Seeking Software / Platform advice

[Third_Horseman]

I'd like to try my hand at making a game and have a fairly clear picture of what I plan to build. I have the art and writing abilities, but I know almost nothing about programming and want to make sure that I begin development with software that's both beginner-friendly and suited to my needs.

As best I can tell from my research and experience with other games, some of my needs are met by Ren'py or Twine and others are met by RPG Maker. What I'd like to know is if there's a program that does everything.

Basically, I want to combine the exploration of an RPG with the branching narrative of a VN.

I'll need:
-The ability for the player to select character stats and set these as flags for dialogue / events
-The ability to create complex branching conversations and narratives
-An explorable map with interactable objects and NPCs
-The ability to easily track and alter player money and items
-VN-style character portraits and dialogue presentation.

Any suggestions on what software to start with or how to develop and combine work from two or more programs?

 

[GetOutOfMyLab]

You can do all of that in Ren'Py, though without programming experience, you will likely have some difficulty. There are some inventory systems built by third-parties available, but you could create a simple one (like using python dictionaries), depending on your needs.

I don't know much about RPGM as I've never used it, but I've played some RPGM games, of course. A lot of these features are built-in, but I do find the RPGM experience as a player to not be that great.

You'll never know without trying. I suggest making some small prototypes in both engines and see what works best for you.

 

[anne O'nymous]

-The ability for the player to select character stats and set these as flags for dialogue / events
-The ability to create complex branching conversations and narratives

Those two will be harder to do with RPG Maker than with Ren'Py.

RPG Maker focus on the RPG part, therefore the narration is relatively simple and the branching depend on the quest and stats. Ren'Py being initially designed for Visual Novel, it natively handle branching and narrative changes, up to inside the dialog lines themselves if needed.

-An explorable map with interactable objects and NPCs

While for this it will be the opposite.

With RPG Maker everything is centered on the map, what make them relatively easy to use. At the opposite, while having everything a map system can need, Ren'Py isn't designed for this. What doesn't mean that you can't have map system with Ren'Py, among others, games like Planet Stronghold 2, Lust Hunter have or Space Journey X have one ; only for combat for the last one). But you'll have to build it yourself, and it need a level of knowledge that you don't have yet.

Any suggestions on what software to start with or how to develop and combine work from two or more programs?

My suggestion would be to starts with a more humble project. Whatever you choose RPG Maker or Ren'Py, you'll have to face a part that will be hard to deal with. It will be a different part depending on your choice, but each time a key part.
By starting with a less ambitious project, you'll have the time to learn how to use the engine, and then you'll be able to focus only on the difficult part.

 

[GNVE]

My suggestion would be to starts with a more humble project. Whatever you choose RPG Maker or Ren'Py, you'll have to face a part that will be hard to deal with. It will be a different part depending on your choice, but each time a key part.
By starting with a less ambitious project, you'll have the time to learn how to use the engine, and then you'll be able to focus only on the difficult part.

You could also rework the project so that it fits either engine better. Just as an option.
But I agree with previous posters though that starting small is best. Get a feel for the engine. Make stupid mistakes that could derail a larger project. Get a feel if game development is even something you actually like to do. (Sometimes reality is less fun than expected.)

 

[anne O'nymous]

Get a feel if game development is even something you actually like to do. (Sometimes reality is less fun than expected.)

And here again starting with a small project can help.

If you starts big, whatever how fun you have writing and rendering/drawing, the only thing you'll have in mind is how fucking annoyingly hard it is to code the game. But if you starts with a smaller project, and get a lot of fun doing it, then the coding hell from the second project will be easier to deal with ; precisely because you know that the rest is fun.

 

[Deleted member 1121028]

Those two will be harder to do with RPG Maker than with Ren'Py.

I don't think it's true tho. To have used both quite a bit (at my level).
Imho the main difference is how both engine has been made (outside language).
When confronted with a problem with Renpy, you can always somewhat find a compromise. You options are generally quite open. With RPGM it's gonna be tight and quite a battle as of lot of things are packed together (way more than Renpy). It can be quite an headache lol.

 

[anne O'nymous]

I don't think it's true tho. To have used both quite a bit (at my level).

I didn't said impossible, nor effectively hard to do, just harder than with Ren'Py.
Ren'Py have a level of dynamism that RPG Maker don't have, and by itself this already make it more adaptable.

Since he seem to focus on the RPG aspect, here's a scene with MC's party facing a locked door during their exploration:

# characters in MC party for the current exploration.
default team = { "barbarian": None, "thief": None, "ranger": None, "mage": None }

label whatever:
    $ tmp = 0
    scene background
    show MC pensive
    if team["barbarian"]:
        show expression "{} neutral".format( team["barbarian"].name )
    if team["thief"]:
        show expression "{} neutral".format( team["thief"].name )
    if team["ranger"]:
        show expression "{} neutral".format( team["ranger"].name )
    if team["mage"]:
        show expression "{} neutral".format( team["mage"].name )
    MC "The door seem locked."
    if team["barbarian"]:
        show expression "{} enthousiast".format( team["barbarian"].name )
        "team["barbarian"].name]" "Steps back, I'll blow it with my [team["barbarian"].weapon] !"
    if team["thief"]:
        $ tmp += 1
        show expression "{} thoughtful".format( team["thief"].name )
        "team["thief"].name]" "Hold your horse, perhaps can I pick the lock."
    if team["mage"]:
        $ tmp += 1
        show expression "{} cautious".format( team["mage"].name )
        if team["thief"]:
            "team["mage"].name]" "I can also use my magic if you want."
       else:
            "team["mage"].name]" "I can surely open it with my magic."
    if tmp == 0:
        if team["barbarian"]:
            MC "Like we have another choice ?"
        else:
            MC "I guess we will have to destroy it."

It's a raw code, and wrote on the fly (so it can need a bit of adaptation), but it show how simple a dynamic scene can be with Ren'Py.
Whatever the composition of the party, and whatever who's the barbarian, thief and mage, it's the right sprite that will be shown, and the correct name that will be associated to the dialog line.

The same structure could works with RPG Maker, but it would need a bit more of coding.

 

[Deleted member 1121028]

I didn't said impossible, nor effectively hard to do, just harder than with Ren'Py.
Ren'Py have a level of dynamism that RPG Maker don't have, and by itself this already make it more adaptable.

Since he seem to focus on the RPG aspect, here's a scene with MC's party facing a locked door during their exploration:
(snip)
It's a raw code, and wrote on the fly (so it can need a bit of adaptation), but it show how simple a dynamic scene can be with Ren'Py.
Whatever the composition of the party, and whatever who's the barbarian, thief and mage, it's the right sprite that will be shown, and the correct name that will be associated to the dialog line.

The same structure could works with RPG Maker, but it would need a bit more of coding.

I didn't said it was impossible either, where that comes from? .
I tried to say you can't find the same flexibility within Renpy and RPGM*

*and probably never will

(don't yell at me old man)

 

[anne O'nymous]

I tried to say you can't find the same flexibility within Renpy and RPGM*

And it's what I was saying when you answered that you don't think it's true :/

(don't yell at me old man)

You're the one bullying me

 

[Deleted member 1121028]

And it's what I was saying when you answered that you don't think it's true :/

And quite missed the target. Glad I could help a little.

You're the one bullying me

 

[FromOtherSpace]

Hi,

I know almost nothing about programming and want to make sure that I begin development with software that's both beginner-friendly and suited to my needs.

You should take a look at godot. It's designed to be easy to get into and learn. I don't use it but it got "visual coding" support and can do almost anything (as far as i know, 3d graphics can't equal Unreal quality)

Basically, I want to combine the exploration of an RPG with the branching narrative of a VN.

I'll need:
-The ability for the player to select character stats and set these as flags for dialogue / events
-The ability to create complex branching conversations and narratives
-An explorable map with interactable objects and NPCs
-The ability to easily track and alter player money and items
-VN-style character portraits and dialogue presentation.

There is a plug-in call Dialogic to create VN style dialogue. It allow to create characters with portraits, own colors and others things and let you "call" them and set interactions by a interface (almost no code needed beyond starting a dialogue, all branching, dialogue end, etc are managed by the plug-in) You can do anything with variables (including characters stats) via the plug-in.

Godot have a tilemap system close to RPG maker's one, except it doesn't have layers, you need to create more than one to overlay (for example) tree over your ground. The good thing is that you can create as many as wanted, so, you don't a limit to your number of layers.

 

[dikau]

Here's another engine to consider:

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One of it features is you can choose building your game with coding or

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(you still need the logic tho).