Save values (variables?)

Discuss how to use the Ren'Py engine to create visual novels and story-based games. New releases are announced in this section.
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Ayane_Ranma
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Save values (variables?)

#1 Post by Ayane_Ranma »

Hello

I am quite new here and have made my first experiences with Renpy.
I plan to make a dating game. So far I work with Artists and have written down a concept.
With Renpy I am able to create a simple visual novel thanks to the tutorial.
A whole game is a bit much yet though, so I search here for help.

My Questions:
1.
I need to be able to save values. (variables?)
In the game the player should be able to level up skills.
So the game should save the current skill levels.

2.
Also I need an interface, where the player can level up the skills.
How do I implement another interface?

3.
The game needs to use the saved skill values. (variables?)
Example: The player has a conversation with a character. The character asks the player a question.
Now the player gets answer option. A B and C.
But the game checks the current skill levels of the player and because the skill level is over 7 there will also appear an answer option D.
If the player had a skill level lower than 6, the answer option D should not appear.
This sounds like a simple if then else. But how do I implement this?


I have only very basic programming knowledge and am new to python.
Is there maybe a game out there that is simple and free to look into how its made?
Something like an example to use as model?


Thank you so far for this forum and the developers for Renpy!

Greetings
Ayane

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Alex
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Re: Save values (variables?)

#2 Post by Alex »

Greetings! You should try the tutorial game that ships with Ren'Py - it shows most of features (from basics to advanced stuff).
Also, oficial documentation will be your best friend (check the quickstart first) - http://www.renpy.org/doc/html/index.html
As for your 3rd question - see this page http://www.renpy.org/doc/html/menus.html

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Ayane_Ranma
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Re: Save values (variables?)

#3 Post by Ayane_Ranma »

The ingame menu is also explained well in the tutorial :)
But what can I do if i want my own designed interface instead of a simple menu?

The Renpy tutorial also tells that there is enhanced decision making possible.(see picture)
Where can I find more Information to that?

Maybe like they did in Long live the Queen. (see picture)


I went trough the Renpy tutorial, but still got these 3 questions, either because I did not find the answer or I did not understand the topic when it mentioned a solution :/
I am really not a programmer.
The tutorial once mentions also persistant data, wich sounds exactly like what I need, but I cant find an explanation :/
Attachments
longlivethequeen_interface.png
renpy_A1.png

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Alex
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Re: Save values (variables?)

#4 Post by Alex »

1. The ability to save the game state is the default feature of Ren'Py.
2. You can use screens to create interface you need - http://www.renpy.org/doc/html/screens.html
3. Conditional choice is described at the end of an article - http://www.renpy.org/doc/html/menus.html

The interface you've showed looks like an imagemap - http://www.renpy.org/doc/html/screens.h ... statements (it also described in tutorial)
Also, see - http://lemmasoft.renai.us/forums/viewto ... 90#p181690

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Ayane_Ranma
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Re: Save values (variables?)

#5 Post by Ayane_Ranma »

Thank you very much :)
The shown section are not easy to understand, but I can work with it.
I also managed to find an easy to understand explanation of things I was confused about:
http://renpy.org/wiki/renpy/doc/tutoria ... er_Choices

neowired
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Re: Save values (variables?)

#6 Post by neowired »

Ok, I'm not sure how advanced you are with these things, so I'll try to explain them in the most basic way I know of.

To start writing your renpy code you first open the script.rpy file and find "label start:", this is where renpy will start reading through your code, if you put code past "label start:" that will be the first code read once your game starts
Renpy code is very similar to python code, with the exception that when you define a variable or change its value you put a $ before that line of code. This rule doesn't include things like if statements, you don't need to put a $ before if statements in renpy code, you only put it before code when you declare a variable or change it's value. You can define a variable anywhere in the code, but if you try to read the variable before it was defined you will get an error.
renpy code:

Code: Select all

	$ x = 5
python code:

Code: Select all

	x = 5
Renpy code also lacks the "for" loop statement, but it does include the "while" loop statement.
Renpy reads a text loosely placed into two quote marks as a function which renders the text in the dialogue box

Code: Select all

	"Show this text"
You can, but don't have to, define a specific "character" which gives the text some defined stylization and attributes, if you do that you can then place it before the text to render the text with the defined characteristics like this

Code: Select all

	john "Show this text"
You can also use the complete normal python syntax/code in "python blocks", to make a block like that, you write something like

Code: Select all

python:
	if a == 5:
		b = 4
because renpy and python are both sensitive to tabulation, tabulation is important, for example you can write something like this

Code: Select all

label example:
	"Hello"
	python:
		for a in range(0,5):
			a+=1
	"[a]"
or you could write something similar with only renpy code and the while statement

Code: Select all

label example:
	"Hello"
	$ a = 0
	while a < 5:
		$ a+=1
	"[a]"
	if a == 4:
		"You won"
	else:
		"You lost"
If you want to make a more complex game than a simple visual novel, I highly recommend checking out a basic python tutorial first. It'll only take you a couple of hours and will likely become very helpful later on.
Personally, I enjoyed this one https://www.codecademy.com/learn/python

For something simpler and more renpy centered, youtube always has some tutorials for everything
like here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h58CKf57YDk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K3UA6U4PGI
Maybe not the best, but it should give you some idea.
For all purpose renpy labels act in ways similar to python functions. Normally renpy reads them one after another, but they can also be called like python functions.
I think I would have understood renpy syntax much better if I originally had some python knowledge before I started playing with it.

To construct new menu screens you want to use the renpy screen syntax/language which alex already linked you to
To declare a new screen you want to go to the screens.rpy file and write something like

Code: Select all

screen myScreen:
	frame xpos 0.5 ypos 0.5:
		has vbox
		text "hello"
because this code structure is based on tabulation, this is a complete block of code

Once you define your screen, the simplest way to open and hide your screen inside the game, you find a place in your game script when you want the screen to open and write something like

Code: Select all

	"Hello my friend"
	show screen myScreen
	"Good day"
	hide screen myScreen
I hope that will be helpful to you!

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Re: Save values (variables?)

#7 Post by Taleweaver »

Moved to Ren'Py Questions.
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Ayane_Ranma
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Re: Save values (variables?)

#8 Post by Ayane_Ranma »

Thank you neowired :)

Your explanation is easier to understand.
I think I can work with this or at least give it a try. ;)

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