Textbox

A textbox (or text box) is the region on the screen where dialogue is displayed.

Formats

ADV

ADV (Adventure Format) is a format in VNs where the sprites are mostly unobstructed by the textbox, and the textbox occupies some portion of the lower third of the screen. This is by far the most common format.

Some titles use a floating textbox where the textbox moves around the screen, usually to mimic a comic book or manga style.

• Examples of ADV ^[VNDB]
• Examples of floating textboxes ^[VNDB]

NVL

NVL (Novel Format) is a format in VNs where the textbox covers the sprites or the majority of the screen. This is generally used for narrative-heavy VNs or monologues.

• Examples of NVL ^[VNDB]

Epistolary storytelling

Epistolary writing conveys a story through a series of letters or documents. This can include letters, diary pages, newspaper clippings, text messages, emails, or blog posts.

• Examples of Epistolary Storytelling ^[VNDB]

Features

The only requirement of a textbox is that it contains text for the user to read. However, a variety of features may be optionally included to help the reader follow the flow of the conversation more easily or to perform useful actions.

Name tag

A name tag (or name plate) is an area where the speaking character’s name is displayed.

Side image

A side image (or side portrait) is a character picture that is displayed on the textbox. They are usually head-only or busts.

Click-to-continue indicator

A click to continue (CTC) indicator conveys to the reader that there is no more text to read, and the reader should click to continue to the next line of dialogue.

Action buttons

These buttons allow the user to perform actions such as:

• Skip text
• Auto mode
• Hide textbox so only the sprites and background are visible

Menu Buttons

These allow the reader to access menus like load, save, and settings.