Ren'Py Daz [InGirum] Making a sandbox Renpy prototype (and failing spectaculary)

[no_more_name]

View attachment Michel_Berger_et_France_Gall_Ca_balance_pas_mal_ParisArchive_INA.mp4













Kinda wasted my time forcing the prologue. I hate it tho.
I'll come to it back later, once more fresh with better ideas.

Anyway, started with the "sandbox" part, and saw few problems.
So now each location has 2 states :
-There is people, so you talk to them (click on people)
-There is no one here, so you can look for items (click on the book)

Would like to change the mouse pointer between the two state but I need to look into it.
I have zero clue.

It solves a lot of underlaying problems (and probalbly introduces a lot more).
Everything use imagebutton, cross finger 'flicker' crap is kinda fixed.

Another thing was tracking icon part.
Like if the someone in the room, there is a small icon of that person under it.
I don't like the idea but somehow I have to.
So now tracking icon are just on the map.
Making player to check any rooms in said location.

Phone. Call me crazy, I have every screens done for it, but fuck it.
I made test I just don't like it. The hub, everything, afuera. It's just bad aesthetic.

Story. Let say it's the last wagon. I really need to do better.
That said I did saw a thing that made me change my mind.
I was not really sure in which foot to dance but it's more clear now.

 

[no_more_name]

Got a little time and wasted it trying to make post-process shader for Renpy (lol).
Looked into

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and tried translate some film grain for Renpy, but everything I try just tank Renpy to no end.
I'm not sure why, even smallest post-process make Renpy commit sudoku.

Code for posterity :

init python hide:

    renpy.register_shader("FilmGrainShader", variables="""
        uniform float u_time;
        uniform sampler2D tex0;
        attribute vec2 a_tex_coord;
        varying vec2 v_tex_coord;
        """,
        vertex_100="""
        v_tex_coord = a_tex_coord;
        """,
        fragment_300="""
        {
            vec2 uv = v_tex_coord;
            vec4 color = texture2D(tex0, uv);
            float strength = 8.0;
            float x = (uv.x + 4.0 ) * (uv.y + 4.0 ) * (u_time * 10.0);
            vec4 grain = vec4(mod((mod(x, 13.0) + 1.0) * (mod(x, 123.0) + 1.0), 0.01)-0.005) * strength;
            gl_FragColor = color + grain;
        }
        """)

define config.detached_layers += [ "PPshader" ]
image PP = Layer("PPshader")

transform FilmGrainPP:
    shader "FilmGrainShader"

label start:

    show PP at FilmGrainPP
    scene postprocess onlayer PPshader

    "You've created a new Ren'Py game."
    "You've created a new Ren'Py game."
    "You've created a new Ren'Py game."
    "You've created a new Ren'Py game."
    "You've created a new Ren'Py game."

    return

5 fps sudoku:

 

[Satori6]

Maybe you should move this to a devlog in offtopic, as most of your posts here are diary entries, and not a help request.

 

[no_more_name]

View attachment lmao.mp4

 

[no_more_name]

Finally implemented the sandbox part and the 2 first events/chain-quests but it was by forceps (I really need a break), still rough on the edge but not that awful. I realised I prepared way too much locations, lot comes from other prototypes (re-used lot of kitbashed old scenes). At least they are ready to go if I need it, but severly down-sized everything.

Give up on post process shader layer. Sadge because by far the funniest experiment of all (shader coders are truely insane tho). Images or transitions are (mostly) fine, but from a whole layer... I must miss something critical, may have some use for say pushing chromatic aberration but so far any proceduraly animated loop is dead-end (at least I don't know how, or even if it's possible).

VN is supposed to be a porn game with esoteric element. But no vampire or werewolf, nor some drastic lovercraftian abomination. From "Les revenants", need to stick somewhere close to that overall creepiness:

 

[no_more_name]

I did nothing. Just sit there and ponder what I have.
And I have too much NPCs. It's too diluted, I probably don't need half of that.
Visuals are not bad, but that's about it, the Novel part need some serious work.

What story need is a more huis-clos (closeness?) setting. Incest is central to the plot.
I remember that game Gray Area (Areas of GRAY), clean direction.

I need to focus on the main protagonist o/

 

[no_more_name]

Did little but it was honest work. I'm in a rush at work, it will probably be like that until late june/july, and just want to relax when back home.

More or less locked the story, should not change significantly. Started a design document, I didn't want to start one until UI/Features/NPCs/Locations/Story were fully fleshed out (I once made the error to start one too soon).

Gameplay loop is quite simple, world is divided in two states : speaking to npc when they are here (and you're kinda locked) or looting key items when they are not (they trust you enough when they are not here).

You start as Gwendoline, a failed writer that fill horoscope and necrology on the local newspaper. Game start arguing with husbando and a car crash o/

 

[no_more_name]

>Gameplay loop is quite simple, world is divided in two states : speaking to npc when they are here or looting key items when they are not

It's of course more complex but somewhat can be reduced to that.
Anyway.

Puzzles. I don't mean mini-games, but puzzles.
Combine X with Y then then use it on Z.
It's giving me headache ;_;

 

[no_more_name]

Also it haunt me how good it is.

 

[no_more_name]

Game is now 11,9Go strong, full 4k png so ponder, but still some decent content here. That's not really the problem.

Problem is it's not really fun to play. I tried real hard to give it a point and click adventure feel, but it doesn't work well.
It's not that it is bad per se, it plays as your usual free roam/sandbox game, but it's not what I wanted.

So I have to pivot from there.

Either I continue on that path, where I know the gameplay loop is shit but visual are somewhat passable.
Or I take my loss and figure out gameplay loop (again) in a another small prototype and reinvent the wheel.

Went with the second option. One character/~8 locations, something like 1/8 of InGirum in term of scope. Cool thing is almost everything is fleshed out, especially the UI (dear god) and I can iterate fast without breaking anything.

So yeah, back to the billboard I guess. I need to figure out solid loop before coming to finish that crap. Sadge in a way, because some InGirum scene are maybe the most complex I have ever done with Renpy, and can't do that anymore.

 

[osanaiko]

Dilettante's dabble and hide their stuff to avoid the imagined pain of criticism.
Real artists ship even if it is not PERFECT and then move on to the next work.

Realize that no-one can truly critique their own work.
Release what you had as "abandoned demo".
Get feedback. Ignore haters. Treasure true constructive criticism, it is gold.
Work on new project with all the knowledge you gained from the unsatisfying one. OR Accept that what you had actually was good and it was just self-doubt.

 

[AlternateDreams]

Dilettante's dabble and hide their stuff to avoid the imagined pain of criticism.
Real artists ship even if it is not PERFECT and then move on to the next work.

Realize that no-one can truly critique their own work.
Release what you had as "abandoned demo".
Get feedback. Ignore haters. Treasure true constructive criticism, it is gold.
Work on new project with all the knowledge you gained from the unsatisfying one. OR Accept that what you had actually was good and it was just self-doubt.

I agree. I also think you should share your demo.
Chances are you'll never be fully satisfied with what you produce anyway, I think it's a never-ending cycle we all suffer from.

 

[no_more_name]

Dilettante's dabble and hide their stuff to avoid the imagined pain of criticism.
Real artists ship even if it is not PERFECT and then move on to the next work.

Realize that no-one can truly critique their own work.
Release what you had as "abandoned demo".
Get feedback. Ignore haters. Treasure true constructive criticism, it is gold.
Work on new project with all the knowledge you gained from the unsatisfying one. OR Accept that what you had actually was good and it was just self-doubt.

Ay, I like dilettante's dabble, because it really is. The rest is a bit childish.
If I could share a vertical slice that I think is the meat of the game, I would.
It's just not there, it's a boring checklist. I'll try to figure it out (that's maybe the most fun part).

Having a side dish to just iterate is incredibly helpful and should blend in the main game (creepy forest/mountain).