About a Patch or file that will replace words in the main script.rpy

[staffofmagic]

HI, I'm gong to be creating a Visual Novel but before I do I wanted to get some information about Patches if possible. The easiest way possible as I am a complete Noob at Renpy, just started using it a few weeks ago, so dont know much. I know a bit of HTML and CSS but not Python.

So I wanted to know if anyone can explain to me a simple way to create a patch file that when placed into the game folder would overwrite the dialog in the main script.rpy file, as that is where the main dialog will be.

For example lets say I wanted to change one of the characters in the games name to something different or maybe their relationship, but I want to do it in a way that still keeps the emotions going in script.

I was thinking that I could write to separate game files, but that would be double the work, so I would like to avoid that if possible.

any help is greatly appreciated. thanks so much

[isobellesophia]

Yes, you can seperate files like script.rpy and screens.rpy, just like how they work each other.

Actually seperating files can be a good way to do, since you were lazy at scrolling too mucu of your file, you can make one like.. datelove.rpy, and that is where your relationships codes will be putted there, just to make sure that you can create as much as you wanted.

[namastaii]

So what do you mean? Updates after the game is already published? Or are you talking about something like you want to change a character's name or something but not have it affect anything else in the script (wasn't sure what you meant by emotions going)

Well if it's the latter, you can ctrl + F in your editor (like atom) and find the character's current name and then on the second line type the changed name and you clicked "replace all" and it will overwrite all of them in the page. Takes two seconds.

[staffofmagic]

Yea basically I'm looking for something that will update the game after it is published, because that would be the point of a patch, so that I can change something that needs fixing or updating. Also would be very useful if I made a spelling mistake in the game many times and I need to fix a word or something, so I initiate the patch and bingo.

[hell_oh_world]

Yea basically I'm looking for something that will update the game after it is published, because that would be the point of a patch, so that I can change something that needs fixing or updating. Also would be very useful if I made a spelling mistake in the game many times and I need to fix a word or something, so I initiate the patch and bingo.

I think you're trying to make some sort of in**st patch or whatsoever, that's is based on my experience in playing rated 18 VNs. The best practice is to make the dialog dynamic as possible by using variables then amend it in the init block. I don't know if this seems relevant or what, but these might work, as I've seen this a lot in the scripts of the VNs that I played.

Code: Select all

default name = "brother"
label start:
	"Hello [name]!"
	
init:
	$ name = "sister" ## Once the game has started, the brother word will be replaced by sister. So dialogues will be different.

P.S. I haven't tested this, more of observations from other devs.

[staffofmagic]

Ahh you got me. I just didnt want to say it outloud unless it was not acceptable on here. But yes you are correct. and thanks for the info. much appreciated. I'll test out your idea.

[namastaii]

Well whatever platform you have it on, you can update it just by updating the files. You can change variables quickly like hell_oh_world stated or if you're just adding to the game in general, you can upload your game through a server that supports updates and it'll simply update what you've added when you paste it in or git it in etc
for instance, if you're releasing on itch.io, you can manage your game through Butler and it'll detect changes in your game and sees them as an update.
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=45448 - tutorial on making a content patch (I found this which might be exactly what you're looking for)
https://www.renpy.org/doc/html/updater.html - Ren'Py web updater (if you were interested in looking at it)

[staffofmagic]

thanks so much for the info. It is very much appreciated!!! I am very Green to all of this so it is very great to have help. Many thanks

[Gopi]

Hello everyone I'm new to Ren'Py coding, I created patch which works good in windows version but when I converted into android version the patch doesn't recognise and going into default mode , can anyone help me

[gas]

Hello everyone I'm new to Ren'Py coding, I created patch which works good in windows version but when I converted into android version the patch doesn't recognise and going into default mode , can anyone help me

It would be of more help if you create a new post about, with more details.