
