Roleplay Chat is a chat application built inside the ren'py interface which allows you to chat with your friends or team makers using the same sprites, emotions and poses that you use in your visual novel. It was specifically designed for use with Dropbox, but it can be used as a straight network chat by anyone willing to set up an open drive on their computer.
- Why does this exist? -
I already had a much simpler python chat program kicking around, and when my team hit a lull I decided to transfer it over - mainly because Ren'py widgets are about 400% prettier than those found in more common python interfaces. Once I got that working, it was easy to set up characters and emotions to work with the existing chat system. Also, it's crazily fun to play with, so there's that.
- Features -
- Roleplay with friends - see your characters and emotions as the players will see them. Write comments that won't show in the script to discuss things with your fellow writers.
- Roleplay alone - who says one is the loneliest number? Someone without five personalities to play with, that's who. Switch between characters as you type using hotkeys.
- Just chat - use your own custom sprite sets to make the frown your friends are seeing the one that you've always wanted them to see.
- Dynamic positioning - characters shuffle around on screen as new characters are added or disappear. Can be disabled.
- Set up multiple chat sessions - make a chat for every path in your game. Chats stick around until deleted, so you can come back to them at any time.
- Set up your own image declarations or let the program output them for you.
- Replay scenes from the start and edit as you go.
- Output chat sessions as ren'py scripts - Outputs character names, moods, positions, and dialogue as ren'py code under a label corresponding with the name of the chat. Drop your image declaration and these rpy files into your main directory and there you go.
- Screenshots -
(Note: All screenshots use random resources)
- Why are you putting this here? / How did this go horribly wrong? -
Basically, I don't think things through: I took an upgraded roleplaying application and handed it to a couple of writers who participate in over ten different roleplaying communities between them. Even as I type this, they're in Dropbox redoing what seems to be the entirety of Supernatural using a ridiculous mixture of screen caps and fan art. If I ever make this into a GIF-maker, any chance of us making an actual game will be gone forever.
However, since the monster is already out of the grave, I figured there was no (additional) harm in shining up the bolts a bit and setting it loose on the world. - Goals / Comments Wanted -
This topic will be used to track progress towards what I'd call a finished application. If it turns out that other people might want to use this as well, I'd love to get suggestions from the community in terms of features they'd like to see. For example, right now it won't let you create options and menus. Should it? No clue.
- Things I'm Definitely Going to Do -
- Add an easier positioning system that can be manipulated without going to a seperate menu.
- Finish modfying the input text field - right now I've added bolding, pasting from the clipboard, and the ability to use the arrow keys to go back and edit using both backspace and delete. Still need to add scrolling and dynamic window sizing.
- Add a way to set up more detailed character definitions.
- Add an interface that will make the chat look like a standard visual novel - that is, only displaying the last comment made.
- Test the background, scene and label declaration functions more rigorously.
- Write documentation while I still remember how it works.
- Things I Might Do -
- Add a way to write menu choices while in a chat.
- Add a way to jump between labels while in a chat.
- Add a notification message when something is written in a chat you're not monitoring.
- Add the ability to partially rewind a chat and make modifications.
- Add the ability to import a python script / run snippets from within the application.
- Change the colour theme to something other than mint chocolate, which I personally like but which seems to be repulsive to others.
If I've been terribly confusing or forgotten to address the obvious, please do let me know. Actually, any comments or questions are more than welcome!
