Ren'Py Abandoned Lab Rats 2 [v0.51.1] [Vren]

[thisisnotnotnotmyrealname]

Lol yeah just use another game's proprietary closed source engine.

From what I've heard over the lifetime of Lab Rats, as much as it's a gameplay sandbox it's also a sandbox for Vren to experiment with whatever programming ideas come to mind. It's essentially an overgrown learning project.

 

[Baudler]

From what I've heard over the lifetime of Lab Rats, as much as it's a gameplay sandbox it's also a sandbox for Vren to experiment with whatever programming ideas come to mind. It's essentially an overgrown learning project.

Having seen the assets for images and the nutty way it makes up the paperdolls by combining dozens of partially transparent images, it seems .. completely ass backwards way of doing things.

Why not just use something open source and 3d ? Free Cities added a 3d paperdoll, one that isn't the best but fixing up some facial generator and adding in lightning,more clothing seems vastly more promising than using a completely insane pre-rendering to get 3d looking images.

 

[exidon_paradox]

I am a huge fan of this game. It is the only game on this site I eagerly anticipate the regular updates(always on time). That is why I was patient ... at first. But it seems to me that any person still sending him money after almost 3 months with no new posts ... well they are supporting and encouraging this type of developer behavior. I love VREN, but even he would probably agree that no new information should not be supported. over 2k per month is being sent to support a game that cannot even get a weekly or even a monthly post about its status. I dropped my support after the first 30 days he went dark. I suggest that is the proper policy for supporters of any game. You can always continue support later if things get back on track. Only this action will pressure a developer into declaring the games status. Better to know. I feel sad for the modders... I think this will kill there wonderful momentum. Best modding of any game on this site

 

[Untolddead]

It's open source now right? So he's basically giving it to the comunity.

 

[wizyy]

9 months! Wow why is anyone still subbed to his Patreon?

 

[Evangelion-01]

... 9 month! Wow and we still have people complaining about others supporting a game they all like but are to stingy to support themselfes.

... I gues we'll keep haveing the complainers even once an Update drop but is this really fun?

 

[kurosx]

Wow why is anyone still subbed to his Patreon?

Why not?

 

[ffive]

Why not just use something open source and 3d ?

Lab Rats 2 uses game engine which doesn't natively support display of 3d models. And switching game engine would effectively mean having to redo the game. Hardly a time saver.

 

[Baudler]

Lab Rats 2 uses game engine which doesn't natively support display of 3d models. And switching game engine would effectively mean having to redo the game. Hardly a time saver.

Frequently, with software projects,people only ever get them right on the second try.

 

[jan^s]

Mistakes where made, v2.0(h) lets fix this broken shit is always better (sometimes)...

 

[ffive]

Frequently, with software projects,people only ever get them right on the second try.

Technically, this is the second try, as indicated by the game's name.

(but in any case, the point stands -- reworking the entire thing, including art assets, to save some time on generating new art assets in the future, would only result in the opposite; that is, even more delayed development overall)

 

[Evangelion-01]

Technically, this is the second try, as indicated by the game's name.

The first game was an entire different matter though, the entire build up suited RenPy and made for a rather easy game development.
After Vren had the basics down he seems to be interested to figure out how far the engine can be pushed and how much stretching his skills allow him.

 

[DrPepper808]

Having seen the assets for images and the nutty way it makes up the paperdolls by combining dozens of partially transparent images, it seems .. completely ass backwards way of doing things.

Why not just use something open source and 3d ? Free Cities added a 3d paperdoll, one that isn't the best but fixing up some facial generator and adding in lightning,more clothing seems vastly more promising than using a completely insane pre-rendering to get 3d looking images.

Considering the tools at the time, the way they made Mutiple characters was brilliant. I have been looking for a good 2023 tool to do the same thing with animation/lighting/etc and I have yet to find it yet without needing a POWERFULL machine to run it or LARGE data folders.

 

[jan^s]

My intent was not calling the game shit as a whole, just the limitations within it; engine, quality of assets allowed and mod ability ect. He (Vren) has worked well within these to make a good game, he took water and made wine. Either you like the taste of it or not is entirely personal preference. I think it pairs well with chicken Parmesan.

 

[Kaiww]

I am also rather afraid that Vren has given up after all this time. The lack of updates from him, at least on Patron and no activity from him on github is disheartning.

Does he give updates on his work somewhere else I missed ?

I do really like Lab Rats 1 and, so far, 2 and hope he manages to continue working on it.

 

[Evangelion-01]

The nature of a learning project is sadly that at some point no progress can be made and a promissed Update will have to be scratched.
I don't think Vren has reached the point where there is no more way to advance, but maybe the point where he has to admit that his plan doesn't work and he has to move on to another idea/plan within this project.

 

[ffive]

The nature of a learning project is sadly that at some point no progress can be made and a promissed Update will have to be scratched.
I don't think Vren has reached the point where there is no more way to advance, but maybe the point where he has to admit that his plan doesn't work and he has to move on to another idea/plan within this project.

If Vren shares this opinion that "there's no more ways to advance" then i feel like he might've lost the sight of what his game is even about. Because the most bloody natural way to advance this project would be to develop not technical gimmicks but existing storylines, preferably to some sort of conclusion so he can call the whole thing actually done and move on.

 

[slowpersun]

He (Vren) has worked well within these to make a good game, he took water and made wine. Either you like the taste of it or not is entirely personal preference. I think it pairs well with chicken Parmesan.

Prolly not a Red, huh?

I am also rather afraid that Vren has given up after all this time. The lack of updates from him, at least on Patron and no activity from him on github is disheartning.

Does he give updates on his work somewhere else I missed ?

I mean, he could have also died of cancer, got hit by a bus, or could be fighting in Ukraine. But since he basically open-sourced it then disappeared, could just be chillin' at a loony bin...

 

[Ibooox]

Come on dude we need you here

 

[swagfiend]

It's barely been more than two months since the dev's last post and people are acting like he's fucking died.