Alright, here is my guide on how to make the hints function work for all of the areas where hints aren't enabled:
Step 1.
Backup your game logic files (.rpyc files). If you still have your latest .zip of the game, you can use that instead.
Step 2.
Download unren.rpyc from
You must be registered to see the links
, install it into the game folder, and run the game once with it. This will make the game generate a bunch of decompiled .rpy script files that we can modify to change the game's internal logic.
Step 3.
In the text of the .rpy files in the subfolders of your \game\scripts\screens\ folder,
replace all instances of:
Code:
if hidden_places[location][*insert number here*] and not money_found_here:
button:
area (
with:
Code:
if hidden_places[location][*insert number here*] and not money_found_here:
button:
if current_scene:
add "hints" at hint_rotation
area (
OR
Step 3a.
If you have Notepad++, you can automate this process by typing:
Ctrl+F (Find in files)
Find what:
Code:
and not money_found_here:
button:
area (
Replace with:
Code:
and not money_found_here:
button:
if current_scene:
add "hints" at hint_rotation
area (
Filters: *.rpy
Directory: [the path to your copy of Extra Life]\game\scripts\screens\
Check Match Case
Check In all sub-folders
Check In hidden folders
Search Mode: Normal
Press the Replace in Files button
Make sure the Find and Replace sections contain all the multiple lines of these code blocks before running the operation. If they don't, paste them into a .rpy file currently open in Notepad++ and then immediately cut them back out again before pasting them into the Find and Replace sections. That did the trick for me. If that doesn't work for you, change the Search Mode to Extended and replace each new line of each code block with \n so that each of them is one line of text.
I'd also suggest a second Replace in Files operation afterwards, changing the Search Mode to Extended, and replacing all instances of \t (the tab character) with four spaces ( ). The reason: RenPy DOES NOT LIKE tabs, and if it sees any tab characters in the game's code, the game will just not run at all. Notepad++ has a habit of automatically inserting tabs into files whenever you write new lines with it, so better safe than sorry.
Step 3b.
The only downside to Step 3/3a is this: The way the translation of this game is set up is so particular and stingy that editing these files will kind of fuck it up. You will see the characters speak a mix of English and French everywhere. So don't do this until you've unlocked all the areas in the game.
Step 4.
Once you've clicked all the hidden cash caches in the game and unlocked cheat mode, you'll need to remove all the files you edited in order to make all the dialog one language again. Save your game if you haven't already. Now delete your \game\scripts\screens\ folder completely, then reinstall it from your backup/.zip from Step 1. Then the game should function normally again.