Loading up Renpy VS Typing up a document

[Caveat Lector]

When writing up the script for your project(s), which is easier for you--writing the whole thing within the Renpy script file itself? Or writing the script separate in a document and then copying-and-pasting the whole thing into the Renpy script and smoothing out the more technical details? I ask because Windows 8 is proving to be a bit...well...I'm feeling kind tonight so I'll just say unreliable. It tends to freeze up and then I have to restart it, or it otherwise sometimes shuts down for various reasons, and again, I have to restart it. When I do, it's easy enough to load up documents in Microsoft Word, but going through the whole process of finding the Renpy folder, loading up the Renpy start engine and the script is a royal pain. It gets old after restarting my laptop for the fifth time over the course of a week.

(Separate note: Sadly, computer stores tend to carry the newest model only, so as a result, Windows 8 is pretty much all that's available; luckily, there are stores that do sell older devices, so as soon as I can find and afford a Windows 7 I'm transferring all of my stories and downloaded games onto there)

But then again, would it really be any easier to do the whole thing in Word? I have transcribed old stories into the Renpy script before, as an experiment to just fool around with the engine, and while it's helped me get the hang of it, the process can also sometimes be tedious and give me extra work.

[Asceai]

My process is that I write in Libreoffice Writer (basically Wod) and copypaste into a script file. I have a python script to do some simple reformatting because I like to write in a slightly different style, but honestly it's mainly just indentation, which is quick enough to do after pasting in your script. You just have to make sure you turn off all sorts of bullshit replacements, like smart quotes and auto-capitalisation.

[ketskari]

I write the first draft longhand in a notebook, then write the second draft directly into Ren'Py. I find it easier to test the outcome of choices that way and look at the script as the player might see it.

But I think every writer ends up finding their own particular process that works best for them.

[LRH]

I'm following the same process I do when writing a regular novel - it starts off as an outline typed in notepad on my computer. At this point, I put in the most basic structure in Renpy (with a real novel, I do my rough page formats, creating my chapter headers and the like). Then the story itself gets fleshed out a bit in pen and paper format, where I write the first draft. All of that will get typed into my rough Renpy structure, probably with a few significant changes made, and a few scenes even further refined. After that, it'll be time to put it on a backburner to come back to revise it with a fresh mind. With VNs, that will probably be the part where I start planning any minigames, creating graphics, etc. I've followed a similar process while writing Neverwinter Nights modules too, and it works pretty well for me

[curry nochi rice]

As a programmer and the writer of my project, I code directly to Ren'Py.

Well since I also work as a programmer for another group. I usually just copy directly from the .docx scripts they send me, to the .rpy files. A few indentation adjustments , and character encoding tweaking happen afterwards. (ps: Editra saved me time on the encoding part.)

[TrickWithAKnife]

Because I tend to do my writing at random places, I find writing into google docs suitable. Easy to use on multiple devices, and to share writing samples with other people for review.

Converting it for renpy is not so difficult:

Jack
"Why am I being quoted here?"

VS

Jack surprised "Why am I being quoted here?"

Of course there's a bit more work involved with menus and such, but it's not the end of the world.

[Mad Harlequin]

I'm new to Ren'Py, but I'm an editor for Queen At Arms, and my fellow team members introduced me to this magical (and free!) program called Editra. It lets me directly edit the Ren'Py file without loading up Ren'Py itself. All I have to do is right-click on the script file I mean to work on and then open it in Editra.

I still write rough drafts in OpenOffice or by using Google Docs, but I imagine I'll start writing script completely in Editra soon.

[KiloTango]

I write straight in code, but I use Coda rather than any of the suggested editors and just load up Renpy to check the lint and also to have the game running as I work (as I'll do a lot of checking phrasing/timing/expressions etc as I write).

For outlining, I do it in my files as NVL style summary fragments and labels, with the summaries getting commented out when I come to write each scene. When I started I did all of that in one file but then quickly broke it into chapters, leaving a little dev menu in the main script so I can easily jump around to check different scenes as I work (as everything is already labeled from the summary)

[Vatina]

I use a program called Wikipad for writing the main script, as it works nicely for ordering branches and the like. When I'm away from home I just use whatever text program is available and move it to wikipad later. I can't focus on writing the text and considering coding etc at the same time, as it gets in the way of getting the words on paper the way I want them to.

When the whole thing is done I then insert it into renpy manually by copying and editing. After the text then fits the renpy format with correct name labels and such, I then go and insert sprites and CG's/music/sounds.

It's a long-winded process, but lets me go over different parts again in other ways, and rearrange should it be necessary.

[Marionette]

I just do everything in Notepad++, notes, writing, editing the script etc, and then i only have to hit run on renpy for it to go.

[wyverngem]

It honestly depends on my mood and what I'm writing. For my sim game Golden Cauldron 20k of it was just writing condition scenes based on what could happen in the week. I did all that in the game since they were pretty small, but when it came to scenes with the bachelors and their main story arch I outlined and started writing in Notepad or Word. When I brought it back into the game it the coding wasn't too hard. A few """ that needed to be changed and missing a few menus, but caught them while testing.

I find that when I write in renpy it's easier for me to write different paths based on choices, but I find I focus more on the story when I write in WordPad or even Notepad.

Though I do find that programs like Renpy, Word, and Notepad keep me focused because when I'm writing I don't want the computer to distract me with auto-correct or colored lines. Writing in a journal works too for that, but I find I like to write and then add as I'm writing. A little harder when I can just insert a line above instead of writing in the margin or crossing out paragraphs and hoping I can follow it later.

[Lishy]

I use google docs.

1. Cloud means you don't need to worry about losing data

2. Others can help and comments at the same time.

[Kam]

I initially (well, most of the time) type it all in wordpad first.
May or may not have several revisions.
Then once I open ren'py, I start copy+pasting it in, sometimes adjusting it.

So basically: wordpad=draft, ren'py=final.

Besides, jEdit acts annoying sometimes <.<

[Aurélie]

I feel more comfortable with Google Docs because it's what I've always used for my novel writing. However, as the programmer as well as the writer, I'm finding it's probably a better idea to start moving my rough scene drafts immediately into jEdit and coding them. Otherwise I'm doing rough menu jump/variables off the top of my head into my document and making it look really messy.

[qirien]

I outline in Google Docs, and then write the code directly. I need the feedback of being able to try what I've written right away! Although, like Mad Harlequin said, you don't have to load up Ren'Py to edit your .rpy files - you can just open them with any text editor (notepad, editra, jedit, vi, emacs... ). Also, in Editra you can use the File -> Session -> Save option to save the tabs you have open, and then open them all later with File -> Session -> Load. You might want to make a shortcut to editra or jEdit or whatever editor you have Ren'Py using.

If Windows isn't working out for you, there's always Linux...