I have a story and I would need advice from a cowriter or ren py master on how to adapt the story to become a visual novel ready for ren py
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Story to visual novel
- Thread starter Fifi007
- Start date
I am no renpy master but here is my own sorting that I have been doing for working on a story. If you already have a story written then it just depends on what you have in it. Overall I organize things in to certain types.
Not sure how helpful that is to you, but maybe that will give you some ideas of where to start. Mostly its just starting and working with Renpy. If you have not done any renpy before then just start with the basics, get a feel for the program and how to make a simple scene with characters and choices. Then you can work at making a simple version of one of your scenes to see if you can get it to look and flow how you want. After that you can start coordinating what variables and such you need to do all of the branches of your story.
- Characters
- Main (who the player is playing)
- Side (the main people that the MC will deal with)
- Use (still characters but more in a sandbox way or just in a place to do stuff with)
- Optional (this might be mixed in with Side, but some characters may never show up unless you go a certain path)
- Other (background or just miscellaneous that would need pictures for etc)
- Places
- Main (home location etc where night cycle probably happens)
- Side (places to meet the side characters or do the adventure)
- Use (these might be single use places like a shop/game/grind etc)
- Optional (a place that might never be reached unless you take a certain path)
- Other (just background scenery etc)
- Items
- Main (these are the main plot items that are essential for the story to happen)
- Side (probably optional items that might enhance or change things)
- Use (probably a single use thing or something that can only be used in a specific location)
- Optional (something that may only be acquired in certain paths)
- Other (any other random items you might allow in it)
- Events
- Main (these are the have to have plot points. beginning, middle end. The over all specific things that have to happen)
- Side (will probably not change the story much but might change a little bit)
- Use (mostly games/shops/etc things that are more sandbox to interact with)
- Optional (usually repeatable scenes or things that may not happen in certain paths)
- Other (any other trivial event that is just there but does not change the story)
- Conversations
- Main (these are the ones that will shape the outcome of the story, unless you are doing a kinetic novel)
- Side (these might change some things but not the overall outcome, maybe who is with you, but not scenario)
- Use (primarily with NPCs when doing a game/grind, in a shop to buy things etc)
- Optional (these have no effect at all on story but are just used for short interactions or scenes that might repeat)
- Other (any other conversation that is just background or dialog to move the story along but not actually change anything)
Not sure how helpful that is to you, but maybe that will give you some ideas of where to start. Mostly its just starting and working with Renpy. If you have not done any renpy before then just start with the basics, get a feel for the program and how to make a simple scene with characters and choices. Then you can work at making a simple version of one of your scenes to see if you can get it to look and flow how you want. After that you can start coordinating what variables and such you need to do all of the branches of your story.
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Ya, we can definitely help out if you want to give us a basic run down of your story. I'm still new as a dev myself but have gotten a pretty good handle on ren'py now.
Hello and thank you for reply. It is a visual novel with taboo content (inc). The game is supposed to contain 3 parts, the first part is clear of taboo content, so it can be uploaded everywhere. The theme is made to look very realistic. Unlike other games of this kind, this one you will be able to play with 4 different points of view, like any of the 4 main characters from the family. In first part all characters play the same plot (players will like to pass the same story with different point of view). In the second part game will be separated to 3 different stories for each character. Until now I have written completed first part for all 4 characters. Btw I am not native english speaker so story must be proofread by native speaker.
Ok, so it's still early for me to be able to say much. Given the multiple parts, you should look into multipersistent variables in ren'py because if you set them up early it'll be far less work later. Since you want a realistic look, look into both Daz and virt-a-mate. Daz is currently more popular but from what I've read, virt-a-mate is easier to use. For the story itself, I'd ask how you're planning to do it. Like do you choose which character you want to be at the beginning or can you change in the middle of the story?
As you can see on the picture, characters can choose at the beginning. I never heard of virt-a-mate. It is easier then Daz? Do you suggest 2D or 3D? Should I first complete full story to be ready for rending or part by part?
I have heard that virt-a-mate is easier than daz but I haven't used it myself yet so not completely sure. Having the route selection just at the beginning is definitely a good choice if you're newer at making VNs since it'll be less complicated. For the last part, it's bit personal preference. For me, I will usually start the putting a scene together without renders, then I'll do some renders for the scene because I might change the dialogue depending on how I decide to render it. Then I just keep repeating the cycle. Another reason I do it like this is when I first started and was using daz, rendering a single image (even if I managed to get it perfect the first time which was rare) took at least 2-3 hours and sometimes over 5 hours. A single animation could take 3-4 days to render. So while that was happening I could continue to write the story instead of having to just wait around. Since I changed to koikatsu (which I don't think you want because it's anime style) it's not an issue because renders are basically instant for me now but I still have the habit of doing it like this. Virt-a-mate might give a similar experience to using koikatsu at least if I've understood the discussions properly but you'll have to try it out to be sure.
I'm a little scared now. Does that mean it would take me a few years to make 5,000 scenes? In the meantime, I can adapt a few other stories I already have. Is it hard to find a renders enthusiast for a partnership? Or will I have to do everything by myself?
But I have to finish the story first right?
Can I send you my existing work, just to check if I am on the right way, for the purpose of not having to do double job latter? Btw I want to sent you word files in private so you can tell me where you want me to sent. e mail or something else.
But I have to finish the story first right?
Can I send you my existing work, just to check if I am on the right way, for the purpose of not having to do double job latter? Btw I want to sent you word files in private so you can tell me where you want me to sent. e mail or something else.
I should clarify that my system is on the low side and most people won't take that long to do renders. Also if you plan it right you can reuse the same render for multiple scenes. But on average people do end up working on their VNs for a couple years depending on the length. It certainly isn't hard to find a partnership, there's a whole section of this forum dedicated to it.
I don't mind looking over your work, just pm me here or in discord. My discord id is josh314151#5817
- Jul 26, 2023
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Well, with DAZ3D which I also started a few weeks ago it is like that. My first image take one hour. I spend a lot of time making images..then I found out that, for example, on desert it take only five minutes. Then I started to understand why in VN are locations so "poor". Each picture, vase, glass...every item in room are making it more and more complicated. If you have empty 4wall with bed..it is quick 