Ren'Py Ultralight/GBA

[papillon]

Put "schoolgirls" in the title of a game and you're going to get a ton of downloads. Also, download.com featured it for a while because someone on staff was amused by the idea.

It's really sort of a shame, because it was such a thrown-together project. It was meant to be a throwaway engine test, not to get tons of attention! I can only wistfully imagine what sort of sales figures I might have achieved had I put out a better game with that title...

[Alessio]

"Elven schoolgirl love school", anyone...?

[Rodan]

Wow... this looks pretty cool. As a Boy Scout, me and a few buddies have tons of travel time. One time I showed them a simple Ren'py game I made on our laptop.

I've wanted to show off what I've made, but I've realized that I can't always lug around the laptop.

[PyTom]

Well, I purchased a (used) NDS off of eBay, and a memory card from Canada. The latter will arrive tomorrow, meaning that soon I will be able to run this on a physical machine.

I'm now leaning towards targeting the NDS as much or more than the GBA, simply because the NDS has more features, and is in general a nicer platform.

I'm also hoping that one day there will be a reasonable way to run hombrew on the NDS over wifi.

[Rodan]

So what flashcart are you using?

I think Supercard or M3 would be easier to use since you just have to copy files to a compacflash/SD card.

[PyTom]

I have a supercard CF on order... waiting for fedex to show up with it. It's supposed to get here today.

I'm debating on how the DS version would use the two screens that platform supports. I'm thinking of allowing each layer to be assigned to a screen. If I finish making MW/DS, then I'll probably make the bottom screen contain the text and a wide-angle view of the scene, while the top screen shows a close-up of the same scene.

Thoughts?

[Rodan]

Hmmm....

I think it might be cumbersome to look at the bottom screen for text while visuals go on the top screen.

I think the top screen should look like how the games normally look, using the bottom screen for menu selection, a "next" button and other buttons for things like rollback, saving and loading. A button that removes the textbox to let the player better see the graphics would be cool. That or a button that shows the image on the bottom screen.



Heck, if the bottom screen had a huge Phoenix Wright-style "PLAY" button, it would be good.

[Jinnai]

I have a supercard CF on order... waiting for fedex to show up with it. It's supposed to get here today.

I'm debating on how the DS version would use the two screens that platform supports. I'm thinking of allowing each layer to be assigned to a screen. If I finish making MW/DS, then I'll probably make the bottom screen contain the text and a wide-angle view of the scene, while the top screen shows a close-up of the same scene.

Thoughts?

Still working on this or not? I've been doing some work on my project, but i'd actually prefer to move it onto the DS. The DS needs some good ren'ai games too.

If you are, i'd say the top screen would be best for the actual scene and the bottom for the text, plus any choices. The only graphics i'd use here would be if you wanted button choices and maybe closeup dialogue pics or inventory pics if you wanted and a underlay background.

This would be a good use for a map...but i know you won't be adding a map. I think it could make more use out of the Dating Sim Engine.

Graphics could be used on the bottom screne with the stylus for stuff like zooming into certain areas or for anyone who wants to make some of those older style hentai games where you had to move your mouse around >_>

Personally though, unless someone here plans to make active use in a ren'ai game with the bottom screne for imagines, i'd say having an unobstructed view at the top and all the text on the bottom is imo the best.

[PyTom]

To be honest, I've been busy with other things. That, plus a lack of a really good system for launching homebrew on the DS, makes this a relatively low-priority project.

[Jinnai]

Yes you haveto spend some $$ to launch homebrew.

But things have come a long way since may, a couple major hurdles were jumped in fact.

[PyTom]

But things have come a long way since may, a couple major hurdles were jumped in fact.

Care to elaborate? I'm interested in this sort of thing, but don't haver time to troll through message boards. (Present company excepted, of course.)

[Jinnai]

But things have come a long way since may, a couple major hurdles were jumped in fact.

Care to elaborate? I'm interested in this sort of thing, but don't haver time to troll through message boards. (Present company excepted, of course.)

I'm assuming you did not flash your DS (by flashing incase you don't know, rewriiting the firmware to accept non-encrypted code).

If that's the case late may/early june they came out 3rd gen passthrough devices which do not require a gamecard to load the game. They slide into the DS slot. These devices suck up almost no battery power (i think someone claimed they lost as much as 30 mins, but some hard tests showed it was basically 5-10 mins is more likely.

I don't know how much the firmware for supercard has developed as i think they are working for on a microSD card so it's flush with the lites, but other companies have improved or will be improving in the near future, their menu system.

Essentially now with these 3rd gen devices you don't need to do the power up, load the rom, turn the system off then on again stuff to get things to load up, homebrew programs or roms. It will default to their menu and you can load from their without shutting off or any other crazy thing (you still if you plan to make this GBA software would have to boot into GBA mode).

There is also just coming onto the market 3rd gen divices that will be able to play DS games without any other cards attached. Right now there is only one and its unknown if it'll run homebrew as it's yet to arrive at people's residence (just sent their first shipment out).

There are other homebrews coming out, like one that would supposably allow you to transfer files from your PC anywhere you can access the net, if your PC is also connected and upload download from their.

[PyTom]

I'm assuming you did not flash your DS (by flashing incase you don't know, rewriiting the firmware to accept non-encrypted code).

I actually did flash it, a while back. The thing is, I think that flashing is probably a buit much for most people to handle.

What I'd like to see is a card with a built in http library, that lets people download nds games to the onboard ram, and then play them. Ideally, this would cost < $30, and not require a CF or SD card.

I mean, it's easier than it was, but you still need a supercard or equivalent, which puts it out of the reach of many people.

[Jinnai]

I'm assuming you did not flash your DS (by flashing incase you don't know, rewriiting the firmware to accept non-encrypted code).

I actually did flash it, a while back. The thing is, I think that flashing is probably a buit much for most people to handle.

What I'd like to see is a card with a built in http library, that lets people download nds games to the onboard ram, and then play them. Ideally, this would cost < $30, and not require a CF or SD card.

I mean, it's easier than it was, but you still need a supercard or equivalent, which puts it out of the reach of many people.

Well as i said, there is one card out, Ultra FlashPass, that could concievably do that, but it holds only 64Megabytes and is ~45 USD.

There is also the g6 lite which fits into the GBA slot and can be made to fit either the DSLite or DSphat (normally made for the lite, but you can unscrew the overhead casing and swap it with a version made for the DS. Both come in the same box). This doesn't require the CF/SD and holds 512MB and runs ~80 and it would still require a passme device or flashing.

But the passcard devices as mentioned are relatively simple now. They are essentially plug and play devices that require no updates and act like having a flashed DS, except you don't need a card in the DS slot for sleep mode (except with 1 older version). That i think solves a major hurdle most people would have, the other being $$$ and that isn't something that will likely change due to the amount of storage space and ram speed.

[Rodan]

The homebrew DS scene might actually be growing.
You can actually buy equipment for homebrew apps in retail stores.
The Max Media Player, albeit more expensive than the DS itself, is probably the easiest way to get homebrew DS apps.

It comes with a DS-cart sized Passkey that works with all DS models, and it has a 4 GB hard drive.