Looking for a specific feature-set before I get too deep...

[NerdyNinja]

So I'm starting to develop a new game (my brother already wrote the story) and I'm starting to teach myself Ren'PY. I got all the way through the Introduction with simple variables and one "counting" variable, and things are going ok (filler graphics, no sound yet, but the plan is fully voice acted). The issues I see are in the more advanced systems that I know are further in the game, and I wonder if there's a simpler engine that will have some or all of those features built in.

The problem is, I don't want to code the same game 5 times only to find out that an engine that doesn't need "code" is missing a feature or capability I could learn to build in Python... So I'll ask the experts.

This will be a Visual Murder Mystery (inspired by the likes of Danganrompa/Zero Escape) set in a dystopian fantasy world.
Required features:
Navigating locations (visual "buttons" preffered, but text menus might work if buttons are too complicated).
Audio per line for Full Voice Acting.
Flexible graphics for effects and moving characters (obviously some can be video/animated, but basic movement helps)

More Importantly:
Inventory system to track items and adjust the story based on what you have/don't. Two or three "tabs" for different types of items (Items, Clues and Alibis). Ability to use items with each other (combine certain clues to get new information and new clues).
Ability to drag clues into “blanks” in the story or specific boxes to check if you have the right clues.
"Trust Meter" like a health bar for conversations. Also a "button" to quickly reset trust and the current conversation.

Obviously all of this can be done in Ren'PY with the right code, and some is actually very reusable from others, but I'm wondering if there's an engine out there that has AT LEAST all those features and might be faster to "code"... Thoughts?

If no other engine, I"m happy for pointers to cookbook/code snippets for any of the inventory systems in Ren'PY.

[Imperf3kt]

I figure I should reply here so you don't get discouraged.

What you're asking about likely doesn't exist, at least not as a freely available asset you can make use of.

Typically, such a system is more than possible but a fairly large endeavour and usually once people do it, they don't share the code either because it took so much work, is very specific to their game, or they wish to commercialise it.


That said, there are some coded systems available in the cookbook that you could combine to achieve what you're after, but your best bet is to find a friend or volunteer who is familiar with the engine to either help you design everything or program it for / with you to suit the specific needs of your game.


With all that said, there are frameworks available that you can use directly in your game to help achieve most of this. The Dating Sim Engine is one such system framework that comes to mind which is regularly maintained and fairly vast in scope. A forum search in the cookbook section for DSE should find it.

[kittylove94]

Hey! I wanted to drop in and let you know things can be done in engines like Tyranobuilder or Visual Novel Maker!