Flash today?

Opdigtet

Newbie
Apr 23, 2019
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I know, Flash is dead, but I have a background in it and still think is is probably the best 2.5D animation tool out there.

So, my question is this. I'm thinking of throwing my hat into the ring and need to know how Ren'py and RPGM handle it and if there are any good examples? Specifically loading .swf files.

I know it's a lot more complicated then I'm making it seem.

If this is viable I may think about putting together a flash animation package tool for creators but thats a LONG way off, just a thought experiment atm.

Thanks for any input,

Cheers

edited: Minor spelling errors
 

anne O'nymous

I'm not grumpy, I'm just coded that way.
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Flash AS3 can parse renpy scripts
, it's a "very basic renpy player" that can "only extract dialogues and recognizes some commands" and obviously can't deal at all with all that is Python ; whatever inline inclusion, block of code, or pure code. Plus, the said "player" was released in early 2011 and never updated since. Therefore, Ren'Py have had 76 public releases since this, with so many changes that, despite the backward compatibility, there's almost nothing in common between Ren'py at this time and nowadays.

But anyway, OP asked it Ren'py (and RPGM) can play .SWF files, while you answered to the opposite. And the answer is "No, Ren'py can't play .SWF files".
 

Opdigtet

Newbie
Apr 23, 2019
29
33
, it's a "very basic renpy player" that can "only extract dialogues and recognizes some commands" and obviously can't deal at all with all that is Python ; whatever inline inclusion, block of code, or pure code. Plus, the said "player" was released in early 2011 and never updated since. Therefore, Ren'Py have had 76 public releases since this, with so many changes that, despite the backward compatibility, there's almost nothing in common between Ren'py at this time and nowadays.

But anyway, OP asked it Ren'py (and RPGM) can play .SWF files, while you answered to the opposite. And the answer is "No, Ren'py can't play .SWF files".
Thanks AON, this is what I needed to know.
 

Zippity

Well-Known Member
Respected User
Nov 16, 2017
1,393
2,674
I know, Flash is dead, but I have a background in it and still think is is probably the best 2.5D animation tool out there.

So, my question is this. I'm thinking of throwing my hat into the ring and need to know how Ren'py and RPGM handle it and if there are any good examples? Specifically loading .swf files.

I know it's a lot more complicated then I'm making it seem.

If this is viable I may think about putting together a flash animation package tool for creators but thats a LONG way off, just a thought experiment atm.

Thanks for any input,

Cheers

edited: Minor spelling errors
If you are adept at Flash creations, why not just keep making it in Flash?

Ren'py just tends to be preferred due to the basics it already incorporates into projects as a default... Which then makes development a bit easier on some fronts, thereby being a more attractive Engine to many developers... Especially when making Visual Novel focused projects... Every engine has it's ups and downs... Only reason you don't see Flash used as much is because of it's learning curve and somewhat expensive initial investment... The good Flash Development platforms are not cheap unless you're a student... And because it's not necessarily easy to learn when compared to engines like Ren'py, the draw isn't there many of the times... Especially for new developer just getting their feet wet... Flash is a more flexible utility meant for all sorts of design, where as Ren'py is a more focused engine meant for primarily visual novel design... You don't have to code much to setup stuff like skips and backups and a save/load system with Ren'py, where as it would probably be a lot more involved to set that sort of stuff up in Flash (depending on the utility used)...

RPG Maker falls into a similar category as Ren'py, mostly because it is designed for making simple game play mechanics and role player game style story telling and character interaction... So it removes a bunch of coding requirements, but it is still meant for a particular style of play... It was not really meant to be used for Visual Novel design, but is modifiable enough to seem like it is... But really it's claim to fame is the simple old style RPG game design... And although it has a following, it's also frowned upon by more readers/players then most other engines used to make VN/Games in this market...

So that gives you something to think about when selecting an engine...

Zip
 

polywog

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May 19, 2017
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, it's a "very basic renpy player" that can "only extract dialogues and recognizes some commands" and obviously can't deal at all with all that is Python ; whatever inline inclusion, block of code, or pure code. Plus, the said "player" was released in early 2011 and never updated since. Therefore, Ren'Py have had 76 public releases since this, with so many changes that, despite the backward compatibility, there's almost nothing in common between Ren'py at this time and nowadays.

But anyway, OP asked it Ren'py (and RPGM) can play .SWF files, while you answered to the opposite. And the answer is "No, Ren'py can't play .SWF files".
According to it's author? YOU ARE A FUCKING LIAR.
That link you posted is not the author of AS3

My point was the same as @Zippity just keep using Flash. Flash can do far more than renpy. You confirmed this yourself the answer is "No, Ren'py can't play .SWF files".

Ten years from now the most popular games on iPad will still be Flash games.
 
Last edited:

anne O'nymous

I'm not grumpy, I'm just coded that way.
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According to it's author? YOU ARE A FUCKING LIAR.
That link you posted is not the author of AS3
No, it's the author of the only Ren'py player made with Action Script... which is the only way to parse Ren'py scripts with Flash.


My point was the same as @Zippity just keep using Flash.
Again, no. Your point was explicitly that "Flash AS3 can parse renpy scripts". Which is a whole stupidity ; and probably the reason why you already forgot that you wrote it.
In addition to its ability to understand Python, Ren'py define three proprietaries languages, which tend to the BASIC structure more than anything else. And obviously, BASIC is a language absolutely not related with ECMAScript. There's simply no way to parse Ren'py scripts with an Action Script parser, it wouldn't understand a single line ; not even the comment lines since Ren'py rely on the '#' syntax common to many script/shell languages, instead of the C/C++ syntax like ECMAScript do.
 

polywog

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May 19, 2017
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Just ignore the troll. anne posts frequently saying that she "doesn't understand" likes hearing herself say all the things she can't do. You've used Flash, so you know what it's capable of. Flash can run python, python can run flash. renpy can't run flash
Unity can parse renpy scripts too, but not like flash does. Flash and unity work well together.