Updating from 6.99.14 to 7.1.3?

[arty]

Hey guys,

I recently released my first game. I was still using 6.99 to make it, since I started it a year ago and never bothered updating Ren'Py.
Now I want to update it, but I'm worried that if I then make updates for my game, I may break things.

I'm aware that there is a list with incompatibility changes, but I simply don't understand some of them. Or rather.... none of them, basically. ;_;
Can someone explain like I'm five years old?

The ones I'm talking about:

1. The Dissolve(), ImageDissolve(), and AlphaDissolve() transitions now default to using the alpha channel of the source displayables, as if alpha=True was given.
2. Ren'Py now defines automatic images at init 0, rather than at a very late init level. To revert to the prior behavior, add to your game
3. When an image is not being show, say-with-attributes now resolves a side image, rather than just using the attributes given.
4. Ren'Py's window auto function will now determine if dialogue or a caption is associated with a menu statement, and will attempt to hide or show the dialogue window as appropriate.

The same goes for the general changes:

1. The new SetLocalVariable() and ToggleLocalVariable() actions make it possible to set variables inside used screens. (What is a used screen?)
2. Ren'Py can now automatically save the game upon quit, in a reliable fashion. (As compared to the previous autosave, which could fail or be cycled out.) This is controlled by the _quit_slot variable. (How do I use this?)

Sorry for so many "questions" at once. I just don't wanna mess up a perfectly functional game.

Cheers, and thanks!

[trooper6]

My advice would be to make a copy of your game, give it a new name (Like Game2), build a new project, put your old files in the new project, and see what happens. The only big thing you’ll have to do is deal with translating your GUI stuff over to the new system.

But just try it and experiment at bit.

[arty]

Hmm that's probably the best idea, yeah... Thanks for the tip.