Thank you for playing YOU and ME and HER - I mean, YOU and HER: A Love Story all the way to the end. I'm Akkyun, in charge of scene presentation (special effects).

As we had more time than usual for scenario construction, I took the opportunity to make sure we got as many "first impressions" as we could. As soon as we had a basic build (with no screen effects, special transitions, or anything), I rounded up a free staff member and asked them to play it to the end. We discussed what worked and what didn't, made changes, then passed it to the next playtester, and so on. Along the way, we added a lot of scenes that we were fairly certain no one would ever see, given the conditions required to access them. We wanted the "life with Miyuki" part to be as responsive to the player as possible.

Of course, we couldn't leave the build without effects for long. My previous game, Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas, was a flashy action spectacle, but this time, we went with a softer, richer texture. The flashy stuff, we saved for a few select scenes. Considering the games we usually make, it should come as no surprise that I had to remind my team more than once to keep things clean and simple. "Don't worry!" I said. "This time, less is more!" Fond memories.

We paid close attention to the way character stills were displayed on the screen, such as waiting for their friendship to progress before displaying both girls together, or always having Miyuki on the right and Aoi on the left, all the way to the final choice.

What else did we do differently this time? Let's see...

Oh, I know! We didn't use a visual "rain" effect in scenes where it was raining. The rule was to keep movement on the screen to a minimum, which is pretty unusual for a modern Nitro game.

Also, we paid special attention to how the characters were colored, preparing variations for different environments based on the lighting and time of day. Other developers do this for their games as a matter of course, but Nitro tends not to. I want to thank the coloring staff for going to the trouble. You might also have noticed that twilight doesn't really change how the characters are colored. This is intentional, meant to show that twilight, the "witching hour", doesn't affect them.

Another thing we did differently are the sound effects. We played with the left/right volume to give them a sense of direction. It's especially noticable if you wear headphones and listen to the footsteps and doors.

Now, the point I'm trying to make here is this: all of this work, we did so that the final choice would be a hard one. Of course, we hope that our customers will finish the game they've purchased; however, I personally feel that quitting the game because you can't make that choice, or electing to enjoy your time with Miyuki forever, are both equally valid endings.

If you're reading this, I expect that you've made a choice and reached an ending. I can't help but wonder what this game was to you. Just another bishoujo game like all the rest? Or a game like none other, a game all your own? I hope that many of you feel it was the latter.

Special Effects:　Akkyun (June 2013)