Unity Ren'Py Unreal Engine Daz Illusion character Software choice

[Scalextric]

Hey, so i am delving into gave dev and i have an idea in mind but i am stuck on what software i should work with for the characters. I am trying to create a hybrid type game between an VN and a rpg mechanics and real time combat. I know there is DAz3d, HS2/HSunltimate, koikatsu and now ILLgames version of honey come and SamabakeScramble.

Any opinions in what road i should head in for characters? I am planing to use unity or unreal for the engine and try to get renpy to work with them for the visual novel elements.

 

[osanaiko]

As far an i understand, there's basically no way on this green earth to get unity/unreal and renpy to work in the same executable.

If you want realtime combat 3d sections together with "vn" parts, best bet would be to combine unity custom app 3d functionality with one of the existing unity VN plugins (or maybe something similar for unreal but I know less about that).

It's possible to export Daz figure models and use them in unity etc (with a LOT of hassles). You must however purchase a more expensive license for this - and unlike the regular VN world where it is hard to prove if the dev owns a license or not, apparently Daz is quite active in pursuing 3d model piracy for realtime 3d games.

From what i've read, it's very difficult to export the 3d models from the Illiusion games. you'd have more success buying figures from other online sources.

Disclaimer: I may not know any fucking thing about which I am talking.

 

[caLTD]

Desing and create (or buy template) an Unreal engine RPG game,
then find / build a dialogue system (first person adventure toolkit for unreal for example) inject its dialogue system to into your (or purhcased template) RPG game

then using with DazToHoudini workflow (premium 120 usd) to export your daz characters into your unreal game.

Create dialogues (vn) for your game with your daz characters.

Then realize, creating an 3d dynamic rpg game requires tons of assets and level design.

GTA VI takes more than 10 years, because creating complex 3d environments takes too much time.

Good luck...

 

[Scalextric]

As far an i understand, there's basically no way on this green earth to get unity/unreal and renpy to work in the same executable.

If you want realtime combat 3d sections together with "vn" parts, best bet would be to combine unity custom app 3d functionality with one of the existing unity VN plugins (or maybe something similar for unreal but I know less about that).

It's possible to export Daz figure models and use them in unity etc (with a LOT of hassles). You must however purchase a more expensive license for this - and unlike the regular VN world where it is hard to prove if the dev owns a license or not, apparently Daz is quite active in pursuing 3d model piracy for realtime 3d games.

From what i've read, it's very difficult to export the 3d models from the Illiusion games. you'd have more success buying figures from other online sources.

Disclaimer: I may not know any fucking thing about which I am talking.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[Scalextric]

Desing and create (or buy template) an Unreal engine RPG game,
then find / build a dialogue system (first person adventure toolkit for unreal for example) inject its dialogue system to into your (or purhcased template) RPG game

then using with DazToHoudini workflow (premium 120 usd) to export your daz characters into your unreal game.

Create dialogues (vn) for your game with your daz characters.

Then realize, creating an 3d dynamic rpg game requires tons of assets and level design.

GTA VI takes more than 10 years, because creating complex 3d environments takes too much time.

Good luck...

Thanks for the advice

 

[anne O'nymous]

As far an i understand, there's basically no way on this green earth to get unity/unreal and renpy to work in the same executable.

Well, strictly saying, it should be possible.
but it would need to embed the Python interpreter into Unreal/Unity, and to tweak the PyGame lib used by Ren'Py for it to not rely on the OS API for everything screen related, but to an API directly inside the game, that would then get the screen data and be able to display them. Then, through a thread lock, a lib shared flag, or something whatever mechanism of your liking, you can add two custom instructions to Ren'Py. One that make it wait until it get the priority, and one that warn the host (Unreal/Unity) that he's done and wait to get back the priority.

So, doable, but when you've the knowledge to do this, you've also more than the knowledge needed to do a VN framework for Unreal or Unity that would mimic Ren'Py behavior.

GTA VI takes more than 10 years, [...]

... to few hundreds peoples who are working full time doing what they are trained to do.

 

[Mispeled]

Be careful not to have too large of a scope on what you are trying to create. Better a smaller finished project than a never finished bigger one.

If you are deadset on having real time combat, then Renpy ain't it.
Renpy itself is an engine, just very very specific in what it can and cannot do.

So either go with Unity or Unreal.
Unreal has the benefit that you can know nothing about coding and just learn their blueprint system and you can make things work.
Unity has the benefit of being better for smaller games because it doesn't have those millions of different systems meant for higher fidelity and optimization.

If going that route however, you'll need to find plugins to do your visual novel stuff for you because if you build it all yourself, you'll never finish your game.

In the end, it all depends on your experience, but if you are new to game Dev, my recommendation is: don't do both real time combat and visual novel. Do one or the other.

 

[Disturbium]

From what i've read, it's very difficult to export the 3d models from the Illiusion games. you'd have more success buying figures from other online sources.

Getting meshes out of illusion games is a head scratcher at first but gets easier once you understand it. The Difficulty is the rig doesn't play very nice with humanoid rigs, so it will need retargeting.

HS2 Examples to unity



Koikatsu Example to Unity

 

[osanaiko]

Getting meshes out of illusion games is a head scratcher at first but gets easier once you understand it. The Difficulty is the rig doesn't play very nice with humanoid rigs, so it will need retargeting.

Well that is new information to me. Well done. Could you write up a guide? I'm sure some developers would be very grateful.

 

[Disturbium]

I have no issues sharing project files and explaining one to one, I have done this a few times. But I have never written up a guide before, my ability to articulate my words on paper is awful. I can give it a go, but I'm all zeroes and ones.

 

[Scalextric]

Getting meshes out of illusion games is a head scratcher at first but gets easier once you understand it. The Difficulty is the rig doesn't play very nice with humanoid rigs, so it will need retargeting.

HS2 Examples to unity

View attachment 4930643 View attachment 4930695 View attachment 4930632 View attachment 4930694

Koikatsu Example to Unity

View attachment 4930639

This is amazing, thank you. Is there a way to write a guide on how to do it

 

[Disturbium]

This is amazing, thank you. Is there a way to write a guide on how to do it

I'm not a great writer so I don't know if I can write a guide. But I'm happy to help anyone who wants to learn.

For me the things you must have to getting started are...

HS2 / KOI from Screw This Noise.

Inside HS2 optional mods folder is [Grey] MeshExporter v0.1.5.5, make sure to copy the contents into your Main HS2 Folder


In studio you should be able to export your characters as FBX with grey mesh exporter





This extract all meshes and textures in to your export folder. From there you can add it to unity.
You will manually need to create materials and shaders, or buy shaders. There is quite a few other things you need to get around...

Overlayed textures like nipples, pubic hair, eyebrows, facial etc are not part of the main texture.

The occulusion map needs to be swizzled or color mapped.

The Main texture always comes out dark because the HS2 applies to skin color to the actual texture, it is better to extract out all the maps with a ripper like Unity Asset Ripper.

How you decide to style your characters is up to you

Cartoony, which I just created in 30 minutes.


Or realistic, both images below are in unity using high fidelity shaders that I made a while ago.

 

[Scalextric]

I'm not a great writer so I don't know if I can write a guide. But I'm happy to help anyone who wants to learn.

For me the things you must have to getting started are...

HS2 / KOI from Screw This Noise.

Inside HS2 optional mods folder is [Grey] MeshExporter v0.1.5.5, make sure to copy the contents into your Main HS2 Folder
View attachment 4933493

In studio you should be able to export your characters as FBX with grey mesh exporter

View attachment 4933507

View attachment 4933508

This extract all meshes and textures in to your export folder. From there you can add it to unity.
You will manually need to create materials and shaders, or buy shaders. There is quite a few other things you need to get around...

Overlayed textures like nipples, pubic hair, eyebrows, facial etc are not part of the main texture.

The occulusion map needs to be swizzled or color mapped.

The Main texture always comes out dark because the HS2 applies to skin color to the actual texture, it is better to extract out all the maps with a ripper like Unity Asset Ripper.

How you decide to style your characters is up to you

Cartoony, which I just created in 30 minutes.
View attachment 4933621

Or realistic, both images below are in unity using high fidelity shaders that I made a while ago.

View attachment 4933569 View attachment 4933585

Thank you