Scope Support for Python Blocks. The idea here is that the python statement will be extended with a new "in" clause. These new scopes will support rollback, just like the main Ren'Py scope does, and will be able to be imported from using the Python import and from statements. This should help a bit with the organization of Ren'Py programs containing complex Python code - such as the new launcher.
Launcher Rewrite. I'm planning to rewrite the launcher. The interface will be rewritten from scratch using screens, but some of the older code (like the distribution code) will be cleaned up and included. Plans for this include:
- Visual improvements.
- The ability to determine what resources from common/ are actually required by a particular game.
- Code navigation support. At the very least, I'd like a creator to be able to click on a label, and have that label open in a text editor. I'd also like this to extend to images, names, and screens.
- Translation support. The ability to scan over code and create or update a translation file.
- An updater, with the ability to create update files when you build a distribution. Ideally, this will be a component that you can include in your games. I'd also like it to be able to update a .rpa file without having to re-download the whole thing. (This may be limited to 6.14-created .rpa files.)
RAPT - Ren'Py Android Packaging Tool A launcher plug-in that will give one-click (to be fair, after some guided setup) creation of Android applications.
I'm not sure of the licensing for RAPT. I'm considering making it a commercial product. On one hand, if I was able to get a large enough stream of income from Ren'Py, I'd be able to devote even more time to it - time that right now is devoted to my day job. OTOH, a small amount of income is the worst of both worlds - I wind up with an additional support burden, but not enough income to offset it - and the money is taken from creators who could use it for other things.
(It's times like this that I wish I knew how to make a legit business plan.)