Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

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Katy133
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Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#1 Post by Katy133 »

With more news of Nintendo pushing to approach indie developers (calling these games "Nindies"), and Ren'Py becoming compatible with Unity (the latter being compatible with Nintendo Switch)...

... Will Ren'Py visual novel developers be able to make VNs compatible with Nintendo Switch?
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#2 Post by Imperf3kt »

Last I heard, that Ren'Py-Unity project got canned.
Nintendo Switch probably can't run Ren'Py as-is (at least from my understanding of the Nintendo Switch's ARM core), so I don't expect so anytime soon.

For the foreseeable future, the closest thing we have in regards to mainstream marketing, is the Google Play Store and Apple Store.
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#3 Post by PyTom »

I don't know where Siliconera got that article from, but it's not even remotely true.
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#4 Post by Imperf3kt »

PyTom wrote: Thu Mar 22, 2018 1:22 am I don't know where Siliconera got that article from, but it's not even remotely true.
PyTom wrote: Wed Jun 15, 2016 2:20 am From what I understand, Sekai Project (and their various contractors) is putting together a tool to translate some subset of Ren'Py games to Unity. As far as I know, this isn't general support, and I'm not actually involved.

viewtopic.php?t=38939#p418651


They probably got it from here: https://nintendoeverything.com/mighty-r ... platforms/
and here: https://www.gonintendo.com/stories/2592 ... g-to-unity

It was all over Reddit a few years ago:
https://www.reddit.com/r/visualnovels/c ... ort_renpy/
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#5 Post by PyTom »

Sure, which just goes to show that you can't believe what you read in the news - at best, it was a tool to translate Ren'Py games to Unity. Nobody tried to fact-check it and find out what was really going on.

This reminds me that I should look at the nintendo SDK sometime to see if a port would be possible. But it's kind of hard to justify spending effort on a closed platform when everyone has open platforms everywhere.
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#6 Post by Imperf3kt »

Last I recall, the NDI was (out of all the 'console' companies) the most Indie friendly.
I didn't have too good a look at it, because I honestly didn't understand it, being C code.

It's at least more indie friendly than SONY and Microsoft, at any rate, who require you to live in America...
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#7 Post by Twoflower »

At risk of necroposting, has there been any new development on this?

We're really, really hoping to get our VN on as many platforms as possible. Switch is experiencing an indie revolution right now, to the point where it's becoming a defacto game platform for many folks looking for small games -- which VNs would fit into nicely.

If not, what's involved in recompiling Renpy for Switch? What are the roadblocks? Is it a problem with the LGPL, a technical restriction, or just a matter of nobody doing the work yet?
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#8 Post by Formedras »

I don't have any real technical knowledge of the issue, but I would assume the problems to be technical restrictions that can be worked around or through, pretty much based around the Switch's operating environment. Pretty much all of the LGPL libraries that Ren'Py uses either are fully platform-independent (e.g. FriBidi) or have been ported to the Switch (e.g. SDL). Well... I'm somewhat assuming on the PyGame_SDL part, since SDL itself isn't LGPL. Hopefully using that just consists of pointing PyGame to a compliant SDL binary.

I guess, then, that it boils down to "nobody doing the work yet." But then technical restrictions usually do.
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#9 Post by Imperf3kt »

Technically, Ren'Py as is should work on the Switch, since the Switch runs on an ARM processor with a RISC based OS, which Ren'Py has already proved to work on.
What you would require, is the Nintendo Switch development kit and software (which you need to ask Nintendo about)

Its more a matter of nobody with the skills and funds, has yet started work on it.


On the other hand, IIRC, the Switch doesn't support OpenGL, favoring Vulcan instead.
Since Ren'Py needs OpenGL ES 2.0 or greater, this poses a roadblock.

Nevermind, this is inaccurate
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#10 Post by Imperf3kt »

I decided to contact Nintendo to get a bit better understanding of whats involved and from the looks of it Nintendo isn't going to be compatible with Ren'Py without involvement from PyTom himself.

Here's a copy of the exchange.
Thank you for your interest in developing for the Nintendo Switch.  In order to be considered for access to Nintendo Switch development resources, we require an overview of your planned project as well as your development experience history. 
 
If you are based in Europe or Australia/New Zealand, please send your information to developers@nintendo.eu.  If you are based in the Americas, please send your information to thirdpartypublisher@noa.nintendo.com.  Please include support@noa.com in the CC.  Please feel free to include screenshots, videos, or links in your information.
 
Andy Harpel
Software Development Support Group
 
From: Imperf3kt
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2018 12:00 AM
To: SDSG Support <SDSGSupport@noa.nintendo.com>
Subject: Nintendo Switch development query
 
Hi, I am a small time game developer aiming to release on the Nintendo Switch platform.
I've looked through the process of getting a game onto the Switch, but am unclear of the process and if my approach is supported.
 
I and a small community, use a middleware called Ren'Py Which is regularly updated and maintained and able to package games for Linux, Windows, Macintosh, iOS, Android and single board computers such as the Raspberry Pi.
Ren'Py is built on many Python, Cython and C libraries and helps novice developers like myself turn ideas into games with relatively little programming experience.
According to your indie help pages, the Switch can accept games created with engines such as Unity and C++, but it mentions nothing of other engines using Python or derivatives.
 
What I'd like to know, is how and if, I can get a Ren'Py compiled game, onto the Nintendo Switch. My programming knowledge is minimal and understanding what is required is beyond my understanding.
 
Thank you for reading my query, I and many others eagerly await any form of reply.
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#11 Post by Katy133 »

There's been a new development on this via Twitter. Poppy Works has completed development of a virtual machine for Ren'Py in order to port VNs to Nintendo Switch.
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#12 Post by Imperf3kt »

Aaaand... Following

I'm curious about the whole thing, but so far everything seems kind of secretive for what appears to be a public offering.

Have they showcased any demo's yet?
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#13 Post by Katy133 »

Imperf3kt wrote: Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:02 pm I'm curious about the whole thing, but so far everything seems kind of secretive for what appears to be a public offering.

Have they showcased any demo's yet?
They've just finished the virtual machine, so they're looking for VN developers to test it, so they're currently at an early stage. I'll keep an eye out for developments.

EDIT: They have a Discord server now: Twitter post with link
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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#14 Post by ever17 »

Renpy games can be played https://github.com/uyjulian/renpy-switch/releases
Sample game there too.

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Re: Will Ren'Py VNs Become Compatible with Nintendo Switch?

#15 Post by Imperf3kt »

ever17 wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 4:43 am Renpy games can be played https://github.com/uyjulian/renpy-switch/releases
Sample game there too.
And here other port http://tapochek.net/viewtopic.php?t=220790
If I understand correctly, this requires a homebrew be installed on the switch?

It's a step forward, but still not quite what everyone is after.

More info can be found here
viewtopic.php?p=512681#p512484
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