History MediaNotes / RenPy

* '''Scenes''' are backdrops against which character interaction takes place. These include both generic backgrounds and unique "CGI events". Like character sprites, scenes come with several predefined transition animations.

The core of a Ren'Py game is its script, wherein the developer defines the order in which the player sees lines of text, images, and sound snippets. Most lines of this "code" correspond to a single line of spoken dialogue or exposition, so its structure is much more akin to a movie script than to actual program code. Apart from the main bulk of text, the game script also defines following common objects:

The '''[[http://www.renpy.org/ Ren'Py]] Visual Novel Engine''' is a free GameMaker software geared specifically towards developing {{Visual Novel}}s, but flexible enough to accommodate games in any narrative-heavy genre. First released to public in 2004, Ren'Py has been in continuous development ever since and is currently in version 6.99, available for UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows, {{Linux}}, and UsefulNotes/MacOS (it is also possible to make games for {{Android|Games}} and {{iOS|Games}}, but Ren'Py itself doesn't run in them). It has since been used to power over 800 original games by both hobbyists and professional developers. The title is a {{portmanteau}} of "[[RenaiGame ren'ai]]" and "UsefulNotes/{{Python}}"--the programming language it was implemented in.

The core of a Ren'Py game is its script, where the developer defines the order in which the player sees lines of text, images, and sound snippets. Most lines of this "code" correspond to a single line of spoken dialogue or exposition, so its structure is much more akin to a movie script than to actual program code. Apart from the main bulk of text, the game script also defines following common objects:

* '''Menus''' are the basic unit of interactivity in the game, facilitating StoryBranching where the player selects a DialogueTree response or an action from a predefined list of options and the game reacts to their choice (usually by jumping to a different label).

The core of Ren'Py development is the script editor, where the game developer defines the order in which lines of text, images, and sound snippets are presented to the player. Most lines of this "code" correspond to a single line of spoken dialogue or exposition, so it looks much more similar to a game or movie script than to program code. Apart from this main bulk of text, the script also defines following common objects:

* '''Characters''' represent the DramatisPersonae of the game. A character consists of their name, a {{color|CodedForYourConvenience}} (e.g. how their name is displayed in the dialogue window), and a number of sprites showing them in different emotional states. Said sprites can be dynamically assigned different screen positions and transition animations.

Beyond these common features, game developers can use Python syntax natively in the game script to extend it with arbitrarily complex game systems, such as {{Stats}} and {{Skill Score}}s for [[RolePlayingGame Role-Playing]] and {{Simulation Game}}s. Most commonly, Python support is used to implement simple if-then-else structures that dynamically branch the narration based on which {{Event Flag}}s the player set earlier.

Beyond these common features, game developers can use Python syntax natively in the game script to extend it with arbitrarily complex game systems, such as {{Stats}} and {{Skill Score}}s in [[RolePlayingGame Role-Playing]] and {{Simulation Game}}s. Most commonly, Python support is used to implement if-then-else structures that dynamically branch the narration based on which {{Event Flag}}s the player set earlier.

* '''Menus''' are the basic unit of interactivity in the game, facilitating StoryBranching where the player selects a response or action from a predefined list of options and the game reacts to their choice (usually by jumping to a different label).

* '''Music'' and '''sounds''' can be played over specific scenes and events. It is even possible to implement fully-voiced dialogue.

The '''[[http://www.renpy.org/ Ren'Py]] Visual Novel Engine''' is a free GameMaker software geared specifically towards developing {{Visual Novel}}s, but flexible enough to accommodate games in any narrative-heavy genre. First released to public in 2004, Ren'Py has been in continuous development ever since and is currently in version 6.99, available for UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows, {{Linux}}, and UsefulNotes/MacOS (it is also possible to develop games for {{Android|Games}} and {{iOS|Games}}, but Ren'Py itself doesn't run in them). It has since been used to power over 800 original games by both hobbyists and professional developers. The title is a {{portmanteau}} of "[[RenaiGame ren'ai]]" and "UsefulNotes/{{Python}}"--the programming language it was implemented in.

The '''[[http://www.renpy.org/ Ren'Py]] Visual Novel Engine''' is a free GameMaker software geared specifically towards developing {{Visual Novel}}s, but flexible enough to accommodate games in any narrative-heavy genre (with sufficient knowledge of UsefulNotes/{{Python}}).

* VisualNovel/DateWarp

* VisualNovel/FadingHearts

* VisualNovel/{{Jisei}}

* MagicalDiary

* [[VisualNovel/{{Planets}} (P)lanets]]

* VisualNovel/REAlistair

* VisualNovel/TheRoyalTrap

* ''VisualNovel/{{Roommates}}''

* ''VisualNovel/AlwaysRememberMe''

The '''[[http://www.renpy.org/ Ren'Py]] Visual Novel Engine''' is a free GameMaker software geared specifically towards developing {{Visual Novel}}s, but flexible enough to accommodate games in any narrative-heavy genre (with sufficient Python knowledge).

The '''[[http://www.renpy.org/ Ren'Py]] Visual Novel Engine'' is a free GameMaker geared specifically towards developing {{Visual Novel}}s, but flexible enough to accommodate games in any narrative-heavy genre (with sufficient Python knowledge).