Somewhat disappointed
I honestly am confused as to what the big deal over KS2 is. Surely, they did not have permission from 4LS to make a "sequel" of sorts. But this certainly is not the first VN to be inspired by Katawa Shoujo. I mean, there's Love Despite, which has something of the same premise.
I don't think 4LS went about this the correct way. A full-blown discussion rather than a Twitter-lashing would have worked out so much better. I really think 4LS screwed up, here. Sure, Music Box Studios could have gotten permission from 4LS, but it's not like there was some nefarious plan to steal their fanbase. Hell, Love Despite is somewhat dependent of the fanbase KS built.
Should Music Box have used KS2 as a placeholder? Not really. No. They didn't have permission to. Should they have advertised as a sequel? That's up for debate. (Personally, I think the idea of building a rapport with KS fans to get behind the project so 4LS would HAVE to make some statement or another was a decent idea. If impressed, maybe 4LS would have given them their blessing.) In hindsight, it was a tad unlikely, but the idea was nice. Hoarding the IP when there are no plans to do anything with it is kinda sketchy, though. Especially since nothing is done about the various fan-fictions out there.(I honestly cannot see the difference between a KS2 and an extended fanfiction. You take a universe that you like, and you add to it to make it your own.)
I certainly hope the project is finished, regardless, but this blowup makes that unlikely. (Rather, in the same form as expected. There will be a great many changes.) And that's disappointing. A lack of communications on both sides caused the detonation of what, to me, could have become a great story. But that's just my lame opinion. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm just some idealistic moron. I wouldn't deny that. (Making a VN is HARD, by the way. Even using preset sprites and freebies, it took me almost a year to finish the first act of one I was working on. Then the file died and can't be opened. I don't think I'll be starting that over...) But the fact that someone is willing to start from scratch to expand on a universe should be universally respected. They liked a particular scenario enough to go through that labor of love. Whether I agree or not, what's done is done. I hope the project is finished as a VN. I really do. I wish Music Box Studios the best.
It's kinda jacked up that it came to this. This really isn't the direction in which such an ambitious project should have gone.
