I'm going to talk about RenPy, which I know you've already said you hadn't planned to use - to offer an alterative point of view.
I'll also add that I don't know python as such - just as much as I've been exposed to by using RenPy.
I'm making it in python because that's the only programming language I sorta know and I'm using the Kivy framework.
I'm unfamiliar with the Kivy framework - but a quick google search gives a good impression of it as a development tool for an impressive looking UI.
I've got some basic UI and data work done but I'm finding myself just unable to connect stuff within the project and actually make anything work.
That sounds more like a Kivy problem than a python problem (though without a more in depth explanation of the problems you are having - it's difficult to say.
Like right now I have a number of drop-down lists and I'm trying to gather their inputs into a list so I can use those inputs to start a scene but I just can't get this list to work. It just fails to work (is empty) outside of the screen the inputs are set on and chat-gpt can only help so much with something this specific and large.
If base Renpy has a deficiency, it's the lack of a dropdown style box. I guess we'd solve it with a series of radio boxes or perhaps go through a series of
menu: choices to build up the final selection. Though given RenPy uses python under the hood, I would expect an experienced python programmer to be able to find a python library which could be used within a RenPy game to deliver a workable dropdown box.
Can anybody with experience in game coding help out here? Even if your expertise isn't python I really need help to just get anything at all done here.
The community here tend to be RenPy, RPGMaker and Unity focused. Although there are some other well known platforms too. I don't think I've heard of Kivy being mentioned here before, and I've been here on the Dev forum for a while.
According to their website, Kivy do have a
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and some sort of
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. A quick search for "kivy" and "community" also found a
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and a
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.
I didn't want to use renpy cause it's a pure text game with no graphics and besides I'm not sure renpy even allows for the level of complexity I want.
RenPy does have what it calls "NVL" mode. Which is basically "text only" or at least "primarily text". It is just as customizable as other RenPy screens (if you don't mind learning the
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) and can include all the UI elements that the more recognizable RenPy games include (radio boxes, point-and-click, etc).
And kivy lets me develop for windows, android and IOS at once, provided I can make something at all.
RenPy does support Windows and Linux directly and includes 3rd party software to build Android versions too.
I vaguely recall iOS being included as part of the SDK - but I don't think it's that well supported. Plus since the iOS store is heavily moderated, it's unlikely your standard F95 developer (i.e. adult smut) is targeting that platform.
Without knowing Kivy, it seems it is well designed UI framework created using python.
What I would say though is that RenPy is a well designed UI framework created using python.
Anything you can think to do using python can be done in RenPy, BECAUSE RenPy is built upon python.
So I'm not sure the whole "level of complexity" argument is valid once you accept that.
I've seen python libraries used within RenPy...
pygame being the most obvious (the example RenPy project includes a version of the "Pong" game). But I wrote something within RenPy a while ago (as a test/example) that used AES/RSA512 encryption libraries. Not exactly the standard "simple" RenPy implementation.
Likely though, Kivy is your best option (since it is your preferred option) and my gut feel is that you'll need to reach out on their discord for help.
