Best way to make a VN-RPG hybrid using Ren'Py that is "high-octane"?

[CaraPrincess2007]

Greetings.

I am a longtime RPG Maker user (have been using it since 2020), but tbh, my FIRST game engine is actually Ren'Py (although I was put off at first because at that time I didn't know anything about scripting).

Even though RPG Maker is pretty flexible on creating an RPG (hence what said on the tin), there are some limitations of usage of that engine to me, for instance:

- Versions that supports programming uses languages such as JavaScript and Ruby, which when compared to Python, is more like a mess to a newbie like me (even though all RPG Maker versions come with a rather visual workflow in making most aspects of the game, including a visual scripting system via a nested flowchart-like interface).
- RPG Maker is optimized for Windows (although latest versions supports exporting to other OSes (but some requires external (and complicated) compiling setups), and due to that, if we port an RM game to another OS, some of the features in the plugins we used for our game might be broken in the other OS ports.
- Asset preparation might be a bit wonky though... Not all RPG Maker versions use the same asset specifications. One version uses 32 x 32 sprites and tiles while another uses 48 x 48 sprites and tiles. That means usually we cannot interchange assets between RM versions.

But Ren'Py, in contrast, might be the opposite to RM's limitations. For instance, we can upload assets of whatever resolution we want, (entirely) cross-platform, and EASY scripting language (well at least after a while of diving into the documentation and existing scripts...).

However, so far I haven't found any workflows on how to make a VN-RPG hybrid that is high-octane, since games with heavy gameplay mechanics is my forte (at least on the blueprints...)...

Any help on this?

[RicharDann]

There is no one perfect way to do this, it really depends on how complex you want your battle system and gameplay loop to be. Ren'Py does allow for virtually any kind of system thanks to Python, but the more you stray away from the typical Visual Novel gameplay, which Ren'Py is highly specialized in, the more difficult it will be to implement. Adding maps and arrow-controlled player movement like in RPG Maker for example would require very heavy coding, while a menu turn based battle system should be easier to implement. I believe these things have been done already and are available in the cookbook section of this forum, though the code might be a little outdated.

So what exactly you want to achieve here? Additionally, what do you mean by "high-octane"?

[zmook]

There is code for systems for combat, inventory, map movement, and many other elements in the cookbook:
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=34131

If you ask a more specific question, we will be more likely to have a useful answer.

[CaraPrincess2007]

Replying to RicharDann

Actually I would like to make one that is menu-based akin to what most Ren'Py-powered RPGs have done so far, albeit with stuff like DDR / Taiko no Tatsujin-like QTE system for dodging / using skills.

Or if that is too much, something closer to traditional RPGs but with some more gimmicks to battle (such as like OMORI's "Emotions" battle mechanic.

These changes should be made to a Ren'Py RPG so that it should not be too "bland". I always putting making an exciting game with exciting story and gameplay before everything else first.

That's what I am aiming to.

P.S. Sorry I don't know how to reply in LSF. Pardon me for that since I am not using this site often.

[zmook]

P.S. Sorry I don't know how to reply in LSF. Pardon me for that since I am not using this site often.

(There is a small button with a double-quote icon in the top right corner of each message.)

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with any of those games, unless DDR = Dance Dance Revolution, which I doubt?

But you're describing general design goals without saying what specifically your question is. If it's "can I make an interesting battle subgame in Renpy?" then yes, though you'll have to do a lot of coding. Ren'py doesn't supply much out of the box to make that kind of thing easy for you. If it's, "is Renpy the best framework to use for this particular game I have in mind, or would I be better off switching to Unity or staying with RPGM?" then maybe someone here can help you. (Personally I have no experience with the alternatives.) But like RicharDann says, Renpy is more likely to be a good choice if your overall game includes a lot of visual-novel style story and your battle-mechanic ideas are not too complex.

If your question is, "there is a specific thing I want my game to do -- how hard would that be in Renpy?", then please tell us.

[RicharDann]

I would like to make one that is menu-based akin to what most Ren'Py-powered RPGs have done so far, albeit with stuff like DDR / Taiko no Tatsujin-like QTE system for dodging / using skills.

Sounds like you want an RPG with rhythm game elements.

In a broad sense, the more stuff you want happening at the same time on screen, the harder it will be to code in Ren'Py and the game might suffer performance-wise.

Like zmook pointed out, Ren'Py is designed to demand very little player input, mostly through menus, buttons and other basic screen elements that require a single click, and it's made with the idea that the user can interact and read at their leisure. It's also designed to display static images and animations without much complexity.

Although Ren'Py certainly has the ability to go further than that, in terms of raw performance and functionality, it might be more limited when compared to engines like Unity, Game Maker or Godot. These are better suited for sprite and animation heavy, highly interactive and fast paced games, though they are admittedly harder to learn.

As far as I know this is still possible in Ren'Py with the use of Creator Defined Displayables (CDD for short), though I personally don't have experience with them.

something closer to traditional RPGs but with some more gimmicks to battle (such as like OMORI's "Emotions" battle mechanic.

This is definitely possible, as stated before, in the internal/mechanics side of things, the limit is your imagination. As long as it isn't too graphically demanding, Ren'Py and Python will do nicely.

[Syrale]

When it comes to having a playable map and creating cutscene with pixel sprites, I couldn't recommend Pink Engine more!
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=59039

Though it doesn't come with a battle system yet, so you will have to piece that together with the other resources that were mentioned here.

[zmook]

When it comes to having a playable map and creating cutscene with pixel sprites, I couldn't recommend Pink Engine more!
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=59039

Cool! I need to look at that. As a mac user, RPGM has never been appealing to me.