Continuity

Continuity refers to the consistency of plot, worldbuilding, and logistical details, within and among various routes in the plot of a visual novel. Continuity checking is the process of tracking these details and making revisions.

In linear stories & overall

While continuity checking may be less convoluted in linear stories than nonlinear ones, this does not mean that it is a simple task. Especially for stories with complex worldbuilding and/or character backstory, tracking the necessary details can be time consuming.

Common areas for continuity issues include:

• Proper nouns, and general facts about characters/cities/etc.
• Placement of objects (e.g., does the main character keep their pills on a bedside table? Bureau? Inside a drawer?)
• Any details which were substantively changed during a revision
• Written word/art agreement (Do details shown in the art match with the written story, and vice versa?)

In nonlinear stories

Various branching structures create additional complications for continuity checking. Challenges for continuity checking in nonlinear stories include:

• Maintaining differences across variations, such as in a split and merge structure. If two characters meet in one route but not in another, this must be accounted for in later shared scenes. There must be two different versions of the next shared scene including those characters - one for the case that they have met previously, and one for the case that they haven't.
• Ensuring "time-locked" events occur consistently across routes. If a school festival occurs 3 days after routes diverge, each route must specify that exactly 3 days pass before the festival happens.
• Setting up "dominoes" consistently to prepare for later shared scenes. If a later scene requires that the main character has received a letter, each route that leads up to that scene must mention that the letter has arrived.
• Consistency among references to common routes. This principle is similar to continuity checking for linear stories - each route must accurately reflect what has happened previously, whether those events occurred in the common route or not.

Responsibility in development

Traditionally, the role of continuity checking falls upon the editor, working in conjunction with the writer. However, it is important to ensure that continuity is consistent across visual, auditory, and narrative components of the game. As a result, the producer, creative director, or other project manager may have a role in continuity checking, or may enlist a member of the narrative team to coordinate with other team members for this purpose.