Tutorial [HowTo] Run Ren'Py 8.4.x games on Windows 7/8 (workaround)

[srfsmrf_]

Ren'Py 8.4 or greater requires Windows 10 or greater. When you try to run a RP 8.4 game on Windows 7 or 8 you'll be greeted with:

You may still be able to run the game however by following the workaround below (note that post #2/#3 discuss VxKex as another way to go about it):

1. Download & extract latest RP 8.3 SDK:
   You must be registered to see the links
2. Move 'game' folder over to the extracted sdk dir
3. search for *.rpyc in the game folder, delete those.
   • same goes for *.rpymc files
   • in case of .rpa archives containing scripts, you'll first have to extract those & delete them
     • you can use rpatool / UnRen for that
   • note that for each .rpyc / *.rpymc file, there must be a corresponding .rpy / .rpym (source) file
     • If that's not the case, you should decompile the file(s) first (see caveat below)
4. start renpy.exe
5. profit!

Caveats:

• This is a workaround solution, your mileage may vary
• decompilation (unrypc):
  • be sure to use the
    You must be registered to see the links
    (
    You must be registered to see the links
    is still open)
  • note that, concering a case (My Bimbo Dream v1.0.3a), although GRViewer seemed to decompile w/o errors (export), there were some issues related to init (offset). madeddy's seems to have no issues there
  • or you could try joelurmel's UnRen-forall.bat which has Madeddy's fixes + fixes for RP 8.3.7 incorporated (not tested by me)
• If game uses any specific 8.4.x features, or Python 3.9 incompatible code, extra patching is required
• I think Live2Dshould just work, as the .dll shipped with Ren'Py is Live2D standard and not tied to Python or other RP specifics. You need to move/copy over lib/py3-windows-x86_64/Live2DCubismCore.dll
  • I'm not sure if newer versions of the redistributable dll are still Win7/8 compatible.
• Hopefully your saves will be still compatible with the official 8.4 build
  • Note that the same saves directory is used as official

Verified working:

Game	Game/RP v	Latest < 8.4	dc	Notes
Escape from Ivy and Piper [AceX Game Studio] [Ren'Py]	0.51 / 8.4.1	v0.402 / 8.1.3	no
My Bimbo Dream [MBD] [VN][Ren'Py] S1	1.0.3a / 8.40	?	yes	only tested a little

dc: whether it's needed to decompile (+link to decompiled scripts)​

 

[ndj865]

srfsmrf_
I found another way to play on windows7 Renpy 8.4 games.
Requirements
Install Python 3.12 for windows 7 link

You must be registered to see the links

Install VxKex

You must be registered to see the links

For VxKex you will need to disable your antivirus for downloading and installing this set of APIs.
And read Introduction for VxKex to use it on Renpy 8.4 games.
I tried on 3 games that I found that uses Renpy 8.4.1 and it worked.
The games are:
https://f95zone.to/threads/after-class-v0-12-51p-a01-andy-peng.52987/
https://f95zone.to/threads/escape-from-ivy-and-piper-v0-51-ea-acex-game-studio.115614/
https://f95zone.to/threads/the-sin-within-v0-5-0-cigarrex.154680/

 

[srfsmrf_]

@ndj865 Cool! I wasn't aware of VxKex. Pretty nifty, but it's also an invasive solution, and one should consider whether to trust it. At least I would read/consider

You must be registered to see the links

.

Best solution here would be to have a Ren'Py fork (or build script) that restores Win 7/8 compatibility.

Even better I think (esp. if it concerns one's main rig) (sounding like grandpa now ) is to leave Win 7/8 behind & maybe consider Linux.

Anyway, good to read it seems to work well for you, thanks for sharing!