Old video cards and new versions of Renpy not playing well together.

[Elpescador]

So, like many others (and judging from the number of posts I'm seeing pop up that number is growing) am having trouble with the onboard video on my laptop going "out of date" when it comes to the newest version of renpy. I get a "so and so.exe has stopped working" notice on starting a game and either it auto closes or freezes until I close it manually.

I've seen vague references to going to renpy's site and downloading some older version of the software but honestly I'm clueless on exactly what to do... and seeing as this appears to be a growing issue. If someone could take 5 minutes to spell out exactly where to go and how to do this then this thread could become an easy place to link to rather than having read (or answer) the same question about the same issue over and over.
Thanks.

 

[anne O'nymous]

I've seen vague references to going to renpy's site and downloading some older version of the software [...]

Where have you seen this ? Surely not as answer to "games using the newest version of Ren'py do not works on my computer".


Let me use an analogy to phrase the issue and this supposed solution:

The issue is that you have a 12 years old child that can't wear any of his winter clothes, because he grown taller during the summer.
The supposed solution is to buy winter clothes for 10 years old children.
It will obviously not works as well as expected.

 

[Winterfire]

The only solution is to ask the developer, especially if you support them.

Also keep in mind that the new version creates two executables (32 and 64 bit) try both. Also hold shift when opening one of them and change renderer.

 

[Elpescador]

the "change renderer" thing worked one one game. This may be a solution for some.

for anyone searching that is-

hold shift while starting game (either dbl clicking or R click > open) until console opens.
select "force angle gl2 renderer".
close and restart.

others have said something about getting the older "sdk" and moving your game files into there. I have no idea what that is.

 

[Elpescador]

Where have you seen this ? Surely not as answer to "games using the newest version of Ren'py do not works on my computer".


Let me use an analogy to phrase the issue and this supposed solution:

The issue is that you have a 12 years old child that can't wear any of his winter clothes, because he grown taller during the summer.
The supposed solution is to buy winter clothes for 10 years old children.
It will obviously not works as well as expected.

yeah, well when a new pair of shorts starts to cost 800$, your analogy will be fitting and I'll be breaking out the scissors and eyeing the blue jeans.

 

[anne O'nymous]

yeah, well when a new pair of shorts starts to cost 800$, your analogy will be fitting and I'll be breaking out the scissors and eyeing the blue jeans.

My analogy is fitting not due to the cost, but due to the fact that you've as much chance to make a game wrote for the 7.4.x version of Ren'py works with a previous version, that the 12yo child have chance to fit in 10yo clothes.

This being said, Ren'py do not works for you because it now use a graphic library that follow the Open GL ES standard defined in 2006. It's not like it was forcing people to have an up to date computer or anything like that. I doubt that you can't find a still good to go five years old second hand computer for $200.

 

[Elpescador]

Just as an update, both Lab Rats 2 and Echoes of Lust (s2 ep5) were not working for me but now ARE working after using the fix posted above.