Ren'Py How do I convert a Mac Ren'Py build into a PC Ren'Py build?

[Heisenberg867]

I've extensively modded a Mac version of Cure My Addiction Chapter 3, to the point where it looks nothing like the original: there have been changes to the code on every level. I'm now realizing I may have painted myself into a corner in terms of creating a PC version.

What steps, if any exist, can I take to turn what I've got into a PC build?

If none exist, I guess I might have to start over with a fresh build that Ren'py can convert into a PC version with a button-click. Thanks in advance!

 

[79flavors]

Since you already have the source code (you already been modding it), it's pretty simple.

Go download the Mac version of the RenPy SDK (Software Development Kit), install it and create a new project called something like "My Cure My Addiction".

Then copy contents of your /game/ folder of the installed version of Cure My Addition that you've been modding to the folder of your newly created RenPy project. It will overwrite the blank project.
Then delete the script_version.txt file from your project's /game/ folder (as far as I remember, it's the only file that causes issues).

You now have the whole game, as a project.

Then you can just launch the RenPy launcher and [BUILD] your project. You'll have the options to build a PC/Linux version in addition to the Mac version. Problem solved.

Alternatively, download the PC version of the game and copy all .rpy and .rpyc files from your version to replace the originals. That would do it too. You may need to unpack the PC version using UnRen first.

 

[anne O'nymous]

Go download the Mac version of the RenPy SDK [...]

Since it's a mod, do he really need to go this far ?

He changed the code, but the CG stay. Just releasing the rpy/rpyc files, with the instruction to place them in the right directory, seem to be enough.

 

[79flavors]

[...] does he really need to go this far ?

Perhaps not.
Especially since any .rpyc files built from .rpy files would be the same regardless of whether the MAC or PC version created it.

But since they asked about creating a PC version... I assumed they meant a full PC version rather than patch files (which would mostly be platform independent - the exception being Android, which renames the files)

I'm perhaps also a little biased since I did a similar project for another game. I initially created just a "patch" version, but eventually came to the opinion that it led to an annoying number of questions about how to integrate it into the main game. Whereas the "full" version was significantly easier for me to deal with. You'd think "unpack these files into this folder" would be clear enough instructions... and yet...

Heisenberg867 ... As a side note, if the game has been as heavy changed as I suspect it has... I strongly suggest that you change the config.save_directory within the options.rpy file to something else. Otherwise, your version will use the same folder for it's save files as the original game - which will lead to a lot of questions about why save games from one don't work with the other (well, duh!!). By changing the folder name, you keep both versions of the game separate.

 

[anne O'nymous]

You'd think "unpack these files into this folder" would be clear enough instructions... and yet...

Oh yeah, I know this feeling. I once had one that asked how to start the game... that he hadn't downloaded

Heisenberg867 ... As a side note, if the game has been as heavy changed as I suspect it has... I strongly suggest that you change the config.save_directory within the options.rpy file to something else.

I agree.
Ideally, it would need to tweak the load, for it to be able to use the both directories, and so load saves from the original game. But the world isn't always ideal.


All this said, it wasn't a criticism. I read you since long enough to know that you would had added that it wasn't necessary, if you thought it effectively wasn't. So I was curious to know why you came to this "full built" solution.

 

[Heisenberg867]

Heisenberg867 ... As a side note, if the game has been as heavy changed as I suspect it has... I strongly suggest that you change the config.save_directory within the options.rpy file to something else. Otherwise, your version will use the same folder for it's save files as the original game - which will lead to a lot of questions about why save games from one don't work with the other (well, duh!!). By changing the folder name, you keep both versions of the game separate.

Oh yeah, I know this feeling. I once had one that asked how to start the game... that he hadn't downloaded

Thanks very much for the advice, both of you. What I eventually concluded after further tinkering using both of your advice is that I've created a Millennium Falcon (or maybe more accurately, a Frankenstein's monster) of code: it's got snippets of various size in there from literally five different games to achieve various effects, and while the result runs great on Mac, changing anything produces bizarre side-effects. I barely understand large portions of what's going underneath the hood, and I've almost certainly deleted or badly modified at least a few important scripts without realizing it.

I decided the responsible thing to do (if that word applies) was to commit to a total rebuild of the back end of the game from scratch in Ren'py, importing/modifying code strings and incrementally testing the results so I'll understand what all the code does. It'll get me to a much sounder place eventually, and leave me feeling less like a 40k tech priest performing the liturgy of repair on a broken tank.