Like my previous posts, I'm making a Ren'Py game. I want to make a credits-list of Patrons that are currently subscribed to a Patreon creator. However, updating the game to add a Patron to that list can be a bit time consuming, and not listing that patron at all can be a bit unfair (To me, that is). The simplest way would simply be not to even give that benefit to a patron at all, but people subscribe to people's Patreons to feel "special". Can I potentially have a credits-list of these patrons that updates automatically as long as the user playing the game is connected to the Internet? This potentially sounds impossible but I REALLY want to know if it works or not.
Ren'Py Is there any way I can have some kind of "patron list" that updates in real time?
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- Sep 26, 2018
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simple answer to that is a no
I don't think that patreon will allow that
I don't think that patreon will allow that
- Jun 14, 2018
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RenPy being based firmly upon python will do anything python can do.
Patreon
However. I strongly suspect that Patreon only show a full list of Patreons to the actual creator. So although such an API does exist, you'd probably need to code your security credentials into your game so that the code could access the list. That's a massive security no-no.
You could use a bit of web-scrapping code, but only if a non-patreon user can see the list of subscribers (I'm thinking probably not).
You could copy/paste the list into something like an excel spreadsheet and then use that to format things in a way that can be copy/pasted into your RenPy code... but that would be overlooking some other points...
Are you sure all your Patreon's would consent to their names being included in a AVN game? You'd effectively taking a piece of largely private information and making it public. Not everyone is going to appreciate that.
Finally, there are going to be a bunch of people who are going to immediately ditch your game just because it tried to make an internet connection. Now the majority of those won't be paying customers - so perhaps the answer is "so what?". But RenPy games are "usually" offline games.
Is it possible?... In theory, yes.
Should you be trying?... Probably not without some form of prior consent.
Patreon
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that allows for
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to be extracted... So your RenPy game should be able to use it. (At least, in theory).However. I strongly suspect that Patreon only show a full list of Patreons to the actual creator. So although such an API does exist, you'd probably need to code your security credentials into your game so that the code could access the list. That's a massive security no-no.
You could use a bit of web-scrapping code, but only if a non-patreon user can see the list of subscribers (I'm thinking probably not).
You could copy/paste the list into something like an excel spreadsheet and then use that to format things in a way that can be copy/pasted into your RenPy code... but that would be overlooking some other points...
Are you sure all your Patreon's would consent to their names being included in a AVN game? You'd effectively taking a piece of largely private information and making it public. Not everyone is going to appreciate that.
Finally, there are going to be a bunch of people who are going to immediately ditch your game just because it tried to make an internet connection. Now the majority of those won't be paying customers - so perhaps the answer is "so what?". But RenPy games are "usually" offline games.
Is it possible?... In theory, yes.
Should you be trying?... Probably not without some form of prior consent.
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Hm. I never thought of it that way. My original plan was to just show their Patreon usernames in a "credits list" like with all other Ren'Py games you probably saw, if they subscribed to a tier.
"Finally, there are going to be a bunch of people who are going to immediately ditch your game just because it tried to make an internet connection." Why? A lot of games use your internet to work - but I'm guessing it's the nature of AVNs that make people not want their ISPs to know what they're doing. Well, the internet isn't private, no matter how private they want you to think it is!
Like I stated in the original post, I originally wanted to do this so then I don't have to have the hassle to update the game simply to add some patron's username to the list to make things fair. But the easy way out is to simply not credit them.
How would Patreon not allow it?
- Jan 21, 2022
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Short answer solution: Just update the list supporters who have approved their name to be in the credits at each new update. That is acceptable to those who would like the recognition. Some people do not want their patreon ID listed because they don't want it to be known who they support on patreon (for various reasons). Supporters have the right to privacy.
Long answer:
In "benefits" of being in a subscription tier you need to be clear and conspicuous that
- patreons have the option to have their user id (or some other identifier) listed in the credits
- For your liability, it is best that you use the opt-in (not opt-out) method
- "Check this box if you would like your patreon ID to be recognized in the credits as a supporter"
- Have a way for people to opt-out at any time for any future updates (those in older updates will not be removed)
- Only use the up-to-date opt-in data for updates
That's just the start -- and the least paranoid.
Actually that makes sense. Since most Ren'Py EXEs are not signed, it's going to end up having that "unknown user" UAC thingy if they were to run it as an admin, such like that. That's unrelated. I was simply looking for a way I could potentially make a list that updates automatically, but with all the security perspectives, and with Ren'Py code being so easy to extract, that would be an issue. I guess I'll have to make a credits list the old fashioned way.
- Jun 10, 2017
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Honestly, what Patreon think is not my biggest concern here.
Neither is prior consent.
To have this list, you would need to log in on their site, and do is as creator. And, well, there's no way that I put my login and password inside something that I will then release on the net, while loosing all control over who download it.
And of course "crypt it" isn't an answer here. You need to use it, so the code to decrypt it will be included...