Game engines

[Deleted member 167032]

Hi all

So i'm creating or compiling my VN using Tyranobuilder. It's easy tool to use not much scripting.
My game does not involve any stats or information gathering from the user. There are alternative routes or branches in the game but it all goes back to the original story. It's going to be a linear (hopefully) interesting story to play.

Now which is best to use looking at customizing the menu/ adding scenes/effect in game etc..
Ren'Py, Tyranobuilder, Unity etc... ?

Thank you

 

[Kh07]

Every Engine has its strengths and weaknesses.
For me, RenPy is the best for VNs. It allows many customizations via python programming.
Unity is a versatile and easily accessible engine for people are highly affinity with visual programming approach. But it tends to be heavier (bad optimization) for users.
I don't know very well "TyranoBuilder".

 

[9thCrux]

For simple (and not so simple) visual novels the best option is Ren'Py, there is a learning curve but is worth the effort.

 

[DarthSeduction]

Hi all

So i'm creating or compiling my VN using Tyranobuilder. It's easy tool to use not much scripting.
My game does not involve any stats or information gathering from the user. There are alternative routes or branches in the game but it all goes back to the original story. It's going to be a linear (hopefully) interesting story to play.

Now which is best to use looking at customizing the menu/ adding scenes/effect in game etc..
Ren'Py, Tyranobuilder, Unity etc... ?

Thank you

Stats... elaborate please, because the variable stats I build into my ren'py game are the source of my branches... without them how is your game not a kinetic Novel? Do you only use binary flags?

 

[Alexander Krisnov]

In my opinion renpny is the best course of action lf Ur gonna make a VN as most have said already. Although u can make VN games in unity it's very messy and tends to be a burden if U don't know what Ur doing.... Also learn if u already haven't python cause at the end Ur gonna need to code some aspects of the game cause it's a bad path if u want to make a game but don't wanna code

 

[Deleted member 167032]

What i mean to say is... My game is click and away you go. It does not collect data to allow or disallow the user to continue. You just click away.
Much like those books you used/still get where you read and within the story you can choose certain branches(paths) but they all lead to the end which is the same no matter which path you have chosen.

The next Chapter in the game i will have a look at using data collection or stats. I think for this i will either use Ren'Py or stick with Tyranobuilder.

What i actually wanted to know was... how does Tyranobuilder compare to other engines (Kh07 mentioned it) works on a users pc?
Anyone know if it's a good option to have the least complaints regarding "game not working" or "crashing" than say other game engines?

To answer darhseductions question, i think mine uses flags that you place telling Tyranobuilder where it needs to go to once you have reached the end of your current branch. Nothing hectic in that sense.

Stats... elaborate please, because the variable stats I build into my ren'py game are the source of my branches... without them how is your game not a kinetic Novel? Do you only use binary flags?

 

[DarthSeduction]

To be honest, I don't know anything about your engine, but

    "Entering the shower you can't get her out of your head. For what must be the thousandth time, you wish she could be yours."
   
    menu:
        "Allow yourself to fantasize?":
             jump masturbate
        "I can't do this!":
            "I'll just take a cold shower, calm down, then turn up the heat and clean up."
            jump Alexis

That's all the code you need to make a choice in Ren'Py. What I do Know is Ren'PY is very developer friendly and has never had trouble running on my pc.

 

[Kh07]

From what I have seen, Tyranno offers a similar functionality to RenPy, but with a more visual approach. RenPy remains textual programming.

In terms of compatibility, RenPy is normally quite robust...
On the other hand, it manages savefile automatically, which can lead to compatibility problems between versions.
Basically it can load savefile of old versions, and if the references it uses are changed, it will cause the game to crash.
I've also had problems with sound management on some games, but it's not my specialty, so I don't know any more.

 

[DarthSeduction]

From what I have seen, Tyranno offers a similar functionality to RenPy, but with a more visual approach. RenPy remains textual programming.

In terms of compatibility, RenPy is normally quite robust...
On the other hand, it manages savefile automatically, which can lead to compatibility problems between versions.
Basically it can load savefile of old versions, and if the references it uses are changed, it will cause the game to crash.
I've also had problems with sound management on some games, but it's not my specialty, so I don't know any more.

If all he's using are menu flags to choose the course of the novel then he'll never have a problem with saves. He won't be dealing with new or broken variables.

 

[Kh07]

I couldn't agree more.
After we think often end up needing a variable (even in paper gamebooks).

 

[Deleted member 167032]

Ok so you guys can agree that using Tyranobuilder ( i know you do not have much knowledge of it ) for my game devlopment or type of game is perfect then?

Tyrano do offer some scripting commands also. It has its own code languange.

You must be registered to see the links

I'll look into Ren'Py for chapter 2 should i choose to go the data collecting route with multiple options.

Thx for answer guys.

 

[anne O'nymous]

Ok so you guys can agree that using Tyranobuilder ( i know you do not have much knowledge of it ) for my game devlopment or type of game is perfect then?

I'll not say "perfect", but "adapted".
Tyrano builder don't seem to have been updated since at least one year, while Ren'py is Free and in constant development since more than a decade. By example, Ren'py already had 3 versions released since Christmas. One with real update, one for bug corrections, and one for optimization purpose. All this while what worked three years ago (around 10 versions back) still works without problem ; when Ren'py change something, it don't remove the old way to do.
So, if you chose Ren'py, you're sure that it will still be up to date in the future, will adapt to new versions of OS, and will implement support for new media formats.

So, if you plan to stick to simplest "click and go away" games with perhaps one or two variables, Tyrano Builder can do it. But if you think that at one time you'll want to go further, or if you plan to still be doing games in three years, it's probably better to use Ren'py from the start. This even if it's an engine more powerful than what you need at first.
This way you'll slowly learn how to use it, and already have a strong knowledge when you'll need to go further than simply displaying pictures and dialog lines.

 

[Deleted member 167032]

Thank you O'nyous.. exactly what i was thinking. For now Tyrano is the way but yes i'll swop over to Ren'PY for next part of the game i think.
Depending if the game is well recieved etc...

I'll not say "perfect", but "adapted".
Tyrano builder don't seem to have been updated since at least one year, while Ren'py is Free and in constant development since more than a decade. By example, Ren'py already had 3 versions released since Christmas. One with real update, one for bug corrections, and one for optimization purpose. All this while what worked three years ago (around 10 versions back) still works without problem ; when Ren'py change something, it don't remove the old way to do.
So, if you chose Ren'py, you're sure that it will still be up to date in the future, will adapt to new versions of OS, and will implement support for new media formats.

So, if you plan to stick to simplest "click and go away" games with perhaps one or two variables, Tyrano Builder can do it. But if you think that at one time you'll want to go further, or if you plan to still be doing games in three years, it's probably better to use Ren'py from the start. This even if it's an engine more powerful than what you need at first.
This way you'll slowly learn how to use it, and already have a strong knowledge when you'll need to go further than simply displaying pictures and dialog lines.

 

[alsoknownas1]

Last I checked, Tyrano has issues on NG. Is that still true?

 

[alsoknownas1]

Oh, I just realised this thread is probably dead. Bummer.