University of Problems 5.0 - I cannot continue the game

[boer]

Hi guys,

I'm not a developper or anything like that, but I still hope I'm allowed to write you my problem over here and hope for your help.

When starting the latest release of UoP v5.0 (Extended), I find the MC (in my case; Kenny) laying in bed in the morning and wondering how Sara is doing. Then, In the upper left corner of the screen appear two options: 1) "You've got a new message" and 2) "You can write a message". Now, I can click either one of both of the options, but nothing happens. So, I cannot continue the [Ren'Py] game...

Could any of you please help me out here?

I hope to hear from you.

Cheers!

 

[anne O'nymous]

I'm not a developper or anything like that, but I still hope I'm allowed to write you my problem over here and hope for your help.

Allowed, yes, but I wonder what make you think that you would find more help here, that on the game thread, where everyone have played the game.
The probability that few among those who will read your message have encountered, and why not solved, the problem you're facing, are above 75% on the game thread, and near to 0% on this section.

 

[79flavors]

It's a difficult question to answer with the information you've provided so far.

I was curious and decided to download the game. I've played about 30 minutes, skipping all the dialogue and making decisions based on my quick looks at the code to try and maximize various points or event unlocks.

But... let's go with the easiest potential answer...

The messages you are seeing... are just that... notifications. What it's telling you is that you need to click on the phone icon in the top right, which probably has a red mark on it, indicating new unread messages.

Beyond that, as I say, it's difficult to answer.
We'd need to know where you are up to in the game. Simply "being in bed, wondering about Sara" isn't really enough to narrow things down. Only people who've played the game enough would know the context of where you are up to. Even then, maybe the game features a lot of occasions where you are sat on your bed, wondering about Sara.

On top of that, there's so many combinations of event unlocks, character relationship points, general intelligence and lust points - that's I'm not sure we'd randomly make the same choices you have.

Finally, there are 3 potential mods you could be using. Those too could be complicating things. Are you using any of them?

A better way to diagnose things would be a save file. Just swap to a new save file page you haven't used yet (Maybe Page 2) and save in slot 1. That will generate a file called /game/saves/2-1-LT1.save. Upload that file here and maybe it'll help diagnose what's going on.

Realistically though, as Anne says, you might be better off asking in the game thread itself. We can probably tear it apart if we had a save file - but context matters here. Knowing the game would likely help more than knowing the code.

My guess remains though... you probably just didn't notice that you need to click on the phone icon in the top right. (There were instructions given early in the game... but yeah, I skipped them too ).

Edit: Just found your post in the game thread... that nobody answered. The bastards.
You talk about the problem being with update 4.5 and persisting in 5.0. So perhaps it's not as simple as "click the phone". So yeah.. save file needed I'm thinking.

 

[boer]

Thank you for your very large reply. Much appreciated. The problem is that there IS no phone icon visible, at least, not in this scene. It's obvious that I need to click either one of the options in order to continue.
I did what you suggested regarding using the new save file page and saving that scene in a new slot. I also noticed the file in the "saves" file after doing so. I restarted the game and activated the scene that was placed on the new empty/fresh save file page, by just clicking "Load"; but nothing changed. However, I'm not really sure if that is what you mend by "upload that file".

If not, I'm sure you will tell me. This morning, I even deleted the game from my computer and also deleted the UoP file from my Ren'Py file in "C:\Users\***\AppData\Roaming\RenPy\University of Problems" (making sure I kept a copy). I downloaded and reinstalled the game again and placed the UoP file and its content back in my Ren'Py file so I hoped that I could continue the game from a fresh install. But no. Do you think that playing the game all over again from the start would make a difference? I don't know if I'd really want that. Still, I'm open to suggestions. The v5.0 mod that is installed is apparently the "extended"version.

Hope to hear from you again, or anyone else for that matter, who might have a solution.

Thank you guys in advance.

Cheers!

 

[79flavors]

However, I'm not really sure if that is what you mend by "upload that file".

Nope. I meant reply to this thread, and attach the save file to your reply using the [Attach files] button.

That way, we have the option to download the attached save file and then use it to put the game into the same state you're been playing.

It could well be an "edge case" bug, where you've picked just the wrong combination of choices that the developer didn't consider. Or it could just be a plain old normal bug - where the dev just fucked up. But if that were the case, I'd have expected to see more messages like your own in the game thread.

Anyway, attach the save file and I'll see if it makes any sense - given my limited play time through the game.

 

[boer]

Thanks man! Attached you'll now find the scene file we're talking about. BTW, it's not like I'm desperate or so; I'm already lucky to have found someone (you) who is willing to look into my problem, so please take your time.

 

[79flavors]

Okay. Odd.

The phone panel has been missing for a while at this point in your game (I scrolled back through your game history).
But the phone panel is mainly only hidden during Replays / Memories. And from what I can tell, that logic is fine.
It's also hidden for brief periods during Update3, but if that had broken - I don't see how you managed to reach update6 without it.

I have some doubts about the Memories logic, but nothing I can put my finger on.

Rather than spend a lot of time worrying about it, I've come up with a quick kludge fix.

Download the attached file and copy it to the game's /game/ folder.
Then just play the game.

I'd suggest loading the offending save file, then saving it again (now the phone icons are back)... Then quit the game and delete the uop-boer-fix.rpy and uop-boer-fix.rpyc files that will now exist from the /game/ folder. This will remove the "fix" from the game.

The fix is very much a kludge, which is why I'm suggesting removing it again after you've used it to fix the offending save file. But in theory, it should be mostly fine if you didn't remove it.


For the more technical among you wondering what the kludge is... I've merely created a custom script file that uses label after_load: to do show screen phonenote - which is the screen missing from the scene. Why it got hidden is anyone's guess. The rollback history for this save file gives no hints. But there are periods during the game when screen phonenote is deliberately hidden, and therefore leaving this script in place could potentially break that gameplay.

Edit: In hindsight, it would have been much easier for me to just load the save file, add the missing screen back using the console and then re-save the file and upload it back here.

 

[boer]

Hey man, the problem is fixed. Yesterday I also asked the UoP group on Discord for help within its "bug" section. I had to send them the same save file that I sent you and this morning it was sent back all fixed and working. For the record, I'll send you the fixed file as well in case you would want to see what caused the problem. I myself could not tell you; I'm no programmer. The guy that sent me the fixed file, could not tell me as well why I stumbled on this problem in the first place. I think he was the developer of the game himself? I asked him, but I didn't get a reply yet.

Anyway, thanks for all your help. I appreciated it so much!

Cheers!!

 

[79flavors]

I had to send them the same save file that I sent you and this morning it was sent back all fixed and working.

Wish I'd thought of that. It's a much neater solution, with less explanation required.

Glad it's sorted for you.

 

[boer]

Thanks again for your help. I'm sure we'll talk again.

Cheers.